Free in Christ

Jesus is not Mediator?

2006-08-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

The Bible tells us Jesus is the Only Mediator between God and man...but what does the WT have to say?

*** Watchtower 1979 April 1 p.31 Questions from Readers *** Questions from Readers • Is Jesus the "mediator" only for anointed Christians? The term "mediator" occurs just six times in the Christian Greek Scriptures and Scripturally is always used regarding a formal covenant. Moses was the "mediator" of the Law covenant made between God and the nation of Israel. (Gal. 3:19, 20) Christ, though, is the "mediator of a new covenant" between Jehovah and spiritual Israel, the "Israel of God" that will serve as kings and priests in heaven with Jesus. (Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24; Gal. 6:16) At a time when God was selecting those to be taken into that new covenant, the apostle Paul wrote that Christ was the "one mediator between God and men." (1 Tim. 2:5) Reasonably Paul was here using the word "mediator" in the same way he did the other five times, which occurred before the writing of 1 Timothy 2:5, referring to those then being taken into the new covenant for which Christ is "mediator." So in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the "mediator" only for anointed Christians.The new covenant will terminate with the glorification of the remnant who are today in that covenant mediated by Christ. The "great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the "little flock" of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow from that new covenant. During the millennium Jesus Christ will be their king, high priest and judge. For more detailed information, see Aid to Bible Understanding, pages 1129 and 1130 under "Mediator"; also God's "Eternal Purpose" Now Triumphing for Man's Good, page 160, paragraph 10;

*also The Watchtower issues of February 15, 1966, pages 105 through 123; November 15, 1972, pages 685 and 686, under the subheading "Leading the Way to a New Covenant"; and April 1, 1973, pages 198 and 199, under the subheading "The New Covenant." *** Worldwide Security Under the "Prince of Peace" (1986) pp.10-11 ch.1 The Desire for Peace and Security Worldwide *** 16 Just as the ancient nation of Israel was in a covenant relationship with Jehovah God through the mediator Moses, so the nation of spiritual Israel, "the Israel of God," has a covenant relationship through a mediator. (Galatians 6:16) It is as the apostle Paul wrote to his Christian fellow worker: "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) Was Moses the mediator between Jehovah God and mankind in general? No, he was the mediator between the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the nation of their fleshly descendants. Likewise, the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ, is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members. This spiritual nation is like a little flock of Jehovah's sheeplike ones.—Romans 9:6; Revelation 7:4.

Jesus is LORD- R.A. Torrey

2006-07-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

A) Jesus's divine attributes prove His Diety. All the distinctively divine attributes are ascribed to Jesus Christ, and in Him is said to dwell "all the fullness of the Godhead" Col 2:9 There are five distinctively divine attributes, that is attributes that God alone possesses.1) Omnipotence2) Omniscience3) Omnipresence4) Eternity5) Immutability... Each one of these distinctively divine attributes is ascribed to Jesus Christ.1) Omnipotence - We are taught that Jesus had power over diesease, death, winds, the sea and demons, they were all subject to his word. Ephesians 1:21 "Far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every named that is named not only in this age but also in that which is to come." For some context read Ephesians 1:20 this talks about what God the Father did with Jesus after he raised him from the dead.Hebrews 1:3 "He upholds all things by the word of His power"2) Omniscience - We are taught in the Bible that Jesus knew men's lives, even their secret histories, that He knew the secret thoughts of men, knew all men what was in manJohn 4:19,19 "Jesus said to her, Go call your husband and come here, (17) The woman answered and said I have no husband, Jesus said to her You have well said I have no husband. (18) For you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband. In that you spoke truly (19) The woman said to Him, sir I perceive that You are a prophet."Mark 2:8 "But immidiately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus withing themselves, He said to them, Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?"We are told in 2 Chronicles 6:30 "then hear from heaven You dwelling place, and forgive and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men"John 16:30 "Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that you came forth from God."Colossians 2:3 "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."3) Omnipresence - is also ascribed to Jesus Christ.Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them."Matthew 28:20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. AmenMatthew 14:20 "At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me and I in you."2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves as to wheather you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed you are disqualified." (Or do not stand the test)4) Eternity - is also ascribed to Jesus ChristJohn 1:1 "in the begining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."John 8:58 "Jesus said to them, most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Note that Jesus did not merely say "before Abraham I was," but before Abraham was I AM thus declaring Himself to be the eternal I Am.Exodus 3:14 "And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And He said thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you."Even in the old testement is there a declaration of the eternity of the Christ who was to be born in Bethlehem.Micah 5:2 "But you Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth the Me The One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting."5) Immutability - This is also taughtHebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."Hebrews 1:11,12 They (the heavens) will perish, but You remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same and Your years will not fail."

