xjwsforChrist

Thank you. I have difficulty opening my mind to these things considering all the preconceptions I've had all these years. More to ponder over...

Totally understand, dear LQ (peace to you, dear brother!). But our dear Lord DID say, did he not, that one doesn't put NEW wine into OLD wineskins, yes? Else both the wine AND the skins are ruined, that NEW wine must be put in NEW wineskins.

He also mentioned building upon a solid foundation. You know, dear brother, that the lion's share of those preconceptions are lies. Fomented by men who build THEIR "houses" on sand... versus on [the Rock]. We know what the end of such houses will be, too, do we not? In the end... which will stand?

You can continue to dwell in a "house" built on sand, dear one. OR... you can take advantage of the time [we have left]... tear YOUR "house" DOWN... all the way to the FOUNDATION [Cornerstone]... and let a TRUE Carpenter (re)build it for you. But just as he wouldn't put new wine in an old wineskin, that Carpenter doesn't build with termite-ridden timber that's rotted through. HE uses strong, sturdy, NEWLY hewn "cedar".

AND... HIS insurance bond is GOOD. Always.

I know you know this. Knowing... and doing that which DEMONSTRATES what we know... aren't always the same thing. I know you know that, as well.

As always, the GREATEST of love and peace to you!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shel, just now marveling at what the reaction of our 1st century brothers would have been if our dear Lord had shared with THEM what he is sharing with US, and very grateful to know that perhaps although few, there have always been those who were able to bear things that most in their time could not receive... because of preconceptions. John 16:12

I read your reply shortly after you wrote it, but did not respond immediately. Needed time. I try to be open-minded, but, yes, it's difficult to bear. Well, maybe not difficult to bear, just... different than I have have understood for so long. I have no reason to doubt what you've shared, though it takes me time to work through and accept it.

Again, I totally understand, my dear brother (and, again, peace to you!). Absolutely no worries, at all.

Please forgive what may seem like impatience on my part. The truth is, I have no problem "accepting" a lack of faith on the part of non-JWs/ex-JWs. It's quite difficult for me to wrap MY head around it, though, when encountering it with JWs/ex-JWs. Particularly considering the profession by most of the former [and of those of the latter] as to their "love of 'Jehovah', 'God,' 'Jesus,' Christ'," what have you... claims of studying, knowing, and following "the Bible"... claims of NOT following man, but following God (AND supposedly doing so in the name of and through Christ)... and particularly their claims as to the love of TRUTH. I sometimes have difficulty wrapping my head around the truth that that's not TRULY the case, but an illusion.

I realize that statement might hurt some feelings but that's actually my point. I just don't understand how the two co-exist. I mean, I totally understand how people can be blind o truth and perhaps not KNOW they're fooling themselves (and possibly everyone else), but once they KNOW this, and begin to KNOW [the] truth... and know thte Truth... and that what the PREVIOUSLY "knew" were LIES... how they can CHOOSE to continue trying to reconcile what they KNOW to be lies.

And THAT really is the only thing standing in their way: "loving" the lie, whatever lie that might be.

I know, I know... I'm naive. Like a child, yes. I remember the guy in the Matrix KNEW the Matrix "reality" was a lie and yet STILL chose to take the blue pill and go back. And not before betraying those who loved and trusted him. I can SEE going back to a world where everything APPEARS to be "beautiful" and "perfect," with no turmoil or strife, wonderful colors, delicious food, fun, etc. Totally get how that illusion might be preferable to the reality of the world "outside" the Matrix (scorched, ugly, lonely, dangerous, distasteful, etc.). What I didn't get with the film.. is how he reconciled that the "reality" was ALSO... that HE... was DOOMED. Nothing more than FOOD, that eventually he WOULD be totally devoured. BY the machines that operated the "construct" he was SO eager to get back TO. He KNEW this. Yet, somehow he let his desire for the... ummmm... "beauty"... of the Matrix... let him forget THAT part: that it WAS going to consume him, to his utter destruction. Of course, HE didn't have children. So there was no one for him to be concerned ABOUT... except himself.

What, though, of OUR children... we JWs/exJWs who have them? We KNOW what that harlot is, what she teaches, what she does to people, to families... to children. Adult JWs are some of THIS most anti-social, messed up, fearful people on the PLANET. And all because of the conceptions SHE foments... which are based on FEAR... and which lead us NOT to God and Christ... but straight into HER clutches and down HER gullet. Revelation 17:6

I mean, it's one thing to fool ourselves... or even not fool ourselves but just choose deception. For ourselves, okay. It's another thing, entirely, though, is it not, to fool our children. Or to allow them to be fooled when we KNOW they're being lied to/misled. CHOOSE deception for them. AND, possibly, death/destruction. The first, even if we don't make the choice as to their bodies, then certainly as to their SPIRITS. How can we, though, when we KNOW we are handing THEM over, as well, they whom we owe DEBT of truth foremostly. Because we owe THEM... our OWN flesh... love foremostly, at least before all other men, yes?

