Brother Ray Pringle

When I started school in 1926, my teacher kept a Bible on her desk and she read it to us daily. We all understood it—and we all believed it!

“Is any afflicted among you? Let him pray.” This scripture in the book of James (James 5.13) shows us that God uses affliction to humble us, and to bring us back to our knees in prayer! The psalmist David writing in Psalm 119.67 said, "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." And David concludes here in verse 75: "I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me."

God commanded his holy prophet Habakkuk many centuries ago, to write about the terrifying conditions prevailing in our generation, with these alarming words: "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." What a sense of urgency to warn God's people of an emerging age of anarchy and terrorism (which is described in the 1st chapter of Habakkuk)! But continuing here in chapter 2, the Lord goes on to say, "The vision is yet for an appointed time... Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come... The just shall live by his faith." Now, we know that this refers to the return of Jesus Christ, because it's quoted in the New Testament in the 10th chapter of Hebrews: "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith..." Beloved, I pray that your heart will be stirred as you read the prophetic revelations of scripture that are for this present time, so that you will be like Noah: "moved with fear" to prepare for the saving of yourself and your loved ones in this Gathering Storm of worldwide violence and lawlessness, that must precede the antichrist's rise to power. 📚Hab 2.1-4, Heb 10.37-38 KJV

The great Apostle Peter said, "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind." But the sad truth is, people always find it easier to rest their hope in dead theology, than to arm themselves with the mind of Christ, and fight the good fight of faith! 📚1 Peter 4.1, 1 Timothy 6.12 KJV

Marriage is a divine ordinance. Divorce was never God's will for mankind: the law of Moses allowed it because of the hardness of men's hearts. But if husbands and wives would obey the New Testament and "be tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you," many more marriages would be saved! 📚Mat 19.8, Eph 4.32 KJV

Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God instead of enjoying "the pleasures of sin for a season". Sin does have pleasure, for a season. But it has a bitter cup, and if you don't find God shortly you will drink every drop of the dregs at the bottom of that cup of sinful pleasure — and it won't be anything you'll enjoy. Solomon warns us in the 5th chapter of Proverbs, "And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!" 📚Hebrews 11.25, Proverbs 5.11-13 KJV

To many people, Jesus is the weekly sacrifice that permits them to sin with impunity. But once Jesus has purged us from our old sins and made us to be partakers of the divine nature, we are no longer the servants of sin! So the Bible says if we sin willfully, "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin." Why? Because Jesus gave his life—once for all—for the remission of sins that are past. 📚Heb 10.10, Rom 3.25, Rom 6.1-2, 2Pe 1.9 KJV

Christ commands every disciple, "Take up the cross, and follow me." I personally have suffered from persecution, and at times the reproach has been almost too heavy to bear! But I thank God for that cross, because it's caused me to think in terms of Jesus. He is my Rock, and he is my hope; and I can say with my whole heart, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." 📚Mark 10.17-21 KJV And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Today's church is full of heresies! When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he said "there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." I have been approved — and sent by the Lord — to expose and help eliminate heresies and heretics from the true Body of Jesus Christ. 📚1Co 11.18-19 KJV

Before Jesus saved us, we were stubborn, disobedient, and contrary to the will of God — and Jesus paid the penalty with his suffering! He was wounded for our transgressions, and he was bruised for our iniquities. The great apostle Peter said, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God... Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin!" 📚Isa 53:4-6, 1Pe 3.18-4.5 KJV

The greatest challenge facing church leaders today is the mountain of errors, religious myths, false doctrines, vain traditions and superstitious rituals that keep God's people from going on to perfection! Christians cling to those things — yet they lead to weakness and defeat. 📚Eph 4:14 KJV "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive..." 📚Heb 6.1 KJV "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;"

We cannot reject the light of God's Word, and still have God's approval on our lives. God says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" and "My people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge...Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure..." Beloved, it is a fearful thing to stand before Jesus Christ in judgment! Paul said, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." What do we persuade people to do? It's what the Holy Ghost commands us in the New Testament: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling!" We cannot reject the light of God's Word, and still have God's approval on our lives. God says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" and "My people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge...Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure..." Beloved, it is a fearful thing to stand before Jesus Christ in judgment! Paul said, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." What do we persuade people to do? It's what the Holy Ghost commands us in the New Testament: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling!" 📚Ho 4.6, Is 5.13-14, 2Co 5.10-11, Re 1.14-17, Php 2.12 KJV

A bright spot in the coming judgments of God is the assurance that throughout history, whenever God sent the sword, the famine, the noisome beast and the pestilence upon his own people, he always spared a holy remnant, those few God-fearing men and women who stayed faithful and obedient in the midst of a nation full of rampant idolatry and corruption! 📚Ezekiel 14:21-22 KJV "For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it."

I have been asked many, many times by many Christians, mostly those who are parents of young children, "How can we confidently prepare for our dark future?" (1) Live close to God: make Jesus your Lord and Master, and Healer. Stay serious with God and obey his Word fully! Don't let money become your master. Remember that it is more blessed to give, than to receive. (2) Send your children to a good private school—even if you have to make a financial sacrifice. (3) Don't go to court unless you're compelled, and don't fool around with any intrusive or abusive government agencies. (4) Move yourself and your family to where the Holy Ghost leads you, to an area with a good church and pastor, and where politicians and city officials are conservative! Beloved, our future is dark. But we can overcome if we are faithful to Jesus, hold on to God's unchanging hand, and put our trust fully in his infallible Word.