The Path of Truth Forum

(This is an archived correspondence at The Path of Truth. We have sent notification to the correspondent.)

Hello!

I've just gone through the entire site map for The Path of Truth web site. I am wondering if you have done any research on Jim Rayburn, the founder of Young Life, and if this information is tucked inside any of the articles already written.

Thank you for sharing the truth.

In His hands,
LeeAnn

Hi LeeAnn,

In all the years we've had this site up, I think you're the first person to ask about Jim Rayburn and Young Life. We haven't written anything about Jim or the organization he founded. Do you have any specific questions about something you've seen there or experienced?

What have you red on our site? Tell us more about where you're coming from, and we may be able to steer you to some general writings that answer you, besides speaking directly to the matters you raise.

If you were to read The True Marks of a Cult and Diabolical Doctrines, you'll find that Rayburn has been a worker in men's devices, as usual. Here is what God commands all those who would be His sons and daughters:

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 MKJV
(14) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? And what partnership does light have with darkness?
(15) And what agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever?
(16) And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
(17) Therefore come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord, and do not touch the unclean thing. And I will receive you
(18) and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

Revelation 18:2-5 MKJV
(2) And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen! And it has become the dwelling-place of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a cage of every unclean bird which has been hated,
(3) because of the wine of the anger of her fornication which all the nations have drunk. And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. And the merchants of the earth became rich from the power of her luxury.
(4) And I heard another voice from Heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that you may not be partakers of her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues.
(5) For her sins joined together, even up to Heaven, and God has remembered her unjust deeds.

Hebrews 13:12-14 MKJV
(12) Therefore Jesus also, so that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
(13) Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
(14) For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

Paul and Victor

Hello Paul and Victor,

Thank you for pointing me to the two links. I appreciate it.

Thanks also for the scripture references and for your additional inquiries regarding my question.

I was serving during a Young Life event in 2013. Not a participant. Helping with child care and stepping in to help out where needed. I was able to hear and observe things during the event and something seemed a bit off. I got an email invitation to an upcoming leadership event and have no idea why I've received it. I discovered your site while looking up information for another ministry and thought I would ask if you had any history about the organization and the founder.

So far, I've read (is there a reason why you folks type "red" instead of "read" in your site and email...just curious about that) all the testimonies and the following articles: "The True Marks of a Cult", one on faith, one on the Holy Spirit, and a couple of others.

So far, I'm understanding your points. I've gone through some of the email postings too.

If you find a good reference, for Young Life, that would be great! If not, no problem. There are plenty of links to go through on your site, now, that will give me a better foundation and understanding as I continue day-by-day.

Thank bunches!

In His hands,
LeeAnn

Hi LeeAnn,

How is your reading going? Any questions?

Can you tell us more about what you felt was “off” with Young Life? Are you part of a church or religious group that teaches or does things differently?

The writings we gave you, along with the others you'll find on our site, aren't coming from a sectarian viewpoint that faults other sectarian beliefs and practices. The Lord took us out of all religion in order to learn from Him - to be circumcised in the heart and made true Jews:

John 4:21-24 MKJV
(21) Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither worship the Father in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem.
(22) You worship what you do not know, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
(23) But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.
(24) God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Therefore, what's being presented on our site is His light shining on the darkness of all men's works - a vast multitude with a variety of doctrines and practices. The key thing isn't to learn every error, but to know the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who illuminates your way and keeps you from following those who lead you into the ditch.

Have you ever considered that the Lord destroyed the earth in Noah's day because of mixture? Compromise, lukewarmness, and error mixed with Truth will never do with God. “Be perfect even as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48).

Speaking of His sheep (followers), the Lord said:

“And they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers” (John 10:5 MKJV).

You ask about “red.” Have you ever considered why the past tense of “read” is spelled the same way? Does that make sense when it sounds like “red”? So, we're taking a poke at the irrationality of English. You never know - maybe this will lead to reform. We'll look back with satisfaction on having led such a campaign. Perhaps it's time we were fed up with the old?