So, when I see JWs/exJWs who KNOW something is a lie... but cannot fully turn their backs on it... or know something is TRUE, although very different from what they may have "known" before, yet, unable to turn fully TOWARD it... yet, say they "LOVE" (God, Christ, their children, selves, etc.)... I sometimes find myself nonplussed. It just doesn't add up for me. Doesn't make sense. Isn't logical... OR true.

Again, I do understand WHY, for most - it is as our dear Lord himself said:

“Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe [u]your own traditions!


As for us, though, the preconceptions we have are not truth, but misleadings BORN of such traditions. The traditions of FALSE prophets and FALSE christs/anointed Matthew 24:24. And, while I can understand how most fall for and wish to remain bound to these, even some who profess to be "disciples" of Christ and so "christians" (by this world's standards), I personally completely hit a wall when trying to understand how those who profess to be "anointed" and joined to Christ IN SPIRIT do so. The Christ is not divided, so it just does not add up [for ME].

And so... I come off as impatient. And I am impatient. Not in that I am judging such ones - before the Master they will stand or fall. I am impatient FOR them; for their households! We do not know [how much] time there is, so every day MIGHT be the last one. Whether it is or isn't, it's one day closer to THE day... which is supposedly an important day for the Body of Christ - it is the day of the return of their Bridegroom.

I hope you can understand that, dear brother, and that I think the underlying reason for MY feelings is that I wasn't raised a JW. I wasn't born into it or raised by people who didn't question any part of it. I didn't have JW family that I was bound to for any reason, or business contacts/needs that was reliant on my WTBTS association. I didn't HAVE the "tradition" of being a Jehovah's Witness. I WENT in. And did so for one reason: because they SAID they had... were... what I was looking for. They SAID they had... were... "the truth." Which is what I was looking for. ALL that I was looking for. All I wanted. From anyone. Once I learned they weren't the truth, though, didn't have truth, and don't know THE Truth, well, then... nothing for ME there. NO thing. At ALL.

Do I miss the people? Of course, I do, to a degree. I mean, I loved them... and still do. But I only miss them to the extent THEY miss ME (i.e., and don't want to "kill" me, EVEN as a committing a sacred act!). I am SURE Joseph missed his brothers. But he didn't mourn them. Rather, he got ON with life, ON... with the business of being Pharaoh's second in command. And EVENTUALLY, his brothers came to HIM. They didn't KNOW him when they did... but they certainly REJOICED... and were GRATEFUL... that he was who he was when they DID. Imagine, though, what might have happened to THEM... had he NOT be sent AHEAD of them! OR, if in going ahead, HE had turned to the idol gods worshipped in the land while he was there! Who would have shared the wisdom of Pharaoh's dream? How would Pharaoh have known that a famine was to follow the feasting? How would he have known to store up grain, which grain not only saved Egypt but Israel, as well? Who would Pharaoh have to put in charge... to ENSURE that enough grain WAS stored up... so that EVERYONE received enough to survive during the years of famine?

We can't say, on one side of our hearts, "Here I am, send ME!"... and follow from the other side with, "But make sure it's somewhere I want to go, with someone I want to go with, and doing something I want to do and/or saying something I want to say... to those who want to hear it... and will completely love me for it."

Truly, isn't it just the OPPOSITE that being a JW TRAINED us for??!! Who REALLY like going out in field service? Knocking on doors? Handing out books, magazines, and other literature that we ourselves couldn't always explain? Heck, probably hadn't even READ?? Yet... we went. And had people deride us, ignore us, avoid us, close doors on us, reject us, turn away from us, talk about us... you name it. And THEY told us to raise our HEADS when that occurred, yes? And... we DID. For... WHO??? THEM!! Because we THOUGHT we were doing it for the TRUE God ("Jehovah").

Now, though, that we know we WEREN'T (doing it for the True God). We ALSO know, though, that we CAN do it for the True God. So... what do we DO? NOW? We do... what we were trained to do: walk in faith. Yes?

Again, I apologize if I "sound" impatient. I am, I confess. But, again, not in judgment of you or anyone else, but in love. Because we do not know the day or hour. We just know there IS a day... and hour. Right?

Peace to you, dear, dear brother... AND to your entire household. Truly.

YSSFS of Christ,

Shel

Well, I received an answer to the "difference" (if there is one), between some of us (the greatest of love and peace to you, all!) from my dear Lord, Master, Savior, and King, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJAH). To help alleviate some of my perplexedness (is that a word? Well, it accurately describes my feelings so if not, perhaps it should be - LOL!), very early this morning he came and shared the following with me:

"You looked for truth, child, sought it out... and in doing so, found me. The children of Israel who are born/raised in a City [of the Harlot] (Revelation 18:2, 10) are not like that, for the most part. This is so because they were raised with the "knowledge" (put into their own minds and hearts by false prophets and false "christs") that they already HAD "[the] truth."

