[Let me say at the start that it never ceases to amaze me at how we in the Church are our own worse enemies; as one brother put it “we form our firing squads in circles”. We seek to marginalize those we disagree with in theology, prophecy, or in other questions of rightly dividing the Word; out of a pathetic knee jerk defensive mechanism of what we have been taught is biblical truth from behind our denominational ‘strongholds’, rather than seeking to KNOW for ourselves what the correct biblical doctrinal teachings on any subject is. With the resulting ‘tares’ of the “vain teachings of man” throughout the ‘seed’ of what Word we have been taught, we come up with well reasoned doctrinal excuses for the current sorry state of powerlessness and division in the Church today. Amazingly, actually believing that the Lord would rapture this strife filled, worldly, divided and powerless mess we define as the Church in its current state. Where has God ever done such a thing in the history of all His dealings with His people, followers or body of believers? Perhaps we’re special believers? To those that claim to know and teach the Word, prophecy or otherwise, I have some questions then: Where is the power? Have you laid hands on the sick and seen them recover? Have you heard the voice of God? Have you rightly applied the Word and seen it do exactly as God said it would consistently? Is the supernatural normal for you; for as one brother correctly said: “If you’re not supernatural, you’re superficial?” If Jesus thought it important to “confirm the Word with the accompanying signs”, what makes ANY man – Church leader or not – think HE has the right to teach that it is not important today? Let us then sit down together and remove the tares that are hidden in the ‘wheat’ of the Word; refusing to defend the vain teaching of the doctrines of men over rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Let us choose to be powerful rather than politically correct and acceptable to Pharisees within the Church leadership today. Remembering therefore that the Holy Spirit confirms THE WORD with the accompanying signs, NOT what we have been taught IS the Word, nor what our opinion of the Word is. Which are exactly the reasons the vast majority of the Church is so powerless today; denominational teachings and opinions passed off as doctrines have superseded the importance of biblical truth and the search to find it. To start with then, let me first point out that we in the Body of Christ have lost sight of one of the main principles of Bible study and the Word’s correct application. It was the guiding principle of the Protestant Reformation, and we would do well to return to it. It is “sensus literalis”, or the principle of the literal interpretation of the scripture as first defined by Martin Luther. Simply stated, it means we read and evaluate the Scripture in the same way we would any serious book or discussion on any important topic. Using the normal understanding of the wording or figures of speech contained therein; thereby, taking at face value what is clearly stated. This does not allow for speculation on what MIGHT be meant by a convoluted attempt at harmonizing a perceived context. This as context can be manipulated far too easily through denominational blinders. This is not to suggest that the immediate context of a given passage is not of import in its understanding, but rather that the harmonization of the topic of a passage with all scriptures in the Bible that speak on the same subject is a necessity for the passages correct understanding and application. If one scripture clearly contradicts what a passage of scripture is alleged to mean, then there is a problem with what one has understood the passage to mean. Therefore, any attempts at “harmonization” must be foremost in the resolution of any clear contradictions of a proposed supposition of a scriptures’ meaning by another scripture. Failing this, any understanding of the intent of scripture becomes one of a reliance on human supposition only. Thus, “Chances are if the plain sense makes sense, you have the right sense.” I therefore purpose the following rules in our search for any true understanding of the Word of God:1. If a scripture clearly contradicts what we have been taught on any biblical subject, there is a problem with what we have been taught. All Biblical precepts, or a teachings on the Bible that are alleged to be a doctrines of the Church, flow in harmony throughout the Bible; the Word of God never contradicts itself, or the nature, plans and intent of the Lord. Indeed, an understanding of God’s nature, His plans and intentions harmonizes everything in the Bible that appear as contradictions to the less scripturally astute. [See Numbers 23:19; 1 Corinthians 14:8] 2. The correct understanding of prophecy is critical to the flow of the power of the Holy Spirit in these last days. This is a certainty, as teaching of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy (Jesus is the WORD as well) and preparation for the restoration of Jesus to Lordship of the world, His people, the nation of Israel and to sit on the throne of David is the whole point of prophecy. