When feeling alone, afraid to connect with others in order to grow in faith

In this life where there does not seem to be much interest in Jehovah God, sometimes we can feel just on our own, certainly when we have no church to connect with.

To break that chain of loneliness we should try to be courageous to make others know we are loving God and following the real Christ. We may be proud of our heavenly Father, Jehovah, and want others to come to know Him, but often, because we do feel so lonely we do feel on our own and too weak to go out to let others know our choice for life.

One of the best ways we can show love to others is by sharing the good news with them.

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations,+ baptizing them+ in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.+ And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”+(Matt. 28:19, 20)

Often, when we are on our own, we think we shall not be able to “make learners”, because we do not see people who want to be around us. The Greek verb ma·the·teuʹo has the basic meaning “to teach” with the intent of making pupils or disciples. As such we encounter situations when there are no direct people around us to be taught, but when we look around we shall see there are people whom we could attract by the right words to hear and follow our words.

There is given a command to those who want to be followers of Christ. This command to reach “people of all the nations” was new in the first century. Prior to Jesus’ ministry, the Scriptures indicate that Gentiles were welcomed to Israel if they came to serve Jehovah.

41 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not part of your people Israel and who comes from a distant land because of your name*+ 42 (for they will hear about your great name+ and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), and he comes and prays toward this house, 43 may you then listen from the heavens, your dwelling place,+ and do all that the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you,+ as your people Israel do, and may know that your name has been called on this house that I have built. (1Ki 8:41-43)

Today we cannot hear the Name of Jehovah resound over the land. We do not hear the Great Name of Jehovah mentioned often. Because of the Name not being known and not being spoken about a lot, people can not easily come to meet with others who love that Great Name and want to praise that Divine Creator.

What if we are timid? How can we become bold? How can we find the guts to go out and speak about that Great Name?

We grow bold when we focus on how happy we can make Jehovah and how much others will benefit from learning about him. Though we might feel on our own, without people feeling likewise about Jehovah God, we should come to know and come to feel that This Great God above all gods, is willing to help us when we are willing to work for Him.

Jehovah will give us the courage we need. He helped our first-century brothers to become bold, and he will help us too.​

2 For although we had first suffered and been insolently treated in Phi·lipʹpi,+ as you know, we mustered up boldness* by means of our God to tell you the good news of God+ in the face of much opposition.* (1 Thess. 2:2).

Even when we live in a country where the government is not having people to talk about Jehovah, we should think about the first Christians and their prosecution.
At the beginning of the expansion of the movement of followers of Christ, those true Christians bore the consequences of their faith. In the first centuries after Christ had died, his followers expected to be persecuted.

True Christians expect to be persecuted.  No matter where we live, secular authorities may suddenly and unexpectedly ban us from worshipping our loving God, Jehovah. If a government bans our worship, we might wrongly conclude that we do not have God’s blessing. But remember, persecution does not mean that Jehovah is unhappy with us. Take, for example, the apostle Paul. He certainly had God’s approval. He had the privilege of writing 14 letters of the Christian Greek Scriptures, and he was an apostle to the nations. Yet, he faced intense persecution.

23 Are they ministers of Christ? I reply like a madman, I am more outstandingly one: I have done more work,+ been imprisoned more often,+ suffered countless beatings, and experienced many near-deaths.+ 24 Five times I received 40 strokes less one from the Jews,+ 25 three times I was beaten with rods,+ once I was stoned,+ three times I experienced shipwreck,+ a night and a day I have spent in the open sea; 26 in journeys often, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own people,+ in dangers from the nations,+ in dangers in the city,+ in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers, 27 in labor and toil, in sleepless nights often,+ in hunger and thirst,+ frequently without food,+ in cold and lacking clothing.  (2 Cor. 11:23-27)

We learn from the apostle Paul’s experience that Jehovah allows his faithful servants to be persecuted.

Jehovah is not partial, He does not judge by outward appearance, favouring people because of their race, nationality, social standing, or any external factors and He is happy when He sees us show love to others, no matter what their background may be.

34 At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial,+ 35 but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.+ (Acts 10:34, 35)

Out of love for our neighbours or fellow man, we should be willing to step out of our isolation and should dare to come to talk about Jehovah. We should master our fear for the other, and dare to speak to them around using our neighbourhood. We should know we have something special to offer. Those who listen to us can improve their lives now and gain the prospect of enjoying everlasting life in the future.​

16 Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching.+ Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.+ (1 Tim. 4:16).

Jehovah is a loving parent, so He wants His family to be happy.

65 “I have let myself be searched for by those who did not ask for me; I have let myself be found by those who did not look for me.+

I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’ to a nation that was not calling on my name.+ (Isaiah 65:1)

14 Look! My servants will shout joyfully because of the good condition of the heart, But you will cry out because of the pain of heart And you will wail because of a broken spirit. (Isa. 65:14)

Even when we are just one servant of God in isolation, not having it easy to feel connected with other believers, we in our heart should be pleased that we can be partakers of the Body of His son and be part of His widespread family. It is true our spirit may often being hurt and feel like a piece of crystal glass thrown on the ground completely shattered into many pieces. Our courage can often sink deeply into our shoes, yet we have to put our hope that one day there will be more people around us who want to be connected with us. In the meantime, we should not let ourselves be caught by depressed moods from feeling lonely.

We should look up and aim for Jehovah God as our Sustainer and Inspirer.

Trusting God we shall have to find the courage to keep going on in our solitude and to prepare the path for others still to come. Trust and patience are what should keep us going. This should make us not afraid to invite others to dwell with us in the house of the Highest God above all gods, all the days of our life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

 4 One thing I have asked from Jehovah  —It is what I will look for— That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life,+ To gaze upon the pleasantness of Jehovah And to look with appreciation* upon his temple.*+ (Psalms 27:4)

We can remain happy because we have the sure hope that life will get even better in the future. We know that soon Jehovah will remove all the wicked and that under the direction of His Kingdom, the earth will be restored to Paradise. We also have the wonderful hope that those who have died will be raised to life and reunited with their loved ones.

28 Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice+29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.+30  (John 5:28, 29)

What a joy that will be! And most important, we are sure that soon everyone in heaven and on earth will give our loving Father the honour, praise, and devotion that he deserves.

So let us find the courage to overcome our sadness of being alone. Jehovah God is always with us, like our shadow, and it is Him Who can give us wings and strength.

 4 I will be a guest in your tent forever;+ I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings.+ (Selah) (Psalm 61:4)

We might feel in the dark, but by our faith in the resurrection of Christ light should shine in our life. We should let others know that he is the way to God, the light and life, but also the one who provides us with a grand hope. With our hope for a better life out of brotherly love, let us share our hope with others. Those who listen to us can improve their lives now and gain the prospect of enjoying everlasting life in the future.

16 Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching.+ Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.+ (1 Tim. 4:16).

+

Preceding

Let us not fret or worry about next season

There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving

Inculcate God’s words and speak of them

Testimonies to observe, inspired by God

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:17-20 – The Nazarene Rabbi’s Commentary on the Torah

Matthew 10:24-31 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Do Not Fear – Preach!

