Are we or Are We Not...

[StormyOne]

I wish that you would talk to me brother Stormy.

If talking to you means that you continue to tell me how negative you believe me to be, or discount the information I provide as untrue, or attempt to find the source of what you believe to be my unhappiness, then I'll pass....

While I love all of you, hold all of you in the highest regard, treated you with respect, and apologized when I have not, forgive me if I choose not to open myself up so that you can get to know me at this point.... you all have not always been kind or gentle.... and as my wise grandfather use to say, "if you hand someone a stick, don't complain if they hit you in the head with it...."

 

[TrustAndObey]

Obviously it's your decision whether or not you want to open up with any of us. I'm sure there are people you're close to that you talk with.

I was just hoping to see what is bothering you and hoping to pray with you. I can understand if you're hesitant though because I have said you are negative. It's not that I mean it any less, I still think you are, but not everybody deals with things the same way.

Then again, God sends us friends to compliment our weaknesses sometimes I think.

 

[Seraph1m]

If talking to you means that you continue to tell me how negative you believe me to be, or discount the information I provide as untrue, or attempt to find the source of what you believe to be my unhappiness, then I'll pass....

Thankfully those of us who have gotten to know you over the years have been blessed by your ministry. Thanks bro

 

[StormyOne]

Obviously it's your decision whether or not you want to open up with any of us. I'm sure there are people you're close to that you talk with.

I was just hoping to see what is bothering you and hoping to pray with you. I can understand if you're hesitant though because I have said you are negative. It's not that I mean it any less, I still think you are, but not everybody deals with things the same way.

Then again, God sends us friends to compliment our weaknesses sometimes I think.

Thank you for your concern, the foundation of any relationship is trust... Something not present in this situation and if it were it would be strained severely at this moment ...

For the concern of those folks who made me the source of a few PMs, one which was sent to me by mistake maybe, I have no way of knowing, thank you too....good to know you all were kind enough to talk about me and let me see what you might be saying... In the PM sent to me it was suggested that I have a chip on my shoulder about egw, that I have a few hang-ups, and that I might be african american....

For what its worth, I have a problems with people who use egw out of context. I may or may not have a few hang-ups, and if I do, they are my concern, if I need assistance with them I know how to ask... Lastly, I am a black american... that info should help clarify things when and if you decide to make me the topic of PMs.....

 

[TrustAndObey]

Thank you for your concern, the foundation of any relationship is trust... Something not present in this situation and if it were it would be strained severely at this moment ...

For the concern of those folks who made me the source of a few PMs, one which was sent to me by mistake maybe, I have no way of knowing, thank you too....good to know you all were kind enough to talk about me and let me see what you might be saying... In the PM sent to me it was suggested that I have a chip on my shoulder about egw, that I have a few hang-ups, and that I might be african american....

For what its worth, I have a problems with people who use egw out of context. I may or may not have a few hang-ups, and if I do, they are my concern, if I need assistance with them I know how to ask... Lastly, I am a black american... that info should help clarify things when and if you decide to make me the topic of PMs.....

I'm not sure I know what you're talking about with the PMs.....I guess that's a discussion I'm not privy to. ??

And I think everyone here knows that you are a black American, you've made it quite clear several times Stormy. The only person that feels it is an issue of ANY kind is you. I've never seen a racial comment made in this forum unless you count all the times white people have been accused of being racist. Whole threads started about it even. "Maybe this is why".....

I'm sorry that you don't trust me. Again, that's your choice and you don't have to trust me, and I can't make you trust me.

You've apologized for things in the past, I've apologized....I thought all of this was behind us? I don't understand all the passive aggressiveness on this board. It is such a stumblingblock to all of us. We should be HELPING one another as brothers and sisters. I just don't get this.

 

[StormyOne]

I'm not sure I know what you're talking about with the PMs.....I guess that's a discussion I'm not privy to. ??

And I think everyone here knows that you are a black American, you've made it quite clear several times Stormy. The only person that feels it is an issue of ANY kind is you. I've never seen a racial comment made in this forum unless you count all the times white people have been accused of being racist. Whole threads started about it even. "Maybe this is why".....

I'm sorry that you don't trust me. Again, that's your choice and you don't have to trust me, and I can't make you trust me.

You've apologized for things in the past, I've apologized....I thought all of this was behind us? I don't understand all the passive aggressiveness on this board. It is such a stumblingblock to all of us. We should be HELPING one another as brothers and sisters. I just don't get this.

