Recently we had a talk and ensuing discussion in our Church about what 'false prophecy' is, and how to recognize it if it rears its head in the Church. It was good. One of the best things said was; if the Lord wants to tell you something as a Christian, it will confirm what you have sensed already, as He has given you His Spirit, as a Christian, and He does not show partiality. It will be uplifting, and encouraging; to edify the Church. An affirmation of His love. It will not be condemnatory, whatever. 'There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.' Whether it's correction, reassurance, or direction; the same applies. The speaker pointed out that there used to be a phase in the full gospel Churches in which some people used to seek to use what the bible calls 'the gift of prophecy' falsely, to give people a 'good telling off.' To give their views to people or a person in the congregation. A bit right wing in its approach.
Sort of thing: 'Thus says the Lord, you're a bunch of bungling, unobservant nitwits.'
It's funny, looking back on it; but some people would do that. That is not God's Spirit, the speaker suggested.
No; a 'word from the Lord to the Church', the speaker suggested, ought to be uplifting, life producing, a reassurance of His heart. Recently a lady in Church felt that the Lord had been reaching out his hands and offering strength, encouragement and acceptance in these times. That He was disappointed with the response. She felt the Lord was saying to our Church 'And so I am reaching out my hands, and I am offering it again.'
That sounds much more like the Love of God.
If you've ever been in a Church where you were hit by condemnatory 'words', dismiss them, and get inside a good Church. He who did not stop caring for you is waiting to heal.
Here's the knowing God personally through the grace of God / the love of Jesus link for those who do not yet know Christ.
Someone brought to my attention the following scripture about the second coming of Jesus. It is extraordinary that so far ahead of what people are now calling the 'end times', biblical apostles were writing the following, and I wonder how skeptics will deal with it:
2 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
Matthew 24:36 (NIV) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Matthew 24:42-44 (NIV) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
I wonder why it is written 'only the Father knows'. I also wonder at that verse in the book of Revelation where John is about to write down certain information given him, and the angel stops him from writing it.
I suppose the not writing down information, from the scriptural point of view, is all about spiritual warfare in the end times; information that satan may not access under any circumstance.
Personally, I do not feel to pray for economic revival etc. though I know some people in Church do. People caught in the finance system, yes, but economic revival, no. Economic impossibility and revolutions in trading and security are apparently on their way, step by step.
Bailing out world banking for world banking's sake is not very close to the heart of Christ, by the scriptures. To say the least.
Recently a newspaper announced that our banks are heading for charging us 0% interest. I haven't had time to look at that. This figure, if correct, is a confession that they are worth almost nothing.
I don't know about you, but I am getting weary of hearing politicians telling us how it is in our interests to save 'our' banks, how it in our interests to save the global economy. I am tired of hearing about saving schemes in respect of world finance. We are being fobbed off with 'inspiring schemes' that only a fool would back with his own capital. Would your bank ever have saved you from the kind of debt that our politicians and chief bankers are asking us to save the banks from?
We, the little people, are currently being asked to bail out world banks and world economy via taxation. Read about the kind of money that America will pparently be asking its citizens to doll out in order to save the economy ( save their banks, predominantly). It is a stupendous, unthinkable amount. Seven hundred billion dollars, described as a 'rescue package', in America alone. It will be taken from indivual's salaries at source; it theoretically exists as a result of every citizen's commitment to state government, nothing more.
The same is happening in GB, and everywhere else.
Trade and exchange is not 'worth its weight in gold'; it hasn't been in a long time. In principle, nothing but trust exists to back up the value of any deal, the gold bullion available is insufficient and it doesn't cover trade. Nothing exists to back up the stated value of the cash and electronic figures in use.
Trade and exchange is entirely based on the assumption of individual and consequent universal, trust.
Yet there is no trust. None inside the individual banks among the workers and dealers, none in individuals being asked to trust their banks and the economy. There was; everyone trusted in the world's governments and banking systems.
This line, 'save your banks, it is in your own interests' is an invitation to throw more money into a losing system for short term gain, it seems. "Save us, or you'll lose 'your economy'; you'll lose your businesses, your pensions, and all your investments."
Many perceive the new taxation designed to save the economy as an insult to individual intelligence that individuals are being asked to finance.
The lack of trust in the system now apparent following recent events may be perceived as irreversible. Especially, should a financial crash occur.
Here, hat tip the 'OAC?' blog, a news bulletin on the 'One World Currency' that America is announcing that the world must move towards. There is discussion about the inefficiency of the current trade-exchange system, and indignation expressed about the lack of communication between lead bankers and the public.
The verichip identity/security process, a security measure without which we may well not be able to buy and sell at some point, is purportedly on its way. It may, 'trust' within the current financial system, the economy and its proponents being gone, be incorporated into a new system that seeks to restore the current socalled 'trust principle' of trade and exchange by sheer force. It may be implemented by a group of politicians who may perhaps inevitably, be headed up by one leader. Forcing an installation of economic 'trust' that expired 'for our own sakes' in what might be put about by our politicians as a sincere effort at restoring world economy. People might be asked to see a newly ordered finance regulation system, a ' regulated basis of trade and exchange' as replacing what we used to conceptualize as 'trust' in the financial system. This new order of doing things may incorporate allegiance to a new order put in place in a 'saving', ( socalled) ordered world.
