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Author Topic: An Exercise of Conference Review  (Read 6580 times)

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Samson

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An Exercise of Conference Review
« on: December 21, 2009, 11:09:00 AM »

Hello Forum Members,

I thought that it would be a fun and interesting mental exercise and spiritually beneficial to review points that Forum members thought especially helpfull from the 2009 Bible Truths Conference. You can use Ray's Notes or the Transcript. Quote your point or points below, make a comment if you like about the point(s) you found especially beneficial or enlightening. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. I will type some points I found beneficial or interesting from Ray's Notes below in blue and make a concluding summary comment at the end of my Post in black. Looking forward to your participation.

From, How We Must Worship God: Although there's nothing wrong with it, the Bible doesn't command or instruct us to say Grace before meals. " The Pharisee's had a problem with Christ's disciples not washing before meals, but said nothing regarding not saying Grace over food." During the Last Supper, they were already eating prior to Blessing the Unleavened Bread and he Blessed the Wine after supper(Matt.26:26, LUke. 22:20. WE MUST FORGIVE EVERYONE OR OUR WORSHIP IS IN VAIN(Mark.11:25-26; Matt.6:12-15).

From, DO YOU DESPISE THE WORD OF GOD: Never forget, if a premise is true, then all truthful and scientific research will back up the fact that your premise is indeed TRUE. But if your premise is false, then all truthful and scientific research will back up the fact that your premise is indeed FALSE.

From, IS JESUS GOD: No, Jesus was not 100% human, nor 100% God. Jesus was totally unique. He was a divine being in the Family of God who emptied Himself(phil. 2:7) of His powerful Godly honors and dignities and title. Yet He retained some glory and honor(Heb. 2:9), when He was Made( for a little while) lower than the angels for the suffering of death, but He was not 100% God in that He had to ask His Father once more to glorify Thou me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was(John 17:5). Also, "all power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" Mt 28:18). Also, God is Spirit, He is not a person, only human beings can be persons(Men, Woman and Children). Nowhere in the Scriptures does it support the idea that God is a Person.


Comments: Well, that's enough for me, there are certainly many more points I benefitted from, but I don't want to be selfish and steal all the points. As a side note, I especially enjoyed the section on the word Day and how it's used in Scripture and that Day is almost every case refers to the twelve hours of light differentiating from the darkness(night).

                                 Looking forward to your participation, Samson.
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G. Driggs

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2009, 11:43:25 AM »

Good topic Samson.

I thought it was all good but the one about saying grace before meals really freed me from another tradition of man, and I would have never thought something like that WAS NOT in the Scriptures. Something else I have been thinking a lot about lately is a quote from 'I Cant Stop Sinning',
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If you just can't understand how this sinful world can do the evils that they do, and you shake your head at them, then you are "despising the riches of His goodness......not knowing that the goodness of God [not your own wise choice to follow God] leads you to repentance." So if you are going to stop judging [condemning] the sinful world, you are going to have to "HUMBLE yourself" (James 4:6-11).
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This really makes me think twice about condemning anyone despite what they do. Only by the grace, mercy and goodness of God do we learn repentance and stop sinning. Think on things like this and I will learn to truly love (agape), forgive and be patient with all people. This really reinforces that all is of God.

There were a lot of good stuff in the last conference, but these were just a couple that really made an impression on me.

G. Driggs
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Kat

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2009, 01:44:42 PM »


Hi Samson,

Good topic for discussion to help us recall the teachings Ray presented at the conference.  Right at the end he brought out something that had never occurred to me before.

-------------------------------

Then we read there in Philippians where Paul say;

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on THESE things.

“Think on these things.”  He didn’t say meditate on all your rotten sins and think about your sins.  Yea you think about those sins.  He didn’t say that did he.  He said you look at the good things and you think on those things.  Why?  Because you BECOME what you THINK. 