As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude

Good or bad preacher

A Society pleading poverty

Be strong

++

Additional reading

1. “Unnoticed”
2. Alone in the cold and dark
3. Loneliness (as seen by Tess Connor)
4. What loneliness is more lonely than distrust?
5. When I Get Lost in My Loneliness
6. So many people are shut up tight inside themselves like boxes
7. Walking alone?
8. What loneliness is more lonely than distrust?
9. God’s forgotten Word 2 Lost Lawbook 1 Who has still interest
10. The Field is the World #4 Many who leave the church
11. The post-Christian world
12. Dealing with worries in our lives
13. Not staying alone in your search for truth
14. Measure of loneliness whilst time drags
15. Christadelphian Support Network Meeting: The Age of Loneliness
16. Pascal’s Possibility
17. Today’s thought “Ability to receive ableness from God” (May 11)
18. The Big Conversation – Christadelphians in the United Kingdom
19. Being in isolation #2 Looking at the word “Isolation”
20. Being in isolation #3 Gathering and Sharing
21. Being in isolation #5 Isolated Biblical figures and Confessional isolation
22. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church
23. Avoiding the big questions
24. Life’s challenges may not paralyse you
25. Determine the drive
26. Courage is fear that has said its prayers
27. Courage for every day living
28. Be strong and take courage
29. Be Not Thou Weary
30. Courage doesn’t always roar
31. Fearing the right person
32. Commit your self to the trustworthy creator
33. God is my refuge and my fortress in Him I will trust
34. Trust God to shelter, safety and security
35. Trust the future to God
36. Finding our identity in serving God
37. Believe that moves stones
38. Companionship
39. Creating Community and Togetherness
40. How should we worship God? #4 Christian Congregations
41. Ecclesia – Church – Minding your reference
42. Church indeed critical in faith development
43. Parish, local church community – Parochie, plaatselijke kerkgemeenschap
44. In all circumstances preaching Christ
45. Blogging in the world for Jesus and his Father
46. Daily thought for July the 8th and the Summer months
47. Prayer theme in this Corona time: Compassion
48. Bijbelvorser looking for ways to reach others
49. The Most Appropriate teacher and Scoffers in our contemporary age
50. Today’s thought “A blessing and a curse” (April 25)
51. Today’s thought “When approaching the battle against your enemies today” (May 03)
52. Today’s thought “When in need of encouragement” (May 18)
53. Today’s thought “If we endure” (May 26)
54. The Big Conversation
55. The Big conversation Why it matters
56. Reason to preach #5 Trained to do it God’s way
57. Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news
58. Abound To Every Good Work (2 Cor. 9:8)
59. Only once and with consequences
60. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
61. Learning from ourselves
62. Reflections on Existence and Teaching
63. Preaching by example
64. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
65. Evangelizing in the “Time of the End”
66. A Million Ways To Live: Al Muhyi (The One Who Gives Life)
67. God is Positive
68. When God Moved a Mountain
69. A way to prepare for the Kingdom
70. From house to house #2: Continuing to bring the good news right to the world
71. God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies
72. Paradise restored

+++

Related

1. Lonely and Depressed…
2. “Empty”
3. Changing the World
4. When is a ‘Church’ Not a ‘Church’?
5. Church: Mind Your Reference!
6. The Good and The Bad Within the Church Part-1 – Unleashed
7. Darrell L. Guder – The Continuing Conversion of the Church (2000)
8. Seeing is Disbelieving (2020)
9. Power and authority (Part two)
10. Proverbs 25:21-22
11. Selah – סֶלָה
12. Easter Sunday 2021: out of darkness
13. Walk and talk!
14. What the church needs
15. Daily Bible Verse For The Day 7th April, 2021
16. The wind blows where it wishes
17. Matthew 13:44
18. Making Disciples
19. Why do we make disciples
20. Yes To The Cost
21. Who do we Listen to God or Man
22. Making Space to Do What We are Called to Do–Make Disciples
23. In Search of More Mountain Guides: Making Disciples by “Traveling With” Instead of “Talking At”
24. Making disciples is the Biblical-mandate
25. Bringing Up Baby
26. What Snacks Teach Us About Making Disciples
27. The Supply and Demand of Making Disciples
28. Where are the Shepherds?
29. How Deeply Do You Care?
30. Belief and Behavior
31. Celtic Evangelism and a New/Old Way to Win a World
32. What makes a man cry
33. Scripture for Meditation #1
34. Scripture for Meditation #2
35. Do You Care If Anyone Knows Jesus? (Christian Leadership In Today’s Culture Part 5)
36. Tumbling Stones and the Art of Pastoral Care
37. Don’t Be Ashamed
38. Forget Public Opinion…Keep Your Eyes on God’s Opinion of You.
39. A Passionless Christian Asked a Question.
40. Preaching to the Hard hearted with Joy
41. Making Disciples
42. The Master “Group Plan” of Discipleship
43. Mentoring: Harnessing God’s Overflowing Love
44. Who is the “Buddy” that is Pushing You to Grow in Christ?
45. Christ’s Church – Part 3
46. The Spread of the Gospel
47. Harvest Workers; February 27, 2021
48. Where is the Harvest?
49. Straight Methods, Narrow Message

Dave Norris and his writings on the Belgian Bible Students

With articles like “The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents“, “Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 1″, “Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 2″, “Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 3” the blogger Dave Norris who likes us to call “kindergartner” “toddler” or sometimes “spiritual kindergarteners”, he presents a lot of nonsense about our community, clearly showing he does not know much about us nor similar groups, but even worse, does not seem to have a clue about the Bible Student movement and the history of such religious groups as the Bible Students, Christadelphians, Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) and many other non-Trinitarian groups.

On the blog “The Bible & Exposing Cult Error Darkness Into Light” he wants his readers to believe he exposes errors of others but in fact does nothing more than presenting his own errors, ignorance or lack of knowledge.

We do notice we are not the only target or are not spitting the only purpose of his gal. He seems so frustrated in his faith and religion he loves to write a lot about other religious groups instead spending more time to proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God or to give more information about his own faith group or church.

He calls us a “Spirit of deception” but clearly he throws so much untruth on the net we can not resist in the end to react to it and to let others know some of the incredible untruths that he proclaims as our doctrine. It is therefore very important that we expose these gross lies and clarify our positions. It is because of several of his writings and attacks on us and other their attacks we started in the end to present a new website for unmasking people like him: Please find and look at the new site Unmasking anti Jehovah sites and people.

The man, who presents himself as a bully in his mails to us, writes on the internet:

The Watchtower Belgian Bible student movement did precede the actual formation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Charles T Russell was their leader. {The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents}

Charles Taze Russell may have been a pupil of John Thomas, the founder of the Brothers in Christ or Christadelphians, but for sure has never been our founder nor our leader.

Ch. T. Russell may be called the founder of the American Bible Students and of the International Bible Students, but is neither the founder of the Free Bible Students (who discarded many of the teachings of the American Bible Student founder Charles Taze Russell) nor from Belgian Bible Students nor the founder of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Russell never was a Jehovah’s Witness, like Mr. or the adolescent Norris wants his readers to believe. In case Mr. Russell would present himself to become a Jehovah’s Witness he would even not be accepted by that organisation.

