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