| Author | Message | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 15033 Registered: 12-2003  |
I also resonate to that word "submit". I have found that submission to the Word of God and to the Lord Jesus and acceptance of the fact that God is utterly sovereign over all things, including me, has changed the way I see reality and the way I live. I'm still learning to trust Him with everything that comes, but He is faithful and continues to teach me. He is so much bigger, more powerful, and more GOOD than I ever imagined. Colleen | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 1651 Registered: 2-2011  |
GOD is Good!~ All the Time!! Rocky~ The lyrics to to the song,'The Broken Road' really resonate with me also! ~mj~ | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 926 Registered: 5-2002  |
Finding out that Ellen White was a false prophet created an existential crisis for me. I had come to know what was false but I did not know what was true. So I did like Rocky and threw it ALL out, determined to study things for myself and find truth with a capital T for myself. I still remember the cross-country flight reading Lee Stobel's book "The Case for Christ". I came off that plane convinced beyond any doubt that the Gospels are reliable eyewitness documents, and the case for Christ is indeed true. But I was still in a bind because intellectual knowledge of Jesus as a historical figure meant nothing to my soul which was starving for assurance of rightness with God and salvation from His wrath. I kept seeking, and Jesus kept waiting until that morning in November of 1999 when I had hit absolute rock-bottom in life. It was in that moment when He introduced Himself to me. I can't explain it in any clinical terms that make rational sense. All I can say is that in the space of one breath everything came full-circle and I was immediately filled with complete assurance and peace with God right in the face of my overwhelming debt of sin to Him. I can honestly say that I have never looked back from that moment. I am certain that every word of Scripture is exactly as God would have it, and that Jesus Christ died for MY sins in order to save ME from God's wrath against MY sin. The Gospel is not merely a collection of theological information that I can affirm intellectually with confidence. The Gospel is now a very personal, day-by-day thing for me. The Gospel is a direct, intimate, permanent relationship that Jesus established with me 15 years ago. Since that moment I have never again worried that He would ever let me go, for any reason. I am eternally secure no matter what happens here and now - and especially no matter what I do. I have not found a "home" church. I have chronic trust issues with churches in general. "Once bitten, twice shy", right? But I am able to feel "at home" in any environment where the unencumbered, unobstructed Gospel of Jesus Christ can be heard. God used my 35 years in Adventist bondage to equip me to engage in counter-Adventist apologetics online, mostly on CARM. It takes tremendous emotional/psychological effort to muck around in the sewer that is Adventist theology and to deal with the pompous, self-righteous attitudes that Adventism seems to spawn, but doing so grows and stretches me in ways that are good for me. God is redeeming my Adventist past. The way I see it, if any effort I make helps even one person avoid Adventism - especially if it helps any children avoid growing up in it - then my 35 years of bondage and current efforts as an armchair apologist will be absolutely worth it. I don't think so much about eschatology anymore, certainly not like I did as an Adventist. Like Rick says, I know that it will all pan out in the end. I really only know two things for sure... Jesus is coming back and I'm going to be just fine when He does. I trust God utterly and completely, unlike any "trust" I had in Him as an Adventist. I never knew this sort of faith, trust, and confidence while in Adventism. These days I am mostly interested in getting to know Jesus better and introducing Him to my children. At the same time, I will fight against Adventism as long as I have breath. I know it is a worthy battle. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 15037 Registered: 12-2003 |
Freeatlast, what a wonderful testimony! Thank you. Will we see you at the FAF Conference this year? It's been awhile; we'd love to see you again! Colleen | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 1089 Registered: 2-2008  |
