Category Archives: false prophets

“The LORD Is My Shepherd”–How Does He Shepherd Us?

God is not only our Savior, but also our Great Shepherd. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” is famously recited by almost all. We know Him to be our shepherd holistically, however. Most believe that He leads, guides and watches over us, the whole person.

But how does God actually shepherd us? Is it not through our thoughts proceeding from our minds? For example, the act of going to the store begins as a thought. “We are out of milk. Better go get some.” Spurred by this thought, we get up, grab the keys, jump in the car, drive to the store and buy the milk. Where we go begins with a thought. Where we go as the sheep of His pasture begins with a thought, also. It will be either one of our thoughts or one of His thoughts.

The scriptures have much to say spiritually about the mind and its thoughts. In fact, we are to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Rom. 12: 2). Our minds in the Christian walk are to be renewed. This is how we are changed into His image. And we must make no mistake here. We are to be changed so much in our spiritual growth, that eventually we are to become like our Savior. “We all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…by the Spirit…” (II Cor. 3: 18 NKJV).

Christ is to be formed in us (Gal. 4: 19). That is God’s thought on the matter. If we don’t believe that this is possible, then we must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10: 5).

“We are led by our thoughts,” goes the old true adage. Man thinks a lot, and most men cherish their own thoughts. Yet God says, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts,” and God will forgive him (Isa. 55: 7). Here we see that thoughts lead to the way a person will go. Thoughts dictate the path traveled.

Consequently, we are to forsake our thoughts, for God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways (55: 8).

What  then are His thoughts? What is God thinking about? His thoughts are contained in the “mind of Christ,” which we are to have (Phil. 2: 5; 1 Cor. 2: 16). But does His mind and thoughts just come willy-nilly, by just “trusting in the Lord”? No. His mind will come through studying His thoughts, which are the contents of the mind of God.

There it is. So, what is keeping us from receiving the mind of Christ, and along with it His power? It is the old leaven that Christ and His apostles warned us of. We are told to “purge out the old leaven, that the lump may be holy.” But few will do this. Most won’t even look up “old leaven” in the concordance to see what it is. Those that do will see that it is the false teachings about Christ and His gospel. But most Christians do not believe that they have any erroneous concepts to be repented of. And so they go on, stunted in their spiritual growth. Their thoughts about
Christ are, well, their thoughts, and not God’s thoughts. We all must get rid of the false doctrines about Christ and then begin to believe the true knowledge of His thoughts.

How does one know which teacher to trust, which evangelist to believe? God will lead to the fountain of truth the sheep who cry and cry for the living waters.

And what are the living waters but His thoughts. He says as much in the remainder of Isaiah 55. His thoughts are “higher” than human thinking (v. 9).  Man thinks shallow and self-centered thoughts, small thoughts, wasted thoughts that are unremembered specks of dust in the vaults of time. But God’s thoughts traverse mountains and valleys, crossing all borders as the rain from heaven caresses the earth, and makes it “bring forth and bud [giving] seed to the sower and bread to the eater.” So is His word, born of His thoughts toward us the sheep of His pasture.

These poetically prophetic thoughts speak of Christ’s kingdom age, a thousand years of peace ruled by the Prince of Peace and God’s sons and daughters. As the whole earth and all of its tribes and nations “break into singing” as they think the King’s thoughts, contemplating His merciful ways to all on earth. Everyone shall rejoice that His thoughts will have come to full fruition (55: 9-13).

His thoughts are His gospel, and there is only one gospel, which is His literal kingdom soon to fill the whole earth! This is what an exiled King thinks on! We must corral and expel every thought that is not in agreement with His thoughts and vision. Those who do will have a wonderful future with Him right here on earth in His kingdom (Mark 1: 14).

As we keep on thinking His thoughts, eventually they become our very own thoughts. This is how He shepherds us into His greener pastures.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under elect, end time prophecy, eternal purpose, false doctrines, false prophets, glorification, gospel, kingdom of God, knowledge, mind of Christ, old leaven, sons and daughters of God, truth, vision

Warning: Beware of Man’s Traditions About Christ

You ever notice how the apostles of Christ never warned the early Christians about the dangers of being deceived by the gods of the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Indians, Persians, et al. They weren’t concerned about Sol Invictus, the worship of the Sun god, nor the worship of the Roman Emperor, nor any of the invading mystery cult gods of the East.

They warned Christians about organized churches and synagogues who professed to know God even while they were being infected by the false teachings found in the worship of those very false gods.

Paul makes this clear: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness” (II Cor 11: 13-14).

Much to be gleaned here. First, there are false apostles, individuals who claim to be sent by Jesus Christ (Yahshua) with His message. Their stock in trade, however is deceit. How do they deceive would be followers of Christ? They “transform themselves into preachers, teachers, and priests of the God of the Bible.

