"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Paul at 2 Corinthians 4:4 adds:

"In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

We have free will and Yahweh will not force anyone to follow Him.
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KJV

In Noah’s day, out of the entire world population of that time ONLY EIGHT people survived the flood. I can’t imagine that all of those people were evil, I am sure that there were those who were considered to be nice, decent people. But being a nice, decent person is NOT what cuts it with Jehovah. Noah was spared because the Bible says that when God told Noah to do something, when he KNEW what the will of Jehovah was; "Noah proceeded to do according to all that God had commanded him. He did just so" (Genesis 6:22).

In the time of Sodom & Gomorrah, ONLY THREE people survived their destruction (Lot and his two daughters). Why? Because of the exact same reason why Noah and his family survived, because of doing "just so" concerning Jehovah’s will (Lot’s stupid wife died because of not doing "just so").

In the time of Jerusalem 70 C.E ONLY FEW survived it’s destruction in comparison to the majority that were killed or starved out by the Romans.

Soon, only FEW will survive the end of this world in comparison to the majority of it’s population.

"Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and MANY are the ones going in through it; 14 whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and FEW are the ones finding it."
~Matthew 7:13, 14~

Dude, I’m gonna just flat out speak from the heart. Listen to me Pecks, I know what coming from the world is all about (I think you are already familiar with my story) and I’m not gonna go into elaborate details about the things I did in the world and was attracted to. There comes a time when a person has to SERIOUSLY think about what they want, where they are headed, who they truly are and why they are here.

Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t have a "religion" per say, they have a way of life that centers around their worship of God through Jesus in accordance with the Bible and it’s absolutely beautiful.

I know that may some hum drum and I sometimes can’t believe that I now think like this but it’s true. A person’s heart (their seat of motivation as explained at the hall) has to be completely affected by the truth. When compared to ANYTHING that this world has to offer or can offer, nothing in this world holds a freakin candel next to the truth…. seriously.

I understand why Moses chose to be in the freakin mud with God’s people rather than to enjoy all the riches and enjoyments that Egypt had to offer, I understand this now Pecks.

We live in this world for such a short time and then we’re dead dude. The hope of the resurrection is powerful though, it makes going through this world and giving up the things in this world easier to deal with. Once a person who has the hope of the paradise earth has died, for THEM it will SEEM like they are awakening in the paradise almost immediately because of not having been conscious of anything during the long time that they were dead. Is that a bad thing? No way! It’s totally awesome!

My point is, when compared with what Jehovah has in store, the present time we have in this world is obsolete. Even if it means having to grow old and die in this world before Armageddon comes, it’s worth it!

The only thing that matters right now is doing Jehovah’s will and coming to love and respect him more and more each day. It’s about a person’s HEART Pecks, their HEART. This is why the Bible says to guard it more than anything else. Jesus gave that illustration of the man who was throwing seeds along the road and the seeds fell on different kinds of enviroments and he explained what it all meant. Everyone who hears the true message of God’s Kingdom falls into one of those enviroments and if it’s not the last one Jesus mentioned, you’re headed for trouble.

I refuse to die with this world! I want to see my pappa again in the paradise, I want to be there when he wakes up from death! I want to be the person that God made me to be (not who I think I should be or what some other imperfect person thinks I should be), I want to live forever, I want to be there when everyone on earth knows the truth, when haters and apostates of Jehovah and his people are gone forever, when all the promises of God have been fulfilled. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING and NO ONE is going to stand in my way… and that includes myself!

Once I learned the truth and it came into my heart, my life changed and it will NEVER be the same, it can’t. A person has to find out what their stumbling block is and do WHATEVER is necessary to remove, go around or deal with it. My stumbling block was (and still is) sex and the desires of the flesh, but I do all that is necessary to control it. I go to sex anonymous, I make all the meetings at the hall, I do intense personal study and I pray (in tears when I have to). Why? Because the hope that God offers is worth all of it, he is worth it.

