1997 "…at the last trump…" CHAPTER SEVEN: EVERYBODY TALKIN' 'BOUT HEAVEN AIN'T GOIN' THERE!

1997 "…at the last trump…" by G. Stephen Benton 

CHAPTER SEVEN: EVERYBODY TALKIN' 'BOUT HEAVEN AIN'T GOIN' THERE! 

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE 

WHEN THE RAPTURE WILL TAKE PLACE? 

     That question has been asked of me several times by believers. the prevailing attitude within the Church is that if Jesus is coming, whenever he comes, we're going and that's that! The Church has adopted that attitude because for centuries it has la bored under the impression that initial salvation qualifies one for automatic entry into heaven. That is not the case. Israel was under the same impression after they were saved out of the land of Egypt. Because God promised Canaan to Abraham centuries before Israel became a nation, those who came out of Egypt accepted the land of Canaan as a given. Under Moses, the nation reached Canaan a little over a year after their departure from Egypt. But en route to Canaan, they continually tempted God by not believing his word. They had what God called "an evil heart of unbelief."

     The writer to the Hebrews admonished his readers not to emulate the actions of Israel with the following words: "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

    "When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.)" Heb. 3:7-11

     The word to-day appears five times in the third and fourth chapters of Hebrews. Whenever God repeats himself, he should be listened to with undivided attention. In the scripture, the "To-day" refers to a period of time when the grace of God is being extended. God expects his word to be believed when it is heard. In this case, he limits the time for his word to be believed. God is patient and gracious, full of mercy and slow to anger. But he can be provoked beyond measure. That's what Israel had done to God. Every time God attempted to prove them, they turned the tables on God and put him on trial. He indicted that congregation because they saw his works but never cam to know his ways. God accused the people of having an unbelieving heart. God has the power to save to the utmost. There is not one sin that you or I can commit that goes beyond God's saving ability except the sin of unbelief. God's hands of deliverance are tied when he is dealing with someone who does not believe his word.
     In the tenth chapter of Romans Paul showed that faith in God is accomplished in the life of an individual if that person hears the word of the Lord. Further, in the letter to the Hebrews we are told that "without faith it is impossible to please God." Throughout history, God has been searching for the rare individual who will believe his word without accompanying signs. Because today's Church does not have an ear to hear the voice of the Spirit, it has little or no faith! Because it has very little faith, it is constantly looking for God to prove his word with a display of signs. God initiated signs as an aid for unbelief. Once it has been established that God is faithful to his spoken and written word, signs should no longer be necessary for believers.

     The message announcing the day of the Rapture is essentially a sign-less message because God has provided an abundance of scripture announcing the day of his appearing. Those signs covered earlier are gracious confirmations but they are meaningless without the scriptural foundation that allows us to know the day. But because the message has been given to a Church Age who no longer has an ear to hear what the Spirit has to say to it, much of the so-called believing church will stumble at this message and lose the opportunity to be with the Lord forever! Mind you, the Church has no problem with the fact of his coming, the gagging part of the message is God's announcement of the day. Hearing God's word is the ultimate duty and responsibility of every saint but this present Church Age has turned a deaf ear to the word of God. By doing so, it has caused Christ to leave the sanctuary and take a position outside the door.:
     "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3:20

     That text has often been preached as an evangelistic text tailored to the saving of sinners. That passage is addressed to the last days' Church Age, the one we are living in right now! Jesus has moved out of today's Church. He is knocking at its door in search of those within who will come out and hear his voice. The reason Jesus left his Church was because his voice was being ignored by those who profess to be called by his name. For the same reason Jesus said he would "spue" this Church out of his mouth. Today's Church must come to the realization that it is in the same situation today that Israel was in when that nation approached Canaan.

     Israel believed that their entry into Canaan was automatic ad the Church today believes the same regarding its entry into heaven. Paul warned the Church against making the same error Israel made: "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." I Cor.10:1-6, 11

     Paul used the word all five times. His objective is to over-emphasize that Israel was saved with a common salvation. Just what does that mean? There are many religions in the world and each of their individual members believes that theirs is the right religion. But in truth, God ordained only one religion, the one given to Israel. God has recognized only one group of people as his people: the nation of Israel. God never made a covenant with any other nation except Israel. If anyone had a right to claim that their religion is acceptable to God, the Israelites could. Yet, in spite of the fact that the entire nation was saved by the blood of the lamb in Egypt, they did not make it into the promised land. The children of Israel were not kept out of Canaan because of sin, they were barred because of their unbelief.

     Israel's character ever since they were delivered had been one of murmuring and complaining. They had a history of not believing God. They provoked, tried, and proved God every time he opened his mouth. They were stiff-necked and rebellious. God endured their rebelliousness until they reached the border of the promised land. There, God did the unimaginable, he gave them a faith hurdle that he knew they would not jump and those who did not jump that hurdle did not enter Canaan. In this final Church Age, God has presented a faith hurdle for this Church to leap. The hurdle is the announcement of the Day of his coming. That announcement has come forth against the backdrop of "no man knoweth."

     Those in the visible Church who do not belong to Christ are going to reject the message. They will rely on their past salvation experience to take them to heaven. However, God is making it quite clear that yesterday's faith is insufficient in meeting the promises of God for today.  No believer will be kept out of heaven because of sin. Your sins and my sins were paid for in full at Calvary. Since dying on the cross almost 2,000 years ago, Christ has never offered himself again as a sin offering for this world. Those of you who placed your faith in the efficacy of the blood of Jesus received remission of all of your sins, past, present and future. While Jesus will not keep anyone out of heaven because of sin, he will keep this Church Age out because of unbelief!  We are told to labor to enter into the rest of God. The Church has been preaching a message of works for a long time. Works do not work where salvation is concerned. The only work we can do to be saved is to work to enter by resting in the faith of the completed work of the cross. Any works of righteousness that we do after we are saved are works performed because we are saved; works motivated by our love for God and prompted by the Holy Spirit within us. Those works will receive a reward in heaven but they are useless in gaining entry into heaven.

