| Author | Message | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1544 Registered: 9-2006  |
I am sort of disturbed tonight, I went to church service and there was a little discussion and I decided to put my feelers out about Adventism to them, I told them of a couple people that are coming out of Adventism and of the pain they go through and just a few instances of the problems they face. Nothing of a personal nature to anyone, just using general principles. Folks, I am just telling you the truth, I might as well have been talking about how to build a ruby laser or how to program a computer, they just don’t understand anything about it. I thought, what, did I just grow horns or something? I realized with horror that should never have brought it up yet I needed to know. They don’t have the ability to understand. So here I am right back where I was, alone as I ever was, and I feel like crap. I guess I was a little excited about handing out the books and stuff and I feel a little let down. If you folks wouldn’t mind, at least mumble something in the Lords direction for me tonight. What I think is that I think this forum is the best source and maybe about the only source of help that exist right now for those coming out of Adventism at least as for as someone who knows beans about how you feel. I may be wrong. River | ||
| Larry Registered user Username: Larry Post Number: 220 Registered: 5-2007 |
River, didn't Elijah feel like krap at one time? Yet he was still Gods servant. Memory tells me he was also translated. Lucky dude. Maybe those people did not get the gravity of alerting them that there is a cult out there that will say almost anything and do almost anything to put them under subjection to the old covenant, then to the saturday sabbath unto salvation, then on to demonically inspired egw, unto perdition. Maybe you didn't present enough ugly details. Maybe they don't need it all in one dose either. But they should be aware that sda-ism is a very clever cult, moreso than mormons and Jw's in my estimation. Maybe they just are not used to thinking about deception coming to get them. It is funny, sda's are always on guard, lest a regular Christian should convince them of anything. Haha, one Christian afraid of the other. One of them is not a Christain. They just know * that unless you are one of them, you are deceived. Perhaps the booklets will just lay dormant for awhile in the peoples libraries. I think they will be used of God at the appropriate time and place. It's all about His glory, not so much about us. Who is to say that one of these people won't move away in 8 years, taking his little book with him. Then he gives it to his new pastor, who really really needs it at that exact moment? Or the pastor knows another pastor that really needs it? All kinds of stuff can happen. So are there quite a few sda's in your general area? Didn't you say your town had 8 people or something?  Could you suggest to your little band: "hey, lets go evangelize, all of us at the same time, the nearest sda church on Saturdays" ?? Dilute their number by sheer force, your band of eight, the sda's band of 3! Even if you feel like krap, you aren't krap. Feelings come and go. You still plan on your inheritance don't you? Isn't that enough? When you are a million, billion years old in your still-brand-new body, look me up and we can have a good laugh about how we used to feel like krap, that is, if we can even remember such things! * This "knowing" merely stems from uncritical, intense devotion. Which is the definition of fanaticism. So because they are fanatical, they "know". Uncritical devotion is the exact opposite of Bereans. | ||
| Cease_striving Registered user Username: Cease_striving Post Number: 15 Registered: 7-2007  |
River, I just prayed for you. Maybe all is not lost. Perhaps the door has been opened enough that someone from your church will eventually want to learn the truth about Adventism. Thank you for caring about us. Cease_Striving | ||
| Stevendi Registered user Username: Stevendi Post Number: 237 Registered: 10-2006 |
River, I loaned the DVD "Seventh-day Adventism, the Spirit Behind the Church" to my pastor last week. He returned it with a note: "How could anyone hear or know this and remain in the Adventist church?" Small steps brother, small steps. God will use whatever He needs from your efforts in His time and way, which is usually slow but powerful when it hits the pavement. Keep the faith, steve | ||
| Larry Registered user Username: Larry Post Number: 224 Registered: 5-2007 |
I am envious, in a way, of my local gas-pump dude who fills my gas tank for me. He says he has never heard of adventists. I wish I had never heard of them either. But God can use this junk in my past for His glory. Didn't Colleen say something about redeeming whatever the grasshoppers ate? Am I close? | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1546 Registered: 9-2006 |
Thanks guys for praying and for the encouragement, I have learned that when I need prayer to ask for it, I have learned at least that much. You people are the best! I don't mean to get body slammed, it just happens. Probably keeps me from getting "upity". Sometimes I am envious of your gas pump dude too Larry. Hey Steve, I have to have that video, I am going to order it from Dale this morning. I'll get it and then maybe ask my Pastor to let me show it. My Pastor wasn't there last night or I am pretty sure he would have jumped in a bailed me out, he knows what I am about. Thanks again for the prayers and words of encouragement and allowing me to cry in my beer a little bit, I feel better this morning. If the video does what I hope it does, I'm gonna go back and force feed them with it if the Pastor will let me. I know God will make a way. Yep Larry, I will go back and redeem the grasshoppers I ate. Et? River (Message edited by river on September 27, 2007) | ||
| Larry Registered user Username: Larry Post Number: 228 Registered: 5-2007 |
River, those people do not know yet what sort of gold you dumped in their laps. Who knows that one of them could be a sda recruit "attempt" in the future? They should be thanking you I suppose. Maybe that will come later. | ||
| Jorgfe Registered user Username: Jorgfe Post Number: 854 Registered: 11-2005 |
River, I can certainly identify with that! That is why I produce Exposing Adventism threads. Seventh-day Adventists need a spiritual defibrillator to shock them out of their Laodician stupor. One of the most amazing things is that they are proud of the fact that they consider themselves to be part of the Laodician church time period (according to Adventist eschatology). Their "pain threshold" is so high, their sensibilities so deadened, their dependence on Ellen White to interpret everything including the Bible for them, it takes massive "shock treatments" combined with the leading of the Holy Spirit to cause them to even evaluate the veracity of her Gnostic teachings. The truth is the road to freedom. Gilbert Jorgensen It has been 162 Years, 11 Months, and 5 Days since October 22, 1844 | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4340 Registered: 3-2004  |