An other fault which Mr. Norris does is to say we are associated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society which is at all not so. We do have no association with that publication institute nor with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society Organisation be it of Brooklyn, New York, Pennsylvania or of Canada or even of any other states like Australia, nor with the JW Organisation. For clarity the Belgian Bible Students have nothing to do with the Jehovah’s Witness nor with any of their other organisations or missions.

It is not because we do believe in the same One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, that we would belong to one and the same Church.

We too may come from hundreds of ethnic and language backgrounds, and may, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, have the same goal to praise and honour Jehovah God being united by common goals. The same as those lovers of God, we too want to do our best to imitate Jesus Christ and are proud to be called Christians. As followers of Christ Jesus we take his command to go out in the world as a serious matter and like the JW we too witness for Jehovah, each of us regularly spending time helping people learn about the Bible and God’s Kingdom. Because we witness, or talk, about Jehovah God and his Kingdom, some may confuse us with those other people who have the same goal as us and are known as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Opposite claims by Mr. Norris, we have very clearly presented our history to him, which can be found more extensively on the net. As such we find again a gross misrepresentation of the facts, him writing on the net:

I wish the Belgian Biblestudents would be honest with me about their history as they have not been.

I do admit that they were right about Charles Russell not beginning Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was a false prophet nevertheless and they can’t get around that. Woe to the foolish Prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing.{The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents}

Though after this writing he continues

Biblestudents are a deceptive group under their leader Charles T Russell who is the founder of the Watchtower and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The group Christadelphians have a lot to do with this movement. Imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. They are presently deceivers because they were being deceived by Charles Russell whom they hold up as their leader. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 1}

and repeats

They claim to follow the Bible but they deny the Triune Godhead. As I said in another report before Russell founded Bible students he began the Watchtower with the basic Jehovah’s Witnesses Doctrine in force. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 1}

Who is the deceiving person or spirit in this case?

He then presents a whole of prophesies we supposedly would have believed or followed, which is totally untrue and we even do not get any idea where he gets it form we would have hold fast on such prophesies when we ourselves always clearly say it is no man given, even not Christ Jesus, to know when the end times are coming, though we agree we can see the signs, we can never say an exact date. We, like nobody, according to us, can ever give a correct date on it.

We want our readers to know we do have nothing to do with prophesies of the Jehovah’s Witnesses nor ever would have believed in such a date setting.

Prophecies which may have been made by the JW but never by the Belgian Biblestudents (like Dave Norris and some other bloggers on the net want their readers to believe).

Mr. Norris also wants his readers to believe in high and low that we

are almost like the New Apostolic Reformation with a prophecy accuracy rate of 20%. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 2}

and asks his readers to examine for themselves, but giving a photograph of a Watchtower which is even not the Zion’s Watchtower of the American Bible Students nor our old magazine Zion’s Wachttoren (19th and 20th century publications) and not at all a magazine of our community, but a publication by the WTBTS.

Though Mr. Norris in his previous writing said he understood Russell was not the founder of the JW he again presents him as a prophet for the JW and worse of all also for us, which is against our teachings, we only are recognising such prophets as those declared by the Word of God, namely Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadia, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaiah, Haggai, Zecharia, Malachi and Jesus, considering many others as false prophets.

Mr. Norris also wirtes

Biblestudents don’t believe in the hell that Jesus talked about and yet they say they follow Jesus. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 2}

which is again a lie, we believing in sheol or hell, like Jesus was for three days in hell and also talked about hell.

Continuously that blog writer from the so called exposing Christian error site wants to associate us with the JW and again giving wrong dates concerning our history.

In 1879 he began the perversion of Jehovah’s Witnesses but under a different name. The Biblestudents didn’t start until 1876 and they themselves told me that when they said Russell was their founder. His organization wasn’t yet called Jehovah’s Witnesses but the obvious poisonous theology was in place. {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 3}

A painting depicting the conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces (mainly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the establishment of an independent Kingdom of Belgium. – Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Gustaf Wappers (1834), (Museum of Fine Art, Brussels)

After the Battle of Waterloo (1815) several Students of the Bible living in the region of France its Low Countries got a more nationalistic feeling and when the Dutch-speaking Flemings and French-speaking Walloons had meetings in Rheims or Paris they wanted to make it clear they came from the Gallic (Gaul) or Belgica or Côtes Lorraines region or the plain of Flanders, and the Kempenland (French: Campine) and did not consider themselves any more to be part of the Nord–Pas-de-Calais or le Nord (North of France) region with Cambrai where also several Bible Students had found their home in a very hostile area for non-Trinitarians and/or Protestants. After the States-General in Brussels voted in favour of secession and declared independence the small state Belgium was formed and with it also the “Belgian Bible Students”, which at that time, may have had most of it members in the Famenne, Sambre, La Louvière, Borinage and Hainaut region, long before Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), or Pastor Russell, the American Christian restorationist minister from Pittsburgh, was born. It were such sincere students of the Bible who made it possible to get one of the first major Bibles in the French language circulating in the region and had one which was printed in Mons. There in Mons can still be found a copy of the first Gutenberg Bible (1455) which was used as a base (unfortunately incomplete). It was Canon Edmon Puissant (1860-1934) who came into possession of this copy in 1926.

 

D Norris telling a lot of nonsense in several articles on what he calls on Belgian Biblestudies, though our community is called Belgian Bible-students and has nothing to do with Ch.T. Russell as so called founder and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Though we do agree Ch.T. Russell’s writings circulated and still circulate amongst us and got several of his and other brethren their English writings translated in French, Swiss German and Dutch by our community. In the early 20th century Russell even came to visit our community.

Next he presents an article on Armstrong false prophecy as a ‘Next’ article containing false prophecies of Herbert W Armstrong marking him as a false prophet, as if we would also follow this man.  This article is followed by “Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 4” were he keeps dragging on with prophecies of some one we do not have as our leader, what he keeps others to believe. And than he asks

Here are two more of Charles Russell’s false prophecies. What amazes me is how Belgian Bible students can justify this? {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 4} {find our reaction if he publishes it}

And he keeps disbelieving that Russell was not our founder, as if we, as community would not know our own history and he knowing it much better than serious history writers or serious encyclopaedia.

But the Belgian Biblestudents still speak very highly of their founder Charles Russell despite all his false prophecies. Examine also the references for the false prophecies. They’re in the very same Bible studies that the Belgian group supports. Are they as blind as their founder was? I will have more in part 5. {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 4}

Nowhere shall you find prophecies made by Russell or any other person which we would say you have to believe. We also do not know where he gets it from that we would hold Charles Russel‘s “Studies in the Scriptures” in such high regard. (Perhaps he assues that because we also took care for a translation and distribution of this work in our regions.) {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 5} {we asked him also} Again he wants to do that Russell is the founder of our community and writes

the founder of this group as this book is full of lies and false prophecies. Worse still the Belgian Biblestudies group backs thiss book to the hilt. They know what’s in here and they believe it. {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 5}

Dave Norris his continual misleading of the internet-public with attacking plus false sayings and making false connections in several of his articles, a.o. in his series Belgian Biblestudies Deception – {picture fragment from Belgian Biblestudies Deception – 6}

After a reaction we made on 2018 August 10 19.35 pm about having our name right we noticed he suddenly changed the title of his series.

In Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 7 Mr. Norris keeps telling untruths, now saying JF Rutherford otherwise known as Judge Rutherford

took over when Russell died as head of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. {Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 7}

Judge Rutherford being jailed for sedition against the Armed Forces is considered by Mr. Dave Norris a sign of him and Non-Trinitarian pacifists to be losers

Mr. Dave Norris in his series Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 8 all the time bringing in matters of prophesies in which we do not believe but which he wants to have his readers come to believe they are part of our teachings (which they are not at all)

Also when looking at the lies he writes about other denominations one an wonder what Mr. Norris his agenda really is?!? Problem would be in case many of his readers would consider his writings as bringing the truth about us and those other denominations.

Clearly he twists the truth and does as if we changed our teachings, but again uses material from an other  denomination to have it look as if it is ours.

Mr Norris looking at the New World Edition of the Bible which Jehovah’s Witnesses cherish, presenting it in his article Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 8 as if it is ours + asking to look at the changes

Mr. Norris also wants to give the impression when people read certain books, they are taken by those books and agree with everything what is in those books. He might perhaps follow everybody whose books he reads and may be limited in his amount of reading books and papers, only concentrating on what he agrees with. His knowledge about us and other groups he tries to pull down, shows clearly enough he did not do enough research and did not read enough about those groups, their leaders and teachers, often having no clue at all about their teachings, the same as with us. Or, in case he knows what our and their teachings are and what the background is of those groups he writes about, then it is clear he wants to spread fake news (therewith wanting to be popular in these times of someone speaking all the time of fake news) or does not mind to bring all sorts of inaccuracies to bring damage to those societies or communities.

Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 8 by D Norris on Exposing Christian error -about JW + Cd + false prophecies ~~~ Russell never made his own Bible or Scripture or never made our Holy Scriptures, like Norris wants his readers to believe.

Mr. Norris has also clearly a different view of what a cult is than what the state or a court would consider a cult or a sect. We can assure all his and our readers they do not have to worry that we would try to lure them in a sect and like certain churches do, then demand money and oblige them to stay with us. Every body is free to come and free to go in our churches (ecclesiae).

Only if one wants to join our community (as a member) we ask the candidate to believe in God as the Only True God and to believe that through God His only begotten beloved son salvation has come upon mankind and that this man of flesh and blood is the way to God and now the mediator between God and the people and is our high priest for God.

Psalms 83:18 (AKJV)
18 That men may know that you, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, are the most high over all the earth.

Romans 10:13 (AKJV)
13 For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Matthew 3:16-17 (AKJV)
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, see, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting on him: 17 And see a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 14:6 (AKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

1 Timothy 2:5 (AKJV)
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Hebrews 12:24 (AKJV)
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things that that of Abel.

Hebrews 3:1 (AKJV) Hebrews 3
1 Why, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Hebrews 6:20 (AKJV)
20 Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Clearly the intentions of Mr. Dave Norris can be seen in his many articles against Catholics and all sorts of Protestants, Emergent Church, Extreme Prophetic Movement, Hebrew Roots Movement, but also Judaism. Main churches also do not escape his acid pen. But Non-Trinitarians seem to work on him as a red cloth on a bull. He not only writes about them a lot of lies but also has no decency when they write to him in a polite manner. Some of his replies may be lot worse than the once shown here (and therefore we would not make public.).

An example of the way Mr. Dave Norris answers people who wrote to him

An example of the way how Mr. Dave Norris react to people when they ask him to show the link for the article he talks about in a previous reply, him writing: “I linked to an article from Wikipedia it clearly states your history. Russell did many false prophecies as in his successor Rutherford Hayes. You need to Bone up on your history.” And we having stated that there is no such page in Wikipedia telling about the history of the Belgian Biblestudents.

Though we can only find

Proof of “Belgian Bible Students” Wikipedia page not existing on 2018 August 11

 

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Preceding

Charles Taze Russell and what he started

Was Russell and Rutherford “Illuminati”?

Jesse Hemery and the The Goshen Fellowship

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS) main groups that broke away

Different approach in organisation of services #1

Different approach in organisation of services #2

Different approach in organisation of services #3

Belonging to or being judged by

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

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Please find also to read

1. International Biblestudents Association
2. International Bible Students Association
3. International Bible Students Association
4. Jehovah’s Witness
5. Charles Taze Russell
6.  Dawn Bible Students Association
7. Italian Bible Students Association in Hartford, CT Christian Millennial Fellowship
8. What are Brothers in Christ
9. Who are Christadelphians
10. Against the anti Jehovah people
11. Unmasking anti Jehovah sites and people
12. Aim of Unmasking anti Jehovah people
13. Joseph Rutherford with the iron glove
14. To remove the whitewash of the Jehovah Witnesses as being the only true Bible Students and Bible Researchers
15. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
16. Faith coming by hearing and sent preacher gift from God
17. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
18. Confrontation by people telling lies to force others to avoid the targetted groups
19. For those who do everything to stop the work of Christadelphians
20. Who cries out against a hearty and uncompromising castigation of error
21. re-frame obligation into conscious choices
22. Christianity primarily a matter of imitation

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When Jesus speaks of obedience, he is speaking of a lifestyle of devotion to that which garners his devotion. Jesus’ disciples obey him by keeping what he keeps, and holding on to that which he holds… with a steadfast dedication. Once again we see our definition of a disciple emerge:

Necessity to imitate the Jewish master teacher Jeshua or Jesus Christ, following his commandments trying to become like him, is what the Belgian Bible Students do.

Related

1. 4 attacks on Jehovah’s Witnesses churches linked -25k reward offered
2. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?
3. Romans 8:12-17 – Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ
4. Brothers in Christ – bond in Christ
5. Loving One Another
6. 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 10-16 – Facing the challenges of ministry
7. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
8. Get to Know Your Sources
9. Illogical thinking is extraordinarily widespread
10. Untruth…
11. Stubborn Things
12. The Truth And The Untruth Lay On The Same Level.
13. The Death of Truth: Indications of Untruth in Trump’s Age
14. First Principles: Falseness of Tongue Leads To Falseness of Heart
15. How accurate is your knowledge? What you read, see, hear, and say…
16. To the Compulsive Liar
17. The Value of Truth
18. Myths About Net Neutrality
19. Lovers of God are Better Lovers
20. Part 1 – Your Relationship with God
21. 6 Priorities You Need
22. Four – Understanding Our Purpose, p. 126 Jesus came to be what the original Adam was supposed to be: the very “image” of God.
23. Four – Understanding Our Purpose, p. 128
24. Six – Understanding the Holy Spirit, p. 176
25. Six – Understanding the Holy Spirit, p. 178
26. Imitating Jesus — From the new book Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus)
27. Following Jesus requires you to grow up
28. Proclamation
29. Ep. 4 – Jehovah’s Witnesses
30. Notes on the Proclaimers Book
31. Some Prophetic Speculations
32. Jehovah’s Witness Myopic View Of Jesus (I)
33. Jehovah’s Witnesses and False Prophecies
34. Dance me to the end

Belgian Bible Students review of 2015

2015 the year where terrorist acts demanded so much attention of people that some of them got over-frightened and even did not want to have refugees in their neighbourhood.

