What are You Saved from?

What are You Saved from?

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Born Again – Verses Salvation

Few issues contribute to more disunity in the body of Christ than an ages old debate over eternal security. Some say “once saved always saved” while others make the case for Christians being able to lose their salvation. The former crowd points to verses like John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” The same would be said for the verses Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life and Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 

Can We Fall From Grace?

Those that believe in what John Wesley called “backsliding” to the point of returning to a lost condition refer to verses like Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” 2 Peter 1:10 seems to indicate the possibility of a fall with the words “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” This sounds like the writer is saying it takes diligence on the part of Christians to avoid a fall from grace much like is referred to in Gal 5:4 “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
 

Which Side Is Right?

Each side of the argument has ample scriptural evidence to support their view point and this begs the question about which group is right. I believe that both sides are correct about what they espouse and both sides are wrong for not accepting the belief of the other camp. It is time for the church to come to agreement and settle this dispute.
 

Is This A Strange Paradox?

The issue concerns confusion over what it means to be born again as differentiated from being saved. Many if not most Christians do not know the difference if they are aware of one at all. In fact the dissimilitude is substantial.
 

Written by, Wes Arnold, PMT Elder


Show Notes

 
 

Old Testament

 

David’s Psalms

Psalm 9:16,17
“The LORD is known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
 
Psalm 55:15
“Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them.”
 
Psalm 86:13
“For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”
 

Solomon’s Wisdom

Proverbs 7:26, 27
“For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.”
 
Proverbs 15:11
“Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes the way, and he who hates correction will die.”
Hell and Destruction are before the LORD; So how much more the hearts of the sons of men.”
“A scoffer does not love one who corrects him,
Nor will he go to the wise.”
 
Proverbs 1:12
“Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down to the Pit;”
 

Major Prophets

Isaiah 14:9
Hell from beneath is excited about you, To meet you at your coming; It stirs up the dead for you, All the chief ones of the earth; It has raised up from their thrones All the kings of the nations.”
 
Ezekiel 31:14b, 15a
‘For they have all been delivered to death, to the depths of the earth,
Among the children of men who go down to the Pit.’
“Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘In the day when it went down to hell, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it.”
 
Isaiah 38:18
For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.

 
 

When the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek in ancient Alexandria around 200 BC, the word “Hades” (the Greek underworld) was substituted for Sheol. This is reflected in the New Testament where Hades is both the underworld of the dead and the personification of the evil it represents.
Sheol – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheol

 
 

New Testament

 

The Gospels

Matthew 10:27, 28
“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
 
Luke 12:4, 5
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
 
Matthew 16:18
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this Rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
 

Letters to the Church

James 3:6
“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”
 
2 Peter 2:3, 4
“By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does[a] not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;”
 
Acts 2:27
“For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
 
Revelation 1:18
I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
 
 

There are three words translated “Hell” in the New Testament, Hades and Tartarus, which are Greek, and Gehenna, which is the Greek form of the Hebrew words Gee and Hinnom, meaning “the valley of Hinnom.”

1. HADES. This word occurs eleven times, and is rendered “grave” once, and “hell” ten times.

The Biblical Doctrine of Hell – Auburn University

 
 

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Finding Your Pillar of Fire

Finding Your Pillar of Fire

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Everyone should have that place where they can go hear the voice of God.
 

    Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12).

 
I have visited with many people and over the years I have heard of some pretty strange places where they have experienced God speaking to them. Your portal or pillar of fire where God sends down His word to you can be anywhere at any time, as He so desires. He is not required to be where you want Him. However, finding that place where you can meet Him at a certain time each day will greatly increase your chances of connectivity.
 
Allow me to clarify this constant misnomer. When I say “Hearing God” I do not necessarily mean hearing His audible voice. He may come to you with a vision, unction, thought, impression or any other way He so chooses to communicate to you.
 
