Greetings everyone!
Here is my first posting on the forum and I attended the conference solely motivated from the website only! I am looking forward to the Mobile conference.
Sunday was the most power-packed part of the conference, for me, especially when Ray spoke about Jesus from Isaiah 53 and he took some time to address being human. I never thought of Jesus as being "afflicted" or diseased even though I am familiar with the verses about carrying our diseases in his body or the predicted comment that some would tell him to heal himself. After a little listening, it became obvious to me that Jesus' walk was not easy and constantly fraught with some difficulty.
Ray addressed the question that I suspected was on everyone's mind, that is, "Am I part of the chosen?" I don't remember specifically what he said, but I was comforted to know that all is in God's will and if one is chosen, be prepared to be judged in this life (not that I want to suffer!). We all wrestle with sin, which is a necessary agent to help us develop into sons of God. I find that once I cover the basics (prayer, study, worship, fellowship) I am more concerned with pleasing than being pleased.
Another interesting point, -that is not well received by those who subcribe completely to a trinity- is the fact that Jesus was begottened! I ask about the definition of begotten and then I add Jesus to the definition and the subject changes. I think this is called cognitive dissonance. In reading the notes Ray prepared, I found the word God has a meaning not like what I expected and that "God" is a position more-so a person.
I have a few more things to comment on but time is pressing me to finish this posting.
I am only several decades behind in learning so I will read, beg God for understanding, and learn communicate so that I can catch up!
Grace and peace
George/ Oceanside, CA.