Posts by gold

I am no longer involved because they worship the wrong Jesus. They claim salvation comes only from their organization. Without being a Jehovah's Witness you lose out on eternal life. That is the furtherst thing from the truth.

I came to learn that salvation only comes thru Jesus. I also learned that Jesus deserves deity. Something they do not give him. He is hardly ever mentioned. Yet colossians 2;9 says that in Christ all the fullness of Diety lives in bodily form.

Hebrews 1:6-8 Jehovah himself calls Jesus God and even tells angels to worship him.

Mostly true christians imitate Christ to the best of their ability. The theme of what Jesus taught is love. Without that we have nothing. Jesus love is unconditional. The love amongst a cult......any cult is VERY CONDITIONAL. You are only loved, accepted and saved by God only if you BELONG. Belong to whom........them!!!!!!!!!!!! Yet .......

Romans 14:8 says who we belong to..........."If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die we die to the Lord...So whether we live or die, we BELONG to the Lord.

Agape love, Gold morning

9

I never quite made it

by link in

if we take a look at the mental energy that must have been expended in contributing to threads on this board regarding various concepts of christianity it does not seen unlikely that, if it could have been "bottled" and kept, it could be used to power the next space shuttle.. is this what christianity is all about?

is it just one gigantic intellectual exercise that is only an option to those with the mental capacity to understand the never ending theorys put forward by all and sundry regarding its practice and bible understanding?

i believe that this would exclude at least two thirds of the worlds population from ever becoming, what many seem to believe are, true christians.

gold_morning

Hi Link,

I do hear you. Yes, you can become so legalistic in worship that you LOSE Jesus. You lose out on what salvation is all about. You lose out on knowing him in all the thick muddle of religion.

A realigion cannot save, knowledge cannot save. Simply said....only accepting Jesus can save you. Wonderful for us that it is that simple. He is in charge. WE don't have to be. He knows what is going on..he has all the answers. WE don't have to. We just have to be on his side and stay close to him.......like glue.

Acts4:12..........."Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we mustbe saved." (and that includes the name of Jehovah's Witnesses)

Ephesians 2:8........."It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God---NOT BY WORKS, so that no one can boast." (so it is not by turning in field service hours, or by how many meetings you attend or any other work you can think of. This goes for JW's along with many other religious criteria, whether fasting or obstaining from things in this life to earn God's love and favor.)

Is it knowledge and study of the scriptures that saves you? Listen to what Jesus said about that in John 5:39......."You diligently study the scriputures because you think by them you posses ieternal life. These are the scriptures that testify about me...yet you refuse TO COME TO ME TO HAVE LIFE."

So it is not study of the scriptures and becoming bibically intelligent that saves you either. Jesus said in John 8:51 that if we follow him we will NEVER see death. He did not say that he who follows a certain pastor, religion or certain doctrine has life....but he who follows Him has life.

Ephsians 3:19 says that LOVE surpasses knowledge.

Basically what I am saying Link is this. Religion takes the focus off of Jesus and puts it on themselves. That is just what satan wants so that we get discouraged and give up. Religion makes it complicated. It makes it legalistic and foremost it does nothing but make one SELF-RIGHTEOUS. Only Jesus can make you righteous before God so that when we no longer have this fleshly body can be with Him.

He paid our punishment.....death. He died and his last words were..."It is finished!!!" There is not one single thing we can do to add to that. He died as a GIFT to us. You don't have to do anything to receive a gift. Nothing, but to be thankful and truely love and Know Him. Irregardless of how smart we are or how much more someone understands scripture compared to us means not one iota in regards to our salvation and everlasating life.

I am happy for the ones that have so much knowledge. I love to learn to. But my salvation is assured. It does not count on what I know. I have peace and do not worry what the furture holds. It makes no difference to me what happens because I am with him in THIS LIFE AS WELL AS HEAVENLY LIFE. That is what is so wonderful in knowing him. That is why Jesus says he gives peace. That his yoke is NOT HEAVY

Remember Link,.....your faith.(no knowledge or intellegence) is what is the assured expectation of things hoped for.

May I add...that the best love is one based on trust. WE all know that. It is what we look for in a marriage mate. That is the love we have with Christ. We trust him to the fullest. Besides.......where else do we go?