About twenty years ago there was a book and teaching titled, “Can You Not Tarry for One Hour?” by Dr. Larry Lee. These teachings helped thousands of people learn how to pray and groomed them to become intercessors for God, which is the first step to learning how to hear His voice. The book and study material are based on the Lord’s Prayer found in Luke 11:1-4. I had the wonderful experience of being a part of this ministry with Dr. Larry Lee, which really helped me gain a foothold into my journey and find my place with God.
 
Most everyone who has spent time with me has heard me saying at one time or another, “Guess what God said while I was in the bathroom.” Yes, it is embarrassing, and the first time He spoke to me while in the powder room I felt like Adam, naked in the garden. For a split second I tried to hide myself; nowadays these encounters are as normal as breathing. This happens every time I visit the men’s room. It’s not the only place I hear Him but it has become my pillar of fire.
 
There are times I need to spend a few hours with Him and discuss lengthy and complicated problems. The little boy’s room is really not the place to spend that much time seeking God. For the longer dissertations I crank up the old Zero Radius Lawn mower. We live on a 2-acre lot, and it can take a couple of hours of mowing to get it all done. While riding with the roar of the engine behind me, I mindlessly go around in a square circle; there I can get lost in His Pillar of Fire.
 
Many times, I have retreated to the mowing process to get answers on how to deal with all sorts of situations. It always amazes me how much I enjoy those times with Him. I am not proposing, however, that if someone comes to you wanting to find God that you should tell them to go mow their lawn rather than telling them to go to Church.
 
Hopefully, you have already found your place where you hear God, but you may need some confirmation. Is it Him? Do you have the proper understanding? You know it is not enough to hear Him you must know what He means. In part, this is one of the duties with which I am commissioned to help you. If you have not found your place where you go to hear Him, then I can help you discover where He has been waiting to communicate with you. The fact is He has always been there wherever your “there” is; waiting for you to stop and talk awhile. Consider joining me online at one of our scheduled Live Streaming Events. Or for a more personal journey schedule your One-on-One Prophetic Counseling session with me online to find God’s will for you.
 
Jesus is “rock’en” awesome and He is waiting for YOU!
 

Written by Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet

Spiritual Gifts Imparted through Prophecy

Spiritual Gifts Imparted through Prophecy

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    Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” 1 Timothy 4:14 (NKJV)

 
In the spring of 1989, I was traveling with two seasoned Apostles and a pastor who was thinking about starting a traveling ministry. We were going from one church to another in the western part of Texas. Being that I was the newest of the group, I was allowed to hold an early morning Bible study, which was not always well-attended being it was early and no one knew anything about me. I was still trying to find out who I was myself and seeking God for answers about what kind of ministry He had for me.
 
We had been on the road for a few days when we met up with Dr. Bill Hammond’s group of ministers. Ironically, it was in the same town in West Texas where I was born. As we started the regularly scheduled services, I brought the early morning message then the traveling pastor delivered his. The hosting Pastor of the church decided that we would all meet up for lunch. I was honored to break bread with these men and hear them discuss our plans for the afternoon and evening services. It was decided that Prophet Gary Brooks would be holding the evening service and one of the Apostles would minister the word in the afternoon.
 
That night Prophet Brooks delivered a wonderful message on imparting spiritual gifts through prophecy and the laying on of hands according to 1 Timothy 4:14. I was moved by the Holy Spirit to ask Prophet Gary Brooks if he would lay hands on me and prophesy and see what gift the Holy Spirit had for me. Prophet Brooks replied that he could not do this unless the Holy Spirit instructed him to do so. I told him I understood and we went our separate ways.
 
The next day we began the same schedule as the day before. When the evening service came around Prophet Brooks brought another strong, anointed message; however, right in the middle of his message he stopped and paused for a moment. Then he called me up to the front of the people and explained what he was about to do. He laid hands on me and began to prophesy, speaking of the gift of prophecy and other positions I would hold in the Kingdom of God. Well, I did not fall out under the power of the Holy Spirit; in fact, I felt absolutely nothing. When I returned back to the home where I was staying I began questioning God if this impartation thing was even real.
 
