Soldier77: LOLOLOL . . . well, that's another way to say it. LOLOLOL . . . --Inkie
Where now?
by bez 61 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
thenoblelodge
What I found useful was to shake off and forget everything I had ever learned in the Org and start again.
They taught me nothing that is useful to me now, so I don't allow it to get in the way of my new life.
You have some where to come when you need help and support now.
-
cattails
This is despite the fact they are allowed to play with there non witness friends who live down the road....WHY??
Why? Because it's a damn cult, that's why.
I would also second the suggestion to read Ray Franz's book "In Search of Christian Freedom".
Do what you feel is best for your family.
-
jamiebowers
Welcome to JWN! Once your daughter makes new friends and participates in birthdays and holidays, she won't be pining for her old jw friends. Raising "worldly" kids is fun, so just relax and enjoy yourself. The same goes for prayer. Do you really think our creator worries about what we call him, her, it? All of this attention to worthless details is cult thinking. No one should dictate your relationship with God except you. You don't have to be scared, because you are not alone. Once you feel more comfortable and get to know people on this board, you may even find someone who lives in your area. If you live in NE Ohio, click on my name and send me a private message. Ha, noody knows how to party like me, LOL! I've raised "worldly" kids and now helping with the grandkids as far as birthdays and holidays are concerned, and I've been known to throw a pretty good party for the adults now and then.
-
Aussie Oz
Welcom!
unfortunatly you and your daughter will need to find new friends...
The JW friends never were really friends as i am sure you are seeing. JW friendship is very conditional on you not tripping up.
They will abandon you and say horrid things...expect it.
But you will all make new better true unconditional friends as many will assure you.
All the best!
oz
-
bez
Thanks everyone, and Thanks Inkie, Yes Tammy these words have definatly helped and praying through christ to God makes sense to me. Why have we been taught to pray 'through the name of your son Jesus Christ, amen'! Because we are talking to him first and he gives our prayers to God? Thats how i will look at it for now and pray about.
I do feel there are certain poor souls in the organization that truly feel they are doin the right thing and i think that is ok, i do just feel sorry for them.... but i guess if they are happy and are doin what they believe is right in Gods eyes im sure he will direct them in some way or another. On the other hand there are some who are simply there for the social aspect and are stuck in a rutt. These are the ones i find totally judgemental and these are the ones happy to see someone like myself lose my faith in this organization..stating that i was always 'spiritually weak'.... these ones could not be further from the truth and i wonder how in their eyes they see themselves more worthy in Gods eyes than me????
I would never want to leap from one 'cult' to another 'cult' ie the mormans..it was a bit of a joke in my first post...just really saying where do i go now?!...and not the mormons...no i never want to get so wrapped up in an 'organization' again.
Thanks all XX
-
Inkie
You’re very welcome, Bez. Happy to help.
"Why have we been taught to pray 'through the name of your son Jesus Christ, amen'! Because we are talking to him first and he gives our prayers to God? Thats how i will look at it for now and pray about."
Bez, you are exactly correct. We do talk to Christ first. Why? Because he gives us permission to enter into his Father’s presence; he gives us access to the Father. Remember, he said, in one place, “I am the Door,” and in another place, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” and in another place, “Enter in through the narrow gate,” he being that gate, and in another place, “I am the Way,” and in another place that he is the “Doorkeeper.”
In the physical realm, the natural world is sometimes (but not always) a reflection of what goes on in the spiritual realm. For example, and this is just a “simple” example: If you want to visit someone of importance or someone of wealth, and you go to their residence, you knock on their door, the doorkeeper opens the door, YOU speak to the Doorkeeper, introducing yourself and telling him why you are there. The Doorkeeper invites you in (or not) because of what you said to him and says: “Please wait here in the foyer (or the library or the den) and I will announce your presence. You wait a little bit. The Doorkeeper returns to you in a moment and says: “The Householder (or Mr. So-and-So) will see you now.” And as you go to meet the Householder and pass by the Doorkeeper you kindly and appreciatively with respect say to the Doorkeeper, “Thank you,” acknowledging the Doorkeeper's part in getting you in to see the Master of the House, whatever term you want to use for the person you want to speak with. You then speak directly with the Householder and tell him of your concerns, requests, or whatever. This simple example is what often happens here in this world. The same kind of thing happens in the spiritual realm. You must speak with the Doorkeeper (Christ). You must speak with him and tell him what you want (access to the Father). You mustthen listen carefully to hear whether the Doorkeeper says to you, grants your entrance and introduces you to the Father. You speak your prayer to the Father acknowledging the Father’s Doorkeeper. It’s really quite simple and reflective of the natural world.