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit confirms the WORD with the accompanying signs, He has and will not confirm our incorrect teachings, prophetic or otherwise. This being one of the main reasons for the powerless and divided Church today. (SEE John 1:14; Revelation 19:10; Mark 16:20)3. We must never ascribe symbolism to any passage of scripture unless the text of the passage in question clearly allows its understanding as a parable or to be symbolic in context. Further, any symbolism used in a passage will be explained else where in the scripture; either by a scriptural comparison or a direct explanation. In effect, let the Bible define the Bible as the Lord would never leave to guess work the correct understanding of any passage of scripture – including prophetic – that we will be held responsible for understanding. Wherefore, any man who assigns symbolic inference to any passage of scripture without contextual authority from within the Bible itself has set himself as an arbitrator of ‘truth’ by attempting to read a teaching into the Word; or through an attempt to remove contradictions to a teaching he promotes.4. The prophetic scriptures, when properly linked together and understood, are exacting and precise in their application and timing. The God who created and set the universe in motion, as well as having authored the laws of physics by which it runs, does nothing haphazardly and leaves nothing to chance. He is a God of order and exacting precision Who knows from the beginning what will be the end; Who is also in the past, present and future at the same time as He created time and is therefore not subject to it. Understanding this is another key to correct prophetic understanding.5. Unless a passage of the New Testament clearly states that it is for the Jews only, or an Old Testament passage clearly states that it is only for the Jews, then it can be understood as meant for the Church. Paul states to Timothy, a gentile believer, in 2Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”; this passage having been written well after the book of Matthew had been written and circulated in the Church, with Paul therefore having knowledge of it AS HE WROTE IT; which means that Matthew 24 is for the gentile use for correct understanding of end time’s doctrine as concerns the Church. Tearing whole sections out of the Bible and claiming that it is for the Jews only because it contradicts your prophetic beliefs and teachings borders on heresy.6. Unless a teaching or doctrine is clearly stated at least twice somewhere in the Bible, God did not author it and it is not from Him. No teaching, as concerns prophecy or otherwise, should be excepted unless it can be backed up by at least two clear (no alleging of meaning or allegorical inferences are acceptable) scriptural references. (SEE Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1)7. Nothing that has not happened before will happen in the future and nothing that will happen has not already happened. This applies to any ‘new’ prophetic teaching as the Word clearly states that there is nothing new under the sun; if the Apostles and Prophets did not teach it is not from God. (See Ecc. 1:9-10; 3:15)8. The Early Church Fathers who were taught by the Apostles (Ante-Nicene) are a far more reliable source of prophetic understanding then any of the numerous ‘pop star’ prophetic teachers from the 19th Century onward. It is a lie to state that the Early Church Fathers did not teach on the subject of prophecy, as there are numerous documented examples of what they were taught by the Apostles (some personally), believed themselves and taught others. Anyone who approaches the Word of God to understand the truth it articulates on any subject will find it and be filled; those who search the Word to prove what they have been taught and believe is truth without any firm scriptural foundation of their own are ripe for confusion, disappointment and a powerless struggle in the application of what they have been TOLD is truth and thus believe. Let us therefore study the Word together while following the above. He comes quickly. Note: This is the beginning of other studies I will soon post. Just a defining of the terms and methods of future discussions.]

