Born an Adventist?

[Stan]

If you were born into an Adventist home, have you ever wondered if you would have become one if you had not had that luxury?

[Dr. Shane]

Yes, I have wondered that before. I was born into a back-slidden, abusive, alcoholic, drug-addicted Adventist home. My mother raised her seven children in the church. Two of us are members today.

I left the church when I was 16. When I was 21 I went on a spiritual quest to try and discover the "true" religion - is such a one existed. I studied many and attended several churches. My mind was completely open to anything. I ended up back in the Adventist church not because my abusive, alcoholic, drug-addicted parents attended it when I was a child but because I believe it to be the truth.

[Gerr]

I did not have that luxury, but when I first heard the Advent message, even as a young person I saw the harmony, the consistency with Scripture, and the beauty of logic in it and accepted it.

[phkrause]

I was not born into a adventist home, but was real little when my mom started to take bible studies and go the the Brooklyn, NY, German Adventist church and later to the Jewish Adventist Church in the Bronx, NY. As I grew older I stayed in the church because of the same reasons you did Shane, of all the churches out there it followed the Bible. If I had never been brought up that way, I'm not sure what I would have done. I pray that I would have been, and I think I am, someone that would want to search and follow my Lord and Savior.

pk

[Kountzer]

As I've mentioned here & there before I was a young baptist boy before my family became thoroughly acquianted with this church/movement. I have this uncle who took some voice of prophecy bible classes by mail. he became an adventists, and then influenced several others in the family to do the same, including my mother.

As others have mentioned there is a consistency and logic to this msg that you can't find anywhere else.

[Cosmin M.]

I was born Adventist. I would have preferred to have not been born Adventist and have been born anything else and later on to become Adventist. Why? It's always harder for those to be closer to God that have known him all his life.

[Woody]

You make some good points here Cosmin.

I have often wished I did not have SDA parents. At times I wished I had rebelled and gone off and lived a worldly life. Then I would have this fabulous testimony of how I came back to God. Those are the kinds of testimonies people listen to.

My testimony of staying strong in God all of my life .... is not something people want to hear. They want to hear of all the gore and wickedness one goes into and then comes back to God. You know ... I drank this and I smoked that.

Oh well. We all have our crosses to bear.

[GreatLakesGramma]

An emphasis on evil in one's testimony does not glorify God, and I do not believe God is pleased when all the gory details are given. It only feeds the evil already within us. Remember, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8.

[GreatLakesGramma]

I was not born into an Adventist home, and you who were don't realize how blessed you were. Except for one thing - I know exactly why I believe what I believe, and it is NOT because I grew up being taught that way.

[Woody]

An emphasis on evil in one's testimony does not glorify God, and I do not believe God is pleased when all the gory details are given. It only feeds the evil already within us. Remember, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8.

They may not glorify God. But people love and are drawn to them.

[GreatLakesGramma]

They may not glorify God. But people love and are drawn to them.

That's because our hearts are naturally evil. Which is exactly why we should NOT emphasize that in a testimony.

[Dr. Shane]

At times I wished I had rebelled and gone off and lived a worldly life. Then I would have this fabulous testimony of how I came back to God.

That is like living on a sinless planet and envying Eve because she ate of the forbidden tree and "knows" something the sinless do not know. Trust me, it is better not to know some things.

God's way is the best way. Every time we leave God's path we are damaged and the damage leaves scars. I rebelled and left God and when I came back I came back as damaged goods. I still bare the scars of that sinful life. The sinful choices actual burn neurological paths in our brain. God can change us and new neurological paths can be burnt but the damage from the old paths remain.

A testimony that I find beautiful is of the person born into a Christian home (Adventist or not) that was raised by godly parents, educated in godly schools and lives a life glorifying God. I like to see the evidence that when we follow God's path it produces the results God promises.

[Dr. Shane]

That's because our hearts are naturally evil. Which is exactly why we should NOT emphasize that in a testimony.

I have an alcoholic and drug-addicted past. The only reason for me to ever share details of my past is when I am working specifically with an individual struggling in that same kind of lifestyle. For that person, the details of my past become a beam of hope that if the Lord delivered me, the Lord can deliver them too. When addressing fellow believers that are not struggling in that type of lifestyle I am very vague about my past. Like I have been here. There is no reason for me to get into the details of my sinful past here.

