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The teaching and vindication of William Branham are under intense scrutiny. People in the message are asking questions and are not satisfied | [[File:Helping hand.jpg|right]] | ||
The teaching and vindication of William Branham are under intense scrutiny. People in the message are asking questions and are not satisfied with being ignored. | |||
=Our real purpose= | =Our real purpose= | ||
If you are in the agonizing process of questioning or even leaving the Message of the Hour, we want to help you. The purpose of this website is not to ridicule the message and it is not to throw rocks at William Branham. Our true purpose is to show those that are questioning the message that there is a deeper understanding of the Gospel and a closer relationship with Jesus Christ that is available for them. | If you are in the agonizing process of questioning or even leaving the Message of the Hour, we want to help you. The purpose of this website is not to ridicule the message and it is not to throw rocks at William Branham. Our true purpose is to show those that are questioning the message that there is a deeper understanding of the Gospel and a closer relationship with Jesus Christ that is available for them. | ||
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===There are problems in the message=== | ===There are problems in the message=== | ||
If you are a true Christian, you will realize that there are | If you are a true Christian, you will realize that there are huge spiritual problems, in message churches. For example, when people leave, they are shunned and forgotten. But Jesus told us: | ||
:''“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them—what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. When you find it, you are so happy that you put it on your shoulders and carry it back home. Then you call your friends and neighbours together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost sheep. Let us celebrate!’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.<ref>Luke 15:4–7 (GNB)</ref> | :''“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them—what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. When you find it, you are so happy that you put it on your shoulders and carry it back home. Then you call your friends and neighbours together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost sheep. Let us celebrate!’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.<ref>Luke 15:4–7 (GNB)</ref> | ||
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=Now what?= | =Now what?= | ||
[[File:Woman at screen.jpg|right]] | [[File:Woman at screen.jpg|250px|right]] | ||
What you cannot really know until you leave the Message is exactly how many people are walking away. Most of you are not in a position to ask or find out because you are protecting yourself and the thoughts you are secretly thinking. | What you cannot really know until you leave the Message is exactly how many people are walking away. Most of you are not in a position to ask or find out because you are protecting yourself and the thoughts you are secretly thinking. | ||
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We would strongly encourage you to go to [http://morningmercy.com/ Morning Mercy], a website resource of healing & refuge for those on the journey out of the “Message of the Hour”. Some of the information on this page is taken from that website. We encourage you to contact them directly or [[Contact information|email us]]. We are all here to provide assistance on your spiritual journey. | We would strongly encourage you to go to [http://morningmercy.com/ Morning Mercy], a website resource of healing & refuge for those on the journey out of the “Message of the Hour”. Some of the information on this page is taken from that website. We encourage you to contact them directly or [[Contact information|email us]]. We are all here to provide assistance on your spiritual journey. | ||
= | =If you are afraid= | ||
Please realize that fear is not from God. | |||
:''The opposite of love is not hate... but fear. It says in 1 John 4:18, “… perfect love casts out fear.” Maybe you thought the opposite of love is hate. Not biblically. The opposite of love is fear, because love is self-opening. Love is service. Whenever you serve somebody you make yourself vulnerable. | |||
:''Here is a [quote of C.S. Lewis]... “Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one … Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in the casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” The opposite of love is not hate but fear.<ref>Timothy J. Keller, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive (New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2013)</ref> | |||
If you are afraid, just stop. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and pray. Ask God to lead you and to direct you into truth. | |||
Jesus said: | |||
:''...ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For all those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks. | |||
:''Would any of you who are fathers give your son a snake when he asks for fish? Or would you give him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13Bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”<ref>Luke 11:9–13 (GNB)</ref> | |||
So ask God for wisdom, guidance and direction. He won't lead you astray. | |||
=Other Resources= | |||
Here is a list of Books and reference sources for Christians who have come out of the message. | |||
==Books== | |||
'''"Irresistible"''' by Andy Stanley - This book is the perfect antidote for the legalism of the message. | |||
'''"Crazy Love"''' by Francis Chan - The concept of Christianity as taught in the message can be quite warped. If you are REALLY interested in a relationship with Jesus Christ, you must read this book. The author's introduction to the book is [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvtNTUV9O50 here.] | |||
'''"The Forgotten God"''' by Francis Chan - This is about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church and is a good read after Crazy Love. | |||
'''"Out of the Cults and Into the Church"''' by Janis Hutchinson - This book has helped people with the relational parts of leaving and the mental "fog" involved in leaving the message. | |||
'''"The Twisted Scriptures"''' by C W Ketcherside - This is a really tough read, but it's short. One example from it is the Amos scripture that talks about "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" This is often taken out of context to mean people who disagree doctrinally should not associate with each other. In the cultural context, the sentence was speaking of the necessity of making an appointment to meet someone (agree to meet up at a certain time) if you were going to journey together. It's part of a poetic list of questions to which the answer is always no, ending with "Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has done it?" | |||
'''"How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth"''' by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart - In coming out of the Message, it is important to have some idea on how to properly read and interpret Scripture. This book gives a very balanced approach to understanding genre, author's purpose/intention, and other consideration for interpreting Scripture to draw out the original meaning while minimizing our prejudices. | |||
'''"The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse"''' by David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen - The lessons learned from this book will help a great deal. The chapters on revictimizing victims of abuse as well as the section on leaders getting trapped themselves are very helpful. | |||
'''"Letters to a Devastated Christian"''' by Gene Edwards This is a quick read at roughly 90 pages of large print. | |||
'''"Changes that Heal"''' by Dr. Henry Cloud (a Christian psychologist). Very interesting, very practical, and easy to read. | |||
==Free Sermons== | |||
[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwVGM_h4Gw76NHThLlrK3yw Jeff Bucknam] - Simple expository preaching. | |||
[https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/timothy-keller-podcast/id352660924 Tim Keller]- His half hour sermons are the most succinct, yet profound, preaching we have ever heard. | |||
[http://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/media/sermons Jim Cymbala and Tim Dilena at Brooklyn Tab] - Sermons by the author of Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. | |||
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[[Category:Leaving the message]] | |||