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Joni
Posted on Monday, August 02, 1999 - 3:07 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; And my people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? Jer. 5:31

My sorrow is beyond healing, My heart is faint within me! Jer. 8:18

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored? Jer. 8:22

For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the LORD; therefore they have not prospered and all their flock is scattered. Jer. 10:21

And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. Eze. 34:5

Thus says the Lord God, behold I am against the shepherds, and I shall demand My sheep from them and make them cease from feeding sheep. so the shepherds will not feed themselves anymore, but I shall deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be food for them. For thus says the Lord God, behold I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out......I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest, declares the Lord. Eze. 34:10-15

I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bink up the broken and strengthen the sick...Eze.34:16

If you return I will restore you, before Me you will stand. Jer. 15:19

Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength,a nd whose heart turns away from the LORD. for he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Jer.17:5,6

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD ans whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green,a nd it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. Jer. 17:7,8

Heal me O LORD and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved for Thou are my praise. Jer. 17:14

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Ps. 107:19,20

It is the Spirit who gives life; The flesh profits nothing, the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe. Pro. 18:10

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but aghainst the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the high place. Eph. 6:12

These are some of my favorite verses that have helped me to heal. We need to put on the full armor of God. The word of God is healing. Saturate yourselves with it. Hide His word in your hearts. This is not a human war it is a spiritual war. Christ has won and you are in Christ. Yes the shepherds have scattered the flock but Christ came to gather His chosen ones. I pray for all of us and all of your sadness. Stay in Christ and you will be comforted and have rest no matter what happens.

Yes I still get mad at times. But little by little God has taken the anger and turned it to prayer for those who are blind. Those who are in bondage. Those who don't realize they are set free.

Find Christian people, there are many lovely ones waiting for you. Do the study "Lord heal my Hurts". I think you will be blessed. We need to be around Christ influence. We are in this together. We are a body not an island. God bless you all I am praying for you. I feel your pain.
Lydell
Posted on Monday, August 02, 1999 - 6:12 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes yes, Joni, you are so right. We MUST find Christians to fellowship with. Especially those of you who still have so many family and friends who are still SDA. You have got to have the support. It is one thing to have the Internet as a place to vent to those who understand because they have walked down the identical road you have. But it is so blessedly different to have a fellow believer physically standing beside you, looking you in the eye with compassion and concern, putting an arm around you while you cry, and saying, "God and I love you, let me pray about this hurt with you." Many of you, like we had, have forgotten what that is like--or maybe never known it in your life. It makes so much difference, I just wish I could put that into words!

Susan, keep in mind that David's comments cover the whole process of healing. And that those coming to the site are all in different stages of the process. YES! We must first vent out the frustrations and hurts.

But when the point is reached that we think about one hurt, it leads to another, and we continue to spiral downward past the point of a voice prompting us, "stop your thoughts NOW you are causing your own hurt", then the time of rehashing is at an end. Or maybe the better indicator is when you reach the point of being sick at the thought of being hurt by the memories again rather than sick at the actual hurt itself. You just reach the point of realizing that you are getting nowhere and fed up with that and need to do something different to move away.

Until we heal from our own hurt (we know we are there when we can look back and instead of feeling the depths of the hurt we feel the depths of thankfulness at being free), we really can't effectively go back and share with and HELP those who are still in the midst of the venting stage. And all of that was said for whoever is ready for that next step in their healing. Only the Holy Spirit can help us know if that is us. These type comments won't apply to everyone, just as the "go ahead and vent some more" won't apply to everyone. There are just so many to minister to here in so many levels of needs.

As for the leaving the family and friends who are continuing to cause the hurt. In rare cases, yes, that may be necessary to protect your relationship with the Lord.....or your children who are old enough to real.y take in and act independently on the poison others may feed them. We are told that some may have to leave father and mother for the cause of Christ. Last resort obviously!!

For the vast majority it will undoubtedly mean putting as much space between you and them as possible until some of your healing is complete. For the others, it may mean enduring them for life. But, for those who are intentionally jabbing at you....if you choose to be a doormat you are likely to be stepped on. Go on the kindhearted offensive. Be ready with scriptures and stories. When they make a jab totally ingnore it and instead tell them in detail how God just answered a prayer in your life, how you are seeing someone you know being changed by his power, how you saw someone healed miraculously, the wonderful point the pastor made in his last sermon, etc. Many are going to give up because the attack has lost it's fun aspect or just because they think you are hopelessly doomed or totally nuts.
Susan
Posted on Monday, August 02, 1999 - 8:10 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you all for your encouragement, kind words and applicable scripture references. This is a wonderful discussion!

Morgan, your message really touched me. Tears came to my eyes as I read your loving words on repentance. Thank you so much for your perspective. Anger and bitterness really eats away at our hearts. I uncover past hurts everyday and I'm so thankful that in Christ I can find my healing.

