THE RELUCTANT MESSENGER

THE RELUCTANT MESSENGER

                I did not set out to be a watchman. I enjoy creative writing and so about 8 years ago I started sharing my journey of faith to whoever would listen. Word somehow got around and my list grew to 200 and then to a thousand and now to about 5000. How many of those 5000 actually read my articles I haven’t a clue, but I long ago put that part of it into God’s hands.

                The problem as I see it now is that the issues have become much more critical during these past 8 years. Bible prophecies and end time scenarios have become more pronounced and focused and we are seeing actual end time events forming and taking shape and so much so that we could actually be plunging into the time of the Tribulation and the coming of the Lord.

                I do not claim to be a scholar even though I have studied Bible prophecy all of my life as well as to have received a legacy of my Father’s study before me. So I have always been a prophecy buff and yet now that these events are taking place; I have a responsibility to share what I know, (or at least what I believe that I know) with others.

                The Bible tells us that if we know something and don’t tell others, then their blood will be on our hands. Ez. 3:17-19. It’s like this: If we know a bridge is out on the road ahead, even if we don’t know how much of the bridge is out or what exactly caused it, we must still warn people that the bridge is out. This is kind of what bible prophecy is like, for the details are unfolding right before our eyes and our understanding of these things only grows with the revelation of them.

                 I think this is what is meant by the prophecies being sealed until the end times. In many cases the prophecies will be unsealed by the events themselves for as Jesus broke the first seal, a rider on a white horse went forth conquering and to conquer. This we understand to be the antichrist who will soon ride onto the stage to sign the covenants with Israel. Time will tell won’t it?

                In ancient Jewish times it was considered to be a curse to be called as a prophet. They always came into the limelight as Israel was apostatizing and falling into idolatry and so the prophets rarely had any good news to preach. So they wept and made fools of themselves and did whatever God told them to do to get the point across and for all of their efforts, most of them were imprisoned, tortured sawn in two, beheaded and otherwise killed.

                The gift of prophecy has become more or less popular these days and many so called prophets like to hang a sign on their door saying ”Prophet so and so” but very few of them are actually engaged in warning the world of the imminent dangers we now face. Some have even turned prophecy into entertainment as people gather together to have their fortunes told and I think a whole lot of it operates in the Psychic realm rather than being words from heaven.

                So I, along with many other students of Bible prophecy, pray diligently for the Holy Spirit to guide me in what I say and in my understanding of these things… and I don’t offer my opinions as doctrine, but rather as food for thought. I do not consider myself to be either a prophet or a watchman on a biblical level, but as one opening up discussion on subjects that many do not want to deal with.  But we do need to think about these things and we do need to search the scriptures and to pray for understanding… and I do believe that many of our traditional understandings are being shaken a bit as these things become reality. We are entering into the chaos of war and we will need to count on our training to get us through.

                Soldiers are taught that no matter how much they may learn about war, the battlefield is a place of complete chaos. Everything they have learned goes out the window… and yet…it is that training that has been engrained in them that kicks in so that even in the midst of chaos they do the right thing and live to fight another day.

                So it is with us. We must train daily to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. We must train every day to live by the Word and not by the prevailing opinions of men. We must train every day to be effective soldiers of the cross and carriers of the light to a dying world. We are on a mission. It is a mission that is impossible without the supernatural help of God. So we need to learn how to walk in the supernatural and not merely in a philosophy of Christianity.

                “Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb.12:1, 2.

                I am therefore torn between encouraging people and warning people and I prefer encouragement, but the warnings are coming on thick and fast and so we must say what God wants us to say regardless of the consequences. After all we need not fear those who can kill the body, but God who can kill both body and soul in hell. Mt. 10:28. We must live for Him and not for this world.