Let me say at the start that it never ceases to amaze me at how we in the Church are our own worse enemies; as one brother put it “we form our firing squads in circles”. We seek to marginalize those we disagree with in theology, prophecy, or in other questions of rightly dividing the Word; out of a pathetic knee jerk defensive mechanism of what we have been taught is biblical truth from behind our denominational ‘strongholds’, rather than seeking to KNOW for ourselves what the correct biblical doctrinal teachings on any subject is. With the resulting ‘tares’ of the “vain teachings of man” throughout the ‘seed’ of what Word we have been taught, we come up with well reasoned doctrinal excuses for the current sorry state of powerlessness and division in the Church today. Amazingly, actually believing that the Lord would rapture this strife filled, worldly, divided and powerless mess we define as the Church in its current state. Where has God ever done such a thing in the history of all His dealings with His people, followers or body of believers? Perhaps we’re special believers?
 
 To those that claim to know and teach the Word, prophecy or otherwise, I have some questions then: Where is the power? Have you laid hands on the sick and seen them recover? Have you heard the voice of God? Have you rightly applied the Word and seen it do exactly as God said it would consistently? Is the supernatural normal for you; for as one brother correctly said: “If you’re not supernatural, you’re superficial?” If Jesus thought it important to “confirm the Word with the accompanying signs”, what makes ANY man – Church leader or not – think HE has the right to teach that it is not important today?
   
 Let us then sit down together and remove the tares that are hidden in the ‘wheat’ of the Word; refusing to defend the vain teaching of the doctrines of men over rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Let us choose to be powerful rather than politically correct and acceptable to Pharisees within the Church leadership today. Remembering therefore that the Holy Spirit confirms THE WORD with the accompanying signs, NOT what we have been taught IS the Word, nor what our opinion of the Word is. Which are exactly the reasons the vast majority of the Church is so powerless today; denominational teachings and opinions passed off as doctrines have superseded the importance of biblical truth and the search to find it.
 
 To start with then, let me first point out that we in the Body of Christ have lost sight of one of the main principles of Bible study and the Word’s correct application. It was the guiding principle of the Protestant Reformation, and we would do well to return to it. It is “sensus literalis”, or the principle of the literal interpretation of the scripture as first defined by Martin Luther.

 Simply stated, it means we read and evaluate the Scripture in the same way we would any serious book or discussion on any important topic. Using the normal understanding of the wording or figures of speech contained therein; thereby, taking at face value what is clearly stated. This does not allow for speculation on what MIGHT be meant by a convoluted attempt at harmonizing a perceived context. This as context can be manipulated far too easily through denominational blinders.

 This is not to suggest that the immediate context of a given passage is not of import in its understanding, but rather that the harmonization of the topic of a passage with all scriptures in the Bible that speak on the same subject is a necessity for the passages correct understanding and application. If one scripture clearly contradicts what a passage of scripture is alleged to mean, then there is a problem with what one has understood the passage to mean.

 Therefore, any attempts at “harmonization” must be foremost in the resolution of any clear contradictions of a proposed supposition of a scriptures’ meaning by another scripture. Failing this, any understanding of the intent of scripture becomes one of a reliance on human supposition only. Thus, “Chances are if the plain sense makes sense, you have the right sense.”

 I therefore purpose the following rules in our search for any true understanding of the Word of God:

1.   If a scripture clearly contradicts what we have been taught on any biblical subject, there is a problem with what we have been taught. All Biblical precepts, or a teachings on the Bible that are alleged to be a doctrines of the Church, flow in harmony throughout the Bible; the Word of God never contradicts itself, or the nature, plans and intent of the Lord. Indeed, an understanding of God’s nature, His plans and intentions harmonizes everything in the Bible that appear as contradictions to the less scripturally astute. [See Numbers 23:19; 1 Corinthians 14:8]                                   

2.   The correct understanding of prophecy is critical to the flow of the power of the Holy Spirit in these last days. This is a certainty, as teaching of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy (Jesus is the WORD as well) and preparation for the restoration of Jesus to Lordship of the world, His people, the nation of Israel and to sit on the throne of David is the whole point of prophecy. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit confirms the WORD with the accompanying signs, He has and will not confirm our incorrect teachings, prophetic or otherwise. This being one of the main reasons for the powerless and divided Church today. (SEE John 1:14; Revelation 19:10; Mark 16:20)

3.   We must never ascribe symbolism to any passage of scripture unless the text of the passage in question clearly allows its understanding as a parable or to be symbolic in context. Further, any symbolism used in a passage will be explained else where in the scripture; either by a scriptural comparison or a direct explanation. In effect, let the Bible define the Bible as the Lord would never leave to guess work the correct understanding of any passage of scripture – including prophetic – that we will be held responsible for understanding. Wherefore, any man who assigns symbolic inference to any passage of scripture without contextual authority from within the Bible itself has set himself as an arbitrator of ‘truth’ by attempting to read a teaching into the Word; or through an attempt to remove contradictions to a teaching he promotes.

