Subj: A reminder in the night
Date: 9/12/2001
To: bill@hotcopter.com
BCC: paulbcohen@yahoo.com, nicolayingrid@hotmail.com, saravietta@yahoo.com

Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ, Bill and Connie.

I take it you are very busy with your moving and business in general, so that we haven’t heard from you. I trust that all your circumstances are serving to focus your attention toward the One of Whom all things are about and for.

Yesterday we witnessed some of the things happening long prophesied of by many. God must judge America. He cannot continue to allow people to do their own thing as they have been, without consequence, without correction. Yes, it is tragic, horrific, but we need to know that God is in full control, and nothing happens without necessity.

I was reminded in the night of something you folks were expressing at the convention, which gave me a clear check in the spirit. I need to speak now.

In your prayers and conversations, you spoke of having financial wealth with which you hoped to glorify God. This is not good, nor true. Jesus did not say, "Seek ye the riches of this world so that you might glorify God." Neither did He say, "Seek ye first the riches of this world so that you might build up the Kingdom of God and promote His righteousness." But what did He say? "Lay not up treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal."

Solomon says that "riches take wing and fly away, so don’t set your heart on them." Paul warns Timothy to flee pursuit after the riches of this world. He also taught that the Lord takes the weak and base and foolish things of this world and confounds the wise of this world. Money is not weak nor foolish nor base to the world; in its (the world’s) "wisdom," the Golden Rule reads, "He that has the gold rules."

Believe me, Bill and Connie, I have learned the truth of those words the hard way, and it has cost me dearly in many ways. Thankfully, the Lord has had mercy on me and though I "have pierced myself through with many sorrows,” He has not made me a castaway, which is the very sad end of many. I thought I was glorifying and going to glorify God with my wealth (note: "my") making it His or "for Him." It doesn’t work. He doesn’t need it. He has it all. He now owns all the gold and silver and the cattle on a thousand hills and the hills too. Neither is the Kingdom promoted by the things of this world which world lies in darkness. The "treasures of Egypt" are not necessary nor at all expedient. If it were so, Jesus would have used mammon. He did not; neither did He encourage His disciples to do so. He and the apostle Paul are the Divine and human examples to whom we look.

You are certainly aware of the "word-faith" doctrine, the "name it and claim it" teachings, the prosperity doctrine. They are not of God, believe me. Subtle, mixed with truth, but deceptive and not of God. I personally heard Kenneth Copeland once say he stopped a hurricane from reaching the Texas and/or Florida coasts through speaking the word of faith, simply because he did not want it there. There are many things he should or could have stopped, had he had such freedom of action before God as he describes it. But things don’t work that way, and unsound doctrines are exposed everyday to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Yesterday’s events case in point.

Bill, you said you had the gift of healing, but not as Benny Hinn. I am not sorry to inform you that if your gift does not compare to his in power, then you have less than nothing, because Benny Hinn is as phony as a three dollar bill. It is all hype and showbiz.

Please consider that Jesus simply would not conduct Himself as does Hinn, neither would any of His followers…not remotely. Benny Hinn is a merchandiser, making merchandise of all his hearers. A journalist traced his proclaimed "healings" at a Portland "crusade." (By the way, the crusades were a campaign of looting, rape and slaughter, not only of Muslims but Jews…there are blond Arabs to this day as a legacy…all in the Name of God and redeeming the "Holy Land."

Crusades today are no different…let him who has ears to hear, hear). Hinn’s organization claimed there were about 70 miraculous healings. After being badgered for months to produce the evidence (which if they had, their custom is to trumpet it everywhere), they submitted 5. In following up on the 5, 2 had died, 2 were no better off in the end, and one may have had some improvement. That one also could have had a turnaround as have many without claim to prayer, faith nor miracles. There was nothing definitive at all. But Hinn certainly raked in the money and made many believe that "God had moved in powerful ways, His miracles to perform." He left with the pay and left no fruits, except to discredit the Lord altogether.

The man is a phony, Bill and Connie. And if you wish to send him this letter, you have my express permission to do so.

The question is: Why are you blind to these things and these phonies, and therefore victims of falsehood? That is the question; that is the issue. It doesn’t matter about Hinn or Copeland or Hagin or Jack Van Impe or these other hucksters who go in His Name, deceiving and being deceived, whose hearts are far from Him. Of such, Jesus said, "Leave them alone. They are blind leaders, leading the blind, and both shall fall into the ditch."

Connie, if you are capable of true prayer, and the Lord communes with you and answers you, then why are you not aware of these things? Could it be that your eye is not single? You two need to go to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things, your Creator, the One Who suffered the death on the cross for your sins, and not only yours, but those of the whole world, the One Who was raised from the dead after three days, and Who ascended into Heaven to sit on the right hand of the Father, the One Who lives today and Who comes in the flesh. In believing the above-named guys, you have been following another Jesus, and not the True. I do believe you would acknowledge the facts of, and claim faith in the Lord I have herein described, but lip service will not do. Please believe me. Nor do I condemn you, but with care, urge you to turn.

In the Name of The Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of lords, Savior of all mankind, by Whose blood alone we are redeemed, I request that Bill and Connie have their hearts turned toward You, Lord, their eyes and ears opened, that they may find life and true prosperity, which is entirely independent of anything this world has to offer.

Victor