READERS' EXCHANGE

 

Enclosed is a copy of a letter I sent to Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, and Pat Robertson, asking them how God speaks to them. All three answered me. Copeland said if I would send $24 for tapes they would probably answer my questions. Hagin said that if I would pray about it God would start speaking to me. Robertson said I just wasn’t listening. —G. H. Roux, 938 Willow St., Wood River, IL 62095.

(Part of the problem with “God speaks to me” may be semantical. Yes, God may “speak” (Is that the world to use?) to us through a book, a friend, a spouse, an enemy, an experience, and even in our own thoughts, what some would call intuition. The problem with all these is that they are subjective and we cannot be sure. Feelings can be very deceptive. It may even be Satan speaking to us instead of God. But truth has a way of authenticating itself, and we can usually determine what is right and good, whatever its source. But if I understand these modern prophets they are saying that God speaks to them like He spoke to Moses and Jesus. This I do not believe. Whatever “comes into my mind” is not necessarily the voice of God, even if it be true. I am very uncomfortable with such language as “God said to me” unless the reference is to the holy Scriptures. The Holy Spirit within us is a comforter and even an enlightener, but not a revealer. God’s disclosure we already have in the Bible. —Ed.)

Thank you for the scholarly rebuttal to so many time-honored arguments that have deceived so many of us for years. Your journal is very much appreciated by those in our fellowship here. I love you, though I’ve never seen you. We need your voice! I am part of a seven family fellowship meeting in a home. We all have Church of Christ backgrounds. Please pray that God will continue to give us wisdom and grace to grow and learn, edify one another, and reach out to our community. —Steve Isgitt, Rt. I, Box 217-P, Hempstead, TX. 77445.

I truly enjoy your publication and thank you for the work you are doing toward the unity of all God’s children. May God bless your efforts and permit you to continue for many years. —Terry L. Medley, 3211 Southberry Cir., Canton, OH 44706.

I wrote to The Disciple, and they printed the letter, that it was my hope that such people as you could grace the platform of the General Assembly (Disciples of Christ) and that there would be mutual exchange at the North American. I think the voice of moderation needs to be heard in these circles. The editor of The Disciple voiced similar thoughts in an editorial. —A. William Johnson, 227 E. Sandra, Tulare, CA. 93274.

Ouida and I want to thank the many who sent condolences during the recent loss of our little granddaughter. I am trying to send a note to everyone who wrote, but it is a slow process. While we are left stunned and chastened by the loss, we nonetheless continue to thank God that Christi was with us for a time. The other night Ouida had a very realistic dream about her. She sees Christi in a park-like setting, playing with other children. She calls her to her and gets a big hug and kisses, which was very consoling to Ouida, as if it were real. When a caretaker leads Christi away into a kind of nowhere (or everywhere!), she goes along willingly, as if she understood. Ouida told me the dream and then said there was something very unusual, Christi was bigger! To which I said, Of course, she’s three months older! I will sometime share with you my view of soul growth, how life really begins at death, how the spirit moves into an etheric (spiritual) body and continues to grow, learn, serve and worship God. Mothers will see the infants they have lost, not as infants but as mature beings, as per the Father’s intention, and they will recognize them, just as Ouida and I will some day see Christi full grown— that is, if we remain in the flesh long enough! In the meantime Phoebe, Christi’s mother is doing well, and during the summer I took Ashley, Christi’s 9-year old brother, with me to Colorado and Saskatchewan, where he was treated gloriously, then to the Ozarks in Arkansas, where we go each summer, and finally to south Texas and Mexico. Ashley was first afraid to fly, but now he wants to fly everywhere. We all thank you for caring. —the Editor