Laurie's Story-as a new born babe in Christ

2006-05-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

What if you woke up one morning and realized that everything you've been taught, everything you've known, everything you've thought was truth was not. As a matter of fact, everything was a lie. And this lie was taught to you by the people you love most in the world, your parents. This has been what has been revealed to me over the last few years of my life.
You see, I grew up in a religion that claimed to be God's sole channel of communication to mankind on Earth. And everything pointed to us being right. In our religion we were taught not to smoke, not to drink too much, not to do anything contrary to the Ten Commandments. We were a religious people, and after all weren't we the ones that went out and preached the good news from door to door like Jesus taught. Growing up in this religion was not easy as a child. I would look around at the people and I didn't see people filled with the love of God. As a matter of fact, when church was over, us kids couldn't wait to get together and gossip over someone who we saw smoking; and like the little Pharisees that we were, we would sit there on our little holier-than thou thrones, looking down on the rest of the world. But we were allowed to because as our parents taught us "we have the truth". For myself, I must admit I did like attending church. Not because of what I was learning, because I questioned a lot of what I was being taught, but because I could get together with my friends and socialize. For me, going to church was no different than belonging to a social club, and it was as much of a blessing as attending an outing to the zoo or MacDonald's, only I would probably have agreed with more of what I was taught at the zoo.
We were taught that we were God's happy people. We were the chosen ones and every other church was "of the Devil", Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. We were really special. This was evident by how we didn't salute the flag, sing Oh Canada, or celebrate pagan holidays. We were taught the cross was evil and that's why all the churches had them in them and on them. This would make us cringe as young people. From the time we were little we were taught to hate the cross, and to fear them and anything to do with false religion.As a little girl I was taught to sing a song in kindergarten. It was "JESUS loves me". I loved it and came home singing it one day. It didn't go over too well. Mom said I should not sing with the worldly kids at school. They believed in a different GOD, a false god, a freakish looking three-headed GOD. We had the one true GOD of the BIBLE. His name was Jehovah, and HE was only to be worshipped. I was a pretty good little girl growing up as a Jehovah Witness, but I wasn't very happy.
I thought, if we are so right, and we are GOD's happy people, where was this joy? Where was this peace? In my own home my parents were never happy. They fought continuously, and I remember I would scream at the top of my lungs "Stop, Mommy and Daddy", and I would run into my bedroom and cry. I would beg Jehovah to make them stop. I remember praying that He would make them split up to stop the fighting. I was desperate. I just couldn't see how this was the truth when my Mom and Dad had no victory over this. And when the church leaders would counsel them, they would just say, "You need to get out to more meetings, and you need to get out in the field service more". So they would, but nothing changed. I grew more and more bitter as the years went by. I hated church, I hated school, and I wasn't crazy about this Jehovah GOD or my parents. Don't get me wrong, I did love my parents, but I hated this life they had brought me into. I would say to my Mom, "Is this the truth we are in? Why does GOD hate us so much, why won't he help us?"
I was getting more and more depressed with this life that was so messed up. I would take a bottle of my parents' booze and go and sit on the edge of the cliffs and look out at the lake with its beautiful colors and think, "oh GOD, why me'? Why does everyone else have nice lives but me, why is my life so unstable, so crazy?" So I would talk to the GOD who I wasn't sure was out there, and if he was, he sure didn't like Laurie.
I found that drinking helped me to cope with my pain, temporarily. It numbed my brain. I could escape for a while. Then I started doing drugs, like pot and LSD. Then I really escaped to far away lands and tried to escape from reality. One night I took acid with my boyfriend at the time who wanted to be Nazi. He hung around with some people that were, from the looks of them, pretty hard core hate mongers. There was this little sixteen-year-old girl doing LSD with people that loved Hitler. One man looked like a two hundred pound Hitler. He had the Hitler mustache and a swastika tattoo on his arm. That night I came under demonic attack so strong that I cried out to GOD all night, begging Him to spare my life and my sanity. It was a night of living hell on earth.
That sent me back to church when GOD spared my life and I was going to do it right this time. No more drugs, no more partying, no more skin-head boyfriends. I would straighten out my life and be a good Jehovah Witness. However, I heard things at the meetings that I could never believe, so I tried and tried, but it was no use, I couldn't believe this. Therefore, I kind of made up my own religion. There was a GOD, there was no hell. The Bible was maybe partly true, but church was boring and only hypocrites go there. Then I met a guy that really caught my eye. He was not bad looking, he partied, and drove a really nice white Trans Am. All the prerequisites of good husband material, or so I thought. He asked me to live with him at his Dad's house, so I moved in quite swiftly. This way I could have the freedom from the Jehovah Witnesses I so longed for. However, I ended up spending 2 years looking after this man and his father. Not too much freedom there. I still had this hunger in my heart for GOD though. I remember laying hung over and listening to the church bells Sunday morning, and longing to go to church, just out of curiosity. I said to my fiancé whoever bought me the ring he promised, "We should go to church some morning". He looked at me like I was nuts and said "Have you lost it?" I would try and talk about GOD with him. He would only say that he believed in hell, and it was the Bermuda Triangle. That was what he believed, and he was sticking to it. I gave up even trying to talk about GOD.
I don't know why, but I cared very deeply for this person and stayed with him, even though he was extremely physically abusive. After 2 years of trying to make it work, I beat him up and left. There I was, I had just paid back the one who I loved by beating him up, and I was proud. I was quite a hulkster and I had proven it by beating on the one who I was wanting to spend the rest of my life with. I bragged about it to all my friends, how held got what he had coming, and I really showed him. But inside, I was dying. My heart ached, my mind was fried and I hated men. They were all rotten jerks and should be treated like the scoundrels that they are. There I was at home again, hating men, going back to the Kingdom Hall (only for appearances) and bitter with life, and very bitter towards GOD.
I started into the next year of my life in a downward spiral that was so dark and so depraved that I find it hard to go there. I was miserable. I was the woman at the well. I was hurting so much I was like a song I used to listen to,"Just two lost souls living in a fish bowl", only I was the only fish in my bowl. And I just wanted to float to the top and disappear.
In a state of desperation I cried out "GOD, if you are really there, please send me someone who really knows who you are, man or woman, I don't care, just a friend who can show me who you are".
TWO WEEKS LATER... In walked into the room Mike Antonio. "You are Italian!" I could tell he was. No one who's not Italian is that handsome. But it was more than looks that caught my eye with this man. It was this kindness in his eyes I was not familiar with. It was Jesus I was seeing in his eyes, but I didn't know it at the time. Such love. He asked me out to a church. This church was different than anything I had ever seen. The people really looked as though they wore actually getting through to GOD. 'I was amazed at how they would lift their hands in the air to GOD, some were crying, some were kneeling before the altar.
I thought, "This is completely wacky. What is with these people?" Secretly I longed for what they had. I was singing songs to JESUS and to the Holy Spirit. I had this amazing love for JESUS in my heart. I thought, "This is wrong", but my heart felt so good lifting up His name. I basically didn't know the Bible well enough to know that what I was doing was more than just OK, it was necessary, because the Bible says some day "Every knee will bow to Jesus, every tongue will confess that HE IS LORD". But I didn't know that.
And one day I did the unthinkable, according to the religion that I had been raised with, I asked JESUS into my heart, and to be my Lord and Savior. I wasn't sure what all that meant, but my heart was somehow touched by the love of JESUS. I would say "I could feel HIS love for me in my heart". But my Dad said, "It's all emotionalism. It's not real. There's more to it than that!" I started to question what had happened. However, JESUS had a plan for my life. He had brought me this far, He" wouldn't let me go now... I started listening to Mike as he discussed the Bible with my parents.
One day as we were discussing who JESUS was, Mike quoted a Scripture. It said "When GOD brings His firstborn into the world He says 'let all GOD's angels worship him"'. That Scripture penetrated-my heart so powerfully, I thought, "Wait a minute, JESUS is to be worshipped. What! How can this be?" As Mike showed me Scriptures about JESUS, I found out He was worshipped all the time by people in the Bible. He never rebuked them. He never said "Get up", or "Don't worship me. I am a fellow servant," like any of the angels or people in the Bible who anyone tried to worship. JESUS always gladly accepted worship. This could only mean one thing. He was GOD. I had to confront the fact that I had been ripped off of the truth about JESUS. And the more I researched into my former religion, I found lie after lie after lie. Everything I had known to be true, everything I had been taught to be true, was in fact a lie. I was at a crossroads. And I had a lot on the line.
If I stand for JESUS I may be labeled an apostate. I may lose my family. I may lose my friends I've grown up with who are like family. I had a choice, deny JESUS, or risk losing my family.
Sure you may say, "that's easy, of course you pick Jesus." It wasn't that easy at all. I still had an attachment to my parents. I was still struggling with alcohol and my heart was being torn in two. But JESUS was there. He walked me through. I found out that He is a suffering GOD and He suffers right along side of me. He has sent me His Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and has promised to never leave me or forsake me. He has given me strength to overcome alcohol addiction. It wasn't easy. I had to put my hand to the plow. But it was His strength. And the Scripture that says "Surely He carried our sorrows", that is what He does. He carries us through the valleys. I was faced with losing everything, and also forced to deal with the fact that I was deceived into believing a lie, and also my whole life had been a lie. I had to learn that everything was the complete opposite of what I had been taught. I had to face that we, as Jehovah's happy people, had been serving the enemy by calling the church that He loved and died for "Babylon the Great, World Empire of False Religion". In fact, we were part of this False Religion that Paul warned would rise up in the last days and deceive many. But, hallelujah, JESUS is so full of mercy and forgiveness, He still called me His own and loved me.
And there is nothing like a personal relationship with JESUS. I am getting to know Him more and more every day. And I'm living proof of His great mercy. If HE can forgive me, the chief of sinners, His arms are open wide to you too. He loves you. He desires you to know Him, to be intimate with Him, to seek HIS face, to bask in HIS presence, to grow in the knowledge of HIS love and grace, - and to behold HIM as the great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Almighty GOD, Everlasting Father I, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel (GOD with us), Our Rock, Our Great GOD and Savior JESUS CHRIST.
Oh, how great Thou art.
Come quickly Lord Jesus.