No one has EVER loved me the way that he has and does, no one. I have been used by this world in ways that would make people sick. Compared with the love that Jehovah and Jesus have shown me, there is no comparison and I would glady die for them if I had to… glady. I was going to die in the world anyway when I was on drugs and when I was in and at places where I could have easily been done in, why not be happy to die for Jehovah?

Pecks, find out what YOUR stumbling block is and do whatever is necessary to remove, go around or deal with it. God will help you. I know you were in the armed services (though I don’t know which branch of service) but the U.S Marines have a saying that those who are members are of "the few, the proud". That saying is far more true concerning Jehovah’s people.

He called us to him Reo, don’t worry about how many were called or how few were called, we just need to be happy and grateful that we were called.

Yay, my pizza is here! Okay I gotta go.

Ciao

XoXoXo
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I proudly study the Bible intensely with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Remember, Jehovah doesn’t make mistakes. Neither does Christ Jesus. Those with a heart condition inclined toward them won’t die in error. We don’t know who we will see after Armageddon is over, but we will know it is right and just. But we are searching now for those who want to draw away from Satan and be drawn toward Jehovah. That’s our job.

"Subject yourselves, therefore, to God; but oppose the Devil, and he will flee from YOU. 8 Draw close to God, and he will draw close to YOU. Cleanse YOUR hands, YOU sinners, and purify YOUR hearts, YOU indecisive ones." (James 4:7,
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You mentioned Adam and Eve. They were perfect. Smart. And the truth for them was undeniably simple to grasp. Don’t touch the fruit. Why did Adam eat the fruit from the hand of his wife? Did his I.Q. just drop sharply while she was in another part of the garden? No. Did he take a stupid pill? No. You know that saying "you are what you eat"? Well, it is true. It is also true spiritually. Whatever you feed your heart is going to come out of it. That is why God’s word says, at Proverbs 4:23: "Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life." NASB. English Standad reads this way: "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

Satan’s craftiness does NOT stop Jehovah from drawing more people. But Jehovah does not draw those who do not have humble, modest hearts. Jehovah cannot teach those who lack these qualities. Nor, in fact, would he want to.

Jesus said at Matthew 18:3: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Children are teachable, reachable, usually having no thoughts of superiority, arrogance or rank. Their hearts do not have such. You can mold them easily. They are bursting to learn and their little hearts are modest and humble.

The person who would be drawn by Jehovah must humble himself; as a matter of fact, in order to learn, one must possess the three "H’s": humility, hunger and holy spirit. If one is not humble, that heart will ignore any hunger felt and you will never receive holy spirit. Jehovah draws the modest and humble. In this world of fierce arrogance and outright hubris, the humble are few.

Hannah J Paul
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None of them ever became Witnesses as far as I know. The number of times I stopped by, I would ask them if they figured out who the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" was? The group could never reach a decision and slowly feel apart and returned to the churches.

It is hard for some to realize, even when given an invitation, that drawing that God does, that you have to recognize the whole arrangement. You can’t be a "buffet" JW.

The hardest part I have seen is accepting that God makes use of men that are willing to be servants. They are not perfect, but the key is that they keep trying. They can’t see how Jehovah God could possibly use such to look after the 100,000 congregations. They don’t see the "faithful and discreet slave" as being anything other than a man-made Hierarchy.

And another is that when they find something they can’t walk around, like sharing in the ministry, they can find "reasons" in their mind that it can be put off until later (like the ministry will ever go away!) You will find them saying, "I know you have the truth, but I can’t do "this or that"!"
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It is Jehovah who ultimately can draw us to him! (John 6:44) Why? Because Jehovah, along with his Son, are the only ones that can read our hearts! They know our true motives and intentions!

Jesus made it clear though that many would try to get through the narrow gate but wouldn’t be able to (Luke 13:24)

It also depends on their motives. Remember the rich man that asked Jesus what he needed to do to have eternal life? (Mark 10:21,22) Jesus said:

"Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

So apparently he didn’t want to give up his lifestyle!

I hope these few pointers help you a bit! =)
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