First off, let me say that I am very excited to be a part of this forum, and to begin fellow shipping with others who are actively seeking Truth, and are going through the overwhelming, yet amazing process of learning/unlearning/relearning everything regarding GOD, His Word, and our purpose here on this earth.
I stumbled upon Ray's site back in February (funny thing, I don't remember how) while at work. Since that day, my life has never, and will never be the same!
I have read almost every one of Ray's online writings, including the entire Lake of Fire Series. Currently, working on the Secret Rapture theory. Amazing!
I believe I have a pretty interesting story (I'll keep it as short as I can):
I was born and raised in Garden Grove, Ca (Orange County), and attended a few different Baptist Churches, mostly "Free Will Baptist" (since the age of 11). Before I was born, my mother and sister were "believers", but they did not go to church every Sunday. They would usually go on Holidays or special occasions, but that was about it. However, something "strange" happened to my mom on the day I was born. As she recalls, in the hospital, as I was being born, she had this overwhelming feeling come over her. She didn't have any visions or anything, but she suddenly felt that it was very important that I be raised in a church. She firmly believes it was GOD manifesting Himself. Since that day, we have gone to church *basically* every Sunday. (Except for me over the last 8 months
)
As for my dad, he was out of the picture. Though he lived only a few mile away from me, I recall seeing him no more than 6 or 7 times my entire life. He suffered from diabetes and was clinically depressed, and basically slept the last 10+ years of his life away.
When I was 17, after church one Sunday, I was over at my buddy, Eric's house, and was having some "bible chat" with him, his dad, and his stepmother. Suddenly, his stepmother went into this crazy "trance" or something, (eyes rolled up, as if she was possessed, trust me I wish I was joking!!) and said "
the harvest is many, but the workers are so few", then she looked at me and said, "GOD has something in store for you, I don't know what, but it is big. Keep up what you're doing, and don't lose the faith." The strangest part is that after she spoke those words, as she "came back to normal", I felt as though a wind (or Spirit??) had gone right THROUGH ME, from from front to back as if it came FROM HER... And both of us were overwhelming and short-breathed. I would say that the looks on Eric and his dad's faces were priceless, but I'm sure that mine and his stepmother's topped them... All in all, something that you NEVER forget. (I got chills just "typing" about it!)
In 2002, I was with Eric again, driving on the freeway, and I suddenly got this desire to go visit my dad. Now, I hadn't seen him in at least 5 years, and never before cared to see him. As far as I knew he was "dead" to me, I "hated" him very much. But I told Eric what happened, and he said that I should go. Now it was a Monday, so I planned on going the next day, Tuesday, after work. However Tuesday came, and I made plans and never went to visit him. A few weeks later, I received a call from my aunt on my dad's side saying that he had passed away. Turns out, he died on Thursday, TWO DAYS AFTER I WAS SUPPOSED TO VISIT HIM! Of course, this devastated me, as I "knew" that I was supposed to go help him, perhaps even to "save him". I felt that I had let him, and more importantly, I had let GOD down! I was suddenly frightened that my dad was now suffering in Eternal Hell, and it was MY FAULT! Yet, at the same time, I was confused, as all my life I thought I hated this guy!?! He was never a father to me, so why should I feel sorry for him, especially since GOD apparently was going to? He had turned his back on me and GOD, so wasn't he getting what he deserved? If GOD wasn't going to show him mercy, then why did I? It ate me up inside... **I firmly believe this was the day, when GOD started to open my eyes, because from that day on I started question everything about GOD and what was taught in the Christian Church.**
I prayed many times that GOD show mercy on my dad, and myself for failing Him. I asked Him many times WHY? Why must people burn in Hell? Was He not powerful enough to save them? Was He not willing to? What was "blocking" GOD Almighty from being able to fix everything? WHAT COULD I DO ABOUT IT??? It got to the point, that I would pray for GOD to somehow USE ME! In order to save my friends, my family, (and eventually I even included my enemies), I prayed that GOD would strike ME, pour His Wrath ON ME. Though I have always been a BIG baby when it comes to pain, I was eagerly inviting GOD to use me as a "tool" to save His Creation.
**Of course, now I KNOW that this was ALL GOD'S DOING. This wasn't me being "brave" and acting on "free-will" trying to be a hero, but it was ALL GOD SHOWING ME HIS TRUE CHARACTER, AND THE TRUE CHARACTER OF CHRIST.**Over the years, I prayed and I searched, but it got to the point where I started to lose "faith". Not in GOD, or His Word, but in the idea and hope that there was an Alternative Solution to GOD'S Plan. That was, of course, until I stumbled upon Ray's Site. And the rest is history, and now, HERE I AM. I have shared everything I have learned with my family, my wife, and a few friends. I was very fun telling Eric. I called him and told him I had the craziest news he would ever hear, he chuckled. Then I said, "Remember that day when your stepmother was possessed in the garage?". I heard him get very serious, and he said "You have my attention." Amazingly, to this point no one that I have shared this with has rejected it. In fact, BOTH my mother and sister revealed to me that THEY NEVER REALLY BELIEVED IN HELL!! They always believed that Jesus would somehow "find a way"... Wow! I found that fascinating!
To this day, I still don't know "exactly" what GOD has in store for me, but I know I'm much closer... Perhaps it's more related to the next age. When us the "chosen" along with JESUS CHRIST, fulfill GOD'S Purpose to "save all mankind" through "righteous judging", so that we ALL come to "know the truth, and the truth sets us FREE"!
Well, that's my Intro,
LOVE AND PEACE. GOD BLESS.
Christopher *aka Daywalker*
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Topic: Greetings from another New Forums Member (Read 9020 times)