hello all

[sonofone]

Hi all I am new to the board. I have read a lot of your post and know that I am in the right place. I do have one concern and that is fellowship. While I understand that that we are the church and have never really bought in to the forsake not the assembling yourselves together scripture. I do understand the value and the need for fellowship. While this forum is great why can we not fellowship in person with each other on a more regular basis. without any obligation to do so of course?

[rick]

[dawnnnny]

Welcome sonofone!

It seems like most of the people here are from all over the world so it would probably be difficult to fellowship "in person" very often, except maybe at Ray's conferences.  It is nice though to be able to chat via the forum.  Welcome and I know you'll really enjoy your time here as I have!

Dawn

[GODSown1]

Welcum! Sonofone,
                       Praise GOD 4 bringn U here, Opened ur eyez wider & ur ears will b hearing alot more believe mE, GODBLESS! U!, Im frm New Zealand & I would so Love 2 hav fellowship wit all on dis Forum, I feel dis not possible, But! I will b searching 4 like minded pple in my country az I know! GOD WilL! bring us 2gether, takehold!, takecaRe!, BlesSnZ! 2 U!, Peace b wit U.
                       muchLOVE!! Pera

[iris]

Peace and Love
Iris

[pylady]

Welcome sonofone!

So glad you joined us. 

It would be great if we could all get together for fellowship in person.  Surely, someday we will!     But, for now, as Dawn said we are from many different states and countries. 

I'm from upstate New York.  Where do you live?

God's peace to you,

         Cindy

[sonofone]

I AM FROM PENNSYLVANIA AND NOW LIVE IN NORTH CAROLINA. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL HERE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD AND CAN NOT JUST SIMPLY GET TOGETHER. AS I AM NEW TO THIS FORUM I DO NOT KNOW THE TEACHING OR BELIEFS ON FELLOWSHIPPING TOGETHER. I UNDERSTAND THAT RAY HOLDS ANNUAL CONFERENCES I JUST DID NOT KNOW WHETHER ANY HERE WERE INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING LOCAL FELLOWSHIPS SO THAT WE CAN ALL GROW AND WORSHIP TOGETHER.

[Kat]

Hi sonofone,

I am glad you have joined us 
You may have read in some of the articles, where it is said we should come out and be separate. 

2Co 6:17  Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you,

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

This is speaking of being in fellowship with those that are not of like mind.  This world is hostile to God and though we have to live in the world, we are not to be like it.  Keeping close contact with those in the world, can draw us back into it.

James 4:4  You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

We are but a few that believe these scriptural truths that are expounded at Bible-truths.  But if you should find those who are in agreement with you, it would be great to visit and discuss this truth with them.
This forum is here for those of us who do not have others to fellowship with.  It is good to have this place to turn to and escape from the world, so to speak. 
There is so much wisdom here, I learn something everyday.  I hope you will join in with us, because it is such a blessing to have this fellowship.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[roundbellygroove]

Howdy!!!

from: Texas.

[Sue Creamer]

Hi Sonofone,

Greetings from Maryland...!!!  I was born and raised in PA in a little town called Three Springs which is about a 45 minute drive from Huntingdon PA and the infamous Rays Town Dam.  What part of PA are you from??

Peace,
Sue Ann

[sonofone]

I am from a small city called chester,pa right near wilmington Delaware.

[skydreamers]

[LittleBear]

Hi Sonofone,

Welcome to the forum!!

Ursula

[DuluthGA]

HAPPY HAPPY YOU'RE HERE WITH US!

Greetings from Atlanta, Georgia!  Wish U were here!

With Joy,     
Janice

[Beloved]

Hi Sonofone

I think that many cannot attend the conferences because they live so far away or the timing.  I do not see any problem finding smaller groups to meet in Pods in the different areas of the world. No one has to preach. You can study the Word and discuss them wherever you live, Like England, the West  South Africa and other areas. I am fortunate that there is a small number of people who meet here in the Nashville area,

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

As a small group you just have to decide on a middle ground meeting place and time.  Make it a mini vacation jaunt. 

