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[Wanda]

I'd like to add two things...

1- Those times when he moves me to plant those seeds of his love are humbling for me, because I am a carnal wothless nobody he is using for his glory. It is then I feel his love most.

2) I'm  never afraid or unsure to speak at those times because I know God is guiding me, using my strengths rather than my weaknesses for his good. I believe he works through all of us like that.

[Flanagan]

Thanks for your comment Wanda, I agree to an extent. But at the same time I try to make myself available incase God's spirit needs something.   God's Grace to you my Sister.

[John from Kentucky]

God's Spirit does not need anything.  Especially from us who are dust.

Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD Almighty.  Zechariah 4:6

[dave]

When the time arises you will be used.

[cheekie3]

John -

I do not understand your point:

God's Spirit does not need anything.  Especially from us who are dust.

Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD Almighty.  Zechariah 4:6

When He changes someone, and the best example I can think of is Saul who became Paul, would those who knew Saul / Paul, not have immediately noticed that he was now totally different?; and is it not unreasonable to assume that some may well have asked Saul / Paul, something like 'what happened to you, man - I mean I hardly recognised you. You now sound like those who you were persecuting'?

His Elect may not be a heavyweight like Paul - but once His Elect know 'His Truths' and 'He changes them (like He did Saul / Paul), do not His Elect live very different lives, and people not notice the changes in their lives?

Offcourse God does not need anything from us, as He has, and is everything - however, has He not Commanded His Elect to be 'Living Witnesses'?: and although this is more about 'walking the walk', does it not also include, at times, speaking and saying what His Elect believe, and why they believe it?

I agree that His Elect are not Commanded to seek to save others in this Age of Grace, as He alone is 'The Saviour' - but are His Elect not planting seeds at the Direction of 'His Holy Spirit', here and there?

Is Jesus not His Father's Representative and Spokesman to Mankind, and are not His Elect 'The Body of Christ' Spiritually?; and is Jesus not currently doing His Father's Good Works in this present Age through His Elect, who are 'His Body', where 'His Holy Spirit dwells'?

Are there not Scriptures that confirm that in the next Age, His Elect will be 'Saviours' together with 'The Saviour, Jesus Christ Himself'?; and are not His Elect not now being, both chastened (cleansed), and also being trained to become 'Saviours' in the next Age?

Are not His Elect not Commanded to 'let their Light shine' and not hide it?

There is a big difference between doing what Christian Orthodoxy does, and what His Elect are Commanded to do - and are not His Elect to be a 'peculiar people', who by definition must stand out like a sour thumb? And as His Elect stand out, are some not likely to be curious, and ask why His Elect are so different from those in the world?

John, I have probably misunderstood what you were pointing out.

Warmest Regards.

George

[Dennis Vogel]

Sometimes we have to learn things the hard way.

Many if not most on this forum have tried to 'enlighten' our friends in the past with bad results.

So Wanda, perhaps you should try it and see what happens?

[Wanda]

Well Dennis, not sure if that was a warning or encouragement. 

[John from Kentucky]

Hi George,

I read what you wrote and it makes my head spin.  Those are not my thoughts.  I'll just let what I wrote stand by itself.

Jesus did not save one person in his lifetime as a human being, not one.  If Jesus could not save anyone then how can I or any other man save or witness to another and save them?  It is all carnal religious foolishness to think otherwise.

But like Dennis said, people must learn the hard way, by experience.  The Tree of knowledge of good and evil is a hard taskmaster. Enjoy the lesson.

[Dennis Vogel]

Well Dennis, not sure if that was a warning or encouragement. 

I'm saying every time I have tried people get resentful. In my experience you will run your friends off. They are almost certainly blind (small chance they are not) and there is nothing you can do or say to get them to get it. Good luck 

[Wanda]

Okay...I think you misunderstood me. I also posted on page
(1) that is how I deal with witnessing to others. My second post was about those rare occasions when I'm being used by God in Suttle ways.

Seriously, as an ex JW...well, my first post explains.

Now a question please. Am I to understand, that We are never used by God for his good works?

[lilitalienboi16]

I shared my hard lesson learned not too long ago. I suppose the carnal flesh got the best of me at the time and I decided to take up a christian to task. Our conversation was going well, and I even had her believe the lake of fire was not permanent, but all that for her to joyously declare, "So God is going to annihilate those thrown into the lake!" She even thanked me for making her finally see that...My head sunk in great despair and sadness for her, that my exposition and instruction had led her to that conclusion despite all my efforts to show her the contrary. That she could think such things of God and be happy about it. That anyone could ascribe such horrific acts to the Great God and Saviour. I thought I was making progress... boy was I wrong. So very wrong.

It was a good reminder and lesson for me. The beast is still here and rearing his ugly head when he can. Certainly a source of frustration in my life.

God bless,
Alex

[Joel]

Ray made the statement that "Hell hath no fury like a Christian just shown the Truth."
I agree with that, and it has been proved to me in my own experiences.
The times that have been productive are always when someone asked me something they were wanting to know themselves.
The way I see it; if God tells YOU to do a thing, do it with all your might, no matter what the outcome is.
The scriptures are full of those that God told to do a certain thing, and they started looking for the back door immediately. I have been guilty of doing that myself.

