BT Cleans House

[mannonthecross]

Hello everyone,

As some of you may know (or not) my husband & I host a Fri. night Fellowship. We have been doing so for about 4 1/2 yrs. now. We have had many people of many denoms & non-denoms pass through our doors. For the most part these "believers" were disgusted with the way things were in the institution, but as we came to learn they wanted a new thing that looked just like the old thing.

Anyway, for the last few months, we have been testing the waters, so to say, with Ray's teaching on the Sinner's Prayer, Many Called, Few Chosen & Rightly Dividing the Word (Mike's). Some people were challenged, but appeared to be receptive, to a degree, while others were more or less defensive (our Catholic cousin felt we were attacking her faith when we spoke on church history), or others were just closed minded & dug in.

We sent out emails to everyone stating that we would be studying the Lake O' Fire Series, Part I & that we encouraged them to check it out on BT.

Well, sad to say, we just returned from our Fellowship meeting & nary a fellow-shipper joined us. No emails in reply, either. We had hope in our hearts that the Lord put these people in our path for this reason. That they were growing to be like-minded & truly searching for the Truth, as are we. We were dead wrong!

We will be closing the doors to our Fellowship, shortly, because, well... there is none. The area we live in is locked down, sewn up Catholic, & tougher than tough. Having said that, we completely acknowledge the Lord's hand in all of this & know it is all of Him & was for our example, not theirs.

Anyway, we just wanted to share this with everyone here where we can & do have fellowship with like-minded believers.

It's a jungle out there!

Peace to all,
Tom & Marianne

[ned]

I am reminded of:

Luk 10:2  "Therefore he said unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."

It is a jungle of wolves out there!

It's sad when we realize there are no people around us to fellowship with, I too am looking to have meetings in my home...but there are no people to physically meet with....God has provided me this forum in answer to my prayers re: Heb 10:24-25. 
He truly does know what I have need of,  and provides time and time again! How blessed are we!

Marie

[jerry]

marie that was a mighty brave thing to do,sorry it did'nt work out,Ive been thinking of trying to start a home group,mabe one or two at a time,I think finding people that are down and out looking for answers is the best way to go,most churched people seem to draw back when you challange their perconcieve ideas,you may have given them something to think about that might have a positive affect on their life latter on,we never know what happens when God uses us to plant seeds they dont spring up over night,thank God for people that care enough to try ...........................Jerry

[danagonzalez]

Marie, GOD BLESS YOU BOTH FOR TRYING!!!!!!!I admire you! LOVE DANA 

[danagonzalez]

Sorry, my last post (above) should have been addressed to Tom and Marianne. DANA

[mannonthecross]

marie that was a mighty brave thing to do,sorry it did'nt work out,Ive been thinking of trying to start a home group,mabe one or two at a time,I think finding people that are down and out looking for answers is the best way to go,most churched people seem to draw back when you challange their perconcieve ideas,you may have given them something to think about that might have a positive affect on their life latter on,we never know what happens when God uses us to plant seeds they dont spring up over night,thank God for people that care enough to try ...........................Jerry

Jerry,

Thank you for your reply. The one thing we didn't mention is that our Fellowship was in a building that did house the down & out. They are searching for answers, but nothing of the sort that we were offering. Last November, we hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for the residence of this building. Most of the people are on government assistance, ex-druggies, several with physical & mental disabilities. Anyway, all were polite enough to listen while waiting for dinner (the children did alittle skit & gave thanks for many things, including the provisions for the dinner). However, as soon as dinner was over, they all made a bee-line for the door. (It would be funny, if not so sad)

Hopefully, the light of Christ did indeed shine through & many seeds were planted, as you had said. But as we learned that one can share Jesus until He returns & unless He has opened their eyes, ears & hearts to hear, it is of no avail. We cannot save anybody! However, we are thankful for God's master plan, that in the end all will be saved! Whatever small part we are to play, we are forever open to His leading knowing ALL is of Him!

Marie & Dana, sisters, in the Lord, thank you for taking your time to respond & encourage.

Blessings,
Tom & Marianne

[ciy]

Tom & Marianne

I have had a gathering in my house for a little over a year.  I called it Believe God for More and from the beginning I was challenging people to believe more than their different churches were telling them.  From the beginnng I believed in all saved but I did not voice it.  As I have grown over the year and found BT and others that backed my beliefs and revelations, and I tried to slowly infiltrate the truths into my gatherings.  Finally I let it out and all but 2 left me, even my closest friend who I had been trying to bring along for over a year (he and I have not spoken since)  The 2 that stayed are faithful friends, but one is still hazy on this but is trying he is 80 years old the other is 23 years old and is a true believer.  I meet with them often and we talk about the truths, so maybe I have 2 that will grow.  Whatever, it is all of God.  I am on hold now except for one other study I do at a lady's home on Sunday nights.  There are 2 to 3 others at that gathering that I have been talking the true gospel to now for 4-5 months and even though they do not all completely accept it they still are questioning and listening.
To God be the glory.  I dearly love the plan of God.
CIY

[all4love]

Mat 10:11 And, into whatsoever city or village ye enter, search out who in it is, worthy, and, there, abide, till ye go forth.

Mat 10:12 And, as ye enter the house, salute it;

Mat 10:13 And, if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it, but, if it be not worthy, let your peace, unto you, return.

Mat 10:14 And, whosoever shall neither welcome you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth outside that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet:

Mat 10:15 Verily, I say unto you,—More tolerable, will it be, for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for, that, city!

Mat 10:16 Lo! I, send you forth as sheep amidst wolves; become ye therefore—prudent, as serpents, and simple, as doves.

Mat 10:20 For it is not, ye, who are speaking, but, the Spirit of your Father, that is speaking in you.

Mat 10:22 And ye will be hated by all, because of my name,—but, he that endureth throughout, the same, shall be saved.


I was just reading this thread and was reminded of these verses. 

May God Bless you,
Amy

[mannonthecross]

All is of God. We do not draw them for God does the drawing. Please read the new paper by Ray on witnessing and I think you will have a better understanding. "Winning Souls For Jesus"

http://bible-truths.com/souls.htm

bobby

Thank you, Bobby. We have read "Winning Souls For Jesus". Truer words were never spoken! And because of Ray's teachings (this one & all the others), we have a peace & better understanding that ALL is of God & of His Sovereignty. We can do nothing in our strength. Plus He doesn't need a building, either (which by the way, was costing us $800/mo-that we could not afford). We are still learning.

Five years ago, this situation (with the Fellowship) would have left us feeling like failures. We know that all of this is God's training, teaching, & equipping us. And as we look back, we can see that He has been preparing us to learn the Truth of His Word, which we have found at BT & on this forum, with all of you. If we had not experienced what we have, our eyes could not see & our hears could not hear His Truth.

Blessings,
Tom & Marianne

[gmik]

Tom & Marianne---GOD BLESS YOU.  in the eternal scheme of things you have done exactly what God wanted you to do-you planted seeds & love, someone else will do the other stuff, in this life or the next.

Please don't think it was all a waste of time. Now be excited at the next job the Lord gives you to do.  He knows you are a trusted and faithful servant.