Passages that strike a nerve

[JohnMichael]

I was just in reflection the past couple of days, and I thought about these passages. They've always held meaning for me - like looking in the mirror and seeing myself in these accounts.

The first is in Luke 18.

Luk 18:35  And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
Luk 18:36  And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
Luk 18:37  And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
Luk 18:38  And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Luk 18:39  And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Luk 18:40  And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
Luk 18:41  Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
Luk 18:42  And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
Luk 18:43  And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

This passage reminded me of all the times I've been treated like a leper in the church, society, etc. I don't see this man as just wistfully stating, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." This man was an outcast - a begger. I can see him screaming at the top of his lungs when the crowd tried to silence him. When the world tried to silence him, he yelled all the louder.

Mat 9:20  And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Mat 9:21  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Mat 9:22  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

For obvious reasons, the woman with the issue of blood holds a large impact on me. I also have a disease of blood which I desire to be healed of if it be His will.

Mat 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Mat 15:23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mat 15:26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Mat 15:27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Mat 15:28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

I have felt like one of those dogs (still do most days).

Joh 12:1  Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
Joh 12:2  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Joh 12:3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Joh 12:4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
Joh 12:5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
Joh 12:6  This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Joh 12:7  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

Mat 26:7  There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Mat 26:8  But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Mat 26:9  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mat 26:10  When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Mat 26:12  For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Mat 26:13  Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

The humility of this woman has always been something that stirred me. Coupled with the gentile woman, these passages speak volumes in regard to being humble before man and God.

No teaching or preaching meant - just relaying some passages that hold special meaning for me. Feel free to post your own.

In His Love,
John

[Duane]

It always amazed and comforted me that Jesus over-rode the will of the people (masses) and did what he thought was right.

How many former B-T members have gone back to the "Church of Babylon" because of the cries of the masses against them?  I finally
got past the place of having to fight it,  thu the constant reading of Ray's and others articles.  I don't think anyone one of us can truly say that we, at one point or other, didn't think "what if 'they' are right and we are being led astray with a 'new doctrine' ".

God always "drags" back those who He intends to understand His truths.

[gmik]

I love the Prodigal Son story....there is so much to glean from that.  The father could represent an earthly father and you can get lots from that point of view...or representing our heavenly father- lots of lessons that way.  sometimes I see myself as the prodigal and sometimes as the "other" son-self-righteous.

I tend to go back to this story often ...lthere is a lot to say in that parable and a lot to learn.

[grapehound]

It always amazed and comforted me that Jesus over-rode the will of the people (masses) and did what he thought was right.

How many former B-T members have gone back to the "Church of Babylon" because of the cries of the masses against them?  I finally
got past the place of having to fight it,  thu the constant reading of Ray's and others articles.  I don't think anyone one of us can truly say that we, at one point or other, didn't think "what if 'they' are right and we are being led astray with a 'new doctrine' ".

God always "drags" back those who He intends to understand His truths.

Good point Duane,

If anyone can be bothered to take a good look at the creation, they will discover the paradox of multiplication; caused by division.
The building blocks of all life, cells, multiply and grow according to their type.
This multiplication is caused by cell division.
That's how the 'church' has grown; by division.

A 'dyed-in-the-wool' Babylonian tried to button-hole me with the argument:
"But what you're saying is that you few are right and the rest of Christendom is wrong!
Sounds to me like the tail is wagging the dog."

I replied that Babylon can't have it both ways.
Isn't that what the 'church' has been saying to the world for 2000+ years?
"We few are right and the rest are wrong." ??

Then along comes someone like Ray Smith with profound interpretation and understanding, raises the game to the next level, then is accused of the very thing that the 'church' is guilty of. "We few know better".

If the broad 'church' denies the right of enlightenment, they're shooting their own argument in the foot.
Multiplication is caused by division.
The template is inherent in creation itself.

Sorry for the detour JohnMichael, good thread.

Bump.

Grape

[Rene]

I don't think anyone one of us can truly say that we, at one point or other, didn't think "what if 'they' are right and we are being led astray with a 'new doctrine' ".

