Thursday 20 October 2016

Bad experience as young teenager with the YPA book and those leaving the religion


Since 1989, the Young People Ask series of books has been failing multiple generations of Witness adolescentsJeni Lundblom looks at her bad experience as a young teenager going through her teenage years having all that literature which did not seem to help really, perhaps it was also presented with a collection of often foolish advice that offered her no real support. For her some of the topics she encountered were embarrassing, though at that time she really believed the book Questions Young People Ask Answers That Work, or the “YPA” book, would be able to help her answer any questions I had. Today she finds the book being nothing but a propaganda piece with contents that did nothing but attempt to bolster her paranoia of the outside world.

When according to a 2008 study from Pew Research, only 37% of people raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses continue with the religion as adults we may wonder how it comes so many leave the religious group their family is part of.


she now also questions:
When you consider the many (a number of whom I’ve privately corresponded with) who stay just to keep the community and familial ties intact, one has to wonder how many stay true believers from childhood on?
Normally we would expect it much easier for children just to continue in the religion they were brougth up. In most countries this is what most regularly happens. For people it is more difficult to come to an other religion. Though today we notice also that lots of children just leave religion at the site and concentrate on worldly matters.

Though for a religious organisation which builds its instructions and its life on the Word of God, we would expect the turn over would be much better. Lundblom notices
It turns out, Watchtower isn’t so good at “inculcating” children as Deuteronomy 6:6-8 instructs. Instead, the organization seem to be setting kids up for failure and their often-inevitable exit from the religion.

Read more about it:
The Friday Column: Questions Young People Ask – Answers That Don’t Work

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Wednesday 12 October 2016

When Bad Things Happen



   
Sair Ching
Psalm 105
When Bad Things Happen

Why would a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people? People will choose to lose their faith in God because of a series of events they feel are unjust, and that God could have prevented. At some stage, bad things are going to happen to us too. And when they do, or better still, before they do, take a look at Psalm 105.

Israel were in Egypt. Their initial stay in Egypt was probably when they saw the active hand of God at work most in their lives. They were escaping the famine, together as a family again, making a new start in a new land. God was with them. But listen:
 "Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. The Lord made his people very fruitful, he made them too numerous for their foes, whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants." ( Psalm 105 v 23 - 25).
And all this time, some 430 years, God was with them, though they probably didn't realise it. How easy would it have been to lose your faith in God who cares for you, while living in Egypt like that?

God allows things to happen that we don't understand, because he has bigger plans. He certainly cares for us as individuals, but more important than an easy life now, is our preparation for God's kingdom. No matter what comes our way in life, let's always rely on God, who is far wiser and has bigger plans than we could ever dream of.
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Please do find the new series in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ 2020 years ago 

Sunday 9 October 2016

Not fear or dread or blind compulsion





"... when all is said and done, the true motive for getting things into the right perspective is not fear or dread or blind compulsion.
It is the master principle of love.

People give the Truth top priority because they love it.
Any other motive will fail and eventually the disciple becomes disgruntled and half-hearted.
But when they are love-impulsed, and inspired by what the King has done for our sakes,
they favour his cause gladly, happy to be his bond-servants and heavily weighted in his favour.
They are not dragging themselves after him, resentful and lukewarm.
They follow him with joy and give him their allegiance in the everyday things of the Truth without demur.
Loyal for love’s sake: this is the true perspective."

- Dennis Gillett


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Through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe





More than that,
I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
and may be found in Him,
not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law,
but that which is through faith in Christ,
the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith…
(Philippians 3:8-9 NAS)

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(2 Corinthians 5:21 NAS)

But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;
for there is no distinction;
(Romans 3:21-22)
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Preceding articles:
Knowledge of Christ and fear for God
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Knowledge of Christ and fear for God

Heart of Jesus
Heart of Jesus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)




We do have to come to know Christ Jesus and his heavenly Father.
In Jesus we should put our faith to be able to come closer to God.
Not so much should we fear ordinary man and therefore keep to the traditional sayings,
But we should dare to really listen to Jesus' teachings and come to follow the Law of God, fearing Him more than man.


"One aspect of wisdom is recognizing your need for My help in all that you do.
When your mind is sluggish, it’s easy to forget about Me and simply dive into your tasks and activities.
But eventually you bump into an obstacle.
Then you face an important choice:
to push ahead full throttle or to stop and ask Me for insight, understanding, and guidance.
The closer to Me you live, the more readily and frequently you will seek My help."
— Jesus Always
by Sarah Young 




"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
—Proverbs 1:7

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