My answer to your questions and other ramblings

[AwesomeSavior]

With knowledge, add temperance. The more knowledge God gives us, the more thorns in the flesh will be coming our way. As someone has pointed out, Paul was taken to the third heaven and shown things that he could not repeat. As a result of such revelation knowledge, God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh. Paul begged to have it taken away, but God told him that His chastening (grace) was sufficient for him. We can't be given knowledge by itself because we would become extremely arrogant. So we constantly have to deal with the evil God sends our way to humble us. I was listening to an astronomer describe the universe. He said that if it was intelligently designed, which he believes it is, the IQ required to build this universe would be something to the effect of 10 to the trillioneth, trillioneth, trillioneth, trillioneth, trillioneth, trillioneth power. My IQ is around 120. The most intelligent people on the planet are somewhere around 200. Does that give perspective?

[space.ace.jase]

I crash-landed into the BT site a few years ago but I almost feel that I have unlearnt what little basics that I used to have a small understanding of. I just can't deal with all the misery of this life and feel myself breaking apart and falling to pieces. I used to have joy reading Ray's articles and his teaching but I can't even open a bible to read a verse, I just get so frustrated/disheartened.

Do what you want God I don't care any more and I don't understand any of it.

[Kat]

Hi space.ace.jase,

Do not be too disheartened, that is a necessary part of overcoming the world, all of our false understanding must be "ground to powder." Don't give up things can only get better and they will. Here is a section where Ray had spoke about this.

http://bible-truths.com/lake14.html --------

TURNING OUR IDOLS OF THE HEART INTO POWDER

In Ezekiel 14:7 we read:

"For every one of the house of Israel [WE {Gentiles} are now the circumcision of God, Phil. 3:3. WE {Gentile believers} are the true Jew, Romans 2:28-29. WE {Gentiles & a remnant of racial Israel} are the spiritual Israel of God, Gal. 6:16] or of the stranger that sojourns in Israel, which separates himself from Me, and sets up HIS IDOLS IN HIS HEART..."

We all have "idols of the heart." Whenever we disobey God, we are giving allegiance to and manifesting idols in our heart.

When ancient Israel turned from God, they too manifested the idols in their hearts by building a literal golden calf idol with which to worship. And what did God do through Moses?

"And he [Moses] took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire [don't forget I Cor. 3:15], and GROUND IT TO POWDER, and scattered it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it" (Exodus 32:20).

How many understand our Lord's statements in Luke 20:17-18?

"And He beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the Head of the corner? Whomsoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever It shall fall, It will GRIND HIM TO POWDER."

When we fall on the Stone (Jesus), we are broken. Or as John tells us in Revelation,

"And I saw one of his heads as it were WOUNDED TO DEATH..." (Rev. 13:3).

Yes, when we fall on Christ we are broken, we are wounded (by the "sword" of God—Rev. 13:14 vs. Heb. 4:12). This is our human attempt at salvation. But then we fall, and our "deadly wound [which we received by the Word of God] was healed" (Rev. 13:3), we went back into the world, back into Babylon, thus leaving our first love. When the wound of the Sword of God's Word that had slain us, is healed, we fall from the love of God, and we again turn our love to the world from which we came.

But here's the good news concerning this stone. If we are among the chosen that overcome, then the Stone falls ON US, and our spiritual house built upon the sand comes crashing down. And when Jesus falls on us, He GRINDS US [along with all of our idols of the heart] TO POWDER!

Remember we are but "clay" in the hands of the Master Potter, and clay consists of particles of sedimentary silicates of aluminum less than two-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter—in other words, very fine powder. In Ancient Israel, the sin offering, the peace offering, the meat offering, and thank offering all had to be made with fine flour. All of the universe is composed of very fine things.

All of the instructions on what was to be offered to God in the service of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, who was to offer it, and how it was to be offered is not just quaint little stories of history:

"Now ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED unto them for ensamples: and they are written FOR OUR ADMONITION, upon whom the ends of the world [ages] are come." (I Cor. 10:11).

