| Author | Message | ||
| Janet (Janet) |
Thanks Jtree! I will check it out. Meanwhile, I am still praying. Janet | ||
| Nate (Nate) |
I have such a burden for our church of origin these days. God is sending such renewal and revival to the body of Christ! How I long for this to be true in the SDA church. How wonderful that the walls are falling in the hearts of many. There are some seekers after truth that are getting honest and finding deliverance. Yet there is still so much resistance and so much bondage. However, in spite of the cover up and re-trenching by much of the church, they still matter to God each and every one of them and He wants them to be free! So let us seek the Lord for revival, deiverance, spiritual eyesight, breaking down of walls and strongholds, for FREEDOM! Let us each make the commmitment on behalf of our brothers and sisters! Luke 4:18ff Love to all of you! In Christ, Greg | ||
| Speakeasy (Speakeasy) |
Guys and Gals I need your prayers. In the next few days. I will be telling my friends that are Adventist and my friends that are Jewish that I can not study with them anymore. I want to be honest with them about why. But I don't want it to be in a way that it shuts the door and maybe down the road I want to witness to them. Any pointers on doing this will be great. Just like you folks after studying many things that these groups believe. I don't believe what they teach is true. These people are the only people that I have frienships with. After I do this I know they will leave. I have nobody else at this time to turn to on anything outside of these people. But I pray that God will send some Solid christians my way. Thanks Speakeasy | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Speakeasy, of course we'll pray for you! What you are doing is courageous and honest. God will give you the words to say. Remember that the one thing you can always proclaim is Jesus and what he has done for you. I will also pray that you will find a church to attend where you can grow. Start now asking God to direct you where he wants you to be, and visit a church this Sunday. I am convinced that God desires for us to be in fellowship, and he will direct you as you search for a church. In the meantime, you can always check in here for support and prayer! My prayers for you continue. In Jesus, Colleen | ||
| Terryk (Terryk) |
Speakeasy many of us have been in your shoes and we will be there for you. That was one of the hardest things for me was to loose my friends I am very outgoing and loved church and my friends when God saw fit for me to see the light.I have been gone now for about 6 months We have found a wonderful church but it still is not the same I have not jelled into the church yet. So if you want to talk just email me or post there are many people here for you. I am not going to say this will be easy. Just remember our best friend we always have is Christ In christian Love /Terry | ||
| Clay (Clay) |
Speakeasy, I too will be praying for you as you move in this direction. I can only say, love them as Jesus does, and remember you were once where they are at now in your thinking. Let them know that you are feeling lead by the Holy Spirit in this direction and are at peace with where God is leading you. Don't tell them they are wrong but focus only on your experience. When and if they respond in a strong way acknowledge that you realize this is hard for them to understand, but you must follow where you believe God is leading you. The Holy Spirit will give you the grace and love to speak in a gentle way. It will be very painful for them if they have been close friends and it will challenge their own thinking. They will experience a variety of emotions but the way you tell them will determine if the friendship is over or if it will cause them to question their own understanding and be open to new light. Remeber Speakeasy, Jesus will walk with you and be by your side and the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. You will not be alone. We will lift you up in prayer. Please let us know how it went. In HIs love, Clay | ||
| Speakeasy (Speakeasy) |
Thanks for all your prayers. I will take every one of them. The hardest ones to tell that I will not be studying with them anymore. Is my Jewish friends. They DO NOT as you know believe that Jesus is our Messiah. They truly Believe that the New Testament in there own words this is not mine. That the New Testament is a 2000 year old Fruad and is the biggest plot from Sattan that he has ever done to man kind. This is what they believe is what the bible says of the great falling away. So when you try to tell them of what Jesus has done for you they just truly don't believe in what you are saying. I have studyed with this group of Jews for 3 years and they have let me in there inner circle. What is very rare. They know that i don't believe in what they teach. IE the Torah, the Jewish rabinical writtings of the Talmud. Along with all the feast's and Shabbat's and 613 commandments That they believe that are still intact. Did you know that most Jewish people that study Rabbinical writtings. Believe that "When there is tuff times in Heaven, God himself will read the Talmud and ask for guidance from the earthly Rabbi's!" But this little group They ususally will let me say what I wanted to say with in reason when we studyed. So please keep me in your prayers that the door will be left open for these people. For