In the year that climate change at last got some more attention, every day hundreds of stories were produced on any given day and people before, between and after work are confronted with loads of messages, which because of the big amount do not move them so much any more.

There were some lunatics who took others with them into death, for own personal reasons, for revenge at the society or for religious reasons.

Two Airbus A319 of Germanwings at Stuttgart Airport (STR) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There was the Germanwings plane crash – as it happened, Paris attacks which killed more than 120 people – as it happened, and as such Europe came at war with the known but also unknown enemy. Paris terror attacks: Hollande says Isis atrocity was ‘act of war’.

In the Time to consider how to care for our common home many people in 2015 also got lost. Lost at sea: the man who vanished for 14 months. It took a long time before more Europeans became moved by what was happening with those people who are looking for some safer place than Syria or Iraq. Shocking images of drowned Syrian boy show tragic plight of refugees.

For some the end of capitalism has begun. Others clearly see the signs we have be warned off by the very old words in the Book of books.
We too, prefer to listen to those words and let them guide us. We take them at heart and do know that we are going to come to face a hard time. Therefore it is so important that more Bible students and Bible scholars warn the people of what is going to happen. Therefore we also shall continue in 2016 to bring our messages.

We know that there has been a Christian group whose confident prediction of the end of the world proved wrong but we are convinced all the prophesies given in the Bible shall come true. We also know nobody knows the exact date, but we are warned that we can and should come to see the signs of it. And we have come in a time that we can no longer ignore the signs.

Our world may have been confronted with the neural network that throws up hallucinatory images; and the Taiwanese boy who punched a hole through a 350-year-old, $1.5m painting, we should know that all the material around us is not of such an importance but that we should aim at the spiritual and the more important value, the Way to God and the Way to enter the Kingdom of God.

This 323rd message on Bible Students, placed on January the 11th, 2016, after we got a total of 26 915 views since 2010 when we started on WordPress, looks back on 2015 and looks forward to 2016, the year we want to offer you more writings and more interesting thoughts.

We are thankful that You come along here and without your presence our work would not be of much use.

In 2015, the year of Rumours of problems in Roman Catholic Church, there were 93 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 321 posts, which were getting views from 128 countries. today we have already 322 postings and now you are reading our 323rd publication on this site, but do not forget you also may find writings by us on Stepping Toes were we talked a.o. about Roman, Aztec and other rites still influencing us today and on From Guestwriters, were we entered the abortion debate.

We try to reach as many people as possible and also try to bring some articles in the different main languages of our guest country Belgium, where German is also spoken and were the German article Der heilige Geist wird euch an alle Dinge erinnern got the most comments in 2015.

We sincerely hope we may find you under our readers again in 2016 and the following years and hope to bring more articles which can please you and be of interest for many.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 7,700 times in 2015. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Find additional reading

1. State of Europe 2015 – Addressing Europe’s crises
2. Asylum seekers crisis and Europe’s paralysis
3. What we don’t say about the refugee crisis?
4. Paris attacks darkening the world
5. Brussels-born Salah Abdeslam key suspect Paris terrorist attacks
6. Summary for the year 2015 #1 Threat and fear
7. Summary for the year 2015 # 2 Strewn with corpses and refugees
8. 2015 In the Picture
9. 2015 Human rights
10. 2015 Health and Welfare
11. 2015 Ecology
12. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
13. Refugee crisis, terrorist attacks and created fear
14. French Muslims under attack
15. Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris
16. Trump brand of migrant demonization #1
17. Trump brand of migrant demonization #2
18. Solidarité: The Paris Attack and the Refugee Crisis
19. Children of Men
20. How to make sustainable, green habits second nature
21. Vatican against Opponents of immigration
22. Greenpeace demands scale up of ecological farming
23. Republican member of Congress from Arizona to boycott pope’s address over climate change
24. Vatican meeting of mayors talking about global warming, human trafficking and modern-day slavery
25. Paris World Summit of Conscience, International interfaith gathering #1
26. Paris World Summit of Conscience, International interfaith gathering #2
27. Paris World Summit of Conscience, International interfaith gathering #3
28. 2015 Summit of Consciences for the Climate
29. Senator Loren Legarda says climate change not impossible to address
30. Shaped by years of unprecedented outreach and public engagement
31. Building a low-carbon world: the sixth industrial revolution
32. Natural capital in concept works. They know it, we know it, but how come it rarely translates at the coal-face of sustainable development?
33. A Miracle of Unity at COP21
34. Time to consider how to care for our common home
35. Rumours of problems in Roman Catholic Church
36. Bijbelvorsers Blogging annual report and 2015 in review

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Others looking back at 2015

1. The Unified Field, Soul Partnership and More.
2. Dear 2015
3. Ode to 2015
4. The last sunset
5. 2015 (londondiaryblog)
6. 2015 – year of continued subjugation of Indian males
7. The 2015 change
8. A New Year: 2015 In Review and Plans for 2016!
9. A highlight of 2015
10. Farewell 2015
11. Flash backs [2015]
12. My top stories of 2015
13. Global Bubblegum Market 2015 Industry Insights, Study, Forecasts, Outlook, Development, Growth, Overview and Demands
14. 2015 (damanizayas)
15. Year in Review
16. Sal Gomez Photography Video Slide Shows – A Year End Retrospective
17. Goodbye 2015..
18. My Achievements for 2015
19. 2015 in Review: Original
20. 5 Things I Take Away From 2015.
21. Favorite-est things from #2015
22. End of the Year Survey 2015!
23. My Goodreads Year in Review
24. The Annual End of Year Book Survey: 2015 Edition!
25. The best books I read this year
26. 2015: a year in review
27. 2015 Favorites: Brushes!
28. 2015 was great…
29. 2015: A bad year of Tollywood
30. 2015. (ichamber17)
31. 2015 in review (thegatheringfire)
32. As the Year 2015 Go
33. Kaleidoscope of 2015
34. 2015… (leahlorenesjourney)
35. “New Year, New Me”
36. Bye bye 2015 and welcome 2016
37. A Thank You Note to 2015
38. Thank you, 2015. Welcome, 2016
39. 2015 In Review// Thanks
40. Goodbye 2015
41. 2015 in Blogging Annual Report (honeycrunch32)
42. 2015 in Blogging Annual Report (nailsbyhoneycrunch321)
43. FOOD for Life’s 2015 in review
44. Nia 2015 – Beyond 21st Century Sharecropping
45. Reflecting on 2015
46. As 2015 fades into history, hello 2016
47. 2016
48. Looking Back…
49. 2015: A Year in Songs & Haikus

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Related articles

• CONFIRMED! Paris TERRORIST planner eluded authorities with FAKE SYRIAN PASSPORT, came through GREECE
• What is the craziest thing you have seen on a NYC subway?
• What Was JUST Discovered About The Paris Terror Mastermind CONFIRMS Our GREATEST FEAR…
• Source claims Paris terror ringleader returned via Greek island
• Paris Terror Attacks “Chauffeur” Accomplice Linked to Alleged Brussels Jewish Museum Killer – please edit
• 2 men arrested, possibly connected to Paris terror attacks
• COUNTER-TERRORISM: Finding The Weak Link
• Beware the EU’s Dictatorial Border Control Plans
• Paris Attacks: A Wake Up Call For Europe’s Security Theatre
• Beauty of European Christmas Markets in 14 Photos

2010 – 2014 in review

As we already wrote in some previous articles 2014 was not a jubilant year for the Biblestudents and for the Christadelphians in Belgium. They had to face opposition and even people who wanted to silence them.

