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Have you ever been visited by an angel
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Dec 31, 2013 12:43:08   #
rumitoid
 
I am going to copy and paste here the entire blog found at this link:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ellenpainterdollar/2013/12/what-angels-d/
I have had such encounters though I have not made up my mind as to their exact nature. I will share a few of these after a conversation is started.

Here is the piece:
Many of my favorite Gospel verses come from the stories of Jesus’s birth and early years, including the words that Mary utters after the angel Gabriel informs her that she will give birth to a son conceived by the Holy Spirit: “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

Let it be to me according to your word. Such simple words, indicating Mary’s assent to God’s call. Simple, but not easy.

This verse had a special poignancy for me in the Advent of 1998, when Daniel and I were preparing to move from Washington, D.C., to West Hartford. Leaving D.C., even though we were moving for a good job and to be closer to family, was wrenching. We had a full and happy life in a wonderful city. Despite the good life we’ve built here in Connecticut, we still feel homesick for D.C. Our longing for the vibrant and beautiful city is compounded by our longing for the energy and freedom of being twenty-somethings finding our place in the world.

As we prepared to leave in that Advent of 1998, I understood that we were giving up something precious, that the city where we grew into adulthood and met each other would leave a mark, and our move away would leave a scar. So I focused on Mary’s words: Let it be to me according to your word. We sensed that in making this move, we were following God’s lead, even though it was scary and hard.

How did we know we were following God’s lead? Well, we didn’t get visited by an angel, as Mary did. Our D.C. church focused a great deal on how to discern God’s call. While a few outliers shared stories of vivid dreams or other signs that made God’s call clear, most of us figured out where God was leading us using more ambiguous criteria—our deepest desires and talents; gut feelings, sometimes clarified in prayer; our own and others’ observations and intuitions. I have generally viewed angel visitations as poetic literary devices symbolizing divine-human communication, but not as something that really happens.

But I recently read a book, The Angel Effect by John Geiger, that has changed how I think about angels.* Geiger tells story after story of people’s encounters with a “sensed presence.” The stories have some common threads: In a moment of extreme stress (a car accident or plane crash, a near drowning, a moment of despair experienced by a binge-drinking alcoholic), a person suddenly feels the palpable presence of another being that exudes calm, benevolence, and love. Sometimes the presence gives instructions, such as by telling a drowning person in which direction to swim, or telling an accident victim to breathe slowly to conserve oxygen until emergency personnel arrive. Sometimes the presence is simply there, bringing a powerful sense of calm and well-being. Sometimes people feel the presence holding their hand, either to provide comfort or to physically lead the person. Sometimes the presence’s identity remains ambiguous, but sometimes it takes on very specific characteristics. One man, driving at night on a winding mountain road in a snowstorm, received detailed navigation directions from a middle-aged Mexican cleaning lady, of all people, who appeared in his car. Geiger himself, grieving after the death of his infant son, experienced a calming, healing presence in his home office one night. He was sure that the presence was, in fact, his dead son James, though the presence never said a word.

The people who tell these stories are from diverse backgrounds, and most are not particularly religious. Some of them refer to the sensed presence as an angel, while others aren’t sure what to call it. All of them are certain that the presence was both real and life-changing.

The “sensed presence” phenomenon is well-documented in scientific literature, and Geiger explores multiple theories that attempt to explain it in neurological or psychological terms. Perhaps in times of extreme stress, our subconscious overrides our conscious brain, quelling panic and helping us to perceive and use important environmental details to, in effect, save ourselves. Many people report that the presence is located over their right shoulder; perhaps the left brain, which controls the right side of our body and helps us interpret stimuli, among other things, creates the sensed presence to help us interpret and respond to extraordinary events.

Geiger presents numerous scientific theories, all of which seem reasonable, some of which have been replicated in laboratory experiments, and none of which explain the aura of benevolence and love that people report as key to their experience.

So, what is the answer? Are there really angels? Or are experiences of a sensed presence that provides comfort and guidance merely a trick of the brain?

Geiger concludes—and I would agree—that we don’t really need to answer those questions to believe in the power of such encounters. There is no doubt that the experiences people report are real experiences, with real consequences. People who were near death did not die. The comfort and peace that people felt during their encounter remained and were life-changing. Alcoholics stopped drinking, depressed people got better, drowning people made it to shore, accident victims survived, and Geiger began to heal from the devastating loss of his baby boy. Whether their encounters were with a real angel or were a function of their brains giving them just what they most needed at the hardest moments of their lives seems irrelevant in the face of how these encounters change lives.

