Maedchen
Member
In Revelation2:4,5 Jesus speaks to the church in Ephesus.
It reads, "But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place - unless you repent."
On the day when I read these words and realized that they were written for me, I was crushed. I suddenly understood that I made a serious mistake, and I did so even though I thought that I was trying to please God.
I am not talking about the many other mistakes that I made in my life and which are surely declared as sin. The turning away from my "first love" took place when I started to study with Jehovah's Witnesses. Before I shared my whole life, every thought, every joy or sorrow with Jesus. I was talking to Him constantly, very naturally as I knew that He was always with me, listening and caring.
But due to my lack of fundamental bible knowledge, I had nothing scriptural for reasoning when it came to the Watchtower teachings. I strongly believed that those kind Witnesses were sent from God in order to make me understand and know His Word. And I gained knowledge! I began to study the bible in depth and referred the single books to one another. I really learned how to reason by using the Scripture. Only that I did not recognize that the Watchtower teachings twist God's Word! It does that in such a way that it is hard to prove it wrong.
After two years of intense study, I left my church and became a baptized Jehovah's Witness. That included that I stopped talking to my First Love, Jesus, because I was told that I could only address Jehovah.
I got much involved, left my parents and brothers who were furious about me becoming a Witness. They called the group a 'cult', and only much later I found out that they were right. It is a cult!
To cut it short, as long as I did not use any form of modern media (TV, radio, Internet, etc.) I did exactly what they told me to do. Then one day a dear gentleman bought an iPad as gift for me, and I started to look at the Internet. By chance (actually by God's grace) I came to specific sites of Ex-JWs who spoke about issues of the Watchtower that hit me like a hammer. I searched more information and soon realized that I had to study the bible again from the beginning. I did this all in secret, for if the elders would have known, I would have been disfellowshipped at once.
In the end I knew that I had turned away from the One who had loved me my whole life, instead of doing His will. I was asked to explain myself in front of a 'judicial committee', and after that I disassociated myself, meaning that I was shunned. The moment I left our Kingdom Hall, all my friends looked away from me, but I looked into the sky and had the notion that Jesus was smiling down to me.
I love Jesus, and He, only He freed me from the highly mind-controlling Organization, that cut me off from my Love, my family and any outside fellowship.
There are no human friends left, but that was so much compensated by my First Love, Jesus, to whom I returned. There was much to repent, and still is, but Jesus forgives everyone who comes to Him with his whole heart.
My message to you: seek Jesus and accept His wonderful love. He enables you to start a new life if you truly want to love Him!
Jesus loves you, He died for you and is waiting with open arms for YOU! Don't let a him wait too long.
Love, Rose
It reads, "But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place - unless you repent."
On the day when I read these words and realized that they were written for me, I was crushed. I suddenly understood that I made a serious mistake, and I did so even though I thought that I was trying to please God.
I am not talking about the many other mistakes that I made in my life and which are surely declared as sin. The turning away from my "first love" took place when I started to study with Jehovah's Witnesses. Before I shared my whole life, every thought, every joy or sorrow with Jesus. I was talking to Him constantly, very naturally as I knew that He was always with me, listening and caring.
But due to my lack of fundamental bible knowledge, I had nothing scriptural for reasoning when it came to the Watchtower teachings. I strongly believed that those kind Witnesses were sent from God in order to make me understand and know His Word. And I gained knowledge! I began to study the bible in depth and referred the single books to one another. I really learned how to reason by using the Scripture. Only that I did not recognize that the Watchtower teachings twist God's Word! It does that in such a way that it is hard to prove it wrong.
After two years of intense study, I left my church and became a baptized Jehovah's Witness. That included that I stopped talking to my First Love, Jesus, because I was told that I could only address Jehovah.
I got much involved, left my parents and brothers who were furious about me becoming a Witness. They called the group a 'cult', and only much later I found out that they were right. It is a cult!
To cut it short, as long as I did not use any form of modern media (TV, radio, Internet, etc.) I did exactly what they told me to do. Then one day a dear gentleman bought an iPad as gift for me, and I started to look at the Internet. By chance (actually by God's grace) I came to specific sites of Ex-JWs who spoke about issues of the Watchtower that hit me like a hammer. I searched more information and soon realized that I had to study the bible again from the beginning. I did this all in secret, for if the elders would have known, I would have been disfellowshipped at once.
In the end I knew that I had turned away from the One who had loved me my whole life, instead of doing His will. I was asked to explain myself in front of a 'judicial committee', and after that I disassociated myself, meaning that I was shunned. The moment I left our Kingdom Hall, all my friends looked away from me, but I looked into the sky and had the notion that Jesus was smiling down to me.
I love Jesus, and He, only He freed me from the highly mind-controlling Organization, that cut me off from my Love, my family and any outside fellowship.
There are no human friends left, but that was so much compensated by my First Love, Jesus, to whom I returned. There was much to repent, and still is, but Jesus forgives everyone who comes to Him with his whole heart.
My message to you: seek Jesus and accept His wonderful love. He enables you to start a new life if you truly want to love Him!
Jesus loves you, He died for you and is waiting with open arms for YOU! Don't let a him wait too long.
Love, Rose