2006-05-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take council together: who hath declared it since ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the Lord. And there is no God else beside me, a Just God and a Savior; there is NONE beside me. Isaiah 45:21

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall come to save His people from their sins Matthew 1:21

Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us Matthew 1:23
Who is like the Lord?
CREATOR The Father: Job 33:4, Isaiah 40:28, Genesis 1:1
The Son Jesus: John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 1:10-12
SAVIOR The Father: Psalms 106:21, Isaiah 45:21-23, Isaiah 43:3,11
The Son Jesus: John 4:42, 1 John 4:14, Acts 4:12
KING The Father: Jeremiah 10:10, Isaiah 44:6, Psalms 47:8
The Son Jesus: Matthew 2:1-6, Luke 23:3, John 19:21
JUDGE The Father: Joel 3:12, Genesis 18:25, Hebrews 12:23
The Son Jesus: 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10
I AM The Father: Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 43:10, Deuteronomy 32:39
The Son Jesus: John 8:24, John 8:58, John 13:19, John 18:5
ROCK The Father: Isaiah 17:10, 2 Samuel 22:32, Deuteronomy 32:4
The Son Jesus: 1 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Peter 2:6-8, Numbers 20:10-11
SHEPHERD The Father: Isaiah 40:11, Psalms 100, Psalms 23
The Son Jesus: John 10:11, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 5:4
LIGHT The Father: Isaiah 60:20, Psalms 27:1
The Son Jesus: John 8:12, Luke 2:23, John 1:9
FIRST AND LASTThe Father: Isaiah 48:12, Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 41:4
The Son Jesus: Revelation 1:17, Revelation 2:8, Revelation 22:13

Oh THY face to behold!

2006-04-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus, sweet Jesus, Almighty, Divine,Draw us near to your heart Lord With your power sublime!We are gracious, sweet Jesus to have your life on our hearts, You quicken our spirits and give us fresh brand new starts. You bring us to the cross, and help us to know the dark day...when you were beaten and peirced though you were the Life Truth, and Way. And we stumble before you with our sins all laid bare...The people laugh and they mock you...Place a crown of thorns in your hair. And around your shoulders they place a bright purple robe, all the while not knowing The Lamb of God they behold. Like a Gentle LambYou look down at the fold...That you loved enough to die for, Oh thy face to behold! With tears in your eyes Lord...While the world doen't care...They just won't surrender To your Majesty hanging there...And darkness falls them and your heart breaks in two, "Oh Precious Father where art Thou" And your spirit then flew...You said "It is finished"!!!!It was a cry of Victory!!! So sins could be forgiven, and blinded eyes see...Your love is unending and to me a mystery, Oh Dear Lord, we so unworthy can have such a hope in thee! Oh Lord please lead us...Take us back to the cross...Our hearts are just bleeding for the sin sick and lost...Oh how much we long to Embrase your sweet face!!!And praise you and thank you for such Mercy and Grace!!!!

Is the Holy Spirit a force?

2006-04-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

I am putting on an extensive list concerning the person of the Holy Spirit. The JW's teach the Holy Spirit is a mere force, but this list will be a challenge to them for sure:

The Holy Spirit(can be) grieved Eph. 4:30 (cf. IThess 4:13)(can be) insulted Heb 10:29(can be) known* John 14:17(can be) lied to Acts 5:3,4 (cf. Heb 6:18)(can be) received John 14:17 ICor 2:12can be resisted Acts 7:51can be spoken against Matt 12:31,32 Mark 3:29 Lk.12:10(can be) tested Acts 5:9is called Eternal John 14:16 (Heb 9:14)is called God: Acts 5:4is called Lord: 2Cor 3:17,18is from Heaven Matt 3:16 Mark 1:10 Lk.3:22 John 1:32is Holy: Matt 12:32 Acts 5:3 13:2 (Rom.1:4)is our Helper: John 14:16,26 15:26 16:7 (Paraclete)is Truth: 1John 5:6 (cf. 1John 2:20-27)adopts Rom. 8:15appoints Acts 20:28 (cf. Acts 1:7 IThess 5:9)baptized in His Name*bears witness John 15:26 Heb 10:15 1John 5:6bears witness with Rom. 8:16 (cf. Rom.2:15 9:1)comforts Acts 9:31 (cf. 2Cor. 1:3)declares John 16:13,I4,15did many other things John 16:12,13did not permit Acts 16:7 (cf. Acts 14:16)dispatches Acts 10:20Divinely reveals Luke 2:26dwells within John 14:17 Rom.8:9,11 (cf. Mark 9:25)forbids Acts 16:6 (cf. Luke 9:49,50 11:52 18:16)(gives) Life* John 6:63 2Cor.3:6gives* (ability) 1Cor.12:7-11gives* Acts 2:4Glorifies another John 16:13,14guides* John 16:13 (cf. Act6 8:31)hears John 16:13 (cf. John 11:42 1John 4:6)helps Rom. 8:26 (cf. Luke 10:40)instructs Nehemiah 9:20Leads Acts 4:1 Luke 4:1 Rom.8:14Longs (yearns) James 4:5Loves* Rom. 15:30 (cf. 1 John 4:8)makes it plain Heb 9:8 1Pet.1:11pleads Rom. 8:26,27 (cf. Rom.11:2)raised Christ Rom. 8:11receives John 16:14,15remains John 14:17 (cf. 1John 4:12,15)reminds John 14:26reproves John 16:8 (cf. Titus 1:9 Heb 12:5)reveals 1Cor 2:10 (cf. Gal 1:15,16)searches 1Cor 2:10 (cf. Rom.8:27 IPet.1:11)sends Acts 13:4shares 2Cor.13:14signifies Acts 11:28Snatches away Acts 8:39 (cf. John 10:28,29 2Cor 12:2speaks (directly) Acts 8:29 10:19 11:12 13:2 (cf.19:15speaks aptly Acts 28:25speaks skillfully 1Tim 4:1 (cf. Acts 24:1 orator)teaches* Luke 12:12 John 14:26 (cf. John 8:28)thinks Acts 15:28 (cf. Acts 15:25)thoroughly witnesses Acts 20:23 (cf. Luke 16:28 Acts 2:40)thrusts out Mark 1:12(wants us to be) baptized Matt 28:19wills 1Cor 12:11 (cf. 2Pet.3:9)witnesses Acts 5:32 (cf. Acts 2:32 3:15)
Please feel free to copy this to help the JW's close to your heart, or who come knocking at your door.