Geiger concludes, “The fact is we don’t know what’s behind these episodes. The sheer number of explanations proves this.” He goes on, “I have been visited by an angel, if you’d like to call it that, in the form of the presence of my dead son. He did what angels do: he offered me hope, he comforted me, and he guided me…”

“He did what angels do…”

That brings us back to Mary, visited by Gabriel with his startling news. The people in Geiger’s book say that their angel, or presence, overflowed with a sense of calm that quelled their fear. In the Gospel accounts, the first thing that Gabriel says to both Elizabeth and Mary, and to the shepherds, is, “Do not be afraid.” The people in Geiger’s book gained a sense of resolve, certainty, and peace that remained for years. What strong resolve and peace must young Mary have possessed to do what God was asking her to do—to tell her betrothed husband that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, give birth in a stable far from home, raise a boy who was different than anyone else’s boy, see that boy perform miracles, and then be tortured to death on a cross.

I am intrigued by the ways that modern people’s encounters with angels, or some kind of benevolent presence, echo Mary’s and others’ encounters with angels in the Bible. I have often dismissed fellow Christians who speak of our “guardian angels” as being somewhat charmingly deluded. But now I wonder if I have been wrong to dismiss the possibility that angels are more than a lovely poetic device.

The Bible narrative tells the truest story there is, of God’s redeeming work in the world that God created and the people whom God loves. The truth of that story is not contingent on every jot and tittle of the Bible being factually true. What, exactly, inspired Mary to do what she did is less important than that Mary did what she did.

Thus far in my life, I have sensed God’s call through a murky mixture of intuition, prayer, desire, and circumstance. Perhaps that will be the case for the rest of my life, or perhaps some day I will experience a “sensed presence” or angel visitation. I pray that when God calls, I will be willing to step into the unknown despite fear and sadness and uncertainty, as I did when we moved from D.C. to Connecticut 15 years ago. I pray that I will always be willing and able to respond to God’s call, whether it comes to me via shaky intuition or a life-changing encounter with something like an angel, as Mary did: Let it be to me according to your word.

Reply
Jan 1, 2014 21:28:35   #
rockhawk95 Loc: Louisiana
 
rumitoid wrote:
I am going to copy and paste here the entire blog found at this link:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ellenpainterdollar/2013/12/what-angels-d/
I have had such encounters though I have not made up my mind as to their exact nature. I will share a few of these after a conversation is started.

Here is the piece:
Many of my favorite Gospel verses come from the stories of Jesus’s birth and early years, including the words that Mary utters after the angel Gabriel informs her that she will give birth to a son conceived by the Holy Spirit: “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

Let it be to me according to your word. Such simple words, indicating Mary’s assent to God’s call. Simple, but not easy.

This verse had a special poignancy for me in the Advent of 1998, when Daniel and I were preparing to move from Washington, D.C., to West Hartford. Leaving D.C., even though we were moving for a good job and to be closer to family, was wrenching. We had a full and happy life in a wonderful city. Despite the good life we’ve built here in Connecticut, we still feel homesick for D.C. Our longing for the vibrant and beautiful city is compounded by our longing for the energy and freedom of being twenty-somethings finding our place in the world.

As we prepared to leave in that Advent of 1998, I understood that we were giving up something precious, that the city where we grew into adulthood and met each other would leave a mark, and our move away would leave a scar. So I focused on Mary’s words: Let it be to me according to your word. We sensed that in making this move, we were following God’s lead, even though it was scary and hard.

How did we know we were following God’s lead? Well, we didn’t get visited by an angel, as Mary did. Our D.C. church focused a great deal on how to discern God’s call. While a few outliers shared stories of vivid dreams or other signs that made God’s call clear, most of us figured out where God was leading us using more ambiguous criteria—our deepest desires and talents; gut feelings, sometimes clarified in prayer; our own and others’ observations and intuitions. I have generally viewed angel visitations as poetic literary devices symbolizing divine-human communication, but not as something that really happens.