Christ is representative of all and every one of these sacrifices. And

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He [Jesus Christ] IS, SO ARE WE in this world" (I John 4:17).

So, when we read of the fine flour, oil, salt, and frankincense in the Old Testament offerings, we must understand that WE TOO are to be like fine flour—spiritually humbled and ground fine like powder, oil—having the Spirit of God in us, salt—we are to BE the "salt of the earth," and frankincense—our very lives becoming a sweet smelling incense to our God.

Some of the things we must go through seem bad on the surface. But as in all of God's dealings, what appears at first to be something horribly bad, is in reality, only a necessary stage in the process of overcoming sin and self so as to be qualified to reign with Christ in bringing the rest of humanity into a knowledge of the Truth, redemption, salvation, and finally, glory.
----------------------------------------------------

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Gina]

I crash-landed into the BT site a few years ago but I almost feel that I have unlearnt what little basics that I used to have a small understanding of. I just can't deal with all the misery of this life and feel myself breaking apart and falling to pieces. I used to have joy reading Ray's articles and his teaching but I can't even open a bible to read a verse, I just get so frustrated/disheartened.

Do what you want God I don't care any more and I don't understand any of it.

Wow space.  I for one am praying for you.  I can totally identify with what you've said.  I promise it will make sense to you, maybe not today or tomorrow and I don't really know what you're going through (if it's someone you know personally or if the matters involve you personally or if you're just speaking in general terms), but that can only be Satan getting a hold of your mind and taking away the seeds that were planted there.  Been there.

Once I wrote Ray with a boatload of (really stupid by comparison) problems I was personally experiencing, and I was so angry with God.  Then I started to say how angry I was that God had caused Ray to be sick.  He wrote me back and you know what he said?  He told me that he and his wife experienced many, many troubles and he gave me a few examples of things that I would never repeat, and then he said, And they are difficult for us, but we are not overwhelmed by any of them!

Why weren't they overwhelmed?  Because God gave them the gift of belief in God's word.  It's that simple.  I pray you and I and the others who experience this humbling evil will be given the ability to really and truly believe God's word. 

And then he said to me, "Tell ya what, you pray for me and I'll pray for you and we'll get through this thing called life."

( I have to say, those words of Ray's put me back on my feet.  He was not about to listen to me whine about things and let me sink down in the mire of self-pity because he knew that would do me no good.  He set me right back on my feet.   God, what a blessing that was hearing his straight talk to me. )

Love,
Gina

[chav]

"Tell ya what, you pray for me and I'll pray for you and we'll get through this thing called life."

Sums it up beautifully. Thanks for the reminder Craig. I think there is more than a lifetime of learning on this site to get through, and more importantly to live out daily in our own lives. But I won't deny it's a struggle for me a lot of the time.
Dave

[wcd]

Ray left a body of work behind,the more we study it,the more we realise that we have so little understanding.You are not alone in that thinking, God surely wants us that way to humble us,really get fixed in our minds that we are nothing.Our struggles show us more and more how small we are in Gods sight.The very Creator said he was nothing without the Father in him,thats a huge statement coming from His Son,puts into perspective our position in this life.Thank you for writing that,we do have a great sense of loss [my wife and I] at Ray's passing,God willing we shall soldier on.

[Gina]

You know I can only speak for myself, but maybe I speak for a "few" others out there.  I don't know.  However, I love this site.  I don't really read all of Ray's writings consistently on a daily basis.  I know others are just like me.  I know that Ray set an example of searching the scriptures and he asked God questions and when he was given the answers (whether you are of the belief that they are the "answers" or just Ray's ramblings -- I don't know) he passed them on to those who were interested.  God gave to Ray a love of the scriptures...

"Dear Dr. Kennedy:

My name is Ray Smith and I love the Scriptures. But I marvel how God's Word is being misrepresented today in such an organized worldwide effort.."

