Hi Ryan,
This is an email that Marques posted back in April for a similar question:
Email reply from Ray (
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,373.0.html):
Dear John and Blanca:
I get many questions such as yours. I presently have over 400 unanswered emails waiting on me. Unfortunately, I cannot even begin to explain the whole plan of God to you in an email, and then explain the process of conversion, overcoming, living a godly life, etc., etc., etc., in an email. It would take me days.
Understand this: It is GOD Who is directing your life, and He caused you to come to our site. There is a lot of information on our site. Unfortunately only a handful of people have ever read all the material on our site. If you will read all the material on our site, most of your questions will be answered.
No one showed me how to repent. No one showed me how to overcome. No one showed me how to conquer sin. God did it in me, for me. There was a time when I too felt helpless and didn't know what to do. I knew there was a God, but I didn't know how to really contact Him, and so basically I learned that it was He who contacted me--in HIS TIME.
I have people asking me to "Please explain the Bible to me, Ray." Or: "Show me how to do God's perfect will so that I will be happy and have purpose in my life."
I can't really do these things. Here is what Paul instructs us: "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence [Paul was now in prison in Rome, and would never see these Philippians again] , WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING." Why?
"For [because] it is GOD which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasre" (Phil. 2:12-12).
This sounds like a contradiction to most people. The reason that we "work out our own slavation with fear and trembling" is because it is ALL OF GOD.
We cannot look to our own devices or works--only God can and will save us. You MUST rely on God IN FAITH for all of these things in your life. God will CAUSE you to work all these things out in your life. I will help as much as lies within me, but I cannot give you all the answers in an email, and I have too many email to write long essay type answers. Hope you understand.
God be with you,
Ray