JULY - AUGUST 2003

Word of Prophecy

NEWSLETTER

A PROPHETIC PREVIEW

By Bro. Ray Pringle, Sr.

Paganism, superstition, and vain imaginations about God and life after death are sweeping this whole generation off course into a return to a medieval dark age with barbaric oppression to God's saints. The only hope for the survival of the true church of our Lord Jesus Christ is to experience, quickly, a spiritual renaissance! God's prophet forecast this to the endtime saints: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee [this is the effect of a spiritual renaissance]. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." Isa. 60:1-2. Beloved, we're entering a dark age of trouble and distress as in medieval times! A return to paganism!

The word "renaissance" means: "Rebirth; revival; the great revival of art and learning in the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth centuries that followed twelve centuries of a period of history called The Dark Ages." In those centuries of unprecedented spiritual darkness, the Roman church suppressed human thought and liberty, destroying the true Word of God and those who published and taught it. This tyranny and subjugation to all who sought freedom of speech and religion continued with ruthless oppressiveness until the Renaissance _ a revival of learning, especially the true Word of God! Men of courage and vision who hazarded their lives led this revival, and many even lost their lives as they challenged the superstitions, vain imaginations, and fables the Roman church espoused that kept the masses in spiritual darkness and enslavement. The guillotine of that pagan church martyred thousands of God's saints, and terrified all dissenters until the light of God's true Word began to be taught, challenging the forces of entrenched bigotry, ignorance, superstition, and barbaric oppression. These very same barbaric acts of terror and suppression will be revived in the dark age that's swiftly descending upon this sick society _ and, upon the church of Jesus Christ!

THE SILENT MAJORITY

Nine chances out of ten, those who read this message from the Holy Ghost belong to God's silent majority _ those who fear getting involved _ those who fear the responsibility of standing up to the forces of a stifling, spiritual darkness engulfing God's saints! Afraid? We need to stand up and shout, "Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf _ the Devil?" God asks, "Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?" Psa. 94:16. The Prophet Isaiah writes: "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Isa. 6:8. Praise God for real men and women of God who will not play safe and secure while the church and our nation are plummeting with deadly accuracy into a collision course with the severe judg

ments of God _ into a frightening, dark age of unprecedented trouble. The beautiful dream of millions will soon be turned into a horrible nightmare _ even for the church!

Time is running out for God's sleeping, fearful, self-centered majority to act valiantly in behalf of themselves, their families, the church, and nation. Why? The vociferous liberals who teach defiance of God and His Word are multiplying by tens of thousands _ by virtue of numbers, the balances are tipping in their favor _ they are becoming the new majority! God's silent majority will soon be weighed in the balances and found wanting!

BURYING YOUR TALENT

Some of our Lord's severest judgments will be to those servants (Christians) who buried (didn't use) their talents for Christ's glory. Matt. 25:25, 30. The church of today is Laodicean, as Christ has warned: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Rev. 3:16-17. The more God's people acquire materially, the more selfish they become _ at least most do!

Christ said to His fearful servant: "Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury." Matt. 25:27. God's talent to most Christians is their money.

God needs Aarons and Hurs to hold our hands up to God as in the days of Moses. In a fierce battle with the enemies of God, Israel prevailed while Moses' hands were held up, but they suffered defeat when his hands became heavy and were let down: "But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun [our sun is setting]. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword." Ex. 17:12-13. Now the war with Amalek (a type of the flesh) is still raging, as Moses prophesied: " … the Lord hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." Verse 16. The world and the flesh have all but ruined the endtime church _ it is almost totally lukewarm and self-centered! Only enduring some of the Great Tribulation will correct this deficiency.

THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD

God's silent majority must be reached with these messages and Holy Ghost revelations to arouse them out of their lethargy and apathy before they are rudely shocked into a reaction of panic when there's no time left to ACT! The pen is mightier than the sword (Shakespeare) _ but, the pen of the Holy Ghost and the Sword of the Spirit (God's Word) combined is as a two-edged sword in combat against this physical inertia and spiritual vertigo. Our religious liberty and individual freedom are eroding away very swiftly into an oppressive socialism. Most Christians ignore the warnings of the Holy Ghost that we must act quickly and resolutely to "strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die," as Christ warned the church. Rev. 3:1-2. Humanism has corrupted our whole society _ and even most of the "gospel" you hear on Radio and TV is humanism _ called "Love".

