Guide for new believers?

[newgene87]

I really didn't know how to title this but its just a concern of my own. I've stumbled upon this site 6 years ago and since then I've been through a mixture of confusion, revelation, stumbling, and strength in faith. I've gotten busy since then; joined the army, different schooling, jobs, normal life. I've never left it completely I always kept awareness of free wills myth noticing the truth of it in everyday life and watching people operate. Getting away from my point so yea ...I'm yearning to "start over" in a sense with my study of Scripture. Does anyone have any advice or tips for this? Looking for something like "Rays Guide to Scripture" (in light of the truths of God) lol.cuz I started at genesis and getting to chapter 5 and 6, definitly the beginning of 6: it threw me off a little and quite frankly, Genesis is confusing: seeing how there seems to be two accounts of Noah gathering the animals into the ark; and its like why? How would, lets say, a new believer in Christ, ACCEPTING these truths begin to read scripture; without becoming confused with complexity of Scripture. Should I start at the gospels, genesis,  jump around? Maybe a good reference to a good Reading Plan? Anything would be appreciate because I want to get back to studying scripture without studying "topics". Like lords prayer, armor of God, etc.

Thanks you all. New to the forum; but this already feels like family. I love it

[River]

Hi Newgene87,

   Your being guided by the Master, there is no better plan. Thank Him for what you have and be humble, beg Him to help you and to see things clearly. Your confusion, revelations, stumbling etc. are part of it. Let it flow! Keep reading and know that it doesn't all come at one time. Have faith and apply what you know. Your in good hands. 

River

[Duane]

Been there!  One of the best things that I an suggest is that you send for a Concordant Literal Version so at least the wording will be more accurate than the KJV.  It is also layed out easier to read but the sentences read rougher because of the literal translation.
Other than that, it is just, go to the main page and read, read, read.  Also, follow up with the articles suggested by the moderators in helping others with their questions and concerns.  I found many valuable lessons that I wouldn't have found otherwise.
Hope that helps.  For me, I was in a "state of flux" for about a year, them all of a sudden the Lord opened my understanding and all the pieces just fell in place as a foundation for further learning.

[JohnMichael]

Hi New,

The only "guide" I can think of was Ray's article of "Twelve Truths to Understanding God's Word" (http://bible-truths.com/twelve.htm).
Here's also a condensed version that Ray listed 7 Spiritual Keys (http://bible-truths.com/email14.htm#keys).
If you're interested, he also had a paper called "Praying by God's Rules" (http://bible-truths.com/praying.htm).

I would definitely second the suggestion to get a new translation of the Bible (such as the Concordant). I've been coming to notice in my own reading of Scripture that the KJV's easy flow and poetic language are also what makes it a hindrance. The pretty-sounding language and even pentameter are confusing, and by the time you finish a passage, you are confused as to what you actually read. I'd much rather have a version that I can understand what's being said over being woo'd by its pretty words, but I digress.

Hope this helps; In Him,
John

[arion]

Hi Gene;

Welcome to the forum.  I would amplify on what John shared as perhaps the most critical teachings for you to absorb is the 'Twelve Truths To Understanding God's Word' and the link to the article.  A great audio for you that goes along with that is the Foundational Truths teaching from a bible study.  It is available here; http://bible-truths.com/audio/Bible%20Study%2002-03-08.mp3  If God opens our eyes to understand these truths it lays the groundwork for everything else that follows on.  The other thing I would say (and it's easier said than done) is not to beat yourself over the head trying to 'learn' all these things.  God has a plan for you and he will unfold the revelation of His word to you in His timing.  Obviously study, pray and do anything else you are lead to do but we can't learn one thing until it's God's time for us to learn it.  I'm sure we can all identify in reading a certain scriptures dozens of times and not getting much out of it and then the next time  WHAM!!!  It hits us upside the head and we see something we have never seen before.  God will get you where you need to be when you need to be there.

Doug

[mharrell08]

Email to and reply from Ray (http://bible-truths.com/email2.htm#complicated):

Hi Ray,

I have been reading the 60 pages on The Rich man and Lazarus. Wow ! You sure went into detail. How long did it take you to do all this amazing research?

I have a long ways to go yet to finish reading what you wrote but so far it looks like you have some very interesting points and it's easy to follow. I plan to get back to you later. I may have a lot of questions. Hope you don't mind. 

Is that your picture on the front page?

One question I have right now is how can the average Christian possibly get the true meaning of this Parable if it took such extensive research?

It seems that most Christians in a life time would never go to the extent that you have. Does the Lord make things that deep and complicated? The way you break things down does seem complicated but the research and time you must have put into this is over whelming.       

Darleen

[Ray replies]

Dear Darleen:

Yes, that is my picture. Although I should probably update it seeing that that picture is about six years old.