But I recently read a book, The Angel Effect by John Geiger, that has changed how I think about angels.* Geiger tells story after story of people’s encounters with a “sensed presence.” The stories have some common threads: In a moment of extreme stress (a car accident or plane crash, a near drowning, a moment of despair experienced by a binge-drinking alcoholic), a person suddenly feels the palpable presence of another being that exudes calm, benevolence, and love. Sometimes the presence gives instructions, such as by telling a drowning person in which direction to swim, or telling an accident victim to breathe slowly to conserve oxygen until emergency personnel arrive. Sometimes the presence is simply there, bringing a powerful sense of calm and well-being. Sometimes people feel the presence holding their hand, either to provide comfort or to physically lead the person. Sometimes the presence’s identity remains ambiguous, but sometimes it takes on very specific characteristics. One man, driving at night on a winding mountain road in a snowstorm, received detailed navigation directions from a middle-aged Mexican cleaning lady, of all people, who appeared in his car. Geiger himself, grieving after the death of his infant son, experienced a calming, healing presence in his home office one night. He was sure that the presence was, in fact, his dead son James, though the presence never said a word.

The people who tell these stories are from diverse backgrounds, and most are not particularly religious. Some of them refer to the sensed presence as an angel, while others aren’t sure what to call it. All of them are certain that the presence was both real and life-changing.

The “sensed presence” phenomenon is well-documented in scientific literature, and Geiger explores multiple theories that attempt to explain it in neurological or psychological terms. Perhaps in times of extreme stress, our subconscious overrides our conscious brain, quelling panic and helping us to perceive and use important environmental details to, in effect, save ourselves. Many people report that the presence is located over their right shoulder; perhaps the left brain, which controls the right side of our body and helps us interpret stimuli, among other things, creates the sensed presence to help us interpret and respond to extraordinary events.

Geiger presents numerous scientific theories, all of which seem reasonable, some of which have been replicated in laboratory experiments, and none of which explain the aura of benevolence and love that people report as key to their experience.

So, what is the answer? Are there really angels? Or are experiences of a sensed presence that provides comfort and guidance merely a trick of the brain?

Geiger concludes—and I would agree—that we don’t really need to answer those questions to believe in the power of such encounters. There is no doubt that the experiences people report are real experiences, with real consequences. People who were near death did not die. The comfort and peace that people felt during their encounter remained and were life-changing. Alcoholics stopped drinking, depressed people got better, drowning people made it to shore, accident victims survived, and Geiger began to heal from the devastating loss of his baby boy. Whether their encounters were with a real angel or were a function of their brains giving them just what they most needed at the hardest moments of their lives seems irrelevant in the face of how these encounters change lives.

Geiger concludes, “The fact is we don’t know what’s behind these episodes. The sheer number of explanations proves this.” He goes on, “I have been visited by an angel, if you’d like to call it that, in the form of the presence of my dead son. He did what angels do: he offered me hope, he comforted me, and he guided me…”

“He did what angels do…”

That brings us back to Mary, visited by Gabriel with his startling news. The people in Geiger’s book say that their angel, or presence, overflowed with a sense of calm that quelled their fear. In the Gospel accounts, the first thing that Gabriel says to both Elizabeth and Mary, and to the shepherds, is, “Do not be afraid.” The people in Geiger’s book gained a sense of resolve, certainty, and peace that remained for years. What strong resolve and peace must young Mary have possessed to do what God was asking her to do—to tell her betrothed husband that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, give birth in a stable far from home, raise a boy who was different than anyone else’s boy, see that boy perform miracles, and then be tortured to death on a cross.

I am intrigued by the ways that modern people’s encounters with angels, or some kind of benevolent presence, echo Mary’s and others’ encounters with angels in the Bible. I have often dismissed fellow Christians who speak of our “guardian angels” as being somewhat charmingly deluded. But now I wonder if I have been wrong to dismiss the possibility that angels are more than a lovely poetic device.

The Bible narrative tells the truest story there is, of God’s redeeming work in the world that God created and the people whom God loves. The truth of that story is not contingent on every jot and tittle of the Bible being factually true. What, exactly, inspired Mary to do what she did is less important than that Mary did what she did.

Thus far in my life, I have sensed God’s call through a murky mixture of intuition, prayer, desire, and circumstance. Perhaps that will be the case for the rest of my life, or perhaps some day I will experience a “sensed presence” or angel visitation. I pray that when God calls, I will be willing to step into the unknown despite fear and sadness and uncertainty, as I did when we moved from D.C. to Connecticut 15 years ago. I pray that I will always be willing and able to respond to God’s call, whether it comes to me via shaky intuition or a life-changing encounter with something like an angel, as Mary did: Let it be to me according to your word.
I am going to copy and paste here the entire blog ... (show quote)

God is real and angels are real....
i am not anybody special but i love Jesus....have i seen holy angel the answer is yes i have lots of times and have seen Jesus two times...
people will say ahhh hes a nut..
i didnt see this for anyone but myself...i dont have to prove it to anybody...it was for me during hard times.