Because having had some censorship on other websites and some people working against us, we thought it perhaps useful for others (and for ourselves) to show to the outside world that we do not give up and keep going strong.

On 2005 November 11 we started at MSN with our Welkomstwoord, a word of welcoming those who would find us on the internet and greeted those who knew us also from Blogger. Some older articles we placed also on this platform and therefore we said: Welcome to some older articles.

In October 2010 we transferred everything to WordPress and started our publications on this platform, explaining who we are, what we believe and what we want to do.From January 2011 until March 2012 no time was found to publish something on the WordPress Biblestudents site. From April 2012 our motor started very slowly.

Mount Everest from Kalapatthar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When you know that 600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012 we at the Low Countries could only get about 3,200 views that year. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 5 years to get that many views.

In 2012, there were only 27 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 74 posts. The year after we managed to publish 87 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 161 posts. We got about 7,600 views in 2013. for 2012 the busiest day of the year was January 9th with 49 views. The most popular post that day was Wat wij geloven. The busiest day of the year 2013 was March 27th with 99 views. The most popular post that day was 14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain.

Our train started to get under-way. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people as we found visiting us. It does not always went in crescendo, so last year we saw less people willing to go along with us on our trip into the Christian world. Again the busiest day seemed to be at the beginning of the year. January 11th  got the marker with 73 views. The most popular post that day was Over ons.

In 2014, there were 63 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 227 posts.

For 20112 and 2013 Watchtowers’s new face earned the two best places.

In 2014 most people did find us along:

1. facebook.com
2. christadelphians.wordpress.com
3. twitter.com
4. bijbelvorser.wordpress.com
5. WordPress.com Reader

On January the 20th of 2015 we got a total of 19,623 views over 227 postings. At the moment the most popular page is the homepage with 11,740 views, followed by

Broeders en Zusters in Christus door de eeuwen heen #13 Hutterieten, Hussisme en Eenheid van Broederschap		404
Broeders en Zusters in Christus door de eeuwen heen #12 Anabaptisten		364
Wat wij geloven		349
Eerste Eeuw van het Christendom		347
Watchtowers’s new face		337
What we believe		289
Over ons		280
About us		187
The blot not to be seen		181
After the Sabbath after Passover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ		149

For 2015 we do hope to publish more articles t regular intervals, and look forward to have you as a regular reader, also willing to stimulate us by marking those articles you like and by letting others also know this side which shall try to present Bible verses in different translations and related comments, plus news around bible students from all over the world.

We also shall continue to contribute to the two lifestyle magazines: Stepping toes and From Guestwriters, where you can find our following writings:

 At Stepping Toes:

We were astonished to see how many article we published on there:

2013

1. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
2. Dignified role for the woman
3. Father and motherhood
4. Uit huis werkende moeders
5. Noble motherhood and women
6. Children Can Be So…
7. Importance of parents 2
8. Aligned
9. Equal?
10. Stand Up
11. A New Perspective
12. Science and the Bible—Do They Really Contradict Each Other?
13. Thomas Aquinas on Wisdom by Robert M. Woods
14. Stemt de Bijbel overeen met de wetenschap
15. Are Science and the Bible Compatible?
16. Science and Religion Harmonized (Once and For All…)
17. Wetenschap en religie zijn met elkaar te rijmen
18. Vier redenen vóór de opstanding
19. Reconciling Science and Religion
20. Vruchten van geest beletten hetzij inactief of onvruchtbaar te zijn
21. Fruits of the spirit will prevent you from being either inactive or unfruitful
22. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 1 Inleiding
23. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 2 Hoe te vinden
24. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 3 Zin van Christus
25. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 4 Zin van Christus leren kennen
26. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 5 Vrucht van de geest
27. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 6 Spiritualiteit en gebed
28. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 7 Prediking van het goede nieuws
29. Op zoek naar spiritualiteit 8 Eigen spiritualiteit
30. Looking for True Spirituality 1 Intro
31. Looking for True Spirituality 2 Not restricted to an elite
32. Looking for True Spirituality 3 Mind of Christ
33. Looking for True Spirituality 4 Getting to Know the Mind of Christ
34. Looking for True Spirituality 5 Fruitage of the Spirit
35. Looking for True Spirituality 6 Spirituality and Prayer
36. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
37. Looking for True Spirituality 8 Measuring Up

2014

1. A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium
2. One Mind, One Accord
3. Lord and owner
4. Lord in place of the divine name
5. Vaderschap ingesteld verbondschap door de Schepper
6. Vaderschap complex en uniek verschijnsel 1/2
7. Vaderschap complex en uniek verschijnsel 2/2
8. Vader tegenhanger van de moeder
9. Father counterpart of the mother
10. Beminnen en pespecteren van man en vrouw
11. Loving and having respect for the woman
12. Verleiding in het huwelijk
13. Temptation in matrimony
14. Magnificent bride for royal wedding
15. Jerusalem and a son’s kingdom
16. The Genre of the Gospels
17. God Our Refuge
18. Waarom God lijden toe laat
19. Why God permits evil
20. Evil Never Ceases

At From Guestwriters

we presented following writings:

1. Putting your feelings into words and sharing them
2. A Bird’s-Eye View of Fishing
3. Warm-blooded, feathered vertebrates
4. Before the Sun Rises
5. Elul Observances
6. The Cares of Life
7. A voice cries out: context
8. 112314 – A Peculiar People

°°°

For major happenings to us in 2014 you may look at:

Joining for a new year in the assurance to be bought with a price

Different approach in organisation of services #3

and A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,700 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

 

Find also

From guestwriters  2014 in review

Stepping Toes 2014 in review

Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review

Broeders in Christus 2013 & 2014 in review

My blogs 2014 in review

Not so much Related articles

• 3 Steps to Make 2015 an Epic Year [Link]
• You just keep on using me, ’til you use me up.
• A Short Argument For Adventure
• Crazy Image Shows What The Largest Volcano In The Solar System Would Look Like On Earth
• Crazy Image Shows What The Largest Volcano In The Solar System Would Look Like On Earth
• Pakistani Brother & Sister Summit 7 Tallest Mountains in 7 Countries
• Nepal’s Fifteen-Hour Jeep Ride From Hell
• Nepal’s Fifteen-Hour Jeep Ride From Hell
• VIDEO: The geese that fly over Mt Everest
• Phillip Hughes’ bat to be placed atop Mt. Everest

A new school-, academic and church year

The first of September is in many countries the beginning of the new school year and the first of October the beginning of the new academic year.