“Transforming themselves” comes from the Greek words meta schema, which means “to change fashion.” Someone’s schema is “the habitus, as comprising everything in a person which strikes the senses, the figure, bearing, discourse, actions, manner of life” [1]. In other words, when you look at one of these “false apostles” of Christ, you see and hear someone who you would expect to be a man or woman of God. Their appearance, the way they carry themselves, their words about Christ, their actions in the community, and their “manner of life” testify as to their self-declaration that they are indeed a person of God.

The old way of checking out somebody–if they walk like a duck, and talk like a duck, and act like a duck, they must be a duck–does not work in this case. In fact, this is part of man’s wisdom that must be thrown away in order to go on to higher growth of discernment in God.

So Just Who Are These False Preachers, Teachers, and Priests?

Who are they? Just look around. Churches on many corners teach the “traditions of men.” Their leaders do not dig deep as Christ admonished us. They are content to poll parrot what they heard in seminary, joyfully passing on poisoned pablum to the lambs instead of the true vision.

And it just wasn’t a lone apostle Paul who warned us of these. The apostle Peter, who backs up Paul, warns of them, also (II Pet. 3: 15-16). After lining out the steps on the road to spiritual maturity and son ship, he warns us of them. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies…And many will follow their destructive ways…” (2: 1-3  Read all of II Peter and Jude for the full picture).

In lieu of the many deceptions put forth by imposters–however sincere they may sound and appear–Paul warns us to not be spoiled through man’s philosophy and “vain deceit.” Young Christians can be deceived by man’s traditions “after the elements of this world” system. Being deceived comes from believing corrupt man’s spin on the Christian life. This comes from pagan traditions soldered onto Christ’s gospel (Col. 2: 8).

One need only thoroughly study out the major holidays of Easter, Halloween, and Christmas in order to see how man’s traditions have dominated “Christian” things the masses hold dear. It is astounding how deceived the oceans of people are, never questioning the source of their traditions. Sometimes I want to cry out, my arms stretched wide, my heart saying, Why do you persist in following pagan rites and traditions super-imposed upon Christian sounding observances? Even the History Channel has broadcast documentaries exposing the error of our holidays! And yet we slosh on and on, mired in the same false mudslides of the fetid river of lies. When will we ever learn as a nation, as a people?

But I know that the remnant of God’s people are learning. They know and discern the deceitful doctrines, and when they do, they turn away from the intoxicating fumes of those falsehoods about God.  Kenneth Wayne Hancock [to be continued]

1. http://www.blbclassic.org/lang/lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4976&t=KJV

 

 

10 Comments

Filed under Easter, false doctrines, false prophets, false teachers, old leaven, pagan holidays

The Open Vision and the Third Seal Famine

We are in a famine today. It is not a famine of food and drink, for we are literally fat from eating an abundance of food. No, the famine is spiritual; the bread we are lacking is the bread of life, the truth, the word of God. God did say that He “will  send a famine…not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD (Yahweh)” [1].

What do you mean, God? We have got churches on every corner. Everywhere you turn a preacher is talking about the things of the Bible. How could there be a spiritual famine? How could the people be lacking the word of God?

There is nothing new under the sun. It was the same in Samuel and David’s day. “And the word of Yahweh was precious in those days; there was no open vision” [2]. The word of God was “rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” They had priests and men of the cloth, but the word of God was a rare thing in the earth; not many had the Spirit in a reality.

And today we have the same condition. We are in a state of spiritual famine, for very few speak God’s mind, God’s thoughts. He says to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” and yet, the preachers are one trick ponies, speaking about Christ, but never allowing Christ to speak through them. Each denomination has a pet doctrine that they have hammered into their followers; nothing new is breaking forth. If His Spirit were within the pastors and preachers, then they would speak what is on His mind, which is His kingdom and His righteousness.

But you never hear anything about it. Not really. The word says that God is “bringing many sons unto glory,” that Christ will allow the over comers to sit with Him “in His throne” [3].  But they just speak of “going to heaven”  and staying there, I suppose. But the word says that He is coming back to earth to set up His kingdom, His literal government, and He is bringing us with Him.

At His return He promises to resurrect the “dead in Christ,” giving them new spiritual bodies. And those of His who are alive when He returns will be given a new spiritual immortal body [4]. And we are going to be with Him as He separates the sheep nations from the goat nations.

Get the scene. He is sitting on His throne here on earth, having “come in His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” Yes, He makes a distinction; He is so politically incorrect. All ethnos, all nations are gathered [5].

So we have sheep nations on His right hand and goat nations on His left. The question that should be on our minds at this juncture is, Who is who? Which one is which? Who are the blessed sheep nations, and which nations are the unblessed on His left.

For He says to those on His right, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Why them and not the other nations? “For I was hungry and you gave me meat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in. Naked, and you clothed me…” And the sheep nations ask Him, When did we do all that? And He says, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto Me.”

The goat nations did not do this. Therefore, they did not show mercy to Him. They have their reward (v. 46). Who are these sheep nations blessed by the King? Just look around and see who reached out in Christian love down through the centuries and you will have your answer. Who are the generous and charitable nations that have reached out and helped the other nations? You make the call.

