THANKS BE TO GOD!!

I marvel every day that God ever saw fit to deliver ME from that bondage, when so many better people than I are still blinded by the awful mind control. There's not one day that goes by that I don't pray for them, as a group, and often reinforce it for certain individuals especially dear to me.

It was good when I began to understand that Jesus is God & He cares for me, He does love me & His goal isn't to unseat me or make my life miserable. He isn't there to tell me sacrifice, sacrifice, sacrifice & then tell me how much joy I have & what a happy person I am. …I am thankful for that 'inner' change that comes from a personal relationship with God.

Dear _____,

I just had a big smile on my face all through your letter....I know God has you exactly where He wants you!! He will do the moving and the working...you already know that!! But how thankful we can be just for that!! We don't have to worry about it!! Our pastor spoke something yesterday that I have heard so many times, but it always makes my heart so glad: He said "The doing is already done!! Christ did the work...we cannot do any work to make us acceptable before God!! We can be so thankful that the work is done, and we can be saved through our faith and trust in this completed work of Christ!"

This pastor does not know about the 2x2's...and other Christians might just yawn as they listen to this type of message...not out of disrespect, of course, but just because it is something they might have heard for many years and already have it engraved on their hearts.

But for those of us who have struggled with the 2x2's, these words are the engine that drives us to salvation...they are like the key that unlocks a jail cell!! They are like the proclamation of freedom...indeed they ARE freedom!! To hear that our Lord does not require us to LOOK a certain way (especially as women), DO or NOT DO certain things, follow blindly that exclusive dictatorship of a group of false preachers called "workers", etc., etc., to hear that these things are simply NOT required for salvation, or the HOPE of it....this is indeed FREEDOM!!

Anyway, sorry I got carried away!!

Much love to you!!

__________

I am eternally thankful that God made a way for us to be saved. Jesus, alone, is that way, not a form of fellowship or following a set of rules.

BTW, it is Thanksgiving day here today in Canada. I'm sure thankful for a ton of stuff. 10/96

We are thankful to be free of that bondage and thankful to Christ for his substitutionary death for our sins.

Remember God is Love and Christ died FOR us and there is nothing we can ever do to warrant heaven--Heaven is a gift because of God's love for us. We CAN accept it graciously and with much thankfulness. God is SO good!

I am so thankful for the birth of Jesus (His willingness to step out of eternity and into time), the life of Jesus (His perfect substitute life and His teachings), the death of Jesus (His atoning blood), the resurrection of Jesus (His triumph over death and the grave), and the life of Jesus in heaven at the right hand of our Father (His intercession for us).

Now out nearly four years. No fear. Love God. So thankful. HE knows me. HE loves me. HE is my saviour! I know I made the right decision--to leave. I'm actually glad now that I was in the 2x2s. God's plan for me was to bring me to a point that I cried out to Him. He did what was necessary to bring me to HIM.

I am thankful for that ‘inner’ change that comes from a personal relationship with God.

I’m just thankful that now I have the privilege of a personal relationship with Jesus!

There are some painful things in our past, and things that still exist today, which led us to the decisions we have made, but God has blessed us so richly with His love and grace that we are thankful for those experiences.

Christ did NOT come to earth to show me a way to live acceptably enough to earn my way into heaven!!!!! I know that there is NOTHING that *I* can do to be acceptable to God when it comes to eternal life. I'm a sinner. Period. Christ took my place. Period. He gets the credit and to Him I am thankful for taking my place on the cross.

Now the truth has set me free and I worship out of love, joy and thankfulness.

I'm so very thankful that I know what a real relationship with Jesus is now!!

I am thankful that the love and grace of Jesus are unconditional, and that my works will never be sufficient for salvation, because beside the sacrifice of Jesus, would never prove enough.

I'm just thankful that now I have the privilege of a personal relationship with Jesus!

I am so thankful to God, that He let me live long enough to find out the 'real' truth, which has broken the 'final bondage of MIND' that I didn't even know was still there. All my praise and thankgiving go to our God.