In the meantime enjoy your time at BT forum and meet the people here that are growing in the Lord.






Beloved

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hello sonofone

That Scripture about not forsaking the assembling, was a source of major anguish to me before I recieved the truth. Babylon did not stint on using this mistranslated Word of God to keep condemnation and guilt on a role. Once I read the following teachings I was set free of this particular twisted deception that continues I believe, keep a souls bound in fear and pain and bowing to false gods, false teachers heresy and blasphemy.

Some teachings to ponder:

http://bible-truths.com/lake3.html

Christ told us that if we do not forsake all (even give our very bodies as a living Sacrifice, according to Paul) and take up OUR cross and follow Christ into persecutions that start in our own household, then He doesn't want us in the kingdom with Him -- we are NOT WORTHY! At this time.

http://bible-truths.com/lake13.html
I showed numerous times that all: leave their first love, forsake Jesus, look back, blaspheme, build a spiritual house upon the sand, etc.
It is when John is standing on the sand of the sea that he first sees the wild beast come up out of the sea. Now the questions become: "WHEN did John stand upon the sand in HIS life? WHEN do we stand upon the sand in OUR lives?
Answer: When the spiritual house that we all build falls down with a 'GREAT FALL.' When (notice I did not say, 'IF')...when our spiritual house built upon the spiritual sand falls, WE ARE LEFT STANDING ON THE SAND OF THE SEA. We are only INCHES above the very sea itself—the masses and multitudes of humanity who do not have any knowledge of God AT ALL. It doesn't mean that we have no knowledge of God at all at this quandary in our spiritual lives; it just means that we are no closer to God than all the humanity in the sea. Hence, we are not IN the sea, but rather standing on the SAND of the sea where out spiritual house just FELL!

http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html

NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER

In Hebrews 10:25 were are admonished as follows:
"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching."
That this is speaking of believers congregating together to worship and study God's Word, there can be no doubt. However, there is a much deeper meaning to this "assembling" that few have ever seen. I never saw it myself until I read a paper by J. Preston Eby, entitled: "FORSAKE NOT THE ASSEMBLING."
I will quote an excerpt or two from his paper:
"The Greek word for 'assembling' is EPISUNAGOGE. The word, literally, is a verb meaning to synagogue. It is a compound of the Greek prefix EPI with the word SUNAGOGE from which we get our transliterated English word Synagogue. EPI means super – imposition – that which is above, higher than, highest, upon. SUNAGOGE means a meeting, assembly, or gathering. Putting these two words together, EPI-SUNAGOGE means THE ABOVE SYNAGOGUE, THE HIGHER MEETING, THE HIGHEST ASSEMBLY, THE HIGHER-THAN-ALL-GATHERINGS!
It bespeaks of something far greater than merely collecting so many breathing bodies together in one place.
It is a meeting in a higher realm, on a higher plane, in the high places of the Spirit, and in the heights of Truth. It is a gathering together in a dimension above. It indicates an assembling IN THE SPIRIT..."
(All Caps belong to Mr. Eby).
This Greek word episunagoge is used only one other time in Scripture, and that is in II Thes. 2:1:
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together [Gk: episunagoge] unto Him."
In Hebrews 10 we are admonished to "assemble" in an high meeting, a meeting in the SPIRIT! In II Thes. 2 this meeting in the Spirit will become a literal meeting with our Lord.
And so, back to our question once more: Which denomination should we join? Where should we go to Church? Where should we "forsake not the assembling of ourselves together?" In a physical building of some physical denomination? No. WE are to episunagoge (assemble) on a higher plane, in a higher realm, in a spiritual assembly, IN THE SPIRIT!
This is not something new. This is exactly what Jesus Christ taught regarding where and how we are to (go to church) worship God.
"The woman said unto Him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye [all the Jews] say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus said unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour comes, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour comes, and now is, when the TRUE worshippers shall worship the Father in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit: and they that worship Him MUST worship in SPIRIT AND TRUTH" (John 4:19:24).
We have got to get out of the depths of Satan if we are to worship God in Spirit and Truth. The Church is filled with the depths of Satan. That is not the place to go to worship God in spirit and truth. Did Jesus go to the synagogues to worship His God?
"And when He [Jesus] had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart [Gk: 'by Himself'] to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone" (Matt. 14:23).
Amazing, isn't it. Jesus "assembled [Gk: episunagoge]" with His Father BY HIMSELF, ALONE. We can do the same. Not just on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, with a crowd, in a building, but on every day of the week, and we can do it while we are ALONE.
How often church buildings and temples are referred to as "The House of God." This is nonsense. God does NOT dwell in houses, buildings, churches, or temples made with hands.
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells NOT in temples made with hands."
And
"Howbeit the Most High dwells NOT in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24 & 7:48).
How often Jerusalem is called, "The Holy City." People want to visit Jerusalem because they think it is HOLY GROUND. There is nothing holy about it. Constantly Satan's ministers refer to Jerusalem as the Holy City, and how we should pray for "the peace of Jerusalem." Let me assure you that all of those prayers are going to go unanswered because, "...for the son of the bondwoman [Jerusalem that now is--under bondage] shall not be heir with the son of the free woman [Jerusalem which is above and free]" (Gal. 4:30b).