Paul and Victor

Hello!

Thank you for the answer to the "red" question. I just found out the meaning of a homophone today. It is "a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and/or spelling". Yes, there are many examples of what you mention in the English language and I'm glad for your perspective regarding it all.

I enjoy studying the definition of words and have recently researched the word "vision" to find that one definition says it is "a supernatural revelation". Thus, it seems to be imperative that a vision is God directed not something conjured up using human faculties. I'm grateful for the revelation of truth in this particular matter.

No, I'm not a part of a religious group or church. There has been no divine directive to join up with any institution since moving to Idaho in 1999.

Interestingly, in March of 2013, when I was seeking counsel with regards to attending an out-of-state weekend conference put on by a healing ministry, I was led to this scripture reference: Revelation 2:2-6; not once, but THREE times from three unrelated books/articles!!! This bible passage, and how it was reinforced repeatedly over a three day period, made it clear, I was not to go to the conference AND I needed to return to my first love. When I shared this information with the folks who invited me to the conference, there was incredible resistance and I was a bit shocked at the response. Still, I did not attend. I repented and sought after my first love.

Just last week the love of our heavenly Father returned in a way I have never realized before. It took, since March of 2013, a lot of confessing that I did not love like I knew I should. I knew it was wrong not to love and that was my prayer.......help me Jesus, help me Father, to love, really love; first God and now, I believe, those who don't love me (see verses below).

Luke 6:32-36
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
-----------------------
The same folks that invited me to attend the conference were the hosts for the October Young Life event. I cannot give you anything specific that happened at the event. I'm now realizing, it may be that it had more to do with the folks hosting the event rather than the Young Life group itself.
Thanks for asking for more specifics, as it helps me to dig deeper with God to make sure what my real concerns are.

Since the last email, I haven't looked at many more articles. The articles I've already read were very helpful and I've enjoyed reading several chapters of Victor's book.

For many years, I've been in a bit of an isolation period, learning about God, gaining wisdom and learning about a lot of lies I've believed. Especially, the one about returning to my first love. I thought I loved God and He has shown me that I haven't! I know He knows my heart and He is bringing me into His truths. Now, I believe, He's ready to move me back out into our community but I'm not sure what for.....other than to speak of His truths to others. So, it is an exciting time.

Thanks for letting me elaborate as to why I asked about Young Life. After reviewing what happened prior to the Young Life event in October, I believe, now, it has more to do with the folks who hosted the event as I mention above. I'll continue to seek answers and will pray for closure.
Thanks again for your website. It is a fabulous reference.

In His hands,
LeeAnn

Hi LeeAnn,

What you describe of your spiritual journey reminds me of the exhortation:

“Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:13 MKJV).

I have a few questions about your involvement with the group that put on the Young Life event, which perhaps may help you as we understand better.

If those are the same people whose conference the Lord told you not to attend in 2013, why did you decide to attend their Young Life meeting in 2014? Didn't you realize that by going you would be disobeying His commandment not to be involved in their works? Or was He sending you there with another purpose? Do you know?

Here's a spiritual principle we've learned from the Lord: When He gives you a directive, it's not something you should discuss with those involved in the matter and opposed to Him. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you've described, but it sounds like you told the group in question that the Lord wasn't allowing you to go to their conference. Of course they wouldn't have agreed or understood this, seeing how they were under the strong delusion that the Lord was with them.

It's like Paul said of the revelation given to him, “I did not confer with flesh and blood” (Galatians 1:16 MKJV). In other words, Paul didn't run by his Pharisee associates what God had revealed to him, as if they had a say in the matter. “God has shown me I need to leave your group and to have nothing to do with it. What do you think?”

When Paul did have something to say to the Pharisees, it was a testimony of Jesus Christ and how they were in the wrong. Paul didn't spend time with them as if they had something spiritual to offer him.

How do you see these verses the Lord gave you from Revelation regarding repenting and returning to your first love connected with not going to the conference?