Think about… Denny and I, we debate who going to get different ones to judge.  He says I want to judge him and I say no I want him, you know.  But if you think about… ‘I want to change world, I would love to be a part of that.’   Now I don’t want some job I can’t handle, I want to do what God thinks I can handle.  But what I’m trying to teach you here, all you have to do is “think on these things,” desire them.  Because sometimes we don’t have money, time, talent, education.  We don’t have those things.  So how are we going to qualify?  Because how you think and the fact that God’s law is spiritual, you can do it.

Listen, here is another one, He’s going to reward everyone according to their works, right?  You don’t have no money, don’t have no talent, don’t have the wherewithal to visit people to help people, don’t have an education… how big is your reward going to be?  It can be huge!  I’ll tell you why, these things are SPIRITUAL!

If you looked on a woman or you don’t even look, you just meditate in your mind to lust after a woman, are you guilty of adultery?  Yes. 

If you just ’think’ about doing good to your fellow man and humanity and straightening out the evil and the wretchedness of this world… if you just ‘think’ about doing that, are you guilty of thinking those good things?  Yes.

Will you receive a big reward for that?  Yes.

You will be rewarded for not just what you would like to do, if you had the youth, the strength, the money, the energy, the education, the talents and the wherewithal.  You will be rewarded, because you would like to do those things.  You would want to do them.
 
Pro 23:7  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

And that’s how God equates it… absolutely!
------------------------------------------

I thought this was great to understand that it truly is what is in your heart, even if you are unable to actually carry out 'doing' what you want to do.  Though doing is the evidence of what is in our heart, whenever we can show it.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

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Terry

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2009, 02:12:09 PM »

Hey Samson great topic,
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on THESE things.

“Think on these things.”  He didn’t say meditate on all your rotten sins and think about your sins.  Yea you think about those sins.  He didn’t say that did he.  He said you look at the good things and you think on those things.  Why?  Because you BECOME what you THINK.


And thanks Kat i know i have heard that before but when i read your post it blew me away i can see it now in my spirit.

Terry
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Terry

Samson

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2009, 02:12:39 PM »


Hi Samson,

Good topic for discussion to help us recall the teachings Ray presented at the conference.  Right at the end he brought out something that had never occurred to me before.

-------------------------------

Then we read there in Philippians where Paul say;

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on THESE things.

“Think on these things.”  He didn’t say meditate on all your rotten sins and think about your sins.  Yea you think about those sins.  He didn’t say that did he.  He said you look at the good things and you think on those things.  Why?  Because you BECOME what you THINK. 



mercy, peace and love
Kat



Yes Kat,

             I like that point quoted above by you, too. We are what we think and dwell on, these negative or positive thoughts become action under the right circumstances and therefore become part of personal History.

                                  Thanks Kat, Samson.
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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2009, 06:41:54 PM »

Something quite personal and edifying was revealed to me from Rays conference. Ray shared that he said to God that He had to find him a house if He wanted him to move. Minutes later he found his house.
This was personal to me because this year I lost my home. It was horrible to try to find another home. Not only was it a difficult circumstance, but I did not want to ask God for a house because I felt that He already KNEW  that I needed a home. What held me back from asking God for a home was an incorrect understanding of God’s Word. I felt that to ask God,  would be transgressing the Scripture where we are told not to do as the Gentiles do in asking God for their needs because God knows what we need before we do, right? Well no. I was a real pale face on this one!
I was determined not to ask God so He caused me to cry to Him after I fell down the steps of another awful house my husband and I went to see. It was raining and I fell badly although I was not hurt physically I was shattered inwardly. The next day, despite the Scripture, I  cried to God, “God! We need a house!” The thought, ….over the road with river frontage….streamed into my mind. I was so wrought with apathy by now, that I did not respond to this thought not even in curiosity. That afternoon, with resignation, I joined my husband to go and see yet another house. On our way he commented that his Father had told him that there was a house for sale….you got it…over the road with river frontage!  THAT’S IT! I exclaimed. I did not care if there was a tent on the property; I knew it was where God had appointed us to be.
When I heard what happened to Ray, I went to the Scripture I thought I had understood and found out that I had not paid attention to the words! It reads…

