Overview of Witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses with Benny Diaz

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15 be diligent to present yourself approved to God a worker who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth
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Alpha and Omega ministries presents the dividing line radio broadcast The Apostle Peter commanded all
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Christians to be ready to give a defense for the hope that is within us Yet to give this answer with gentleness and reverence
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Your host is dr. James White director of Alpha and Omega ministries and an elder at the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church If you'd like to talk with dr.
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White, you can call now by dialing 602 2 7 4 13 60. That's 602 2 7 4 1360 or if you're out of the
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Metro Phoenix dialing area, it's 1 8 8 8 5 5 0 13 60 That's 1 triple 8 5 5 0 13 60 and now with today's topic.
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Here's James White Well, welcome to the dividing line. My name is Benny Diaz James White is out of town today.
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He's in somewhere in Southern, California speaking at various and sundry churches ministering in seminars and perhaps
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Preaching a sermon here and there I'm here as your guest. I've been affiliated with Alpha Omega ministries for a number of years probably 15 or so or more
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So we go back Quite a distance with regard to our involvement there
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Today is Saturday and if most of you are like me you usually use Saturday to mow the grass go out look at the beautiful weather here in Arizona with regard to the you know, the rains that just cleansed us and you happen to if you're outside Notice that various and sundry times during the day some well -dressed people
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Going out door -to -door with pamphlets in their hands and smile on their face
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Spreading the message of the kingdom is what they tell you. They usually have a track that speaks of living forever on Paradise Earth These are best known as Jehovah's Witness or members of the
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Watchtower Bible and track society And if you've spoken to them many of you who are believers
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Would probably admit that there were a time or two when you were somewhat if not perplexed
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Frustrated by what they had to share and for what you had to share with them. Well today I felt it really important for us to begin to look at the the issue of sharing
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Christ or the topic of sharing Christ with Jehovah's Witnesses or better yet those who are members of the
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Watchtower Bible and track society I think that there are a number of books out there and there's a lot that we have done in Alpha and Omega ministries over The years with Jehovah's Witnesses that could be probably fill the rest of the day on the radio but for a lack of time and and For the sake of perhaps giving you a handle a better handle at sharing
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Christ with witnesses we've come up with some brief background in history a simple outline in some perhaps some
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Tools that would help you in sharing Christ with Jehovah's Witnesses First before we go on I think it's very important to note that Jehovah's Witnesses when we speak of Jehovah's Witnesses and we speak of what they believe
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We need to keep in mind that this is what they are taught What they teach what they believe what they share with you is something that is taught to them a day
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At least two or three times a week They spend hours learning how to talk to people like you and I at the door if you are a
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Christian It is imperative that there are some things that you need to know. There are things that you need to go back and remind yourself of Why do you believe what you believe and what message do you have to share with Jehovah's Witness?
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Do you care whether or not Jehovah's Witnesses are being led astray or whether they are in the truth or not?
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I think it's important for us to look back at what Jehovah's Witnesses believe what they teach where they came from I think if you look at certain resources some of the good helps out by David Reed Walter Martin Patrick Campbell others who have written books on Jehovah's Witnesses Historically the witnesses who are officially known as the
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Watchtower Bible and Tract Society were pretty much started by the person and work of a man Named Charles Days Russell.
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This guy was born back in February 1852 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1870 at the age of 18 he organized a
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Bible class in Pittsburgh Which he finally was elected as pastor of the group about six years later in 1879 he founded the magazine called
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Zion's Watchtower in which he published his own interpretations of the Bible and finally in 1886 published his first work of seven books now entitled studies in the scriptures
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His life was surrounded with scandal according to one Writer he had frequent clashes with the courts
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Some claim he perjured himself in court had marital problems but I think what's important is to note is that he continued his teachings until his death in October of 1916 it was aboard a transcontinental train in Texas It was reported that by the time of his death in 1916.
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This is according to the Watchtower Pastor Russell traveled more than a million miles gave more than 30 ,000 sermons and wrote books totaling over 50 ,000 pages
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Following his death the Society's legal counselor a guy named Joseph Franklin Rutherford was unanimously chosen as a second president of the
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Watchtower Bible and tract Society in 1917 Rutherford was extremely vocal and aggressive in attacking the doctrines of organized religion through his radio talks phonograph recordings and numerous books which he wrote and this continued until his death in about 1942 about January 8th of 1942 is a to be specific
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He died from cancer in his mansion in San Diego, California, and this mansion was called the
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Beth Sarim He died at 72, but not without leaving a strong influence upon the Society Walter Martin says that Russell was really a small literary compared to Rutherford.
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He was one Rutherford was responsible for the name Jehovah's Witnesses, which was adopted in October of 1931 at their annual convention in Columbus, Ohio Following the death of Rutherford Nathan Knorr was now elected the president of the
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Society and the Jehovah's Witnesses under his leadership increased from 115 ,000 to over 2 million members.