River, You will never know when you hit the right spot. Let me explain. The lady who is in charge of all the volunteers at church was talking to me a couple of weeks ago. I told her I was a former adventist and it turns out she knows about them and what they teach. I think she said she had SDA relatives. So you never know, at least not now. In heaven then we will see what our efforts for God produced. We love you and pray for you. God does restore what the locust ate. He is so awesome. Diana | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6891 Registered: 12-2003  |
River, I completely know how you feel. We, as Jesus' body, literally take the arrows for Him. You planted seeds. God waters and germinates them and gives you the opportunities to do further cultivating. The political/religious climate today frowns on labeling and marginalizing. The growing cry seems to be, "Let's ALL learn the good things we each have that we can share...and don't go condemning anything different from what you believe." It's a deceptive cry--espcially when it compromises the gospel or tries to embrace a cult. I'm glad you feel encouraged today...I'm also praying for you. Colleen | ||
| Larry Registered user Username: Larry Post Number: 229 Registered: 5-2007 |
This is war. Didn't Jesus take a whip to the temple? Was he righteously angered? I'm a good gambler when the questions are simple! Gods going to make the grasshoppers go hungry! | ||
| Patriar Registered user Username: Patriar Post Number: 451 Registered: 3-2005 |
River: I SO know how you were feeling last night. You were specifically in my prayers this morning. I'm so glad to know you're feeling better... Patria (Message edited by patriar on September 27, 2007) | ||
| Bobj Registered user Username: Bobj Post Number: 250 Registered: 1-2006  |
River I'd like to share something with you that brought comfort to me recently. It's from USA Today newspaper, Monday, Sept 17. Here are the words of Kathy Griffin as she accepted her Emmy Award. "S**k it, Jesus. This award is my god now!" "Ms. Griffin said in her speech that "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus." In response, The Miracle Theater from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee took out a full page ad in USA Today. Here's their comments: Dear America, We are the actors, singers, dancers crew and managers of the Miracle Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We are proud to stand on stage every night and use our God-given talents to portray the life and the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We, along with thousands of other Christians in the entertainment industry, know our talents do come from God, and we take offense when His name is battered and bruised by epople through the media. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus was mocked and few stood up for Him. We at the Miracle Theater consider it an honor to stand for Jesus today. (Like you did today, River) We may never win a national award. We may never be household names. We may never be seen in Hollywood. Although others may choose to use their national platform to slander our God, we are honored as professional entertainers to stand for Christ. They showed a group photo of all the ordinary looking people who make up Miracle Theater. They closed by saying that "The mission of the Miracle Theater is to present faith-based family entertainment through live theatrical productions revealing the person of Jesus Christ as The Living Word of God." I loved it! Cheers to all the ordinary people in this world who are willing to take a stand for Christ--even in discouraging circumstances. Courage to you, River, and all of us who strive for gospel of our Lord and Savior! The harvest is His! Bob | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1555 Registered: 9-2006 |
And courage to you my friend, it saddens me to see the name of Jesus spit upon in the public entertainment forum today, but God has a people even in the entertainment industry. Your story truly did encourage me, thank you for sharing Bob. The Harvest is truly his. River | ||
| Jim02 Registered user Username: Jim02 Post Number: 231 Registered: 5-2007 |
River, I work around a group of assorted people that include young men who are into the latest pop culture. Occasionally, I will strike up a conversation with one of them about a current event, or perhaps in response to a question they may have brought up by way of opinion. You know, the type of stuff that comes from young people "taking on the world". First and formost, I am amazed just how disconnected and unplugged most of these young men are. They have no clue about anything beyond their own limited horizons. The most important subjects I hear them speak of is usually about cars, slam jokes, their latest new toy, vid games and so on. They have virtually no knowledge of God, religon, politics, economics, war, current events etc. Some of these guys are in their 30s ! Now don't get me wrong. I am not making some sort of personal judgement about their priorities. Simply that I observe, the rule of partial view and limited scope most people have. So much out there is relative to who the audience is. Pretty much like hospitals. Most folks don't much like to think about them till they need one. Then you get educated fast. So it is with the average Christian fellow. They know what they know. Ignorance is bliss. With knowledge comes a new level of responsibility. Those of us who teach are held to a higher accountability. I agree with you in that FAF is the only place I know where there is a place we can go to talk about these things , and amazingly, they know what we are talking about ! The humbling thing about these blank stare responses is that certainly , I myself must have come across many times in my life to others when I didn't get it, didn't appreciate the problem, missed the toss, ignored the question and dismissed it as nonsense. Sometimes , folks don't get it till it bites them. For others, they have been spared the issue and perhaps........just perhaps, they are better off never having to run the gauntlet. All ahead, steady as she goes. Jim | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1558 Registered: 9-2006 |
Jim, I think you penned it just about right, sometimes the folks don,t get it until it bites them. And I do think thats it, they have their limited horizons, their comfort zone. I don't really say as I blame them. Steady as she goes Brother. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 4347 Registered: 3-2004 |
Reading what has been written about young people reminds me of a couple young men with whom I work. They have asked me at different times various questions, because I am "Spiritual". I always ask God to give me the answers for them. I am glad they ask me. Diana |