A visit with Jim

2006-04-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

We went to visit Jim, a dear brother from our church, who was struck blind after having a cancerous tumor removed from his brain. Even though he has been through so much, he had a big smile on his face, and his only complaint was he could no longer read his Bible! He was lovebombed by our son Isaiah, who gave him a big sloppy kiss, which he no doubt is still trying to wipe off..LOL
I just seek prayer that this dear brother would shine with the light and love of Jesus in that nursing home, and for witnessing opportunities for him to share Jesus!
You are sooooooo loved Jim! Keep up those labours of love in Jesus!

Jesus Christ lives!

2006-04-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

HAPPY Glorious Resurection Sunday! He is RISEN!

He lives! And because He lives, all fear is gone!

And I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives!

Justifies the many
Exalts the humble
Saves the lost
Unfailing is His love
Straightens the crooked path

Cleanses us from all sin
Heals the brokenhearted
Rebukes the sons He loves
Instructs us with wisdom
Shelter for the weary
Tower of strength for the weak!

Keep praising His Wonderful Name above EVERY Name saints! He is coming soon!
We love you Jesus, because YOU first loved us!

My Isaiah

2006-03-31T07:54:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest blessings in my life is my beautiful son Isaiah. He is truly a gift of God's grace. This is a poem I wrote for him:

My Isaiah, Gift of God's Grace

Silky soft hair, beautiful face

The pain of your birth, it was all so worth

The joy that you bring, Oh God's praises to sing

He has given me sooooo much

to be thankful for

ESPECIALLY His Son

Salvation's ONE DOOR

And He moulded you, and shaped you

to be the child you are

Come sit on my knee and let me tell you something special, let me sing God's praise to you, and tell you about Jesus, so one day you can be Born anew!

I want to give you so much child, ESPECIALLY God's love, I pray that He will help me and give me wisdom from above!

Purpose of this Blog

2006-03-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

The purpose of this blog is to give aid to those who are seeking truth, who have an interest in the things of God and His Word, but I especially have a heart to reach out to JW's with the love and truth of God's Word. I spent a great many years knocking on doors, and I don't recall anyone ever telling me the real truth about the Lord Jesus. I had some slam their doors in my face and say "I have my own religion thanks!" I had one man tell me I was going to hell, and I just laughed in his face, because I believed there was no such place, and my 'religion' had enforced in me that very well. Had he sat me down, and taken me to Scriptures, well, it may have planted some seed in my heart the Holy Spirit could have used to grip my heart with the REAL truth about Jesus. But no one did, until I met a precious man who cared enough to share Christ and Him crucified with me.
At the bottom of this blog is the testimony of how God worked in my life, to bring me to Himself. Please feel free to brouse, and if you hear His voice this day speaking to you, harden not your heart.
Jesus loves you!
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stoneth them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yet ye would not." Matthew 23:37
"Keep me as the apple of they eye, hide me under the shaddow of thy wings."Psalms 17:8

Yeshua

2006-03-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, today and forever, You will always be the same Everlasting life in you, to the sick and needy came Shepherd of a little flock of sheep that know your voice Humble and riding on a donkey You give all men free choice Understanding you give to those who ask and call upon the name Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End Your love is a Mighty flame!

Jesus the DOOR of Salvation [part 2]

2006-03-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

JESUS IS THE DOOR
Jesus pointed to HIMSELF as the DOOR. He said "I am the door, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."[John 10:9]
Jesus also pointed out in John 10:1 that if we do not enter in by the door [the Lord Jesus Christ], we are thieves and robbers.

THE HINDERERS
The Bible also speaks of those who do not enter into that door of Salvation [the Lord Jesus Christ], but they also hindered those who were entering in.[Luke 11:52]
There are MANY false teachers and organizations who point to their man-made organizations as the doors to enter in for Salvation. By pointing to themselves instead of the Lord Jesus, they hinder many souls from coming in through the DOOR of Salvation, the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus says to come to Him all who are heavy laden and weary and He will give you rest. [Matthew 11:28]
Won't you run into the Loving and Merciful arms of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ? Won't you put your faith in His completed work on the cross of Calvary? He is the Door of Salvation, and He wants you to come to Him for Salvation.
"Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me, ye will not come to me that ye might have life." [John 5:39-40]

WHAT NOW?
So you may now say, "Ok, I see that I have taken the wrong door", or, "I've tried to climb up some other way"...but what do I do now?
The first thing is to humble yourself. "Humble yourself therefore under the Mighty hand of God that he may exault you in due time: casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."
Confess to God that you have sinned against Him by trusting in a man made organization instead of Christ alone. Concider the prayer of the publican that was the prayer that God received [Luke 18:10-14]

REPENT
Repentance is a change of mind towards God and sin, that will result in a change of direction and actions.
Ezekiel 14:6 says "Thus saith the LORD God; repent and turn yourselves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations."

Put your faith in Christ alone [receive the Lord by faith] There is a Watchtower magazine with the heading "PUT FAITH IN A VICTORIOUS ORGANIZATION"
The Bible however never points to an organization, but the person of Christ whom we are to put our faith in.
Paul preached 'repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus' [Acts 20:21]

GOD WANTS YOU TO GROW
Ephesians 4:13-15 says "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, where by they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ."
*seek out a good Bible believing church in your area. This can be a challenge in and of itself nowdays, but pray and ask the Lord to help you in this search, which body of believers He would have you be a part of. Look for a group who really uphold the Scriptures and love truth.