     Israel did not believe Daniel when he told them that they would be released from captivity in about two or three years. When the time came to leave Babylon, only 43,260 Jews left! Many remained behind because of unbelief. Others had become satisfied with life in Babylon in much the same way that many professing Christians today are satisfied with life down here on the earth. Over five hundred years after Israel came out of Babylon, John the Baptist came preaching about the kingdom of heaven as we referred to earlier saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus preached the same message. The Jews rejected the kingdom message because it did not mesh with their worldly plans. Their rejection of the message and the kingdom broke Jesus' heart. Before his death, he wept over Jerusalem because it did not know the time of its visitation. The offer of the kingdom to the Jews was postponed and God instituted the Church.

     Once God reveals the time of his appearing it is time then for the Church to make its calling and election sure. When Daniel discovered the time of their deliverance from Babylon, he began praying and taking care of spiritual business above everything else. Hebrews 9:28 tells us that Christ will appear a second time "to those who look for him." Understand that going to heaven in the Rapture is not an automatic departure, it will be accomplished by believing the message of when he will come and then adjusting your life in eager anticipation of his arrival. When you go on vacation you do not prepare to go on the day of the departure. You save money, buy clothes for the trip, make travel arrangements, arrange for a house sitter to tend to the animals, plants, mail, etc. Much planning is involved. You don't just buy an airline ticket and forget all about the day.

     So it is with the Rapture. When God swore in his wrath that Israel would not enter into his rest, he wasn't just talking about the promised land, he was talking about eternal life also. Joshua led their children into Canaan but the scriptures state plainly that Joshua did not give them rest: 

     "For if Jesus (Joshua) had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore, a rest to the people of God." Heb. 4:8&9

     We can learn much from the world itself in our effort to understand the importance of knowing the times of the end. In professional basketball and football games there is a "two minute" announcement near the end of the game. At that time both the losing and winning teams make major adjustments in the game. In essence, the strategy of the game becomes paramount in the last two minutes. So should it be with the Church. Some things should automatically cease to be important as we head into the final stretch. This is the time when the Church should "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." (Heb. 12:10)
   
     The balance of that message admonishes us to take on the mind of Christ and lay hold to salvation. In Israel, as the Jubile year grew closer the value of the property decreased. If an individual were to sell his property, he was restricted from charging as much for the land as he could if the Jubile year was many years away. Conversely, the further away the Jubile year was, the higher the price of the property. Because the Church is so close to its "jubilee" all earthly possessions should now be at their lowest value and continue to be so until we are taken out of here. (Lev. 25:51) One can immediately see the vast difference in the attitude of the members of the Church today by comparing it with the initial members of the Church in 31 AD. They, not knowing the date of his appearing, sold their houses, land and possessions. This Church age is so attached to this world that it cannot let its earthly treasures go, not even for a few months. Its heart is earth-bound because its treasures are here. Why would a Church who is rich and in need of nothing even want to go to be with the Lord?

     Actually, there have always been two churches: the visible Church (the one recognized by the world,) and the invisible Church (the one recognized by God as his own true Church.) The invisible Church is actually much smaller than the visible Church. many will be surprised to find that they are not going to be taken in the Rapture because they do not belong to Christ and are not members of the invisible Church.

ADMONITION FROM THE PROPHET

ADMONITION FROM THE PROPHET

I pour living water on you
Yet you refuse to grow
Are you really that confident with what you think you know?

I shine a light of prophecy on a dark unchallenged place
And you remain in darkness while content to hide your face

You say you serve a Living God?
And yet you seal his tomb

Unless you hear His words to day
it will bring about your doom

You hide behind your sayings and your silly cutesy stuff
You plus it, you amen it; you high five it, that’s enough!

But when the Words of Truth reveal secrets you should embrace,
You turn….................You hide;
Your brain goes dead
That unbelieving face!

That comfort zone is where you stay;
"No man knoweth" is what you say;
Won’t believe what the Lord has to say.

God’s Word when he speaks is very clear,
But your ears you've closed so they won’t hear.

I've been given a job not easy for most;
But it's a message straight from the Holy Ghost.

"Despise not prophesying;" don't refuse His speech
Heaven is within your grasp and is so easy to reach.

Jesus said "my yoke is easy" and His burden is so light;
Why make it heavy with your stiff necks

 and miss what is in your sight?

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PRAISE THE LORD!

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Prophet

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27)

The answer to both questions is, no one.  In fact, we have not been given the spirit of fear, period!  We are not beholden to anyone because no one here on earth can claim to be the strength of our life.

We are new creatures in Christ.  In Christ, we actually have a new source of strength.  the strength we have in Christ is a measured strength according to the scriptures:

"and as thy days, so shall thy strength be." (Deut. 33:25)

That is reassuring; to know that God is personally aware of the needs of each and every one of us.  To know that God has already inventoried our day before it starts and has measured out sufficient strength for that day.  The second verse in that Psalm talks about our enemies.  God knows all of them and He knows exactly when they will exert their will against us and that too, is covered.

For these great wonders let the Church say Hallelujah!  Let the Church say, "Praise the Lord!"

painting by Stephen Benton

WHAT IS SATAN'S KINGDOM?

WHAT IS SATAN'S KINGDOM?

The Prophet

Let's turn to the text in Luke 10:18 and 19.

"And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven."

We came across that passage in the message taken from 1Peter chapter one verse four where our heavenly inheritance is discussed.  In the course of the message we learned that our inheritance is undefiled.  That's when the Holy Ghost gave us insight into the significance of this passage and the reason for the swift disposal of Satan from heaven.  Because of his infinite and seemingly, out of control love for the Church, God the Father wasted no time dispatching the Adversary from the heavens in order to keep our inheritance undefiled.  Today, as I write, that passage now takes on a deeper meaning.  Because it goes before what is written in verse 19, the text for yesterday's message, it serves as a stepping stone to understanding verse 19.

What Jesus is telling his disciples is that the leader of the serpents and scorpions, Satan, is already fallen.  Because of that fact, we have a power over his cohorts and "over all the power of the enemy."