Reply
Jan 1, 2014 21:41:35   #
rockhawk95 Loc: Louisiana
 
rockhawk95 wrote:
God is real and angels are real....
i am not anybody special but i love Jesus....have i seen holy angel the answer is yes i have lots of times and have seen Jesus two times...
people will say ahhh hes a nut..
i didnt see this for anyone but myself...i dont have to prove it to anybody...it was for me during hard times.


i have been blessed for all that i have seen and im not satisfied even to get deeper onto it..i fight for more and more....i guess in a way maybe feel selfish but im not because its a lot more of him out there....believe me...he will go as far as you want to go with you

Reply
 
 
Jan 2, 2014 18:55:44   #
Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...
 
[quote=rumitoid Here is the piece:
Many of my favorite Gospel verses come from the stories of Jesus’s birth and early years, including the words that Mary utters after the angel Gabriel informs her that she will give birth to a son conceived by the Holy Spirit: “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

Let it be to me according to your word. Such simple words, indicating Mary’s assent to God’s call. Simple, but not easy.

This verse had a special poignancy for me in the Advent of 1998, when Daniel and I were preparing to move from Washington, D.C., to West Hartford. Leaving D.C., even though we were moving for a good job and to be closer to family, was wrenching. We had a full and happy life in a wonderful city. Despite the good life we’ve built here in Connecticut, we still feel homesick for D.C. Our longing for the vibrant and beautiful city is compounded by our longing for the energy and freedom of being twenty-somethings finding our place in the world.

As we prepared to leave in that Advent of 1998, I understood that we were giving up something precious, that the city where we grew into adulthood and met each other would leave a mark, and our move away would leave a scar. So I focused on Mary’s words: Let it be to me according to your word. We sensed that in making this move, we were following God’s lead, even though it was scary and hard.

How did we know we were following God’s lead? Well, we didn’t get visited by an angel, as Mary did. Our D.C. church focused a great deal on how to discern God’s call. While a few outliers shared stories of vivid dreams or other signs that made God’s call clear, most of us figured out where God was leading us using more ambiguous criteria—our deepest desires and talents; gut feelings, sometimes clarified in prayer; our own and others’ observations and intuitions. I have generally viewed angel visitations as poetic literary devices symbolizing divine-human communication, but not as something that really happens.

But I recently read a book, The Angel Effect by John Geiger, that has changed how I think about angels.* Geiger tells story after story of people’s encounters with a “sensed presence.” The stories have some common threads: In a moment of extreme stress (a car accident or plane crash, a near drowning, a moment of despair experienced by a binge-drinking alcoholic), a person suddenly feels the palpable presence of another being that exudes calm, benevolence, and love. Sometimes the presence gives instructions, such as by telling a drowning person in which direction to swim, or telling an accident victim to breathe slowly to conserve oxygen until emergency personnel arrive. Sometimes the presence is simply there, bringing a powerful sense of calm and well-being. Sometimes people feel the presence holding their hand, either to provide comfort or to physically lead the person. Sometimes the presence’s identity remains ambiguous, but sometimes it takes on very specific characteristics. One man, driving at night on a winding mountain road in a snowstorm, received detailed navigation directions from a middle-aged Mexican cleaning lady, of all people, who appeared in his car. Geiger himself, grieving after the death of his infant son, experienced a calming, healing presence in his home office one night. He was sure that the presence was, in fact, his dead son James, though the presence never said a word.

The people who tell these stories are from diverse backgrounds, and most are not particularly religious. Some of them refer to the sensed presence as an angel, while others aren’t sure what to call it. All of them are certain that the presence was both real and life-changing.

So, what is the answer? Are there really angels? Or are experiences of a sensed presence that provides comfort and guidance merely a trick of the brain?

Whether their encounters were with a real angel or were a function of their brains giving them just what they most needed at the hardest moments of their lives seems irrelevant in the face of how these encounters change lives.

Geiger concludes, “The fact is we don’t know what’s behind these episodes. The sheer number of explanations proves this.” He goes on, “I have been visited by an angel, if you’d like to call it that, in the form of the presence of my dead son. He did what angels do: he offered me hope, he comforted me, and he guided me…”

“He did what angels do…”

That brings us back to Mary, visited by Gabriel with his startling news. The people in Geiger’s book say that their angel, or presence, overflowed with a sense of calm that quelled their fear. In the Gospel accounts, the first thing that Gabriel says to both Elizabeth and Mary, and to the shepherds, is, “Do not be afraid.” The people in Geiger’s book gained a sense of resolve, certainty, and peace that remained for years. What strong resolve and peace must young Mary have possessed to do what God was asking her to do—to tell her betrothed husband that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, give birth in a stable far from home, raise a boy who was different than anyone else’s boy, see that boy perform miracles, and then be tortured to death on a cross.

