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wicklunds said:
I don't really know if you are one of these...

Dennis

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"Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else:

"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: `I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, `O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored."
Luke 18:9-14 NLT

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wicklunds said:
Tom,

You can run but you cannot hide...from God.

Dennis

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He will bless all who work out the spirit which He works in. To such workers He will give favor and success. As field after field is entered, new methods and new plans will spring from new circumstances. New thoughts will come with the new workers who give themselves to the work. As they seek the Lord for help, He will communicate with them. They will receive plans devised by the Lord Himself. Souls will be converted, and money will come in. {6T 476.2}

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The prevailing monotony of the religious round of service in our churches needs to be disturbed. The leaven of activity needs to be introduced that our church members may work along new lines, and devise new methods. The Holy Spirit's power will move upon hearts when this dead, lifeless monotony is broken up,... {TM 204.1}

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From Christ's methods of labor we may learn many valuable lessons. He did not follow merely one method; in various ways He sought to gain the attention of the multitude and, having succeeded in this, He proclaimed to them the truths of the gospel. {CH 387.1}

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In the cities of today, where there is so much to attract and please, the people can be interested by no ordinary efforts. Ministers of God's appointment will find it necessary to put forth extraordinary efforts in order to arrest the attention of the multitudes. And when they succeed in bringing together a large number of people, they must bear messages of a character so out of the usual order that the people will be aroused and warned. They must make use of every means that can possibly be devised for causing the truth to stand out clearly and distinctly.--Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 109. (1909) {Ev 122.3}

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Let every worker in the Master's vineyard, study, plan, devise methods, to reach the people where they are. We must do something out of the common course of things. We must arrest the attention. We must be deadly in earnest. We are on the very verge of times of trouble and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of.--Letter 20, 1893. {Ev 122-3}

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We are to study the field carefully and are not to think that we must follow the same methods in every place. . . {Ev 125.3}

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Workers with clear minds are needed to devise methods for reaching the people. Something must be done to break down the prejudice existing in the world against the truth.--Letter 152, 1901. {Ev 129.1}

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There are some minds which do not grow with the work but allow the work to grow far beyond them. . . . Those who do not discern and adapt themselves to the increasing demands of the work, should not stand blocking the wheels, and thus hindering the advancement of others.--Letter 45, 1889. {Ev 104.4}

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There must be no fixed rules; our work is a progressive work, and there must be room left for methods to be improved upon. But under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, unity must and will be preserved.--Review and Herald, July 23, 1895. {Ev 105.1}

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Men are needed who pray to God for wisdom, and who, under the guidance of God, can put new life into the old methods of labor and can invent new plans and new methods of awakening the interest of church members and reaching the men and women of the world.--Manuscript 117, 1907. {Ev 105.3}

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Let us not forget that different methods are to be employed to save different ones.--Review and Herald, April 14, 1903. {Ev 106.2}

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New methods must be introduced. God's people must awake to the necessities of the time in which they are living. God has men whom He will call into His service,--men who will not carry forward the work in the lifeless way in which it has been carried forward in the past. . . . Let no one hinder these men of God's appointment. Forbid them not. God has given them their work.... --Review and Herald, Sept. 30, 1902. {Ev 70.2}

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We fully believe in church organization; but this is not to prescribe the exact way in which we should work, for not all minds are to be reached by the same methods. -- 6T 116.

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On the other hand, the leaders among God's people are to guard against the danger of condemning the methods of individual workers who are led by the Lord to do a special work that but few are fitted to do. Let brethren in responsibility be slow to criticize movements that are not in perfect harmony with their methods of labor. Let them never suppose that every plan should reflect their own personality. Let them not fear to trust another's methods; for by withholding their confidence from a brother laborer who, with humility and consecrated zeal, is doing a special work in God's appointed way, they are retarding the advancement of the Lord's cause. {9T 259.1}

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but I see these churches for what they truly are, compromise with the enemy.

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On a personal basis, I think that he could know Christ as his Saviour, and still respond as he does to us

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Gregory, while I agree that it is possible for a person to reply and promote negitivity, but a follwer of Christ is open to change in light of biblical and SOP evidence. As such, this follower would eventually change over time into a more humble and caring person. Dennis, based upon his posts, has demonstrated NO such change. This is NOT a judgement call, just observation. Indeed, a person who has not submitted to those holy forces does indeed submit to a force and will display and exhibit those very things that he so despises...

Just my experience talking here....

Oh, and Dennis, please excuse us as we are clarifying a point before we go on with you. Please be patient while Gregory and I clarify this point....

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The distinctions between observations and judgements is important

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What I might say is that he posts in a manner that does NOT reflect, to me, one who has joy in his life and the Lord. He just does not appar to be spiritually happy.

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Wouldn't you say that this is a conclusion based upon various observations thru the interactions that you have had with Dennis? Indeed, we all have had these same type of interactions with him that have left us with this conclusion based upon our interactions with him...So, in essence, could we say that our interaction with Dennis has been negitive with no positive aspect, with the exception that his opinion was the true opinion? [Hang on, Dennis, I will be with you in a moment]. Could you come to the conclusion that his experience is a lacking one in which God has NOT fulfilled his life? Is this not contrary to the bible where God has promised to give Dennis an "abundant life"? If this is the case, could we not come to the conclusion that God is not fulfilling his life, because [since God has promise to fulfill it, provided that he comes to Him], that he has moved away from God? Truely, a person is a sad person if they have moved away from God, especially if they are belittling and sneering toward fellow Christians, as Dennis has done.... [I will be with you in a moment, Dennis]. It would be reasonable to assume, wouldn't it, that Dennis does not have God, or has moved away from God and God is not able to reach him...Isn't htat correct?

So, my question would be a legitament one, wouldn't it, since Christ said to go out into all the world and make deciples of Him.

So, as I turn to Dennis, I ask again, Is Jesus the Lord of your life or do you just think He is?