But the preachers never speak of these things that fill His mind and thoughts. They issue shallow platitudes about this passage in Matthew that they heard from someone, if they comment at all. No wonder He said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts” [6].

A Spiritual Famine in the Land

No, we have a famine in the land, a famine of hearing the true words and thoughts of God. We have come to a point in time that signals the last days are upon us. His sheep nations are prosperous but have grown fat and “have forgotten the Rock from whence they are hewn.” And because of this apostate condition, God has sent a spiritual famine upon the earth. Before in the old days, it was a literal physical famine that God would send to His people when they strayed to serve other gods. Now it is a spiritual dearth that is enveloping the land.

There is “no open vision.” The Hebrew word for “open” in this passage is translated in other places as “bursting forth,” signifying a “overflowing”  (Prov. 3: 9-10). If we honor the LORD (Yahweh), then our presses will “burst out with new wine.” The word of God via His Spirit will burst out, will overflow our hearts and minds–if we trust in Him (v. 5) and keep His commandments (v. 1). If we “fear God”–if we have reverential awe of Him and His greatness and power, then the wine presses of our lives will “burst forth with new wine.” The new wine is the new doctrine, the new teachings that His Spirit is putting forth today. The famine will cease when we awaken to Him as the scripture truly depicts Him and not as the old ossified traditional teachings describe Christ.

When we get it right with the correct concepts of Him in line with His thinking, then we will not be blind. We will be able to see that Yahweh is the Savior [7], and that He was in the man Christ, saving us through Him [8]. When we get rid of the old leaven concepts about Him and begin to walk and think His true thoughts, then the famine will be lifted, and His Spirit will break out and overflow us and be abundant in our lives.

The Third Seal

We are in the midst of the third seal on the book of the earth’s end time future. We are in a famine as it was in Samuel and David’s day. There are many false teachers speaking words, but not the words of Yahweh. The third seal speaks of famine which leads to the fourth seal, Death. No word of God = no life = death [ 9].

These teachers and preachers of false doctrines are the ones that the apostles and prophets warned us of incessantly. They are either sincerely ignorant or willfully ignorant; God is their judge. But we are admonished to turn away from them, for they are “blind leaders of the blind.”

Why are they blind? “For Yahweh has poured out upon you the spirit of sleep, and has closed your eyes.” Who are these spiritually asleep? “The prophets…and their seers.” The preachers are asleep, put in that condition by God Himself (Isa. 29: 10-14).

Consequently, the whole vision, plan and purpose of God is a sealed book (v. 11). And those whom God has blinded with a spiritual sleep, they can’t read what is in God’s sealed book of what is taking place and what will take place shortly on the earth. We must put the sealed book of Isaiah 29 with the sealed book of Revelation 6.

Why are they blind and asleep and can’t read the sealed book? Because their worship of God is based on man made concepts and precepts and doctrines and teachings (v. 13). And because of this, we have a famine “of the hearing of God’s word” about His real vision and purpose.

But some will shake themselves out of this sleep and awaken to Him in a reality. They will build the old waste places and will with Him at their side administer in this earth a new beginning in His kingdom.  We must ask ourselves, Are we willing to pay the price to become one of His future kings?     Kenneth Wayne Hancock

 

1. Amos 8: 11

2. I Samuel 3: 1 KJV; NKJV

3. Rom. 8: 18-30; Rev. 3: 21

4. I Cor. 15: 42-54

5. Matt. 25: 31-46

6. Isa. 55: 8

7. Isa. 42: 3, 11

8. II Cor. 5: 19

9. Rev. 6: 5-8

6 Comments

Filed under death, elect, eternal purpose, false doctrines, false prophets, false teachers, great tribulation period, kingdom of God, old leaven, Yahweh

Understanding the 70th Week–The Tribulation Period

Nothing in the Bible elicits as much excited interest as well as stupefied perplexity as the Tribulation Period in prophecy. Honest questions arise as to how long it is. Is it 3 1/2 years or seven years. And just what will happen during that time?

Answers begin to emerge from comprehending the number “seventy.” Daniel “understood by books the number ” 70. He gained this grace from God in the first year of Darius the Mede in about 538 B.C. (Dan 9: 2). One of the books he studied was II Chronicles 36, which told of the Babylonian desecration of Jerusalem and its temple and the captivity of its people. This was allowed by God, for they had not repented of their sins against Yahweh (v. 16-20). This fulfilled the word of Yahweh through Jeremiah. “For as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years” (v. 21).

70 years. Important number that God would shed more light on to His prophet Daniel. For the great revelation that Daniel received was not that they would be in captivity for 70 years. That was given in v. 21 above. The revelation that he received from God was the significance placed on the number “70” not just the seventy years.

For the number 70 represented 70 weeks of years–a total of 490 years that would play a prominent role in establishing several milestones in the completion of the plan of God in bringing His literal kingdom to this earth. This is the “stone kingdom” that Daniel saw earlier (Dan. 2: 44-45).

