Visions of Devastation

[apothanein kerdos]

In the Bible, when people recieve revelation from the Lord over a specific event, it generally occurs in a one time ordeal. Though some prophets have multiple prophecies over periods of times, each prophecy generally deals with a different event.

In false prophecy, such as Joseph Smith, it's always a "series of visions." This prophecy is a "series of visions."

I had sensed that God was saying to me that something was going to take place on Thanksgiving Day that would open the way for us to go in and take possession of the land, and when nothing happened that day, I prayed about it, asking him to show me what I had missed. He then gave me the verse about a prophet praying for the sun to stand still for a day in order to win a battle, and he indicated to me that he had given me an extra day. The next morning, my brother called me at 9:00 a.m. and his message said, "Happy Thanksgiving."

Later we learn that God actually intends this to occur two years later, in 2006.

I doubt modern prophecies so much that when I see an inconsistancy I see absolutely no reason to believe the entire prophecy.

There is literally no point in God giving visions telling us, "Ooooo, it's close! Better start working!" It says He returns like a theif in the night (as the OP states). This means there is no warning prior to His return. Why is this? Because it shouldn't take a prophecy to motivate us to to preach the Gospel or live our Christian duty. Likewise, if He keeps saying, "I'm about to pour out my judgement" then He certainly isn't comming like a thief.

So what's this about then?

Acts:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith 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:

For one you completely ignore the fact that it's an inconsistent propphecy. It changes multiple times. Secondly, this isn't in reference to the end times. Peter was quoting from the book of Joel showing that the prophecy had been fulfilled via Pentecost. That prophecy has already been fulfilled.

When you say there is no warning, you do not know the scriptures, for we are given plenty of signs and wonders as warnings of the nearness of the Lord's return and God expects that we will be able to read the signs and will be watching and waiting expectantly for his return, and he doesn't give us a specific date. He says we will know it is near by the signs. And, he does say that this should motivate us to be self-controlled and alert and living in the light and not in darkness.

The promises of a return are just that; promises. He left these prophecies leaving us hope. What I am saying is that it's absurd to believe that He would give further revelation as to His second comming. "Oh, we're really close now!" No, there is no way to tell and I highly doubt God would concern Himself with that when everything was given in scripture.

Eschatological prophecies are VERY easy to misinterpret, as well as the scriptures concering the "signs of the times." For all we know, we could be another 1,000 years off, or 5 seconds off. We don't know, which is why I never believe any modern prophecies concerning the "end times."

[Christ's Free Servant]

For one you completely ignore the fact that it's an inconsistent propphecy. It changes multiple times. Secondly, this isn't in reference to the end times. Peter was quoting from the book of Joel showing that the prophecy had been fulfilled via Pentecost. That prophecy has already been fulfilled.

I'm sorry, but this was an article in which I was writing sharing excerpts from my journal in which I shared my thought processes and the fact that I did not understand nor do I still understand completely everything the Lord showed me. There is nothing inconsistent here. I did not prophesy to you that something was going to happen that did not happen and I am not prophesying multiple things that keep changing. The only thing that changed was my understanding of what God was showing me as he revealed more and more of himself to me. Peter did not understand the vision God gave him the first or the second time and even on the third time he was not completely sure what God was saying, but he went on what he knew. And, the picture became more clear the more he followed what he knew. Visions are not all that black and white. And, if you have never had a vision before, it is understandable that you would not initially know how to interpret it (not you specifically, but people in general).

I was being honest with the fact that I was not totally comprehending what he was saying to me initially, but as the pieces of the puzzle began to take hold, then it became more clear. Abraham went even though he did not know where he was going. This is called faith. I Corinthians says we know in part and we prophesy in part while we are on this earth but one day we will understand it all. I have no problems admitting that I do not understand everything, but that does not make it null and void just because I do not understand it all. I don't understand all of Revelations, but I understand enough of it to get the big picture and to know what my responsibility should be. So, you see, just because someone has a vision from God does not mean he or she is going to understand everything about it and we, in our humaness, can even misinterpret because we think with finite minds. At first I was thinking with a finite mind thinking he was talking about us getting in a building on Thanksgiving Day, but the more he showed me the more I realized that this was symbolic of future events and that it was much bigger than just our church getting in a building. This was End Times stuff. I was kind of learning as I was going and the article merely expresses my humaness in that process.

[Christ's Free Servant]

Greetings all.

Sue, I happen to have spoken to another sister who had a similar vision as yours. This was near the end of December. She spoke of places of refuges for the saints. I spoke also concerning this vision for I am studying Civil Engineering and felt that perhaps God led me to this major so as to know the means to build such a refuge. Were you perhaps this sister?

Dreams and visions should not be shunned altogether rather discerned. It is important that we do not "despise prophecy" but prove and discern them as the bible so instructs.

Felix, I don't think we have spoken before, because I did not get on this website or any website until February of 2005. I was looking to see if anyone else was hearing the same things I was hearing from God and I thought I might find other people on here who might also be receiving visions or dreams from God.

I appreciate your words of encouragement. Yes, I agree that it is a good thing to be studying Civil Engineering.

God bless you in your endeavors.

[Catsmeow]

Call me slightly deranged, but i can attest that she's not crazy. It must be for the young ones, because these old bodies are shot and not of much use.

Well, that gave me a chuckle anyway. I feel my body has just about "had it"...so I can only HOPE the Lord comes REAL soon!!!

[felix]

The sister I talked to was on ChristiansUnite.com forum. I didn't think you were the person but your vision reminded me of this sister. It was actually around the end of January I believe. The thread must still be there on ChristiansUnite.com. Her vision may be very similar to yours in some ways. I was however banned not long after I spoke to this person. A dear brother who lead me to understand the true things of God by spirit and this sister were persecuted by the pple on this forum. There was actually another person who had similar leadings as this sister concerning things about the end times but probably backed out when people started getting heated.

