corboy

A very prudent and wise answer ------ thank you.

corboy wrote: I have had a few peak experiences that fall into the categories you describe.

Good; we are not special or unique-----------I’m thinking everyone on earth has “transcendent experiences.” No one has a monopoly --- (unless you let them) --- on that which is free for all and free to all; it’s one of those unalienable “self-evident” endowments given to each by their Creator. God is good, within and without.

There's a helpful book on discernment of such experiences, aka testing the spirits.

It is entitled Weeds Among the Wheat, written by a Jesuit priest with many years
of experience as a teacher and counselor.

[www.google.com]

Even if you are in one of the non Roman Catholic Christian traditions, there is
much in the book that can be extrapolated.

One major principle is that God works through relationships, rarely if ever against relationships -- if those relationships are in and of themselves
in alignment Christ.

If you are married and your marriage is going well, and especially if you have young children (dependants) or older parents in your care, a seeming call
from God to leave your marriage and abandon care of your dependants to go
carry the Gospel on the open road -- that is a call that must be taken with
suspicion.

Where it gets interesting are situations where there are weeds among the wheat --God is close and one's ego (or the Adversary) tries to contaminate the leading.

One example Father Greene gives is of a situation where you are in prayer, God
is seeming to feel very close -- and you are interrupted with an urgent message from a housemate or supervisor.

If you're angry that you're being taken away from the sweetness you've been savoring in prayer, that is a clue that ego or the Adversary is horning in.

If, you are not at all resentful of the interruption and smoothly transition to
what someone needs you to do -- that's a pretty good sign.

A truly good test is seeing whether, long term, you are becoming more patient, more resourceful, better to live with and work with.

From corboy: "that is a clue that ego or the Adversary is horning in." Really corboy? Thanks for the mention of my name. ;o)

From corboy: "...that is a clue that ego or the Adversary is horning in." Really corboy? Thanks for the mention of my name. ;o)

I've spent close to 30 years trying to prevent my old nature from horning into my most meaningful relationships, to little effect.

changedagain wrote: I've spent close to 30 years trying to prevent my old nature from horning into my most meaningful relationships, to little effect.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It will be 39 years for me this summer, same outcome.

More to the point ------

No, I should say back on track with corboy and jhorning:

Old nature or new, I welcome any paranormal or transcendent experience that helps deliver my scientific mind from its default to “Eternal Oblivion” when we die. Even the “Cosmos Series” on television helps when it talks about black holes being portals into other universes and entangled particles affecting each other from one side of infinity to the other or one universe to another---------it all helps to disrupt my “brain conditioning” and lets me entertain the possibilities of eternal/everlasting life in other dimensions/universes after we die.

FCSLC wrote in part:"...it all helps to disrupt my “brain conditioning” and lets me entertain the possibilities of eternal/everlasting life in other dimensions/universes after we die."
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“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
Life after we die? It's more than a possibility. We have been given the promise of eternal life from the Father and the full reality of His promise will be ours.

Happy Easter everyone. I fondly recall John leading us in a joyful version of "Up From The Grave He Arose" every Easter Sunday morning. He always loved to lead that song. A fun memory.

paleface Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Happy Easter everyone. I fondly recall John
> leading us in a joyful version of "Up From The
> Grave He Arose" every Easter Sunday morning. He
> always loved to lead that song. A fun memory.

paleface: Same to you. I also remember the song and signing it while he led from up front. Good memories.

Been gone from the “Walk” nearly 29 years now and haven’t set foot in any church since. I don’t miss the “Overlord Shepherding” at all, and since there is no one controlling my actions anymore, I basically keep the laws of the land, follow normal Christian/Biblical Conduct and live as a normal American Citizen.

The anxieties of church membership are gone---------thank God. With the turmoil put out of the way, more energy can be put into the peaceful, contemplative silence before God.

Waiting on God was always the best.

Instead of forcing the issue of resurrection life, it will come about in due time according to the Father’s agenda; I never liked telling Creator/Father/God what to do anyway.

Living the “Monk Lifestyle” independently.