I made reference to the movie the Matrix Sunday as an example of how God's word is continually unplugging us from this worldly matrix.  In the movie, the new member was perceived as being "the one."  If you recall, he was taken to see the Oracle and the Oracle was not convinced that he was who or what Morpheus thought he was. At the completion of his training, he soon came to understand that he indeed, was "the one" and that his powers against the enemy were unlimited.

As Special Agents of Christ, we cannot be effective against the enemy until we fully understand who we are and what are our God given abilities.  Who are we?  We are born again creatures of God.  Sons/daughters of God!  What has God given to us according to the text?  The power (exousia: Gk.) to tread on serpents and scorpions!

Jesus is not referring to literal snakes and scorpions here.  And neither is he referring to merely a spiritual force.  Now, that's a jawbreaker of a statement unless one understands that just as God has a Kingdom, so does Satan.  And if God has real, literal troops in His army, so does Satan.  Jesus referred to Satan's kingdom with the remarks that if Satan's kingdom be divided, it cannot stand. (Matthew 12:26) We have learned over the past few years that Satan does indeed have a kingdom and that Jesus' words about it being divided are true.  Consequently, we must understand that Satan's kingdom will fall.

(Here, I must say that I get a unique thrill just writing these words through this "web", Satan's most powerful tool for enslaving the souls of men.  We had a class some years ago showing the equivalence of www to the number 666.  Imagine how Satan and his minions must feel when they see this stuff transmitted.  They never envisioned their net being a tool used to bring about their own downfall.)

Back to Satan's kingdom; he does have one.  He has forces that are ready to do battle against the Kingdom of God and at this time in his lengthy career that he actually believes he has both the resources and the power to take God's kingdom out!

God has been showing us, since 1996; in the text taken from II Thessalonians chapter two, that what are referred to as "aliens" are none other than Satan's creation.  Someone may object by noting that Satan does not have creation power.  No, he does not, but he can meddle with God's creation.  That is exactly what he promulgated in Genesis chapter six with the intermingling of the sons of God with the daughters of men.  The result of that union was a hybrid race known as Giants, or Nephilim.  The flood was sent to eliminate that seed from the face of the earth.  That was in the days of Noah.  Jesus prophesied letting us know that "as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the time of the coming of the Son of man."  While that passage focuses on "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage," it includes with it, the reality that we live today among the seed of Satan.  

Does Satan have a seed?  Yes, most definitely! According to Genesis 3:15 Satan has his own seed upon the earth and his seed and the Seed of the woman, which is Christ (and His seed: us) are engaged in a deadly conflict.

God first published the story of the conflict between the two seeds, not in the Bible, but He wrote it using the stars that He placed in the heavens.  The constellation of Scorpio shows a picture of a scorpion.  Above the scorpion, a symbol for Satan, is a picture of a man, Ophiuchus, (a symbol for Jesus) holding a large snake, Serpens (another symbol of Satan.)  The tail, stinger, of the Scorpion is lifted up toward the heel of the Strong Man.  "…and he shall bruise thy heel."

Those who are familiar with the different species of aliens will tell you that the most insidious branch of aliens are the Reptilians.  They are depicted in just about every sci-fi movie ever made. The TV series, "V" that was made in the 80s and then re-made a few years ago used disguised Reptilians as the invading aliens.  Another branch, aside from the Greys, is a group simply known as Insectoids.  These are not usually called by that name; they are just portrayed in many space/alien films as creatures resembling insects, usually of the scorpion variety.

If you think we've taken a trip to a place "where no man has boldly gone" before, all you have to do is read Revelation, chapter nine and there you will find a description of some locusts unlike any plant-eating locust you will find on the earth.  In that passage reference is made to scorpions.  The scorpions are said to have power.  They are positioned as being "on the earth."  If the reference is to a natural scorpion, then the expression "on the earth" is redundant at best.

There is a conflict coming and at the end of these last days God will reveal his true saints and before we leave here we will fulfill the words of Jesus in Luke 10:19, a passage that cannot be verified as having occurred during any period of Church history.

To read more of these revelations from Pastor Steve, check out his book on Amazon.com: 

 https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton

MIXING THE WORD WITH FAITH

MIXING THE WORD WITH FAITH

from The Prophet

"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it."

Of course, we must link this passage to what has become the "Golden Text" for this assembly. That passage is found in John 8:30 -31.

"As he spake these words, many believed on him.  Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples, indeed."

I have been saying for many years now that Jesus did not take a head count of those who believed as many churches do today.  We are told that "many" believed.  How many constitute "many" I do not know but I imagine the number was considerable.  I just noticed that Jesus didn't even ask if anyone did believe.  He simply knew they did.

According to this example, believing is a start but Jesus placed a low premium on that act.  There are many who believe on Jesus but not many who continue in his word.  In the great invitation given by Jesus recorded in Matthew 28:11we find the phrase, "and learn of me."  Meeting Jesus is one thing, continuing in his word and knowing him is another matter altogether.

I meet too many so-called disciples of Jesus who check in only once in a while.  Seeing as how the early church met on the first day of the week, I would say that a professing Christian should attend service once a week, minimum.  If the local assembly conducts a mid-week bible class, as most do, that time slot should be reserved by those claiming membership in the body of Christ. True salvation brings with it a desire to hear the word of God.  God gives the believer "ears to hear."  he then states in his word again and again, "let him hear."

With the scripture in John 8 is one of the most underrated promises in the entire bible.

"And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

Free from what?

Free from the spirit of error!  A guarantee of knowing the truth is given to those who continue in God's word.  And that includes the truth about everything, not just what is in the word. What a blessed promise!

