| Author | Message | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2765 Registered: 3-2004  |
That was a beautiful letter you wrote. Thank you for sharing it with us. God bless the three of you in your journey with Jesus. He will never lead you on a wrong path. He is always awesome. Diana | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 240 Registered: 12-2004 |
Thank-you Greg and Denise for sharing the letter you wrote to your church, friends, and family. I know that it was difficult, however you are so fortunate to have made this decision together. May God continue to bless your witness for him as you live in His freedom. Randy | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 156 Registered: 6-2006  |
Greg and Denise, Your letter in the "stories" section is beautiful. I can't imagine how hard it was to actually send it. My prayers for you are for comfort, that your friends and family stay with you, and that they are eventually blessed by your words. By God's grace I hope that the veil will be lifted on those you love. You bring great hope to this "never-been" for the husband I love so much... With many blessings, Leigh Anne | ||
| Lisa_boyldavis Registered user Username: Lisa_boyldavis Post Number: 212 Registered: 3-2005 |
Dear Denise and Greg, What a concise, well constructed letter and good for you for being functional about the change in your lives and communicating with those you love. We did the same and have been asked why we did. We simply stated it was such a huge change in our lives and there would be many questions, so we answered them ahead of time. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY. Lisa | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4523 Registered: 12-2003  |
IndeedóI echo you, Lisa: "Thank you for your honesty," Denise and Greg! Colleen | ||
| Benevento Registered user Username: Benevento Post Number: 121 Registered: 4-2005 |
Denise and Greg I add my thanks for your letter and your honesty. I was also impressed with how concise it is. May many be blessed who read it! Peggy | ||
| Dinolf Registered user Username: Dinolf Post Number: 48 Registered: 8-2005 |
Denise and Greg I also add my thanks to your letter. It express so much of my own experience and feelings as an still SDA. Only Jesus knows when, or if I leave the church. He is the one who calls me to serve Him, and that is still within SDA i my case. I agree 100% in your statement and thank you for putting it so clear and Christcentered. That vill help me in my testamony to friends in church. /Dinolf | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 2330 Registered: 11-2002 |
Where do I read this letter? | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 256 Registered: 11-2005 |
http://rtinker.powweb.com/discus/hutton.html | ||
| Dd Registered user Username: Dd Post Number: 705 Registered: 7-2004 |
Thank you all for your encouragement and support. It has been almost a 9 year journey. Through God's glorious promise, all things have worked together for our good. He has left nothing to waste. His redeeming love is amazing. Dinolf, I completely understand what you are saying. God does move us when the time is right. His sovereignty is beyond understanding but I can tell you from our experience He molds and moves us each in His own specific way. His perfect way. Continue in your surrender to His calling and you will always be where He desires you to be -- growing in Him. Blessings, Denise | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 243 Registered: 12-2004 |
Denise, I would be curious as to what kind of feedback you receive from those who received your letter. I recognize that you might not be comfortable sharing specifics, but I truly believe a positive witness for Jesus, and an admiration for your courage and integrity will be noted by some, even if they do not follow all the reasons for your decision. Peace and Blessings, Randy | ||
| Dd Registered user Username: Dd Post Number: 712 Registered: 7-2004 |
Thank you, Randy. That is our prayer and the only reason we sent letters to friends and family. We moved this summer from Walla Walla to Missoula, MT. We lived here before we moved to WW 3 years ago. I was heavily involved in the music here at the SDA church before we moved. Since we are not returning to the SDA church upon moving back, we wanted there to be no doubt as to why we were not going to church anymore. Gossip makes a mess of truth. We want everyone to know our Truth rather than gossip - it's not from past bitterness over past problems (and believe me there was much to be bitter about!), not because our kids want to swim at swimmeets which run on Saturdays, and not to "take a break" only to repent and return... We have received only one response - via email - from a former SDA pastor who lives in Canada. It was very kind but with all the usual SDA questions: "I wonder what [your new] church's view