Greetings everyone!
I'm new here on this forum, though on the internet I choose to keep my personal data personal, I would like to introduce myself with that in mind, anyway!
The Bible-Truth website "just" crossed my path some time ago and I was very excited to read the writings of mr. Ray Smith. I see everyone just call him "Ray" or "Smith", etc. Alike the way he writes himself, so for now on I'll say, when I point out to the author of the writings of Bible-Truth, "Ray"/"Ray smith" without the mr. etc... if that's okay.
Now, I don't believe things happen by chance, so I don't believe that Bible-Truth crossing my path is too!
Now I would like to say something about where I "come from": something about the past (+/-11)years uptill now.
Before the moment I came to faith(that is, faith came to me) I was pretty deep involved into occultism; it would take a too long story for now to write about details, but it was a serious studying of what we know under "occultism", meditation, practises to depart out of my body and do so-called "astral journeys" etc, till even possesion. Untill that day, no...that very moment, when I came to read a verse from Tenach("Old Testament") from the book Daniel(to read from a Bible would never come up in my mind, but G'd be praised He made so happen!) I was shown where I stood and I underwent this consuming fire Ray speaks of...Terrifying but really washing away, a mikveh in Fire!... after that I was ofcourse very hungry for the Word; and as I had no people to share in-depth the things(spiritual struggle) I was going through I found strength in reading Scripture, prayer and vasting(I did not know personally anything about vasting, praying, etc. but it all came to me in a way very naturally)...
Though as a youth I was taken to Catholic churches, etc. I never learned what Scripture has to say from inside out. Very soon if not immediatly I found out I had not to go to any of these institutionalized churches...though in my journeys through the years I did attend to some churches in search for brothership, etc. and did meet beautiful people of whom I did learn too, etc. As I followed my way I also got stuck by certain so-called "Christian beliefs". But they turned out "Christianity's beliefs"... after a couple of years G'd pulled my interest into Judaism, and therewith Jewish tradition. There I came to understand many errs from what I found in christianity's beliefs; on salvation, sin/the fall, judgement, etc. The many errs by mistranslation and (therewith) interpretation, etc... the almost total lack of understanding about the Hebrew mind-set which underlays both Tenach("Old Testament") and the New Covenant(the B'rit Chadasha; the "New Testament"). I came to read and understand many things about the spiritual meaning of what Scripture has to say to each human being. About the Way Back to G'd and the Plan/Desire of redemption for the whole of creation embedded in the very structure and pattern of the Bible. A Plan and Desire which He will accomplish... and some time ago I came across this great website called Bible-Truth, and I find there so much of understanding of Scripture too, in plain logic and sound-minded language... And I am very joyfull and excited(a good thing besides, to feel when we experience Truth entering our consciousness!) to read, share, exchange and reason along thoughts, views, questions, etc... with every one interested. I'm looking forward to it.
So, again: greetings everyone!
RTA.