We sat under "the sound of the gospel" year after year. What follows is typical of what workers preach around the world:
[IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER; SOME WITH COMMENTS:]
God is still sending his ministers into the world today.
The Gospel is working quietly and goes unnoticed in the world.
The Gospel is given freely without charge and has come to Community X at a great cost.
We have to press into serving God.
If there is no cost to our sacrifice there is no joy.
[This is totally wrong. Jesus paid the price for our sins. The cost was HIS! Any efforts to sacrifice on our part is an insult to Christ's sacrifice!! Joy comes in knowing that THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS *HAS* BEEN PAID. Please refer to the sections on VOT about Salavation, Grace and Legalism.]
The people of this world know God's people (i.e. the 2x2s) have a higher standard than they do and these worldly people expect more from us.
We need to be very careful how we live our lives because the 'world' really watches us. Our testimony before the world is important.
God's people are a praying people and no people on earth are prayed for by others like God's people.
Faithful lives have preserved this Truth down through the ages.
In order to be a child of God you need to keep separate from the world and not associate with the people of this world.
A child of God keeps a pure home and doesn't allow influences of this world to enter into their homes.
[For example, television]
If Jesus came back would he be pleased with the books you have in your home?
We need to feed on the things of God and not on the appetites of this world.
It is sad so many cannot stand correction from God's servants and they turn away from following his true way.
If a servant of God tells you to do something, you do it, and God will reward you for it.
God's Way is a way of Truth.
["Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6 The "Way" referred to in the Bible is Jesus-- NOT a particular group of people or a way of worshipping.]
The world is full of head knowledge but in God's way you get true wisdom from God.
When we are out among the world can they see that we have a different spirit? Do we just go along with the crowd or are we taking a stand for Truth when none of the workers or friends are around?
The false churches have good clean living people but these people are not of God! They talk a good talk on Sunday but their lives do not back up what they speak about in their sermons.
[A 'false church' is any one OTHER than the 2x2 group according to the no-name sect.]
I would rather SEE a sermon than hear one any day.
People say that the ministry cannot operate in the world today like it did in Jesus' time. We are here to tell you that it can work today. It is working in this little meeting and little meetings like it all over the world.
The ministers of the world get all that head knowledge at their seminaries but God's true servants get their knowledge from above. And God's servants don't speak from written notes but speak words given by God.
God's people never cease to give thanks in meetings; thankful for the way, the servants and God's love in sending his servants to them.
I remember sitting in gospel meetings and being troubled. This was the work of the Holy Spirit searching my heart. My flesh resisted but I am glad I made that choice when I did.
False religions of this world spend a lot of money on huge edifices but God's people have sweet fellowship in humble homes around the world.
The people of this world do not understand why we value the meetings so much but they are our lives. Without the meetings we would perish.
I hate to see some of our weaker saints not valuing their privileges of meeting attendance. Satan has caused them to value other things instead of fellowship with God's people.
If it were not for the People of God the Lord would probably destroy the earth since God's people are the only ones obeying his will.
I used to look upon the people of God and see their pure and clean lives and think I could never live that kind of a strict life. But God gives us the power and grace to do so.
Convention is like heaven. In heaven, though, we will be able to give our testimonies forever. No time constraints there! We will have new bodies so we will not get tired.
If we do not love meetings or conventions now heaven will not be the place for us!
We can measure our love for God by our love to attend meetings.
If we want God's blessings we cannot afford to give up the struggle. If there is no struggle there is no life.
[This is so wrong! In actual fact, once we accept Jesus as our personal savior the Holy Spirit indwells us and we no longer have to 'struggle' as we can focus on Jesus and NOT on anything WE do!]
It is hard to explain to the world what we have in the Truth. We have no name or organization but we are the most privileged people on earth.
[Of course the "Truth" has in fact registered with various governments with various names! The "Truth" most certainly IS an organization!]
It is good when the people of this world see a unity amongst God's people. The people of this world have no order about their lives.
When the people of God fit into the standard of Jesus as preached by God's true servants there is perfect unity. We do not see unity in the false churches of the religious world.
If God is allowed to fashion our hearts, our dress and appearance will show the difference between those of God and those in the world.
God's people have a unity that the world marvels at. The people of the world notice that God's people have a unity unlike any other group in the world.
God's Way is the same the world over.
Convention is a little taste of heaven.
The enemy will be more persistent to temp us after leaving convention.
The servant's of God never contradict one another from the platform.
Jesus in John 15 spoke about the true vine. The branches were all attached to the vine. Thus fruit was produced.
God's people are different because we are fitting into the vine and the same fruit is produced in our lives. If we are all fitting in a perfect unity can take place.
A little Sunday morning meeting needs unity. Be careful that divisions do not take place.
When people start taking their own way and stop fitting in it can cause trouble in the church which is what Satan wants. Satan is at war with God and His true church.
Avoid the fashions of this world and the pleasures of this world that can
rob us of the time to fit in to God's will.
Friends please keep fitting in and filling your little place with meekness and humility.
How good if we are of a soft and tender heart and recieve the gospel in
our hearts. We can look forward to eternal life with God forever.