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Bonita
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| Joined: | Mon Nov 20th, 2006 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 15 |
| First Name: | Bonita | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Nov 4th, 2007 12:09 pm |
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| A friend has asked me how can we know Our Precious Lord is speaking to us. Her specific question was - "How can I know it is Him speaking to me and not just me talking to myself?" I really would like some guidance on how to answer her question.
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5353 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Nov 4th, 2007 01:15 pm |
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Bonita wrote: A friend has asked me how can we know Our Precious Lord is speaking to us. Her specific question was - "How can I know it is Him speaking to me and not just me talking to myself?" I really would like some guidance on how to answer her question.
We can only judge the message. Is it consistent with scripture? Does it match what God said to Moses and what Jesus said to the apostles? Does it follow the teachings of the saints and the Church?
If I wake up on Sunday morning to get ready for church, that voice that tells me to roll over and get another hour of sleep is not from God, and neither is the voice that tells me to hit the gas and get through that red light just as it's changing. God tells me to pray, to love, to deny myself and take up my cross. God tells me to love others and to praise and worship my Creator. If the voice speaks differently to me, then it is not from God.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2096 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sun Nov 4th, 2007 02:05 pm |
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Bonita, with some reservation (see below), I would recommend Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment to your friend. The author is Fr. Thomas Dubay, SM, an EWTN regular, and it is published by Ignatius Press.
This book is an exhaustive treatment of the question of how to know when God is speaking to us and when he is not. From the back cover advertisement: “We learn how we discern whether we are being led by the Holy Spirit or by our own unredeemed inclinations and desires, whether it is the spirit of God or the prince of darkness that is operating in our disagreements and programs.” This is classically known as “discernment of spirits” (compare 1 Corinthians 2:14; 12:10; 1 John 4:1). In this way we learn that “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
Caveat: The book is written for college level readers, so be prepared to wade through some fairly heavy reading. It is only 260 pages, but Fr. Dubay’s style is very compact and closely argued, and there is a lot to learn on each page. I am recommending this book because it is readily available and is by far the best I have encountered on the subject. There are other works, but they do not cover the subject so well and do not go into nearly the depth or detail that Fr. Dubay does. If you can handle it, this one really spells it all out.
If you believe this book is not for your friend, probably the next best work would be the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It has a section at the back on the subject of discernment of spirits. It is rather short, giving general principles in classical 16th century style and vocabulary, so you may not find it all that useful.
Regardless of whether your friend is able or willing to read, I will also recommend making use of the sacrament of penance. In addition to forgiving sins, it is a time of counsel and education in the ways of God. Your friend should ask the priest to explain some ways to know the will of God.
David
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rrammfcitktturjsp012006
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| Joined: | Thu Nov 1st, 2007 |
| Location: | Midland, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 42 |
| First Name: | Anne | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | C of C, Wicca, Satanist, Atheist, Agnostic, Baptist, Unity, and ... |
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Posted: Mon Nov 5th, 2007 01:55 am |
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Bonita,
If I may humbly offer some guidance told to me and that I practice everyday.
Many days I got to Perpetual Adoration and I sit there in the Presence of Our Lord and Savior. If I hear a voice, I ask it, "who are you." Never has it failed to indentify it. I am not sure if this answer is a glorious answer or not but it has served me well. If it is Jesus he will always identify himself as being Jesus Christ or something along those lines.
Secondly let your friend know if she feels utter incomprehensible peace then chances are that is of God.
Thirdly, I have no idea of what religous affiliation your friend is but I would exhort you to encourage her to get a spiritual director.
I enact these practices in my life and they have served me well. I also have a few close friends that I can talk to that help me through several things. I hope this helps.
David,
Hope that this post was not a repeat of your post lol.
In Him,
Anne
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