MY PRAYER FOR YOU
May the Lord be with you, and lead, guide, bless and protect you in your new journey in Christ. May you grow in Grace, and learn to discern, and walk in God's perfect will for your life.
If you have repented and are trusting Christ alone to save you, welcome to God's Family. Cleave to the Savior, and rest in knowing that He holds you in the palm of His Almighty hand. He is faithful and true. [2 Peter 3:17-18 KJV]

Jesus the DOOR of Salvation [Part 1]

2006-03-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

Jesus True Passion
I once read something very touching written by a former Jehovah Witness who had become Born Again. He was expressing his gratitude for the passion of Christ. It moved my heart as he spoke of Jesus praying in the garden for us, thinking of us as He anguished, knowing full well what lay ahead of Him on the cross of Calvery. Yet Jesus selflessly thought of us during this anguish.
Jesus suffered so much when He bore our sins, and when the Father laid on Him the iniquity of us all. [Isaiah 53:6]
To think that God loved us sooooooo much that He would give the Son of His Love, His only begotten, is overwhelming to me.
I know speaking in earthly terms, I have an only son, and I get a wee, tiny, miniscule glimmer of how very, very much the Father loves Jesus, yet it says in Isaiah 53:10 it pleased the Lord to bruise him.
It pleased the Lord because He loves us so much, and it was the only way sinful man could be reconciled to a Thrice Holy God.
Our sins are scarlett, yet they can be washed as white as snow by the blood of Jesus. It is ONLY by the cleansing power of the blood of the Sinless, Spotless, Lamb of God that we can be Saved, trusting Christ alone to save us.

NO OTHER NAME
Jesus is the Name above all names, and there is no other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be Saved. [Acts 4:12]
The Name Jesus actually means Yahweh Saves or Salvation of Yah.
The Father in the old testament said that He was the Only Savior. The Lord Yahweh says in Isaiah 43:11, "I am the Lord, and besides me there is No Savior."
How suprising then when we read in Matthew 1:21 that Jesus came to "Save His people from their sins."
There would be a HUGE contradiction in the Scriptures unless you believe that Jesus is God manifested in a body of flesh. [1 Timothy 3:16 KJV]

JESUS IS THE TRUTH
Jesus pointed to HIMSELF as being THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.
I pray that people who call their religion 'the truth' will see when they call their religions 'the truth', that they are usurping the authority of Jesus Christ who is the truth. [John 14:6]
And His Holy Word is the truth. "Thy Word is truth"[John 17:17]
We need to receive the love of His truth so as to be saved [2 Thessalonians 2:10-12]
Oh Lord, help us Father to receive the love of your Written Word [the Bible], and your Living Word [your Son the Lord Jesus Christ].
{more to come}

Hebrews 1 Jesus is NOT an angel

2006-03-22T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 1, the passages of Scripture that opened my eyes to who Jesus truly is:
1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
4Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5For [unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee]? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let ALL the angels of God worship him.
7And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8But unto the Son he saith, [Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom].
9Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10[And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.]
* compare Hebrews 1:10-12 with Psalms 102: 24-26-The old testement for God the Father, but in the new testament, the Father says it of the Son.
13[But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?]
14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Is the doctrine of the Trinity Biblical

2006-03-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

The below is some comparison Scriptures that I think if you honestheartedly search out you will have to admit, the concept of the Triune Nature of God is indeed Biblical, and Jesus and the Father are indeed One:

Description The Father, The Son, The Holy Spirit
1) There is only One God Is 43:10; 1 Cor 12:4-6 2 Cor 3:17-18 44:6, 8; 46:9 Eph 4:4-6 Neh 9:6 Ps 89:6 1 Tim 2:5
2) There is only one Lord Deut 6:4 1 Cor 8:6 Mk 12:28-30 Phil 2:11 Eph 4:5-6 Rom 6:23, 8:39 Lk 6:5; Eph 4:4-6
3) Both the first and last, the Alpha & Omega Is 41:4, 44:6 Rev 1:17, 2:8 The 48:12 22:13 Rev 1:8 with Ex 6:3
*The Bible teaches Jesus is the Alpha & Omega, a Title only belonging to Almighty God
4) Are deity Is 43:10; Heb 1:8; Tit 2:13 Acts 5:3-4 44:6-8 John 1:1; 5:18; 41:4, 44:8 1 Tim 1:16-17, Ps 100:3 3:16; 2 Pet 1:1 Is 40:3; Mal 3:1 with Matt 3:3
*Father, Son and Spirit are all called God! In the passage concerning Annanias and Sapphira, the Bible says in Acts 5, they lied not unto men [but to God]. If the Holy Spirit is a mere force like the WT teaches, how is it HE can be lied to and grieved?
5) Both Equal 1 Kg 18:39 Phil 2:4-8 Deut 4:35, John 1:1, 5:18 39, 7:9 Col 1:19, 2:3, 8-9 Jer 10:10 2 Cor 5:19
6) Jesus says He is God Ex 20:1-2, 8 Lk 6:5; Acts 2:24, 32, 3:26 with John 2:19
7) Name above every name Ex 6:3 Phil 2:9 Eph 1:21
8) The Creator Is All knowing Col 1:16 Job 33:4 Neh 9:6; Zec 12:1 Heb 1:2, 10 Gen 1:2 Ps 100:3 John 1:3, 10 Ps 104:30 Gen 1:1-31 9) Ps 147:5 John 2:24-25 Is 40:13-14; 1Cor 2:11
10) Omnipresent Jer 23:24 Matt 18:20 Ps 139:7-10 John 3:13
*The Bible says where 2 or more are gathered in Jesus Name, He is there in their midst. To do this, He has to be Omnipresent...in order to be omnipresent, One must me God!
11) Eternal Ps 90:2; 45:6 Heb 1:8; 13:8; Heb 9:14 1 John 1:2, 8:58
*Jesus is called everlasting [or eternal] Father in Isaiah 9:6 He is eternal, without beginning or end.
12) The Redeemer- Is 43:3, 11; 1 Cor 6:20 Savior 45:21; 48:17; 1 Pet 3:18 53:3-6 1 John 1:7 Ps 106:21 Acts 2:21, 4:12 Hosea 13:4 Matt 1:20-21
13) Forgive sin Is 43:25 Mk 2:5-7 Jer 31:34 Act 5:31 Ps 130:4 Col 3:13
*Who can forgive sins but God alone?
14) Accept worship Ex 20:1-5 Matt 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; Deut 5:6-9 15:25; 20:20; 28:9, 17; Mark 5:6; John 9:38, 20:28
*ALL the angels worship Jesus in Hebrews 1:6
15) Every knee shall bow Is 45:23 Rom 14:10-12 Phil 2;10
16) Father, Son and Holy Spirit all Raised Jesus 1 Thess 1:9-10 John 2:19-21 Romans 8:11 10:17-18
17) Directed God's Work Zech 1:3, 6 Matt 28:17-20 Acts 13:2 Act 9:4-6 John 16:13-15
18) Lord of lords,King of kings, God of gods Ps 136:1-3 Rev 17:14; 19:16 Deut 10:17 1 Tim 6:14-16
19) God not give His Glory to another Is 42:8; 48:11 John 1:4, 17:5
20) The Shepherd Ps 23:1 John 10:11
21) Judge all men and nations Joel 3:12 John 5:27 Gen 18:25 Matt 25:31-33
22) The Light Is 60:19 John 1:4-9, 8:12 Ps 27:1
23) The God of Abraham Ex 3:14-15 John 8:54-59
24) Raise and judge the dead 1 Sam 2:6 John 5:25, 29 Deut 32:35, 39 Rom 14:10-11
25) Honor Son JUST AS the Father John 5:18, 23
26) Commands Ex 20:1-17 Matt 5:21-22; Act 13:4, 16:6 28:18-19; John 13:34 Heb 3:7-11 27) Is 9:6, 7:14 Matt 1:23
28) Jesus above all Eph 1:2 , obeyed Matt 8:32; by all (angels Heb 1:7-8 and demons) Phi 2:9
29) Rock Is 17:10 1Cor 10:4 2 Sam 22:32 1 Pet 2:6 Deut 32:4 Rom 9:33
*see 1 Corinthians 10:4
30) Pierced Zech 12:10[Jehovah peirced] John 19:37; Rev 1:7
*Jehovah is peirced in Zechariah 31) Both the I AM Ex 3:14 John 8:58