Not too long afterwards, I was banned when I mentioned the works of the Nicolaitans and how it applies to our current condition of churches. I have not been able to visit that forum again in nearly a year. My screenname on there was felix102. The other brother who was also greatly persecuted was Gary Cook -that's his screenname. Perhaps our posts are still on there. ChristiansUnite Forum

Edited December 16, 2005 by felix

[Christ's Free Servant]

Call me slightly deranged, but i can attest that she's not crazy. It must be for the young ones, because these old bodies are shot and not of much use.

Well, that gave me a chuckle anyway. I feel my body has just about "had it"...so I can only HOPE the Lord comes REAL soon!!!

I know what you mean.

[Christ's Free Servant]

The sister I talked to was on ChristiansUnite.com forum. I didn't think you were the person but your vision reminded me of this sister. It was actually around the end of January I believe. The thread must still be there on ChristiansUnite.com. Her vision may be very similar to yours in some ways. I was however banned not long after I spoke to this person. A dear brother who lead me to understand the true things of God by spirit and this sister were persecuted by the pple on this forum. There was actually another person who had similar leadings as this sister concerning things about the end times but probably backed out when people started getting heated.

Not too long afterwards, I was banned when I mentioned the works of the Nicolaitans and how it applies to our current condition of churches. I have not been able to visit that forum again in nearly a year. My screenname on there was felix102. The other brother who was also greatly persecuted was Gary Cook -that's his screenname. Perhaps our posts are still on there. ChristiansUnite Forum

Felix,

I'm sorry to say that is often par for the course. People often criticize what they do not understand. Granted, we have to try to put ourselves in their shoes. I do not just accept things people say they heard from God unless God confirms it in my own heart and it checks out with scripture, not necessarily that it is specifically in scripture, since, for instance, my family is not listed in the Bible, but that it is consistent with scripture and does not contradict scripture. I am very much a skeptic of people who say they have heard from God until I check it out myself, so I often find humor in myself that God would use me in this manner.

Prior to these visions God gave me, I stayed away from discussions about End Times pretty much, because they usually just led to arguments, I would never have even thought about writing on a Christian website, and I would never have written to people to tell them things I knew they were going to respond with "you're crazy." But, just as I am sure of my name, where I live, etc., I am 100% sure of God's voice to me, even though I don't fully comprehend everything he showed me. I know he will make it clear in his timing.

Let me encourage you to keep hearing his voice, check it against the Word, and to keep obeying what you believe he is telling you to do, even if it meets with rejection. Remember our Lord was "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with suffering."

[jmh137]

apothanein kerdos,

Just a few short questions. Why must you always bash? Why must you try to take that which is precious to someone from them? Oh, yes, now I remember. We must keep everything in context. We must adhere to the letter of the law. We must dot every i and cross every t.

To the O.P.

I would like to thank you for the courage to share this. God gives revelations. He always has and always will; for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

As I am replying just now, I am reminded of our Lord's words, not to cast our pearls to the swine. I'm not saying that to say you shouldn't proclaim this from every mountain-top; I just was reminded of it by the Lord and He wanted me to type it out, for whatever His reasons may be.

I search for the answer to this question. Why must some always try to belittle others???

[Christ's Free Servant]

apothanein kerdos,

Just a few short questions. Why must you always bash? Why must you try to take that which is precious to someone from them? Oh, yes, now I remember. We must keep everything in context. We must adhere to the letter of the law. We must dot every i and cross every t.

To the O.P.

I would like to thank you for the courage to share this. God gives revelations. He always has and always will; for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

As I am replying just now, I am reminded of our Lord's words, not to cast our pearls to the swine. I'm not saying that to say you shouldn't proclaim this from every mountain-top; I just was reminded of it by the Lord and He wanted me to type it out, for whatever His reasons may be.

I search for the answer to this question. Why must some always try to belittle others???

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful words. I don't post this on here for the approval of man. I post it because I believe God wants me to, so it is out of obedience. The rest is in his hands.

[felix]

I would really like to point out that there are many Christians who are just like the pharisees. The pharisees were well versed in scripture but they completely missed that Jesus of Nazereth was the Christ. They were expecting someone great who would be king. But Jesus Christ was very humble...in the end He was ridiculed, spat on, and finally crucified. Christ was humiliated and mocked.

Now, I would like to ask some of you...what do you think a true prophet is? Have you heard the words of prophesy before? If not do you have an idea of what a true prophet of God would be like? I know that most Christians would think that this was a very very holy person who spoke with great authority and superiority to other people. Probably one who is also greatly admired and exalted by fellow Christians. Actually, that is wrong. The true prophet goes down a road of persecution and ridicule; they are frequently misunderstood, criticized, and wrongly judged. This is because it threatens Satan's strongholds in the Church. This makes the bible true when it says "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12)". Do we find true opposition and persecution? And persecution of the entire religion of Christianity vs. the World doesn't count. The verse here is saying individuals. It's not a maybe but a WILL be persecuted.

The pastors with multimillion dollar Churches who have 300+ members with nice homes and nice cars aren't exactly the true prophets of God. The true prophets are actually the ones among us who are lowly...probably people who you are misjudging or hold in inferiority. They are probably the ones who you see are belittled all the time.

Those who truly take the cross and follow Christ will go through the exact same things. There will be persecution and tribulations...but praise the Lord there will be glorification as well. Now Christ was persecuted by His own people. Persecution of Christians will not be from non-Christians but Christians!