| Author | Message | ||
| Sherry |
Hi! I'v been checking you out for a couple of days. I'm nervously excited about finding you. I have so many questions and things I'd like to share. I praise the Lord for directing me here. It seemed I stumbled on to you accidently, but I know God led me here. It has been almost three years since I began to actually read and study my Bible, and learn the truth in God's Word. I am a former adventist, as of three years ago. I have so much rest, peace, freedom in Jesus. It's wonderful, and I am so thankful to have found a group of people who I can share with. I look forward to hearing about your experiences with the Lord, and sharing mine. Thank you! | ||
| Lydell |
Welcome Sherry! Isn't it wonderful how the Lord can direct us with just a click of the mouse button? I praise God for your freedom and peace! | ||
| Lynn W |
Welcome Sherry! Shalom Adonai aleka. The peace of God to you. | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Hi Sherry! Glad you're here, cyberspace though it has to be. No need to be nervous, though some nervousness is indeed normal, since from my experience, at least, everyone will care about you and will "deal gently" with you. It's great you are excited! I for one am excited to hear more about your "wonderful" "rest, peace and freedom" in Jesus. Jude | ||
| Susan |
Sherry, what a blessing to have you join us! I'm so thrilled when new people find us. I remember when I first found this site several months ago. It was a connection like I've never known. I've been a Christian now for about 8 yrs. and I've only met one former sda/Christian (this was several years ago, and we only spoke briefly). I have a few former sda relatives but none are Christian. Most of them are rather hostile towards religion(wonder why?). Anyway, this website is truly an answer to prayer. I've cried many tears at my computer. But mostly they're tears of joy. You see, the love of Christ is so evident here. The FINISHED work of the cross is our "hope that lies within" and this is cause for rejoicing. So, a great big Welcome aboard! "My hope is built on nothing less, then Jesus blood and righteousness" Your sister in Christ, Susan | ||
| Colleentinker |
Welcome, Sherry! I'm glad you've joined us. You will be in our prayers. Love in Christ, Colleen | ||
| Patti |
Hello, everyone. I have heard this is the friendliest ex-SDA forum on the web! I have been on several SDA forums that were--how can I put it gracefully--less than pleasant. I am running away from one right now, having been thoroughly trashed for having a mind. At any rate, I got "shaken out" the SDA church 20 years ago during the Ford/Brinsmead/Numbers crisis. Ironically, it was a Geoffrey Paxton's doctoral dissertation, "The Shaking of Adventism" that actually initiated my being shaken! I left because my church had no clue of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was hoping in going back to SDA bbses and forums to see some growth in that direction, but they cannot grow. They live in the shadow of Ellen, and the light of the Son of God goes practically undetected. I am discouraged tonight, not for my eternal destiny, but for a lack of companionship, not personal companionship--I have a wonderful husband--but for the companionship of people who understand where I have come from and where I, by faith, am going. I hope there are those on here who can relate to what I am saying. My sweet hubby cannot understand my need to talk about the Gospel and its relationship to my being raised in and ultimately leaving the SDA church. I will close for now and hope that I can fit in here. Most gratefully in His grace, Patti | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Hi, Patti, People seem to be starting to flood into this website! Thanks for being one of them. I can relate only too well your comment: "I am discouraged tonight, not for my eternal destiny, but for a lack of companionship ... of people who understand where I have come from and where I, by faith, am going. I hope there are those on here who can relate to what I am saying." For I have only recently felt the sting of massive rejection of so many people in the SDA church whom I thought were my friends -- only to learn anew how hypocritical they are. Not to mention self-centered, smug, frightened -- of their own unbelief and of their inability to survive economically and socially outside their own private "ark of safety" in which they huddle in the darkness of the hold, spiritually blind, deaf and dumb, naked save for their own robes of self-righteousness, and oblivious to the Christless and graceless darkness in which they grope and stumble about. And I'm not talking primarily about ordinary Sabbath-go-to-meeting "pew-sitters." These people have not rejected me to nearly the same degree. I'm talking about the so-called elite, people with Ph.Ds, M.D.s, professors, physicians, administrators, professionals, people with whom I attended school, college, university, seminary, classmates, people who pride themselves in their advanced knowledge and broadmindedness, people who feed daily at the trough full of husks meant for swine. The arrogance and back-handedness that accompanied their rejection cut too deeply. And as a result I went a-hunting, just like you. And through the providence of God and his faithful Christ-followers -- such as Richard and Colleen Tinker -- I found FAF and this website. So -- like the narrator of Herman Melville's MOBY DICK who said, "Call me Ishmael," and, "I have escaped alone to tell thee" -- I am here to welcome you, fellow pilgrim. And to tell you that the most precious thing I found was this kingdom of heaven or God of which I speak. Which is composed of real "flesh and blood and bone" human beings. People of whom Jesus spoke when the Pharisees confronted him: "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God [or heaven] would come, Jesus replied, 'The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, "Here it is," or "There it is," because the kingdom of God [or heaven] is within you [in Greek the 'you' is plural].'" Luke 17:20-21, NIV. These are the people I have found here. These are the people who even now are walking the streets of gold, dining daily on the fruit of the tree of life, and who at some times stroke the golden fur of the lion who lies beside the lamb and at other times romp at with him at play in the fields of the Lord. Thus, hail, fellow fellow citizen, Jude | ||