That first day of a new year brings a lot of excitement and many questions with it. Every  “Beginning” brings expectations with it and brings an exciting experience. Some of those experiences bring over and over again, each year, new tensions or get us nerve system working strong. The adrenaline gets high.

Such a beginning of a “new year” gives us the opportunity to bring a brush-stroke over the previous year. We take the opportunity to make a new start again. We also dare to give free space to new ideas and projects which can stimulate us and others to continue with renewed energy.

The freshness of a new project or a new relationship sharpens our senses. When that novelty diminishes, though, it’s difficult to maintain the same level of excitement. so often when the year progresses people become less enthusiast or tired. They loose energy and are not so willing any more to spend energy in what they started earlier.

On the first of September many little toddlers face their first day in “the big world”. From then onwards their protected little world of the safe ‘home’ shall not be there always. They shall get to face the cruelty of the world, with others not liking them, or being jealous. By time they shall become confronted with infliction of physical or mental distress. Throughout its life the growing up person will have to find compromises between the claims of the narcissistic pole of his drives and the intensity of his love for the object. They shall have to proof themselves and to defend themselves, making sure they can stand straight  and endure all the hardships which shall come over them.

For many it will be looking afraid at the day, which according to the Hebrew mode, is conceived as a measure to be filled up. The apostles also once had taken refuge in their small safe house.

From the second day of unleavened bread they for fifty days had got very strange experiences which frightened them so much they had closed all doors and did not dare to come out and meet the people who laughed at the followers of the man which was impaled and could not bring any message in public any more because he had become part of the dead.

Christ his disciples were also in doubt and in expectancy.  In those days of expectancy they felt that they had to stick together, united in the thoughts of their master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ). A cycle of seven times seven days, from the time of the gathering of the sheaf of first-fruits, had past. At the day of the anniversary of the Law covenant at Sinai they suddenly where shaken.

The same eleven apostles who witnessed their master’s ascension were in the upper room complying with the injunction of Jeshua, waiting in an attitude of prayer and expectancy, and in readiness to begin their mission. Following the order to stay together and to come close to each other in prayer, they had enough time to think about all the things that happened in those three years of public preaching of Jeshua.

The decent of the Holy Spirit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At that moment they did not know yet they where going to go through something very unique which would give them the nerve to get out of their enclosure. They would receive Power from above which was going to give them enough guts to dare to speak about unbelievable events.

For many a new year going into a new initiative demands a plan which shows great daring.

In Acts 2 we can find a process of fulfilment described.  As in the other writings of the Book of books we get an inside view of how God worked to gather a new community of believers to Himself. Pentecost and the arrival of the Holy Spirit signalled a new era and produced a new community, as both Jews and “devout men from every nation under heaven” converted to what would be later called the Christian faith (Acts 2:5).

“Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.” (Acts 2:5 NIV)

Now, many centuries later, it’s easy for us to see Pentecost as the pivotal moment in the history of the Church — an unparalleled event that changed the world forever. It must have been incredible to see those young men  coming onto the street and having them speaking in so many tongues that all sorts of tourists and inhabitants could understand them.

There where Christ Jesus never brought so many to convert and to be baptised those shy disciples over-won their fear and got on the street to speak in the name of God, telling what for importance Jesus is for humankind. Three thousand people came to faith.

When we celebrate the holiday of Pentecost, however, we are remembering the firstfruits of the harvest — the coming of the Holy Spirit and the original community of believers under Jesus Christ. Firstfruits are only the start of a harvest; they hint at future abundance. Every year we can see how plants are coming up again and how the cereal crop comes nice brown to be reaped. The grain crop harvested brings again new seed for the next year. Every-time there has to be sown and harvested, over and over again. In schools and as a service in Christian churches in many countries the people have a harvest festival, a celebration of the annual harvest, but also a thanksgiving for the fruits they may receive and bear.

The harvest the Greek writings is speaking of is the continuing process of people who get inspired by the work of Christ and his disciples and follow the master teacher his commission. We as a community do hope we can bring the seeds in fertile ground and shall be able to fertilise it well, so that it can bear good fruits.

 

As the young children at school have to respond to the bell, giving the sign to enter the class. We also should enter the class of the disciples, following our teacher, the rabbi Jeshua. Fresh at the beginning of the year we should be eager to learn new things and be curious what we can find in all those Books. God has prepared the Knowledge for us. We can take it or leave it. It is our free choice. Nothing is pushed forward, but the call of Jesus sounds all over the earth and everywhere the gospel of the Good News should be preached.

Each person that calls himself or herself a Christian should every year again take up the good spirit to tell the world what happened with the impaled Nazarene and his followers, who gave an example for the world to follow.

The wonders that began at Pentecost should still be happening today. On that day when the Holy spirit came over the disciples the start was given to a new era. A new beginning could take place.  It were the first days of the church which had to come into being.
Today there are still many places on earth where such seeds should be planted. Belgium is no exception. It is a very difficult ground. Like there are many clay grounds in Brabant, hard to work on, we do have to work hard to get people coming to our ecclesiae (churches). In Belgium there are many ‘babies’ waiting to go to kindergarten or school, to find more knowledge. They only have to find ways in doing it, finding the right knowledge.

At the beginning of a new church year we should offer our services to God and should express our hope that our community shall be blessed by Him. That we may find strength to continue the important work and receive enough knowledge, given to us by God’s Power (the Holy Spirit). We ask God that we can have enough patience to continue to preach His Word and to plants seeds wherever He wants.

Each of us should open his or her mind and heart for the teachings of Jesus and should be eager to come like Christ. We all should do our best to put on the armour of Christ and to open our mouths, bringing the Good News to the world. Witnessing about the coming Kingdom of God we should allow God to work in us and to have Him renewing us. He is active and present in our lives, just as He was gathering His Church about 20 centuries ago.

We need a fresh perspective. The beginning of the new academic and church year may bring that. We need the motivation and the boldness of the apostles and followers of Christ Jesus of the first hour. We need to rekindle our original excitement when announcing that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, because He is at work, in us and around us.

To have a successful new year the ecclesia needs the Light of the Spirit. Without the Power of God we are nothing. Like the apostles received the comforter from above, we also do need Light coming over us to be able to preach and to reach people, to bring them closer to God.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may enlighten us and give the force to go out in the world, making people aware of what God is willing to give to His People and how He wants us to be His children. It is God Who needs to give us power to be able to contribute to the formation of His Church. We can only hope we may be a work-instrument with many others, being thankful that we can receive so many blessings already here on this earth, preparing ourselves and others for the Kingdom of God.

