A Word on Prophecy and Prophesying
As we move forward into the uncertain future of our world, the tensions surrounding current events inspire conversations gravitating towards biblical prophecy. Many begin to seek insight as their interest in the subject is peaked, as well as how we relate to the scriptural compositions that we believe in and its relevance to our personal relationship with God. We look at them today with a desire to understand the course in which the world is going and whether or not they apply to the generations that are living on the earth today. The answer is yes. Their relationship and importance are of great significance, in the natural they are among the millions of intricate details that will culminate to those pivotal moments of human history. We should not however be consumed by our own accuracy on these matters, but that biblical prophecy is being fulfilled within the time frame of our lives at a hastened pace.
The word of God is not only intended to provide us with an explanation of what we are to expect, but to give us hope that is derived from our faith, which gives us the strength in the difficult times.
Faith allows us to be able to search deeper and helps us unravel mysteries of the bible. Our faith is ultimately what defines our development of gift and authority. The gifts of the holy spirit, all unique to each and everyone of us, gives the sight required to understand the depths of God’s word. To impart to each other the hidden knowledge that is promised to us the final generation(s). The revelation of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy is made known if we actively and continuously seek the lord in our lives. It is his desire that we become aware of the season in which we are in, that we lead others into knowledge of him. Learning to take heed in what the Lord has to say about those times that we may soon be facing and partake in the calling over each and every one of our lives. It is so important to live the day in fulfillment of God’s purpose for one’s life. We must not be silent, we must find the courage and take hold of the passing moment and respond faithfully. We must not only say we believe what his word says to be true, but believe in his power and proclaim it.
We are all called to the service of increasing his spiritual kingdom, to be fruitful trees of his goodness.
To truthfully prophesy in his name in accuracy of the word. We must subject ourselves to the highest scrutiny, searching our intent to ensure that we fulfill God’s will and careful not to distort the truth.
Always searching the scriptures and seeking understanding from the Lord.
Avoiding with great caution avenues not ordained by God to reach higher understanding, so that you are not lead away or caught up by deception.
To live in continuous pursuit of his knowledge in all the avenues of our lives. That we may aspire to become transformed by his truth, which sets the president of the nature we should convey. That does not mean that we should pretend to be perfect or to lay judgment on those we deem as sinful. Rather love the Lord enough that we should love those who are in the darkness of the world. The future is quickly unfolding, there is a great need for the entirety of God’s word to be declared. We should not hide any single part for sake of judgment or fear of humiliation. The world’s agendas are gaining ground and winning the souls of the younger generations, including our own children. The worst of sins are becoming common place, people are blinded to their truths and are rejecting with greater adversity God and his authority. As followers of Christ, we cannot afford to remain silent. We must not flag or fail nor fall prey to the false sense of security that we would be exempt of the events as they are happening. They can infiltrate our world too. We must remember that it is only because of God’s will and mercy that they do not. We should seek his protection and guidance and the only way we can assure this is that we keep faith alive. That we keep his commandments, follow in his ways , put away the love of money and of self. Today more than ever in the history of this country is there such a great pressure to silence anything that is representative of God. The beginnings are subtle and silent, but they wont remain that way forever. For anyone of us who secretly doubts this in their own minds and hearts, all you would have to do is look back at historical events both in the secular world and throughout scripture. There is a balance and motion, a pattern and influence that always comes in waves.
Perhaps the most challenging of these is within ourselves. The topic of prophecy is perhaps one of the most divisive subjects within the church. Many are quick to criticize what the bible says about the last days and the lack of certainty about when those events will occur. While we may not given with definite certainty the actual time of the events that are still to come, we can be sure that God always keeps his promises and that the bible is very specific in regards to the details of those events. We have grown an unsatisfied and impatient people, insecurely seeking quick answers, eliminating our doubts through scientific fact. Facts that are not always founded in biblical truth but based on secular theory, constantly changing in opinion and direction to better fit the public consensus.
There is throughout the bible clues, signs and instruction about what to look for, what we should be doing up until the moment of his return; so that we should not be found in sin or unprepared.
