The Journey Continues

I asked him if he believed in God.

  He lifted his eyes toward me without understanding

 and said,

 "I have no such military order to believe.

  If I have an order I will believe."

-A Russian prisoner.

Tears ran down my cheeks.  I felt my heart torn in pieces.

  Here stood before me a man whose mind was dead, 

a man who had lost a great gift God has given to mankind-his individuality.

  He was a brainwashed tool in the hands of the Communists,
 ready to believe or not on an order.

  He could not think anymore on his own.

-Author Richard Wurmbrand Tortured for Christ

-Founder of The Voice of the Martyrs.

Have you ever felt mechanical? 

Felt you didn't know how to think,

 let alone think for yourself?

  What things have you answered out of fear,

 and not true belief, or even understanding?

  I remember sitting in the library a lot at school.

  Not because I was being bad or in trouble,

 but because I was different.

  I was told and I knew better, to exit the room,

 when it was Valentines Day, or someone's birthday, or the Christmas party,

 or the.... or the... or the.

 It was mechanical. It was normal, not different.

  I did what I was told.

Everything I do.
 Everything I read.
 The things I come across  in this journey called life  pelters down on me,
 to reach out, and share the truth, the gospel of Jesus Christ
 to all searching former Jehovah's Witnesses and any searching Jehovah's Witness.

  I pray for those that,
 I in my human thinking;

 "Think could never turn and walk away from the organization."

  "They will never leave, never look in a new direction,

 take the narrow road."

 Because in fact they believe whole heartidly they are on

 the narrow road.
I pray to the Lord of heaven and earth, to give me more compassion, to see those that I think are so hard to never change, to believe and see them like He does.  To say, "
they can change, they will change you did Melissa."

I don't know how else to reach you other than by the means of this blog.

I know God has a plan, and will make a way, more ways,

 and by more means to reach you, and others.

  I study, research, and pray yes for God to reveal truth to me,
and yes so that I may grow closer to Him.

 But I do it also for you.

 I do these things and share, because even though I don't know you personally,

 I know that; I know you, and you know me.

  I understand you, and you understand me.

There are days I don't want to get up,

 but I do because I think of you.

 I want to reach out to you, to let you know your not alone.

  You are not on this journey alone.

 That someday you will find joy in the journey. 

 That for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 NIV

Richard Wurmbrand stated;

 "I would dedicate my life to these men, 

to give back their personalities and to give them faith in God and Christ."

I fully agree and my heart is right there with him.

  I would dedicate my life to you, men women, and children

 that are former Jehovah's Witness to give back to you your true identity.

  For you to discover who you are, and all that you were created to be.

To give you back

 your dignity

 your self-worth

 your purpose

 your value.

 A place.

A very valuable place in His kingdom.

  To help you find your way in this world and on this earth.

 To know that if you believe in Christ,

 you would never be or feel mindless again.

  That you would never be a willing subject to

 the subjection of the organization

 such scrutiny

 such rejection

 shunning and shame.

After you have had so many years to the subjection to

 the organization, the loss of family, 

the distrust that you feel, the questioning that you have. 

To perhaps cower

 when you hear the words Trinity, or Cross.

I understand that the process will be slow and take time. 

That's o.k. 

The joy of sharing Christ with you is just that. Joy!

I believe it is a piece of heaven right here on earth!

I know for you it may not feel like joy.  

I also have those same sad, and mixed feelings that you do.

 I know that their is a cost and a price to pay and that price is high.

  I know what your up against.

 I know what you risk at leaving behind.

When your ready, Christ is waiting with open arms to receive you and take you in.

You have to decide to receive Him.

And know that I will be here, praying for you.
My shoulder is here for you to cry on.

144,001

I was on a flight to Arizona.

When the gentleman next to me said,
"Let me just get out my bible, I am a Mormon and I want to talk to you about Jesus."

I replied, Well great I have my bible with me too."

"Oh great! I say that to people because normally people will leave me alone. Their suppose to anyway." Was his reply.
I proceeded, "Well if you talk Mormon's then I get to talk Jehovah's Witnesses with you."

"Oh man! Really? Oh great! Now what did I get myself into?" He gasped.
"Really, are you really a Jehovah's Witness?" He stammered.
"No, but I was born and raised as one, but no longer practicing."

"Oh, o.k. good! So......... I've always wondered." He continued.

I knew what was coming next.

"Do you really believe in the 144,000?"
"Me, or they?" I replied.