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He was responsible for the Gilead Missionary School in Lansing, New York in 1961 under his leadership the
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Society produced its own English translation of the Bible entitled the New World Translation of the
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Holy Scriptures He wrote I'm sorry under Knorr's administration
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The endless books and pamphlets appeared under the copyright of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society without bearing the name of any individual authors this is when it kind of began a
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Committee now handled the mass of printed matter that left the printing press Knorr followed in the footsteps of Russell and Rutherford and continued the hostile attacks on Christianity he died in 1977 with Frederick Franz a longtime leader and at that time vice president of the
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Society Elected as president continuing to give leadership to society similar to his predecessors the
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Jehovah's Witnesses continue to grow in spite of periodic setbacks due to the failure of their false prophecies and false predictions for the end of the world which they refer to as the
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Battle of Armageddon and In the Battle of Armageddon according to the Society all of Christendom will be destroyed
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Now this brief history is given to provide listener with a sketch of the background of Jehovah's Witnesses Give you some insight on how it came to pass to where we have today
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Showing its recent history. I think is important and Acquainting you with the key men in leadership
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When we go and look at the basic position or doctrinal position of Jehovah's Witnesses as Christians There's a lot that we believe in we hold dear to despite our denominational bent
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The deity of Christ salvation by grace through faith the fact that Christ is coming again in his glory
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These are things that are common among Christians why because we all embrace the ultimate authority and truth of Scripture The Bible is our ultimate determiner of faith and morals however
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When one looks at the essential doctrines upon which Jehovah's Witnesses built their organizations You're going to begin to see flags that may cause some well some concern on your part if You're one who is
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Jehovah's Witness, or are you perhaps one who has talked spoken with one? I we would encourage you later in the show to call us at our phone line here at 602 274 1360 or if you're out of the
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Phoenix metropolitan area to call us at one triple eight five five zero 1360 that's one eight eight eight five five zero thirteen sixty or two seven four thirteen sixty with your questions or comments as We look at further into the teachings of the
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Watchtower Bible and Tract Society now given the history we find that in the
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Society of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Jehovah's Witnesses are taught at least. Oh at least a dozen major doctrines the first one is that The God there is a
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God and he is solitary being who has existed from all eternity and created everything that exists both visible and invisible
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Seems pretty common. However, they do not believe that there is a
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Trinity. They they believe there's no Trinity That's one of the major Tenets of their faith that differs from Christianity.
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Another one is that Jesus Christ? Is the beginning of God's creation? According to Jehovah's Witnesses He is not the eternal
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Son of God But was created by God as the Word and was the active agent in the creation of all other things
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He is also known as Michael the Archangel He is a God but not the
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Almighty God Jehovah. Jesus is the Son of God, but not God himself He became the man
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Jesus who was fully human but not divine He suffered on a torture stake as a ransom for man's sin rather than on the cross
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So we have a difference in the view of God the triune God and a difference in the belief or teaching of Christ If we go to a third point of the society's teaching on The essential doctrines of the faith we find that the
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Holy Spirit is taught Amongst the witnesses as not a person but rather an active first force of God The Holy Spirit is the invisible active force of Jehovah God that moves his servants to do his will
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The Holy Spirit is neither divine nor the third person of the Trinity. So here's another difference that we need to Be aware of as we begin to look effectively share with Jehovah's Witnesses The Bible is
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God's Word and in fully inspired according to the witnesses and true in everything that teaches
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The Bible has been preserved by Jehovah to reveal his purposes to his followers. This is what they teach about the
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Bible in essence however, we'll find later that the translation interpretation of the
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Bible is Directed solely by the Society of the Governing Board of the
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Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York, which is where their headquarters is located Now with regard to Satan Satan is a great angel who rebelled against God and persuaded a group of angels or demons to follow him
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In that act Satan tempted man So sin and death came upon mankind and Satan and his angels will be annihilated forever
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With regard to Creating man Jehovah God created man after his own image He willfully chose to sin and therefore all men are born sinners
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Those who are obedient to Jehovah and follow Jesus Christ faithfully in the death will enter it eternal life
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The heavenly kingdom that they will rule with Christ and live forever is reserved for only 144 ,000 called
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Referred to as the anointed class or little flock the rest of Jehovah's Witnesses However are referred to as a general crowd or the great crowd and they will inherit their new earth
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Where they will live forever in paradise all who reject Jehovah will be destroyed forever
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Another point or another teaching by Jehovah's Witnesses is that man does not have any mortal soul soul
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He does not have any mortal soul therefore He does not exist forever at death according to the society man is non -existent
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But all of Jehovah's Witnesses of the great crowd will physically be resurrected to live on this new earth
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These are the ones Jehovah has in his memory Now we will begin to look at these major tenants as we look at how we can best share with Jehovah's Witnesses who come to our door and some of the things we
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Need to realize before we begin to share with Jehovah's Witnesses There is no such place according to the society that of Jehovah's Witnesses as an eternal hell of fire and brimstone
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Hell is only the common grace of mankind Eternal punishment does not mean eternal torment of living souls, but is an eternal annihilation in other words when you die
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It's over you're annihilated. There's no heaven or no hell rather for those to go to it is just a
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Superstition it is a tradition. It is not a teaching that they proclaim is from the
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Bible The atonement for our sins was a ransom for our sins or ransom paid by Jesus Christ to Jehovah God It removed the effects of Adam's sin and all his offspring became the basis for the new world of righteousness
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The payment was Christ's physical body therefore it could not be raised from the dead Thus the man
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Jesus is forever dead and was raised a spirit person So with regard to the resurrection and the atonement of Christ Christ was not really resurrected.
