Introduction

YOU are caught up in a war.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

YOU are in a spiritual war that began shortly before Satan was hurled down from Heaven:

Revelation 12:7-9 (NIV) And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 12:4a (NIV) His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.

Luke 10:18 (NIV) He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."

In this war that YOU are caught up in, YOU will either serve God by design, or YOU will serve Satan by design or by default. No human is able to do what they want to do. Humans either serve God by doing what God wants them to do, or they serve the devil by doing what Satan wants them to do. Frank Sinatra's song "I Did It My Way" is the song of the deceived. YOU will either serve God by living a Holy life through faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ, or YOU will serve the devil by sinning. If YOU are deceived into thinking that YOU can do what YOU want to do, then I challenge YOU to decide that YOU want to stop sinning. YOU will find that YOU cannot have YOUR way and stop sinning no matter how hard YOU try, and no matter how much YOU want to stop sinning. If YOU are sinning, then YOU are deceived.  The truth is that YOU cannot live YOUR life YOUR way. YOU are either serving God, or YOU are serving the devil.

Ephesians 2:1-2 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

2 Timothy 2:25-26 (NIV) Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

It is Satan's desire to steal, and kill and destroy.

John 10:10a (NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

Satan is YOUR enemy and it is his desire to steal from YOU, to kill YOU, and to destroy YOU.

1 Peter 5:8b (NIV) Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour;

If YOU are not serving God, then YOU are assisting Satan in destroying YOURSELF. Satan has attempted to destroy God's chosen people (The Jews) since the time of Abraham, and he has attempted to destroy the true Church of Jesus Christ since the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  It was Satan who motivated the Roman Empire to martyr members of the true Church of Jesus Christ in the Coliseum, and it was Satan who motivated the Roman Catholic Church to martyr members of the true Church of Jesus Christ during the Inquisition.  It is Satan that is motivating various governments around the world to persecute and martyr members of the true Church of Jesus Christ today.  In the United States, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights have kept Satan from being able to openly martyr members of the true Church of Jesus Christ, but judges who view the Constitution as a "Living Document", coupled with spiritually motivated members of the Executive and Legislative branches of our government,  are currently stripping as rapidly as possible, the protection afforded by the Constitution.  Satan is currently minimizing the Constitution's protection in order to better facilitate the persecution and martyrdom that has already begun.  The murder of unconvicted men, women, and children in the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas; The murder of Samuel and Vicki Weaver at Ruby Ridge, and the assault on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are all a portent of the escalating persecution, in that the government is carefully selecting as targets "Christian" people that the government feels that they can justify their assaults against.  Once the government gets the people acclimated to governmental persecution, then the members of government will be able to persecute their personal enemies without restraint by labeling their personal enemies as enemies of the government.

Satan's war with God that YOU are caught up in started when Satan was hurled down from Heaven.  That war will not stop until Satan is thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur for eternity with all of those that he has deceived.  I pray that it it not YOU!

Revelation 20:10 (NIV) And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

There is a clear and distinct difference in Judeo-Christian Organized Religion, and the true Church of Jesus Christ.

Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is composed of individual social organizations that are held together by tradition, and the psychological and emotional manipulation of the laity, by a substantially corrupt clergy.  These clergy possess a contorted, depreciated, and self-serving perspective of the Word of God. With respect to knowledge of and communion with God, and adherence to God's Holy Word; Judeo-Christian Organized Religion today is almost exactly like Judeo-Organized Religion at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Judeo-Organized Religion historically was, and continues to be held in high esteem, adored, and even worshiped in lesser and greater degrees by the participants.  In His ministry, Jesus contrasted the difference in the worship of religion, and the worship of God.  The elite members of Judeo-Organized Religion Crucified Jesus and replaced God with the leaders of Judeo-Organized Religion.  The members of Judeo-Organized Religion continue to be involved in essentially a worship of their Religion, their prominent Rabbi's, and the ancestral worship of their deceased prominent Rabbi's.  Rashi puts forth some interpretations of the Bible that are as ridiculous as the 77 virgins offered to Islamic Jihad Martyrs by the Qur’an.  Judeo-Organized Religion has historically additionally been involved in a worship of the stars.  The signs of the Zodiac are in many of the ancient synagogues, reflecting a historical worship of the stars.  The signs of the Zodiac are currently displayed in a historic synagogue in the Bet Alpha National Park in Israel, as well as a replica of an ancient synagogue in Joppa, Israel.  Even the street signs of Joppa, Israel today have the signs of the Zodiac on them. Judeo-Organized Religion has accepted this worship of the stars, yet the Jews refuse to accept that their leaders are fallible.

Jeremiah 8:1-2" 'At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.

Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is following Judeo-Organized Religion in a worship of Judeo-Christian Organized Religion and their respective Judeo-Christian Organized Religion leaders.  The worship of the Roman Catholic Pope is a clear example of the worship of a Judeo-Christian Organized Religion leader.

In contrast to Judeo-Christian Organized Religion; the true Church of Jesus Christ, also known as the Body of Christ, is composed of those individuals who KNOW and have a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Currently, in many places throughout the world, the Body of Christ is often associated with Judeo-Christian Organized Religion.  The wheat and the tares are growing together just as Jesus referenced in Matthew 13:24-43.

Matthew 13:24-43 (NIV) Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.  When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.  "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'  " 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'  " 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' " He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.  Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."  He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."  Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.  So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."  Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."  He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.  The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.  "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.  They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

In many places, Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is now ostracizing the members of the Body of Christ and beginning to force the Body of Christ out of Judeo-Christian Organized Religion.  This will conclude in Judeo-Christian Organized Religion persecuting many of the members of the Body of Christ to death.  In other places like China, Judeo-Christian Organized Religion allied with the government is already martyring the members of the Body of Christ. 