I mean they,  I mean is that all they think will go to heaven? I mean what if I'm number 144,001, what happens to me?
"Funny how you ask what if I'm number 144,001, my husband likes to give me a hard time, with that same question.  I do believe in the 144,000, but not how it was taught to me by the Jehovah's Witnesses. The number is in the bible and there is actual reason and truth behind it."

And off to Arizona I was......

I trust that in this post, by God through The Holy Spirit that truth will be revolved to you.

***ATTENTION BLOG READER***

Lengthy Blog Entry

God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.

Jesus says to John: Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 

Yes, the Number 144,000 is in the bible.
 You will see the number in Revelation chapters 7 and 14.

Let God set the stage for you;

Then John wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it.

But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”* 

Who has won the victory?
 Jesus.
 Jesus died and rose from the dead.
Jesus conquered death.  Jesus has the keys to hell.
 Victory is won, by Jesus the One and only.

  For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
      from every tribe and language and people and nation. 

 “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
      to receive power and riches
   and wisdom and strength
      and honor and glory and blessing.”* 

 I share these verses with you, because I at one time, did not know all the power, and honor, and strength, and glory. That was due Christ.  I at one time forever denied His Power, His Deity, His right recognition of being God.

If the angels in heaven and the elders in heaven continually fall down and worship Him, shouldn't I also?  And if there is writing on those scrolls, don't you want to know what they say?  Wouldn't I want the One who can open them, do just that,
open them?

Jesus proceeds to break 6 of the 7 seals, each seal representing a time that will come. Revelation 6

Then John saw 4 angels who were given power to harm land and sea. But an angel that came from the east shouted to the 4 angels;“Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.*

 Then John heard how many were marked with the seal of God—

144,000 were sealed from all the tribes of Israel:

from Judah 12,00, from Reuben 12,000, from Gad 12,000, from Asher 12,000

    from Naphtali 12,000,  from Manasseh 12,000, from Simeon 12,000, from Levi 12,000

    from Issachar 12,000, from Zebulun 12,000, from Joseph 12,000, from Benjamin 12,000.* 

What?
 The questions inevitably came,
 and started to swarm like flies.

  I had made a decision to turn my life around as you know, and I decided to live my life for Christ and I had started to read some of what Christ had to say in the bible.  So my mind battled between old beliefs and teachings, and new truths that I had discovered, my head  began to spin.

Am I one of these 12,000 from the tribes of Israel? No

They already had the marking on their foreheads. Right? That's what is says.

  These groups of 12,000 are from way back in the old testement? Yes. I remember reading about them.

Those tribes weren't they Jews? Am I a Jew? No.

These 144,000 are from the 12 of the 13 tribes of Israel, not Gentiles.

God chose these, he set them apart.  Aren't I set apart?  What identifies if I belong to God?

 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.*

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one can come to the Father except through me. *

Truth, this is the truth I had learned. The one Christ had shown me.
 The one I was going to stick to. The one I knew now was forever true.

  A gentile, wait I think I might be one of those? Yes. I have been grafted in.*

 So how could that lady on memorial day claim to be one of the 144,000?

  She looked old, but not that old, that's impossible.

So wait if there's 144,000 and there already chosen, and have the marking and have the seal.

 Then I am one?!?

 Awe! Excitement! Confusion! Ecstatic! Unbelievable!

Now Hopeful!

The whirlwind of emotion!

That meant maybe, just maybe there is room in heaven, for me, for one.

Then maybe just maybe I could go there? Maybe, me, one!

Lord do you have room, for just one. One more, me?

I continued to read the visions John wrote down.  A time of great anguish and tribulation, all recorded in Revelation chapters 8-13.

As I approached chapter 14 I see mention of the 144,000 again.

The 144,000 were standing on Mount Zion with Jesus, and they sang a song only they the 144,000 knew the words to.*

They have kept themselves as pure as virgins, following the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among the people on the earth as a special offering to God and to the Lamb. 

They have told no lies; they are without blame.*

 So now for me, my new understanding and new belief that I put my faith in, is this:

The 144,000 indeed a number.  Indeed a chosen people to do an amazing work for the Lord, after God's chosen people are taken up with Him in heaven.*

A people chosen by God before even time began.  A people identified in the Old Testament.

 They are a people redeemed and are entirely Israelites.

 A people that is not a denomination.  A people that is not a religion.  A people that is not a cult. They are people who are not Jehovah's Witnesses.

  They are a people who will with stand, and not fall during all the tumultuous times that are to come. They are a people who will  not deny Christ as Lord.

And I, on the other hand never have to worry about not being apart of the 144,000 and never getting the opportunity to go to heaven.
Why? Because I have found the truth.

I do believe in Christ, I will follow His way, and His truth, and because of His death and shed blood for me, I know He is preparing a room for me in heaven.
I love because He first loved me.