Joel

[indianabob]

Hi friend Wanda,

We, provided we are among the elect, are to be used in a mighty way once we are changed to spirit composition and are led personally by the living Christ when HE is changing the world. That time is yet future!
Naturally we all become anxious to get started right away and are impatient to have some results, some success in our efforts to do God's work and be appreciated or to help our family or friends who are missing out on this wonderful gift.
For the present we are in training. We ourselves, with all we have learned, are not yet ready to teach anyone who is not among the called and chosen. We do not yet have the power or the authority to decide or to judge whether any other person is ready.
= =
So for now and until the end of our physical lives we are to learn to trust God and be very patient and obedient and to focus on "overcoming". We are not, in my view, at this time called to do a work for God. We are students, babes in Christ and not teachers.
= =
Even Ray Smith was a serious and humble student simply sharing what he had been given and was not often able to determine whether another person who wrote to him was actually ready to learn the deeper things of God. All Ray could do was to gently place the information before the audience and let God provide the growth, IF any.

Please relax your desire to please God right away. God will give you the signal when it is the right time and that will most likely be AFTER you have been changed and have met and conversed with our Savior the Lord Jesus. So for now it may be more valuable to prepare yourself by study and prayer and careful self examination such as we all do when we participate on the forum.

Offered in love, ole Indiana Bob

Okay...I think you misunderstood me. I also posted on page
(1) that is how I deal with witnessing to others. My second post was about those rare occasions when I'm being used by God in Suttle ways.

Seriously, as an ex JW...well, my first post explains.

Now a question please. Am I to understand, that We are never used by God for his good works?

[Dennis Vogel]

Okay...I think you misunderstood me. I also posted on page
(1) that is how I deal with witnessing to others. My second post was about those rare occasions when I'm being used by God in Suttle ways.

Seriously, as an ex JW...well, my first post explains.

Now a question please. Am I to understand, that We are never used by God for his good works?

You coming to this forum and sharing your journey and others learning from it and each other is a good work.

I think most of us were anxious to spread the good news when we first learned these truths, but to no avail. I suspect you had the same feelings when you first became a JW?

Become a good example and others will see your light. Then perhaps they will come to you. Then you witness when asked.

[Pini56]

Hello All,

"Become a good example and others will see your light. Then perhaps they will come to you. Then you witness when asked." Quote from Dennis.

That Says it all to me, Regards Geoff.

[arion]

We, provided we are among the elect, are to be used in a mighty way once we are changed to spirit composition and are led personally by the living Christ when HE is changing the world. That time is yet future!

Naturally we all become anxious to get started right away and are impatient to have some results, some success in our efforts to do God's work and be appreciated or to help our family or friends who are missing out on this wonderful gift.

I had never really considered that before Bob at least not in the way you put it.  Thank you!  Like many of us I want to be used of God and even though I'm getting older it's like 'When can I make a difference in this world God?'  A bit of a revelation that it might not occur in this lifetime in the flesh.

[jingle52]

Well said I. Bob, thank you

Jingle

[Wanda]

My comments were about those times when people have asked me. Many of those times I was to stressed to even study, much less share God's truths, but none the less there I was. Was that God's will? Only he knows.

Looking behind me, I can clearly see, my eyes were not opened to his truths until he willed it. It was just me God and my laptop. It was the same when I left my first love. He willed it ALL!

Dragged? It felt more like being catapulted to me. Later he brought me to my knees so that I could be humble enough to rely on him. I've had many trust issues. 

I belive it is God's will that I walk humbly with him...
Mich 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God...Seems pretty clear to me.

A sripture that speaks to my heart...John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: Not as the world givith, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

That peace didn't come to me until I not only understood God's sovereignty, but belived it wholeheartedly. How else could you ever get the kind of peace Jesus gives?

Great comments everyone, and thanks for the fellowship.

Wanda

[lareli]

sometimes I feel like I want to tell someone the truth about God and the gospel, not to 'save' them, but so I can have someone to talk to. So I can have a friend.

If I 'witness' to someone it's not to 'save' them but perhaps it's a selfish desire on my part to just have one person I can look in the eyes and know that they understand what we all here understand. I mean your beliefs in God and who and what He is and what His plan for humanity is, determines your entire world view. I don't witness to people though because I've found it just depresses me... it reminds me of how alone I am.

On a less selfish side though. We here have been chosen to know the things we know and it has freed us. I thought God was good when I was churched.. but now I know that I did not even know good from evil! God is better than any church teaches and sometimes I just want to give someone the truth so that they can share in my joy. If it's not their time then they won't believe. But if it is their time than someone has to sow the seed and someone has to water right?

[Pini56]

Hello All,

Largeli I know how you feel. This path is lonely for me too. All my family are in Victoria, which is almost 2000 Kilometres South away. We don't communicate because they are too busy with babies being born or making lots of money. (See that how you want). The latter I Don't want anything to do with.

I do have, however, the best friend any one could want, but he lives almost 2000 Kilometres North away. We communicate often, we are like minded, there are no Schisms between us.

But physically i am totally alone, with one exception: I have a friend in Jesus who always directs my path and guides me wherever I go. I have suffered much: But in this I have learned to be Obedient and to totally Trust him in what ever happens. Believe me: I am not being Patronising.

In essence I have learned to just Rest in Him. I will pray for you that you may gain a like minded friend: However that comes.

Here is a Scripture for you: Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (There 'might' be a better translation.)

It happens to be my Creed. (See Below).

Here is a link too (I Believe), Something Special. (The Church sometimes get it right): https://youtu.be/f4HeIXYqaSs

Love to you and yours. Regards, Geoff.