But just what does it mean to continue in the word?  Well, first of all it means to make a lifetime habit of being in attendance whenever the word is being dispensed by a true preacher called of God.  Your preacher should be so sure of the truth that he/she is preaching, that you should be able to question them and receive straight answers.  But one can be in attendance and still miss the objective of the message being preached.  That is the warning issued in Hebrews;

"Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Heb 4:1)

God did the unimaginable in Israel's eyes.  After leaving a promise of Canaan on the shelf for over 400 years, he removed it.  How did they "come short" of the promise?  Was it because the promise was not preached unto them?  No!  The text in Hebrews 4:2 confirms that the promise was preached to them.  As I have pointed out in previous messages, Israel never missed a service.  The twelve tribes camped around the tabernacle.  Listening to the words of Moses was mandatory.  So, what happened?  They did not mix the preaching with faith.  They never appropriated the message as their own personal promise.  They failed to keep the promise of Canaan in view.  They failed to take personally the fact that there really were houses that they would not have to build and vineyards that they would not have to plant.  Evidence of the indictment is found in their continual murmuring and complaining.  Had they taken a firm grip on the promises of God there would have been no reason for griping and complaining.

Of course, we cannot limit this scenario to Israel. The entire story is presented for our edification. Israel is presented as a pattern of things that we should avoid.  Keep in mind the passage in I Corinthians that we have been referring to a lot lately:

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

(I Corinthians 10:11)

Now allow me to admonish you.  Continuing in God's word is much more than just showing up for church.  It's more than taking notes and buying CDs.  It involves hearing what the Spirit is saying, hiding that word in your heart and personally claiming the promise as you're very own.  If we take that posture, this world should become dim to us.  The words of an old song go through my mind here:

          Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in his wonderful face;

          And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

          In the light of his glory and grace.   

If heaven and all of the wondrous things associated with it are really in your view, the inconveniences of the wilderness will not matter.  If the promises of God are the focal point, you will come to every service and sing unto the Lord as if it is your last opportunity.  You will give to God with a different attitude knowing that this world is nothing and that a piece of paper, inflated, and almost worthless, cannot cannot compare with the riches of heaven.  You will also be more responsive to your brother in true Christian love, realizing you need one another to make it through down here.

Before I close I want to point out one more passage in the Old Testament that sort of puts the icing on the cake and crystallizes what I have been trying to say in this edition.  Turn to Zechariah chapter one.

"Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD."

God cites them for evil ways and evil doings.  What were they?  They did not hear the word of the Lord and if and when they did hear, they did not hearken by mixing the word with faith.  

To read more current revelations from Pastor Steve, check out his book published September of 2017 on Amazon.com.  It gives crucial revelations about the rapture, strong delusion and the Lie.

 https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton

THE LIGHT THAT SHINES IN A DARK PLACE! by Pastor Stephen Benton

THE LIGHT THAT SHINES IN A DARK PLACE!

from The Prophet

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." (II Pet.1:19)

With all of the physical contact the apostles had with Jesus: eating, drinking, sleeping, traveling, and talking with him, the chief apostle does not esteem those things as the ultimate proof for believing on Jesus.  He points to something more concrete in II Peter, chapter one, verse19: "a more sure word of prophecy."

I can only pray to pull up the words to capture the magnitude of that statement! 

Kenneth Weust says the following;

"The statement, 'we have also a more sure word of prophecy," could be understood in either one of two ways:

 1. "We are better certified than before as to the prophetic word by reason of this voice or

2.  We have the word of prophecy  as a surer confirmation of God's truth than what we saw ourselves, i.e., Old Testament testimony is more convincing  than even the Voice heard at the Transfiguration.

Another trusted theologian, Vincent, says the context (VV.20,21) decides for the latter, for Peter goes on to speak of that which makes the O.T. scripture unmistakably reliable, their divine inspiration.

This is what was meant when Peter wrote of no scripture being of any private interpretation, verse 20.  Again, the emphasis is NOT on the interpreter but upon the writer of the scripture himself.  The writer had no control over the content or time frame of the prophecies he wrote about. 

Addendum:  Today,the Holy Ghost called to my memory a passage which we have camped out on many times.  Today, He revealed to me a little/lot more on that same passage.  It’s incredible to me that just when I think I have some of these truths wrung dry, the Holy Ghost drenches it with a fresh anointing. 

Here is the passage from II Peter chapter one: 

“a more sure word of prophecy.” 

Why didn’t I catch this on my own?  A more sure word of prophecy can only be additional truth by way of a last days prophet, not the apostles; in this case, Peter.  Once again, as in the case of God not being slack concerning his promise, Peter had no personal reason for writing either passage and one must conclude that Peter was writing under the anointing of the Holy Ghost.  The surer word in both cases is the second witness of the prophet.  The writings of Peter were sure beyond all doubt, but a more sure word  is the co-signing of the Holy Ghost using the end-time calling and message of the prophet. 

The prophetic, surer message comes with a warning: take heed!  The ones still contending with the notion of "no man knoweth" (relating to the rapture of the Church) are not only ignoring the warning, but they limit the Holy Spirit’s distribution of more sure assurance while simultaneously closing their eyes to the day star of revelation and remaining in the dark place. (II Peter 1:19)  That sounds complicated so let me simplify it.

They, like the ones Isaiah prophesied to, have closed their eyes, plugged their ears and cannot be converted to the final truths God has given in these final days of the Church Age.  I am pretty much convinced that the majority of those professing to be disciples of Jesus Christ really do not believe prophets exist.  (Kudos to the enemy!)  Jesus was well within reason when he cried to the Laodicean Church, the seventh and final Church Age, “If any man hear my voice!”  

Not only is the last Church Age deaf, it seems to have taken pride in its handicapped, disabled condition as it eagerly challenges every prophetic utterance and calling.  No wonder all seven letters to the churches end with the phrase “he that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches,” 

Conversely, he that hath not an ear to hear, let him remain in the dark and trust one-witness passages such as "no man knoweth." 

I wrote in my first book that the Church thinks because it has lost its hearing capacity that God has ceased speaking.  For that reason many so-called prophecy teachers have absorbed themselves in writings related to the 70^th week of Daniel’s prophecies and have used them to prove the nearness of the coming of the Lord instead of hearing the voice of promised prophets who are communicating the current, pre-70^th week writings telling us exactly how near it is.  The Holy Ghost will speak to the Church directly until it leaves this earth.  By the way, it would only seem proper that He would first conclude His message to the Church before He commences revelations to the period of time after the Church.  The Holy Ghost is rightly dividing His own message even if the ministry is not.