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He was recreated as a spirit person Now another thing to note and there are a few couple more.
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I'd like to share with you as we move on Jesus returned to the earth as an invisible spirit according to the watchtower
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Bible and tract society in 1914 to take his kingdom power and to reign invisibly upon until the battle of Armageddon When all
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Christendom shall be destroyed after Armageddon Christ will set up his thousand -year reign upon the earth
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Jehovah's Kingdom is supreme. It is separate from human government, which is Satan's visible organization according to the
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Society There can be no allegiance to any human government But to Jehovah God alone and this explains why there is a hesitation or reluctance
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By Jehovah's Witness to be involved in the military and politics, etc
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They have a view that Satan's visible organization is somehow entwined with human government then finally
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Another essential point is that God's visible organization on the earth today Which receives
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God's theocratic guidance and direction is the Jehovah's Witnesses and with it?
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Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York There is a governing body of older men made up of what they call the faithful and discreet slave
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And they guide the organization These this these are their leaders and they believe they are
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The mouthpiece of God when with regard to speaking for Jehovah now given a little bit of that history and background and given a little bit of the
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Doctrinal stand of the witnesses and where they are doctrinally with regard to the teachings
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There are guidelines that when we as Christians begin to share with them and we're going to look at these key points and What does
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Scripture say about him? How do we deal with this with Jehovah's Witnesses? I think there are guidelines that we need to remember When sharing with those who come to your door on Saturday mornings or any morning for that matter number one
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I think it's vitally important that you become well grounded and firmly secure in your knowledge of Christianity and in Scripture before witnessing in depth with a seasoned
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Jehovah's Witness Because of their training and the sort of indoctrination used by the society
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Jehovah's Witnesses can confuse and emotionally Frustrate the unprepared and those who have not developed doctrinally
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Only the mature and those deeply rooted in Scripture are prepared to confront the
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Jehovah's Witness Be sure that you are spiritually and spiritually Prepared and have scriptural grounding to be ready to share your faith with him
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You know, we must heed the warning or admonition by the Apostle Peter and his epistle where he states that we are to Sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts in other words set
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Christ set him apart as Christ as Lord In our hearts always being ready to make a defense to everyone
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Who asked you to give an account for the hope that is in you yet with gentleness and reverence? so Well grounded firmly secure in your knowledge of Christianity secondly avoid initial discussions on subjects like you know
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Why do Jehovah's Witnesses not salute the flag? You know, why do they not give blood or donate blood blood transfusions?
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Why don't they celebrate Christmas, you know, these may be interesting but I think are something you need to avoid when you speak with Jehovah's Witnesses because the purpose for sharing with the
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Jehovah's Witness is to bring them to The the knowledge and salvation of Christ to bring them to hear the gospel
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Discussing these matters will seldom accomplish the purpose of leading them to Christ speaking with them about these subjects is to major in the minor issues
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Rather than the primary one it will generate a lot of heat and energy But will accomplish very little only when we focus on the foundational teachings of the person and work of Christ Who God is the resurrection salvation by faith these things?
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Can we hope to effectively plant seed leading them to our Savior Lord? Don't get sidetracked by discussing secondary issues
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They don't deal with that don't deal with the heart of the matter, especially during the initial meeting with Jehovah's Witnesses When witnesses bring these subjects up in my experience during the course of our talks,
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I usually say something like well You know, that's interesting subject. That's a you know, we should revisit that but how about a later date?
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Let's continue in the discussion. We were having now with regard to the personal work of Christ for example a
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Third a guideline to remember is to discuss only the major doctrinal subjects such as the deity of Christ the person of the
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Holy Spirit Salvation by faith the triune nature of God the resurrection things like that Alpha and Omega ministries provide some tremendous resources to assist you in witnessing for Christ to Jehovah's Witnesses.
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We have tracks tapes We even have courses that we've had held at churches where we
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Emphasize Bible memory verses and Understanding the background of the people you're witnessing to hopefully what we provide today will contain a structure for you to follow concerning these main issues perhaps this
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Program today will stimulate that it's best to stay on one subject focus on who is
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Christ his deity his work and Exhaust it before moving on and jumping to another subject the
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Jehovah's Witnesses trained to to do that to move you on To get you where they want to be stay focused on the subject a fourth
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Guideline to remember is always read the full context of Scripture and point out the key verses to the
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Jehovah's Witness Be willing to ask them how they think the verse means what do they think that means? After giving their explanation respond with the biblical understanding of the passage in its context.
