An odd directive especially for those who recently lost loved ones and routinely feel like reaching out to them. Many talk to a portrait or photo or talk at length to their family member or friend when visiting the grave site. Even though this headline and photo seem like an exaggeration, I did that purposely to make a greater point with this blog.
The subject of this missive ended up being a surprise to me since I started out writing about judgment—about when we die, who judges whom! I had planned to provide two contrasting viewpoints on the subject and hoped I’d encourage readers to think and perhaps live better lives in the process. I knew my point of view, of course, but in doing research to find a contrasting opinion I stumbled onto a fascinating article with the title: Can We Contact the Dead after They are Gone? The answer they offered in the very first sentence was a resounding NO.
Boy, did that catch my attention. A particularly relevant subject for me since connecting across dimensions is something that has become more possible for me over decades and decades. I didn’t ask for any such connections, they just developed over time. Even when my son, Jon, passed, I didn’t ask to contact him, he reached out to me and very quickly sharied his fear and confusion because his death was so sudden. Like me, many people also hear from loved ones and don’t solicit those contacts at all.
So, over the years, when friends, family, angels and saints and yes, even the Divine would decide to pay me a visit, I’d write down every word and file those messages away. They were always beautiful, and I’d relish being able to go back and read them once again.
Needless to say, this article fascinated me and since it was only a short paragraph, I couldn’t resist reading it. As I did, I recognized immediately the perspective this author held; it was similar to that held by many fundamental Christians. By fundamental, I mean those Christians who belong to Bible-based churches that teach the rigid and very literal translations of the Bible. The article continued:
Any attempt to dabble in spirit contact is strictly forbidden in the Bible. It is sometimes called necromancy or sorcery or dealing with familiar spirits. Remember, demons can masquerade as the dead. They can even mimic the voices of our loved ones and give information that only the dead person would have known (for more on this subject, see Leviticus 19:26-28, Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:8-14 and Galatians 5:20). In case this isn’t clear, let me make it plain. Do not attempt to contact the dead through any means at all—séances, parlor games, crystal balls, psychic readers, channelers, or mediums. You are involving yourself in that which God forbids. Leave the dead alone.”
Well, that opinion didn’t surprise me, but the writer neglected to answer one question: What if we never try to contact them and instead, they contact us? Hmm. A fascinating question and one that I’d like to expound on a bit.
We all have read about many holy men or women who have heard from God, Jesus or other in the Divine realm like Angels. Even the Bible talks about God speaking to Moses (Exodus 20:22) and that He also spoke to Noah (Genesis 8:15). So, God does speak to some—and it didn’t sound like God was summoned in either case, it sounded like He offered his opinion unsolicited!
Over more than two millennium, God has been speaking to priests, spiritual teachers and leaders, individuals who were latter canonized as saints, religious scholars and others who have written about hearing a calling from God which they were to follow. They listened and often did wonderous deeds. Did anyone ever question if they were really hearing from God? Perhaps it was Satan, in disguise!
I’m being a little sarcastic and I’m sorry but it seems the Bible quote is contrary in a way since much of the teaching in the Bible comes from Apostles and others who actually heard from Divine sources. So, we begin to ask, if there are only certain types of people who can hear the voice of God or messages from their loved ones? If so, what is that criteria? If it’s holiness, who’s to say which persons have a pure heart and which do not? Who can judge that? Now, the whole thing becomes a little messy, doesn’t it?
Quick sidebar: I meet people all the time who know my work and who have stories to tell about hearing from a loved one who has passed. I’d guess 70% or more of the people who know about my book,“Hi Momma, It’s Me”, have stories to share and are eager to do so because they’ve kept those stories to themselves for so long! Are all those people hearing from the devil? I doubt that.
Now, back to the article I read in the beginning. I happen to agree with some of what the author had to say. For instance, I, too, believe that seances; parlor games; crystal balls; some psychic readers, channelers and mediums open the door to mischief from the other side by calling on spirits to come. But many others wait to be contacted—and those are the ones I support.
I personally never summon anyone because some spirits are, frankly, playful and others are dark and negative, which many would interpret as evil! Still, others are pure, Divine voices that speak to our hearts or deep inside us and come to lead us, support us, and bless us in the course of our daily lives.
Since I’ve become somewhat an active receptor for souls from the “other side”, I have an opinion on how to decern if a voice is pure or if it is from the devil or Satan. It’s a simple test really. You see, the devil’s main tool is fear and all the related fear-based emotions (dozens of them). Those emotions cause angst when exercised, like anger, hate, impatience, worry, stubbornness, anxiousness, guilt, jealousy, blame, criticism, greed, vindictiveness, violence and a host of other negative emotions. Those are the playgrounds in which the devil does his finest work.
God or Divine sources of information including souls from heaven, on the other hand, live only in love—so they only know how to convey love-based emotions like: forgiveness, love, faith, patience, gratitude, compassion, generosity, kindness, joy, trust, absolution, understanding, flexibility and other love-based emotions. I’ve never heard messages that were negative in any way so all the messages I share are kind and loving. It’s quite easy to discern.
Throughout this process, God has provided for me, encouraged me, and loved me. So, I can’t believe He dislikes what I’ve been gifted to do. The other point that’s important here is that God has always encouraged us to love and help one another. It’s one of the main functions of living a good life. But I don’t ever remember Him saying that love and helpfulness had to be exclusively a horizontal exercise. We should love everyone and help everyone, and that’s what I try to do.
I am proud that my world has been expanded and that I am blessed to be able to assist those who, on the “other side”, wish their voices to be heard. I hope you will read my latest book, which offered a platform for 124 souls to share. That is the reason SOULS OF LEGENDS SPEAK was born.
One last thought to ponder. As people read, including Christians of all stripes, the daily devotional called Jesus Calling, they will remember that the author heard routinely from Jesus and was guided in the writing of her book by Him. It says so in her introduction. Then, just recently I read in one devotional from her book, the following:
“I speak to you from deepest heaven. You hear Me in the depths of your being. Deep calls unto deep. You are blessed to hear Me so directly. Never take this privilege for granted.”
A few days later the devotional began with:
“Come to me. Come to Me. Come to Me. This is My continual invitation to you, proclaimed in holy whispers. When your heart and mind are quiet, you can hear Me inviting you to draw near.”
It’s only with a quiet mind that we can hear, and my mind has been quiet since the mid 1980’s. Since then, I’ve indeed, heard the whispers. Whispers of guidance which I often credit to the Holy Spirit. Other times, many decades later, it has been my son, from who I’ve heard. Still other times, it has been friends asking me to help someone living or to comfort the hearts of those who grieve their loss. Now, it is famous legends anxious to bear their souls to us, and in doing so to help mankind through their surprising reflections.
If a person can tell negative from positive and therefore evil from good, then there is no mistaking the place from which your messages may originate. The devil may mimic a sweet voice of someone you think you know but he can’t help himself from being manipulative or putting fear into a person’s heart—that’s all he knows.
It is not the voice that tells us if it’s evil, it’s the message!