Power of Prophecy

Some Christians have an appetite for biblical prophecy to gain understanding of future events.  Some enjoy observing what is happening in the world with the aim of connecting what they see with what the Bible says.  Given a bit of time, this often proves to be a highly speculative practice.  If people were to dig out dusty paperbacks from the 70's and 80's, there undoubtedly would be suggestions based on current events at the time that sound quite silly now.  A problem I have with those who have a prophetic sweet tooth that springboards off current events is the quick discarding of claims that proved erroneous to make way for new speculations that pose as revelations--without damaging the credibility of those who made false claims previously.

I am convinced God has revealed Himself to mankind through His word for the purpose of us knowing Him, that we would be saved and sanctified by Him.  This is true concerning poetry, prophecy or any book of the Bible.  God has spoken through historical narrative, through prophets and His Son Jesus so we would be transformed inside and out.  On the subject of God being our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, the sons of Korah sang prophetically in Psalm 46:10-11:  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! ¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah"  To people who looked around at the desolations of the earth and justified being afraid, God commanded His people to stand still and know the LORD of hosts is God.  Knowledge of God's power and presence was intended to shift the perspective of God's people from their enemies or troubles to their God who will be exalted.  God's word ought to change our outlook, thinking, words and actions.

At the conclusion of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ Revelation 22:10-11 says, "And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. ¹¹ He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."  The words of prophecy spoken through the apostle John were relevant for the 1st century Christians and remain important to this day.  The words were not to be sealed because they were intended to be heard and responded to by faith through obedience.  Those who refused to heed God's word would remain unchanged in their sinfulness, and those made righteous by faith in Jesus would listen to and obey His word.  This exhortation is not to encourage unjust and filthy living, but it shows how our response to God's pure and holy word will be reflected in our actions.  Sin and righteousness each have their own final reward from God:  death or life.

The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary said this:  "No worse punishment can God lay on ungodly men than to give them up to themselves. The solemn lesson derivable from this verse is, Be converted now in the short time left (Rev 22:10, end) before “I come” (Rev 22:7, 12), or else you must remain unconverted for ever; sin in the eternal world will be left to its own natural consequences; holiness in germ will there develop itself into perfect holiness, which is happiness."  One thing that rings true from reading the Bible is it never comforts or exhorts people to remain as we are, for unconverted sinners and redeemed saints are both called to repentance and to follow Jesus.  We come to Jesus as we are, and as a potter fashions clay so God works in and through us to accomplish His pleasure as vessels sanctified for His honour.  The power of prophecy is not knowing when or what will happen in the future but by the transformation God brings about in us when we submit and entrust our lives to Him by faith and obedience.

The Shoulder Incident(s)

This morning I was reminded of a surprise revelation when I went to the doctor about shoulder discomfort.  While playing baseball, I stumbled and rolled onto my shoulder in tagging out a baserunner hung up between third base and home.  I ended up separating my shoulder and damaging the AC joint when I landed heavily on it.  There was no question what I did that hurt myself, but I was quite surprised after the doctor looked at scans.

The x-ray brought to light I had--at some point prior without my knowledge--sustained a Hills-Sachs fracture of the shoulder.  I could only theorise what had happened.  Maybe it happened when I injured my shoulder throwing a baseball during high school or at a point during my working career.  Looking at the scan it was clear there had been trauma to the shoulder, even though I could not say when it happened or what caused it.  Healing had taken place but the evidence of the break remained.

My situation illustrates to me the grace of God who enabled me to press on with playing baseball, worked in a trade to provide for my family, and continue living as if I had never sustained an injury.  God is faithful to protect and help us when we cannot help ourselves.  The LORD did a similar thing for me mentally and emotionally when I went to 8th grade after being homeschooled for years.  I remember in my adulthood I ran into one of my classmates in a Bible study where he apologised profusely for bullying me in school.  Honestly, I could not recall a single thing he did or said that disturbed or troubled me.  It was another case of God's protecting, healing hand upon my life when I was clueless of how completely I needed Him.

The separated shoulder event I knew perfectly well happened also had a valuable takeaway.  Rather than throwing the ball to my teammate to tag the runner, my lack of confidence in his ability and self-confidence led me to overexert myself by taking matters into my own hands.  Sure, the runner was tagged out, but it came at a heavy cost that has impacted my ability to sleep on that side every night until this day.  I should have distributed the responsibility to make the play to my teammate by throwing him the ball, yet the priceless lesson of learning to trust the LORD by entrusting important tasks to others has served me well.  Pain is a skilled teacher, but the LORD is the greatest Teacher because He can use every experience of life--and the experiences of others--to teach us life-changing lessons money cannot buy.