And so, they had, as far as they were concerned, no REASON to look (further) for truth. Or for me. It was not something they even needed to DESIRE, they were taught, to the extent such truth existed OUTSIDE of the city - who desires what they already [think they] HAVE - and so, they were never TAUGHT... and so never learned to SEEK truth, LOOK for it as for hidden treasure... or seek and look for ME. They were convinced they already had it... AND me. Even if someone told them they did NOT have truth, one who believes he already has what others seek sees no reason to seek such himself. Thus, he not only never realizes the NEED to seek... but may never learn HOW to seek, let alone what... and Whom... to seek.

They, child, are the 'congregation of "Laodicea"' that I told you about. (Revelation 3:17) And just as most of those who called themselves "Jews" did, when I walked among them, and many who call themselves such do now, these also believe themselves already rich and so in need of nothing.

I call out to them as I called out to you. And I counsel them as I counseled them. Is it not written? (John 7:38-39; Revelation 3:17; Proverbs 8:1-11). Yet, while I might WANT them to hear, WISH for it with all of MY heart... I cannot MAKE them do so. It must be as THEY wish. Otherwise, it is NOT in spirit... OR in truth." Revelation 22:17; John 4:24

THAT, dear ones, has put quite a few things in perspective for ME. I just couldn't understand how people who say they "love" truth can, could, would... do... still except lies. Truth is not the same for all. Of course, I knew that, KNOW that... but I didn't think it was... could be... different for... well...

And maybe it isn't, I dunno. Haven't worked out ALL of the perplexities, I guess. But do now "see" the "why" of a huge one for me. I still don't get it, but I understand it (a little bit better). I guess it's like atheists not understanding religionists and religionists not understanding atheists. I mean, the two understand what the other doesn't accept... but not always WHY... or how, after certain things are made (more) clear.

Ah, well. No matter. No worries. With God... ALL things are possible, yes? Yes!

Peace to you, ALL, and do your dear, dear households!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shel

Greetings and peace be with you all....



Shelby shared this as given from our Lord...

Well, I received an answer to the "difference" (if there is one), between some of us (the greatest of love and peace to you, all!) from my dear Lord, Master, Savior, and King, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJAH). To help alleviate some of my perplexedness (is that a word? Well, it accurately describes my feelings so if not, perhaps it should be - LOL!), very early this morning he came and shared the following with me:

"You looked for truth, child, sought it out... and in doing so, found me. The children of Israel who are born/raised in a City [of the Harlot] (Revelation 18:2, 10) are not like that, for the most part. This is so because they were raised with the "knowledge" (put into their own minds and hearts by false prophets and false "christs") that they already HAD "[the] truth."

And so, they had, as far as they were concerned, no REASON to look (further) for truth. Or for me. It was not something they even needed to DESIRE, they were taught, to the extent such truth existed OUTSIDE of the city - who desires what they already [think they] HAVE - and so, they were never TAUGHT... and so never learned to SEEK truth, LOOK for it as for hidden treasure... or seek and look for ME. They were convinced they already had it... AND me. Even if someone told them they did NOT have truth, one who believes he already has what others seek sees no reason to seek such himself. Thus, he not only never realizes the NEED to seek... but may never learn HOW to seek, let alone what... and Whom... to seek.

They, child, are the 'congregation of "Laodicea"' that I told you about. (Revelation 3:17) And just as most of those who called themselves "Jews" did, when I walked among them, and many who call themselves such do now, these also believe themselves already rich and so in need of nothing.

I call out to them as I called out to you. And I counsel them as I counseled them. Is it not written? (John 7:38-39; Revelation 3:17; Proverbs 8:1-11). Yet, while I might WANT them to hear, WISH for it with all of MY heart... I cannot MAKE them do so. It must be as THEY wish. Otherwise, it is NOT in spirit... OR in truth." Revelation 22:17; John 4:24

THAT, dear ones, has put quite a few things in perspective for ME.



Opened up to this the other day and was immediately reminded of this post. This was ME as a JW my whole life. Never having a reason "to ask" "to seek" "to knock". Was convinced by man that that door (being Christ) was already opened to us.

Thought you might enjoy these verses as I did. Thank you Father and praise be to you and your dear Son, our savior and the one finding ME as a lost sheep. Thank you for your continued mercy, patience and love upon us.

Isaiah 65:1-

"I have let myself be searched for by those who had NOT asked for me. I have let myself be found by those who had NOT looked for me. I have said, "Here I am, here I am!" to a nation that was NOT calling upon my name. I have spread out my hands all day long to a stubborn people, those who are walking in the way that is not good, after THEIR thoughts.


May anyone wishing be given ears to hear and be granted true life giving water which is Holy Spirit from our Lord who is that Spirit.
Come! Take lifeswater, its FREE!

Love, your sister and fellow servant of our Lord Jaheshua Mischajah, Kim