What an interesting question... where have I landed? I like the word "landed" because it implies that I am resting and not out there wandering aimlessly... Not knowing whether I keep rules/traditions well enough for God. As an Adventist, I didn't have a relationship with God. I never felt good enough because I didn't know whether I kept the rules "right" enough. And I thought that (keeping rules) was the basis of my relationship with God. It was a huge mental jump for me to understand and place my trust in Christ as the basis of my relationship with God. That shift in thinking changed my world. I LOVE my relationship with God... I can have the worst of circumstances but KNOW that in Christ I can rest and make it through life. It just seems so silly to me now that I used to find "rest" in a day. The other difference I have noticed in my life is purpose. As an adventist, my purpose in living was to save myself by keeping God's rules. As a Christian, my purpose in living is to spread the gospel to everyone around me. I live for God instead of living to save myself. That was also a huge shift in my thinking. We attend a non-denominational community church. There's no membership. Nobody is "voted" in. (Which is something I always thought was weird... who are we to "vote" a person into the family of God. Anybody else thinks this is weird??) We do not consistently go every week to church but I do consistently go every week to a Bible study with ladies that is held at a different church than the one I attend. Being a Christian... I love it!! Thank you Colleen for your ministry and ALL of your hard work. I know I haven't posted here in a long thing but I think of you and this ministry a lot and pray that you continue in this. Thank you!! | ||
| Freeatlast Registered user Username: Freeatlast Post Number: 927 Registered: 5-2002 |
Colleen only if it rains or gets really cold, because we have a 4-day camping trip planned over President's Day weekend. I will be praying for the FAF conference and will come there if we don't camp. Keep fighting the good fight against Adventism's "another gospel, which is no gospel at all". Your collective efforts are paying off in the form of souls saved for His Kingdom. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 15039 Registered: 12-2003 |
Indy4now, it is SO good to see/hear from you again! I just love your sentence, "Being a Christian...I love it!!" Yes! Freeatlast, we'll excuse you this time  Enjoy your trip! Colleen | ||
| Leonie Registered user Username: Leonie Post Number: 83 Registered: 10-2011 |
For me, I have landed in the Lutheran church. Growing in and with Christ every day, thanking him for salvation through grace only. What really lead me out was this website, the information I have read here, along with the conviction of the Holy Spirit. So, thank you, all of you who encouraged me, prayed for me and gave me advice. | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 1654 Registered: 2-2011 |
Leonie~ I am filled with Joy to read your post! Continued prayers~ ~mj~ | ||
| Xenonlion Registered user Username: Xenonlion Post Number: 35 Registered: 11-2014 |
Indy4now, I can totally relate to that. | ||
| Goldcityboy7 Registered user Username: Goldcityboy7 Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2015 |
Hi everyone. I'm new here. I'm a member of a seventh day adventist church and have been for 3 years. I was raised in a baptist church for 28 years but left 3 years ago. I'm an elder and sabbath school teacher. Being a teacher has caused me to study more. The problem is I can no longer defend the sda beliefs. The truth of the bible is so clear I don't know how I was deceived. Anyway, the people in the adventist church have become like family and knowing they may not talk to me again is very very sad. But I know I have to leave and join a bible believing church. This is the only place where people know what I'm going through. It's a terrible feeling of being all alone. Today I told my best friend of many many years I was leaving. We've been friends long before I joined that church. He seemed to understand but be sad. He subtly tried to debate me but I refused. He said he still loves me but in my heart I know he sees me as going back into Babylon. The bible alone is the SDA's biggest threat. There is still much I don't know. One adventist interpretation that really convinced me was when the beast would "change times and laws". To me this sounded like te sabbath. What is the true meaning I this scripture? | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 15040 Registered: 12-2003 |
Welcome, Goldcityboy! I'm so glad you are here! It is very hard to leave. Were you a Christian before joining Adventism? I believe that God never lets His own languish in a false gospel forever. He calls His own to Himself. If you were born again before, He kept you and helped you see. If you were not, He has been drawing you to Himself. Daniel 7:24-25, the horn that arises out of the little horn, is a reference to the antichrist who is to come. That verse cross-references to Revelation 17:12. The antichrist hasn't come yet, and while we know the general shape of his cruel rule and satanic opposition to the Lord Jesus and His purposes and people, the exact nature of the that "changing" is not yet known. The NASB says it this way: "He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time." The tense is clearly future. There is nothing here to suggest a day has any bearing on this...and if it does, a day is not at the core of the little horn's opposition. He is opposed to the Highest One, the Lord Jesus, and He will oppose those who are His. Adventism makes this horn to be the papacy and "Sabbath to Sunday" the "fulfillment" of changing times and laws. I will grant that the papacy may be an antichrist power in the end, and it undoubtedly has functioned with antichrist power in the past, as have many organizations. But the Daniel prophecy has not yet been fulfilled. We're glad you're here! Colleen | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 10250 Registered: 3-2004  |