Faith in Christ or an organization?

2006-03-22T08:25:00.001-08:00

Faith in Christ or an Organization?

The central doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses is their faith in the organization. Failure to grasp the role of the organization in Jehovah's Witnesses' beliefs is, in most cases, the reason why outsiders find argumentation with a JWs so frustrating. What is the organization's role? It is spelled out clearly in these quotes from Watchtower publications: "The world is full of Bibles, which Book contains the commandments of God. Why, then, do the people not know which way to go? Because they do not also have the teaching or law of the mother, which is light. ...God has not arranged for that Word to speak independently or to shine forth life-giving truths by itself. ...It is through his organization that God provides this light that the proverb says is the teaching or law of the mother. ...we must recognize not only Jehovah God as our Father but his organization as our mother." -- The Watchtower May 1, 1957, page 274 "He wants his earthly servants united, and so he has made understanding the Bible today dependent upon associating with his organization." -- The Watchtower November 1, 1961, page 668 "He [God] does not impart his holy spirit and an understanding and appreciation of his Word apart from his visible organization." -- The Watchtower July 1, 1965, page 391 "Put faith in a victorious organization!" -- The Watchtower March 1, 1979, page 1 "We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the 'faithful and discreet slave' organization." -- The Watchtower February 15, 1981, page 19 The above actual quotes from the watchtower. Now let's compare that with what the Bible actually teaches: By what Gospel, and believing in whom are men saved? Acts 20:21 "Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Corinth 4:4-5 "The god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them, for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord , and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. Philippians 1:18 "What then? Not withstanding, every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached and I therein do rejoice, and will rejoice." and vs 27 "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel." Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." JOHN 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way, [the truth], and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by ME."
The Watchtower has usurped the authority of Christ, and taught the unbiblical teaching that the Organization is our mother. My prayer from my heart is that JW's will bow the knee to Jesus Christ alone, and place their faith in Him for their Salvation. He is Faithful!

Putting on the new personality

2006-03-22T05:08:00.000-08:00

I have noticed recently that Jehovah's Witnesses speak much about putting on the new personality. The Scriptural reference I believe for this is Epesians 4:23-24 "Put on the new man which after GOD is created in righteousness and true holiness."
I strongly believe to put on the 'new man', the Scriptures point to a second birth, one from above, that enables us to 'walk in the Spirit' [Romans 8:1-4], and not according to the lusts of the flesh.

John 1:12-13 states that to 'as many as received' Jesus, He gave THEM power to become the sons of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. They were born of God, or in other words 'born again'. The new birth is spoken of many times throughout the Bible.

I will quote some of those Scriptures, but first I would like to add that the Bible says the carnal mind is enmity against God [Romans 8:7] It says plainly that they that are in the flesh cannot please God. It says though to the believers "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell [in you]. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ HE IS NONE OF HIS..and if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." [Romans 8:7-10]

Notice that the Spirit INDWELLS the believer, leading to righteousness and true holiness; and if the Spirit of God does not dwell in you, you do not belong to God. I don't know how the reader feels, but I for one want to belong to the Lord God Jehovah.

The Bible clearly states in Romans 8, that if the Spirit of God does not dwell in you, you do not belong to God, and the wrath of God remains on all who reject the new birth revealed in the Holy Word. This is why satan has tried with some success to make 'those Born Agains' look bad. When a Born Again believer messes up, they are made a mockery of, while people who are not born again sin constantly and the world turns a blind eye. The fact of the matter is ALL born agains mess up, but if the Spirit of Christ in in them, they still belong to Christ.
Not to make light of sin though in a believer's life. Sin needs to be dealt with, and we do have an advocate before the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous who ever lives to make intercession for us. [see 1 John 1:6-10, 1 John 2:1-6, Romans 6 is excellent] Disobedient children are chasten heavily, and dealt with like Jonah, to bring us into obedience. For example, I had a REAL struggle with alcohol. I had walked in this sin for a long, long time before I was saved, and it really had a grip on me. (for Christians who think drinking is fine I challenge you to read Proverbs 20:1, and Proverbs 23:30-31)
Yet God in His infinite mercy led me out of it, and through the Spirit of Christ in me, I have overcome it. It no longer has power over me because greater is HE that is in me, than he that is in the world [1 John 4:4. I have not had a drink in many years, nor do I care to.

There are many other terms that refer to the new birth-here are some:
1] 'Born of God' - 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 14, 18
2]'new creature' - 2 Corinthians 5:7, Galatians 6:15
3]'washing of regeneration' - Titus 3:5
4]'new man' - Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:9

The means of the new birth is a new life received by trusting Christ alone to be ones Savior from sin [John 3:16-17, John 1:12, 1 John 5:1] Some folks are trusting their religion to save them, and not Christ alone. New life is not found in a dead religion, but in the person of Christ.

