In Reply to: Hung up but going on posted by Matt on June 20, 2004 at 08:40:58:
Matt, I really love your posts.
I like the response of Lydia..I wholeheartedly agree with her...
Well, you had it tough early in life & you were searching like all of us.
TF came along & gave you at least the message of salvation, showed interest in you & probably some sincere love (I conclude a bit from my own experience)...you put trust in them & finally in the "higher" authority Berg.You thought for a great while that there's such thing as an endtime prophet...meaning Berg...etc. etc.
Plus you didn't want to be lukewarm & disappoint
the Lord, since He gave all for us...
All that is understandable...
Now that's in "the time after", where the advise of Lydia comes in, which sums up what I experienced, I just
read the Bible, plus the biographies of men & woman of God of real importance e.g. Hudson Taylor, Georg Mueller etc. whatever there is.
Without having these boards, I realised where TF was not following the Bible, Paul etc....these differences are very important to find out.
You find enough good lessons by Ed Priebe.
I never forget, how an Italian sister who was close to TF, told me one day ...we were TRFers in
1989-1992 (year we left)...that she had prayed & fasted about D.Berg being the endtime prophet & God showed her, that wasn't the case...: ) ..Ha..
I thought at that time, very bold of her...we got the prophecies interpreted the way they wanted it to be...but you find, that fundamental Christians just see in those David prophecies Jesus...besides Berg was so many times out of it...how can he be God's prophet?
Not to speak of the FFing-one wife nonsense, with tremendous negative results, not to speak of the terrible abuse of the teenagers (have you read testimonies of them??), or how TF curses etc. contrary to the word.
My advise, be happy in Jesus, reading the Bible & trust HIM that you find people of same or similar faith in your neighborhood to support each other.
It should be possible...and try not to be better than we have to really be: super valiant evangelists, apostles, on fire disciple who go in everywhere & change everything for the better ad hoc.(although I don't mind of course, should that be your "destiny"/calling).There is such a thing as to ask of ourselves or the Lord too much.One mother wanted two of her children/disciples to sit besides the throne of Jesus.Sometimes the disciple couldn't cast out a demon.
KJV 2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.
Couldn't Paul just have cured him??
I am allowing myself more to make mistakes,
to forgive myself & to forgive others easier, who wrong me, plus I realise God is not a "spirit in a bottle" at my command, although there's even a verse in that "direction", we memorised...yet HE does things to put us through the wringer & who likes that, in the beginning...
KJV Psalm 131:1 <A Song of degrees of David.> LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. {exercise...: Heb. walk} {high: Heb. wonderful}
KJV Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. {of full age: or, perfect} {use: or, an habit, or, perfection}
KJV Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
KJV Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
KJV 1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
Just some "neat" verses on exercising...you allow your children to exercise, to make mistakes, so does the Lord, I conclude.
Remain in TF would certainly mean a mistake IMO...so don't feel bad, that you left...also trust more HIS word, than your feelings (falling just in love, a crush, so to speak - emphasis on feelings - can be quite out of it (real love), e.g. David & Bathsheba)
so don't be too hard & unforgiving on yourself.
Thank the Lord for having freed you from TF.He even uses false prophets (see. 1.Kings 22)...He used TF for some time - Romans 8:28 - now it's finished...better things are to come.
I know, it's not easy to wake out of "nice" dream, but TF became more of a nightmare or some fake:
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
2.Cor.11
Wish you HIS very best, HIS love & peace in your life.In Jesus name. Jürgen