Just a moment in the midst of our series…

A furious hurricane is headed to the US called Irma. Much chatter is going on on Facebook. The so called doom and gloom prophets are being called out and the so called revival blessing prophets are out also.

First we must understand that the Bible is clear about Jesus coming being preceded by apostasy, natural disasters and war. Also unprecedented family betrayals. 

So what is going on with the prophetic ministry?

I think personally that we are getting off track. We must read the modern times in the light of scripture. This is the first port of call. 

The next thing we must do is test all prophecy. He who delights in prophesying judgment must examine his own heart because the one judgment prophet is Jeremiah who spent his time weeping for his nation. So we must let God break our hearts for our communities and from that brokenness we can prophesy. God wants and desires ardently to demonstrate His mercy. Habbakkuk prophesied; in a time of wrath remember mercy. 

Our prophecy must contain elements of the character of God. Not overly prophesying good fortune like a fortune teller nor judgment like an Old Testament prophet. 

Therefore the Bible always presents a remnant in a time of famine, protected. In famine the family of Jacob were given Goshen where both land and the family prospered. Noah had a ark in the flood, the captives in Babylon were prosperous. And up till today the spread and dispersed people of Judah have prospered in every nation. This means in a time of disaster, war and famine, God looks after those who walk with Him in covenant; both individually and corporately.

Therefore I exhort prophetic ministries to get balance and biblical foundations so that divisions and camps of belief do not misrepresent the Lord.

We must establish what we mean by Judgment. We must not flee the concept but define it.

Judgment in this life is redemptive, judgment in the next is permanent. 

This means if there is a measure of judgment and chastisement there is always a redemptive work going on.

Jeremiah 29 is always misquoted. But it is a letter to the captives in Babylon exhorting them that this was an act of God to put them captives in a foreign land as a consequence for sin. Therefore they had to settle and seek the Lord and surely at the end of 70 years they would return. God specifically put a time limit. 

After they returned the former idolatry had gone. They were committed to God. This is the redemptive feature of God’s dealings with mankind. 

Paul put it this way; all things work together for Good for those who LOVE God and are CALLED to His purpose. Rom8.28

In the New Covenant God’s dealings with us may mean we lose temporary possession so that we gain eternal glory. So God’s judgment is never to destroy. 

We must get back to the Word and see clearly what it says. 

What we must focus on is being ready for Christ’s return and not be so focussed on the disasters that may come and have come. Let us cry out for the manifestation of the Son of God so that the sons may also be manifest.

Shalom!