Revelation 2:2-6 MKJV
(2) I know your works and your labor and your patience, and how you cannot bear those who are evil. And you tried those pretending to be apostles, and are not, and have found them liars.
(3) And you have borne, and have patience, and for My Name's sake you have labored and have not fainted.
(4) But I have against you that you left your first love.
(5) Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent.
(6) But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

I appreciate what you received about “vision.” Without the Lord, there is no vision:

“And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the Word of the LORD was precious [rare] in those days; there was no open vision” (1 Samuel 3:1 KJV).

But when believers honor and obey the Lord, then He is with them to provide all that's necessary, including vision.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the Law, he is blessed” (Proverbs 29:18 MKJV).

I've learned a new word from you, “homophone.”

“It is 'a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and/or spelling'.”

It looks like we took a homophone, “read” (past tense), sounding like “red,” and made it a “meaning-only” homophone by giving it the same spelling as the color.

Paul

Hello Paul and Victor!

I hope you don't mind me answering within your email. That way I'll be able to keep things more organized.

Thanks so much for getting clarification. I appreciate your insights. See more text below in blue.

[BEGIN ORIGINAL EMAIL]

Hi LeeAnn,

What you describe of your spiritual journey reminds me of the exhortation:

“Therefore let us go forth to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Hebrews 13:13 MKJV).

Yes, I agree!

I have a few questions about your involvement with the group that put on the Young Life event, which perhaps may help you as we understand better.

If those are the same people whose conference the Lord told you not to attend in 2013, why did you decide to attend their Young Life meeting in 2014? Didn't you realize that by going you would be disobeying His commandment not to be involved in their works? Or was He sending you there with another purpose? Do you know?

I'm so sorry this was so confusing. The scripture confirmed that I was not to attend a healing conference in the State of Washington. The Young Life conference was in Idaho and yes, I was to care for the kids, I was not "attending the conference". However, at this Young Life conference I was able to observe the attendees and the hosts.

Here's a spiritual principle we've learned from the Lord: When He gives you a directive, it's not something you should discuss with those involved in the matter and opposed to Him. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you've described, but it sounds like you told the group in question that the Lord wasn't allowing you to go to their conference. Of course they wouldn't have agreed or understood this, seeing how they were under the strong delusion that the Lord was with them.

Again, so sorry for the confusion. When I was invited to go to the healing conference in Washington my response to the invitation was that I would seek direction/confirmation from the Lord. So, after three days of seeking I received the scripture references three times from three unrelated sources, the first being the bible, during my prayer time. However, you are correct in observing that in my zeal to reveal God's directive for me, I thought they would be excited too to hear what the Lord confirmed for me. Boy, was I wrong!!! I learned from that situation that I'm not always to reveal what God has shown me until He releases me to. I knew I wasn't going and I was following His directive but I thought, possibly, that they wouldn't go either. I was so naive. I learned A LOT in this situation. So happy for it! Oh, also learned about throwing pearls at swine. I never understood that verse. Now, I do!


It's like Paul said of the revelation given to him, “I did not confer with flesh and blood” (Galatians 1:16 MKJV). In other words, Paul didn't run by his Pharisee associates what God had revealed to him, as if they had a say in the matter. “God has shown me I need to leave your group and to have nothing to do with it. What do you think?”

Yes, I wasn't so much as running it by them as I was declaring in joy to them and then realizing, too late, they would not recognize God's directive as truth. Yes, yes, I have learned! While in prayer, I was inquiring specifically about the WA conference leader. However, now, I wonder could the answer also pertained to the person inviting me as well. Maybe?


When Paul did have something to say to the Pharisees, it was a testimony of Jesus Christ and how they were in the wrong. Paul didn't spend time with them as if they had something spiritual to offer him.

Yes, yes, I agree!


How do you see these verses the Lord gave you from Revelation regarding repenting and returning to your first love connected with not going to the conference?