Hi Duane,

Not to change the subject matter of this thread, however, I just want to say, I personally have NEVER questioned whether 'they' are right and we are being led astray with a 'new doctine' since coming to BT.  I'm not boosting, but just feeling blessed to have been given enough faith from the start to not have felt any doubt when those in the church have tried to challenge my beliefs.

René

[Duane]

Rene...you are lucky!  I "got it" just the other day from my sister, who said "You (me) have lived such an imperfect life and don't even go to church to serve God-- and Dad, who was a minister-who gave his whole career to the Lord-and you feel YOU are one of the "few" and Dad and Dwight L. Moody and all the "founding father's" of our religion got it WRONG AND ARE THE "MANY"  (HUFF!)
I will take the LOF hard copy with me for a week and study it and show you where it is all wrong and that you are "following a new doctrine" and straying from the Lord and Word of God!"
Yep! said I.. She shook her head and walked away in disbelief. 
Hopefully, through reading , the Lord will reveal Himself to her.
The other question people throw at me is:  What and how did all the people believe BEFORE Ray came along with 'his new theology' "
So Rene--if you haven't got STIFF ARMED a few times, maybe you aren't talking about it enuff--but that is not for me to judge.
Duane   

[Duane]

John/Rene...I understand your points of view and I have ray's article "Saving People for Jesus" in hard copy and I just read it last week again.
I think God called me as a preacher/teacher and gave me an outgoing "salesman personality"--although I won lots of sales contests
I was noted for believing in my product and NOT resorting to being "pushy".  I believed that the definition of a sale is"the transfer of enthusiasm for the product" and I got people to invest in my product because they believed in it-- and me. 
I am the same about Ray and B-T. 
I BELIEVE in the Bible Truths revealed to me on this web site and I am ENTHUSED and I just can't shut up about the truths that I have learned tht freed me from the "Church of Babylon".  SOOO, when the Spirit leads and I feel the opportunity to share what I know--there I gooooo!  I also know that I am doing the right thing because "Yea, and all they that live Godly WILL suffer persecution".  "Bless are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of eviil against you falsely: rejoice! and be exceeding GLAD for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you".  "Go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and (their) Holy Spirit".
So I use opportunities to share the B-T with anyone who I think will accept it and then let God do the rest.  BUT, I chance "getting bit"
each time I do it--but boo-hoo for me if I suffer a little.  I guess I "figger-if I ain't servin' I ain't suffren".   
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.  Love you all,  Duane

[JohnMichael]

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Two little verses that mean the world to me. With everything else that's in Revelation, these two verses were overlooked in my days in Babylon and Churchianity. Thinking about what these verses really mean brings tears to my eyes. A world that will no longer have pain or diseases or heartache or sorrow or wickedness or death... seems almost like a dream, but it's actually going to happen. It amazes me to even contemplate it.

[Samson]

Hi John,

Of particular importance & meaning to Me is the passage from John. Chapter 9 regarding " The Man born Blind." It reminds Me of a good example & object lesson about the principle: First comes the Physical and then comes the Spiritual. Although, not too many people are Born physically blind, even Helen Keller had literal sight for at least approximately 6 Months, it isn't often We hear of anyone Born physically blind. However, All of us are Born spiritually Blind, spiritually immature, spiritually weak & eventually are spiritually deceived with a very few Chosen to receive spiritual enlightenment. Almost the entire Human Race is spiritually Blind to a great or lesser degree, even if not totally. Read passage below from John chapter 9, taken from The Concordant Literal Translation.

