Rays health update

[Dennis Vogel]

Notice the new update at the top of General Discussions:

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,12251.0.html

[Roy Coates]

Thank you Dennis, it is always good to hear from Ray. Ray is inspirational, Thank God. My heart is heavy for the suffering Ray is enduring.

Ray our continued Prayers from Lake Orion Michigan, Peace and Grace be with you. Your friend, Roy

[Marlene]

 I hate to here this for Ray. He has endured for a long time. I love him very much.  Will keep him and his family in my thoughts.

In His Love,
Marlene

[ez2u]

He is in our prayers as always.  Peggy

[soberxp]

So where do I go from here?  God can heal me at any time He chooses in any way or manner He chooses.

indeed.I know it.I know.

Ray keep the faith,always.honest,I don't think all your paper is right,but many is great really.
blessings.

[judith collier]

Dear Ray, you are already a miracle! I will never forget what a wonderful, courageous man you are. I hope, but doubt that I will be so brave when such sickness descends. You are being made an example for us, someone who challenges us to endure and keep the faith to the end.
You are walking through the valley of the shadow of death but you don't appear to be fearing any evil for God is surely with you and He WILL prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. And goodness and mercy WILL follow you all the rest of your days and I have no doubt that you WILL dwell in the house of the Lord forever!
May you experience and feel thoroughly the love of God and know His heart is made glad for having created you, an honest and prodigious disciple who only had the Word of God as his motive in teaching.
May grace abound and peace cover you while His will is being carried out.
Love, Judy

[arion]

I am reminded of the Apostle Paul who was given a thorn in his flesh because of the greatness of the revelations given to him in order to keep him humble and totally dependent upon God.  Although Ray wouldn't compare himself to Paul, he certainly has been 'sent' to us in like manner.  Nothing can take Ray away until God's purpose for him is finished.  What an incredible witness this must be to the hospice workers who have been attending to him for such a long period of time.  I wish he didn't have to suffer so much but Father knows best.  His grace is certainly sufficient but at times I wish that I could share Ray's pain with him for awhile so he could get some relief.

[Samson]

Dear Ray, you are already a miracle! I will never forget what a wonderful, courageous man you are. I hope, but doubt that I will be so brave when such sickness descends. You are being made an example for us, someone who challenges us to endure and keep the faith to the end.
You are walking through the valley of the shadow of death but you don't appear to be fearing any evil for God is surely with you and He WILL prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. And goodness and mercy WILL follow you all the rest of your days and I have no doubt that you WILL dwell in the house of the Lord forever!
May you experience and feel thoroughly the love of God and know His heart is made glad for having created you, an honest and prodigious disciple who only had the Word of God as his motive in teaching.
May grace abound and peace cover you while His will is being carried out.
Love, Judy

Hi Judy,

            I concur with Your above Post. Only God Himself is able to CAUSE anyone of us to endure such horrific pain as mentioned by Ray in this Thread. People("Christians") gleefully anticipating Ray's physical demise is a sickening thought to me, but spiritually, they can't touch Him. It still is amazing and a miracle of sorts how a skeptic like me ever happened to stumble upon this Site. I remember saying to myself, no more taking any particular teaching to heart, especially after My JW experience. I figured that it was enough for one Lifetime, but I began my reading of Ray's material with His Email responses and couldn't stop, because it was and is all true. How could I ignore it. When I came here, I already had embraced Universal Salvation and was pretty much sold on it. I could have choose a variety of Sites, but God led me here and I still appreciate what I read from Ray. My prayers go out to Ray, God's Will be done.

                                 With Heartfelt Prayers For Ray, Samson.

[Marky Mark]

I happened across the Scripture below and thought of Ray right away.Our beloved teachers faultless condition of the heart so ever parallels the Scripture below. The Lords work in Ray shows His Love for us,and also His Love for Ray.The Word of God does not lie,ever.

My prayer is for Gods will to be done in Rays life.


Col 1:24  Now I have joy in my pain because of you, and in my flesh I undergo whatever is still needed to make the sorrows of Christ complete, for the salvation of his body, the church;
Col 1:25  Of which I became a servant by the purpose of God which was given to me for you, to give effect to the word of God,
Col 1:26  The secret which has been kept from all times and generations, but has now been made clear to his saints,
Col 1:27  To whom God was pleased to give knowledge of the wealth of the glory of this secret among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28  Whom we are preaching; guiding and teaching every man in all wisdom, so that every man may be complete in Christ;
Col 1:29  And for this purpose I am working, using all my strength by the help of his power which is working in me strongly.

2Ti 2:10 Therefore I am enduring all because of those who are chosen, that they also may be happening upon the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with glory eonian."
2Ti 2:11 Faithful is the saying: "For if we died together, we shall be living together also;"
2Ti 2:12 if we are enduring, we shall be reigning together also; if we are disowning, He also will be disowning us;"
2Ti 2:13 if we are disbelieving, He is remaining faithful - He cannot disown Himself."
2Ti 2:14 Of these things be reminding them, conjuring them in the Lord's sight not to engage in controversy for nothing useful, to the upsetting of those who are hearing."
2Ti 2:15 Endeavor to present yourself to God qualified, an unashamed worker, correctly cutting the word of truth."