It is an important decisian.......because rest assure there is only two choices. Eternity with him or eternity without him.

lots of agape love gold morning

21

I need some input...

by Lin in

hi everyone, something has been on my mind lately and i would really appreciate some comments.

i've posted a few topic discussions on my story as a dub, recent dicoveries of wt tampering with the bible translations they use and the subsequent emotions that came from learning that so many things i was taught growing up are lies, and about visiting various churches (chuck swindoll etc).

here's what has been on mind the last few days.

gold_morning

Thanks capbuster

Thanks for the kind words. Do I know you????? Perhaps you belong to another yahoo group I am in.

Lin, keep at it, you will get it. I just feel it

agape love gold.

39

Devil's appearance in WT literature

by stichione in

i just got the october 15th 2002 issue of the watchtower magazine.

on pages 8 and 9 we see a caption reading " jesus firmly opposed the devil".

jesus is standing there pointing at a slouching, hooded man.

gold_morning

Hi,

I look forward to seeing this picture. please don't think I am crazy. I am an ex JW that spent 16 years away from God after I was disfellowshiped. I belived what they told me. That God wanted nothing to do with me anymore.

About 4 years ago I started to search for God. I wanted him in my life. It took three years of reading, praying and searching. I am now a born again christian. It has really changed my life. IN the course of going thru this, one night I had this vivid experience. I really thought I was awake, but obviously I was not. It happened like this:

I got up to use the bathroom. I had spent many hours on the net in ex JW sites before bed. I did not turn on any lights when I got up. There was very, very little light from a night light in another room. I looked into the spare bedroom and there was this hooded dark object. almost faceless. It was like it had a face, but you really did not see it. It was an endless face into an eternity of nothing. It spoke to me in a telepathic way saying..this is where you are going...into nothing forever. It shook me to the core.

Funny you should say that they depicted satan in this manner as that is how I saw this entity that night.

Any opinions on what happened to me? Appreciate you input.

agape love gold.

21

I need some input...

by Lin in

hi everyone, something has been on my mind lately and i would really appreciate some comments.

i've posted a few topic discussions on my story as a dub, recent dicoveries of wt tampering with the bible translations they use and the subsequent emotions that came from learning that so many things i was taught growing up are lies, and about visiting various churches (chuck swindoll etc).

here's what has been on mind the last few days.

gold_morning

Hi Lin,

I wrote you once before. I don't know if you remember. You remind me... of ME.. just a few years ago. I do know what you are talking about. You are talking about the holy spirit. It is working in you.

We are very much not in touch with our spiritual selves. Look at what Jesus words were in John 14:16-20.

"I will ask the father and he will give you another counselor to be with you FOREVER. the spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you know him for he lives with you and WILL BE "IN" YOU...............vs26..On that day you will realize that I AM IN THE FATHER AND YOU ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU."

The key words are "in". The holy spirit and Jesus is not with us.....but in us. He resides in us. That is why he knows all about us. Our thoughts, motives, heart condition and desires.

To further show this closeness, remember when Jesus said..."Destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days." He was speaking of himself. He is the temple. Three days later he was resurected.

Now look at what we are referred to. 1 cor 3:16 says.."Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives IN you?".....................(see the in word again)

Wow Lin.......see what Jesus is saying here? As you stay close to God and search out Jesus for your salvation you will become more intune to God. Your prayers will become more personal. You will really get to know Jesus as your best friend. You will never be alone. You will have peace because you will know that you will ALWAYS be with him. In this life and in the next. You will never die. That is why at John 8:51 Jesus said that if you keep his word...."you will NEVER see death."

That is what his death was all about. He died so that we never will !!!! It was a gift he gave us. A free gift. Remember I told you how we don't have to earn it.

Ephesians 2:8..."For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is a GIFT of God......NOT BY WORKS.........

Lin, producing works cannot save you thru Jesus Christ.......but being saved thru Jesus Christ produces works.

Each ones salvation and relationship with Jesus is personal. Each one has nothing to do with the other. God cannot be mocked. He knows all. You cannot fool him. Only worry about your own heart condition. It is all about your heart... your heart......and your heart. Just work on that. Not knowledge....not having all the answers. None of that saves you......only your heart for Jesus.

The next important thing is to be still and listen. Sometimes we can't hear God because we are too busy deciding what he should be saying to us. Some of us have a calling Lin. He may have plans to use you to help others. I don't know, but in his time you will know as long as you stay close to him.