The next morning, I woke up and began my morning prayer; suddenly, I began to hear this voice telling me what to expect for the day and what I was to preach on. I abruptly interrupted and said, “I don’t know who you are, but I will test you according to 1 John 4:1 and 2 and see if you are of God. “I was a little shaken as I got ready and started toward the meeting where I was to join the other ministers to discuss the plans for the next service.
 
As the meeting progressed we decided we would hold a joint service in Midland, Texas, the homestead of President George W. Bush. It was well-attended, and Prophet Gary Brooks was ministering that night. When the teaching portion of the service was over, Prophet Brooks announced that anyone wanting to receive a Word from God should come forward. Well over 400 people gathered around the Alter, not counting the children. We knew this was going to be an all-night service.
 
Prophet Gary Brooks began to prophesy over each person, so I retreated to the back of the sanctuary. As I leaned against the door frame of the main entry, a Man with his son of about 9 years in age stood next to me. The little boy who was standing in front of his Dad turned around and asked, “Daddy can I get a Word from God?” It was rather sad because the Dad knew that they would be waiting for hours before his son could receive his prophecy.
 
All of sudden the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Are you going to allow Me to use you as a vessel that I may speak through?” I answered the Holy Spirit saying, “If you want to use me have the Father and little boy look at me.” No more than having that thought, they both turned and stared at me. So I asked, “Does your boy want a Word from God?”
 
The man knew that I was traveling with the group so he took me up on the offer. We found a room that was not occupied and I began to pray. Suddenly, that voice I had heard during my morning prayer began speaking a long dissertation of God’s plans for the young boy. The youngster was my chance to put this voice to the test, so I began to say whatever I was hearing and experiencing. When I finished, the boy took off in search for a pen and paper to record the word.
 
Then the boy’s Dad walked over to a large set of double doors, and as he opened them you could see the Alter and all of the people waiting for their chance to receive their prophecy. I was shocked when he began telling the overflow of people, “Come in here this man can give you a Word from God.” With my eyes bulging in fear, I watched a flood of people start toward me, quickly forming a line. I had no idea that this man was the Associate Pastor.
 
I shared whatever I heard from this newfound voice which was coming to me so fast I had no time to really think. Some people would cry, others would chuckle, and a few just seemed stunned. Of course, I had no idea if anything I was saying was correct nor did I understand what the word was meaning to each person. I began to stop after I ministered to each person and ask them what the word meant to them. As each one explained, my faith began to rise and I felt much more confident in what I was doing.
 
I realized that I could trust this voice, but I wanted to know why it was so different. Many times, I had heard the voice of God, but never had I heard him this way. Until that day, He had never spoken long, maybe a couple of sentences but no more. This voice was coming in like a machine gun. Later the Holy Spirit taught me the difference. What I learned was that when I received the gift of prophecy an angel had been appointed unto me to minister for me, telling me what-ever God wanted me to know about each person I prophesied over.
 

    Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14 (NKJV)

 
God had thrown me into the river knowing I would have to quickly learn to swim, and I have not stopped after 29 years. Many thanks to Prophet Gary Brooks for obeying the Holy Spirit and prophesying over me so many years ago.
 

Written by Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet

Angelic Encounters & More

Angelic Encounters & More

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Meet Seraph: an Angel of God

Above it stood Seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
 

    Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!
    (Isaiah 6:2 NKJV)

 
When the Saints of the Lord come together to pray, praise, and worship; the Lord’s Angels will enter into the midst of the them. This is when we begin to see people saved and the gifts of the Holy Spirit manifested. It is recorded in the scriptures that the angels are in our presence to deliver to the Father our confessions.
 

    Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8,9)

 

Pictures provided by, Jay Smith, Lufkin, Texas

 
Not only do you have to mind your manners in the presence of the ministering spirits, but the people must be in line with his desires as well. It only takes one blaspheming word, thought or deed to cause the spirits of our heavenly Father to leave you high and dry.
 

    Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
    (Hebrews 12:9)

 

Written by Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet