> General Discussions
Everyone "raised" in the church?
rumpelstiltskin:
Really? Not one person on this forum is from a nonbelieving background? I'm the only one? Surely not! I do know of people that God called out of agnostic or even atheist families, but they are all still in Babylon. Most mainstream Christian doctrines I had to learn from Ray's papers, not in a church. So I'm the only one? Ok then, I guess that's fair enough. Ray was saying in one of his sermons, that he has a friend who he meets with once a week, and all the talk about over lunch is scripture. Now that would be an interesting discusion between any inward Jews, I have never had that, and it must be a nice thing to be able to do in a face to face situation.
Peace
longhorn:
T.G.N I think "Non-Religious" would be a better word than non-believing. I would bet quite a few on this forum grew up in so called non-religious families. I know I did. Our family very rarely attended church even though we were Baptist. I was raised by two very loving parents, but biblical principles were not a daily teaching theme in our home.
Longhorn
byonespirit:
Very close to the same for me as Longhorn.My family was Baptist,but we only went sporadically.I did attend vacation Bible school as a kid for a few summers,and as I look back on it,I can't remember learning very much more than God is love,and a few "lessons" from the four gospels.I believe I did believe in Jesus at a young age,but it didn't seem to make a huge difference in my life.One Sunday,I went to church alone(cause I could walk there,it was so close),and a deacon or someone asked me,'Where is the rest of your family?"I was a bit self conscious back then,and that really embarrassed me,and I didn't go back to church for a long time.When I was a young teen,I remember reading in the NT where Jesus said to "deny your self...".WELL! I had NO clue what that meant!What?How can anybody "DENY" their self.WE ARE a self, so how in the world do we deny that?lol It wasn't until I was 25 years old that I really had a conversion to Jesus Christ,and it was nowhere near a church.,and after that,I kinda knew what denying self was all about.What was strange with me then was that I started reading the scriptures with understanding;it was alive to me.And I didn't go to church at all...and i could see many of the false doctrines in churches. ....anyway, i could go on and on,but I will close for now.Pray for the devastated peoples in Japan,that is so tragic.
Ben
rumpelstiltskin:
Hello John from Kentucky, Longhorn, Byonespirit,
There you go! That’s what I was waiting to hear!. My experience with church attending Christians is that the only people they know are other Christians (if you can call them that). This amazes me, because I consider myself a Christian and I don't know any. Strangers and sojourners, no doubt.
Non- religious most likely is a better word. The King James uses unbeliever's which is why I used that word. People also use atheist and I thought maybe agnostic most appropriate for my family and friends, all are very loving people too, and is one reason I believe in the salvation of all.
I,m happy to see that not everyone has had a blond haired, blue eyed image of Christ shoved in there face almost from birth, and I pity those who have.
I have a sister in law who is from Japan, so yes pray for them all!
One more thing, Ray talks in one of his conferences about worshipping in spirit and truth (between you and God) I cant remember which audio it was, but I think It was one of the worship sermons, or maybe in one of his papers. That's all a lot of us can do.
Thank you for welcoming me to the forum
Peace
T.G.N
Extol:
Hi T.G.N.,
Here are some emails from Ray regarding the scattered believers:
Dear Josh:
Looking forward to seeing you at our Conference.
Most of the Elect of the world have no fellow Believers to fellowship with. We are the "salt of the earth." By the very nature of this parable, we are to be scattered and not clumped all together in little piles. Jesus asked if there would be faith in the earth when He returns? Of course not. But consider, if there were a dozen or so chosen Elect in your city, and in every other city of the world, then there would ben MILLIONS of believers on earth today who have faith. This is clearly not the case.
What we need to understand is that our true fellowship is with Jesus Christ and God His Father.(I Cor. 1:9; II Cor. 6:14; I John 1:3; II Cor. 13:14, etc.).
God be with you,
Ray
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1533.0.html
Dear Robin:
You are right; True believers are few and scattered. I know of no study group in Iowa that teaches the Truths of God. The few we know of are posted at the bottom of our home page. You can, if you wish, join our Forum at the bottom of our home page. We are opening a brand new forum in the next day or two. You will find some people there who believe and practice the Truths of God.
God be with you,
Ray
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,22.0.html
> I read your message about the heresies of the church.
> I agree with you concerning what you explained in
> great detail. I have seen and experienced much of
> what you discussed. Of the churches I have attended:
> where is there a place to worship that is not corrupted by
> such heresies? Please, respond I trully need your advise.
> Ronald
I don't know, Ronald, but if you find one be sure to le me know, okay?
Maybe Jesus told the truth after all when He said that His followers were
like the SALT of the earth rather than like LUMPY GRAVY?
God be with you,
Ray
http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,2932.0.html
And here is an excerpt from the Mobile 2009 conference about true worship:
WE ARE ADMONISHED TO ASSEMBLE TOGETHER:
Now we are admonished to assemble ourselves together and it is a difficult thing when you live in Great Britain and central Mexico and northern Canada and all of that. But we are here today and you know we are making a jolly good effort. As Jesus say;
Matt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…
1John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
So hopefully that is what we are doing here. We are assembling… trying to get the true knowledge of God… we are hopefully humbling ourselves… we are determined to walk in the light… learn God’s Truth… we are having fellowship one with another… the end result is we will be cleansed from all our sin! How good is that! That’s a good thing. Right? That’s worship.
We are worshipping here. We are not singing, we are not dancing, we are not falling over backwards and foaming at the mouth or speaking in mumbo jumbo. But we are here, we are assembling, we are fellowshipping, we will hopefully have a humble attitude, we are hungry and thirsty for God’s Truth. That’s WORSHIP! We are worshipping. Do you follow?
Well what about all the days we don’t assemble? Well you don’t have to be in a physical assembly to worship. Just follow instruction.
John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
v. 22 You worship you know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
v. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him.
v. 24 God is a (‘a’ is not in the Greek) Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Not that you can, but you “MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Not that you can or can’t, you “must.” We must worship “in spirit and in truth.” There’s the answer as to how, when and where we are to WORSHIP God.
When Israel was condemned for idolatry, they didn’t worship “in truth.” Those statures and stuff that they bow down to, that’s not truth and it’s not spiritual, but very physical. You can bust the nose off of those gods.
REAL TRUE AND SPIRITUAL WORSHIP IS OBEDIENCE
So ‘true’ worship is obedience to the truth! All of the truth, all of God’s word. To know what that is you have got to pay attention to all the words. I’m going to show you a couple of examples of how I do that and why I can take any truth of God and just keep going with it, there is no end.
Matt 4:10 Then said Jesus unto him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.
Luke 6:46 And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
That’s worship!
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
That’s worship!
John 14:21 He that hath My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves Me:
That’s worship!
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,11521.0.html
Cheers!
Jesse
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