I am intrigued by the ways that modern people’s encounters with angels, or some kind of benevolent presence, echo Mary’s and others’ encounters with angels in the Bible. I have often dismissed fellow Christians who speak of our “guardian angels” as being somewhat charmingly deluded. But now I wonder if I have been wrong to dismiss the possibility that angels are more than a lovely poetic device.

The Bible narrative tells the truest story there is, of God’s redeeming work in the world that God created and the people whom God loves. The truth of that story is not contingent on every jot and tittle of the Bible being factually true. What, exactly, inspired Mary to do what she did is less important than that Mary did what she did.

Thus far in my life, I have sensed God’s call through a murky mixture of intuition, prayer, desire, and circumstance. Perhaps that will be the case for the rest of my life, or perhaps some day I will experience a “sensed presence” or angel visitation. I pray that when God calls, I will be willing to step into the unknown despite fear and sadness and uncertainty, as I did when we moved from D.C. to Connecticut 15 years ago. I pray that I will always be willing and able to respond to God’s call, whether it comes to me via shaky intuition or a life-changing encounter with something like an angel, as Mary did: Let it be to me according to your word.[/quote]

I had placed myself in a position of potential danger, in Jerusalem, in
late February of 1990, during the height of the 1st Intifada; I had someone drop me off at the beginning of one of the three trails at the top of the Mount of Olives, because I wanted to absorb the view and the general atmosphere.

Jesus ascended from that location, and when He returns it will be to the Mount of Olives.

The day before, a rider had been killed by a rock thrown through the rear of an Egged bus, running from their central station in Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which is only five miles south, and within the week, a tourist had been stabbed by an Arab youth, while walking though the streets of the old walled city in east Jerusalem.

I started descending a trail, one of three beginning on the mount, that ends at the entrance to the Garden of
Gesemane, and was almost immediately accosted by an Arabian man
gesturing with a box of beaded souvenir jewelry, intimating that I should make a purchase from him.

I shook my head, and held my hand palm up in refusal. He continued to follow me, and became more insistent in his demeanor, and obviously not willing to take no for an answer; at that moment, a gentleman appeared at my side, from which direction, I have no idea, he was just there.

He was wearing slacks, a windbreaker, and white sneakers that looked as if they'd (don't laugh) never touched the ground.

He said something in Arabic, in a sharp tone of voice to the Arab, and he turned immediately, to reascend the hill.

This gentleman continued to walk beside me, conversing in perfect English, and as we descended, we encountered three different small groups of people, (who had enough sense not to walk alone) in twos or threes, ascending the hill. He greeted each of these groups in a different language.

One, I recognized as German, one was Scandinavian, and the third, possibly Portuguese.

When we reached the entrance to the Garden of Gesemane, I turned to thank him, and asked his name. He said, "my name is Michael."

My friends drove up just then to pick me up, as we'd agreed.

That night, drifting toward sleep, and pulling a quilt up around my chin, because Jerusalem is still cold in February, and the apartment's space heater didn't do much for my bedroom, I suddenly sat straight up in the bed, and thought, "my Lord and My God," - he said his name. was Michael.

Reply
Jan 2, 2014 23:13:55   #
larry
 
I don't want to get into your personal experiences, I believe that they are as accurate as you can remember, and I also believe that they are real.
I have never had a visual or starling experience with an Angel, because I believe it was never necessary. By being connected to the Holy Spirit within, I have often experienced the urge to make choices that in my own intelligence I would not have readily made. Some I ignored, to my chagrin, and some I honored. Usually the ones I honored just seemed to be of no consequence. I suppose that is because it was the right path. I suppose, that we only have a confrontation with an Angel if we are in such a quandary that we are afraid to listen to the Holy Spirit within. We need the extra support. But not listening to the Holy Spirit or the supporting angels, can be a big mistake. This is the primary guiding force Christ has promised, and we do not want to even think about ignoring Him. I always worry about whether I am listening to the right voice at times, satan has access too if we are not careful. If it goes against love at all, it must be a wrong voice. Always make sure what you hear is a positive loving suggestion. Not greedy or selfish.

