Dear Bill:
I will answer you email out of order, as it is timely, and may also be helpful to others. I will COMMENT in your email below.............
> Hi Ray,
>
> I hope the conference went off well. It seems to be have been a
> blessing for many. I have not had the chance to listen to the audio
> yet. I heard the quality may be lacking on some. Maybe I can go check
> it out this weekend.
COMMENT: The first part of the first session did not record on our professional recorder, as it was not turned on properly, so we borrowed that section from a table recorder near the front. Sadly the quality is poor, but the rest should be of good quality.
> Frequently you are asked questions asking if we should do certain
> physical activities like Karate, Yoga, getting a tattoo and recently get
> involved in politics. Many times you have answered by saying that
> Christ or the apostles did not take part in these so we should not
> either. I am hoping you could elaborate on this as this answer does not
> do it for me. I guess what I am trying to say is you could give this
> answer to many such questions but that does not make it the correct.
>
> For example:
>
> One could ask can I sing, listen to music, watch TV/Movie, have a hobby?
>
> You could answer Christ and and the apostles did not waste there time in
> such activities neither shall we.
COMMENT: Actually Christ and His apostles did SING (Matt. 26:30, Mar; 14:26; Acts 16:25: I Cor. 14:15; James 5:13; Rev. 15:3; Eph. 5:19). Luke 15:25 represents "dancing and music" in the "house of God." They did not have "TV and Movies." I am sure that many had hobbies, however, the Scriptures is not necessarily the place to be discussing the various hobbies of the disciples.
> Or how about.
>
> Can I have money, own any possessions (besides the cloths on my back).
>
> And you could answer Christ had no such of these things neither shall
> we.
COMMENT: Of course Jesus had money. Judas was His treasurer (John 13:29). And there is no reason to think that Jesus didn't have a house (Mark 2:15) seeing that He Himself was a carpenter. He lived, however, mostly at Peter's house in Capernaum.
> Again:
>
> Can I live for tomorrow by having a roof over my head. How about a
> refrigerator/Freezer so I can preserve food for the future?
COMMENT: You apparently did not read my paper on, PRAYING BY GOD'S RULES:
"Periodically I thank God for everything I have—I mean everything . Including the many things that most people take for granted. You have heard of counting sheep to fall asleep? Well I fall asleep many nights thanking God for all of my blessings. I start where I am—on my comfortable mattress and pillow, next to my wife, in an air-conditioned room.
You heard me right, I start by tanking God for my pillow and my comfortable bed. How many people in the history of the world have ever had a bed as comfortable as mine? Not even one percent. I thank God for my wife lying next to me. I thank God for my children. I thank God for our great little feline companions. I thank God for air conditioning in the summer and central heating in the winter. I thank God for our home, my office, our large living room for Bible Studies, our television that enables me to see the major news events of the world instantly, and documentaries (I watch a fair amount of the Science Channel, National Geographic, the History Channel, etc.).
I thank God especially for our refrigerator. Do you have any idea how much kings and queens of the past would have given for a refrigerator? And add to that, a plethora of fresh fruits, vegetables, juices, and ice cold water. I never take my refrigerator or all that is in it, for granted. I thank God for indoor plumbing. Most of the world does not have indoor plumbing or even good drinking water. How many in the world drink warm, muddy water? How blessed we are.
I thank God for all of my friends, and all those coming to our Conferences, and for all who read bible-truths.com and participate in our Discussion Forum. I thank God for the Truths that He has given me to share with all these people. I thank God for the miracles of electronic email (which takes up a great deal of my life).
I thank God that I don’t need to live in a war zone, for the protection of our civil authorities, and for emergency services.
I thank God for being such a great and loving God and for giving us the secrets of His plan and purpose, His kingdom, and our eternal destiny with Him. I thank God for His Word. I even thank God for our tribulations and ask only that He gives us the strength to endure and the spiritual understanding to see the purpose and value in all God does. There is so much to be thankful for, and God wants us to be thankful. Notice how little it took for Paul to be content with God’s dealing with him: "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content" (I Tim. 6:
.
Anyway, I often pray myself to sleep just giving God thanks for my many blessings."
> And you could answer Christ did not even have a place to lay his head
> and neither shall we.
COMMENT: "Not having a place to lay His head" did not mean that He didn't have a house to sleep in (as He often stayed in Peter's home), but I don't have time now to explain the meaning of His statement.
God be with you,
Ray
> I could go on and on with such questions. These all seem to be physical
> obsticals that if we are to live in the spirit should not even matter.
>
> Thanks for any clarification you can give and Keep up the good work you
> are a blessing to many.
>
> God Bless
>
> Bill
> P.S. Patiently waiting for the next hell article. Any guess when it will
> be up?
