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[Abednego]

Interesting at least to me.  I understand people come and go.  I was here in 2011 and disappeared for awhile.  I was here but my membership expired when I forgot my login.  I was reading Ray's emails chronologically from oldest to newest as a guest for a while.  I understand that some people just read and may never post.  Some people may continue to read and never sign up for an account. OK.

When you look at the member list you see that the earliest members are Dennis and Craig in March 2006.  2006!!!

So this site may not always come up tops in Google, but many people have found this site.  All the emails to Ray can attest to that.  And out of all those emails there are a fair number of positives thanking Ray for what he has done here.

And then I look at the bottom where it tells me that 208 people were on at once.  Not all weekend or all week but just that one day. And that was only one year after the first members signed up.

Here it is how many years later, and when you go to the member page you will only find 199 listed.  And out of those 199 how many are really chosen? Can't say, but I can say I don't count myself among them. So Jesus knew what He was saying when he talked about the few.

What does all this mean?  Probably nothing, but I found thinking about this interesting.

[Kat]

Well you know I think that this forum actually represents the parable of the sower and the seed quite well.

Luke 8:4  And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:
v. 5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
v. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
v. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
v. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold." When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

Luke 8:11  "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
v. 12  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
v. 13  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
v. 14  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
v. 15  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Luke 9:62  But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Abednego]

Well you know I think that this forum actually represents the parable of the sower and the seed quite well.

Never thought of it like that.  That's pretty cool.

[Rhys 🕊]

Makes you think the few really are the few and there are very few of them

I think about similar things too at times

In the parable Kat mentioned we know that everyone is at some stage in God's plan. I can identify with all those types of soil in my life. I feel now I am somewhere between Luke 8:14 and 15. Even with the few they have to bear fruit with patience - never seems easy and isn't.

The few can be here or at other places......God knows and in control of all and we should not rule ourselves out as being the few. It's a process and if nothing is happening now it doesn't mean it will always be that way.


Rhys

[indianabob]

Thanks for all the great comments.

A thought comes to mind and I will share.
The history of the "few" in scripture is one of full time dedication and sacrifice.
So it seems to me that being called, chosen and elect is not something that we humanly or naturally would aspire to once we understand the obligation that goes with it.

It may be that the "elect" will have to derive much of their "satisfaction" of being the elect from what they will be able to offer to others in their walk with God. Similar I think to being a teacher of the handicapped child with Downs syndrome and watching them grow and develop to their potential. It may be a situation of total outgoing love and the knowledge that we are doing the work of God.

Isn't that what our Lord Jesus aspired to? To serve with humility, to love completely?

[Extol]

Abednego,

 You probably noticed how on the oldest e-mails, forum members would reply to the e-mails by discussing it amongst themselves. Some of the e-mails had quite a few replies from forum members. And you may have noticed that almost all of those members are no longer members. Kat had it right when she mentioned the parable of the sower. This is really great news that we've learned here--no hell and all that--and a lot of folks eagerly sign up. But for a lot of us, some time passes and the news isn't that great anymore. Too much else going on in our lives. . .