"The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves... these clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ." -Thomas Jefferson
"Lighthouses are more helpful than churches." -Benjamin Franklin
"Experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation." -James Madison
"They [the clergy] believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly; for I have sworn upon the altar of God, Eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. But this is all they have to fear from me: and enough, too, in their opinion." -Thomas Jefferson
"Religion I found to be without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serves principally to divide us and make us unfriendly to one another." -Benjamin Franklin
"In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own." -Thomas Jefferson
"Ecclesiastical establishments tend to great ignorance and corruption, all of which facilitate the execution of mischievous projects." -James Madison
"The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institutions may be abused by human depravity; and that they may even, in some instances, be made subservient to the vilest of purposes." -George Washington
RECOMMENDED MUSIC:
SEAN DIETRICH
Sean is a close friend and a great musician who is totally in love with Jesus and completely uniterested in the distraction of organized religion. Check out his website... ALL HIS MUSIC IS FREE!!!
Jack Helser is an amazing brother and friend. I love this dude so much. :) Not only does he compose music but has authored some incredible articles (available at his website). He's a skillful musician with a great sense of humor to boot. He also shares ALL of his music for FREE!!!
Devon is a cool bro in Jesus who is definitely "outside the gate" and connected to the source! If you like 70's style Jesus rock, check out Devon's music... and. yes, all his music is FREE too!
Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to the TruthForFree MySpace page! My name is Dave (in case you're wondering who author's the page)
This MySpace site features articles/blogs pertaining to the pursuit of knowing Jesus; most specifically geared towards those who have felt a disconnect from traditional institutionalized religion. This site does NOT represent some kind of organized "ministry", nor does it claim to be necessarily authoritative in terms of the content presented. I am just a guy like anyone else. I love Jesus, but I'm weary of religion. I believe the Bible and follow Christ, but I do not identify with so much of what has come to be labeled as "Christian" today. I offer these articles & links (which are written by many different people besides myself) for your inspiration and thoughtful consideration. I hope that perhaps this page will serve as a means to connect a few brothers and sisters in Christ in cyberspace for means of genuine fellowship, fun, sharing testimony, and encouraging one another.
I'm a firm believer in "spirit & truth" as Jesus told us this is what God the Father desires (John 4:20-26). We should always be sincere and honest before Him and with each other. I mention this detail because I realize that some of the content that appears on this page may strike some traditional church-going folks as offensive, largely due to the fact that it doesn't fit within the construct of traditional organized religion. The objective is not to be "offensive" but to be real and completely transparent as well as stand firmly for what is true. While the theme here is mostly geared in a "spiritual" context, this page may also exhibit content of a personal nature because it's put together by a personal guy. ;) Believe it or not, I don't wear TruthForFree t-shirts all day and talk about God constantly, though His presence indeed continues with me throughout every part of every day and there is not a single thing in life that does not involve some measure of interaction with Him, whether privately or publically. I do not treat God as some untouchable being in outer space that I only think about on Sunday mornings. I remain aware of Him in every facet of my life, whether I'm sitting in front of a computer screen at work, having dinner with friends, enjoying a brewski, away on vacation, or writing blogs for MySpace. It's true I don't "do" church, but I believe in what the Bible calls the "ecclesia" (translated "church" in our English bibles), which is represented by those whom God has called to enter into relationship with Him. These are His people, His body, His "Church" - not according to what man calls a "church", which is nothing more than a building made with hands and a program with invented human doctrines. Because of this understanding, I relate to my family in God according to this truth - not according to denominations or affiliations with religious organizations.
I'm sure it probably doesn't need to be said that I do not at all think I have "arrived" spiritually. I am bodly aware of my own imperfection and need for God. Just ask anyone who knows me personally. ;) I couldn't hide behind a religious facade for long if I wanted to. Like anyone I have opinions, I sometimes stumble, make errors in judgment, struggle with pride, sometimes offend people unnecessarily, and can't always come right up with the answers to life I'm seeking... and a few times I get it right. ;) The point is though, I continue to seek and I continue to rest completely confident in God's grace and amazing love. If that sounds like something you can relate to, I'd love to meet ya. Ok, I'm done blabbing for now. hehehe...