me to witness to them down the road. One question? there is one young couple that has been studying with them for a few years. And I really feel they are on the fence of not Knowing what to believe. But they think that i will try to lie to them in showing them a few things about Salvation. They used to at one time let me talk to them about all things pertaining to the bible. But they have pulled away a little. I truly would love to have them open there door of there hearts and let me witness to them. I tryied about 3 years ago. But I had so many doubts about my own salvation then. That I was not very effective. Please pray for God to open that small window for me to witness to them. Thanks Speakeasy | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Speakeasy, I will keep you in prayer and pray that God will send you some strong Christian friends to fellowship and study with. I don't know about a lot of denominations but I know the Baptist's encourage non-members to join in on their studies and don't pressure you about being a member. At least here, they have an open door policy that any one can join in on like Experiencing God or different things they have. It could be a good opportunity to meet some Christian friends. I'm trusting that everything will be worked out for good! Don't get discouraged. Sabra | ||
| Janet (Janet) |
Speakeasy, I too, will keep remembering you in my prayers. God bless you, Janet | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Speakeasy, my prayers for you continue. Colleen | ||
| Terryk (Terryk) |
Please pray for some friends who are supposed to be reading the White Lie. I did not read it but I hope it can show them some truth. I have given him some texts on some issues that I had with the church and their lies. Please pray God will show them and use me if that is his will. Thanks for the help Terry | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
I'm praying for you and them, Terry. Colleen | ||
| Janet (Janet) |
Terry, I will be praying for God's leading and discernment in this. That the Holy Spirit will reveal Truth. God bless, Janet | ||
| Terryk (Terryk) |
Thanks to everyone for your prayers. Has anyone read the White Lie will that be helpful to him someone else gave it to him to read. Well its in Gods hands now. Terry | ||
| Jerry (Jerry) |
http://www.ellenwhite.org/egw17.htm | ||
| Janet (Janet) |
Terry, I hope the wording of my little prayer above didn't make you question the book. :-) I have not read it, and was just praying like I would about reading the Bible also. I am anxious to hear how things go. Still praying, Janet | ||
| Speakeasy (Speakeasy) |
Guy's I just told one of the groups that I studyed with that I can not study with them any more. Because I do not believe any more in the things they do. And I thought I would be lying to them if I stayed with them. And like you said I got an ear full of how I was bieng trapped by the Whore of Babaylon catholic church and being lead down Satans path of following the Papal whore of Revelation. I feal fearfull again about so many things. Am I doing the correct thing. Have I left what was the truth. Do Former adventist forum have some threads on how to study if this Whore of babaylon and all other churchs that come from the catholic church are being lead by Satan himself. Any study's or web sites anything that would help me move on from this topc would be great. And again it has been 11 months since I have came out of being a Shabbat keeper and following Jewish teachings and I still have not found a church or friends outside that can help me move on from where I came from. Again I have lost all my family and friends. All are Jewish followers and shun me. Again please pray for me that some one personal would help me and hear my cry of Help. The Holy Spirit does help me every day. But I need someone with an open ear. Why is it hard to find people that believe in the same Jesus as you do. That would spend some time with me. I usually run all people off. I hope God will fill my void of christian followers. I pray to God That he would hear my cries that I want to go on with my life. And not follow Jesus out of fear. my email is biblepage2000@yahoo.com I truly thought God would replace my old friends with new ones by now. Like I said it has been over 11 months. I am at the point of my life that I am just about to walk away from all forms of church and the bible. It sometimes is so frustrating that you see other's being blessed and having there prayers answered about these legalistic things but you are still on the side lines waiting for a church ,friends and fellowship. With people that beleieve in the same God as you do. Love in christ speakeasy | ||
| Jerry (Jerry) |
Speakeasy, If you did not have reservations and fears, you would not be human. This will be one of the hardest things you will do in life. However, Jesus will not forsake you. He was talking to you when He said, in Matthew 5:10-12 [10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. This is exactly what you are experiencing. Any remotely Christian group with whom you disagreed would NEVER say the horrible things that this group said to you. If I was in a group and an irreconcilable difference over doctrine arose with one of the members, and that member decided to leave, this would be more like what should have been said: ìI am so sorry we cannot agree on this issue. I know you are sincere in what you believe. I wish you were not going, but since you are, please go with the love of Jesus. May He always be with you. I hope you find a place where you can be more comfortable. Please donít let our disagreement affect your relationship with Him. That is much more important than your association with us.î That is what they should have said, and this is what Jesus said to his disciples: Matthew 28:18-20 [18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. So, it does not matter where you go, He is there. Bless you, Jerry | ||