I don't see Ray finding fault with anyone for coming here and asking questions and seeking comfort in this forum.  Hey, man, it keeps some of us out of the "bars and pool halls" if you know what I mean!

So we don't have all the answers and won't in this lifetime.  "Overly inflated egos" ?  Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I know I have problems with my own ego, but I also thank God I have people to remind me of that.

I come here for comfort because I can get very lonely and this is a "safe haven" for me in this dark world.  (I was almost raped about four weeks ago by someone I thought was my friend who called me asking for a lift because their car broke down.)  And some of us (me!) are bored with life to the point that this forum and you people and your questions are A LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD.  I'm drawn to this forum like a magnet.  I can try to leave but I can't. 

So some have left and gone away, but maybe it's just that they're struggling and that's okay.  I understand.  I've noticed that too, but we can't fault them; we don't always know what they're going through; and we certainly don't always know what people are thinking or their true motives behind their actions, but certainly God is directing their steps.  Do we draw them back in by accusing them of having left because they're not satisfied with what we have here already on Ray's site?  Will that make believers out of them?  Maybe.  I don't know.  I'd rather do it the way Paul did it -- make 'em jealous. :-D

I could easily go without sex for the rest of my life all because this forum (and bacon) exists -- because sex could ever replace what I get from the true love that is exhibited by many, right here, on this forum.

I ask questions because I love the interaction with people.  I don't expect you all to have the "answers."  I just like being around you -- here on this forum, that's why I continue to come here.

This world is dark and getting darker but Christ has taken us out of the world.  So how can we light up the world having been taken out of it?  The world is evil and wants nothing to do with the light; because their deeds are evil and the world loves the darkness more than the light.  Thank God we have each other here who are coming to love the light more than the world.  We're not all there yet but look where we are!  Wow!  Ya know?  We're here because Ray was used by God (through Dennis' prodding) to publish his letters to Hagee and Kennedy, et al.  Thank you Dennis!

Everyone wants to be a teacher.   That's what Ray says.  Well yeah, because we love you Ray and we respect you we want to be just like you.  But in order to be a good teacher, you have to first be a good student.  That's the requirement for being a teacher:  being a good student.  [I don't know about you, Craig, but I think we have some excellent students here, not the least of which are the mods, who by deed and action, show that they love God and their brothers, and have been a light to me on how to be a better student -- not that I'm a good student or teacher by any means, but hey; practice makes perfect as the saying goes.   

I believe that we want to be here to have a purpose because so many of us feel as though we have no purpose in life (and some get carried away by their egos, but let's pray that we will be kept safe from those kinds of egos).  I believe we want to give to others in a way that makes them love and trust God, not worship us.  I like how Ray understood that God's word is powerful and people were flocking to him -- to God, rather, but he wasn't looking for acclamation for himself!  He wasnt bothered by what other people thought of him " Oh, well, what can I say... failed again."    That's how I want to be.  Just like that.)

[Rhys 🕊]

I crash-landed into the BT site a few years ago but I almost feel that I have unlearnt what little basics that I used to have a small understanding of. I just can't deal with all the misery of this life and feel myself breaking apart and falling to pieces. I used to have joy reading Ray's articles and his teaching but I can't even open a bible to read a verse, I just get so frustrated/disheartened.

Do what you want God I don't care any more and I don't understand any of it.

Space

We all go through different circumstances in our journey with the Lord but it is indeed all of Him. Here is a little bit about myself which I will be sharing in a lot longer form shortly. I used to be in a place where I loved God with all my heart - praying, seeking, reading the word, serving and everything else. Well due to various circumstances I went from this wonderful place of loving God where I really loved God and I didn't care if anyone else loved me because I had this special relationship with the Lord. That love I had and which I enjoyed myself gradually turned into hatred towards God. Where I use to love other believers I now disliked them and I stopped caring about there needs and became only focused on my own. Not only that I would attack God calling Him all sorts of things which He is not and using language against Him that I couldn't possibly mention here. I truly went from a place of great light and now great darkness. I couldn't believe what I had become and thought that I had disqualified myself from any possible relationship with Him that I use to have. But now praise God He is brought me into a more wonderful place than I use to have by using Ray's teaching. I don't want anyone to be in the place that I was but seems a necessary thing for God to do.