A few words regarding the understanding of the Scriptures.

    Almost everything in the entire  Bible is SPIRITUALLY discerned.
     
    Jesus taught in parables so that his listeners in public would NOT understand a thing He was saying. He had to teach the meaning of these parables to His disciples in private.
     
    Once you understand thoroughly a half dozen spiritual TRUTHS, the rest is kinda easy.

One will never ever understand the Scriptures with the mind set and carnal mindedness of the Christian tradition. You must understand a few spiritual Truths that are totally rejected in all religions of the world and atheists as well. Here are a few:

    God is totally Sovereign. That is, He is in control of EVERYTHING and ALL THE TIME. Many people actually claim to believe this, but they really really don't.

    The words "everlasting" "evermore," "forever," "for ever AND EVER[?]," and "eternal" are nowhere found even once in any Hebrew or Greek manuscript from which our modern language bibles are translated.

    Man does NOT have a "free" will that can make decisions independent of his Sovereign God.

    Man is mortal, not immortal as Christendom teaches. Therefore, when people die, they are DEAD, not alive in a different geographical location.

    The ONLY hope for believers is that there will be a RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.

    [There are unscriptural] Biblical doctrines that are of no value to Christendom. They teach that dead people go to a place called hell and a place call heaven WHEN THEY ARE DEAD!

    Hell is not the translation of any word in either the Hebrew or Greek Manuscripts.
     
    Heaven and hades (often translated hell) are not geographical locations.

    God will save all mankind, seeing that He IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.

    God is a family and not a trinity.

    We are under a New Covenant, and the old is passing away.

    God is LOVE (no really, He really is, He would never torture most of His creation in fire for all eternity).

Well, there you have it. Understand those few principle and the Bible is a whole new book.

With these few spiritual Truths in mind Darleen, even you can become a Biblical scholar.

God be with you,

Ray


Hope this helps,

Marques

[cjwood]

hi newgene.  i also welcome you to the forum.  you have received some excellent suggestions, and the email and reply from ray, which marques posted, is priceless.  take all of this to heart gene, and your entire life will be turned upside down and inside out; and you wouldn't have it any other way! 

traveling mercies on your new journey to His wonderful Truths. 

claudia

[gmik]

Welcome Newgene...been on forum for 6 years so I can certainly say "been there done that"...believe me it gets better and easier...in time

Time- a great gift from God!

Marques...thank you SO much for those words from Ray...PRICELESS!!

So Newgene even an oldie like me still needs those basic lessons from Ray.  Read, Reread, take notes, study, and then know you are never quite.."there"...always more to learn or to relearn or remember..

great thread!!

[Duane]

Newgene...not to sound like a broken record but to UNDO some of the false thoughts heard over the years in church-- U-tube or buy
"52 Lies Heard in Church Every Sunday--and why the truth is better" by Steve McVey.  Though he is NOT doctrinally correct, it will
clear some garbage in your head in areas that you may not have thought of. 
Gaining a true knowledge from Ray's writings, while dispelling old myths will send you on your journey!

[Dave in Tenn]

With Respect, Duane, the stated purpose of B-T is obedience to scripture in 'exposing those who contradict and teaching sound doctrine'.  I've read quite a bit of it, and I see about equal parts of both those admonitions.   

Of course, anyone is free to go anywhere to hear some of the 'first' part...but I don't really understand going to a source that hasn't got the 'second' part right, by your own admission.  The churches already don't agree with each other.  So what?  Just saying, is all. 

[Duane]

Dave...of course you are right.  This other is helpful in "questioning the questions" to eliminate supposed truisms that we have absorbed over the years and MAY want to dispense of---if only we recognized them.

[Craig]

Though he is NOT doctrinally correct

Duane you are relatively new here so I'll dust off an old post of mine you probably missed it....

Lets say Ray and I both make a batch of brownies.

Ray puts eggs in his.....so do I.
Ray uses sugar............so do I.
Ray uses fudge...........so do I.
Ray uses flour.............so do I.
Ray uses butter..........so do I.

My brownies have a special ingredient,  Ray's does not.  My special ingredient is just a pinch of.....horse manure

Who's brownies are you going to eat?

Craig

[gmik]

 

Good one Craig!

[Duane]

I appreciated all of your comments and I truly stretched the rules of the FORUM in introducing "foreign material" for consideration. 

I DID value the reading as it DID expose me to "church truisms" that are smooth sounding words but nonetheless FALSE.  Thus, I probably would have never discovered or questioned these myself, because on the surface they sounded so innocuous. 

Do as the Lord leads you.  Being the son of a minister, I was intrigued by the book title.  I learned a lot. 

But as my old father-in-law used to say:   "Each to his own--said the man-- as he kissed the cow!"