There's a chat room link below if you're interested! (currently available for all visitors of TruthForFree - no password required at this time) For FREE articles, check the Blog section at the top of the page. For FREE downloadable e-books, see the list on the left side of this page. FREE links to related websites, video clips, and audio messages are found below. Feel free to also check out the main TruthForFree website where there are lots more articles, downloads and resource links available. Thanks so much for visiting! Hope you enjoy the page. :)
w w w . t r u t h f o r f r e e . c o m
HE PAID IT ALL, SO WHY DO SAINTS CONTINUE
LISTENING TO THOSE WHO SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH?
JESUS DIED, NOT JUST FOR OUR SINS, BUT FOR OUR RELIGION!
HE WHOM THE SON SETS FREE IS FREE INDEED!
(John 8:36; Galatians 5:1, 3:25-28)
ARE YOU SICK OF ORGANIZED RELIGION? SO IS GOD!
IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST SET US FREE!
"I can't stand your religious meetings. I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to Me?" (Amos 5:21-23 The Message)
"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn't live in man-made temples." (Acts 17:24 NLT)
"I'm after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know GOD, not go to more prayer meetings." (Hosea 6:6 The Message)
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)
"So don't put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ." (Colossians 2:16-17 The Message)
"His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time--he's told us this quite plainly--he'll also rock the heavens: 'One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.' The phrase 'one last shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered." (Hebrews 12:26-27 The Message)
Jesus then left the Temple. As he walked away, His disciples pointed out how very impressive the Temple architecture was. Jesus said, "You're not impressed by all this sheer size, are you? The truth of the matter is that there's not a stone in that building that is not going to end up in a pile of rubble." (Matthew 24:1-2 The Message)
"However, the Most High doesn't live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, 'Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Could you ever build Me a temple as good as that?' asks the Lord. 'Could you build a dwelling place for Me? Didn't I make everything in heaven and earth?' You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? But your ancestors did, and so do you!" (Acts 7:48-51 NLT)
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)
Anyone who believes the Gospel, loves Jesus, and is interested in Bible truth. I'm interested
in meeting people who, along with their sincere love for God, find themselves disconnected from institutional
Christianity (the general routine and mindset that accompanies typical "church" life). This may also include
individuals who still attend traditional churches but have grown sick of the distractions, the false teachings,
and the lack of real fellowship and/or experience of true spiritual growth and are seeking more. I would like to
invite all those who understand that God does not dwell in temples made with hands (i.e. church buildings) but
rather calls us together as one family in Him (a people, who themselves ARE the Church) and to a life whereby we
recognize our connection and fellowship in the body is because of Who we belong to (JESUS), not where we
attend.
I know you folks are out there, just like me! :) I have met so many wonderful members of the body of Christ who
are tired of the religious substitutes, dry routines, and want only real life, walking with God in spirit and
truth, day by day - not trying to be "religious", or caught up in legalism or "spooky spirituality", but simply
really living the Christian life (flaws and all, because we know it is God who changes us by His Spirit - not
through practicing traditions made by man and trying to "measure up" in some way). If this sounds like you,
please write me!
