| Author | Message | ||
| Bb Registered user Username: Bb Post Number: 96 Registered: 7-2004 |
Ok, I have not gone to an SDA church in about 3 years, and have no desire to. I am enjoying my new faith in Jesus and what He has done for me! I have had just a very few phone calls from members wondering where I am and I cannot bring myself to open up Pandora's box! I am just evasive with them. However, today a sweet elderly woman whom I had befriended when I was in the church called and point blank asked me what church I was going to, (maybe thinking it was in another town) and I answered that I was attending the Baptist church. Poor thing, I wanted to tell her all about it, but don't know how to begin! She alluded to the terrible things in the world and hoped Jesus would come back soon. She never said anything condemning to me about me not attending. I am sitting here feeling like a coward because I don't know how to begin to tell her all that I have found out. Does anyone have any advice on beginning this conversation? I think I just wanted to quietly slip away and forget about these people, only because of the judgemental attitude that I feel a lot of them have about leaving. But I think she is lonely and needs to know why I am not there. Thanks. Bb | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1902 Registered: 3-2004  |
Bd, First of all pray about what God would want you to say. Then pray and pray some more. Telling SDAs about Christ is not hard for us as individuals. It is difficult for them to hear it and from all I have read here, they just do not understand, even when quoting the Bible. I say this because I am fortunate that all my immediate family, my brothers and sisters, are not active church memebers and our parents are dead. They have not condemned me as they have not practiced Adventism in more years than I. They have not been to church on a regular basis in years. I can tell when one does not want to hear what I have to say, so I stop talking. My son, even though his name is still on the SDA books, is glad for me that I did not rejoin the SDA church. Right now he goes to an SDA church, occasionally, where he is stationed. So, when I do talk to my relatives, I just tell them what God has done and is doing for me. I end my letter/e-mails with the ending I use here. We have an awesome God. Diana | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 298 Registered: 8-2004  |
Diana has excellent advice there: pray, pray, and pray some more! I'm not sure if what I have to say would be called advice or just rambling,  But something that helps me is to remember that Jesus not only HAS DONE wonderful things for me, but also IS DOING, and WILL DO wonderful things for me . . . and that He loves the other person just as much as He loves me. That He will give me words to say and a 'check in my spirit' to know when to keep quiet. That He will use who He will (sometimes me, sometimes someone else) to reach that person for Him. It also helps me to remember that Jesus will redeem everything that is turned over to him, even bring good out of mistakes! The question is not did I act perfectly. The question is am I trusting Jesus, am I hidden in Him. And no matter which way that is answered we have a confident hope! Am I trusting Jesus? Am I hidden in Him? Yes? Praise God! No? Then He's just waiting for me to run to Him, so what am I waiting for! And all the time I am His child, for He has drawn me and I have answered. Mary | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1979 Registered: 11-2002 |
Dear Bb, I second the advice from the above two who have responded. As Diana said it is much easier for those in Jesus to share Jesus than it is for your average SDA to hear about Jesus. I have some theories about this phanoninmon but I wen't get into my two-bit psychological theories now. This is the same case with the JW's. If they come to the door and I or anyone else starts sharing Jesus with them and sharing personal Christian tesatemony the JW's scurry right off. SDA's tend to believe obeying their individual understanding of how to abide by all their rules is wehat will eventually save them. They do not believe in being currently saved but rather understand that one can never know if he/she is saved. We have to wait for the dreaded judgement after the dreaded time of trouble to find out. So, sharing faith in Christ cruisfied just don't cut it with a lot of SDA's. I was sharing with a much loved SDA several years ago about Jesus and the power one has through Him. This person looked right at me and told me he was tired of hearing all "that Jesus talk". It was a sad thing for me to hear from someone who I loved so much. Although most SDA's probably would be reserved enough to not say that most I think would still think like that. As far as your friend goes, a lot of senior citizens have very limited social encounters so hopefully you'll be able to be a dear friend and the witness that you can share will just flow naturally. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 2682 Registered: 12-2003  |
Bb: Diana, Mary, and Susan have good insight. God will give you the words to say--and it might even be that there will be some offense taken. If so, it's OK, because if you're speaking in love and submission to Jesus, He will be in your words, and they will plant seeds if nothing else. Ask God to be in you and to speak through you, and then trust Him to be in your words. It's kind of like Mary post on another thread where she quotes Oswald Chambers saying Jesus wants us just to come to Him, laying down everything we struggle with, and talk ahold of Him. Lay at His feet your fear of what and how you'll speak, and take Him. He will speak His words through you. He is faithful! Colleen | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1981 Registered: 11-2002 |
Collee, Did you get the postcard I sent that shows that I'm now living on Tinker Road? | ||
| Bb Registered user Username: Bb Post Number: 97 Registered: 7-2004 |
Thank you so much everyone. I am praying about this and will have God guide me. I somehow think she will not be rude, but will most likely tell everyone about it, and I might get some flack, but that is par for the course! | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 2687 Registered: 12-2003 |
Susan, I got the card--loved the Tinker Road part!! Thanks for sending it. Colleen |
