PASTOR JEROME BENTON's Comments

Wednesday night (04/08/2009) I had a vision and in the vision it was about 6:00pm, evening time. I was standing on the top of a hill which was hidden by the trees. The trees was tall with short branches and covered with pine needles on the upper area of the tree. I heard a call within my spirit to turn to the east and as I turned to the east, I looked up towards the sky. Darkness began to cover the earth and a tornado began to form in the sky and it hit the ground, coming through the trees. I could not move but stood upon the hill as it passed by. Then another one came as the first it passed over me without harming me. I remember feeling the strong breeze of the tornado passing over me. The spirit of the Lord led me out into the field continually looking into the east.

There were people standing in the field unaware of what was about to take place or what is even happening now. As the tornados began to form and touch the earth, I began to guide the people away from the storm. I can feel the way to overcome the storm is to watch and pray, never try to direct the storm but allow it to pass over.

As I was standing my grandson walked up to me and we began to face each other face to face. The darkness was deeper than before. He began to speak words to me but I did not understand what he was saying; however, I felt what he said. He said, "Grandma, look to the east." Both of us looked to the east and there was a great tornado, bigger than all of the others. It covered the earth and there was no time to run. We continued to stand face to face, staring one another in the eyes, giving power to each other. The storm passed over without harmining a hair on our head because we stood together.

Saints of God, it is time to make a stand together in the Lord, for the storms that are about to take place in this world we will need each other. People who know the way it is time to teach others the way. Lead the people to Christ because Christ is ready to receive them as his own. The harvest is plenty but the labors are few, gather the harvest before God throw in the sickle.

BLESS U MAN OF GOD AND THANK U. YES THE DEVIL IS MAD AND I'M SO GLAD ABOUT IT! WE MUST KEEP HIM MAD. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FELLOWSHIP.

BLESSINGS PASTOR E.

Rev. Luckett thanks for info BELOW

1. Get a text to preach- for me this comes in various ways. I can be listening to my pastor or another preacher preaching and some of the things they say will trigger a message topic for me. I've received message or sermon topics through prayer, by listening to others talk and by reading my bible as well.

2. Interpret the text for preaching - I have a dake annotated study bible, plus software to do this. Also i read and meditate on the scriptures over and over and as a result the Holy Spirit gives me something different each time to pull up out of the text.

3. Get a theme for the sermon - I believe this comes from your message subject and you may develop sub-points from this as well. This also helps the preacher (especially those new to the call of preaching) stay in the scope of their subject. I have seen preachers sometimes get off of their topic, get too far out there, and then they don't have a way to steer them back to their subject. As a result, they loose the congregation, and have killed the message.

4. Write the sermon - self explanatory. I encourage new preachers to do this. Some of us are not strong enough to preach without notes quite yet. That takes time. One time I saw a young preacher who was the guest speaker and after 10 minutes he was out of material. In other words he started repeating himself over and over. It's best to end the sermon if you have nothing else to say. It takes time to preach without notes or preach from an outline. You must really know the scriptures you are using for your message to do this.

5. Prepare Sermon for Preaching- Usually what I start with is not what I finish with. I always leave room for the holy spirit when preaching as well. He may have you say something that is not written in your message. He may also have you change some things in the message as well.

6. Practice the sermon- I can't stress this enough for young preachers and associates ministers. If you know you are going to preach in 2 weeks, you have enough time to practice and practice and practice and practice. I personally like to have a flow to my sermon while understanding that the Holy Spirit may take me in a different direction for a moment, but I make sure that I have a way back in to my message. And yes, I actually stand up and practice as if i'm in the pulpit at church. Why sit down and practice if you know you are going to be standing up to preach? Also, if one is not prepared he or she can loose the congregation within the first few minutes of the sermon. And if that happens, it's going to be difficult getting them back- if you even can get to that point.

7. Preach the sermon with Confidence - Yes! If i'm not excited about my message, then why do I expect others to be? If I won't by my own tape, then why do i expect others to do so? (lol, just a figure of speech) And don't be suprise if the Holy Spirit convicts you from the message God has given you to preach. Folks didn't know, but sometimes the message convicted me, and I had to practice what I preached. (get it..."practice what I preached!"..you will catch that on your way home)

conclusion
Although the article above has great recommendations, I understand that sometimes we may be asked to preach at the spur of the moment. I haven't been preaching long and this has happened to me. My Pastor says to always keep a sermon in your heart and on paper. And I do. I believe every preacher should be able to at least preach John 3:16. But that's just my view. And if you are asked at the spur of the moment to preach, grab a text that you are familiar with. Don't try to preach from revelations if you haven't studied it.

Sorry Pastor Benton,

I did not see your request for conversation

Love Prophetess

Thank you!

May God bless you, your family, and your ministry!

Lady Bea Morgan

GOOD AFTERNOON! Just read your testimony and I got to tell you that it was very encouraging to me. I know that GOD has been good to you, I hope that he continues to bless you in special way.

Thank you pastor you have a nice page as well. God bless you

To God Be The Glory. Fellowship would be wonderful in Jesus Name. North Carolina is not to far from South Carolina.

Pastor Jerome,
I have read your testimony. your energy and positive outlook are what I need!
I am in Wilmington! Let's pray for one another! May God Lift you up! I love your way of looking ahead, not where you are, and where you've been, but where God is taking us!
my phone number is 910-262-4083
Isiah 35
Brother Wes

To God Be The Glory Man of God.

To God Be The Glory Pastor Benton and welcome. Pastor Benton look for some uncommon favor within the next few months in Jesus Name because of your faithfulness.

Thanks Pastor. We should set something up.

Last Friday night, we had an awesome time in prayer. I would like to invite everyone out to our first prayer meeting for the new year but especially those who are feeling like they've lost their anointing and their zeal to pray is no longer present. Believe me, this is the prayer line that you want to get on.

Please join us midnight eastern standard time. Conference # 218-339-4300, Access Code # 519178. Prayer requests are welcomed.

Bless you,
Happy new year

God Bless you, Pastor BENTON, I am bless as always. Happy New YEAR!