[olger]

I was born a loser, alienated from God.

[Woody]

Thanks Shane. I appreciate hearing that. I can see how someone struggling with what you have been through would benefit from hearing the details. God be praised.

[Woody]

I was born a loser, alienated from God.

[olger]

yay- men

g

[Morning Glory]

All,

I was born to Adventist parents, and have at times, too, wished that I had not been. BUT, as time has passed, I realize that I am very grateful God placed me in the family I am in.

Because of my early training I have always believed in God, that Jesus is the Son of God, and came to earth as a baby, lived in Palestine just like the Bible says, and died so that I can be saved from sin and live for all eternity w/Him!!

I remember right out of college that a former classmate came by all excited about a book by Ron L Hubbard.......I tried to read it, but it didn't make any sense to me and I couldn't get past the first page. Within the past few years I realized that that book was the foundation for Scientology!!

I have my "gorey" story, too, but prefer to not talk much about it except to say that I have been to hell and back. By the Grace of God I am alive and have the chance to live as a daughter of the King!!

What more could one ask for or want?? I guess what I am trying to say is that I appreciate the spiritual foundation my folks gave me, and how that foundation has stayed with me and supported me my whole life.

Blesssings ,

Morning Glory

[Gail]

Good question!

One just never knows which way one's children will go. Sometimes the kids end up much better than the parents, and vice versa. We all have our paths to tread.

[True-believer]

I have been to hell and back. By the Grace of God I am alive and have the chance to live as a daughter of the King!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

Morning Glory has literally been to HELL AND BACK!!!

WOW...What an experience... so, what is HELL like Morning Glory???

[True-believer]

I was NOT brought up Adventist... I wish I was... It wouldn't be this hard for me if I was already one, my family, parents would be involved as well!!!

But I can't see that happening, my parents, family would never become Adventists (SDA's)!!!

I would become one if I could... but because of the circumstances that I am in I currently can NOT become one, sorry, except to be a part of a independent sabbath keeping group--without the label: SDA!!!

That would be easier and that is what I see is happening right before my very eyes.

[LifeHiscost]

As others have mentioned there is a consistency and logic to this msg that you can't find anywhere else.

The only reason one can say that is because they have been Divinely guided by the Holy Spirit. Just look how difficult it is revealed to be, by certain on this forum.

To be deceived doesn't necessarily mean one is lost, but when one chooses not to accept Truth, the only thing left is falsehood, and falsehood held onto will eventually lead to total darkness.

"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world" Revelation 12:9 KJV

My understanding is that those who will not accept that which is Truth, are the only ones left in darkness.

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised."1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."2 Thess 2:10-12 KJV

Those who are not ignorant of their own choice have this promise on which to rely.

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."Luke 23:34 KJV

Regards!

[LifeHiscost]

Originally Posted By: Redwood

They may not glorify God. But people love and are drawn to them.

That's because our hearts are naturally evil. Which is exactly why we should NOT emphasize that in a testimony.

OTOH, those caught in a world of which they wish not to be in, and have no example presented that they can logically see revealing God's power to deliver, can often gain strength to believe, by another's true testimony of their personal deliverance.

Those true testimonies also help to dispel the falsehood that there are some of us that have a corner on righteousness above our brothers and sisters.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."

James 5:16 NASB

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

Luke 11:13 KJV

"And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God"Matthew 19:17 KJV

Regards!

[GreatLakesGramma]

When the other person is going through the same things, then yes, it is appropriate to share some of the details. But for the general public, it almost never is.

[LifeHiscost]

When the other person is going through the same things, then yes, it is appropriate to share some of the details. But for the general public, it almost never is.

Have you seen any of the programs presented by Cheri Peters, under the title, "Celebration in Recovery"? I would encourage you to watch some of her programs that reveal an ongoing ministry

beginning some twenty years ago. If you haven't access to a 3ABN

channel on TV, you can probably access, or at least find out how to access, her programs by going to 3ABN.org on the net.

She presents on TV Thursday at 9:00 PM PST, and 5:00 PM PST on Sunday.

If you can watch her programs and maintain the same opinion then I'm satisfied, at least for you, it is without merit to confess personal failures (sins) one to another.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."James 5:16 NASB

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh"Acts 2:17 KJV

Blessings!