There would be seventy “seven-year-periods” or seventy weeks-of-years that would assume supreme importance in God’s plan.
Gabriel himself came to the seeking prophet Daniel to expound the milestones leading up to His kingdom coming to earth. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” to accomplish several things that Christ accomplished in His first coming (v. 24). This was done using 69 of the 70 seven-year periods (v. 25).

Then the remaining “one week” is mentioned in verse 27. During the time of the 70th week of years, a “prince…shall come and shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” (v. 26). This wicked ruler “shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” (v. 27). This is the remaining “one week of years” or a seven year period. Of course, the wicked prince is universally believed to be the Anti-Christ or the “man of sin.”

But the question arises. Which seven year period is it? And when will it take place? The answer is a key point in unlocking the mystery of when Christ sets up His kingdom here on earth and the milieu upon its arrival. “In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease…and he shall make it desolate” (v. 27). All the key words–sacrifice, oblation to cease, abominations, desolate–point to a specific seven year period in scripture. And all of this happens “even until the consummation.” The word translated “consummation” is translated in other passages as “full end” and “utter end.” Sounds like the “time of the end” to me.

Christ confirms this time frame by quoting Dan. 9 in Matt. 24: 15. When this desecration, this abomination happens in the rebuilt temple, it will mark the “midst of the week,” the last half of the last of the seven-year-periods of the seventy weeks-of-years spoken of by the prophets.

It is generally believed by many that the tribulation in the form of the seven trumpets in Rev. 8 comprises the first 3 1/2 years. Much destruction worldwide ensues during this time. But the last half, the seven vials of wrath, is the “great tribulation” spoken of.

Of course, we have only received a very small ray of light as to what will take place. God is merciful and knows what our fragile hearts and minds can take at this time. Hope this has helped you. God bless you. Kenneth Wayne Hancock

1 Comment

Filed under end time prophecy, false prophets, grace, great tribulation period, MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, new world order, Yahweh

A Kingdom Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand–The Fall of the New World Order

Satan has a kingdom, and it is coming down, even as we write this.  More banks are failing while more governments are borrowing trillions from central banker thieves, thus putting the people more in bondage.

Satan has a globally connected kingdom–actually many national governments who are enslaving their people through corrupt economic practices.  For the very central bankers who were supposed to “prevent the people’s elected representatives” from making a mess of things, are now the very ones selling us all down the tubes.

But we sons and daughters of God must be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”  We must know the “wiles of the devil” as we are admonished by the holy apostles of Christ.

So let us realize and believe what the Holy One Himself said about this present world system.  The “wicked one” and destroyer of men is plotting now through certain rich men how to consolidate his power over all nations (see James 5: 1-6).

Satan has longed for the day when his “one world government” is realized.  It has been many centuries in the making.

Satan’s Kingdom Is the “One World Government” and the “New World Order”

Christ taught us that Satan has his own kingdom.  “If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?” (Luke 11: 18).   Earlier we see during the temptations of Christ, Satan saying, “All this power will I give you…for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.”  We see by this statement that the power of this present world system is Satanic and the power thereof is given to men from the wicked one.

Satan is the “god of this world.”  He is in control, for now, of all the power of the governments of men.

But Satan’s kingdom is a divided kingdom.  For instance, the West is at war with the Middle East; Christendom is at war with Islamic fundamentalism; capitalism is at war with communism/socialism; Hindu India vs. Muslim Pakistan; tribe against tribe; culture against culture, ad infinitum.

The United States is going into the One World Government.  Both Republican and Democratic Parties are taking us there through very similar policies.  Ever notice how neither decries the Federal Reserve System’s stranglehold on our economy.  Remember George Bush I’s  speech gloating about the “New World Order”?  What sheer audacity.  And what do the sheeple do?  Nothing.  Not a whimper, not a word.

The Difference in Our Two Parties

Here’s the difference in the two parties.  The conservatives want the USA to be the leading voice in the One World Government.  The Liberals want to weaken her, redistribute her wealth, and strip her of her power and make the USA just another third rate power, like a middle of the road European state.

And it is all heading that way–the way that biblical prophecy has proclaimed it to be.  The world will fall under the spell of a charismatic ruler, the Anti-Christ.  For seven years he will hold sway.  But the phony peace, held together by grey duct tape of lies, will fracture because of all the evil selfish egos, and Satan’s kingdom will disintegrate about the time of Christ’s return to set up His kingdom.

He’ll set it all aright here on earth, establishing a 1,000 year reign of peace.  And He will be using His sons and daughters as His administrators and ambassadors sent to the far-flung corners of the globe, spreading His love, hope, and righteousness.     Kenneth Wayne Hancock

8 Comments

Filed under end time prophecy, false doctrines, false prophets, kingdom of God, new world order, One World Government, sons of God

The Apostles’ Doctrine–The Curriculum of God’s Teachers

Teachers of God will expound His way, while false prophets and false teachers follow man’s interpretation of His spiritual things. God’s teachers are His gifts to mankind (Eph. 4: 11). They are precious and very few in number. If we seek, we will find one, and we will hold them dear.