Peace to you

Arcturus

[Sue Creamer]

Arcturus,

Thank you so much for that post...I was musing on this very thing this weekend and it is so good to
have it brought up and expounded upon here in the forum.  It gives me joy knowing the true God has lifted so many burdens placed on Christians by the Babylon Churches and has given his called out ones "peace".   

Peace
Sue Ann

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hello Sue Ann

I am so happy for you that you have seen this truth.

There is real joy in the experience that once we are shown the Truth, the lie looses its victory!

Peace to you

Arcturus

[sonofone]

I have a question that relates directly to my intro here,so I 'll understand if this post needs to be sent to general discussions. Forgive me for not having the words in my head all together right now,as I attempt to ask this question. What provision has God left for the called out church? Babylon is set with structure and Hiearchy IE... Five fold ministry. I feel so disjointed right now. I know we all look to Ray and his insight on scriptures which sort of makes him a defacto Apostle. I know he has not asked for followers nor considers any of us here as followers. I thank God for every single one of you since I found this site. I am new here so maybe this feeling will pass; but I have been without a church home for ten years now after having given up on the hope that I would be able to fellowship with like-minded believers. I suppose i have some hope that God would unite us in such a way that is more structured than now.My question is the same WHAT PROVISION HAS GOD LEFT FOR THE CALLED OUT CHURCH.? Is it a free fir all? every man for himself?

[Kat]

Hi sonofone,

I'm not sure I understand your question.  WHAT PROVISION HAS GOD LEFT FOR THE CALLED OUT CHURCH.?

Are you speaking of those called out of the church - the elect? 
It is my understanding that God has us as the salt of the earth (Matt 5:13) and that is sprinkled all around, not lumped together.  He does everything for good reason and this is no exception.  So as we are here at this forum, we can fellowship, discuss different subjects, have this vital connect with like minded believers.  But we know very little about one another, we can not see one another and therefore we can not judge one another by appearances or be a respecter of persons.  We are all still subject to human nature and assembling like this, at a forum eliminates that possiblity. 
As I think how the church has as you said, there hierarchy and all the problems that is involved with governing a body of people.  I guess that is not what God wants us to be involved with learning about. 
We are spread out around the world, and that is the way that God is teaching us and letting our light shine to the world. 
But I think there are small group that meet together in there homes, if they find others interested in studying together.  And we can meet together a couple of times a year, at the conferences that Ray holds.
I guess the provision God provides is as things are, and I think He gives us everything that is needed to prepare us as He sees fit.
I hope I have somewhat answered what you were asking 

mercy, peace and love
Kat