What kind of soil are you? (page 2)

JWdaughter

You know when the wet ground gets the hard frost? Everything is crunchy and looks like the moons surface? And then it thaws and turns to mush. Don't know why, but that is what came to mind when I saw the title of the thread. I think it is cause I am usually initially resistant, and then I just wallow in things and really muck up in it. Story of my life religiously. Which is why I try to keep churchy stuff out of my relationship with God. It mucks it up too much.

sass_my_frass

Ah man, now I've got a kingdom melody stuck in my head.

lovelylil

I don't mean to brag but I feel I am the fine soil. Why?

When I was 12 I left the church I was raised in due to some teachings that went against my conscience and faith in Christ. My family persecuted me terribly. Beatings from my father but I stood my ground. Then when I became a Witness 10 years later - my WHOLE family - mother, father, sister, brothers, cousins, uncles, aunts and grandmother cut me off almost completely. They called me names, would not see my kids. It was horrible. The relationship was strained for many years.

Through this I kept my faith for at the time I felt I was doing the right thing. Actually the JWs agreed with my beliefs that the church of my childhood did not. This is why I was drawn to them. I did not agree with everything the JWs did but some basic teachings. I guess I let my guard down and I have only myself to blame for that.

Immediately after my baptism - I knew I had made a mistake. It took nearly 10 years to free myself from the WT. My hubby almost left me and my family was fractured. My kids suffered terribly emotionally. I lost all my friends and associates that took me in when my family turned their backs on me in one single day.

Still - I did not loose any faith at all. I still believe in God and Jesus and all the promises of the bible. My faith is stronger today then it has ever been. I realized through all this I was never alone. I prayed every day and still do. I am not bitter and have forgiven everyone that wronged me. My family that cut me off is back in my life and we are getting along great. Sorry to say though I do carry a little guilt that I never got to celebrate mothers day or fathers day with my parents in their last few years. They both died one year apart to the day of cancer. They did not live to see me leave the WT.

Many ask me if I would make the same decisions and I would say yes. I feel I lived the life I did for a reason. I learned to be a diligent person and check everything carefully, especially spiritual things. I learned that as a Christian our relationship with Christ is more important than our relationship with our church denomination.

It has made me a more loving and forgiving person. I do not judge people like I did in the past. I have more faith, patience and empathy. And I learned the true meaning of unconditional love.

Through the blazing fire I have been through and torrental winds, my house (of faith) is still standing strong therefore it must have been built on the fine soil. But, it took me 25 years of refinement to get to this point. Lilly

delilah

Through the blazing fire I have been through and torrental winds, my house (of faith) is still standing strong therefore it must have been built on the fine soil. But, it took me 25 years of refinement to get to this point. Lilly

Lilly, you are indeed, a strong lady!! I would wish to have a faith as strong as yours. Yes, you are "fine soil". Thanx for sharing your story.

JH, I'm not sure what kind of soil I am.........................

Undecided

What was the point of preaching to the people if they couldn't understand what he was saying?

To YOU the sacred secret of the kingdom of God has been given, but to those outside all things occur in illustrations, 12 in order that, though looking, they may look and yet not see, and, though hearing, they may hear and yet not get the sense of it, nor ever turn back and forgiveness be given them.”

I thought the bible said all we had to do is believe in Christ and we would be saved. He seemed to be picking the ones he wanted to forgive.

Does the bible make sense to you?

Ken P.

Finally-Free

A contaminated toxic waste dump.

W

lovelylil

ken,

To "you" meaning not only specific people but anyone who earnestly wants to seek out the kingdom. It does not mean certain people at the exclusion of others. That is a common misunderstanding of scripture. The bible says if "you" (meaning anyone) keep seeking, you will find". This scripture would not be true if only certain people could find the answers. Any who want to know and search for themselves will know the truth.

Those who are "blinded" are so because they really do not want to know the truth or they do not accept the bible or Jesus as true and no matter how much proof they are given - they still will not believe. Remember how many believed after viewing Jesus' miracles? No many did and they "saw" with their own eyes. Jesus addresses those who were honestly following him and asking Q;'s. The others, he was not concerned with as they would not turn to forgiveness at that time. Personally and according to how I view the scriptures, everyone will be given another opportunity to accept Christ in the future as "all" will be saved.

I have found from personal experience that if I am trying to understand a particular topic that the first step is to gather all the scriptures that speak about the same thing. Sometimes one scripture may seem to contradict another but when you view all the scriptures on the subject - you will see that they do not blatantly contradict the others. Lilly

Badger

Nothing wrong with my soil. Just what they tried to plant in it.

Gill

Stoned - sorry, I mean stoney!

What kind of soil are you?

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