4.   The prophetic scriptures, when properly linked together and understood, are exacting and precise in their application and timing. The God who created and set the universe in motion, as well as having authored the laws of physics by which it runs, does nothing haphazardly and leaves nothing to chance. He is a God of order and exacting precision Who knows from the beginning what will be the end; Who is also in the past, present and future at the same time as He created time and is therefore not subject to it. Understanding this is another key to correct prophetic understanding.

5.   Unless a passage of the New Testament clearly states that it is for the Jews only, or an Old Testament passage clearly states that it is only for the Jews, then it can be understood as meant for the Church. Paul states to Timothy, a gentile believer, in 2Timothy 3:16:  “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,”; this passage having been written well after the book of Matthew had been written and circulated in the Church, with Paul therefore having knowledge of it AS HE WROTE IT; which means that Matthew 24 is for the gentile use for correct understanding of end time’s doctrine as concerns the Church. Tearing whole sections out of the Bible and claiming that it is for the Jews only because it contradicts your prophetic beliefs and teachings borders on heresy.

6.   Unless a teaching or doctrine is clearly stated at least twice somewhere in the Bible, God did not author it and it is not from Him. No teaching, as concerns prophecy or otherwise, should be excepted unless it can be backed up by at least two clear (no alleging of meaning or allegorical inferences are acceptable) scriptural references. (SEE Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; 2 Cor. 13:1)

7.   Nothing that has not happened before will happen in the future and nothing that will happen has not already happened. This applies to any ‘new’ prophetic teaching as the Word clearly states that there is nothing new under the sun; if the Apostles and Prophets did not teach it is not from God. (See Ecc. 1:9-10; 3:15)

8.   The Early Church Fathers who were taught by the Apostles (Ante-Nicene) are a far more reliable source of prophetic understanding then any of the numerous ‘pop star’ prophetic teachers from the 19th Century onward. It is a lie to state that the Early Church Fathers did not teach on the subject of prophecy, as there are numerous documented examples of what they were taught by the Apostles (some personally), believed themselves and taught others.

 
 Anyone who approaches the Word of God to understand the truth it articulates on any subject will find it and be filled; those who search the Word to prove what they have been taught and believe is truth without any firm scriptural foundation of their own are ripe for confusion, disappointment and a powerless struggle in the application of what they have been TOLD is truth and thus believe. Let us therefore study the Word together while following the above. He comes quickly.

  Note: This is the beginning of other studies I will soon post. Just a defining of the terms and methods of future discussions.

[I am decorated disabled veteran with one son in the active military, and two in the reserves. Therefore, the many of the issues I post on are not merely some exercise in theoretical debate on politics or history as they concern the end times; a mere howl in the wind, if it were, but rather opinions derived from personal experience based observations of the path we have followed in meeting our prophetic destiny. Formally a heathen’s heathen who also was a redneck and very proud of it, I once was a prime candidate for the bottom of the pit until Jesus found me; oh the unbelievable mercy and grace of God. Currently a Virginian surrounded by Yankees in foreign territory (you know you are in trouble when they drink hot tea and do not know what grits are in the restaurants) who fights with scriptural truth the errors that have sapped the power and life of the Word in the Church. I also am about as politically incorrect as one can be and still breath – or be allowed to breath. Also, formally I posted on the Sheeple Forum, which seems to have gone down for some reason... Prayers for Derreck AKA: Sheeple, please... God Bless and HOWDY! Chas]

I am decorated disabled veteran with one son in the active military, and two in the reserves. Therefore, the many of the issues I post on are not merely some exercise in theoretical debate on politics or history as they concern the end times; a mere howl in the wind, if it were, but rather opinions derived from personal experience based observations of the path we have followed in meeting our prophetic destiny.

 Formally a heathen’s heathen who also was a redneck and very proud of it, I once was a prime candidate for the bottom of the pit until Jesus found me; oh the unbelievable mercy and grace of God.

 Currently a Virginian surrounded by Yankees in foreign territory (you know you are in trouble when they drink hot tea and do not know what grits are in the restaurants) who fights with scriptural truth the errors that have sapped the power and life of the Word in the Church. I also am about as politically incorrect as one can be and still breath – or be allowed to breath.

 Also, formally I posted on the Sheeple Forum, which seems to have gone down for some reason... Prayers for Derreck AKA: Sheeple, please...

                                                                                                              God Bless and HOWDY! Chas