dear Shelby...
Michelle
The Jesus that spoke to you as a child is the same Jesus that speaks to you now and he led you to become a JW...
You are ENTIRELY mistaken, dear Michelle. Why in the world would he lead me to someone other than himself? It was because of MY disobedience TO his voice that I entered in among them. They were saying that THEY were "the truth," something I was looking for... and I believed them. They were liars, however, and had I only asked HIM... he would have told me that HE was the Truth and to NOT turn aside to the Harlot.
He and I had this conversation because I thought the very same thing and asked, "My Lord, why did you lead me to them... LET me enter in among them." And his answer was that he had NOT... that it was my own "desire" that led me there, that rather than listening to HIS voice, the Voice of Wisdom... I listened instead to the voice of the "boisterous" Woman of Folly. Their invitation is exactly the same:
"To whomever is simple (inexperienced, ignorant)... come this way... turn aside here!"
I heard HER invitation, however, and not my Lord's. Why? Because my Lord's voice is low and soft and her's is LOUD (Proverbs 8:7; 9:1-6; 13-17).
The DIFFERENCE is that HIS bread and wine bring life (Proverbs 9:5, 6) - HER'S, however, brings death. Why? Because it is STOLEN... and so must be consumed in secrecy... or "the dark" (Proverbs 9:17, 18).
Now, I know what you're going to say: "Wisdom" is not Christ, because "she" is a woman. You would be mistaken, however, because Wisdom IS Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24). "She" the "female" that is IN both God AND Christ (Genesis 1:27; 2:21, 22).
which, as you said, IS the worse of the worst (UNCLEAN THING) for a while. Why did he do that?
You have it wrong, Michelle. Entirely. HE... is the One who led me OUT:
"2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10:2-4
The Holy One of Israel does not lead us INTO "pens" - he leads us OUT of them! Do you REALLY think he would lead any of his sheep out of one "pen"... just to place them in another? I ask you: where is the FREEDOM in that? The sheep are SET FREE... NOT enslaved! And as a child I WAS free (as we all are/were)... until "certain men" came into our lives (whether through our parents or to us personally, through their agents)... and said we needed to be joined to them... follow them. Be PENNED UP... by them!
And true, the Most Holy One of Israel ALLOWED it; indeed, Israel has been scattered to the four winds. But neither He nor His Son DID it. As someone else pointed out, we are free-will agents; the Most Holy One of Israel does not MAKE us do ANYTHING... including follow Him... or His Fine Shepherd, Christ.
After our conversation yesterday I was in a bit of turmoil. I asked my Lord, "How do I keep speaking what you tell me, Lord, and yet endear myself to these people? They don't get it and I don't want to grow tired or have my love give out." And you know what he said to me? He said, "What was told to the man, Ezekiel? Hear, child, and get the sense of it." And he directed me to the second chapter of Ezekiel, verses 1 through 8:
" 1 He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."
My heart rejoiced over this, Michelle... because I was reminded that I am not the only one who has gone through this. That you and others lack faith is not my problem... and that you even suggest I consider that it *might* be Satan was repulsive to me. And so I rebuked you, in the spirit of Proverbs 9:7, 8:
"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you."
So, now, please know that I cannot care if you... or anyone else believes me. I CANNOT. I KNOW what is occurring with me... what I am hearing... and seeing... and from whom. To DENY these things would be to deny that I exist my own self. But I do exist. I am here. I am not a figment of my own imagination. Nor is what I see or hear. That you and others can't/don't/won't get that is not my concern. It CAN'T be. Why? Because... what I share is NOT mine. So, if you don't/can't/won't... that is entirely between you and the Most Holy One of Israel. If YOU can't "receive" what I share... I urge you... look inside YOURSELF and ask just why that IS. Better yet... ask Christ, if you've the faith to hear his answer.
My peace remains.
A slave of Christ,
SA