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It's very important Always read the context for example if you're quoting from Luke's gospel concerning the resurrection of Christ in Luke chapter 24
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So go open your Bible Luke chapter 24 verses 36 to 43 if you go to Luke to 24 36 to 43 read all the verses and Then what you do is you ask them what they how they understand what it says
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What does it say not what does the society teach you? What does the scripture say in Luke 24 36
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Christ is appearing To the disciples and says while they were telling these things he himself stood in their midst taught
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Christ talking about Christ but they were startled and frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit and Jesus said to them why are you troubled and why did their doubts arise in your hearts see my hands and my feet that as I Myself touch me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see
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I have you see that So you would focus on verse 39 ask them. What did Christ say and Let them see the context let them see the scriptures for themselves another guideline to remember is
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Don't expect an instant conversion the first time you witness to a Jehovah's Witness They have been conditioned to think in certain ways
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Contributing to their spiritual blindness to the truth of God's Word stay focused on the subject at hand and make all attempts to clarify
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What you mean? It is uncommon for Jehovah's Witness to be converted to Christ with one encounter
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I personally can count on my on one hand the number of Jehovah's Witnesses that have come to faith in Christ in my presence
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I have been sharing with him for over 15 years It is it is it is primarily seed planting for me
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Because of the power of Satan upon the lives it will take several if not many periods of discussions if they stay with you
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Many Jehovah's Witnesses I'll take one for example last weekend. I had this nice gentleman We talked a little bit we talked about who
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Christ was and as we begin to look at what the scripture said He had some concerns and questions
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He wrote them down, and I encouraged him to come back and let's talk about it again. He promised that he would
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I Suspect given the history of how witnesses work He will bring a more experienced individual to come talk with me
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And I anticipate that that will happen and after that it may not happen again
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Especially when they know that you know the scriptures, but see that's not for me to judge that it's not for me to Keep from talking to them about the gospel of Jesus Christ Is for me to plant the seed and trust the
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Holy Spirit to work his work in them they are has been said that they are brainwashed to think certain way and This is one of the main reasons they cannot receive the truth however remember what
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Paul said to Timothy 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 24 through 26 the bond sermon of the
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Lord must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all able to teach patient when wronged with Gentleness correcting those who are in opposition if perhaps
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God may grant them repentance and the knowledge of the truth They may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil having been held captive by him to do his will
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But when we stay focused in our witness to them and clearly and precisely define our terms
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God will use this approach in breaking down their defenses and their spiritual blindness But remember that they can be led to the saving knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ, but it will take time patience work and prayer now finally the finally the final principle another principle to remember and It's strategic and that is remember that the
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Holy Spirit will use the truth of God's Word to penetrate into their hearts He will bring the conviction of their need for salvation in Christ always share how
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God chose to save you Regardless of how blind a person might be in the truth of God to the truth of God's Word We have the assurance and confidence that the
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Holy Spirit of God is present and at work upon the hearts and minds of those who Hear the truth of the gospel it will either condemn or judge them in their sins
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Or it will set them free John 16 8 tells us that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment we need to believe what our
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Lord told us about the Holy Spirit there as We present the truth of God's Word to Jehovah's Witnesses The Holy Spirit of God is the one who convicts he's the one who draws and illuminates their hearts and minds to the reality of the true
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Jesus Christ Every Christian can have a bold confidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in the witnessing encounter
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He is able to penetrate their spiritual blindness and their spiritual darkness and reveal this gospel of Jesus Christ Let not the
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Christian despair Another resource to use in sharing with the Jehovah's Witnesses is what is referred to as your own personal testimony
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How did God save you in other words share the chain of events that? Surrounded how you came to hear about salvation in Christ and what contribute to your coming to him by faith the people may be that were
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Involved it's not taking credit away from the Sovereign God who drew us chose us saved us regenerate us by the
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Holy Spirit of God But this is very vital important vitally important when sharing with Jehovah's Witness because they have not experienced that The witness needs to hear from those who have been saved by God and he can know that the general call for him is
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Is necessary he needs to heed that for example look at what st. Peter tells us You are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for God's own possession that you may
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Proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light
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That's in first Peter 2 9 Your personal testimony of how Christ saved you can have a powerful impact upon Jehovah's Witnesses And he can be used of God to help lead them to Christ in your testimony
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You can review things like your life how your life was before Christ saved you we don't want to talk about my life before Christ saved me
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But perhaps you can share how there was a need to for forgiveness of sins There was a need for eternal life the need to know the
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God who formed you maybe you dealt with fear or other things Then secondly how you're you you came to faith in Christ And what you did about it in other words perhaps you were at a church you heard the gospel and you heard the message and here's some verses and It prompted you to call upon Christ and call upon his name and ask him to forgive you and what?
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Receive him as Lord and Savior as some have termed Explaining that what you were doing was responding to the regeneration the working of God in your life
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And how you were calling upon him because he tells us to call upon him And then share thirdly what your life has been since coming to faith in Christ What has happened?