But how can we tell the true from the false?  The true teachers will have a grasp of the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42).  They will know how to explain in detail how one repents, how faith works in us receiving a new heart.  In short, they will have true knowledge of the “principles of the doctrine of Christ” (Hebrews 6: 1-2).

Yet they will also know that one must leave those first principles in order to “go on unto perfection.” The Spirit that is within them will “lead us into all truth.”  They will know that it is Christ in them who actually is the real Teacher.

Many in “church circles” talk about wanting the same life as the early church in the book of The Acts of the Apostles.  They see the miracles and wonders performed and long for that same divine power to hold sway on the earth today.  They want, however, to circumvent the procedure used in those enlightened days right after Christ’s resurrection.  They want to accept Christ, be baptized, and then they want to set the world on fire with God’s power.

Before the miracles come from God, prerequisites must be done. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles” (Acts 2:42-43).  Here you see the progression of things: the doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread, prayers, fear of God, and then came the wonders and signs.

“We Don’t Want Doctrine–Just Jesus”

It was the apostles’ doctrine that the early converts stayed in.   They did those teachings.  For “doctrine” is translated from the Greek word didaskalia, which means “teaching; that which is taught.”  Beware of those who will say, “We don’t want doctrine, we just want Jesus!”  If they could only realize that the Savior Himself was referred to as a “Didaskalos,” meaning “Teacher, Master.”  The same root word!  People who say, “We don’t want doctrine” are really saying they do not want the real Christ and what He taught.

The true teachers of God will teach true repentance from sin in one’s life and how faith works to give us a new heart and new spirit that pleases God in not sinning against Him.  And this is just the first principles “of the doctrine of Christ” (Hebrews 6: 1-2).

This is not a new thing that I write about.  Read it for yourself in Martin Luther’s writings*; in the sermons of John Wesley (  http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/sermons/040.htm ), founder of the Methodist Church; from Andrew Murray, 19th Century Scottish Missionary and author           ( http://www.victoryoversin.com/murray/like/lc24.htm ); or in these books https://immortalityroad.wordpress.com/ebook-the-unveiling-of-the-sons-of-god/ ).

So, turn away from anyone who doesn’t teach the apostles’ doctrine, that says that you cannot be a righteous son or daughter of God.  Don’t believe them.  They will try to drag you down into the same spiritual slop that they are stuck in.  Find yourself a true teacher and study out the apostles’ doctrine, for those are the teachings of Christ.      Kenneth Wayne Hancock

* “Sermon on Three-fold Righteousness” at  http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/3formsrt.html

Leave a comment

Filed under apostles' doctrine, baptism, church, death of self, false doctrines, false prophets, repentance, sin

Making Our Calling and Election Sure

We are admonished by the apostle Peter to “make our calling and election sure.” You mean that we have to do something? I thought it was all God and His grace that helps us to be what He wants us to be. It is, but there remains things we must do in order for the spiritual growth to take place.

We must study and pray and eventually fast that the culprit Unbelief might skulk away out of our spiritual lives. For it is unbelief that hinders our growth. But the Spirit has left us a roadmap, a way of cutting through the haze of phony doctrines about God.

Peter tells us in his second letter the steps we should take. He explains that to grow to full maturity, we must add seven attributes to our faith.

Peter writes to those who “have obtained like precious faith with us” (2 Peter 1: 1). The elect, God’s chosen ones for this high calling, have received the same exact precious faith that the early apostles received.

Now this comes about in our lives “through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Yahshua)” (v. 1). After we were convicted of our sin-guiltiness, and after we stepped out and laid down our old sinful self on the cross and died in revelation with the sacrificial Lamb of God, we, by believing that Christ was raised from the dead, receive a newly resurrected life by faith.

It is His faith that we have received. God believed in His own power to raise up the Lamb of God, and when we believed that, then we obtained that very same belief in the form of a “new heart” and a new spirit. By believing in His resurrection, we also believe that we were raised from the dead, for we were definitely dead in our sins—the walking dead, as it were. But now we are  alive from the dead, and we bear God’s very own faith in our bosom. As Paul said, “Old things are passed away,” and all things “are become new.” It is no longer the old Adamic man, writhing in the guilt of sin, that now lives, but rather the new man Christ, who has now begun His growth within our new hearts.

This is the faith we have obtained with Peter, Paul, James, and John. Faith is the foundation that must be added to, just like a builder adds walls, a roof, windows and doors to the foundation of the new house he is building. And it is this faith—God’s faith now in us, not our faith in Him—that must be added unto.

Adding Seven Spiritual Attributes Insures Three Things

We are to add to our faith “virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity [agape love]” (1: 5-7).