1 Thessalonians 5:1
1. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2.For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
For us who know him, keeping his commandments and following in his ways, we will not be taken by surprise. We will know the season is near. Having received the holy spirit, we are called to share our faith to others who are without him and do not know what his word has to say about their salvation, that they may also be given understanding. Keeping the commandment given to us by Jesus that we should love one an other so that they won’t face the challenges that whittle away at people’s faith alone. That because of the gradual conditioning of the world through a slow process of desensitization brought about through social degeneration. They struggle to understand rather than simply believe and are easily overcome by the world, while the church says nothing due to the fear of facing their resistance. It is because of this and disobedience that we continue to remove ourselves from God and from under all biblical instruction, understanding and ultimately his protection. Today we find ourselves living in the very situation described by Paul to Timothy, and today his words are ominously true. The commandments that God established as a standard and the words of Christ should become ever so valuable to us.
That we should retain the significance and remain steadfast in our faith and to learn and understand the word of God so that we may further his message. That we should be strong and courageous in the face of persecution, always remaining faithful. We are given a glimpse into the decline of the moral state of affairs and to recognize it as a signal of the times that will befall us shortly there after.
(2 Timothy )
For so long people have looked at the moral decline as nothing more that the social-political trends, many ignoring the warnings, openly mock believers for their anxieties and zeal. Yet as time continues to advance more and more pieces of the prophecy puzzle are discovered by the secular world, who does not understand the significance of what they have come across. The subtlety is dangerous, especially to those who choose not to believe.
In the book of Isaiah, the message conveyed to Isaiah by the lord is one of grief and disappointment caused by his children, beloved Israel.
They have never truly belonged to him, despite his mercy upon them. He compares their obedience to the beasts the ox and the ass; which does not paint them in a positive light.
“The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.”
The disobedience is further demonstrated not only through their inequity and sinfulness, but also through their continuous forsakenness and double-mindedness. The most devastating part of it is that all of the trials Israel has faced have seemed to be for not, they have not changed their minds and are strongly determined to continue in the path in which they are in. Relying instead on their own limited strength and resourcefulness to carry them through. The deception that they have fallen into is greater than their faith and they have neither healed or come to a full acceptance of God, who has not, (yet) abandoned them.
Then how are we that are within the faith to approach this dilemma? We equally partake in our disobedience and double mindedness as we profess to believe, yet lack the faith to carry us through hardship. When we judge without correction and fail to measure both word and action against our brethren.
How could we possibly win over the harden hearts of disbelievers if we who claimed to have received the holy spirit continue to live as though we are without?
Essentially what God is looking for is full repentance from his people and a renewal. To come to terms with their own sinfulness and answer the calling to repentance that will spare them from judgment and from their demise. In accordance to one of the commandments later given my the messiah himself to love one an other, the book of Isaiah instructs the reader to judge the fatherless, help those in oppression and plead for the widow. The welfare of all his children lies in those who he has instructed to do so. We should abandon the love of money and of self and seek to serve those who have no champion, and we should do so because we love the Lord and our love for him should compel us to.
There seems to be a blindness towards the needs of others and sin that enfolds humanity as a whole. The world and her systems appear to be very much aligned to it as they aggressively pursue ideologies that tend to embrace powerful anti biblical standpoints and rhetoric. There is no doubt that the enemy of God has been given authority in the lives of mankind because of direction taken by them in order to obtain their own personal satisfaction. As governments of the world overreach into the lives of their citizens and seek to garner control.
It is dumbfounding that in the face of all that has occurred thus far, that it would appear that no one is fighting back. Are we that far removed from our consciousness?
The ever growing superficiality is the symptom of underlying covetousness and envy, of dissatisfaction with what God has given us. This growing emptiness within ourselves only intensifies the propensity to sin that in turn furthers the deterioration of our society; leading us to ignore and reject both direction and warning. Perhaps that is why God’s people fail to represent him. They have traded righteousness in God for the fleeting pleasures and the short lived glory of the world. Their voices silenced by the leverage of the world over them.