Peace to you Ray...Mark

[Deborah-Leigh]

Marky Mark

In all my years as a member here in BT Forum, I have never seen such a beautiful post as the one you have been inspired to post!

God Bless you dear brother AND Ray, for always.

Deborah

[Dawidos]

It's really awful what LRS is going through, but I admire his determination, bravery and strong faith. He has done so much for us and there is no way we can "repay" him. Only God knows who is the chosen one, but we can be pretty sure LRS is. Please God, take care of him as long as you will.

[jingle52]

I concur with all the wonderful and warm sentiments sent to Ray with sincere well wishes from my fellow forum members and followers in Christ, this verse came to mind and I thought it very appropriate (for me) because really, Ray loves the Lord and has given all his time and energy to feed us, the flock/lambs/sheep who were blindly following the church and now, through his thorough explanations of God's Word, we are out of Babylon...
I am now reading and studying the Scriptures with a vigour I didn't have in all my years before coming to Bible Truths, I am being fed and Ray is the modern day apostle albeit via internet who is feeding the Lord's Sheep as He intended His apostles over two thousand years to do.   
This is just my humble opinion from where I stand.


John 21:
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.


May God Bless you Ray and may He make His face to shine upon you and give you peace in your afflictions

[Shawn Fainn]

In a selfish way, despite Ray's pain, I wish he could be around longer to continue to share more of the wisdom he's gained throughout the years.

It seems like only a few months ago, I had started reading the material here and was 'freed' from babylon. What an amazing feeling it was to gain so much knowledge so quickly, and such an amazing (and different) outlook on the Scriptures than I had before. I thank God for that, and thank God for Ray.

He will continue to be in my prayers. I also pray that he is able to complete these last videos which were mentioned, and give the naysayers one last bomb of truth. Then maybe our brother can finally have some peace.

Regardless though.. I'd say he's definitely fought the good fight.


2 Timothy 4:6-8

6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

[gmik]

I am blessed to be reading these posts.  God used Ray in all our lives and is still using him to reach countless others thru his website and thru us.

  I just attended the funeral yesterday of my friend's grandson who was all of 16.  I hated hearing about how he is NOW playing baseball w/ Jesus...after the funeral talking to some friends  someone said about Satan stealing blah blha blah and I mentioned Isa 45:5-7 about God created Evil and Good...oh what a maelstorm....people will not even think about anything else but their sacred cows...I just chuckled to myself and thanked God that He drew me to Rays website over 3 years ago (or 4).

None of us know when our time is up...Keep the faith, love one another, study God's Word, be quick to help, and pray.

I pray that Ray and Manuela know how much we love them.

[dave]

May God continue to bless you.

[jerreye]

Ray,

May God give peace and comfort to your heart, mind and body.

I am continuing to pray for you.

Blessings,
Jeremy

[grapehound]

What's in a name?

A refiner of silver is a silversmith.
A refiner of gold is a goldsmith.
But that rarest of craftsmen?
A refiner of LIGHT ..........
                                     A RaySmith

What noble Godly sanity prevails in a world of madness, to lighten our darkness.

xxx

[Stacey]

What's in a name?

A refiner of silver is a silversmith.
A refiner of gold is a goldsmith.
But that rarest of craftsmen?
A refiner of LIGHT ..........
                                     A RaySmith

What noble Godly sanity prevails in a world of madness, to lighten our darkness.

xxx

That there is a refreshing original kind thing to say grapehound! Accurate too! Oh and welcome to the forum to you.

God bless L. Ray Smith

Since I don't know what the L stands for in his name, it just might be Laser. Laser Ray Smith !

Lord knows Ray has endured a lot and I surely hope God blesses him with an abundance of enduring strength to continue on either to overcome this or finish the race.

[grapehound]

Thanx Stacey and Amen.

It should be Laser shouldn't it?

Every blessing

Grape

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi Grape

Welcome to the Forum brother

Your post reminded me of a time when I too rejoiced in seeing Ray as Gods own ray of light. Finding the light from out of the darkness is such a wonderful blessing!

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Ray himself tells us of who he is, and I blieve what Ray says is true to the Plan and Mighty Purpose for which God made Ray.  


"Behold, I have created the smith [that's me] that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for His work, and I have CREATED THE WASTER TO DESTROY" (Isaiah 54:16).

["waster" -- Hebrew: shachath, decay, ruin, batter, cast off, corrupt, destroy, lose, mar, perish, spill spoil -- UTTERLY WASTE, #7843, p. 115, Strong's Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary].

God created the "WASTER," not the archangel who later supposedly became Satan, but from the BEGINNING God said He created "The WASTER" and He created him "TO DESTROY" Now then, WHO'S role is it to "destroy" the flesh of man so that the spirit may be saved?

"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one UNTO SATAN for DESTRUCTION of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus" (I Cor. 5:4-5). LOF part 2

It is the many carnal loving, flesh following, blind and deceived hypocrites who will see Ray as the destroyer, waster or Satan incarnate, someone to be hated, accused and reviled rather than the smith of God that blows the coals in the fire and that brings forth an instrument for  the work of our God!
   
2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 2Co 2:16  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 2Co 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

The Lords work in Ray shows His Love for us,and also His Love for Ray, is what our Forum brother Marky Mark has witnessed for us in this Thread.



Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Who has opened to us the Scriptures but our God, through Ray his smith!

Arc