Mat 6:31  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed? (NOTHING  ABOUT A HOME!)
Mat 6:32  For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
As for my home, God says
Act 17:26  And He has made all nations of men of one blood to dwell on all the face of the earth, ordaining fore-appointed seasons and boundaries of their dwelling…..
I could see that I should have asked God earlier on in my search. I may not have had to fall down the steps and nearly give a heart attack to the agent showing us the wrong house!... …God caused me to turn to Him and know that He is God the Provider and He showed me that I mis-understood His Scripture.
Now God is working on me to show me that my home is not only where He appoints in the natural boundaries, but also in the Spiritual Heavenly realms.
I am asking God for a better home in the thinking relms of my habitations as so wonderfully illustrated in Rays teaching us to observe that we really are as God says, and as importantly shown again here in the Forum.….as we think…. :)

Arc
« Last Edit: December 21, 2009, 06:53:00 PM by Arcturus »
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mharrell08

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2009, 06:57:34 PM »

Excerpt from 2009 Conference (http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,10966.msg94723.html#msg94723):

So, God does all these things, don’t feel frustrated if you’ve not conquered all your sins. You can feel bad and you should feel bad, you can feel guilty and you should feel guilty, but don’t become discouraged, for this too shall pass, in God’s time.

God is calling you, God is choosing you and you know in your heart if you want to obey God and live right and do right and walk in the spirit, you know that. Well, then it’s going to happen. There is no condemnation on God’s part. So have that assurance.

Ephesians 2:10 For we (God’s chosen Elect) are HIS (God’s) workmanship (Concordant translates this achievement), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We are God’s achievement, we don’t achieve it by ourselves.  We’re God’s workmanship, “we’re God’s achievement, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”  So God intends for us to do good works.  If you’re not doing very many good works, God’s not through with you yet. He’s working with you, work-manship speaks of a process, achievement speaks more of reaching the goal. You will reach the goal.

So when you read all of this stuff, it appears like “all is of God”……well duh.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

I guess we can all say amen to that.

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
v. 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (that is a covering, a shelter) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
v. 26 To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.

Now, it says you have to believe in Jesus, that’s faith. Where are you going to get that faith? It’s a gift of God too. Just rely on God, accept Him at His word.  Pray, say ‘God, Ray has shown me all this stuff, is that true, are You going to do all that in my life?’ 

Well, if He is calling you, of course He will. Why are you fretting so? Why do you really worry, that maybe you won’t be in the kingdom of God?  You will be, unless you’re sitting here faking it. Unless you really don’t love God and you would really prefer a worldly life of lust and sin and all of that. But if you’re here because you do love God, you love decency, and goodness and purity and virtue and all the things that Paul said to “think on these things.”  If that’s how you are and how you want to be, then that’s how it’s going to happen. In God’s time it will happen in your life.



Great topic Samson  :)

Ray makes a good point about not becoming discouraging at our sinful shortcoming but recognizing it is God working in us that gives us the victory. Many times we hear our fellow brethren speak as if they know for sure the Lake of Fire is their destination because they are not overcoming all the sins in their life. But like Ray says, if God is calling you and and working in you, he's not finished with you yet.

Jesus says His meat is to do the will of the Father and finish His Work [John 4:34]...that includes His Work in us. He will finish it as we are being made complete in Him. There is no need to worry of our election seeing that it is God who does the Work...just trust in Him to finish what He has started in us.