Praying Changes Us

I was impressed to read the testimony of Hannah and how praying to the LORD made an immediate impact in her life.  For a long time she had been provoked by her husband's second wife who pitted herself against Hannah as her rival.  Hannah's adversary Penninah had children and Hannah was barren, and year after year she heaped scorn upon Hannah concerning something she could not change.  She wanted children, and as the years dragged the continuous provocations wounded Hannah to the point she lost her appetite.

During her annual trek to the tabernacle with her family, Hannah wept before the LORD in prayer.  She prayed God would giver her a son, a child she promised to lend to the LORD all his days.  Eli, the high priest at the time, observed her praying and assumed she was drunk because her mouth was moving but no sounds came forth.  One might think with all Hannah suffered--and then to be falsely accused by the high priest as a drunk--would only have added to her pain and led her to further despair.

This wasn't the case at all!  Having poured out her heart to the LORD and refuted the accusation of being drunk, she explained to Eli her demeanour in prayer was the result of great sorrow and grief.  Eli then blessed Hannah and encouraged her with agreement that God would hear and answer her request.  1 Samuel 1:18 says, "And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight.  So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad."  Crying out to God in faith did not immediately change Hannah's barrenness, but praying changed Hannah.  Her pained expression turned to gladness, and she ate the portion provided by her husband who loved her.

Casting our cares upon the LORD knowing He will hear and answer may not change our situation, but exercising faith in God in prayer works to change us, our attitude and perspective going forward.  The very situations we desire God to change can be employed by God to change us.  It took great provocation before Hannah was moved to desperately seek the LORD in prayer, and when she later conceived and bore a son by God's grace she testified of God's faithfulness all along.  We can know we have cast our cares upon the LORD when we are changed and encouraged by doing so--not because our circumstances have changed.

Minds Set Right

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Colossians 3:1-2

In a sermon I heard many years ago, the pastor urged his hearers to consider how our perspective should be ordered as children of God.  Rather than being at the mercy of our circumstances, emotions or feelings, we are to remain grounded in the sovereignty and goodness of God in every season of life.  Unlike a ship adrift that is carried by wind or currents, we have an anchor for our souls by faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour.  We can see the waves and feel them beating upon us, yet we can remain immoveable, fruitful and abounding in the work of the LORD.

He used an illustration of the difference Jesus makes in our lives, not to pump us up that we can feel "in control" during the storms of this life, but to know that whatever happens God remains on the throne over this world and us personally.  My takeaway from the message was to ask myself, "Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?  Do you register or regulate?"  A thermometer passively displays the ambient temperature, but a thermostat is set in an air-conditioning system to change the temperature of the air.  Thermometers and people both register, but as we submit ourselves to God's rule in faith we can make a positive impact that will be felt by others--like an unexpected cool breeze on a sweltering day.

It is important in the thermostat analogy to recognise it is God who is established over all things, and He is the one who sets us right by the Gospel.  In response to our glorious God and Saviour and our good standing in Him we are called to purposely seek Him and to set our minds on things above.  By faith in Jesus we are enabled to stand by the power of the Holy Spirit even in the midst of trials and troubles.  It is natural for us to be mindful of earthly, temporal things because we continue to live in perishing bodies on the earth.  Reading through the Psalms of late I can say David was both a thermometer and thermostat:  the trials and persecution he faced registered in his heart, prompted him to seek the LORD, and then his heart was fixed (set) to wait on the LORD with the firm conviction he would see the goodness of God in the land of the living.

How about you?  Do you tend to be a thermometer or a thermostat?  Should there come a day when the pains or difficulties of life no longer register in us at all, it may be because we are dead!  By God's grace He has given us feelings, emotions and desires, and it is good for us to seek God and His wisdom so He might establish us by faith and reliance upon Him.  Our LORD regulates the fiery trials He allows, and may His testing result in our faith growing exceedingly, our love abounding, and entering into the rest made possible by our Saviour Jesus.  May this overcoming, conquering faith in Christ bring great glory to our LORD who is the Rock of Salvation our lives are built upon.