 

A Protestant Church altar decorated for Pentecost with red burning candles and red banners and altar cloth depicting the fire and sound of blowing wind of the Holy Spirit. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

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Preceding article: An academic year ending, again a new year standing ready for us

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Additional readings:

1. First Century of Christianity
2. Promise of Comforter
3. Seven full weeks or seven completed Sabbaths and ascension of Jesus
4. Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1
5. Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 1
6. Hebraic Roots Bible Book of The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2
7. The Acts Of The Sent Ones Chapter 2
8. The day of the festival of Pentecost
9. Nazarene Acts of the Apostles Chapter 2 v1-13 Working Spirit
10. Speaking in tongues
11. Meaning of “speaking in tongues”
12. Tongues a sign of authenticity or divine backing
13. Coming to the end of the year
14. A new year with hopes and challenges
15. Passion and burn out of a teacher
16. An academic year ending, again a new year standing ready for us
17. Move forward, not standing still
18. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
19. Bringing Good News into the world

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• undefined (spiritualconnectedness.wordpress.com)
  Each of you acquires opinions and beliefs about yourself during your upbringing. You absorb ideas and images from your parents, family, peers, school, etc. You begin to play certain roles without questioning them, and you soon develop something called a “personality”: a set of habits, behaviors, and thoughts. But at some time in the course of growing up, something else awakens in you. First, it is no more than a whisper; a memory that you cannot place; a knowing that you are more than what is just determined by the world outside yourself. There is something deeper, a layer that cannot be contained and understood by the human intellect. Herein lies your core, that which precedes and survives the earthly sphere – your soul.
• Differences Between Pentecost and the Jewish Feast of Weeks (differencebetween.net)
  The children of Israel are also important on this occasion. In celebration of Pentecost, they are to bring two loaves of leavened bread to the temple. These loaves of leavened bread are used as wave offerings. They can only be eaten after the harvest ceremony is fully completed. The Jews also offer burnt animal offerings before the Lord. They can share and eat the meals with the poor people, and even the strangers.
• Pentecost (rjowles.wordpress.com)
  The Apostles and disciples were praying together and the Holy Spirit came, sounding like a forceful wind and “tongues” of fire settled on them and they began to preach. Saint Peter began to preach a sermon and the multicultural and multi-ethnic crowd each heard him preaching in their own language. Of course, many have attempted to explain this.
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  If Saint Peter preached and everyone, regardless of language, understood what he was saying in their own language (either by the Holy Spirit speaking a special language through him that is like the “Master Key” language that everyone understands, or through the Holy Spirit interpreting what he was saying within their own hearts), then Pentecost is the undoing of the confusion of language at Babel. If you remember the story of the Tower of Babel, before that time everyone spoke the same language and after that time God confused the language so that different people started speaking different languages. Perhaps, what happened is that the Holy Spirit was active within the world and after the Tower of Babel incident, the Holy Spirit retreated from the world at large, occasionally moving through people but not the world itself, until after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I will leave it to you to decide for or against that idea as you see fit.
• It’s Time to Celebrate! (tamimyer.wordpress.com)
  Pentecost is  a “firstfruits” celebration for us, too, meaning that we are offering to God our first and best–not our leftovers–both as an expression of gratitude for what He has given and also as a statement of confidence that He will provide again.
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  An interesting Jewish tradition on Pentecost is to read from Ezekiel 1, a passage which refers to a great windstorm and to fire. Perhaps these images were in the disciples’ thoughts as they then encountered for themselves the sound of a mighty wind and the sight of fire.
• Call Sinners to Respond to the Gospel! (defendingcontending.com)
  A child of God could faithfully give the gospel, speak of God and His character, man and His desperate need, Christ and His sufficient atonement, repentance and faith in clear terms, but one element that evangelists seem to omit is the urgent call for sinners to respond to the gospel!
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  Often, in the Temple against the backdrop of the hypocritical, works-righteousness system of Judaism, Christ would teach how He came down from heaven as the living Bread, as the water of life, as the door to heaven, as the Shepherd for the sheep, as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and he invited all to come to Him. If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me. He exemplified not only the clear and bold proclamation of gospel-truth, but he also modeled urgent and compassionate exhortations to respond to the gospel. We must do the same.
• The Feast of Shavuot (Pentecost) (yehudafm.wordpress.com)
  The early summer harvest of Shavuot in Israel was a small harvest in comparison to the larger harvest that came in the autumn of each year. This has prophetic significance. Strange as it might seem to mainstream Christianity today, God is not trying to save the whole world right now. He has planned a far larger harvest of souls when Jesus returns. Those of us who are saved today are only part of the smaller harvest. When most people in this present evil age are traveling the broad road to destruction, we have been uniquely called to enter in by the narrow gate that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14) and make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10).
• Firstfruits? Can an Old Testament holiday apply to your life today? (lightenough.wordpress.com)
  The ancient Israelites had an annual cycle of feasts or holidays (also called festivals) that they kept throughout the year as appointed by God. Four of these were in the spring, and three in the autumn. These holidays were a sacred time to remember God’s provisions in the past, His work in the present, and the hope of future provision.
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  By offering God a portion of the first fruit to ripen, it was also seen as a pledge, or an earnest, for the full harvest that was yet to come. It anticipated the harvest that would be reaped in the following months, even though it had not yet been received.
• “Ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,” (tru3j0y.wordpress.com)
  At this present moment we have the first fruits of the Spirit. We have repentance, that gem of the first water; faith, that priceless pearl; hope, the heavenly emerald; and love, the glorious ruby. We are already made “new creatures in Christ Jesus,” by the effectual working of God the Holy Ghost. This is called the firstfruit because it comes first. As the wave-sheaf was the first of the harvest, so the spiritual life, and all the graces which adorn that life, are the first operations of the Spirit of God in our souls. The firstfruits were the pledge of the harvest.
• In the Spirit — A Reflection for Pentecost (Gathering Voices) (bobcornwall.com)
  That was Jesus’ command to the gathered disciples on the day of his ascension. He had given them an assignment – go and be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. But to do this, they would need the baptism with the Spirit (Acts 1:1-11). This baptism with the Spirit would come on the day of Pentecost.
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  Pentecost offers us an excellent opportunity to consider the nature of our ministries and the way in which we are engaging the Spirit of God. Are we focused more on organizational principles learned from the secular world (not that we have nothing to learn) or are we rooting our ministry in the work of the Spirit?
• Acts 2 – The Image of Pentecost (readingacts.wordpress.com)
  The imagery of Pentecost may be important. Pentecost is a pilgrim-holiday also known as the Feast of Weeks or Shavuot.
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  The point of the festival was “to declare God’s ownership of the land and his grace in bringing forth food. According to a tradition found in the book of Jubilees, Pentecost was the day on which Moses was given the Law (cf. Tob 2:1, 2 Mac 12:32). This tradition is based on the belief that the Israelites arrived at Sinai 50 days after the first Passover (Exod 19:1). Some scholars (Knox, Snaith) have made a connection between this tradition and the gift of the Holy Spirit (ie., Moses gave out the Law to Israel on this day, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to the church). Fitzmyer thinks Luke was aware of the tradition since there are some indirect allusions to the giving of the Law in Acts 2, not the least of which is the image of fire descending (Exod 19:18).