I also agreee, that Christian fellowship is very important to a believer's life. It's great to have friends to pray for and that you know are praying for you. I don't remember much of that growing up SDA.(my mom prayed frequently, that I would see the error of my ways, in straying away from SDAtism!)

I will pray for all of us to have courage, as we walk down this road of recovery. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"!!!
(I forget the scripture reference, sorry)
David
Posted on Monday, August 02, 1999 - 12:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wow, what a wonderful bunch of responses to this thread. Thank you all for your insightful comments and to Maggie, I say, Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus. I have a feeling that God is not done with you in your family yet, so do not despair, trust Him to guide you and keep His words upon your heart and in your mouth as you witness to your son. Hang in there, sister, and you will prevail.

As for the comments about repenting of the SDA error. I know that many of you had no choices nor a true understanding of the liberity that we have in Christ while you were in the SDA church. God understands your position. But remember, we are dealing with the healing process and as the Bible says, "a little leaven leavens the whole lump." There were times that you defended your SDA culture and error, maybe even unconciously. My point is that it is easier to just say, "Lord, I was truly a victim of my religious circumstances and I take this opportunity to confess to you that I know or suspect that I did things unpleasing to You while I was there and these things and attitudes were not Christian. I repent of them and I want to move on in your grace and make up for all of the lost time I spent there." Now that's not hard, is it? . You might be surprised at what the Lord reveals to you when you take this step. Try it out and see if He does not send a special balm of healing your way. The flesh tries its hardest to justify itself and to portray itself as a victim of circumstances. Jesus says, "confess, repent and come home. I will accept you and bless you for you honesty."

I know that it is hardest to repent when we do not feel that we have done anything wrong. But how can we be the unbias judge of what is wrong in our lives or what we need to repent of if we do not rely on the Holy Spirit to point these things out? Everyone of us was a victim of the SDA anti-gospel and every one of us to some degree participated in the promotion of it either actively or passively. Either way, we need to repent of it and move on. It is just a way to lay the burden down and get well again.

Sites such as this one are theraputic for those who need to vent. Outrage and anger are normal responses to deception, so you will not find a word of condemnation from me for venting. My advise is to not carry it on too long. As Lydell says, there comes a point when the venting and its focus can deflect us from Christ and the healing process and harden our hearts thereby giving the enemy a toehold in our lives.

Peace in the name of Jesus.
maggieb
Posted on Monday, August 02, 1999 - 1:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Morgan and David, thank you for your kind words and prayers.

I believe that what we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what we loose on earth, is loosed in heaven, so David, I'm going to take your challenge, and repent of Adventism!

I have to say, also, that "time bomb" is a very apt phrase!

Joni, many of those Scriptures were my stepping stones out of Adventism, and I appreciate the flow you were able to capture with them.

It is a step in healing for me to even be able to tolerate the Bible at all again. Even though I know that I will never be a Fundamentalist of any stripe again, still, I think the Bible is a wonderful spiritual resource, and it's like welcoming an old friend back into my life.

There is a scripture that I think sums up what many of us have been expressing about what Adventism has brought us to. I don't remember where it's found, but it goes like this:
In narrowness, Thou hast made wide room for me.
Love to all

Maggie
Thomas
Posted on Monday, August 02, 1999 - 6:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The most complete part of healing comes when we truly realize what Jesus commanded us to do. It sounds simple but really think about His Marching Orders. "Love one another, as I have loved you." That included the pharasies tha knew Him, yet plotted against Him. The deciples who followed Him, yet denied Him, the soldiers who killed Him, and yes, we too, who have denied Him so many times. As He loved ME, the one who has been so "legal" and unloving to Him, so I must love others.

I am determined to forget the past and look only to Jesus, the beginner and finisher of my faith. My job is to love others, even those who call me a "backslider" and plant the seeds that I hope will lead them to Him. The Spirits job is to water the seeds, to lead and guide and bring them to Him. Praise God, I am not responsible for the harvest, only to "Love one another as He love me."

Let us pray for each other, that we may do what His will is for us.

Marana tha!
David
Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 1999 - 7:21 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thomas,
Right on! You know, Jesus suffered the biggest travesty of justice in all of history and yet He was able to forgive His accusers while hanging on the cross. What a Holy Example to immulate.

I was also thinking along the lines that you have shared, ''love one another as I have loved you."
Jesus put up with so much and still, the night of His arrest, He was telling His disciples how they might have their joy made complete by abiding in Him and His love.

To Maggie, I say, May God bless you with His healing balm as you take your step of repentence and may He once again renew the joy of His salvation in you. Maggie, please read Isaiah 12. It is a very short chapter and I think that it would help you immensely. The Lord led us to that chapter in our darkest hour and we clung to it as He revealed Himself to us in power and JOY!!! Our God is a great and compassionate God, full of mercy and love for all who will humble themselves to Him.

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