Marques
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Samson

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2009, 07:11:38 PM »

you’re sitting here faking it. Unless you really don’t love God and you would really prefer a worldly life of lust and sin and all of that. But if you’re here because you do love God, you love decency, and goodness and purity and virtue and all the things that Paul said to “think on these things.”  If that’s how you are and how you want to be, then that’s how it’s going to happen. In God’s time it will happen in your life[/b].[/color]


Great topic Samson  :)

Ray makes a good point about not becoming discouraging at our sinful shortcoming but recognizing it is God working in us that gives us the victory. Many times we hear our fellow brethren speak as if they know for sure the Lake of Fire is their destination because they are not overcoming all the sins in their life. But like Ray says, if God is calling you and and working in you, he's not finished with you yet.

Jesus says His meat is to do the will of the Father and finish His Work [John 4:34]...that includes His Work in us. He will finish it as we are being made complete in Him. There is no need to worry of our election seeing that it is God who does the Work...just trust in Him to finish what He has started in us.


Marques
[/quote]

Thanks Marques,

                         I can relate to that last paragraph above by Ray and your subsequent comment. In my case, it's not that I believe so overwhelmed by Sin that I'll be in the Lake of Fire Judgement, it's just more for me a feeling of being worthless and not good enough, probably as a result of the damage other Humans have done to me over the years, although perhaps it's had a humbling affect, which is good as mentioned by Ray at the Conference.

                                         Kind Regards, Samson.
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mharrell08

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #8 on: December 21, 2009, 07:30:22 PM »

Thanks Marques,

                         I can relate to that last paragraph above by Ray and your subsequent comment. In my case, it's not that I believe so overwhelmed by Sin that I'll be in the Lake of Fire Judgement, it's just more for me a feeling of being worthless and not good enough, probably as a result of the damage other Humans have done to me over the years, although perhaps it's had a humbling affect, which is good as mentioned by Ray at the Conference.

                                         Kind Regards, Samson.


And I think that shows a greater work of the Lord to call those who are 'not many wise, not many noble, not many mighty' [1 Cor 1:26]. As Jesus told the Pharisees, 'I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance' [Matt 9:13].

Knowing we can do nothing of virtue of ourselves is certainly humbling and this fact admonishes us to rely/trust in God heart, mind, & soul. I think when we judge ourselves and are humbled at how weak the flesh is, we trust in God and look to Him to lift us up. I believe this humbling effect is God pulling us closer in this age...the more He shows us our shortcomings, the more we recognize just how truly awesome He is. Alright, I'm rambling but great thread nonetheless Samson...  :)


Marques
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darren

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2009, 08:20:22 PM »

Unfortunately I was not able to attend the conf. However  I have been watching and listing to everyword from the beginning to the end. Over and over. I just wanted to comment on what Arc. was talking about. They needed a home very badly and did not feel right to ask God for one. I was in that same situation. After Katrina we had lost everything we owned (and everything we did not own). We were living in a matchbox(FEMA trailer) I was alone and very depressed. I started praying and I cupped my hands and raised them in the air and said "here God, I can not do this" here are my burdens. Here is my housing problem, my transportation problems, so on and so forth. I was pleading with the Lord to take away these problems and help me. Help me find a house I can afforded, a car, some clothes. We really need the everyday things that most just take for granted. The next day I hear a knock at the door, it was the Red Cross. They had brought us boxes of clothes, food, cleaning supplies. things we needed for the bathroom, it was a God Sent. The next day I get a call from a program director that helped find decent housing for people in our situation. by the end of the week we were moving. I just wonder what if I had asked for the Lords help sooner. But then again this all happen in God's time, table not mine. I know for me it is pride that gets in my way. pride and the fact that I feel like a hypocrite when I ask for God;s help. But that a different subject. Anyway I guess what I am trying to say is that, do not be afraid to asked God for ones needs. He will ansewer. Just in His time frame, not ours.

PS. Positivity breeds positivity, Negativity breeds negativity. If one hangs around negative people it will bring one down sooner or latter. As one thinks, one is. (Just a thought). Thank you Samson for this post.

                                                   Darren
« Last Edit: December 21, 2009, 08:21:56 PM by darren »
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Deborah-Leigh

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2009, 10:01:57 AM »

Hello Darren

It is true that God works according to His timetable, Love and Wisdom.

