My journey and eventual landing here...

[KlonoaDreamer]

Hello Again,

How did I get here...

     I have a somewhat Pentecostal background, My grandmother Rose used to take me to church with her on Sundays when I was younger, it was anything but exciting, I was a kid, I was into Heman and G. I. Joe, and transformers, and watching cartoons. I didn't understand tongues or anything else. My parents split when I was 6 and I lived with my mom and would spend every other weekend at my dad's which was more like at my grand parents cause my dad worked alot. Until children and family services had come by way to many times with me home alone living at my mom's, so at the age of 11 I moved to my dad's and he was given custody. Neither of my parents were very spiritual, they were alcohol and recreational drug users, my mom eventually couldn't drink anymore because it had destroyed the lining in her stomach and my dad continued to be a weekend alcoholic and pot smoker until after I was moved out and married. I had tried to read the bible in my teens several times and even after I was out of high school but starting with the old testament it just seemed very dry and inaccessible, so I couldn't keep with it, not to mention I had no understanding, my grandmother had instilled a belief in the god of scripture and in his son, so I wasn't completely without faith, I did believe in god and Christ, cause I was told like most of you I am sure that I didn't want to go to hell did I ?

       About 2 years into my marriage (sometime in 00'- 01') my father was looking through a book of his or moving some of his old books around and one of Charles Capps little booklets being used as a bookmark fell out and he read it and was "saved" and he had me read it and I believed it also and so I started my Stairs Steps to the truth, my Journey. I had unknowingly became a "name it and claim it" variety believer. So I started with Charles Capps teachings and spread out to others of his like mind, Joyce Myers, Creflo Dollar, Jesse Duplantis, the TBN crowd. I would even listen to it all day on my headphones at work. Because of the radio I eventually moved on to Hank Hannegraph's bible answer man radio show,  Dr. James Kennedy's Truthes that transform and others of their like mind. Hank brought me out of the name it and claim it crowd with his kingdom of the cults teachings against all that, the "christian cults" as they call it. I eventually left hank behind also when I read the website dedicated to the original bible answer man Walter Martin and found out what a dirt bag Hank really was (I always thought he was a little to self promotional of his products) from all the people who had worked with him and were petitioning for him to step down. I eventually also came across Kent Hovind and his Creation Science Evangelism video series and I still think it's the best refutation of evolution out there. My father turned me onto Ervine Baxter's Understanding the endtimes series and that's how I stayed till June of 05', I was fired from my job of six years at prairie farms dairy and while I was unemployed/job hunting I was also online alot, you can't put in applications 24/7. so I hadn't been to James Kennedy's site in a while so I thought I would do some reading there...

       I didn't remember the site URL so I typed Truthes that transform into the search engine, wasn't finding it? O. K. I thought how about Dr. James Kennedy? It found it but it also found Ray's site because of his letters to said Dr. Kennedy, I thought hey what's this about? And that was it, I was waiting on phone calls from all the different places I had applied at and reading the lake of fire series late into the night, I literally couldn't get enough, during the 2 or 3 weeks I was out of work I read the entire series, man was it hard to accept some things and let go of things I had believed my entire adult life, but Ray is like a jack-hammer, he shows you and shows you and shows you again and backs it up with so much scripture you just can't keep denying that it's the truth. So it took me losing my job to take me out of "Churchianity", I will never step foot in a church again for the rest of my life, because of God working through Ray I am finally free indeed and the gospel is good news and now I have a place to fellowship. I have a good friend who knew alot of these things long before I did and turned him onto Ray's site and he was in total agreement with it. On the other hand...   ...my father and I haven't spoken for over a year now, when I learned all these things he just couldn't accept it, we had a huge argument about it on the phone one evening and he now believes that I am deceived and lost. He never got past the name it and claim it crowd. I just always asked god to reveal his truth to me at any cost and I am so thankful every day that he has done just that, even if his truth shall separate father from son, and brother from sister etc. I totally live that scripture. It's not like my dad doesn't know my number or where I live. When and if god chooses to reveal these things to my father then he will understand and not until then. I feel so humbled that god would choose me to receive these truthes. Thank you God, thank you Ray. I am so happy to be here with all of you.

With Love,
Randall

[rjsurfs]

...but Ray is like a jack-hammer, he shows you and shows you and shows you again and backs it up with so much scripture you just can't keep denying that it's the truth.

LOL, so true... and he will show you some more even.

Good story... very similar to mine and many others I have read.

[gmik]

WOW.  I enjoyed reading that!!!  Welcome to our little peace of heaven

Talk about a spiritual journey. That was so interesting.

For most of my 35 years in Christendom I was in the name it/claim it bunch--Even went to see Charles Capps in person.  I actually loved that little booklet

Looking forward to your posts!

[Kat]

Hi Randall,

It seems no one comes to the Truth the easy way, but however we get here it's always worth it.
I'm glad God has lead you to us 
I hope you will join in the fellowship and ask questions as need be.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[iris]

Randall,

That was an interesting journey.
I enjoyed reading about your road
to Bible-Truths, and I'm looking
forward to your posts.

May God bless you.


Iris

[snorky]

I am so glad, Randall, that you were finally shown the truth and led away from the hucksters...it never ceases to amaze me how these critters haul in the huge crowds they do. I spent my first 29 years or so in and out of Roman Catholicism alternating with out and out atheism...then moved to Texas (got married) and had  some experiences with Protestant groups and churches, but was never really into going to church until a few years ago, to the little mountain church up here in the mountains, which I have effectively left (I've told that story elsewhere). I was investigating funding sources for Religious Right leaders such as some you mentioned when I saw a "google ad words" link to Bible Truths. Like you I read the LOF series in about a week, reading the papers for hours, and Rays other stuff. Like me you were led ther by God. Welcome!--Deb aka snorky

[skydreamers]

Hi Randall,

A big huge welcome!  Thanks for sharing your fascinating story.

I had a chuckle when you said this because I felt the very same!:

man was it hard to accept some things and let go of things I had believed my entire adult life, but Ray is like a jack-hammer, he shows you and shows you and shows you again and backs it up with so much scripture you just can't keep denying that it's the truth

No matter how hard the struggle, if God wants you to know the truth you WILL know it.  It's always uplifting to know of yet another soul whose eyes God has opened!

Peace,
Diana

[hebrewroots98]

Welcome Randall.

You've been through the gamut like the rest of us.  It isn't an easy life but I can tell you for sure that the Fire of truth burns in the hearts of everyone here on this forum more than it does with any other believers I have ever known; thus you can find comfort for yourself through the God ordained fellowship here.  We are group of people who have the 'real' truth.

[Deborah-Leigh]

hello Randall

You say : I feel so humbled that god would choose me to receive these truths. Thank you God, thank you Ray. I am so happy to be here with all of you.

It appears as though you are wearing His garment of Praise. It suites you!  That garment is a ONE size fits All! Thank you for sharing.

Peace to you

Arcturus

[hebrewroots98]

Hey I like that saying Arcturu!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Glad you enjoyed it Susan!