He is the One. And now I can look up, smile, and say I am one.

One with Him.

"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one--as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

*Revelation 1:3, Revelation 1:19
 Revelation 5:4-5,9b,12, Revelation 7:1-3, 4-8, John 3:16
 John 14:6, Romans 11:11, Revelation 1:1-5, Revelation 4:1

 1 John 4:19, John 17:20-21.
-NIV and NLT bible versions used.

**If you are looking for an in-depth teaching, about  the 144,000 regarding what the Jehovah's Witnesses teach verses God's truth from His word.  Or to have Melissa share her testimony in person about this topic of the 144,000, or any topic regarding Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs, you may contact Melissa, via e-mail at thebramers7@gmail.com, or leave a comment on this blog.

The Fear of God or The Fear of Death

It was in the middle of his cancer treatments.

6 months of chemo and radiation.

Round after round.

And he said; "Let me tell you, it was The Fear of God that was put in me, that I knew from that point I wanted to live and never smoke again."

2 treatments left and I started smoking again.

She was headed to the emergency room in excruciating pain not knowing what was happening.
She said;

"I was rushed into surgery, I thought I was going to die. Everything I ever did wrong, all the times I used the bottom of the bottle to comfort me. Everything flashed before my eyes.

Was it my appendix?

The thoughts. Was it my liver, was it shutting down. No time for a transplant. 

At that time, I knew it was The Fear of God that came over me, I knew I would never go back to my lifestyle ever again, I'd give up that bottle once and for all."

She came out of surgery appendix removed. 

4 months later, still lonely, still scared, still looking for something, at the bottom of the bottle.

The Fear of God? or The Fear of Death?

The fear that comes over you in those times of diagnosis. Those times of emergency are so overwhelming.

In those moments, in those seconds of

"I may longer be here."

"No longer here for my family, with my family."

"What is going to happen to me?" 

 You scramble, you wonder, you are fearful. 

 Fearful of death!

Do you know where your going?

The fear of death is just that.

Scared. Afraid. Hopeless wonder. Fear.

The fear of God. 

Reverence. Respect. Obedience. Disciplined. Love.

Have you ever had fear come in, in a whirlwind furry

and you make a deal with God.

Or make a "promise" to God.

"Lord, if you let me live, I will never do that again!

I will give it up, I promise."

Only to find your back at it.

"Lord, if you do this for me, then I will do this for you!"

Only to find you didn't fulfill your deal or end of the bargain, your so called promise.

God is not a deal maker or deal breaker.

He is a God of promises.

He is a God of miracles.

He is a God of great wonder.

He is a God waiting to offer you an amazing gift.

The gift of life. Not death.

I know there will be that time.  That time of death. 

It's one of those inevitable things. Death and taxes.

You know it's coming. 

Some dread it, some look forward to it.

Death if you know where your going, your at peace with it.

If you don't know, you're scared. You wonder.

You don't know what to even  hope for.

As a former Jehovah's Witness you may still be; 

set on the belief, questioning the belief, or confused about the belief of the 144,000.

You may also be questioning and confused about Hell.

Is there a Hell, does it exist?

I am here to tell you today.

That there is a heaven.

And

 There is a hell.

Not according to my word.  But according to  God's words.

The Truth.

My devotion here at Veracity is just that 

Devotion to the truth.

When it comes to death you don't have to wonder, you don't have to worry.  You can be sure!

Sure of where your going. Sure of what heaven is all about.

Heaven.

It's not for a certain number.

It's not just for the spiritually elite.

It's home. It's a mansion.

There's a room there for you and for me.

It's already prepared.  The table is already set.

Your crown is waiting.

I don't want to get there and have the empty seat to the right or left of me and have a crown, now starting to collect dust, because you decided not to come.

See you get to decide!

Yes you get to decide if you want to come.

Come to heaven!

There's an invitation waiting for you.

Jesus asks us;

Will you lay down your life for me?

He says;

Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.*

There is more than enough room for you in my Father's home.  If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

John 13:38, John 14:1-3 NLT (*my emphasis added)

I'm here. Wondering... 

What it is you struggle with?

What teachings are you confused about?

What truth do you need revealed?

What hold's you back from going forward?

If you are a former Jehovah's Witness, or one searching, come back here to Veracity

because I want to share with you the truth God has revealed to me about the 144,000.

I want to share with you the truth revealed to me about Hell.

I want to share with you the truth about His word.

There is so much truth that I want to share with you.

This is only the beginning.

The journey has just begun.

Just you wait and see what He will reveal to you to.