I guess I'm saying that I am thankful to God to where I am now but going through the fire was terrible and today for me it is still difficult and I still have plenty of tears and I still struggle with the way I treated God. I didn't hurt Him but I did hurt myself.

The following verse came to mind when I was thinking about you.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Are we more than conquerors only when we are doing all the right spiritual things and we feel we are a great man of God now? I think you know the answer to this Space.

God bless you Space and I too share your pain.

Rhys

[acomplishedartis]

"Tell ya what, you pray for me and I'll pray for you and we'll get through this thing called life."

Sums it up beautifully. Thanks for the reminder Craig. I think there is more than a lifetime of learning on this site to get through, and more importantly to live out daily in our own lives. But I won't deny it's a struggle for me a lot of the time.
Dave

I agree Dave.

I can see Ray saying that when confronted with the others tough life realities. I miss him. What I perceived from him is that he was on his own on his walk with God, advancing at his own phase, while helping and encouraging the ones more weak ones (Like myself).

One thing that I believe can change our life perspective in a lot of things is the fact that we are going to be judged in according to our works, to what we know and what we have experienced. People have different resistance to pain and evil, what seems so hard for some of us could be not so hard for others... Our spiritual journey is individual, and thanks to this forum it's easier for us to find people who tent to walk on a similar rate.

I think titles should not be taken in account when listening what others have to say, only the content and the attitude of the one talking...   In many ways we are all teachers and students walking with and learning from the Jesus life at our personal phase.

[onelovedread]

And so with all the replies, postings and sharings, we've come right back to Craig's beautiful post. (Some of us even tried to hijack the thread) but we're right back to square one. Thank you again Craig, and thank you Spirit of God for your direction.
This is a great thread.

[thewatchman]

I enjoyed your post Craig,
But the scripture is faith 'as' a mustard seed, Not faith 'of' a mustard seed. Not that we need a certain measure of faith, but we have a faith that grows from the smallest of seeds to the largest of herbs. Up to 60ft tall from such tiny beginnings. Its about a faith that grows. It's a hopeful thing.

[Craig]

You are correct it does say faith as a mustard seed.

But my premise stands, in the statement leading up to that Jesus told them they had little faith, so little that if they had faith at least as small as a mustard seed they could move a mountain.

I agree that our faith does grow, but it is not something caused by us.  Faith is a gift from God. Someday we will be filled, my point was we don't really know what the meaning of faith really is, I suspect our definition and God's may be completely different, or at a minimum not comprehendable to us.

Craig

[Kat]

Hi Craig,

You makes some good points. One thing I have read on here many times is something like, 'we don't/can't really know this or that' or 'the Scripture is silent on this or that.' What I would like to say is that none of us can really say that about the rest of us here, not really. I mean each of us are differing point of study and  understanding, so then there are some who have come to a greater understanding than others... if any of us have gained some knowledge beyond what is available here then we can't share it.

I'm not advocating that we open up the forum for others teaching. No. I'm just saying nobody can say what others here know or don't know. I hope that there are those here that are continuing to grow, even beyond what is here... why should we be limited to this, even as much as it is? The Spirit indwelling is not limited, praise God!

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[Ian 155]

As someone has pointed out, Paul was taken to the third heaven and shown things that he could not repeat. As a result of such revelation knowledge,

Correction -  this was not Paul this was someone Paul knew..

2-Corinthians 12-1
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".

[levycarneiro]

One thing I have read on here many times is something like, 'we don't/can't really know this or that' or 'the Scripture is silent on this or that.'