This is the reason that God is sending a STRONG Delusion because the Church refused to receive the love of His Truth so they would not be deceived.  

To read more revelations from Pastor Steve, check out his new book on Amazon.com:
 https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton

THE ERROR OF PROPHECY EXPERTS

THE ERROR OF PROPHECY EXPERTS

Part One

from The Prophet

I was reading an article on prophecy written by a noted prophecy "expert."  Before I could finish reading the article I jumped on the computer and began banging out one of my own.  You see, the article I was reading dealt with II Thessalonians, chapter two, verse seven.  Let me print it here in case you don't have your bible at hand. 

"For the mystery of Iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

The common error lies in the interpretation of the identity of who the "he" is.  It is generally agreed among bible scholars that the "he" is the Holy Spirit.  That is where the error begins and that error itself is the fruit of another error of interpretation.  If you were to read the article you would see that it is an interview of a prophecy speaker during a "blowhard" prophecy conference.  Let me tell you how I feel about the prophecy "experts."  They all make the same common mistake of trying to intellectually "figure out" prophecy scenarios.  They are blind to the fact that this bible of ours was written by God and as such, He has deliberately kept some passages hidden concerning their true meaning.  This tactic is nothing new for God.  He has been doing that since He began communicating His Truth to man.  Man's problem has been consistent in that he thinks he understands the full counsel of God, even when he has been told that he does not!  Let me cite an example in John 16:25:

"These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father."

Those are Jesus' words to his disciples.  Now, their response:

"His disciples said unto him, lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb."

They outright contradicted Jesus.  Jesus told them that he was speaking in proverbs and that he would soon speak to them plainly, meaning that he would remove the veil from the proverb or put another way, give them the divine revelation to the proverb.  They told him that he was already speaking to them plainly.  Who was right, the disciples or Jesus?

It is akin to a professor telling his students that he is giving them a surface study of a subject and they in turn tell him that he is not giving them the surface but a complete, in-depth treatment.  Just like a wise professor, Jesus ignored their ignorance.  But ignorance is costly—especially in this case because it causes one to think he possesses knowledge that he does not have.  That is the problem with the prophecy experts.  Rather than understand that "we see through a glass darkly" until God gives revelation on a scripture, they compound their present errors by relying solely on human intellect to figure out the plans of God.  One of the reasons God hides truth until a "set time" is to keep Satan in the dark.  If anyone has the ability to play armchair quarterback with God it would be his prime adversary, Satan, above and beyond the ability of men.

Yes, we are told to study to show ourselves a workman approved unto God, one that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the scriptures.  But that work does not preclude or eclipse God's work of revelation. I think that I am adept in God's word but as I continue in his word and marvel as the Holy Ghost opens my eyes on passages in which I thought I was well versed, I have come to the conclusion that I don't know anything!

A characteristic of a true end-time prophet of God is that they never take personal credit for their prophecies.  One example is Rabbi Jonathan Cohn who preached about the Harbinger from Isaiah 10 after the 9/11 event. One of his first statements was that he was not looking for the information that he received but that it came straight from God and took him by surprise and subsequently led him to the passage in Isaiah.  The revelation of the scripture comes from the Lord himself, not the prophet.

Let's go back to II Thessalonians.  If the Restrainer (or he that letteth) is the Holy Ghost, the scriptures sure waited a long time to make mention of a work of the Spirit that must have been done many times in the past.

Let's face it, Paul, (then Saul,) could not have wreaked havoc (that word appears only once in scripture and is associated with the workings of Saul) on the Church if the Holy Ghost did not stand aside and allow it.  Herod could not have executed the boy babies in the Bethlehem/Jerusalem area if the Holy Ghost had not allowed it. The kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome could not have arisen if the Holy Ghost did not step aside and allow that to happen.  Do you get my point?  Anything that Satan and his forces have accomplished on this earth was due to the fact that a restraining force had to step aside and allow it.  So then why do the scriptures make a point of this one particular event?  Unless the interpretation is faulty, which is the case?

Jesus taught that we are the salt of the earth.  As such, we are a preservative.  At the present time, the only thing preserving this earth from total chaos is the presence of the Church!  No one was more upset when the scheduled rapture date passed with no one raptured than Satan!  He wanted the Church to leave because as long as the Church is here on earth Satan's plans are held up.  We witnessed that when his plans for the festivities planned at the Great Pyramid were cancelled on New Year's Eve in December of 1999.  That was a planned world event to place a gold capstone on a building that I believe to be God's altar as described in Isaiah 19:19.  That building stands both in the center and on the border thereof of northern Egypt and southern Egypt during the time of Isaiah.

The event did not happen, it was cancelled.  Why?  Because we are still here.  Other significant events have not occurred because of the restraining influence of the Church.  So who is the "he" that "will let till he be taken out of the way?"   It is not the Holy Ghost. The "he" is nothing other than the body of "he", Jesus Christ!  We are the body of Christ and "members in particular." (I Cor. 12:27)  Christ is the head of the body.  That is why the rapture revelation was consistent to its very day.  The head of the body got up from the grave on Saturday, the Sabbath.  Those who are "alive and remain" in the body will rise on the same day.  However, they will not (precede) the dead in Christ, Those who died in the Lord will get up from the grave on the "last day." It will be the same day that Jesus died, a Wednesday. It will be ten days before those who are alive and remain are changed. They will join the resurrected saints in the air and "so shall we ever be with the Lord."  The Church will enter into its rest on God's day of rest.

 (this is continued in God's Final Secret. available at Amazon.com)
https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton

A FAMINE FOR THE HEARING OF THE WORD!