| Colleentinker |
Welcome, Patti! I'm glad you found us! I understand your need to talk. There's a sort of de-briefing that we have to go through after leaving Adventism. And no matter how understanding and willing to learn a fellow Christian may be, if they haven't actually been immersed in Adventism, they don't fully understand what we experience. We all look forward to interacting with you. And we will be praying for you! Love in Christ, Colleen | ||
| Lee |
Hello Patti: Maybe you could be more spacific about what you are running away from. Often times the demons we see in others, are inside us. Let's share. Talk to us. | ||
| Patti |
Dear friends, What a lovely and warm welcome! It has been so nice to find others who have left SDAism for the Gospel. I found it somewhat amazing when I first got online that others came to the same conclusions I did about SDAism, and we did this mostly independently. I truly believe that one cannot see the Gospel unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to him/her, and I thank God that He opened my eyes to His wonderful grace. May God bless you in your work. A great debtor to His infinite mercy, Patti | ||
| Lee |
Patti: 1:Tell us more about grace and forgiveness. 2:What does it mean to you? 3:How long out of Adventism are you? 4:Is your family SDA? | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Dear Lee, Why don't we give Patti some "breathing and elbow," room, so to speak, in the kingdom of heaven of which we are priviliged to be fellow citizens right here and now? Why not refrain from asking specific, probing, personal questions and let her shere with us the things that SHE wants to share when SHE decides SHE is ready to share, if at all? If we want to enjoy freedom and choice-making for ourselves, then don't you agree that we must give the same enjoyment to others? Let's "Do unto others as we would have others do unto us." God bless you, Lee, Jude | ||
| Lee |
Jude Maybe you perceived something I missed. Patti came in here and said she wanted to talk, so I asked the questions I thought was germane to someone just leaving Adventism. You speak as one having authority: Do you know something I do not? That is always possible. Perhaps you have something better to say or ask. I thought it would have been rude to ignore her, or gush all over her like a long lost relative. I asked her the same questions that everyone faces when they leave a cultic religious system of blaspheme. Perhaps you are correct, if you are saying that we should not reach out to someone. However, I pray you are not. | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Blessings, Lee, blessings. -Jude | ||
| Lori |
Hi, Patti, I understand completely your need to "just talk", My husband (bless his heart, I don't know how he put up with my ignorance for over a decade) was raised a Baptist and he just can't understand what these new 'revelations' mean to a person who has been a slave to the law for their entire life. No one from another denomination can understand what it felt like to be in the SDA church and then in contrast to receive the glorious riches of God grace through faith. The realization of how blind that you were and the loving Father who brought sight to your eyes and you just need to talk about it. I accidently stumbled across this website (and Mark Martins) one night, I was actually looking for a scripture to substantiate an Adventist doctrine, so that I could use it as ammunition against some non-SDA to prove that I was right!!! None of the Adventist sites had a scriptural answer they all quoted 'you know who'. In contrast, this website quoted scripture after scripture, however, it without a doubt proved my Adventist beliefs to be in error....but by God's powerful hand, I was able to accept what His word said and walk in His light. It was not easy!! It was hard. I have alot better understanding of the word 'shaking' now!!!! God will bless you in your new life with Him. And I'm looking forward to hearing how he has touched your life with His truth, because I know that by your testimony that it will lift Him up and it will draw all of us closer to Him Lori | ||
| Bruce H |
Lee could you let us know a little bit about yourself? Bruce H | ||
| Bruce H |
Lee Here are my answers. 1:Tell us more about grace and forgiveness. It has been great!!!!!!! 2:What does it mean to you? Eternal Life. 3:How long out of Adventism are you? 1.5 yrs. 4:Is your family SDA? Not any more. Bruce H BH | ||
| lee |
Hello Bruce: I am a former SDA, out some 20 years. I refer to SDA'ism as a cult - plain and simple. They hide their true intent, until the dammage is done. They have harmed the lives of hundreds of millions of people over the past 150 years, and destroyed the immage of Christ everywhere they go. I am married, 2 kids, 3 dogs, mortgage, truck payment, chiped tooth, Christian (not in that order). |