Chapter 9
1 And, passing along, He perceived a man, blind from birth.
2 And His disciples ask Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he should be born blind?"
3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man sinned, nor his parents, but it is that the works of God may be manifested in him.
4 I must be working the works of Him Who sends Me while it is day. Coming is the night, when no one can work.
5 Whenever I may be in the world, I am the Light of the world."
6 Saying these things, He spits on the ground and makes mud out of the spittle, and anoints the blind man on his eyes with the mud,
7 and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is being translated "Commissioned"). He came away, then, and washes, and came, observing.
8 The neighbors, then, and those beholding him formerly, (for he was a beggar) said, "Is not this the one who is sitting and begging?"
9 Others said that "This is he." Yet others said, "No, but he is like him." Yet he said, "I am he."
10 They said, then, to him, "How, then, were your eyes opened?"
11 He answered and said, "The Man Who is termed 'Jesus' makes mud and anoints my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool Siloam and wash.' Coming away, then, and washing, I receive sight."
12 And they say to him, "Where is that man?" He is saying, "I am not aware."
13 They are leading him, who once was blind, to the Pharisees.
14 Now it was on a sabbath day that Jesus makes the mud and opens his eyes.
15 Again, then, the Pharisees also asked him how he receives sight. Now he said to them, "He places mud upon my eyes, and I wash, and I am observing."
16 Some of the Pharisees, then, said, "This man is not from God, for he is not keeping the sabbath." Yet others said, "How can a man who is a sinner be doing such signs?" And there was a schism among them.
17 They are saying, then, again to him who once was blind, "What are you saying concerning him, seeing that he opens your eyes?" Now he said that "A prophet is He."
18 The Jews, then, do not believe concerning him, that he was blind and receives sight, till they summon the parents of him who receives sight.
19 And they ask them, saying, "Is this your son, of whom you are saying that he was born blind? How, then, is he observing at present?"
20 His parents, then, answered and say, "We are aware that this is our son and that he was born blind.
21 Yet how he is now observing, we are not aware, or who opens his eyes, we are not aware. Ask him; he has come of age. He will speak concerning himself."
22 These things his parents said, seeing that they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should ever be avowing Him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore his parents say that "He has come of age. Inquire of him."
24 A second time, then, they summon the man who was blind, and they say to him, "Give the glory to God. We are aware that this man is a sinner."
25 He, then, answered, "If He is a sinner, I am not aware of it. One thing I am aware of, that, being blind, at present I am observing."
26 They said, then, to him, again, "What does he do to you? How does he open your eyes?"
27 He answered them, "I told you already, and you do not hear. Why again are you wanting to hear? Not you also are wanting to become His disciples?"
28 Now they revile him and said, "You are a disciple of that man, yet we are disciples of Moses.
29 We are aware that it was to Moses that God has spoken. Yet this man -- we are not aware whence he is."
30 The man answered and said to them, "For in this is the marvelous thing, that you are not aware whence He is, and He opens my eyes!
31 We are aware that God is not hearing sinners, but if anyone should be a reverer of God and doing His will, him He is hearing.
32 From out of the eon it is not heard that anyone opens the eyes of one born blind.
33 Except this Man were from God, He could not be doing anything."
34 They answered and say to him, "You were wholly born in sins, and you are teaching us!" And they cast him out.
35 Jesus hears that they cast him out, and, finding him, said to him, "Are you believing in the Son of Mankind?"
36 He answered and said, "And Who is He, Lord, that I should be believing in Him?"
37 Now Jesus said to him, "You have also seen Him, and He Who is speaking with you is He."
38 Now he averred, "I am believing, Lord!" And he worships Him.
39 And Jesus said, "For judgment came I into this world, that those who are not observing may be observing, and those observing may be becoming blind."
40 And those of the Pharisees who are with Him hear these things, and they said to Him, "Not we also are blind?"
41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have had no sin. Yet now you are saying that 'We are observing.' Your sin, then, is remaining.

Comment: The Pharisees claimed to SPIRITUALLY SEE, but Jesus told them that if They were blind, they would have no Sin, but they claimed to See, so their Sin remained. I believe that this is an example of "The Relative," in regards to Jesus saying: " They would have no Sin." Obviously, All have Sinned, but they(Pharisees) knew that Jesus was the Son of God & came from God as mentioned by Nicodemus at John. This Man Born Blind apparently began to spiritually see to at least a small degree, whether or not He had His eyes spiritually opened more in the days to come, WE DON"Y KNOW. " For this Judgement, I came into the World that those blind would receive sight and those seeing would be made blind.