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After Christ has saved you be diligent in prayer and study of God's Word Trust the
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Holy Spirit to guide and direct you in each encounter with Jehovah's Witnesses Only with the patience of Job can one be effective in witnessing and leading
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Jehovah's Witnesses to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ The results of winning them to Christ are worth the effort and the energy spent toward his good purpose now when we come back from Our break and we're going to be taking some of your calls and some of you have a lot of questions there you're perhaps a
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Questions about Jehovah's Witnesses, maybe you're a Jehovah's Witness Maybe you have an encounter and there's a particular point that you're really having difficulty with we're going to look at the skeleton outline
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Various topics and verses that you can use as you share with these guidelines understanding the history of Jehovah's Witnesses understanding some of what they teach and in understanding
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What's important for you as a believer as you share with Christ with with them about Christ you can now take?
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Some actual verses from God's Word and begin to expound upon them with the Jehovah's Witness Now we're going to do this when we come back from break, and I want you to get your
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Bibles out everyone who's out there Get your Bibles out, and we'll look at things like Jesus Christ the
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Holy Spirit We're going to look at the Trinity the resurrection salvation heaven and hell those are the things we're going to touch on I'd say because if this is just tremendous
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There's just so much to cover and we're going to look at scripturally how we it's imperative for us to show that Jesus Christ is eternal that Jesus Christ is the only begotten
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Son of God Not an angel called Michael the Archangel how the Holy Spirit is a person and how the
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Holy Spirit of God is Is not only God he is He is the one who calls us convicts us so when we come back from break.
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I look forward to you calls So give a call at two seven four thirteen sixty or one triple eight five five zero thirteen sixty, that's two seven four one
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Three six zero look forward to your call Welcome back
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We are here live at the studios k
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Pxq and this is Benny Diaz dr. White James White is in Southern, California and various and sundry speaking engagements
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Busy preaching and teaching the gospel and edifying the body of Christ out there and your calls are welcome here at two seven four 1360 that's six oh two two seven four one three six zero if you're out of the
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Phoenix area You can call us at one triple eight five five zero one three six zero.
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That's one triple eight five fifty 1360 and we have callers here. We're going to pick up in just a moment here.
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We just laid the foundation We gave a background and we also gave the a brief history of the
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Jehovah's Witnesses And what the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society teaches with regard to Jesus salvation eternal life hell
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And we're going to begin to look at as we talk to our callers at some an outline that would help assist you in sharing with Christ there are guidelines that we need to keep in mind when talking to a
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Jehovah's Witness about Jesus and about the gospel and And With that I think we'll just begin by speaking to Dusanka I think we have
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Dusanka on the air who's called us here from Phoenix. Welcome as are you on the air there? Yes, I'm here.
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How are you? Fine. How are you? How can we help you today? Oh, yeah I have a question maker.
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I am I have I do have a neighbor that she comes over and she's in my neighbor She bring every
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Saturday from this magazine. Yes, you know and Well, I just trashed them in the garbage, but I can't she's she's really long long time into no way you can talk to her
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And so and then you mentioned out there believe like a man
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Serving a Satan and this on this earth And they believe mm -hmm.
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Is that correct? What was that about Satan they did? Okay, this earth is run by the by the demons right at the moment well, the
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Bible says that the God of this world as blind of the eyes of the unbelieving that they might not see the Image of the glory of Christ in other words
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Satan is busy out there trying to blind people from seeing Jesus, but we have we have the hope
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Dusanka that Jesus Christ the gates of hell will not prevail against what Christ has done
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He's built his church of believers and that church Nothing can stop the church and not even
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Satan or the gates of hell can shop stop the proclamation the proclaiming of the good News of Jesus Christ.
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Okay, but my other question I'm really questioning Western in a
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Western world Christianity. Yes, I question very much. So reason why
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You know in the Western world Christianity working with the government like for example exterminate some other part
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Christians world like Let's say Balkan Area is it a lot of Christian Balkans in Balkan?
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They are persecuted every day. They are churches burned They are pre priest killed.
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They are nuns raped and When I listen to Christian talk radio, they will never never mention that area over there
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They only talk about Sudan suffering and which is I understand but my problem is with world in a
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Western Christian world is Who do you people really are I want to know so bad because the
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Balkan area is Christian Country a lot of Christian country, which is
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Christian world in Western world Never want to mention those people suffering in that area and I want to know why well
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That's and that's a good question. However today's discussion and what we're talking about is about what does the
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Jehovah's Witness? Organization teach and what are Christians supposed to do about that see
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Christ though That's very important and very vital for a lot of people there in the Balkans as well as in other places in the world
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The most important thing for our Lord Wasn't for our Lord was he commissioned us to go and preach the gospel
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He told us to tell people about the good news of Jesus Christ. It is a very very important for us to tell about What man needs more than anything else though the persecution of people is is very very sad is
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Unfortunate and it should stop in some areas. It should be Prevented the most important thing is a man's soul and to Sanka when it looked we look at your own life in your own
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Soul before God it is very important for you to have come to terms with Christ To know who he is and to know whether or not you have placed your faith
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Entirely upon him or is your faith in someone else other things? Is it on people?