People are born again by hearing and believing the true Gospel of Christ [1 Corinthians 4:15; James 1:18; and 1 Peter 1:23]

The source of the new birth - is the Holy Spirit who imparts this new life [Titus 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:11]

The result of the new birth is we are kept by the power of God, and have an incorruptable inheritance awaiting in heaven. -1 Peter 1:3-5
Can anyone give me a hardy amen or a halleluia :>) !!!!!!!!
1 Peter 1:23 speaks of being Born Again not of corruptible seed, but incorruptable. When we are born of Adam, we are born of corruptable seed. When we are Born of the second man Christ, who is incorruptable, we are Born of incorruptable seed. [1 Corinthians 15:47-50]
My life and yours [if you are Born Again], is now hid with Christ in God [Colossians 3:3] The Scriptures tell us to set our affections on things above, not things of the Earth. It says in Colossians 3:4 that when Christ who *is our life* shall appear, then shall we appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:5-25 admonishes us again to mortify the flesh, and to walk in the Spirit. When we are born again it does not give us a licence to sin, rather the Scriptures say "Should we continue in sin that Grace may abound? God forbid![Romans 6:1-2]
The best Scripture I feel I can leave off with is 2 Corinthians 3:5:

Examine yourselves, whether ye be IN THE FAITH; prove yourselves, how that Jesus Christ is IN you, except ye be reprobates?

New Light

2006-03-21T21:01:00.000-08:00

Jesus said in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life." What comforting words from our Lord in this passage. Jesus points to HIMSELF as the "Light of the world". He promises those who follow Him they shall not walk in darkness anymore. One false doctrine that JW's hold onto that really concerns me the most, is the new light teaching. They have taken one verse out of the book of Proverbs, chapter four verse eighteen and twisted it, so their followers would be tricked into been carried away with every shifting wind of their doctrine. The scripture in the New Word translation"But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.". The apostle Paul warned of men like the leaders of the Watchtower Society long, long ago in Ephesians 4:14, "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness , whereby they lay in wait to deceive ." Paul warned of knowing deceivers that would continue to wax worse and worse. If we say we cannot be deceived, we are deceived already. There are dangers for every one of us, which is why there are warnings to the christian churches to be on the lookout for false doctrine and teachers. Examining the passage of Scripture in the book of Proverbs that JW's base their new light doctrine on [Proverbs 4:18] in the KJB says "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Notice the passage says the path of the just ...how does one become just in the sight of God? According to scripture we have no righteousness of our own. Isaiah 64:6 says we are all unclean, and all of our righteousness is filthy rags. The Psalmist also says in Psalms 14:3 that "they are all together become filthy, there is none that doeth good, no not one." In the new testament the apostle Paul confirms this in Romans 5:12 "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned." How does the Bible say one is justified? Galatians 2:16 says "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Hallelujah that God in His tender mercies made the way to be justified-by faith in His Son Jesus, trusting God's own blood was shed so we can be justified by His Grace through faith in Christ. Thankyou sweet Jesus! So according to Proverbs 4:18, only the path of Born Again believers, who are trusting in the blood of the sinless, spotless Lamb of God to save them will shine more and more. If you are a blood washed Christian, you will as you abide in Christ will learn and grow in discernment, knowledge, wisdom, and love as you walk with Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus said in John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except ye abide in me." Spending time with Jesus in His Holy Word will cause us to learn and grow in Him. We need not look to any organization to be our "spiritual policemen". Instead, we need the Lord Jesus.
In Christ alone
I place my trust
and find my Glory in the power of the cross
In every victory
May it be said of me
my source of strength
and source of hope
Is Christ Alone My prayer is many JW's will stop trusting the flickering light of the Watchtower, and trust the true light; the Lord Jesus alone. "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." John 1:9

Oh thy face to behold [Jesus is Almighty God]

2006-03-21T20:48:00.000-08:00

Jesus, sweet Jesus, Almighty, Divine Draw us near to your heart Lord With your power sublime. We are gracious, sweet Jesus To have your life on our hearts, You quicken our spirits And give us fresh brand new starts! You bring us to the cross And help us to know the dark day, When you were beaten and peirced Though you were the Life Truth, and way! And we stumble before you With our sins all laid bare, The people laugh and they mock you Place a crown of thorns in your hair... And around your shoulders They place a bright purple robe, All the while not knowing The Lamb of God they behold. Like a Gentle Lamb You look down at the fold, That you loved enough to die for... Oh thy face to behold! With tears in your eyes Lord While the world dosen't care, They just won't surrender To your Majesty hanging there... And darkness falls them And your heart breaks in two, "Oh Precious Father where art Thou" And your spirit then flew! You said "It is finished" It was a cry of Victory, So sins could be forgiven And blinded eyes see! Your love is unending And to me a mystery, Oh Dear Lord, we so unworthy Can have such a hope in thee... Oh Lord please lead us, Take us back to the cross... Our hearts are just bleeding For the sin sick and lost... Oh how much we long to Embrase your sweet face And praise you and thank you For such Mercy and Grace!!!!!!!
Thankyou Lord Jesus!!!!

Poem I wrote as a baby Christian

2006-03-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

Try to Imagine
Try to Imagine a God so BIG He can be everywhere at once[Psalms 139:7-8], [Matthew 18:20] He knows your every desire, thought and need [John 12:17] [Revelation 2:33] A God so BIG He can soften the hardest heart [Acts 9] He can calm the most stormy sea [Mark 4:39-41] He can give any captive liberty [John 8:36] Now imagine a God so sweet and kind and True To give His life for me and you [1 John 3:16] A God who carries sorrows and will bare our pain [Isaiah 53:4] If we would call upon The Name[1 Corinthians 1:2] [Acts 3:6] [Acts 4:12] The Name that every knee will bow to someday [Philippians 2:10] And every tongue will confess He Is LORD [Philippians 2:11] Oh let Him peirce your heart with His Spirit's Sword! [Hebrews 4:12] He came into the world to save not condemn [John 3:17-18] So why not call upon Him and say "Jesus, come into my heart [Ephesians 3:17] [John 1:12-13] Wash away my sins Lord, make them white as snow by means of your shed blood." [Isaiah 1:18] [Ephesians 1:7] He will, He is faithful, He is true [1 John 1:9] He shed His blood for me and you! [1 John 1:7] He was despised, scourged and pierced so you could spend eternity with Him [Isaiah 53] He was bruised for our Iniquity and bore at Calvary our sins [Matthew 27: 27-31] [Isaiah 53] It's a free gift, but at a high cost was bought [Ephesians 28, 9 & 13] So let's never forget to thank our Savior as we ought [Matthew 1:21] For we so unworthy can have such a hope in Thee [Luke 17:10] THANKYOU SWEET JESUS FOR SETTING US FREE [Ephesians 5:14]
Isaiah 9:6