Reply
Jan 3, 2014 17:00:57   #
Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...
 
larry wrote:
I don't want to get into your personal experiences, I believe that they are as accurate as you can remember, and I also believe that they are real.
I have never had a visual or starling experience with an Angel, because I believe it was never necessary. By being connected to the Holy Spirit within, I have often experienced the urge to make choices that in my own intelligence I would not have readily made. Some I ignored, to my chagrin, and some I honored. Usually the ones I honored just seemed to be of no consequence. I suppose that is because it was the right path. I suppose, that we only have a confrontation with an Angel if we are in such a quandary that we are afraid to listen to the Holy Spirit within. We need the extra support. But not listening to the Holy Spirit or the supporting angels, can be a big mistake. This is the primary guiding force Christ has promised, and we do not want to even think about ignoring Him. I always worry about whether I am listening to the right voice at times, satan has access too if we are not careful. If it goes against love at all, it must be a wrong voice. Always make sure what you hear is a positive loving suggestion. Not greedy or selfish.
I don't want to get into your personal experiences... (show quote)


Well, thank you for your input, Larry.

You're quite right, you can't "get into" my personal experiences.

I'm a sane, rational person, and I don't need anyone's validation as to the miles I've walked, and it is a truism that no one else can occupy my moccasins.

The most wonderful thing about worshiping a God who is personal, who has personality, and desires to communicate with those He created is that he does so, individually with each of us.

He created us with individual personalities with free will, not as puppets, as John Calvin (French name when born, Jean Chauvin) would have us believe.

I looked at this topic each day after it was posted, understanding, that anyone who posted to it, would inevitably, bring the Pharisees and Sadducees out of the woodwork, but my life has been what it has, and to God be the glory.

Reply
Jan 6, 2014 02:28:08   #
rumitoid
 
Zemirah wrote:
I had placed myself in a position of potential danger, in Jerusalem, in
late February of 1990, during the height of the 1st Intifada; I had someone drop me off at the beginning of one of the three trails at the top of the Mount of Olives, because I wanted to absorb the view and the general atmosphere.

Jesus ascended from that location, and when He returns it will be to the Mount of Olives.

The day before, a rider had been killed by a rock thrown through the rear of an Egged bus, running from their central station in Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which is only five miles south, and within the week, a tourist had been stabbed by an Arab youth, while walking though the streets of the old walled city in east Jerusalem.

I started descending a trail, one of three beginning on the mount, that ends at the entrance to the Garden of
Gesemane, and was almost immediately accosted by an Arabian man
gesturing with a box of beaded souvenir jewelry, intimating that I should make a purchase from him.

I shook my head, and held my hand palm up in refusal. He continued to follow me, and became more insistent in his demeanor, and obviously not willing to take no for an answer; at that moment, a gentleman appeared at my side, from which direction, I have no idea, he was just there.

He was wearing slacks, a windbreaker, and white sneakers that looked as if they'd (don't laugh) never touched the ground.

He said something in Arabic, in a sharp tone of voice to the Arab, and he turned immediately, to reascend the hill.

This gentleman continued to walk beside me, conversing in perfect English, and as we descended, we encountered three different small groups of people, (who had enough sense not to walk alone) in twos or threes, ascending the hill. He greeted each of these groups in a different language.

One, I recognized as German, one was Scandinavian, and the third, possibly Portuguese.

When we reached the entrance to the Garden of Gesemane, I turned to thank him, and asked his name. He said, "my name is Michael."

My friends drove up just then to pick me up, as we'd agreed.

That night, drifting toward sleep, and pulling a quilt up around my chin, because Jerusalem is still cold in February, and the apartment's space heater didn't do much for my bedroom, I suddenly sat straight up in the bed, and thought, "my Lord and My God," - he said his name. was Michael.
I had placed myself in a position of potential dan... (show quote)


Zemi, this thread was started after I read The Angel Effect.

Reply
 
 
Jan 6, 2014 12:36:36   #
larry
 
Zemirah wrote:
Well, thank you for your input, Larry.

You're quite right, you can't "get into" my personal experiences.

I'm a sane, rational person, and I don't need anyone's validation as to the miles I've walked, and it is a truism that no one else can occupy my moccasins.

The most wonderful thing about worshiping a God who is personal, who has personality, and desires to communicate with those He created is that he does so, individually with each of us.

He created us with individual personalities with free will, not as puppets, as John Calvin (French name when born, Jean Chauvin) would have us believe.

