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.

The Memorial Service

Why am I continually invited each year, even though I've been gone for so long? 

Am I being invited to come and hear about Jesus? 

You will hear a message about Jesus but a false Jesus.

A Jesus you have to deny.

Ultimately the hope is...

That I will reconsider.  

The I will return to Jehovah.  

That I will come back to the Organization.

 My family is hoping that I will see friends and other family members in attendance and long to return to the people and things I once had in my life.

It has been many many years since I sat through a memorial service.

That last memorial service...I remember sitting through that service and my mind once again became confused and foggy. 

My heart began to twist and my stomach began to turn.

I did... honestly... question why did I leave?

Should I return?

 Do I really have it all wrong?

Angry at myself for even contemplating these questions in my head.

The glares, the half smiles, the hidden half waves from family members. 

It was nothing but torture!

And before I could control it the deep sadness rumbling and rolling up out of my gut forming there way into the uncontrollable "Ugly Cry."

It was pure torture!

Before I knew it the basket of crackers and the ornate crystal glass of wine was now coming down my isle and all of the sudden I am 9 years old and all I could think about

was don't drop it, don't spill it, don't partake in it!

So many years had passed and there were still the soft whispers to see if "the one sister" was going to partake, because she was one of the 144,000.

How did she know?  Did God speak to her?  

She was in a place of honor, respect, reverence, she was chosen by God.

Wow! How do I get that?  Can I ever achieve that?  Would I ever qualify?

No! 

They were already selected and I was not one of them.

How did you know if you were one?
You just knew and if you questioned if you were
you were more than likely not one.

I was not chosen. I was not part of the "little flock."

I knew that the bread and wine were only for those that Jesus broke the bread with and those He drank the wine with, and the 144,000.  

It was not for anyone else.

The memorial service was one event that I always walked away from with so many questions.

But I would dare not ask a single one.

I wondered why Jesus would break His body for them and why not me?

I wondered why Jesus would pour out his blood for them and why not me?

I wondered why God would create all of us to only choose and pick a small number 144,000 to be with Him?

Always asking, always wondering...

Why wasn't I picked?

Seriously, is there anything I can do to be picked?

Yes.  
The answer is yes.

"He chose me in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love he predestined me for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. In him I have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins."

There is a way. 

I exercised my free will and chose Jesus Christ for my life.

I called on the name of Jesus and I was saved.

Jesus broke his body for you and me.  Jesus shed his precious blood for you and me.

He asked all of us who would believe in Him to do this in remembrance of Him. 

His covenant is for all humans who would so choose to believe in Him. 

He did it all for me!  He did it all for you! He was broken and bled for you and me!

Thank you Lord Jesus for allowing me to be with You for all eternity.
Thank you Lord Jesus for picking me.
Thank you Lord Jesus for coming down from heaven for me.
Thank you Lord Jesus for redeeming my life through your shed blood.
Thank you Lord Jesus for forgiving me of my sins.
Thank you Lord Jesus for loving me enough to die for me.

I will "do this in remembrance of You."

Ephesians 1:4-7, Romans 10:13, John 3:16-17, 

Luke 22:19-20, John 6:35-58, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 

Revelation 7