I Will Stand for Jesus, Regardless of the Cost

Dear Bishop Mose:

Greetings of love in Jesus name. How are you all doing? I so often think of you and I have so long wanted to write but with the last letters we felt rather cut off as it seems we are not seeing things the same anymore.

I don't want to make many words as I feel too unworthy to admonish you. May I write a little about us? I was told over and over to surrender and obey the Amish church, that if it is wrong what they do than its not asked of me for justification. So that is exactly what we did last winter when I was in the ban for other issues. They waited a long time to take us up because of our belief in Jesus, finally I got tired of it and told my children, lets do all we can and cling to the Amish and we did that plus more. We lied against our better knowing so that we can have peace with them and that is the way we got taken up from ban. I felt terrible and I pleaded with God for help. Four weeks later God send another issue where I was confronted to lie again. This time I decided to take the stand as my peace with God was not good.

Anyways, they had us out of church in a short time again. I was still determined to stay Amish and we did try the New Order. But they also have so much hypocrisy and I was so mixed up until the day that I surrendered and decided to go Gods way regardless of the costs. If I would have realized the cost then, I doubt if I could have handled it. And when I surrendered I did not realize it would lead me where I am today. There are so many such wonderful miracles happening.

More, I believe you have a true vision of how we are saved only through Jesus and no other name is given that we can be saved with. Why, then, if you are a born again Christian do you shun people who diligently seek the Lord. And why do you judge people that wear other than Amish clothes and drive a car? Das Reich Gotles Rommt nicht mit auserlicken gebarden.

I can honestly and from the depth of my heart say that I have no more pride with English clothes than Amish clothes. I have no more pride or lust to drive a car than to drive a horse and buggy. But a lot rather I have less problem with pride. In Philippians chapter four, Paul explains how his goodness of the law was all a loss and considered as dung when he received Jesus for his Savior. We can not have Jesus for our Savior and still cling to our righteousness and bondage. Since I have surrendered to God only I have been miraculously delivered from my depression. I have received victory over my terrible lust problem and I have been sentenced to 5 years of probation instead of jail time. There were some great miracles that happened in court.

I have in this time talked to a lot of former Amish and did not realize before of the struggles they went through and the price they paid to come to the truth. Mose, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then the rest will be added unto you. Please Mose, surrender and let loose of your own righteousness. So many, many people are taking the word and twisting it. You must be born of the spirit. What is this about modern or where does the word plain come in?? The word says we must be born again Christians. I don't find it anywhere that it says we must be born again Plain Christians.

If a person carries the gift from God of love and compassion etc. etc. How dare we judge them with the clothes they wear? Why are we so judgmental about how people dress on the outside and ignore how our heart is dressed?

In I Peter 3:3-6: Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting of hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

I hear people take these two verses and twist them around and look at them in the temporal, outside, carnal manner. There are revelations often revelations to the ones that totally surrender to the spirit. Mose, talking would go better and I feel for you. I know it would be very humbling for you to leave Amish. And I am not telling you to leave Amish, but I am telling you if you want a true relationship with the Lord then you will have to step out of the bondage, kveckshaft gefangenshaft that most Amish are in. You will never be able to help more people come to the light if you aren't free yourself.

There is a drastic thing going to happen to those that don't have Jesus written on their forehead. I feel obligated to warn everybody I get a chance to, and themselves, if they are truly free from self and relying only on the grace of God. I really, really do believe that if you would check yourself with the word in the manner of the wisdom from the Holy Spirit and cast out all human fear then you would totally understand why I am where I am. I can honestly say I didn't change because I wanted to as I did not want to but I had to. It is very true that I get a lot of coaxing from many directions which actually brought me even more light, as it is hard for me to imagine the many different ways people take the word of God.

There is only one way, and I confess, it is far from my way, but God's way is always right. Oh please, do not believe the lies of the devil. I have never in my life experienced people coming to the Lord how I saw it this summer. Oh Mose, wouldn't you please for God's sake consider eternity and consider the real truth and put away your fleshly sin? I am very concerned and we need you and your family.

With love,

L. Schwartz

^{This letter has been published with permission from the owner.}

"Before you came to speak, I mistakenly assumed that the Amish had a good sense of the Bible and how important it is to be saved. Because of my assumption, I didn’t worry about them and did not include them in my prayers. I didn’t think I needed to. Now, I know differently. Thank you for opening my eyes to their plight. I will be praying for you and your family and your mission. "

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