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Is it an organization and see the Jehovah's Witnesses their faith is in an organization?
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Their hope is not a hope in Christ in eternal life in heaven And and so that's vitally important for us that we that we share the good news that we get the good news out there and Sanka that you yourself perhaps examine yourself and ask whether or not has have
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I come to faith in Christ is my faith Entirely on Jesus Christ. We see that's the common denominator whether you're
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Western civilization or the Eastern Civilization Europe Africa Christians all have faith in Christ And the only
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Christ there is is the true Christ who is revealed to us and given to us in the scriptures in the
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Bible Do you have a Bible in your in your native language or in English or I am
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I have a Bible I can I have so many books in the Bible. I can open a store.
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I am a Christian Orthodox Yes believer. Yes. I am very much believer in Jesus Christ and nobody can't change my
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No, I was gonna change my mind but see Jehovah right now goes in the
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Balkan It goes all over Eastern Europe Mormons, Jehovah change these Christian Orthodox and even not a not a
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Christianity goes over there and we're gonna help you a few become one of us and you know what my
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My really concern is those people In Eastern Europe and the
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Balkan they already there are two thousand old Christians Religion there if we go back and really see the truth from from the 33
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AD that since Christian Orthodox became But see and everybody want to change him to their whatever they want to and they want to help them
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Including Jehovah, it's like they come on my door. They own over there where I came from at the Balkan Yes You you can do it help the people give them the
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Bible and and lead them through but you know, like like, okay Sanka Sanka now, is there a question you have with regard to Jehovah's Witnesses?
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Is there a question on how do you share with them? That would help you? I will like to ask
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Question how I can tell them. I Already told him who
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I am, but you know a little a little more truth to leave me alone.
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Stay away from my well Okay, what I will do then
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I think we'll be good right now is I will put you on hold and I will arrange to Get your address so that we can send you information
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About Alpha and Omega ministry send you some tracks and information that might help you in sharing with your
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Jehovah's Witness friend and then from that they'll lead up and build up and and perhaps develop some other questions that you might have for us and then
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I would encourage you to Contact us again so that we can help you through that once you begin that process with your friends.
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Is that okay with you? Okay, very good. I'll put you on hold here and They'll they'll pick you up there on the other line and they'll get your address so we can send information to her
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We would encourage all of the rest of you to call if you have questions at two seven four 1360 with regard to the teachings of the watchtower and Bible and track society better yet better known as Jehovah's Witnesses um we were approaching the area of the
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Like an outline in other words, you know Benny. Okay. Let's say we understand the background historically
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We understand what they teach we don't agree with it. But you know, where do we begin? You know, what do we do to begin as Christians to share with Jehovah's Witnesses?
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Well, the first place to always begin is not on these side issues But on the the topic of who
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Jesus Christ is we must show them scripturally that Christ is the eternal only begotten
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Son of God and Not the first created being called Michael the Archangel now, there's some key passages in the
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Bible For instance in the Jehovah's Witness teaching regarding Christ They teach that the scriptures speak of God's Son and the word was a
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God He is a mighty God, but not the Almighty God who is Jehovah They say he's the
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Son of God, but not God himself He was the direct and first creation of Jehovah God.
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These are their own writings He had a beginning according to Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus was created by God.
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He was Michael the Archangel however Christians believe and teach that Jesus Christ is the eternal
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Son of God and the second person of the triune God who became the God -man and He is truly
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God and truly man if we get go and look at certain passages in Scripture We find that that's exactly what's being taught in the
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Bible You see when it speaks of him as the only a son of God the only Son of God or only begotten
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It's a word in the language of the Greek New Testament is Monogamous weos, which means the unique one the unique in kind the one and the only
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He is unique he's the only begotten of the Father He's not the first created from God if we look at the most common passage that Jehovah's Witnesses Will use is in John chapter 1 if as a matter of fact if you go through the whole book of John You will find that that's probably the most resourceful place for you to begin with Teaching Jehovah's Witnesses what the
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Bible teaches about God about Jesus Christ in John 1 1 the most popular Verses in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was
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God most translations teach that However, if you talk with Jehovah's Witnesses, they will say no
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No, no That first verse says that Jesus was a God and so when you open up their Bible and by the way
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Their Bible is called the New World Translation it may it may help you to not use their translation.