At least two people exchanged PMs where I was the topic. A response was sent to me by mistake. In that PM those areas were addressed, my color, my hang-ups, and the "chip on my shoulder." That is what I am referring to... I do not know who the people were, just that one PM was sent to me by mistake. That one was not sent by you (you as in T&O), but another forum member.....as for your other comments... I have no comment...

 

[2tim]

Returning to the OP, what say you? Are we...

1) The remnant church
2) Part of a remnant movement
3) Nothing to do with the remnant

I believe that we are 1) The remnant church. I also believe that we are a part of a much larger movement of faith, trust and understanding. But I believe that Ellen White was a prophet, and that her ministry fulfilled one of the two distinguishing marks of the remnant church.

If I did not, I would take my family to another church.

God bless,
2Tim

 

[HoneyDew]

I think if you ask anyone regardless of their denomination, they will firmly believe they are part of the remnant church. And they will present scripture to prove their point.
At this juncture, I am believing that we are part of a remnant movement. Looking at the Jews, for example, they were chosen by God to bring light to the nations. They collectively (although there were some individuals who still proclaimed the truth of the God of their fathers) lost that status as His people. If that can happen to them, it can happen to any group of people who lay claim to fulfilling the word, and that includes us. With that lesson in mind, I will hold that we are part of the remnant movement. Until He comes, the tides will rise and fall and who knows what will be? We must do our part.

 

[tall73]

Good to see that you are posting in here again HoneyDew. As to the remnant, I gave my take on it a bit before, but I do see in some of the members in my church a terrible attitude at times in which they imply that those who are outside of the Adventist church are all simply distorting the Bible intentionally, are a bit denses or just don't read their Bibles. As one person in a rural church I pastored in my first district put it "they are all just a bunch of dumb farmers who can't see the Sabbath." The irony was that he himself was a farmer.

They say how folks shouldn't trust just what their pastor says, but when you ask how many read their own Bible, many of those who say people should not just listen to their pastor really mean listen to OUR pastor instead!

The truth is that many people are in the same position as Sassy, etc. They are sincerely following God, they just haven't come to the same understanding yet.

Sometimes it might be that they don't read the Bible, but sometimes they do. And not all are intentionally distorting. They simply have heard things for so long that it takes time for the words themselves to break through. I remember well in that same town there was an Assemblies pastor who was new to the area. He was shaking things up in town because he was a bold man. He was the preacher at the local Assemblies college in town, which in a small town was a big position. And he was kind of resented by some of the other pastors who didn't want people going to hear the bold new guy!

I just picked up on some of it during ministerial association, but it looked like there was definitely some hard feelings from the other Assemblies pastor in town. When this new pastor came to town he wanted us all to immediately reform the ministerial association (which needed it! I was a part of another one in a town nearby that was fantastic, but this one was a business as usual, political machine) to start doing outreach projects. They all looked at him as though he were from Mars!

He eventually wound up asking me one time some questions about how we keep the Sabbath. He had come to the conviction over time that the Sabbath was something to keep and was doing so in his home.

Eventually he was let go from his position for sharing some of his insights on this and other issues. But here was a man who had read the Bible all of his life. He had preached and taught, and held firmly his beliefs. He was not intentionally misleading anyone. He was simply seeing things a different way until God saw fit to reveal things to him.

These are God's people, and the ones talked about when He says , "come out of her my people." They are doing all that they know to do.

 

[SassySDA]

I think if you ask anyone regardless of their denomination, they will firmly believe they are part of the remnant church. And they will present scripture to prove their point.
At this juncture, I am believing that we are part of a remnant movement. Looking at the Jews, for example, they were chosen by God to bring light to the nations. They collectively (although there were some individuals who still proclaimed the truth of the God of their fathers) lost that status as His people. If that can happen to them, it can happen to any group of people who lay claim to fulfilling the word, and that includes us. With that lesson in mind, I will hold that we are part of the remnant movement. Until He comes, the tides will rise and fall and who knows what will be? We must do our part.

Amen Dew, MANY are part of the remnant church. It is not a single building made out of brick and mortar with a possible steeple on top. I started this thread, and asked the question the way I did, because I didn't want to give my impression to it, I wanted others answers as to what they thought.

I liked your answer, very much.