I say

- a little while ago maybe most of us here just couldn't conceive what God would reveal to us through Ray/BT.

- we can say "there are some things God won't reveal during the current age".

- we can not say "the Scriptures is silent on this or that".

- we can logically say "we don't know what specifically will or will not be revealed this age, so let's keep looking!".


    "There's so much in there!" Ray 

    "But God hath revealed {them} unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10)

God bless!
Levy

[John from Kentucky]

As someone has pointed out, Paul was taken to the third heaven and shown things that he could not repeat. As a result of such revelation knowledge,

Correction -  this was not Paul this was someone Paul knew..

2-Corinthians 12-1
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".

It was Paul.  Paul was being modest in not directly mentioning himself.

Much was revealed to Paul.  If you throw in the Book of Hebrews, Paul was used to write half the New Testament.  Paul suffered a lot.  Much was given to Paul, much was expected.

[mharrell08]

The one absolute that we all agree on is The Salvation of all Mankind. We can all give our thoughts on who/what/where/when/how we think this will be accomplished but what's most important is that we know it will be accomplished.

I don't say that to discount what God has shown any of you, whether through BT, group, or self study. The Father teaches in parables then uses other parables to explain the first parables. Whether we can agree on all these riddles is not as important as the one truth of all being saved. It's the one doctrine that I know for a FACT has changed every person's life that's come through BT, past and present members.


Thanks,

Marques

P.S. I include God being all sovereign within the salvation of all...it's the only way all being saved is possible. 

[John from Kentucky]

Hi Craig,

You makes some good points. One thing I have read on here many times is something like, 'we don't/can't really know this or that' or 'the Scripture is silent on this or that.' What I would like to say is that none of us can really say that about the rest of us here, not really. I mean each of us are differing point of study and  understanding, so then there are some who have come to a greater understanding than others... if any of us have gained some knowledge beyond what is available here then we can't share it.

I'm not advocating that we open up the forum for others teaching. No. I'm just saying nobody can say what others here know or don't know. I hope that there are those here that are continuing to grow, even beyond what is here... why should we be limited to this, even as much as it is? The Spirit indwelling is not limited, praise God!

mercy, peace and love
Kat

I agree with you Kat in that we must continue to grow in grace and knowledge.

Jesus through His Spirit leads each of us individually.

The Spirit is like the wind, like moving water.  It is a moving, active, living force.  If we stop moving, learning, and growing; we die.

[Ian 155]

As someone has pointed out, Paul was taken to the third heaven and shown things that he could not repeat. As a result of such revelation knowledge,

Correction -  this was not Paul this was someone Paul knew..

2-Corinthians 12-1
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".

It was Paul.  Paul was being modest in not directly mentioning himself.

Much was revealed to Paul.  If you throw in the Book of Hebrews, Paul was used to write half the New Testament.  Paul suffered a lot.  Much was given to Paul, much was expected.

2Co 12:5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 

[John from Kentucky]

As someone has pointed out, Paul was taken to the third heaven and shown things that he could not repeat. As a result of such revelation knowledge,

Correction -  this was not Paul this was someone Paul knew..

2-Corinthians 12-1
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".

It was Paul.  Paul was being modest in not directly mentioning himself.

Much was revealed to Paul.  If you throw in the Book of Hebrews, Paul was used to write half the New Testament.  Paul suffered a lot.  Much was given to Paul, much was expected.

2Co 12:5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 

This a very, very minor matter.  It was Paul who received the visions and revelations.  He was countering false apostles who talked about their spiritual visions.  Paul didn't like to boast about himself, so he used a literary device of speaking in the third person about the visions that Jesus gave him.

If you really want the truth about this minor point, then read down a little further to 2 Corinthians 12:7, where Paul states he was the one who received the revelations, and God gave Paul a "thorn in the flesh" so he wouldn't be exalted above measure.