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're just looking to post ads to your page, promote your band,
or increase your rating on MySpace, I would respectfully like to ask that you please not request to be added to
the group. Nothing at all personal, but I really want to keep this site on topic (as much as possible), to meet
and to help connect people who identify with the message this site presents. If, however, you have a band whose
message and mindset you feel fits the general theme of TruthForFree, please do contact me. Communication is the
important thing here and I am always eager to meet new people. Also, perhaps it doesn't need to be said, but this
is not intended to be a forum for arguing about "church", so anyone who has intent to join discussions for the
purpose of telling others they are in disfavor with God for not attending a religious organization, need not
apply. The friends who gather here already understand that God's Church is represented by people, not buildings
and programs of religion. That issue is no longer in contention for us. I screen all friend requests so please
send along a note with any questions you have, a personal introduction of yourself and what about this site
interests you or that relates to where you're at. I don't want to exclude anyone but I really do look forward to
meeting others who are walking similar paths in this regard. Thanks everyone for your understanding. God bless
you all!
Please note: This chat room is completely free to use. Currently no password is required to access, however, the chat room is only
intended for use by friends of TruthForFree MySpace. Please keep the conversation clean and related to the
topic of this page. Thank you.
The following links will enable you to download various video clips with inspirational content (including teaching
messages, excerpts from movies, etc.). Broadband Internet connection strongly recommended.
Church Outside The Walls: Part 1 (176mb
WMV) - This is part one, titled "The Dropouts", from a four part series being developed by FamilyRoomMedia.com. If you enjoy this video, please consider purchasing the DVD (only $9.95) to help these guys continue to create films like this... and do tell them you heard about them from TruthForFree.com!
Ending From Brother Sun Sister Moon (48mb
WMV) - This clip is the final scene from the 1973 movie Brother Sun Sister Moon; a musical about the
life of Francis of Assisi. In this dramatic clip, Francis gains an audience with the Pope to ask a question, but
ends up voicing his sorrowful observation of the love of money so prevelant among the religious (to the shock and
offense of all the religious leaders present). I replaced the original ending music with a clip from the song
"Bird of Heaven" by Iona, making for an even more dramatic close. Enjoy! :)
Iona performs the song "Inside My Heart" (13mb WMV) - Iona (one of my favorite bands) is a "celtic rock" group from Ireland. This is an excerpt from a recent concert in London, England. This song, called Inside My Heart, speaks about the truth that Christ makes His home in our hearts, we are His temple. Beautiful song with a powerful truth!
Remembering Keith Green (29mb WMV) -
This is an excerpt from the First Love DVD (a musical documentary which features music performances and
interviews with some of the artists popular during the Jesus People movement of the late 1960's and early 1970's).
This particular clip is a tribute to the life, ministry and music of the late Keith Green; a brother in Christ
who was so radically sold out to Jesus Christ. His passion then still inspires so greatly today of what is
possible when we yeild our hearts completely to Jesus and forsake compromise.
What's Wrong With The Gospel? (164mb
WMV) - This clip is part three of a four part teaching by the late Keith Green concerning the misguided
presentation of the Gospel that has become so popular in our day and why it is vital we do not mix the message.
This was recorded from and old VHS, so the audio quality is poor.
Clips from God's Outlaw (60mb WMV) -
This clip contains some excerpts from the movie "God's Outlaw: The Story of William Tyndale." It's quite
inspiring to consider how it was people like this that actually died for the cause of truth - and not only that,
but some of the things these men stood up for are even being attacked again today by those who claim to be
religious leaders. I hope more believers will examine the history of those, like William Tyndale and his friends,
who stood for the truth without compromise. We need more Tyndales today!
Clips from the 2003 Movie "Luther" (27mb
WMV) - This clip features three excerpts from the excellent movie Luther (including Luther preaching
about his former errors concerning the true Gospel, his trial before the religious leaders, and the princes of the
townships standing against the king in favor of Luther's Bible).
Mr. Bean Goes To Church (24mb WMV) - Now for a little humor... This hilarious clip
features the beloved character of Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) and his mishaps Sunday morning at church. Does anyone
relate? hahaha
All For The Best (10mb WMV) - This is one of my favorite songs from the 70's movie "GodSpell" - which is a hippie version of the Gospel of Matthew.
