Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

[spockrates]

This is where I think many Christians stumble, "how do we know when the Holy Spirit is teaching us."
First I believe Christians are impatient, wanting questions answered in their time and not when God knows best. Patients is truly a virtue and Christians need to understand this and they need to know God will answer through the Holy Spirit when the time is right and I know this from personal experience.
The Holy Spirit will teach us through God's word more than any other way, He will use others to teach and He will use life experiences, but however He teaches it must line up with God's word. When God answers prayer you will know it, just be patient, but always be looking because it could come quickly. When you believe you have heard from the Holy Spirit check what you believe you have heard with the scriptures and if it does not line up with God's word then you have only heard from yourself. Remember you have to ask for the things of God, ask for and through His will, if you do not you will not hear from Him, God does not promise to answer all prayer, this is stated throughout scripture.
You mentioned that you could see where Catholic and Protestant interpretation of scriptures could both be valid and I think I know what your speaking of, but remember this, if the two are in direct conflict with each other someone is wrong, truth can not be on both sides of the same fence.

Yes, but when it is God's word that is unclear about a topic so important as one's eternal state of existence, what am I to do? It seems my prayer for wisdom has been answered by opening my eyes to the scriptural ambiguities. Rather than making the intent more clear, it has become cloudy--not in that the meaning is vague, but in that it seems impossible to determine which meaning is the truth! Speaking to those on both sides of the fence separating Protestants and Catholics has only deepened my conviction that either side might be deceived. So how do I choose? And if you don't mind my asking, what side did you choose?

That's exactly what's being said, those verses that Undeceived quoted are wisdom that every Christian should carry in their hearts, they are extremely valuable, more precious than gold.