And another thing, if you really think about it and reason it out, the only “organization” Jah has ever “used,” and I don’t even know if you can really use that word (“organization”), was the Nation of Israel. Before the Nation of Israel and after the Nation of Israel—and I am speaking of the national entity—not the people themselves individually, Jah only dealt with individuals and their families. Think about it. The Nation of Israel was the only exception to his dealing with individuals.
Prior to God’s creating the Nation of Israel he dealt with Abel, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob—then the national entity of Israel—after the Nation of Israel, he deals once again with individuals, just read the book of Acts and see his dealings with individuals inside and outside of the known congregations. To this day he is dealing with individuals. No organization necessary.
--Inkie
-
AGuest
Dearest Inkie... peace to you... and wow! Thank you for stating the entry "protocol" as you have! I truly hope there are those here who HEAR that and get the sense of it. Trying to "enter" before the Father... without going THROUGH the Door (Christ)... is breaking and entering. Plain and simple. Another dear one and I had opportunity to speak on this very subject just a few days ago. He wanted to know whether he should end his prayers with "in Jesus name I/we pray..." Our Lord allowed me to clarify by telling this one that he was making a statement AFTER the fact, and that he had never even ENTERED, yet, when he offered his prayer.
Dear ones... you can't just go and start speaking to the Father... while you're still standing OUTSIDE. And... you don't just stand outside the "Door"... and make a whole lot of requests, pleas, etc., then AFTER you're DONE... SAY you came in that One's name. Why? Because... you never went IN. You just basically stood outside the house, and yelled from the driveway (if you even yelled, as prayers are often whispered). Where is the RESPECT... and honor... in that??
You must go IN, dear ones... and present yourself BEFORE the Person of the Most Holy One of Israel... which you can only do AFTER you've been granted entry THROUGH the Door... that is Christ.
I bid you all peace and, again, dear Inkie, thank you for addressing this and the greatest of love and peace to you and your entire household!
Servant to the Household of God, Israel, and all those who go with... and a slave of Christ,
SA
-
bez
so i talk to christ and ask him to speak to God for me? i just curious as if i go to the figurative door and speak to Christ first, then how do i know that I have been granted access to talk to God?? Or am i correct in thinking that i do my talking to the Christ and he speaks to God for me and answers me directly?
-
Inkie
Bez, your wrote:
so i talk to christ and ask him to speak to God for me?
Well . . . yes and no. What I mean is, because Christ is your “friend,” because he is your “brother,” and because of the other things that he is, as described in this thread and, yes, even as described in other places in the Bible, you can speak to Christ 24/7 as you would speak to your best friend or as you would speak to a dearly beloved brother of yours. He (Christ), in turn, requests of his Father to let you enter into the Most Holy where Jah resides so that YOU can speak to Jah directly. Then, after a moment, you ask Christ if you can enter and speak to the Father. Then listen. Listen to how Christ responds to your request to gain that entrance. Christ will speak to you and tell you that, yes, you can enter. So then you enter and begin speaking in prayer directly to the Father—you and Him—one on one. But you have gone through the Christ for "no one comes to the Father except through me (Christ)."
i just curious as if i go to the figurative door and speak to Christ first, then how do i know that I have been granted access to talk to God??
You ask him (Christ) specifically if you can come in to the Father. He will tell you. Listen with your spirit. Listen with your spirit. You will hear him. He will tell you. And when you hear a “Yes,” you can figuratively walk in and literally begin speaking to the Father in your prayer—one on one. 'True worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. . . .'
Or am i correct in thinking that i do my talking to the Christ and he speaks to God for me and answers me directly?
As I said, you can speak to the Christ 24/7 just like you would a friend or any family member. He, however (while speaking on your behalf many many times), will allow you entrance so that YOU can speak to YOUR Father whatever is in your heart. When the Father speaks to you, He will speak to you through His Son. The Son (your friend, your brother) will speak to you what the Father says.
I hope this helps, Bez.
--Inkie