of life after death is like? Do they teach that people burn in hell forever? If so, isn't that a misrepresentation of our loving heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? I wonder if this church is following the teachings of Jesus regarding washing one another's feet? Isn't everything that Jesus said to do important to follow? I, too worship Jesus every day and seek to rest in Him...but this does not change that fact that the Sabbath day has its origin at the creation of the world and that it will be honored even in the new earth (Isa. 66:22-23). Do you still believe this Bible passage?" As I said, he was most gracious and loving in his response and with his questions. As I type this, I keep hearing a voice saying, "Post your response." I will cut and paste (the best and only computer skills I know) in another post so those who may have these same questions will know how I responded after much prayer asking God to give me His words and love. Thanks, once again, to all those who have encouraged and prayed for us and for these letters we have sent out. Please continue to pray that our transition from Adventism into our Redeemer's unchanging love and grace will be used by Him to bring glory to His name. Blessings, Denise | ||
| Dd Registered user Username: Dd Post Number: 713 Registered: 7-2004 |
Here is my response to the only response we received (so far) following our resignation later: ******************************************* Dear _________, Thank you so much for your response. You are, in fact, the one and only person to respond to our letter. I do consider you a true friend, indeed. I shared your email and concerns with Greg and he sends his thanks to you also. One of the signs, to us, that Adventism tends to be "cultish" is the ostracizing that happens to those who do question and leave the organization. JW's, Mormon's, Muslims and other cult groups do this very same ostracizing. Greg and I feel you are right and we admit that the SDA experience we had here in Missoula, and in our past, most definitely has played a part in our leaving. We actually praise God for these painful experiences because God has not wasted any of our hurts in leading us to Himself. It is through all of our past experiences that we have come to believe and understand a relationship with Him is all that matters - not trying to be good, not trying to eat the right foods, not attending a church or reading the right books. Without these experiences we would never have questioned what God is really all about. If all would have been smooth going, we never would have looked in His Word for any answers. From Cradle Roll we had been given answers before we could even question. We knew we had the "truth" and away we went. The questions you asked are questions I asked myself and then went looking for answers. That is when I discovered that Christianity actually began in the Old Testament, in Genesis 3:15, not in Matthew 1. I began to see in Abraham's life that God did not expect Abraham to do anything more than submit to Him. He was not counted righteous because of anything he DID. Paul said, in Galatians, that living on that hamster wheel life of trying to DO is a terrible yoke. He asked the Jews, who were trying to DO, why they wanted to live that life of slavery. If we CAN follow through and DO everything we know God wants us to do, then why did Jesus need to come and give His life so needlessly? The Jews tried that life for centuries (in fact, they thought they were DOING so much and so well they couldn't see their Savior right before their own eyes!). God set up all those to do lists to point to the fact that we CAN'T DO anything ourselves. Praise Him forever for His glorious gift to save us from our inadequate selves! And then like Abraham - we are counted righteous! YEA! We are not looking for a new religion or another "true church" (of which I am convinced there is NO one single denominational name). However I will admit at this time (I say "at this time" as a qualifier of where my convictions are at today), Truth is progressive - so I leave the door open for change, greater, clearer understanding with convictions to follow, which may differ from what I hold today. Nothing remains the same. All things change except for the love I know God has for little old me! Do I believe there is a hell? Yes, the New Testament talks of hell more than Heaven. Is there a way to escape? Yes. "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and YOU WILL BE SAVED!" (Acts 16:31) I don't pretend to understand about many things. God is God. He doesn't have to explain Himself. Today I do not fully understand Hell, Heaven, life after death, election, foreknowledge, predestination, justification...but it is ALL in His Word. I am confident God will reveal His truth in His time through the wooing of His Holy Spirit in my life. I know I am building my "firm foundation" upon