Chapter 3
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a chief of the Jews.
2 This one came to Him by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we are aware that Thou art a Teacher come from God, for no one can be doing these signs which Thou art doing, if God should not be with Him."

                             Kind Regards, Samson.

[Duane]

Samson...thank you for taking time to share with us and type that lengthy response. (sometimes I don't think we "readers" fully aappreciate the research and typing that goes into the responses that people "donate" for free.  I'm
thinking of Ray, Harrell, Kat and other moderators and members that go "all out" to cover a topic).  And "Bible sponges"
like me, read it and go on our way.
Actually, I am responding to Samson, CLV account of the salvation of the blind man and I notice, as I often do, that the
"30 second 'sinners prayer' "  is nowhere to be found or recorded!
You see it on every tract and hear it at every evangelistic meeting and often on tv--"say it with head bowed and eyes closed and YOU'RE IN (forever and permanently)!!" 
It seems that if that were the "way to go" that if Jesus TAUGHT the disciples to pray in THE LORD'S PRAYER example; that SOMEWHERE in the Bible God would have a model SINNERS 20 SECOND SALVATION PRAYER!   I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER READING OF ANY "ALTER CALLS after the FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND or SERMON ON THE MOUNT! 
Who made up all this stuff anyway?

[G. Driggs]

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Two little verses that mean the world to me. With everything else that's in Revelation, these two verses were overlooked in my days in Babylon and Churchianity. Thinking about what these verses really mean brings tears to my eyes. A world that will no longer have pain or diseases or heartache or sorrow or wickedness or death... seems almost like a dream, but it's actually going to happen. It amazes me to even contemplate it.

Love them verses too John, been meditating on them a lot. My grandmother use to always remind me of them when I was hurting. Used to think them verses were only meant for Christians until recently.........

Isa 25:8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off ALL FACES; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.              

Thanks John for the reminder.

G.Driggs      

[stanstillwhite]

Hey Duane!!

I know just what you mean. God gave me a voice and I have always used it.  And the only thing I could ever do was persuade people to follow Jesus.  Its the only thing I ever really believed in.  I just can't keep quite about what God has done for me.  Like the man in the Bible after Jesus brought his little girl back to life and then told him not to tell any body....I GOT TO TELL SOMEBODY!!  Even if God is going to save everybody I still feel compelled to tell people how good and loving Jesus is.  Yeah, I've been cussed and spit on and even cuffed a time or two but so what. Looking back I wonder how much of that I brought on myself.  Were is the real sufferting.  I know this can't be it.  Over 400 believer die every day for Jesus.  And they don't know what we do!  When will we see true character building faith galvanizing persecution!  I have never doubted what E L Martin and Ray Smith have shown us.  I have been rebelling against these doctrines all my life.  When I first read these truths it was like a light came on and I could see the whole room.  Both joy and shame flooded my soul.  For how could I have ever believed and teach  such lies about my Father? But our Father is the Master of Mercy and the God of grace.  I always have to remember:

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Let us all walk worthy of the calling we have been given.  For worthy is He who called us.

Love Ya

Stan

[Joel]

Hi John
Luke 4:18-19 is a blessing to me no matter how many times I read it.
Jesus did all he was sent to do at that time in history.
4:18-The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19-To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Hi Grapehound
I don't talk much about God to anyone, but the times that he was leading me to say something and the times that I have been verbally attacked by others, have been different as night and day.
I too was ask if I thought Ray, and I were the only ones that are right and everyone else is wrong?
My reply was "No God is the one that is right." Paul said "let God be true, but every man a liar;"  Romans 3:4

Joel

[JohnMichael]

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isa 61:4  And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

Jer 31:12  Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
Jer 31:13  Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

These verses coincide with Rev 21:3-4 as a promise toward:

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.


When this flesh has finally been conquered, and death is no more, what a wonderful life that will be; it's hard to conceive that:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

That will truly be a wonderful and glorious time - all to the Glory of God. Isn't it beyond words how truly good it is that God, unlike man, keeps His promises?

In Him,
John