First, it was verses 2/3 confirming that the leader of this healing conference was a pretender and a liar. Thus, confirming not to go. Then, it showed me not to forget my first love. Possibly, not to be swayed by the person who invited me? I wonder too if the person inviting me was worshiping healing rather than the Healer. Was I headed in that direction too? Turned out not to be so, thanks be to God and His direction.


Revelation 2:2-6 MKJV
(2) I know your works and your labor and your patience, and how you cannot bear those who are evil. And you tried those pretending to be apostles, and are not, and have found them liars.
(3) And you have borne, and have patience, and for My Name's sake you have labored and have not fainted.
(4) But I have against you that you left your first love.
(5) Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent.
(6) But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

I appreciate what you received about “vision.” Without the Lord, there is no vision:

“And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the Word of the LORD was precious [rare] in those days; there was no open vision” (1 Samuel 3:1 KJV).

But when believers honor and obey the Lord, then He is with them to provide all that's necessary, including vision.

Yes, so thankful for this.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he who keeps the Law, he is blessed” (Proverbs 29:18 MKJV).

Amen!


I've learned a new word from you, “homophone.”

Thanks for telling me! I'm glad I could contribute something back for all you folks do!


“It is 'a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and/or spelling'.”

It looks like we took a homophone, “read” (past tense), sounding like “red,” and made it a “meaning-only” homophone by giving it the same spelling as the color.

Okay, I'm going crossed-eyed hoping I understand this last sentence!!!

I'm very sorry for all the confusion and hope this email is helpful in clearing things up. I'm now having trouble with formatting in this email, so forgive me for the big and small lettering. All-in-all, I would like to say that what I believe I am realizing through these communications with you folks is that it is very possible that the Young Life event and the folks who hosted the event have a common Antichrist spirit? Maybe that is not the right word for it? Never-the-less, it caused me then, and is causing me now, to stop and test. I'm learning more and more how to test and I appreciate your resources. They help! Cheerio! In His hands, LeeAnn

Hi LeeAnn,

Thank you for the explanations - they're clear, thorough, and helpful. We're particularly thankful to hear your faith and understanding in the Lord, and especially your appreciation for what He's given you. Wonderful; keep going in the Way!

You ask an interesting and important question: “I believe I am realizing through these communications with you folks is that it is very possible that the Young Life event and the folks who hosted the event have a common Antichrist spirit? Maybe that is not the right word for it?”

No, that is exactly the right word for it. Many people have the wrong idea of what “anti-Christ” means. It isn't “against Christ,” so much as “in place of Christ.” In other words, another spirit/mindset/will is attributed to Christ, taking His Name while it isn't of Him.

Isn't that what you've been discovering and dealing with?

And while there are those all around us in the world who manifest this nature, it is our own anti-Christ natures that the Lord comes to deliver us from as He did with Peter, to whom He said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mark 8:33 ESV).

Peter wasn't condemned by the Lord; he was delivered by Him in his time, sifted by Satan and processed by God (Luke 22:31 -32), as He does with all His saints.

Just to make you aware, LeeAnn, you're welcome to participate in our various means of communication with other believers besides email. We also have a forum, an email list for letters we write, and meetings online every Sabbath (Saturday noon Mountain Time) in a text chat room on our site. If you're interested in the last two items, email us regarding your wishes and we'll get back to you with the simple instructions and confirmation.

We thank the Lord for His goodness and will in all things.

Paul

Hello Paul,

Thank you for the invitation to participate in the forum, email list and the Sabbath online meetings. I know these additional participation resources which you mention could be part of God's plan. I will seek God's counsel.

Meanwhile, your email correspondences have served a great purpose in preventing me from becoming distracted from my local community involvement.

Yes, I have been discovering and dealing with an Antichrist Spirit. I'm grateful for you distinguishing between "anti-Christ" and "Antichrist Spirit" as well as encouraging me in my faith and understanding.

As God directs, I'm hoping to be able to accept your invitation, particularly with regards to the Sabbath online text chat room. Time will tell.

Thanks bunches!

In His hands,
LeeAnn