TESTIMONY
OF WHY I CHANGED PROPHETIC VIEWS
In the early
90s, I preached a bible study one weeknight from the book of Revelation
regarding the opening of the seven-sealed book. I told the congregation
that it was a viewpoint that was entirely different from anything that I previously taught
about that issue before. I was taking it to a personal perspective,
rather than an "end of the world" perspective. I taught that we are
like the books that God is opening up, and indicated that a series of dealings
upon our "self-life" must occur to "break" our lives open, in order to reveal
Christ.
I do not rely upon feelings to determine what is truth. However,
there should be a witness of the Spirit when one is preaching or teaching
truth. And I was overwhelmed with an anointing presence of God as
I taught, while some of the saints wept with hands raised as I taught. What
an unusual manifestation of glory in a regular, what was normally, a "toned-down"
mid-week bible study!
And I felt as though God was slapping me on the back, encouraging me, saying,
"Now you're getting somewhere!"
Things progressed in the mid 90s. I formed a website and began writing
my studies, and posting them on this website, not even realizing where they
would take me. A series entitled THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK SERIES, shown
on this website in the MATURITY page, was the next step. I saw the
temple imagery in the book of Revelation as being indicative of the Church
built on the Rock by Jesus, according to Matthew 16:18. I began concentrating
on that aspect of Revelation, noting that the book was a Revelation of Jesus
Christ, and not bombs and computer chips.
Before I even
recognized the slant of prophecy to be as I now see it, I did a study
entitled TAKE A BITE OF ETERNAL LIFE. It is about Revelation's 5th chapter
where Jesus, like a High Priest, entered heaven, like a most holy place,
and obtained the book to redeem mankind -- like someone going into the Garden
again, after being barred out.
I promised the Lord that I would preach this everywhere I went. It was a message
that stressed Acts 2:38 salvation, and opened Revelation up in an entirely
new light to me.
Shortly afterwards, I was invited to speak at the UPCI's CANADA CONFERENCE,
where I preached it in obedience to my promise to God.
It was about then, also, that someone of an entirely different denomination
contacted me, and indicated something miraculous was occurring. He said
that he heard tapes by a man named Malcolm Smith from Britain who spoke about Revelation
5 in a manner he never read or heard before in his life. The guy asked me
if I heard M. Smith before. I never heard of him in my life. He was blown
away. He said the very point that I noted in my study about Jesus being High
Priest and entering the most holy place of heaven is exactly what M. Smith
noted that he never heard before from anyone.
Well, neither had I!
And it was THAT study that opened this entire perspective of Revelation
up to me.
Soon I received a call from an apostolic minister in the USA whose congregant
informed him that I was teaching the same things that he was. He was amazed
at how young I was (mid 30's at that time) since he knew several others
who were into this as well, but were all older brethren. I did not see all
of Matthew 24 fulfilled at that time, and this brother indicated to me that it
was indeed all fulfilled. So I began searching and challenging traditions
that I had been taught years before. I wanted to be Berean, and examine
in scripture everything that I was taught to ensure that it was so.
Then I received another note from a member of Rev. Larry T. Smith's church,
who witnessed the same thing. Bro. Smith and I were teaching the same thing,
too!
I contacted Bro. Smith and came to preach for him, and did not even concentrate
on prophecy. However, what I concentrated upon was "who we are in Christ,"
and how Revelation speaks of that aspect of our lives. The work of the cross
became central in my studies for those, and several more, years to follow.
Revelation became a book of Victory to me, and not something horrible.
And Bro. Smith jumped up afterwards, and noted that I preached the same
thing that he was preaching at about the time I was receiving these thoughts, the
mid 90s.
These two men of God were dropped into my lap, in the midst of my studies,
in, what I believe to be, genuine Apostolic witness, as Paul compared notes
with the ministers of genuine repute, lest he had run in vain (Gal. 2:1-2).
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