| Jerry (Jerry) |
By the way, if you are interested there is a Catholic web site that directly addresses SDA issues. I have corresponded with the editor. He and I disagree on some issues, but I believe he is honest about his beliefs and his documentation is thorough and worthy of consideration. It is www.theotokos.co.za | ||
| Lydell (Lydell) |
Speakeasy, the way to find Christian friends is by focusing on the things you have in common, the key beliefs of Christianity. The rest of the stuff isn't important if it causes divisions. What the catholic church has or has not done is of no importance whatsoever. That's chasing rabbits. What IS important is what Jesus has done and being in relationship with Him. I suspect most of us go thru a time after leaving Adventism that we expect everyone else to agree precisely with all our viewpoints. The problem is that we are carrying some baggage that we aren't even aware of as yet, there's just so much for us to learn! We still have some litte twisted ideas of doctrine, that we haven't recognized as yet. We tend to focus on things that aren't important at all, while closing our ears to hear what our brothers and sisters in Christ have to say. It's that mindset that keeps us from finding Christian fellowship. We go to visit a church, or are talking to a Christian, and hear something that we don't immediately agree with and the old SDA shield pops up and we stop listening and want to distance ourself from them. I can absolutely guarantee you that there are thousands of folks out there who are honestly committed believers in Jesus Christ. As for the old fears of maybe being doomed after all, I've said this before on here, but I'll say it again. Really, this is God we are talking about...can you honestly believe that He will have allowed nearly 2,000 years of church history to pass, and have only been blessing one small group of people...only those who keep sabbath? Do you honestly believe that you are one of the very few who have studied the "sabbath requirement" and rejected it? You're not. There are many many believers in Christian denominations who have examined the idea of keeping a 7th day sabbath and flatly rejected it. God didn't turn His back on them. He continued to bless them, continued to answer their prayers, continued to lead them in growing in Him. All of us here can tell you this is true. Do you honestly believe that after his caring for believers thru 2,000 years of history, suddenly he has decided to just leave YOU without having plenty of true believers around you? That's not a loving Father! You have far more in common, the important things, with other Christians than you do disagreements. Finding them will depend on your willingness to allow a little space that maybe you don't have all the truth nailed down just yet, and that maybe they have some things to teach you. I'm not picking on you at all! I'm just saying this from experience. The first place the Lord led us to when we finally reached the point of allowing Him to lead us to a church, was a community Bible study group. We pulled into the parking lot and there were a bunch of folks standing around out there smoking. "WHOA! that ain't right....we must be in the wrong place," I immediately told God. His reply was "how dare you judge one of my children?" That hurt! What we discovered was that most of those folks were brandnew babes in Christ. They'd left, or were in the process of leaving, drugs and alcohol and all manner of self-destructive behavior. After I listened to them talk, heard a bit more about their lives, I realized that the cigarette problem was likely far down on the list of things the Lord was concerned with teaching them at the moment. What we found in those folks were people who were excited about having found a Father who loved them, who forgave their past, and already had a future planned for them beginning now. When they prayed, you could tell they were talking to a friend, not to some distant concept of God. Never forget when you visit a church that the folks there are NOT fully mature believers. We are ALL still learning and growing, including the pastor (if he doesn't admit it, then you are in the wrong church.) So get in your mind a solid focus of THE issues that are important to the faith: there is only one true God, Jesus Christ and His sacrificial atonement for us, our salvation alone is thru Him, etc. And look for the church that demonstrates the love of God. Ask people you meet where they go to church and why they like that church. You know, right now is an awesome time of year to be looking for a church. There are bound to be lots of special programs at the churches in your area. Why not visit some of these. Question Speakeasy, what kinds of churches have you visited? How did you determine where to go? Maybe your answers will help us give you some info. What is it you expect the right church to look like? |