true Biblical teachings, rather than sectarian add-ons that are only stumbling blocks and barriers to enjoying the fullness of an absolute assured salvation. And yes, once justified by faith in Jesus Christ and having surrendered and committed myself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, I AM eternally saved! My faith and justification leads to obedience or a faith that works. Not a faith that focuses upon producing "works" but a faith that WORKS! It works by focusing upon Jesus, the Living Vine, who Himself begins to grow the fruits of the Spirit in me. It has nothing to do with me following Jesus. He did not come to earth to be my example - He came to earth to be my Savior. It is only through Him and through His power that I do anything. My in-depth study of Genesis 2 led me to realize Sabbath was not a Creation edict. There is no command for Adam and Eve to rest - God rested. He was done with His work. There was no day 8 or day 9. There is no mention of evening and morning as in all the other days of Creation...again...no more plans to keep creating. There is no mention of "Sabbath". God stepped back to view the work He had done. Man did not work until after sin (Gen 3:16). Why would man have to rest? It seems to me that God intended that the rest He had established would have a continuing quality - a daily experience. The Sabbath rest He created was to have beginning but not an ending. And this is the point of the Isa. passage you mentioned (66:23). Our Sabbath in Heaven will be continual worship through all eternity. Matthew 12 (actually starting with 11:25 through 12) is a beautiful example of Jesus being our Sabbath rest. Jesus set up His discussion of Sabbath after saying His rest is easy. Jesus, prior to the cross, was already teaching the New Covenant. In verse 8, after taking about the old ceremonial law, He tells us He is Lord of the Sabbath. He is Lord of our continual worship and rest. It is all about Him! As for Matt. 24:20 - This is a verse that bothered me for a long time. I remember you going over this verse with Kelsey during your study with her. During my study of Israel and the minor prophets the history of the gates shutting before Sabbath and reopening made sense to me in what Jesus was talking about (Neh. 13:19). I believe this verse indicates many would still be keeping the Sabbath at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem (Acts 15:5, 21:20) and Jesus foresaw this. Jesus does talk in length about those commandments of His Father...He said He did not come to abolish those laws but He came to FULFILL them. I looked up the word "fulfill" - it means "to complete, to fill up, finish, satisfy"...He is satisfying the Law for me because He knows I am completely unable to satisfy it myself. As I already mentioned, Jews for generations already had tried to satisfy the law. The same use of the word fulfill was used by Jesus on the cross (John 19:28-30)...when He knew He had satisfied and accomplished all He had come to fulfill...He said, "It is finished." He satisfied the law of the prophets...He is now my Law, my Fulfiller, my All. It is no longer me keeping or doing or trying...it is Jesus in me! (Gal. 2:20) Our eyes are open, we live in a sinful world with sinful Christians all around. We are not keeping our focus on those around us. If so, what would be the use? Our focus is and will forever be on Him, The One who saves, leads and gives us peace, contentment and rest. It is very, very late. I hope I am making sense. I have prayed over all my comments to you. I can only hope my own efforts did not get in the way and you can see Jesus in my words, life and actions. Thanks, again, for caring and sharing your thoughts with us. Please keep us in your prayers as you and your family will always remain in ours. Your friend, Denise | ||
| Javagirl Registered user Username: Javagirl Post Number: 286 Registered: 6-2005 |
Denise, Thanks for taking the time to share that! Your love for Jesus and the Gospel comes thru clearly. Im praying for you and yours. I also pray that you find a church home quickly, where you can be nurtured in the faith and fellowship of believers. Lori | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2782 Registered: 3-2004 |
Denise, God is working in the heart of the person who received your letter. As Lori said your love for Jesus and the Gospel come through clearly. You continue in my prayers. Diana | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4554 Registered: 12-2003 |
Denise, that is a wonderful answer. Thank you for sharing it. With prayers for you, Colleen | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 162 Registered: 4-2006  |
Denise, well done! I pray that you may receive wisdom to know our Lord Jesus Christ better every day, and that you may meet his body many times and that you may be strengthen every day by His love! Jesus I love you! |