Peter writes that adding these seven spiritual attributes to His faith in us yields three major things in God’s plan for these latter days. First, they insure that we will not “be barren nor unfruitful” (1: 8). God wants us to bear “much fruit” and is glorified when we do (John 15: 8).

Second, the additions to our faith are how we solidify our standing as one of God’s elect; it is how we “make our calling and election sure.” Walking in these seven attributes of God’s nature insures our place in the elect. Or better put, those destined to be part of the elect will build their spiritual house with these attributes (1: 10).

Furthermore, it is through them that “an entrance shall be ministered unto [us] abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior” (1: 11).

Adding them is how we “partake of His divine nature” (1: 4). It is how we make our calling and election sure, how we never fall, how we will be full of spiritual fruit, how we will receive an entrance into His kingdom, and how we will “partake of His divine nature.” That sums up what spiritual growth is about. That is how important these things are as outlined by Peter in his Second Epistle, Chapter 1.

A Serious Assignment

Adding these attributes is a serious assignment that only the Spirit of truth can teach, for it is He that leads us into all truth. Truth being the key word.

“Truth is fallen in the streets,” says the prophet. And there is a famine in the land, a famine of the word of God. Because of this dearth, adding these seven attributes is a formidable task. Why? Peter in the very next chapter forewarns us of how the devil will hinder our growth in becoming God’s elect. He warns us to beware of false prophets and false teachers who “shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them.” And many will follow these hypocrites, who will “speak great swelling words of vanity” and will “promise them liberty” while they are “the servants of corruption” (II Peter 2:1-19).

And how does this second chapter tie into the first? These false “Christian” teachers will spew out false teachings that will hinder a young Christian’s spiritual growth. Peter gives his stark warning to us so that we would not be hijacked and taken away by the enemy, thus prohibiting us from making our calling and election sure. Bluntly put, false teachings will thwart the children of God from growing into fully matured Christians, fit to sit on the throne with Christ. Getting rid of these false concepts about God is where the study and prayer come in after true knowledge comes to us.

Isaiah wonders, “Who hath believed our report?” Who will answer the call to go all the way to the throne of God? Only the adventurous. Only the unafraid. Only the rebels who refuse to come under the yoke of the god of this world. Only those who trust in the Spirit of God within themselves, as He helps them separate the good teachings from the bad.

But man’s wisdom cannot teach this truth to the elect. Old Adamic man just cannot teach it to us, nor the well-meaning manna-gatherers of yesteryear, who fed the flock of God with the spiritual bread that they had one hundred, five hundred, or one thousand or more years ago. That cannot sustain the elect of God for these latter days. For these elect must have the “present truth”—food convenient for them.

God is doing a new thing; He is pouring out new light as to His plan and purpose. The Spirit is pouring out His truth today all over the earth. He has seven thousand unbowed to Baal, and they are like river bed conduits of His living water. Those who thirst will drink. The rest will with parched throats persist in scratching moisture out of broken cisterns of the waters of the past, repositories of the damp shadows of truth.

For God is doing a new thing in the earth, a thing that men will not believe though God Himself tells them. For He has already, even though He has blinded all but the remnant, the elect. But they will prepare and do and put on these additions to the “faith once delivered to the saints.”   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under additions to our faith, agape, death of self, elect, faith, false doctrines, false prophets, false teachers, Spirit of God

The Stone Kingdom and the Elect

The stage is set for the elect of God; the battle lines are drawn for these latter days.  The elect will know who the participants are in the battle, but they will understand that it is God’s fight.

For as the young David said to the seemingly unbeatable Goliath, exemplifying the very faith that the elect will project, “The LORD (Yahweh) does not save with the sword and spear, for the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands” (I Sam. 17: 47).

In this one verse lies the template in which we may glimpse how it will all go down in these latter days.  Of course, we are talking about the bringing down of the current Babylonian world system, which Goliath is a symbol of.  He was huge, threatening, dominant, and invincible, much like the world governments appear to their peoples.  God will position His people in an impossible situation that oppresses them so much that they will cry unto Him for deliverance.  They will know that they are too weak to overcome the powers that be.  Then God will hear their cries, and He will “give our enemies into our hands” in a miraculous way.  God will fight our battle and will turn the tide in His elect’s favor.

The “Stone”

It was not by accident that God used a smooth stone to take down Goliath.  How will God, then, take down Satan’s world system?  He will use a stone.

The prophet Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, thus revealing to us the mystery of the “stone” and how this stone will be used to bring down the current world system, like David’s stone brought down Goliath.  The king of Babylon had a dream and could not remember it, much less understand its meaning.  Daniel told the king that “there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets… and makes known what shall be in the latter days” (2: 28).

Daniel relates to him the dream of a great image with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, and legs of iron with its feet of iron and clay.  And the king saw “a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet…and brake them to pieces.”  In fact, the whole image was shattered and carried off like “the chaff of the summer threshing floors…and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (vs. 31-35).