I looked at this topic each day after it was posted, understanding, that anyone who posted to it, would inevitably, bring the Pharisees and Sadducees out of the woodwork, but my life has been what it has, and to God be the glory.
Well, thank you for your input, Larry. br br You... (show quote)


I continually 'feel' close to God when I am reviewing my choices for things that are presented to me. I don't understand the reason for the presentation, but I am looking for the path either into it, or away and out of it.

Two years ago, for no known reason, I had a condition develop that caused my right leg to be amputated. You can probably imagine what went through my mind at that declaration.
I am still trying to figure our why, but instead of going through that agony, I was given a dream that I was to concentrate on other things, and develop further trust in God and His direction.
What has developed is the chance to see and feel the basic love in strangers that want to help me, and pray for me and are willing to spend time easing my concerns.
Some of these may have been angels, I don't know, but since that time, there have been many kind souls willing to give some of their time for my time. Even people, young men, have been placed in my way that have been changed by our conversations. I hope they find the peace they are seeking if they are true seekers, I think that this is now my assignment, to help and teach others how to face some problems.

I suspect, that we are facing a worse time of existance coming up soon, and all will have to choose who they are to follow. Man or God.

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Jan 6, 2014 18:18:26   #
cant beleve Loc: Planet Kolob
 
That was said beautifully and you can bet if there are angels in the Bible they are here today for he is the alpha and omega and his truth doesn't change.and we can all be a little bit of heaven by being like him. God bless you

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Jan 6, 2014 18:38:25   #
Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...
 
larry wrote:
I continually 'feel' close to God when I am reviewing my choices for things that are presented to me. I don't understand the reason for the presentation, but I am looking for the path either into it, or away and out of it.

Two years ago, for no known reason, I had a condition develop that caused my right leg to be amputated. You can probably imagine what went through my mind at that declaration.
I am still trying to figure our why, but instead of going through that agony, I was given a dream that I was to concentrate on other things, and develop further trust in God and His direction.
What has developed is the chance to see and feel the basic love in strangers that want to help me, and pray for me and are willing to spend time easing my concerns.
Some of these may have been angels, I don't know, but since that time, there have been many kind souls willing to give some of their time for my time. Even people, young men, have been placed in my way that have been changed by our conversations. I hope they find the peace they are seeking if they are true seekers, I think that this is now my assignment, to help and teach others how to face some problems.

I suspect, that we are facing a worse time of existance coming up soon, and all will have to choose who they are to follow. Man or God.
I continually 'feel' close to God when I am review... (show quote)


Yes, Larry, we're already in the great "falling away" prophesied to take place in the body of Christ. We can each feel the storm clouds gathering, for God would not have us unaware,but because we know who holds tomorrow, we need not fear...

The Emergent churches (some call themselves "Emerging.") are deeply into ancient mystical occultic practices, and do not value the Bible. The great falling away of the Christian Church is in progress.

2 Thessalonians 2:3: "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"

2 Thessalonians 2:7: "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains {will do so} until he is taken out of the way."

The current lawless president and administration are "at work," as predecessors, a dry run, if you will, to the final "lawless one."

The loss of a limb requires a lot of faith and trust in the Almighty, but someday, you'll be with Him, face to face, and He will explain, although then it will no longer matter, as all will be restored to you.

As to choosing who you will serve, God or Man, I'm sure you've already made that decision in Christ's favor, as have I, and He will give each of us the courage to stand.

1 Corinthians 9:16: "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel."

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Jan 6, 2014 19:08:21   #
cant beleve Loc: Planet Kolob
 
That's the truth.we all know it's right around the corner.I'm diagnosed terminal so I've made my peace. I'm soon out of here and to be honest,?
I can't wait. I just worry about my unsaved nieces and nephews as I never brought children to this planet. God bless all left here during the coming troubles ahead.

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Jan 6, 2014 20:23:58   #
Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...
 
cant beleve wrote:
That's the truth.we all know it's right around the corner.I'm diagnosed terminal so I've made my peace. I'm soon out of here and to be honest,?
I can't wait. I just worry about my unsaved nieces and nephews as I never brought children to this planet. God bless all left here during the coming troubles ahead.


Life is just a moment for all of us, when compared with the infinity of eternity. We all have a journey to make, a journey to Eternity.

Your prayers avail much with God. Pray for your nieces and nephews, they do have free will, but God is faithful.

It is God's wish that no man should perish [without Him].

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Jan 6, 2014 20:27:43   #
Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...
 