Our nation is on the verge of economic and spiritual collapse from which there is no return. Perse

cution of God's saints is right at hand! This will be obvious within a short time to all Christians! The best way, and the only choice we have left to help preserve our personal religious freedom and to regain God's favor _ to avoid His terrible judgments arising _ is to preach and publish the message and warnings that come through much fasting and prayer. This is the only option left for God's saints. We can't be silent, or we'll be judged severely for our care-less-ness!

FAITH IN GOD

"Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." II Chron. 20:20b. Beloved, my voice is warning thousands of God's people and literally pulling hundreds back out of the fire. This ministry needs your help to be strong and continue.

Individuals, family groups, Sunday School classes, prayer groups, and whole churches should help lift our hands to God with your monthly or bi-monthly support. Begin NOW! We must reach tens of thousands more with your compassionate help.

BACK TO BASICS

Jesus taught that the basic problems of men and nations are not material, but spiritual. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these [material] things shall be added [given] unto you." Matt. 6:33. What is the Kingdom of God? "For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom. 14:17. Run that by again _ analyze it carefully! The preaching of the kingdom of God basically is described by the Apostle Paul's message: "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled." Acts 24:25. Thus we see the Kingdom message is holiness, self-discipline and abstinence from the fleshly lusts, and about God's thundering judgments that caused Governor Felix to tremble.

The Holy Scriptures must confirm the genuineness of your religious experience, the gift, the love, the real faith or other fruit of the Spirit. Counterfeit Bibles and preachers, and phony spiritual experiences are mortal dangers in this affluent society. False conversions and a phony Holy Ghost baptism co-exist with the real in churches and religious groups everywhere. The Holy Ghost exhorts, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" II Cor. 13:5.

PROOF POSITIVE

Those valiant soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ had the true message of God, the true spiritual experience, the real love of God, a holiness lifestyle, and the divine unity, with the real Holy Ghost Power. These were not mimickers of the great fruit and gifts of the Holy Ghost as are evidenced in today's lukewarm churches. Let's analyze those gifts and fruit evidenced in the early church and compare them with the display of these spiritual elements in today's sick ministry, and in weak and worldly saints.

The disciples of Christ were physically strong through the preaching of the Word of God and anointed gifts in the early church ministry _ today's church is sick, lounging in doctor's clinics and hospitals _ and this is not the true faith of God. "They brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on

beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one." Acts 5:15-16. These vibrant church members possessed a vital element of the Spirit that today's church rejects _ The Fear of God. "Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." Acts 9:31. The fear of God will be restored to this endtime church of Jesus Christ by a swiftly arising persecution and tribulation upon it as the early church suffered: "And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad …" Acts 8:1. This persecution kept worldliness in the church to a minimum _ their love to a maximum for God and each other. Holiness of lifestyle was their consistent behavior pattern.

GOD IS NOT JOKING AROUND

God is not kidding about His order to preach the messages of the Kingdom of God _ His warnings to the church of persecution and tribulation arising upon it, the rising Gathering Storm that will engulf it, try it, and to make it white. Dan. 12:9-10; Rev. 13:7; 7:9-14. God is going to severely judge His disciples who offer excuses because of apathy, selfishness, and carelessness about this responsibility _ but he will reward saints and their families who do listen and will help get the warnings and message to His elect. Read Psa. 91:4-16! Especially verse 14.

A FINAL WORD

Do you know God's perfect, good, and acceptable will for your life? I have met few Christians who really know for sure. The Holy Ghost exhorts, "Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord … Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." Eph. 5:10, 14-17. The Spirit further admonishes us, "… prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Rom. 12:2. "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9:4. The End.

COURAGE

By Bro. Ray Pringle, Jr.

It is easy to be nice,

When all is still okay.

You can always be so happy,

When all has gone your way.

But, do you hold your head up high,

And take it on the chin,

The times your heart is breaking

And you feel you must give in?

The future is so stormy,

And unless you're strong of mind,

You will notice when you look around,

You are falling way behind.

You have got to climb that mountain, Christian,

There's no use of turning back;

There's only one way home, dear Pilgrim,

And that's along this track.

So just remember, you're a Christian,

And when you reach the crest,

You will see the lights of Glory;

You have passed your final test.

So let courage be your password,

The Bible be your stay,

You'll reach the pearly gates of home,

And with Jesus live for aye.

Word of Prophecy Newsletter

Published by: Word of Prophecy Fellowship

P O Box 10200, Jacksonville, FL 32247

WWW.WordOfProphecy.org

Editor Bro. Ray Pringle, Jr.

an ordained minister of the

Calvary Chapel Church of God, Inc.

Associate Editor ... June Carpenter

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