A 'saving, ordered world' is exactly what is being put about at present by American politicians.
Can the world's financial system currently be seen as having 'fallen', or 'come to nothing'?
Does a' global financial crash' have to be some awful public spectacle? Not necessarily. A crash in any one country was a public spectacle in the days when trade and exchange was worth its weight in gold. In 1907 economic crisis panic resulted in the 'Federal Reserve Act'.
People either believe that the terrible ruin of the world economy has already happened, or that there will be a spectacular crash.
'The Panic of 1907 which was used to justify the passage of the Federal Reserve Act was actually caused by JP Morgan and assorted elite financial interests. They did this so they could use the crisis as an excuse to centralize their control and power over the banking system. ....''.
... it is written:...Standing far off in fear of her great torment, saying alas, alas, that great city Babylon, in one hour her judgement has come. The merchandise of gold and silver, and all the precious stones, and of pearls...........chariots, and souls of men. And the fruits that your soul lusted after are departed from you, and you shall find them no more at all. The merchants of all these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand far off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing; and saying alas, alas, the great city, that was clothed in fine linen and decked in scarlet, purple and gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour all her great riches is come to nought.'
The scripture above is often seen to strongly suggest a great global financial crash and a public spectacle; one that greatly affects many 'merchants' who all wring their hands at the loss of their financial system.
A number of our world leaders and bankers seem to be acting as if they have their own agenda in such an situation or rescuing the financial world from such a situation.
'The merchants of all these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand far off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing; and saying alas, alas, the great city, that was clothed in fine linen and decked in scarlet...'
Is Barack Obama, President elect of the USA, set to turn out of office those responsible for a world finance catastrophe? Our international politicians seem to think he may be. They seem to act as if they feel that America can save the economic system from a catastrophe for which they may be blamed. Perhaps a world economic saving through force might be a part of a 'destructive peace' offered by Barack Obama who may force people to 'save the economy' .
These are speculations: we 'watch and pray.'
Some interesting weather news, here, from the UN. 'Mysterious brown haze covering world.' Our carbon imprint is thought to be partly responsible.
There is a Revelation scripture about 'those who destroy the earth.'
Revelation 11:18 “And the nations were angry, and your wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that you shouldest give reward unto your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear your name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”
Here a youtube video by a drama group of a church, on the second coming of Jesus . This film suggests that Jesus' coming 'as lightening flashes from East to West' will instantly incorporate the rapture of the Church, believers in Jesus. The 'there's no time to change your mind, the Son has come, and you've been left behind.' ( Here, a tribute to the seventies people:-) )
Not all the 'rapture videos' available on the web come recommended here, by any means. This one is quite sensitive, depicting the simplicity of defending the gospel and the healing power of Christ in the face of some selected last century events.
There is some disagreement on the subject of the 'rapture' and the 'tribulation period'. Many people emphasise that it appears that Jesus will take the Church of believers out of the world before the period described as 'The great tribulation'. Others emphasise that Jesus stated that Christians would be around to endure the tribulation for considerable periods:
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matthew 24:21-22; also Mark 13:19-20). Thus, it is argued that the elect (believers in Christ) Ephesians 2:11-13; 1 Peter 2:9-10 are to go through the Great Tribulation and the Lord is going to shorten those days.
"And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22; also Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:17-19) If you look up the word "tribulation" in a Strong's or Young's Concordance, you discover that almost every reference describes the suffering of believers. Jesus told his followers,"In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Paul told his early Christian converts,"we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
There is indication that Jesus will come for his Church before the tribulation period becomes impossible to endure. There is also indication that some will endure tribulation and refuse to deny Christ 'till the end' in their individual situations in the 'last days', being martyred for Christ.
We are warned that we do not know the hour of his coming and cannot predict it. In respect of details and timing of the second coming of Jesus, which is made very clear, we are told in scripture 'Only the Father knows.' That's good enough for me.
'For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, principalities, nor powers, nor things that are now, nor things that are to come, can separate us from the love of Christ.' Romans ch 8 vs 38.
Someone asked; 'so do we have to stay out of finance aswell?'
Well, no. Being honest with finance simply means being honest with what you have in your hand. That's simply what's asked of by the Lord, the bible indicates.
I think it's difficult for people in law ( which tends to lead to politics) and in finance to follow the Lord at this time. Recently there's been a course at our church; lots of bright people attended, architects, teachers, and so on. The only two that dropped out were a solicitor and a man who works in finance at Canary Wharf. It was distinct. Perhaps they are locked very tight in a world where Christ is not prioritised. Where there are people who enforce priorities that are not connected to the Lord's teaching.
Associated posts: The Top of the Mountain.
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