----- Original Message -----

From: Name and Address Withheld

To: <reborn@oraclesofgod.org> (Paul Stringini)

Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 7:24 PM

Subject: ref: oracles shepherds chapel

 

Hi,
      I still study with Shepherd's Chapel, and pastors Murray, to get the line by line teaching as you did. Being that my upbringing was Lutheranism does effect some of my understanding. However, I did reject a lot of the Lutheranism due to its close ties with Catholicism. I tend to understand much of where Murray is coming from, but do see where he falls short, just as we all do. A lot of learning comes from the Ancient Manuscripts vs Olde Englishe (of the King James versions) vs our modern-day understanding of English, where even the differences of today's language and the old base of the same language can say things in the same words, but mean totally different things.  

    So, to continue, when I rejected Lutheranism, I embraced New Age, and followed it step-by-step, knowing that there was "always more" than what was being taught. So I dug deeper, which eventually landed me in the occult, just one short step away from dedicating my life to the evil one. That's when God said "that's enough", and in His gentle ways rescued me from that darkness. "Being saved" in my case, was not hitting rock bottom, but just the opposite. God had given me a dream that showed me where I was headed. Although that dream was quite a strong shove, at the time, I didn't understand it. So I continued on in life, where God 
patiently and subtly dropped hints to me to look for that "something more" that I searched for, in His Son. I didn't hit rock bottom, on the contrary, God had taken away every single problem that I had in my life at the time. By having zero problems gave my whole attention to finding that ultimate "something more". I had previously read through many teachings, such as the teachings of Buddha, Mysticism, "end times" teachings, and many other teachings, but had never read the Bible through. The Bible did have more, and, and giving God the whole credit, He touched my heart, and I am now a follower of God.

      In my continued quest for that "something more", even after reading through the Bible, I did attend a couple of local churches, but didn't really get much more from them, but did learn a little, bit by bit, by comparing God's Word to my life, life around me, and the goings-on of this world. Then there was a gap, I tried to study, but 
someone kept interrupting every opportunity. After ridding my life of that person, God led me to study with Shepherd's Chapel.

     Now after coming full circle, into God's Word I dive, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, along with the Murrays. However, I do recognize some of the differences between what I see and what he teaches. Especially a lot of the replies to questions he gets. He does discount   the mark of the beast as not being technology related, where, understanding technology, I see implants as part of the mark of the beast and the beast's world system.

     As you mentioned, don't take anything from man (or "this man") without checking it out for yourself. By doing so enables me to see the differences. By keeping the differences in mind, and understanding the differences, I continue to study with Shepherd's Chapel, due to it's in depth study and explanations.

      There are things that I agree with and things that I don't agree with that is being taught at Shepherd's Chapel, but by God's Grace, I can still learn there, and thus my walk with God grows. Many people will still be deceived in the end, no matter where they study. I do know that one cannot call themselves "one of God's elect" until the time comes where He literally discloses it to those He elects.

      There are differences, yes, one needs to pray for understanding before each session of Bible study, no matter where they study. I do think that the Murrays are trying to do the right thing, and that it is a good thing that the Word is presented around the world in a form which people nowadays would pay attention.

     What it all comes down to, is, that I agree with some, and disagree with some of the teachings there, as I agree with some, and disagree with some, of your analysis as stated on the web page.

   I guess we all need to continue studying and praying for that wisdom and understanding as God would have us do, learn, and understand. --X X X