Quote:
I have had such encounters though I have not made up my mind as to their exact nature. I will share a few of these after a conversation is started.


rumitoid wrote:
Zemi, this thread was started after I read The Angel Effect.


And.............?

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Jan 6, 2014 20:47:02   #
cant beleve Loc: Planet Kolob
 
Yes. And....

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Jan 6, 2014 23:07:50   #
rumitoid
 
Zemirah wrote:
I had placed myself in a position of potential danger, in Jerusalem, in
late February of 1990, during the height of the 1st Intifada; I had someone drop me off at the beginning of one of the three trails at the top of the Mount of Olives, because I wanted to absorb the view and the general atmosphere.

Jesus ascended from that location, and when He returns it will be to the Mount of Olives.

The day before, a rider had been killed by a rock thrown through the rear of an Egged bus, running from their central station in Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which is only five miles south, and within the week, a tourist had been stabbed by an Arab youth, while walking though the streets of the old walled city in east Jerusalem.

I started descending a trail, one of three beginning on the mount, that ends at the entrance to the Garden of
Gesemane, and was almost immediately accosted by an Arabian man
gesturing with a box of beaded souvenir jewelry, intimating that I should make a purchase from him.

I shook my head, and held my hand palm up in refusal. He continued to follow me, and became more insistent in his demeanor, and obviously not willing to take no for an answer; at that moment, a gentleman appeared at my side, from which direction, I have no idea, he was just there.

He was wearing slacks, a windbreaker, and white sneakers that looked as if they'd (don't laugh) never touched the ground.

He said something in Arabic, in a sharp tone of voice to the Arab, and he turned immediately, to reascend the hill.

This gentleman continued to walk beside me, conversing in perfect English, and as we descended, we encountered three different small groups of people, (who had enough sense not to walk alone) in twos or threes, ascending the hill. He greeted each of these groups in a different language.

One, I recognized as German, one was Scandinavian, and the third, possibly Portuguese.

When we reached the entrance to the Garden of Gesemane, I turned to thank him, and asked his name. He said, "my name is Michael."

My friends drove up just then to pick me up, as we'd agreed.

That night, drifting toward sleep, and pulling a quilt up around my chin, because Jerusalem is still cold in February, and the apartment's space heater didn't do much for my bedroom, I suddenly sat straight up in the bed, and thought, "my Lord and My God," - he said his name. was Michael.
I had placed myself in a position of potential dan... (show quote)


Sorry my original response to you was so curt; did not mean it to be sharp but just as FYI. Wonderful experiences. I don't know how you will take this but when I was my baddest everyday it seemed I received the mercy of God, guided and brought to places where I was cared for.

I woke up one morning in Vegas not just broke but having exhausted all my options over the two months I was there. Yet I awoke with joy in the cab of my truck, my mobile hotel. For a moment I thought my memory of losing everything the night before was just a nightmare and I had full pockets. Yet that was fleeting. Why, then, was I joyful?

I got the message like a friend whispering in my ear to go to an AA meeting but say nothing about my state of affairs. No promises were made. I went to five meetings that day and obeyed the voice, saying nothing...and nothing happened. It was going on 11pm and I was now hunting for a safe place under a tree to park my truck for the night and sleep. I was really disappointed that my obedience had not resulted in some relief for my circumstances; I had had such messages before and was always taken care of.

I was going down a street in a part of town I had never been before when I spotted a sandwich-board sign that had the AA symbol; I turned into the driveway. It was the perfect spot to spend the night: off the street and there was a huge cottonwood to block the sun. I thought this was the comfort of God promised by the "voice": I was wrong.

11th Step meetings in AA are held at 11pm. I saw a light in the building and people moving about; maybe there are donuts and coffee? I thought. The meeting hall was set up in an "L" shape with the base of the letter by the welcoming coffee and donuts, but no one was sitting there. I took a seat. Exhausted and hungry, I was going to wait a respectable time, grab a bunch of donuts, and head to my truck for sleep. Eight people were seated in the other section and one of them glanced over at me and then away and then quickly back again, this time staring. He got up, walked over, and sat next to me. `

"How ya doin?" he asked. "Great," I answered more than a little uncomfortable with his movements: was this a "gay" meeting of AA? Then he said, "I was sitting at home content to watch a movie I had been looking forward to when a "voice" said someone needed my help, go to the late group. Do you have a place to stay tonight?" Pride started to answer yes but out of my mouth came the words, "I need help." "You are welcome to stay with me until you get back on your feet." My whole turned around after this encounter.

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