A FAMINE FOR THE HEARING OF THE WORD!

from The Prophet

Let's go to 1 Peter, chapter one.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

 Periodically I do a roll call to see who's present.  There's a reason for doing so.  The bible talks about a famine to come.  The passage is found in Amos 8:11. Understand the time frame of that prophecy is not during the church period. It's a passage primarily to Israel.  But so many times we have looked at the law of double fulfillment and here is an applicable example. This famine comes at the close of Israel's allotted time of seventy weeks.  At the close of the dispensation of the Church, the Laodicean or seventh and final evolution of the Church's history on the earth, a similar famine has arrived…the famine will not be for bread and water but for the hearing of the word of the Lord.  the verse says:

"Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of the hearing of the words of the Lord: 

And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it." (Amos 8:11 & 12)

You can go to any church and just about every minister in each one of them will stand up and read from the bible before delivering the sermon.  just about every church calls itself a bible teaching-bible believing church.  On the other hand, Jesus said that many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many.  God has revealed to us that the way of truth by so-called true prophets.  God gave us a profound statement regarding the state of affairs of the ministry in these last days.  He said, "Many are preaching out of my book, but they are not proclaiming my message"

How can that be?  How can someone preach or teach a message from the book of God and it not be His message?  The answer lies in the fact that the word of God is "quick" or "alive".  Well, what does that mean?  It means that God is not speaking from anywhere and everywhere in his book.  When Jesus stood at the door of the church of Laodicea he made a statement that few comprehend.  He said, "If any man hear MY voice." (Caps are for emphasis)  If the entire bible is written by God, then, wouldn't anyone preaching or teaching from the bible be approved of delivering God's message if the scriptures are rightly divided and properly interpreted?  Wouldn't they be the voice of Jesus speaking today? No! That's what is meant by the word of God being "quick" or alive.

Many people think the bible is a book to be read through from beginning to end. How many times have you heard someone say, in defense of their ignorance, I have read the bible through several times?  It wasn't designed as a book to be read like a nightstand novel.  Then there is another group in a far worse state who think they "know" the bible.  The beginning of knowledge of the bible is when one comes to understand that no matter how much they think they know it, they know nothing at all because the document itself is a revelation and much of it has been hidden waiting to be revealed by the last day prophet, Jesus Christ himself.  We have had countless experiences proving that fact.  How many scriptures have we looked at in the last six years, scriptures that we thought we knew well and understood completely only to find that our knowledge was perfunctory at best?

There is One Spirit having One Voice giving One Message to the entire Church.  If the message being proclaimed is from God's holy book and is rightly divided and properly interpreted but not God's current message, it is worthless for to day.

I have preached in places in times past and by merely announcing the text I have seen members of that church turn off the message at that point because it is a text they have heard before during their ten, twenty or thirty years in church and they think they already know the material. And that God has nothing current to add to it. That is why the warning is issued at the close of each letter to the seven churches:  "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

I was reading a book many years ago, when I was first called to the ministry and trying to learn how to prepare a sermon and preach.  It gave a day by day process of preparation for the Sunday sermon. Looking back now, I realize that the prescription is completely man's idea.  Peter didn't spend ten days in the upper room preparing for the day of Pentecost.  He had no idea what would happen on the day of Pentecost nor did he have an inkling of an idea that he would be the key speaker.  Now I don't mention that event as suggesting that the servant of God does not need to study.  That would be a violation of a scriptural command.  What I am saying though, is that when He is the voice speaking, the human speaker will be as surprised as his audience by the message.

There was a time when I was comfortable as the sermon flowed along nicely with my notes.  When I felt myself 'straying' from the prepared notes, I would fight to stay on track.  Now, I am not comfortable teaching or preaching unless the message does stray from what I prepared.  These days, I don't panic when I'm going to go out into the service to deliver the message and the Lord changes the message as I am walking in.

Now!  I opened this Daily Word by having you turn to 1 Peter chapter one, vs. 3.  I haven't gotten there yet.  Why am I not surprised?  This is a classic example of what I have been saying.  What I have written IS today's message.

The Holy Spirit is delivering a message of warning to the Church about a persecution that is about to arise that will be unprecedented in the history of the Church.  We, here in the U.S. have had it easy as far as being Christian and having the right to worship without censure.  In China and the Middle East people are being jailed and executed for their Christian faith.  What the Holy Spirit is telling us is that this nation is about to become hostile to bible believing Christians.  What is it precisely that the persecution of the church will target? They will object to our narrow-minded stance that Jesus is the only way to God the Father and that he alone can provide salvation.  We live in a world that preaches religious tolerance, respect for the belief of others.  The Christian is the number one violator of that creed.  According to the powers that be, we are considered as a cult and a force to be dealt with if necessary.  You know, like they dealt with the Branch Davidians---like the death with the Heaven's Gate group and then said they committed suicide.  (That was the first time a group's web site was updated after the death of the webmaster.)

God's Spirit is warning the Church about the Lie and the Strong Delusion that is right around the corner.  Most churches are not aware of the details of either.  The purpose of this page is to circulate the current "voice" message of Jesus Christ regarding those details.

To read more details about the time of the end check out Pastor Steve;'s new book on Amazon.com:

https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton

RIGHTLY DIVIDING SCRIPTURE by Stephen Benton

RIGHTLY DIVIDING SCRIPTURE      (reprint from The Daily Word)

from The Prophet 
Stephen Benton

Let's examine the text in 1Peter 1:5, I was elated to receive this revelation because as usual, it fell completely in line with what the Lord has been showing us for the past few years.

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 

There are several expressions in the scriptures that make reference to a period of time denoting finality.  For instance, when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost he pointed out Joel's prophecy about God pouring out his Spirit in the "last days."  Because Peter made reference to Joel's prophecy in light of the events that took place on the day of Pentecost in AD 31, it would be safe to assume that the last days officially began at that point in time.

In understanding prophecy I have noticed over the years that some, the vast majority of prophetic teachers and preachers, make the mistake of not rightly dividing the scriptures especially with regard to Israel and the Church.  I took time out last year to deal with the long-standing argument of whether or not the Church will go through the seven year tribulation.  The debate consists of three schools of thought.  There are the pre-tribulationists who believe the Church will be raptured prior to the Great Tribulation; the mid-tribulationists who believe the Church is raptured in the middle of the Tribulation; and the post-tribulationists who believe the rapture of the Church will take place at the end of the Tribulation.  The source of the confusion lies in not rightly dividing the word of God.

