I love the journey we are on as Christians, we strive toward a holy yet at the same time an unconditionally loving God... Its truly a wonderful thing to embrace the future, all God has in store for humanity with all its uncertainties and What If's, without ever letting go of the certainties of our past and this wonderful thing called God's truth or God's perspective. The Bible says if we know Truth it actually sets us free. The power of our Christianity is that we can view the future not only though the lens of the past or the stark realities of the present but also with a prophetic insight that has its focal point positioned on a very high vantage point, a place we call Eternity. This is that perfect view that God sees. Scripture tells us to climb a watchtower to be in position to see what God sees and hear what He would say to us about that. In this way we are empowered with the needed momentum because no matter what we are looking at, we still have the best possible point of view. We see the mystery of what is finite, or difficult to understand completely, through a lens that adds an infinite perspective. It's only in this way we are able to live in each new season with faith in the future. I may never see it in its fullness because we live out this life in contradiction, uncertainties, failure, tragedy, victory, hope, despair. You see, at some point of the full spectrum of our lives we all experience these contradictions. None of us can ever be sure of the future or have a perfect security from our own point of view, as life will always bring uncertainty. Yet our view of the future can be secured by a perspective that is dispatched from eternity. This always creates an Anchor for our soul. A view that ensures us that God knows what He is doing with our lives and that He holds our times in His hands. Life is often a contradiction, yet from Eternity's vantage point it is never a contradiction only a confirmation of what God always knew was true from before our life began and that He has it all planed for our benefit and blessing. How do you view the future - with what lens do you see tomorrow? The only sensible looking glass is to look at it though Heaven's windows, not through our human shutters or the enemy's locked doors. Look at it God's way and learn to see life from a better perspective.
You say you can view with a prophetic insight - is this referring to viewing through the light of the gospel or do you mean something else when you refer to 'prophetic insight'
ReplyDeleteIt is one of those terms that comes with a lot of baggage.
Great Word Pastor Ash!!!
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ReplyDeleteHi Sean, I am aware of the misuse of the word and agree. All I am referring to is the legitimate use of the gifts of the Holy that come as a result of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit that Peter says is for all of us. This is described in Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed,saying, What does this mean? 14 ¶But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, 16 this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
ReplyDelete17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: v 39 For this promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Paul also says in I Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. 2 For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men, but to God: for no man understands him; how is it in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he that prophesies speaks to men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would that you all spake with tongues, but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may be edified. There is a place for all of us who have received the gifts of the spirit to use these gifts for personal edification and to edify the wider body of Christ. Not with out wisdom, instruction and even judgment as it says in v 32 of 1 Corth 14 that the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
But the gift of prophecy, personal and to some degree with decency and order, even corporate gifts are available to all of us. Thanks for your comments Sean.