Hi Goldcityboy! I am so glad you are here. I am also very glad you can see where adventism is wrong. Keep studying the Bible and God will lead you and let you know where to go. Diana | ||
| Goldcityboy7 Registered user Username: Goldcityboy7 Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2015 |
Yes Colleen I was a Christian long before joining Adventism and I believe also that the Holy Spirit had a grip on me even when I wandered away. In fact, I'm the one that spoke to you this morning over the phone. | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 1655 Registered: 2-2011 |
Goldcityboy7~ ~~~WELCOME to the FORUM~~~ I look forward to becoming acquainted with you !  ~mj~ | ||
| Goldcityboy7 Registered user Username: Goldcityboy7 Post Number: 4 Registered: 1-2015 |
It's good to meet everyone on here too. For many months now I have felt all alone like no one could possibly know what I'm going through. Obviously I couldn't talk to the SDA's about it. And when a baptist leaves to go to another Christian church it's nowhere near the same as leaving adventism. This community of former Adventists feels like a blessing. People who know what I'm going through. As far as the topic "where did I land?" I guess you could say I'm still hovering. Visited the baptist church I grew up in and they treated me like the prodigal who had come home. I haven't made a decision yet but hope to soon. I actually plan on writing my resignation letter Wednesday. | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 3114 Registered: 5-2007  |
Goldcityboy7, Welcome to the forum. I agree and understand about the needs of someone who may feel isolated from orthodox Christian fellowship. The reason for me is different from your situation yet I have the same feeling of spiritual loneliness. So let me explain a little as I uplift you in prayer during your time of transition. My wife and I had been the same process of searching for a new place of worship as her failing health resulted in my becoming her full time caregiver. I have found what appears to be a good solid place to worship where the word of God is faithfully preached. When able, that is where I can be found on Sunday mornings. It is an exciting place to be as it is also where the needs of 'the downtrodden' are very much in evidence. PS Even though I'm not always so fearless, here on the forum I go by the handle of: Fearless Phil | ||
| Goldcityboy7 Registered user Username: Goldcityboy7 Post Number: 5 Registered: 1-2015 |
Thank you Phil. I will be praying for your situation as well. This forum is an answer to my prayers. I didn't know it existed until yesterday. I haven't decided where to join but I'm pretty sure it will be baptist. I can't find a calvary chapel around where I live. As it turns out, the doctrines I was taught as as a kid were right but when I went to the adventist church they had a response to every argument I had and used various scriptures to prove thei point. My own ignorance is why I was deceived. Thank God he has opened my eyes. Where is everyone from? I'm from Virginia. | ||
| Philharris Registered user Username: Philharris Post Number: 3115 Registered: 5-2007 |
Goldcityboy7, I was guessing you were from that general area by your FAF handle. As for me, I grew up and lived my early life in and around the Napa Valley of California but now live in the country on the western side of the Puget Sound in Washington State. PS If you step back to the home page that supports this forum you can find many other helpful resources including many of our personal testimonies. Fearless Phil | ||
| Mjcmcook Registered user Username: Mjcmcook Post Number: 1656 Registered: 2-2011 |
"Fearless" Phil~ I am so pleased you and your wife have at last "...found what appears to be a good solid place to worship..."! I have been praying that this would happen for you! **Goldcityboy7~** I live in Orange County, California~ My church home is Calvary Chapel East Anaheim. I feel blessed to have found this fellowship and the pastor who is dedicated to teaching Scripture "only". If I did not have this fellowship in which to worship I would most probably seek out a Baptist church! Praying for you~GOD is Faithful & Trustworthy!! ~mj~ |