The countdown toward the end of time, better, the end of the age of salvation and the onset of the thousand year reign of Christ begins in Daniel's prophecy where God lays out a period of time known as 70 weeks.  History confirms that fact that each of those weeks represents a period of seven years in real time.  In the course of the prophecy, now fulfilled, the prophet showed Christ being "cut off" at the end of the 69th Week.  That would be a period of 483 years from the time the first event of the prophecy is fulfilled.  The first seven weeks of the prophecy began to be fulfilled in 452 BC when the final edict went forth to rebuild Jerusalem.  I can tell you with confidence that the mentioned year is a true date, although you will find various dates mentioned by prophecy teachers.  But for the sake of argument let's say that the date is approximate.  I don't want you to lose sight of the entire picture and dismiss it because of a few years of variable dates.  What is important is that the first 483 years of the prophecy ticked off in consecutive years.  A simple way to find out when the 70 weeks commenced is to subtract 483 years from the year Christ died.  Again, here we have a debate, but again, I can tell you with confidence that the year of his death was not 33 AD but 31 AD.  But once again, my destination is not dependent on the two year differential.

When the prophecy was given to Daniel it states that 70 weeks are determined upon His people, the Jews or Israelites, and upon "thy holy city," Jerusalem.  That's the important issue.  Those 70 weeks have nothing to do with the Church period.  But we know that after Christ died and was resurrected, he started what is now known as His Church.  The entity called the Church was not seen in the Old Testament nor known by any of the Old Testament prophets.  They knew about the promises of God to save Gentiles at a future time but they had absolutely no concept whatsoever of this thing called the Church.

Careful analysis of Daniel's 70 weeks will show that there remains one week yet to be fulfilled.  That period of seven years is what is commonly known as The Tribulation and the second half of that seven year period is known as the Great Tribulation. In between the end of the 69th week and the start of the 70th week is the Church.  The Church is a separate entity altogether.  Its message is not the same message as that given to Israel.  I have pointed out many times that the passage in Matthew 24:14 does not apply to the dispensation of the Church.

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the entire world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

The gospel of the kingdom is just what the name implies and was the message preached by John the Baptist, by Jesus, and by his disciples prior to Jesus' resurrection.  It's a message that pertains to Israel.  When Jesus sent the apostles to preach he told them to go only to the lost sheep of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL BECAUSE THE MESSAGE WAS NOT FOR ANY Gentile nations.  And by the way, the "end" mentioned in the above text is not the same period of time denoted in our base scripture in 1Peter called the "last time."  The 'gospel' message currently being distributed is the gospel of Jesus Christ, not the gospel of the Kingdom.  God's Kingdom was coming to the nation of Israel and the Gentile nations would be ruled by the kingdom.  Hence, the message of the Kingdom went out initially to Israel.  It is what may be called a national message for Israel only.  For those reasons, when we rightly divide scripture and its time frames, we see that the Church cannot and will not take part in the final week or seven years of this age.  The time itself is known as the time of Jacob's or Israel's Trouble, not the Church's. Let me remind you again that the Church is viewed as being in heaven represented as a priesthood of 24 elders before the four horse riders of the apocalypse are let loose on the earth to initiate the Tribulation Period.

Now, let me back up a little and review the messages given to the seven churches in Revelation.  I have taught this so many times that I can go through it with 70 league boots.  The seven churches represent seven stages of the Church from its beginnings to the final days.  We are now living in the last minutes of the seventh period.  Jesus shows in the letters a steady deterioration of the Church.

The first church period left its first love, which is its love for the word of God.  The first and greatest of the parables, the parable of the Sower is given to show the loss of God's word.  Once Satan causes the word of God to cease, he can do almost anything in the Church and he has.

In the second church the synagogue of Satan is mentioned as having infiltrated the true church.  That truth is verified by the parable of the wheat and tares.  The enemy, Satan, sowed false saints into the congregation of the true saints and completely changed the makeup of the field.

In the third church, Pergamos, Jesus says he knows where Satan's seat is.  That seat, or place of authority, was set up within the true Church of Jesus Christ. The parable in Matthew 13: 31-33 represents the actions that took place in the church.  Here is another one of those passages that has been incorrectly interpreted.   Some teach that the parable is used to show how great the tree of the Church would become from just one small seed.  That may be true but it is far from being the focal point of the parable.  The end of the parable gives its full meaning.  In the end it speaks of how the birds of the air will come and lodge in the branches of this great tree.  If the birds are the enemy in the fist parable of the Sower, they have the same representation in the third parable also.

In the fourth church, Thyatira, a woman named Jezebel, a false prophetess who taught and seduced God's servants.  That church is represented in the parable In Matthew 13:33 as a woman who "hid" leaven (false doctrine) in the meal until the whole was leavened.  During that period of the Church all of its doctrines were modified from the original truth. 

Following Matthew chapter 13 right through, after the fourth parable is given, the disciples take Jesus back to the second parable and ask that he explain it.  What is the Holy Ghost trying to show us?  By focusing on the second parable it shows that there would be an invasion of tares into the true church to such a degree whereby the true believers, represented by the wheat, would actually be a minority member by the time the Church neared the end of its span on the earth.  That is where we are today.  In essence, the true Church has become invisible and the visible church is controlled by Satan.  That's why Jesus stated that the last church, the Laodicean Church, who proclaimed itself to be rich, or blessed, was actually "poor, miserable, wretched, blind and naked."  Now, either God's word is true and accurate---or it is not.  But I can tell you that you will not find one church that will own up to what Jesus said this last Church Age has become.  That is why Jesus prefaced his denunciation with the words, "and thou knowest not."   (Rev. 3:17)

But make no mistake about it.  There still exists today within the church, the True Wheat although most nominal church members would not recognize them as even being a part of the Church.  They are usually looked upon as rebels, renegades, mostly non-denominationalists (and only a few of them) and outcasts.  Put another way, they look like what God's people have always looked like throughout the bible. They are being kept by the power of God through salvation to be revealed in the last time.

Now, let's look again at the expression "last time" and compare it with another passage in 1Peter.

"Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times." 1Peter 1:20

Here the expression is last times.  The revelation of Christ in these last times include the period of the beginning of the Church until the end of the Church Age.  Consequently, the last time is the final portion of that period or now.  We, as believers who are hearing God's truth, have a great work to do and will be revealed to the world at the time when the Church will undergo its most intense suffering since its birth in AD 31. The time to put on the full armor of God is now. 

To read more on these subjects check out Pastor Steve's book at Amazon.com: 
https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton

GOD'S WORD IS ALIVE! by Pastor Stephen Benton

GOD'S WORD IS ALIVE…HE IS SPEAKING!

from The Prophet

Hebrews 4:12 states, "For the word of God is quick and powerful…"

It says more than that as indicated by the three dots and if we were in church, some of you would be finishing the quotation because it is, after all, a familiar passage.  But in this message I want to stop with the first two adjectives.

On the first word, "quick" without going into the Greek definition, it means "alive."  You hear the word used in old English writings.  For example, they went down quick into the pit.  Quick today means fast. Then, it meant alive.  So, God's word is alive.

Now just exactly what does that mean?  It means that the word of God certainly must not be any less, or less timely than any of the hundreds of daily newspapers on this planet of Satan's.  Go buy the Times today and it will tell you at the top of every page that today is Wednesday, August 14th.  Now if you missed something that came out in Sunday's edition you would look for the paper dated August 11th and would be very happy if you found one.  If it's Wednesday, your most likely source will be a neighbor or someone who subscribes to the paper and hasn't gotten around to throwing it out yet.  For the individual who purchases a newspaper on the way to work, and happens to stop at a newspaper dispenser, that person would be very upset if he discovers he has purchased a Tuesday paper and today is Wednesday.  Even if he happens to notice that the paper is out of date before he deposits the coins, he will still be upset because he has been deprived of the most current news.

I find that God's people, however, have a sort of warped attitude about getting the current edition of the word of God.  In fact, I have learned that there are very few of God's people who actually are aware that God's word is current or "quick."  Not only that fact, but I have also concluded that many who call themselves followers of God either are not or they have a very limited concept of the importance of God.  Because if they really knew God and knew that his word is alive and powerful, they would never miss the opportunity to hear what he has to say today or as the epistle of  Hebrews says, "To Day."

The Book of Hebrews rendition is more emphatic.  You could say it means, to this very day.  It reads:

"To Day if you will hear my voice…"  (stop reading)

The "if" could indicate two things.  One, IF you have an ear to hear.  Two, IF God is still speaking to you.

Let it be made known that God is making limited speaking engagements to day.  God has brought out the passage again about the famine to come.  The famine would not be for bread and water but for the hearing of the word of the Lord.  The passage explains the hearing problem.  It is not the hearer but the speaker that is limiting his engagements.

For it says, "they shall run to and fro seeking the word of the Lord and shall not find it." 

Now although that scripture has its true fulfillment in the days ahead and is directed to Israel, the Church first fulfills that scripture in a limited fashion.  It has helped itself in doing so by no longer enduring sound doctrine and heaping upon itself teachers who have itching ears; teachers who minister for the applause of their audience and not for the approval of God.  The Church has assisted itself in this famine by turning its ears away from the truth and when it does so, God steps in and permanently turns its ears onto a fable network that sounds like the word of God but is not!   

Those people go merrily on their way to church each week unaware that Jesus has left the building and is standing at the door knocking, saying, "if any man will hear my voice…"  He promised to meet where two or three are gathered together in his name.  But in these last days, the church service and its reprobated version of the so-called current word of God has made him so sick, he no longer attends those meetings but is standing at the door calling the two or three out.

This is a great truth and very few saints are aware of it and even less are aware of the fact that they are wasting their time being in a church that is regurgitating the same old traditional scriptures while they think they are hearing word that is "quick and powerful."  Remember, Jesus said he would spew(vomit) this church out of his mouth.  Why?  It makes his stomach churn.  Why?  It does not recognize or hear HIS voice speaking out of His own Word.  It does not understand or appreciate either the 'quickness' or the power of His Word.

Most churches have "CD' ministries.  CDs can and do serve a useful purpose but for the most part they have done more damage to the "quick and powerful" aspect of God's word, second only to false prophets.  Too many saints miss the live service and simply say, "Oh, I'll just get a CD."  They fail to realize that the CD is the equivalent of yesterday's newspaper.  The CD is most useful if it is heard as an addition to the live hearing. 

God gave us a command not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together and particularly as we "see the day approaching."   Those who forsake this assembly and then ask for a CD are actually defying God.

Then there is the violation committed by possessing CDs and playing only the ones we like best.  At that point in the saint's life he has totally lost the purpose of God's word and has no appreciation for its quickness and power.  The CD becomes a source of entertainment.

And because one does not usually take the time to listen to the missed message as soon as possible after the CD is received, that message ages by the minute and the quickness it had at the time of the recording has been lost.  Someone once told me that the gospel never gets old. That is true but the same can't be said of a message.  Either God is a God of exact and demanding time or He isn't.  Either he is on top of the situation now and gives what is needed at that time or he isn't and he doesn't.

Now what I really wanted to say is this: The Bible tells us that the worlds were framed by the Word of God.   God spoke this creation into existence.  That's something!  THAT'S POWERFUL!  So, what does that mean to us?  It means that if we continue in his word, whatever God is doing with our lives, the timeliness and powerfulness of the message will accomplish what God is doing in spite of us.

I have said before and I now understand better that God is perfectly just in sending unbelievers to hell to burn forever.  Someone who will not trust God enough to listen faithfully to his word is not fit to live and hell is about the only place where the faithless, anti-God individuals belong.

God's power is His Word and the power of the Word is the "quickness" or the living quality of the message.  The power of both can only be harnessed by those who have an "ear to hear" what the Spirit is saying to the Church To Day!

To read more current revelations from Pastor Steve, check out his book published September of 2017 on Amazon.com.  It gives crucial revelations about the rapture, strong delusion and the Lie.

 https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509271792&sr=1-1&keywords=god%27s+final+secret+by+stephen+benton