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It is a mistranslation of the Bible How do I know that do you have to be a Greek scholar? no, if you go to John chapter 1 verse 1 and you ask the
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Jehovah's Witness to open their Bible and use their what's called their Kingdom in a linear translation
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You will find that in John 1 1 their translation is on the right side
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In other words, that's what their New Testament looks like on the left side You'll see a bunch of Greek stuff
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Greek words, and that's the Greek New Testament It's from the Westcott and Hort text, but underneath that is the
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English Translation direct translation underneath that by Westcott and Hort and even in their own
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Bible It contradicts their rendering of that passage it says in their Bible in the beginning was a word and The word was with God and the word was a
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God However looking underneath the Greek on the left side, even if you're not a Greek scholar you can see that it says in beginning was the word and the word was toward the
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God and God was the word there is no a God and that's where a lot of times
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I'll begin with that Jehovah's Witness and ask them Well, why did you put an a there when even the Greek text that you're using doesn't use a
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God if you go further on in? John chapter 1 it does a tremendous job of telling us who
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Jesus Christ really is in John chapter 1 and Continuing all the way down to verse 18.
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It says not only was the word was God but in verse 2 He was in the beginning with God all things came into being by him that's speaking about Jesus All things came into being by Jesus and apart from Jesus Nothing came into being that has come into being that pretty much solves that the question of who was
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Created or who wasn't? Later on in verse 14 It says and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory
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Glory as of the only begotten from the father full of grace and truth There's where Christ it tells us that the word who was eternal the word who was face to face with God the word who all things came into being by became flesh and And finally in verse 18 in John chapter 1 we were told that no man has seen
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God at any time The only begotten God who is in the bosom of the father. He has explained him These verses if anything
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Caused a stumbling block for the Jehovah's Witness These verses begin to support the
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Christians view of God rather than the Jehovah's Witness his view of God You know when
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I speak about who Jesus Christ is it? Never escapes our conversation for the
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Jehovah's Witnesses to mention that Jesus Christ is a God He is something short of the true
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God So what would help you in sharing with Jehovah's Witnesses is perhaps to just go back in the
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Old Testament there at this point and You go to Isaiah chapter 43 all the way to Isaiah 48 and you'll see some significant places there that speak about Jehovah God Places that speak of who
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Jehovah God really is up and what he says about himself For instance if you go to in the book of Isaiah chapter 43 10
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Isaiah 43 10 your Bibles you'll find that Jehovah's speaking and Jehovah has something to say in verse 43 10.
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He says you are my witnesses declares Jehovah You know by the way I'm rendering it kind of like what the Jehovah's Witnesses Bible says and My servant whom
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I have chosen in order that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me there was No, God form and there will be none after me
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I even I am the Lord or Jehovah and there is no Savior besides me and Time and time again like in chapter 44.
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I am the first I'm the last and there is no God besides me time and time again The Old Testament in Isaiah tells us that Jehovah God is
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God. There is no other God and he knows of no other God I usually ask my Jehovah's Witness friend.
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Well, does God know everything does Jehovah know everything? Yes, of course He says he knows of no other
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God and that's true Well, then how is it that Jesus is a God and Then they will go on to explain to you that they believe that there are other gods like Satan is a
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God judges were gods but with a little G and that Jesus is a
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God with a little G and For instance, they're right Peter I mean, I'm the Apostle Paul says in Corinthians there are
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Lords many in God's many but to us there is only one true God But that forces the Jehovah's Witness to begin to place
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Jesus in the category of a false God You have the true God which Jehovah says there is all other gods are false gods and for the
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Jehovah's Witness to place Jesus Christ as a God with a little G is to place
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Jesus Christ in the category of a false God and Scripture does not support that and that causes confusion for the
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Jehovah's Witness Do not be afraid to look at scripture Do not be afraid to share with Jehovah's Witnesses with regard to who
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Christ is, but let me point out a couple other places with regard to Christ and John many times in the book of John you'll find
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Jesus will call himself I am in other words an example in John 8 58.
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Jesus says before Abraham was I am and In other places he would say the same thing
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He said it when they tried to arrest him and then everybody fell down and what Christ said How and one of the interesting notes if you look at those passages is that when he says that they always want to throw stones?
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At him they always wanted to stone him throw rocks at him why? Because they knew that that was a claim to deity
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For Christ to say it go I me which is what is stated in the Greek is for him to claim
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Deity for him to call himself God and that is why the Jews wanted to stone Jesus, but my listener if you'll just go back and look at when
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Moses went to speak to Jehovah and the Burning Bush and Jehovah asked our
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G Moses asked Jehovah. Who do I tell him sent me? What was his response?
