Up for the count?

“Word” from the Pastor…Stephen Benton

  “Up for the Count?"

If you are into the type of sports where the opponent is pinned to the ground or knocked out and lying prostrate until an eight or ten count is accomplished then the title of this article should catch your eye in particular.  The saying in such sports is "down for the count."  Personally, the idea of going down from a knockout, a pinning, or taking a curve too fast and plunging over a cliff on a mountain highway has zero appeal to me.  You see, I plan to go up!

Now for those of you who are new around here, (Welcome!!) This is one of those very rare churches that actually believes what Jesus said about what the Holy Ghost would do when He came back from heaven on the day of Pentecost in A.D. 31:

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you....  Jn14:26

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"       Jn: 15:26

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself:  but whatsover he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come."  John 16:1
Yes, we believe all of those things Jesus said about the Holy Ghost.  Jesus said that the Holy Ghost would testify of Him.  Just exactly what does that mean?  It means that because the Ghost spoken of here is that same Spirit of Jesus without the body attached to it, when He speaks to the Church as he does here every Sunday and Wednesday, he would speak the words of Jesus, who is now in heaven occupying the office of God the Father, the same Father who sent back the Holy Ghost in the first place.  Let me allow Peter to testify to what I am trying to say.  Peter spoke the following words on the day of Pentecost A.D. 31 when he preached the first message to the church:
"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."    Acts 2:33- 36

Let's cut to the chase!  Jesus in heaven as both the High Priest and the Father, has the plans of God and is relaying those plans to us on earth via the Holy Ghost.  One of the greatest things to come is the day of the Resurrection of the dead in Christ and the day of the translation of the living saints of God. Now is the time to cut the world loose and to make your calling and election sure!  Now is the time to make it your business not to miss the assembling of yourselves together with those of like faith as we prepare to receive final instructions from the Holy Ghost and vital information necessary for our survival as we journey down this last leg of the trip.  For the church, this has been a one thousand, nine hundred and ninety six year adventure. And just think, the greatest is yet to come!  What a great time to be alive!  Let the Church sing loud today. Give all of our energy to praising and magnifying God for keeping His word and for communicating His great word to us babes.

Read more about this great event in Pastor Steve's book available on Amazon.com: 
https://smile.amazon.com/Gods-Final-Secret-Stephen-Benton/dp/1976338476/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509521935&sr=8-1&keywords=God%27s+Final+Secret