Your Katrina experience feels exactly like what happened  my family on the inside infrastructure of our being when God separated my husband from our son and I for an intense and deeply painful  six weeks. How do you stop a Tsunami? How can anyone stop God? Why do any of us have to experience the absence of sovereignty over God Himself, through such intense trials and suffering? Because we are carnal and we have all to learn that…

 "All the choices of all humanity are preordained by God to happen, and as such, not one is free to not happen. Therefore, no one has a will that can operate independent from or in opposition to, God’s preordained purpose."  
  L. Ray Smith

God says, the BEGINNING of Wisdom, is the reverential fear of God meaning for me the realization that even in the most mundane or ordinary, even boring circumstances of our lives, or and including the intensely, insanely painful circumstances, God is STILL Sovereign appointing to us all of our circumstances and experiences. God doesn’t only rule in big issues. He is in the details too. I had to fall down stairs in the pouring rain to come up to God.

I have never experienced such deep surgery of God to my inner being. It was an inner Katrina.
We are being instructed by God who is making us whole in the knowledge and the experience that Paul testified…

Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound. In everything and in all things I AM INSTRUCTED both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Quoting Ray from LOF 11……And it is this purification of the physical, carnal, temporal Adam, into the spiritual, holy, eternal Christ, that requires severe heat and pressure—a real life experience of overcoming EVIL with GOOD.    
Here is the destiny of the whole human race:
“Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you FAULTLESS [pure and perfect] before the presence of His GLORY with EXCEEDING JOY, To the only WISE God our Saviour, be GLORY and MAJESTY, DOMINION, and POWER, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 24-25)….unquote

It is wonderful to know that our losses, sufferings and pain unto death, is in the charge and control of our God who Loves us and He is Faithful to His Word  …

Rom 8:38  …… that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

These are not just flowery feel good words of Paul’s sentimentality that are sung in tune to  Church electric guitars and choir group. This is God talking and telling us that when and as He works in us making us into His Image, we shall start to understand what He, what God means as He takes us through the experience with heights, depths, powers, principalities and even death. As God takes you into His Hands to make you into His Image He shows you the meaning of the above!

Arc

« Last Edit: December 22, 2009, 10:24:21 AM by Arcturus »
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Ninny

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Re: An Exercise of Conference Review
« Reply #11 on: December 22, 2009, 11:02:30 AM »

I may have said this before, but one of the moments from the conference that touched me the most was when Ray was talking about when he found out about his cancer returning...I was sitting there next to Musicman and Mike(Jacobs Ladder) I sort of looked at them through the corner of my eye and I hope they won't mind me saying this..but I was so thankful to see them sitting there!  Because Ray is not afraid to present the truth and present it in such a way as to give proof to seekers who must have it, Musicman, Mike, and many others..have come to know that God is a loving Father who does not punish His children for all eternity..I remember thinking that I felt like a mom sitting there with two men who are very much like my own sons, whose lives have been changed by God through one ole retired roofer who could give a rip less about offending even the highest-minded, most highly decorated or educated church scholar that "Christendom" has to offer!!! At that moment in the conference while fighting back tears of sadness for Ray's condition..I saw my two "sons" in the light of God's mercy and love! That is a moment I haven't shared with either Musicman (Dan) or Mike...but they both know that I love them very dearly...  I'm so thankful to be among this group of people....who have come to understand more about the Character of God through the teachings of one L. Ray Smith!! It's my prayer for all of us here that we could be understanding of each others' shortcomings and faults and just let God's love and His mercy be what motivates us...

" If, then, there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any communion of spirit, if any compassion and pity,
 fill my joy full, that you may be mutually disposed, having mutual love, joined in soul, being disposed to one thing
 nothing according with faction, nor yet according with vainglory - but with humility, deeming one another superior to one's self,
 not each noting that which is his own, but each that of others also." Philippians2:1-4 CLV

Kathy ;) :-*
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