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God said tell him I am has sent you You see that is why the
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Jews wanted to stone him and that is one of many reasons why the Christian Believes what
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Christ said about himself Jesus said you shall die in your sins for unless you believe that I am you shall die in your sins
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He said he called himself the I am to the Jews They wanted to stone him we as Christians to be a
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Christian is to believe that Christ is the I am Now mind you we are not saying that Jesus is the father
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We're not saying that all We see it's a little tempting for us to go and speak about the
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Trinity and the triune nature of God But it's almost impossible to begin to just barely
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Comprehend what the Bible teaches about the Trinity or the triune nature of of the Living God Without first establishing the fact that the
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Bible teaches that the Father is God The Bible teaches that Jesus is
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God or shares the nature of the being of God and Finally the scripture teaches that the
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Holy Spirit shares the nature of the being of God Now once you are convinced once you see clearly that scripture does teach that all three persons
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Share the nature of the being of God and once we begin to see that the scriptures clearly teach that God is one
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There is only one being we began to see how God has revealed himself and we begin to see how
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Christ can call himself God and Why they wanted to stone him and why he is the
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Lord King of Kings in the Lord of Lords Now as we speaking of the
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Holy Spirit, and there's much more that could be said about Christ I mean in Colossians 2 9 for all the fullness of deity
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Dwells in bodily form all the fullness of the Godhead Dwells in bodily form it's speaking about Christ in Hebrews 1 1 tells us about how
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Christ created all things Colossians 1 18 tells us how Christ Christ created all things now the
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New World Translation of Jehovah's Witnesses Says he created all other things But Christ is
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God to the believer to the Christian These are just but some of the many many verses that you can begin to share with Jehovah's Witnesses and with the
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Holy Spirit I'm always reminded It's always interesting to see the reaction of Jehovah's Witnesses when I go to back to 2nd 2nd
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Corinthians chapter 3 You know if you have your Bible 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 and you look at verse
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I believe it's 17 It's really interesting when I show them this Even in their translation it says now
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Jehovah is the Spirit and where the Spirit of Jehovah is there is Liberty you see that There as well as other places like the
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Holy Spirit speaking the Holy Spirit prompting the Holy Spirit Convicting the
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Holy Spirit grieving etc etc Contradicts what the society has taught Jehovah's Witnesses about the
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Holy Spirit just being an active force an impersonal active force Scripture is clear to teach that G that the
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Holy Spirit is personal and he shares in the nature of the being of God now
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Then we come to the Trinity that way I think we can't even get to that would given the time we have the Resurrection just a resurrection.
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I read that verse to you earlier from the book of Luke chapter 24
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Jesus said see my hands and feet that is I myself touch me and see that a spirit does not have Flesh and blood as you see flesh and bones as you see that I have
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Jesus was resurrected he that which died was raised from the dead and Scripture goes on to speak in first Corinthians 15 about the resurrection
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But we as Christians must show the Jehovah's Witness the truths of who Jesus is the
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Holy Spirit the triune nature of God the resurrection salvation heaven and hell we
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We have information that would help you we have tracks on Have you been made righteous it talks about what it means to be made righteous not relatively righteous, but righteous before God How does one become right before God and know they have one hope and eternal life with God wherever he might be
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Not just 144 ,000 people we have another tracking that asked the question is the watchtower
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Bible and track Society Christian We have also another one called hiding the divine name Where there are instances clear instances in Scripture where the
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Hebrew translation of the Bible Has places referring to Christ, but using the name that was reserved only for Jehovah in the
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Old Testament Yahweh We also have tracks on what it graces What is grace and what is faith in Christ?
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How do I come to know Christ and saving faith? Either as a Jehovah's Witness or a
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Christian who could use these resources in sharing with Jehovah's Witnesses We would encourage you to give us a call or write us and at the close of this
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Program I'll have an address for you that we can you can either go to our website at www .aomin
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.org or call us at our phone number And we would be more than happy to send you information with regard to how to share with Jehovah's Witnesses What the gospel is?
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How do I reach them? I know that we could have covered a lot more and Also, we want to apologize that we understand that there's due to technical difficulties
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We had no live internet broadcast this week, and it's supposed to be restored for us by next next week
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We really do apologize for that these technical difficulties could be attributed to a lot of things but We trust that the
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Lord will get this word out to you And you will be edified and God will be glorified with that It's been a real joy to spend some time with you to share with you about what the gospel is and what
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Jehovah's Witnesses Teach to hopefully give you some insight if not stimulate you So that you might be what
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Peter called us a chosen race a royal priesthood of people for God's own possession that you may proclaim
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The excellencies of the one who called you out of this darkness into a marvelous light We trust that God will strengthen you and give you the the the courage and the boldness to not be afraid of the gospel not be afraid of these groups, but get serious with your relationship with God and To study his word to be a workman that does not need to be ashamed
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Handling accurately the word of truth is it is our call It is a wonderful privilege to be able to go out there and tell people about the
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King the real King the real Jesus And then to tell them the truth that will set them free what a marvelous privilege for us as As his is his people to do that We would also encourage you to listen next week as dr.
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White it will return and when he returns I'm sure he'll have a well an action -packed Discussion he'll be able to fill you in perhaps on what his traveling adventures have been like He's done a marvelous work we need to keep
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James White in our prayers, and we'll keep you in ours as God prepares us for the next day as we serve him and We proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to those in Mormonism Jehovah's Witnesses Roman Catholicism Atheism all who need the light although need the message
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We trust you'll be a part of that Godspeed The dividing line has been brought to you by Alpha and Omega ministries
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If you'd like to contact us call us at six oh two nine seven three four six zero two or write us at P O box three seven one zero six
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Phoenix, Arizona eight five zero six nine You can also find us on the world wide web at a o min org
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That's a o m i n dot or find a complete listing of James White's books tapes debates and tracks