Judeo and Judeo-Christian Organized Religion are doing this because Judeo and Judeo-Christian Organized Religion does not KNOW God, or the Word of God, and because the true Body of Christ KNOWS God, and will not compromise the Word of God.

John 16:1-4 (NIV) "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.  They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.  They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.  I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you."

As the appointed time for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ comes close; Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is continuing to plunge deeper into apostasy, but tragically, the Body of Christ is sound asleep.

Matthew 25:1-5 (NIV) "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep."

The Word of God reveals why the Body of Christ is so lethargic.  The Spirit of God states in the Holy Scriptures that the Body of Christ is destroyed, and perishes for two reasons; "lack of knowledge," and "no vision":

Hosea 4:6a (NIV) my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

Proverbs 29:18a (KJV) Where there is no vision, the people perish;

Proverbs 29:18a (NIV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;

"lack of knowledge" on the part of the Body of Christ is a result of a deficiency by the clergy in accurately forth-telling the Word of God; "no vision" on the part of the Body of Christ is a result of a deficiency by the clergy in accurately foretelling future events.  Either deficiency, if uncorrected, will result in the destruction of the Body of Christ.

My heart is grieved because of the condition of the Body of Christ.  In my grief, the Spirit of God gave me this Scripture:

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NIV) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

As reflected in Ephesians 4:11-16 above, the Lord God calls some members of the Body of Christ for works of service.

Hebrews 5:4 (NIV) No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

I do not understand how the Lord God chooses, and the Spirit of God appoints different individuals for specific works of service.

John 15:16a (NIV) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

I know that the reason why He does is for the edification of the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV) There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

I am sure that the Spirit of God gives to those who are chosen, a burning desire to serve in the work to which they are appointed.

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." - Mother Teresa 1910-1997

The function of those that are chosen by God as prophets, referenced above in Ephesians 4:11-16, is to predict certain future events, and to speak the Word of God.  Prophets are to foretell the future, and forth-tell (tell-forth, speak) the Word of God.

1 Peter 4:11 (NIV) If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 19:10 (NIV) At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Revelation.

Ephesians 1:17 (NIV) I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

The Spirit of God will guide you into Truth.

John 16:13 (NIV)  "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."

Jesus is the Truth.

John 14:6 (NIV)  Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the Word of God.

John 1:1 (NIV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Spirit of God that dwells within a true prophet of God will guide you into the Word of God (forth tell), and tell you what is yet to come (foretell).

Prophets serve as vessels of God in which the Spirit of God can reside.  Prophets also serve as conduits through which the Spirit of God can channel truth to other people.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV) Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.  For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Amos 3:7 (NIV) Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.

While God reveals His plan, God does not always reveal all of the details of His plan. Many of the prophets did not understand about what they were writing.

Daniel 8:27 (NIV) I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding.

1 Corinthians 13:9 (NIV) For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Some portions of prophecies will not be revealed until God is ready to reveal them.

Daniel 12:8-9 (NIV) I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"  He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.

It is not always necessary for prophets to understand about what they are writing. Some of the prophecies are not given for their day. If prophets do not understand the visions, how can they impose their own personal interpretations on the prophecies? It is only necessary that they write exactly as the Spirit of God directs them.

Malachi 2:7 (NIV) "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty.

At other times, the Spirit of God gives prophets knowledge, and the ability to understand mysteries, in order for them to serve the Body of Christ.

Daniel 2:27-28a (NIV) Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.

1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

In addition to gaining insight from dreams, visions, and the counsel of the Holy Spirit of God, prophets also search the Holy Word of God in order to understand more about God and the future.

Daniel 9:1-2 (NIV) In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom--in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

1 Peter 1:10-12 (NIV) Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

The prophecies are written for the edification of the church that exists, within the particular period of time, that the prophecy pertains to.

Revelation 22:16 (NIV) "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

More than 40 individual men, across a period of about 2,000 years, were inspired by the Holy Spirit of God to write God's Holy Word.  These inspired writers wrote Scriptures that give different views concerning God, His perfect order, and His perfect plan.  One view may be panoramic, one view of minute detail, somewhat like an architect's drawings.  One view may be drawn from a distance, one view from close up.  As all of the architect's drawings must mesh perfectly and compliment one another in order to accomplish his plan, so must the Scriptures mesh perfectly, and compliment each other in order to accomplish the Lord God's plan.  They do.  It is certainly easy to believe that these writers wrote exactly as the Spirit of God inspired them to.  History has proven, and is continuing to additionally strengthen the proof that, all of the writers, and all of the Scriptures mesh perfectly.  The Holy Word of God is truly magnificent.

I asked the Spirit of God what work I could do to serve the Body of Christ, and what I could do to keep the Body of Christ from being destroyed.

Habakkuk 2:2-4 (NIV) Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

Daniel 12:10 (NIV) Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked.  None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

The Spirit of God has revealed to me that all members of the Body of Christ, who are working in service to the Body of Christ, will be persecuted.

2 Timothy 3:12 (NIV) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV) "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

John 16:1-4 (NIV) "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.  They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.  They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.  I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you.

In Jesus' day, it was not "the tax collectors and the prostitutes" (Matthew 21:31,32) who were persecuting the Body of Christ. It was Organized Religion under the authority of Rome (now known as Vatican City). So will it be in the coming days.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (NIV) What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.