My Dear Ones: And loved you will always be!
From recent experiences I’ve discovered that God opens up His truth which is Jesus more and more. Gram Corbin used to say “Be careful what you pray for. You’re apt to get it.” Never truer words spoken, IMO.
Jn. 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Paul wrote, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Also “For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Also, He said, “The Spirit of Truth will guide you into all Truth.”
About 12 years ago I started praying with many tears and sincerity that God would help me understand Jesus, even how He felt while on the earth. There have been too many occasions that have happened since that time that have isolated me from everything and everyone except God. In those experiences, God was so vivid and so real—the things I learned during those experiences are definitely God-given truths.
Some of them were humanly destructive, emotionally crippling, and intellectually stirring. I learned how Jesus felt in betrayal, I learned how Jesus felt when His own rejected Him. I learned how it was to face legal prosecution all alone. I learned how it feels when people turn their backs on you. I learned how it was to be brought to naught; physically, financially, mentally, emotionally, intellectually and professionally. I learned what it is to re-invent oneself, to resurrect oneself, to re-establish one’s own identity, and to learn to live and to love again.
I also have learned to be thankful for all of that because through it all, my very personal relationship with my God and Saviour has become stronger because of it.
Someone mentioned not so long ago that humans have to be emptied of themselves before Christ can fill them with Himself. AMEN
In this process and time, I accidentally learned of the truth fellowship’s beginning history and about its founder. That disturbed even my human roots very much. The pain was almost unbearable. What else had those I’d looked up to in my childhood had deceived me about? But God brought comfort. John the Baptist told the scribes and Pharisees when they spoke of their rights as Abraham’s children, that God could raise up children from the very stones at their feet. I believe that as well. I leave the beginnings and the endings of the truth’s fellowship in God’s capable hands.
In that struggle, to equalize my heart and mind with the history, one wise person said “You will know by their fruits if they are right,.” How so very true. Thank you for reminding me.
In the last several years, I’ve also been blessed to walk in empathy with others from the truth fellowship. Those who also have known the care of our Lord during extreme tests. One couple nearing the end of life’s journey stayed true to what they’ve thought God desires of true children, in spite of facing these late years shunned, gossiped about and nearly abandoned by those they’d given loving hospitality to in the name of the fellowship. These are the dark days for them both but their fruits show them to still be faithful in their daily lives to what they are firmly convicted is right. I’ve learned to love and value them deeply.
There are many more from the truth’s fellowship I’ve grown to know, appreciate their story and love them because God loved them first. They, too, have felt deceived, betrayed, forsaken or shunned. But most of them continue to bow before our God and Saviour. Their fruits are apparent and good.
There were some shocking fruits of darkness in all of this and God will take care of those in His own good time, I know.
It is true, the fruits they bear mark those who are God’s children, wherever they may be.
I’ve also had some opportunities where I’ve learned a better understanding of the scriptures because some folks know the Greek and/or Hebrew words used in the original translations. That changes the meaning of a lot of scriptures I’ve apparently learned wrong. Also, I’ve learned a bit more about the law and how it pertains to Jesus, what and how and when He did things. The clue for the necessity of considering the OT law is when Jesus said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Earth and heaven have not passed yet. Jesus fulfilled every bit of that law. The chief priests could not fault Him in that. They crucified Him because He claimed to be God. That brings me to the “trinity” doctrine…which I’ve always understood to be considered false doctrine in the truth’s fellowship. However, it is not false doctrine.
Jn. 1:1 proves it alone…there are other scriptures that prove it as well. Jn 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” I’ve known of people who’ve tried to testify of this in meetings but were corrected and/or excommunicated because of it. By realizing that Jesus is God come in the flesh—that it was God the Son who died on the cross—makes that horrific suffering, shame and sorrow so vitally precious to me. It’s one thing for a friend to die for another, but when it is the great I AM that died on the cross for ALL mankind…then that is priceless sacrifice! Don’t you think?
Jesus said, “Strait is the gate and narrow is the Way and few there be that find it.” He also said He was the gate, the door and the way….Not A person, not a group, not a preacher, not a saint, not a servant is the WAY, THE TRUTH OR LIFE…IT IS JESUS AND ONLY JESUS!
He also said that not everyone that says unto Him “Lord, Lord” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. “Many shall say to me in that day Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wondrous works? And I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me; ye that work iniquity.”
What is Jesus saying? He’s saying those who declare wondrous things they’ve done all in Jesus’ name are thinking to put Him in debt to them. Forcing Jesus to give them life eternal.
NO! He desires to get to know you. Not you just using His name, but know your Lord and Saviour.
This has been my single most ambition these past years and that is to know my Saviour. To love the Lord our God with all my heart, with all my mind, with all soul, and with all my strength. And to love my neighbor as myself.
Jesus told His disciples who our neighbors are. They are not necessarily those we live with, live next door to or those we fellowship with. The Levite passed the wounded dying man right on by. He could not dare touch him for he might be dirty according to the law and he might have to remain dirty til night and he might have to forego the evening sacrifice feast because he might get the man’s blood on him. Makes me think about dear Jesus when He was taken and put into Pilate’s hall…His accusers would not go in with Him because they would be dirty, and could not take of the upcoming feast. Sent a man to his death sentence alone for fear of contamination! What a crying shame! So likewise in Jesus’ eyes when a neighbor needed love and mercy. Jesus told the Pharisees they followed the law but left out the weightier things. He told them to go and learn what God meant when He said “I would have love and mercy than sacrifice.”
All these fruits I’ve learned Jesus looks for are not found in a Pharisee’s life. A pharisee was hipped on form and appearance, weren’t they?
All these things that have and are being made known, show me that I cannot any longer go along with the doctrine which I’ve known for long years to be of the truth’s fellowship. Through great grief about the fruits of darkness that have and are becoming known of long years standing in the fellowship are the clinching decision makers for me. And yes, I agree, not all within the fellowship are of this darkness…but it just says to me that the fellowship is NOT the only true way. Jesus is the only true way and to confuse the two is dangerous. For folks tend to rely on the physical and seeable things and think that that is righteousness. But Jesus proved that in dealing with the Pharisees, didn’t He? This is an individual decision, I mean not to affect another soul, for we either stand or fall before our Master. And we will be accountable only as individuals. Just believe when I say it’s been years of long hours and many tears and now…
For sure “The truth shall make you free.”
My plea in all of this is please do not gossip negatively about me, please do not infer I’ve gotten the wrong spirit or I’m something negative. Please for your own sakes and spirits, do not!
And with love for all, I say this scripture “Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?”
Sharon I. Wells
USA, March 1, 2010