Daniel interprets the image as four world gentile empires: Babylonian, Media-Persia, Grecian, and Roman.  The stone that smashed and destroyed these is the literal Kingdom of God that will be ushered in by a stone, not cut out with man’s hand.  The stone that smashes the world system are the stones that God will hurl with his cosmic slingshot—large stones of a heavenly origin, asteroids coming into the earth during the Great Tribulation Period, as depicted in the prophecies of Revelation.

Here’s the proof: The 6th seal kicks it off when “stars of heaven fell unto the earth” (Rev. 6: 12). Then comes the…

  1. First trumpet—“Hail and fire mingled with blood…cast upon the earth” (Rev. 8: 7)
  2. 2nd trumpet—“A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea (v. 8)
  3. 3rd trumpet—“And there fell a great star from heaven…called Wormwood” upon the rivers (v. 10-11)
  4. 5th trumpet—Another star fell into the earth

In all these instances, we see a stone from heaven used by God as the instrument of destruction of the world system.  These are “acts of God” completely out of the realm of man.  That is why He said, “Vengeance is mine, saith the LORD; I will repay.”  We are to just believe Him and “stand fast and see the glory of the LORD.”

His soon coming kingdom is the stone kingdom.  For “in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed…and will break in pieces all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2: 44).  This is the good news; this is the gospel.  This is why Christ came to earth.  All roads lead to His government being established.  He will return to this sin-sick earth after the Tribulation period to assume His throne in this earth.  His elect, the 100-fold fruit-bearing sons of the living God will rule with Him, sitting with Him on His throne, for 1,000 years of peace.

The Stage Is Set

So, yes, the stage is set and ready for all of this to take place.  The battle lines are drawn.  “Two manners of peoples” are doing battle for dominion of the earth, as it was with Jacob and Esau.

The minions of Edom control the central banks and the economies of this present world system.  As Rothschild said, He who controls the money controls the world.  The international bankers then control the governments of this world.  They control, therefore, the political machinations, the media, the economy, and the educational trends.

It’s the parable of the wheat and the tares.  These rich men “heap treasure together for the last days” (James 5: 3).  They “wrap it up” (Micah 7: 3).  They sound and look like the chosen people of God, but are not, being wolves in sheep’s clothing.  Christ said to them, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8: 44).

And the sheep are asleep right now in their respective flocks/countries.  They are relying on their political and religious shepherds, who are bought and paid for by the wolves, and are fed with just enough food to keep them making money for their masters (read, the Fed and the other central banks of the world).  These are the tares.

But bad things are prophesied for Esau/Edom.  They will not continue forever, for their one world government will come crashing down (Obadiah, Malachi, Revelation).  Who will cry the loudest when the stones start falling, thus destroying this world system?  It will be the merchants and bankers (Rev. 18: 9-19).

And who are the wheat in the parable of the wheat and tares of Matthew 13?  They are the elect—those who God has awakened.  They are the very few whose eyes He has opened wide to see the current sad state of affairs of this world and all the misery caused by God’s enemy.  And they will begin to mobilize to prepare themselves to battle the monolith.  But not with physical guns and weapons.  No.  They will use the sword of the Spirit, the shield of faith and truth.  “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…” (II Cor. 10: 4).

And those strong holds are the chains of this world system that the children of the wicked one has forged and fastened on the people.

For this is God’s fight really.  He is now looking for more people like David, who knew it was God’s battle and believed that what He had promised, He was quite able to perform.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

17 Comments

Filed under armour of God, Economy, elect, end time prophecy, false prophets, Federal Reserve, King David, MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, One World Government, Parables, sons of God

The Elect–The Key to Understanding Christian Growth

These words I write, though now published and available to all everywhere, are really intended for a certain few.  Those are the few who are able to perceive the things of the Spirit, for not all can.  The Master spoke “to him that has ears to hear, let him hear…”  He was speaking to those who had ears that could understand His sayings.  For it is given to them “to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them–the vast majority of mankind–it is not given at this time (Matt. 13: 11).

The Savior talks a lot about “the few.”  He said that “few” would find life (Matt. 7: 14), that the laborers for the final harvest are “few” (Matt. 9; 37), and that “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22: 14).  Interestingly, here we have both the “few” and “the chosen” in the same passage.

These few that He speaks of are the elect, His chosen ones.  Some take offense at Christ’s words.  They don’t like it when He says, You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bear much fruit (John 15: 16).  The chosen ones will bear “much fruit.”  The scriptures speak of Christians bearing three amounts of fruit: fruit, more fruit, and much fruit (John 15: 1-8).

To the worldly ear, trained up in the all-inclusive ways of our post-modern politically correct society, the Master’s message about His elect falls like another tired stone in the unenlightened pond of prejudice.  But God says that “my ways are not your ways.”

God has revealed His way in the “scriptures of truth,” and a few will without pre-conceived ideas and pre-judged beliefs about what the Bible actually says in black and white–those few will walk with Him in white during the last go round, the time of the end.