God Bless...........if you need me.. e-mail me at [email protected]

agape love Gold.

To all those out there reading.....Forget all the other books.....all you need is the bible.

To those that have bad words about being born again.........don't be negative about it until you understand it. love to you all.

7

Great News! and...Old Memories

by Sentinel in

my husband's oldest son just made his dad a grandpa again.

this time a boy.

hubby took off work today and has been over to the hospital to see him twice already, once by himself this morning and then later today he took caitlyn to see her little brother for the first time.

gold_morning

Sentinal,

Go and enjoy this wonderful miracle!! Take the happiness that God has given you in life and relish in it. Leave the pain for him to handle. A birth of a baby is joyous for all. Make this your family now. Show them love. Bring gifts. Help out. Make the new parents dinners. Show your husband how happy you are for him. Show him how happy you are to be a part of his family. Be a part of it all. You will be so much happier and a better person for it.

You have had enough of being left out... we all have. End it here, don't add too it.

Go for it and we are here for you.. lots of support and agape love gold morning.

24

I feel damaged by my experience

by girltalking in

hi to everyone on this board - i have been around reading many of your posts for some time now but have only just felt strong enough to post my own thoughts.

the watchtower has left me with guilty feelings that i find hard to cope with at times.

my story in the "truth" started when i was 18 years old.

gold_morning

HI,

Your post sounds so similar to another one that I just answered so I will tell you the same thing. It breaks my heart when I see people so lost and hurting.

First off, what you are feeling is very normal. Actually, you may not know it yet, but it is the holy spirit working in you. You are not an apostate. An apostate is someone that denounces God. IT is the WTS that calls people apostates for denouncing the organization. They are not God... they only make themselves out to be such.

I was raised a JW since I was a little girl. In the early 80's I was disfellowshiped. I spent 16 years away from God because I believed what they told me. That God wanted nothing to do with me anylonger and that he would not hear my prayers. I believed it was the truth and that I had been weeded out.

About 4 years ago I started to read the bible again. I could not believe the things I was reading was so different than what I had be taught all those years. It is not a religion that saves you. NO religion or man can do that. The only way you gain salvation is thru Jesus.

Acts 4:12 says..... "Salvation is found IN NO ONE ELSE, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." ...(see, the name that saves us us Jesus not Jehovahs witnesses. They say that....the bible does not)

Titus 3:5........."He saved us, not because of RIGHTEOUS THINGS WE HAD DONE , but because of his mercy."

Ephesians 2:8..."For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith----and this NOT FROM YOURSELVES, it is the GIFT of God... NOT BY WORKS, so that no one can boast."

(we are saved not by works which is the oposite of what they teach. All those time card hours reported count for nothing. It is not about the righteous things we do or by the works we do or by carrying a name of a religion. It is a GIFT.... A PRESENT from God. You don't have to do anything when you receive a present. You are grateful for sure.. but you don't have to earn a present. It is given to you in love.

There is nothing we can do to earn such a great present. Jesus did it all. He said when he died..." it is finished.

Like I said, it was awesome to read the real truth in the bible. When I came to undersand these things and became christian it was not that I had all the answers all at once..... but rather I finally was rid of the guilt to read the bible and believe what it said even though it was different than what I had been taught. I now had freedom.

The best thing I can tell you to do is to just read the book of John. Read it like you would read a good book. Get to know the main character (Jesus). I know this sounds silly, but you will be amazed at what you read. As witnesses we knew ALL ABOUT Jesus.... but we never really knew him.

Look what Jesus himself said....John 5:39......"You diligently study the scriptures because you think by them you posses eternal life.......... yet you refuse to to come to me to have life."( who does this sound like? Remember all the studing of scriptures and teaching gaining knowledge means everlasting life? Yet we never really knew Jesus... like a best friend.

So please try and do that for me. Just read the book of John like a good book. ... And don't underestimate the power of prayer. Talk to him just like you talked to us. You will be so amzed at the things that will happen for you.

Remember MOST OF ALL.. THAT this world belongs to Satan right now. The things that occur here are his doing... not God's. It breaks his heart to see such things. Remember, He offered the kingdoms of the world to Jesus becuase it WAS HIS TO GIVE. Jesus knew that.

Lots of agape love gold morning

if you ever need me and have questions feel free to e-mail me .... [email protected]

gold_morning

Posts by gold_morning