"Christian" Dedication

The following video is of a JW playing "Christian Dedication" from the Sing Praises to Jehovah songbook on his guitar. His arrangement closely matches the piano version played at the meetings and the orchestral versions used at assemblies and conventions.

The melody is warm and pleasant. The last line would always choke us up.

Lyrics:

Because Jehovah created the universe so grand.
To him belong the earth and sky, the works of his own hand.
The breath of life he has given and to his creatures shown
that worthy is he to have the praise, the worship of all his own.

The ancient nation of Israel, at Sinai they did say:
The Law Jehovah's given us we gladly will obey.
He was their husbandly owner; he bought them from the sea.
A nation of dedicated ones they always should prove to be.

In water Jesus was baptized to righteousness fulfill
And humbly he did there present Himself to do God's will.
When he came up from the Jordan as God's anointed Son,
Obedient and loyal he would serve as God's consecrated One.

We come before you Jehovah to praise your name so great.
Disowning self, with humble hearts our life we dedicate.
You gave your only begotten, who paid the price so high.
No longer as living for ourselves for you we shall live or die.

Solemnly Testify

Acts 10:42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.

I can barely hold back the tears.

Just what would I have done if I had been walking out of the Convention Center after a long day with friends and family? Would I have pretended not to listen, not to be bothered, not to be affected by their words?

These people are doing the Lord's work.

"The Bible says that it pleased Yahweh to crush His Son. And if he will crush His Son what makes you think He will not crush you because of your sins?" (see Isaiah 53:10)

Ps. That green book is their 1961 edition of the New World Translation. It is no longer used even though a few words were changed.

Two Resurrections--With or Without Christ?

The recent trend in Watchtower articles indicate an attempt to diminish a central teaching of theirs: that millions living in the early twentieth century will never die. JW's, please check your Proclaimers book. Even after the 1914 Generation change in November of 1995, the Society stated:

The Watchtower Jan. 1, 1997 p. 11 par. 18 Let All Glorify Jehovah!

In the early 1920’s, a featured public talk presented by Jehovah’s Witnesses was entitled "Millions Now Living Will Never Die." This may have reflected overoptimism at that time. But today that statement can be made with full confidence.

Recent writings from the Watchtower no longer contain such promises, on the contrary, they have even come to the conclusion death is inevitable (gasp!).

The Watchtower Aug. 1, 2007 par 15

Jesus' words point out how easy it is for people to have a warped or distorted view of life. Whether rich or poor, all humans are imperfect and have but one eventuality. Moses of old observed: "In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things; for it must quickly pass by, and away we fly."

More can be said about their false prophecies, for example, assuring the 1950 youth the end will be here so soon, there is no need for higher education.

God has set eternity in our hearts, but like birth, there is a time for death (Eccl 3).

Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

Death is a natural process. When the Lord returns, those believers who are alive will be taken up to heaven in their new imperishable bodies, but not preceding those who died in Christ.

1 Cor 15:51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Please, my JW brothers and sisters, God wants you to take part in the First Resurrection, for the Second Resurrection will be of despair.

Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Please, repent of your sins and receive forgiveness, give your life over to Jesus and trust Him as Saviour and Lord, not the organization you perceive as the "Truth".

Minimizing Jesus?

The Theocratic Ministry School is one portion of the JW meetings that remotely resembles a bible study. It is a summary of a few chapters of the Bible conducted by a brother, followed by couple of comments (to be kept under 30 seconds) from the audience.

One particular meeting Isaiah 53 was one of the chapters in consideration. The brother points out Jesus is the sacrificial lamb and moves on. When it is time for the audience participation, a full-time pioneer sister sums up the chapter by saying, "In Isaiah 53 we can see how just like Jesus we (JW's) are ridiculed by others and despised by the rest."

...

The Holy Spirit did not let me sit there and ignore it, but to raise my hand to be called on and let everyone know why Jesus Christ is the answer by pointing out the Master fulfilled the following,

• Despised and rejected
  
• A man of sorrows and familiar with suffering
  
• Took up our infirmities and sorrows
  
• Pierced for our transgressions
  
• Crushed for our iniquities
  
• Punishment brought us peace
  
• His wounds brought us healing
  
• The LORD laid on him the iniquity of us all
  
• Bore our sins
  
• Intercedes and justifies
  

God's holiness demands punishment for sin and Jesus took it upon himself to receive it. God's wrath was poured on Him and if we do not repent and receive God's forgiveness, we will not be spared from our own everlasting ruin.

Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

New World Translation

This is the New World Translation from the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society published in a single volume in 1961 (replaced by their newest bible in 1984). It is actually a green-colored bible, but the scan came out black.

This 1961 version has a couple of points of interest. For example, a dinosaur on the map of the Ancient World Before Our Common Era that didn't make it to the 1984 edition (also, why do their publications never refer to it as "Before Christ"?).

A most important change is found in Hebrews 1:6. This passage actually is translated correctedly.

"But when he again brings his First-born into the inhabited earth, he says: "And let all of God's angels worship him."

God is commanding all of of His angels to worship His Son. It is idolatry to worship anyone else but God. Therefore to worship (Greek verb: proskuneo) man, beast, graven images, and angels is a sin (thus Christ cannot even be Michael the Archangel).

The 1984 edition changed "worship" to read "obeisance". Interestingly enough the Society at certain points believed Jesus is to be worshiped.

The Watchtower July 15, 1898 pg 216:

"Question: The fact that our Lord received worship is claimed by some to be an evidence that while on earth he was God the Father disguised in a body of flesh and not really a man. Was he really worshiped, or is the translation faulty? (Please note the Watchtower 7/15/1898 question is misleading. Jesus did not come disguised as the Father. He came as the Son, the Word made flesh.)

Answer: Yes, we believe our Lord Jesus while on earth was really worshiped, and properly so...It was proper for our Lord to receive worship in view of his having been the only begotten of the Father, and his agent in the creation of all things, including man."

New Heavens and a New Earth 1953 pgs 27-28 included the Hebrews passage:

"For example, to which one of the angels did he ever say: 'You are my Son; today I have become your Father'? And again: 'I shall be a Father to him, and he will be a Son to me'? But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: 'And let all God's angels worship him.'"

God's Warriors, Islam, and sneaking to church

CNN's God's Warriors with Christiane Amanpour unjustifiably portrays christians being just as much a threat as islamic suicide bombers. Even with this poor attempt at being balanced, this show states muslim youth in america feel a great disconnect with the culture and reject it. They don't date, drink alcohol, and engage in premarital sex.

I agree with them, sex outside of marriage and intoxication is immoral.

Rehan Seyam, a muslim girl appearing on the show,

"Islam is a way of life. Ask anyone who practices. They will tell you, it's not just your religion. A lot of people go to the church on Sunday, and that's their religion for their week. Mine is every single day, every minute of my day."

It is hard not to care for Seyam. Her impression, that one-day-a-week churchgoers don't take God seriously, is one I held. My reluctance to see if this was so the Almighty used for His glory. As a Witness I secretly went to church. In it I found people with a heart and mind for God. Sinners united there for one purpose, to worship the Creator. Perhaps not every one of them was repentant and a new creation, but this was a far cry from what I had expected.

This impression of one-day-a-week reverence is far from the truth. Knowing the one true God and His Son Jesus Christ is a personal and constant journey. Christ suffering for our wickedness so that we would receive His righteousness is testimony to His love.

My question is, do muslims have a God who is this personal- who took it upon Himself to be a Sacrifice and Redeemer? Do you?