Phil Keaggy Live - Salvation Army Band (17mb WMV) - This is one of my favorite clips of Phil Keaggy playing one of his most popular live songs, Salvation Army Band. If you've never seen Phil live, this will be a treat for you to watch. This brother is so amazingly talented with a guitar. Great song too! Enjoy!
Another Scene from Brother Sun Sister Moon (9mb WMV) - In this clip (also from the movie Brother Sun Sister Moon, Francis is forced to attend "church" by his father. As Francis observes the poor, hungry for God, yet forced to sit at the back door, and as he observes all the ritual of religion so cold and dead, he looks up to see the image of Jesus on the cross with his eyes open, peering at Francis... Finally, seeming to realize that this is not what it's all about, he tears at his fancy church clothes and cries out "NO!" in the middle of the service and walks out smiling, to the embarasment of his father and the shock of those leading the service.
Iona performs the song "Encircling" (25mb WMV) - Iona performs another song from their 2006 concert in London, England. This song is one of my favorites the band does, called Encircling. It's an old Celtic Christian prayer to "the Mighty Three" for God to be their shield, their hope, their love and protection. Beautiful song!
Hey Dave! was just checkin in to see how things are going with the wedding plans... hope the Lord is providing abundantly above all you can ask or think... lol ... praying provisions and endless massive blessings up you both!
Hey, it's Dave Clupper. If I haven't told you thank you for your support yet, thank you! Check out my profile to view a video of a live clip shot from Downtown Tulsa with my daughter Ellen. Also, you can listen to a majority of my new record "Letting Go" released earlier this month until June 1st. If you want to own a copy, look for the Buy Now Button on my profile or to just own a track it's available on iTunes and many other digital retailers. Talk soon!
Living by faith is not something you try. It's a lifestyle. You do it when it's hard. You do it when it's easy. You do it all the time because you're not doing it just to get in on the benefits. You're doing it because you know that faith pleases God (Heb. 11:6).
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BOUNCIN' THROUGH TO SHOW YA SOME CHRIST "AGAPE"..BE SURE TO ROLL BY EACH WEEK & CHECK OUT OUR SPOTLITE ARTIST FOR THE WEEK. PEACE & BLESSINGS
<br />ISA 41:10
<br />PHIL 4:13
<br />1 PETER 5
<br />PSALM 27
<br />PSALM 91
<br />EXODUS 14:14
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That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said,
"What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!" Solomon replied, "You showed faithful love to Your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to You. And You have continued Your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne. "Now, O LORD my God, You have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around. And here I am in the midst of Your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern Your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of Yours?" The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, "Because you have asked for wisdom in governing My people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for--riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow Me and obey My decrees and My commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life."
Dave, I am thrilled to hear the news of your gift from God and upcoming wedding. I will be praying for you both as the Lord brings you to mind... I bless you guys in Jesus' Name and pray that every door opens and all needs are met to bring you together in Him... GLORY!! Rejoicing with you always! Jule
Congrats on your engagement! I pray that God surpasses all of your hopes in providing for you both and in the communion you will share! Have a wonderful day!
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Continue to seek first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and ALL these things shall be added unto you.
Keep eating of that tree of Life and stay away from that tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.
Anyone who believes the Gospel, loves Jesus, and is interested in Bible truth. I'm interested
in meeting people who, along with their sincere love for God, find themselves disconnected from institutional
Christianity (the general routine and mindset that accompanies typical "church" life). This may also include
individuals who still attend traditional churches but have grown sick of the distractions, the false teachings,
and the lack of real fellowship and/or experience of true spiritual growth and are seeking more. I would like to
invite all those who understand that God does not dwell in temples made with hands (i.e. church buildings) but
rather calls us together as one family in Him (a people, who themselves ARE the Church) and to a life whereby we
recognize our connection and fellowship in the body is because of Who we belong to (JESUS), not where we
attend.
Accept No Substitutes - by Wayne and Brad
Church Outside The Walls: Part 1 (176mb
WMV)
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