God's testimony-set free in Christ

2006-03-21T19:55:00.000-08:00

I grew up in a loving home, at least I knew my parents really loved me, and that is more than alot of people can say nowdays sadly. My mom was and is a loving, caring giving mom, she was my best friend in all my years of growing up. She has one of the best senses of humour I have ever known anyone to posses. She had it ROUGH growing up, and was orphaned at a young age. Her daddy died of cancer, then her mom committed suicide leaving her with only one brother, and very little support. She ended up in California for a while, working as a maid in Beverly Hills, so I guess you could say I'm the offspring of a real, live Beverly Hillbilly! LOL I like to tease mom about that sometimes. My dad was extremely depressed as I was growing up. He resisted becoming a Jehovah's Witness when mom started studying with them when I was only 2 years old. He hid in the basement. But gradually, he started to come out of the basement unfortunately, and he too started to study with JW's and was baptised into the Organization soon after, not far behind my mom. I have often wished he had of stayed IN THE BASEMENT since finding out many eye opening things about the Org. When I was young, my Daddy got so depressed that he was trying to committ suicide on a regular basis. One time when I was young, he said "Laurie, you or I are not happy, why don't we end it all?" I had caught him hooking up the exaust of the car... Looking back now, I can see God's hand of grace, holding us back that day. I was depressed too, from the constant fear looming over my head of finding him dead. Growing up as a JW was not easy. It was tough in many respects, but I thank God today for allowing me to be where I have been so that I may more understand what cult members go through. Once I got old enough to date, it soon became apparent that the boys I had grown up with in the Kingdom Hall were more like family than anything, and I could never have feelings for them other than friendship. I soon began secretly dating young men "of the world". When I got caught, I was told to leave. So I lived in a one room apartment over a small, rowdy, dingy bar in the city closest by. Once I got a little taste "of the world", I thought to myself it is party time. I call these years "the lost years", because I spent them in a "purple haze" of drugs and alcohol and other things, that caused such a downward spiral in my life, I find it hard to even think about it today. I choose to leave it behind, and I won't go into it as Paul says in Philippians 3 "forgetting those things behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 Yet in a state of despair, I cried out to God, and said, "God, if you are out there, please send someone into my life to show me who you are..man or woman, I don't care, just a friend who will show me who you are." The Lord sent Mike into my life, who is now my husband of going on 13 years. He ironically had witnessed to Jehovah Witnesses who came to his door for many years, and he knew a fair bit about the teachings I had grown up with. He would have talks with my parents and I, all trying to convince him that the JW's were "the truth". Poor guy, he would sit patiently through these "discussions" while we hammered as many questions at him we could. He took all 3 of us to Hebrews 1:6 one night, where the Bible says "ALL the angels worship Jesus", and then he asked a question that tore the veil from my eyes that was preventing from knowing the TRUE Jesus of Scripture...he asked, "Well, if all the angels worship Him, SHOULDN'T WE?" I can't explain it, but I KNEW and UNDERSTOOD that Jesus was indeed God. It was a time of Joy and sorrow intermixed, such JOY knowing that God had come to shed HIS OWN BLOOD [Acts 20:28] to save me, but such sorrow in knowing that the religion I had grown up in, and that my family were still very much a part of was a BIG LIE. The more I read the Bible on it's own, without all the WT helps, the more I realised just how far away from true, Bible believing Christianity we were as JW's. I found out that God requires us all to have a new birth to see His kingdom, not only the 144, 000. 1 John 5:1 clearly says "WHOSOEVER believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God". And I am a whosoever, and so are you. John 1:12 says that to as many as received Him [Jesus], to THEM gave He the power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God." This new birth is for all the whosoever wills may come, and is not limited to the # 144,000. Once God miraculously Saved me by His Grace, everything changed. My eyes were open to so much, and I felt greived at all the sin in the world. I also was greived with my own sins, and I desired things opposite of everything I had enjoyed before. The alcohol I loved, I grew to hate, I seen what a trap and a snare it was in my life. I seen clearly how I had put a bottle up as my god, and had served and worshipped the god of "partying" for so many years, "the lost years". God cleaned up my mouth, I swore worse than anyone I knew. Every other word was a curse word. God put His Word in my mouth in place of it, and I told my family and friends about my new found relationship with the Lord Jesus, and how I was now born again. They looked at me like I had been abducted by aliens and reprogrammed..LOL There was such a drastic change in me, no one could help but not notice. My JW mother even said at the time it had to be God to change me. I know she was concerned about my life of alcohol and drugs before, but I know it bothered her that the God that set me free was the Jesus of the Bible, and I never ceased to give Him all the glory. I simply could not change myself, I KNEW I needed a Savior BADLY. I knew Jesus the Lord was that Savior. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. [John 3:16] If He can Save a wretch like me, He can save you too. You may think you are basically a "good person", but he Bible says "there is no one that doeth good, no, not one". All have sinned, and fallen short of the Glory of God. But God has built a bridge between the gulf that was separateing me and you from him called sin. It is the cross of Christ that is the bridge. It is by placing your faith in the One who 2000 years ago said "It is finished" on the cross, that we find forgiveness. Paul preached "repentance toward God, and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20:21 Repentance means turning from sin, and turning to Christ, which will include a change of direction. Once I was Saved, it was a Joyous time. The scriptures opened up to me, and I could understand things that just didn't make sense before. The doctrine I have grown to love to study the most is the Trinity. It is all the way through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I have come to realise that once we are Christians, that we need to grow in wisdom and discernment to be able to know the difference between truth and error. There are alot of preachers on TV who are more than willing to tickle our ears, and we need to be so careful. I'm always saying to my dear friend Josh "be careful brother"..I must drive him nuts...but I just love him so very much, and I'm so glad to see God giving him wisdom and insight, it gives my heart so much joy! There was a time when you could go into a Christian bookstore, and pick anything practically off the shelf, and it would be pretty good. Those days are gone. We need to learn to be Bereans [Acts 17:11] to be sure that what we are reading lines up with the Word. As a new Christian I fell into false spiritual warfare as well as reading Rick Joyner and Rebecca Brown books. This messed me up for a while. These are 2 teachers I would urge Christians to flee from. There is some truth in their books, but Rick Joyner has falsely prophecied on a number of occasions, and Rebecca Brown teaches a false spiritual warfare, that is a form of witchcraft itself. The Bible says there will be KNOWING deceivers in the last days, and we need to be "so careful" But I can't warn enough I feel.