So these words are about those few, in all probability many who are reading this now.

Though many millions are destined to believe on Him and bear fruit in these last days, only a few thousand will  be chosen by God to bear “much fruit.”  These are the 100 fold fruit-bearing elect.  The elect are chosen by God for a special calling: “to not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom” (Matt. 16: 28; Mark 9: 1; Luke 9: 27).

The elect’s calling is not only unintelligible to the masses; they just will not believe that it is possible.  They will not be able to believe it because they have swallowed the insidious error-filled teachings of the false prophets and false teachers “who have brought in damnable heresies” that have subverted the faith of the many (II Pet. 2: 1).

But the elect will be led by the Spirit into all truth (John 16: 13).  And a big part of the truth is this concept of the elect, who are forming His company of many sons and daughters to be manifested in these latter days.

The key that unlocks this mystery, thus enabling us to believe these truths about His chosen ones, is understanding the Parable of the Sower and the different levels of Christian growth found therein (Matt. 13).  Some Christians will remain “babes in Christ,” little children in their spiritual growth, bearing only what Christ calls “30 fold fruit.  Some will grow to be stronger spiritually; these He calls “young men,” bearing “60 fold fruit” (I John 2: 13).  And then a few Christians are called and chosen to bear “100 fold fruit.”  They are the ones that the whole creation is “groaning and travailing” for.  They will do the “greater works,” greater even than the Son of God [His words, not mine], for there will be a few thousand of them raising the dead and healing the sick, and preaching the kingdom of God.  Understanding this is the key, Christ said, to unlocking all the mysteries contained in the parables of God (Matt. 13).

The elect, the future manifested sons of God, those who will do the greater works, they are forming right now.  God is speaking to their hearts, calling them out, preparing them through the joys of revelation and the despair of heartbreak and betrayal.  For “all things work together for good to them that love God, and who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8: 28).

They can’t help it.  The mighty hand of God is moving upon them just like He moved on Moses, David, Gideon, and all the patriarchs and prophets and apostles.  “No man takes this honor unto himself,” as Paul said.  “It is God’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.”  The elect will not be the mighty men of this earth according to the flesh, for “He has chosen the weak things to confound the mighty” (I Cor. 1: 27).  We will be powerless, and yet possessing the reins of the very seat of the Power of the Universe.  It’s all Him.

And the elect, the chosen few, will “make their calling and election sure” through the study and prayer of a grateful heart (2 Peter 1: 10).

We may not fully realize it yet, but the stage is being set for the exciting climax of the Book of Life, poised to begin as we write this.  For the elect, the chosen ones of God, are its protagonists.  They are the living word of God, incarnate and living out what the Author and Finisher of the Book has written of them.  The stage is set; the curtain will rise shortly on the last act.  The players are learning their lines–Satan and his men, and God and His sons.

It is going to be good, for we have already read the script.  We win–in Him.

May God bless you all, that we might be used to bring Him glory during this final act.     Kenneth Wayne Hancock

3 Comments

Filed under belief, calling of God, children of God, elect, end time prophecy, eternal purpose, false doctrines, false prophets, false teachers, immortality, kingdom of God, manifestation of the sons of God, sons and daughters of God, sons of God, spiritual growth, truth

God Is Not Everyone’s Father–On Being Born from Above

The God of the Bible is not everyone’s Father, although He is everyone’s Creator.  You hear it all the time: “We are all the children of God.”  The words sound good to the ear, but we would be hard pressed to find them in the Bible.

To be one of His children, He must be our Father.  He must father us, engender us.

The Pharisees of Christ’s day said that God was their Father.  “We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.”

But Christ refuted them, “If God were your Father, you would love me…You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do…” (John 8:41-44).  They said that they were children of God, but Christ said they were children of the “god of this world,” the devil.  A stark contrast.

In the parable of the tares in the field, Christ says that “the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one” (Matt. 13: 38).  Here He makes another stark contrast between them.

The origin of God’s children is “from above” while the devil’s children are “from beneath.”  To those same Pharisees Christ said earlier, “You are from beneath; I am from above” (Jn 8: 23).  The KJV in John 3: 3 should read, “Except a man be born from above” instead of “born again.”  In John 3: 31 it is translated “from above.”

“Born again” gives the impression of a different kind of birth, a spiritual rather than the initial earthly birth.  “Born from above” speaks of a point of origin opposite of our earthly beginnings.  “From above” speaks of a spiritual realm in a heavenly dimension, a room in the Father’s heart that has already given birth to our new life.

Being “born from above” has really already happened in the Spirit’s heart.  He now with much patience and longsuffering awaits our awakening to this truth, the news of which has already been hung in the halls of heaven.

For those pages of the book of life that contain our names are already written; we must now witness that fact.  Yes, the fact of their existence, the fact that we are part of the good news, the gospel of God.  Kenneth Wayne Hancock

3 Comments

Filed under children of God, false doctrines, false prophets, false teachers, Parables