My Predictions for the Next Five Years – Key Trends and Events that We Should be Aware Of
I’ve received numerous emails from people around the world asking what I foresee unfolding in the next few years in light of some of the significant trends and events so far in 2011. Below is a short response.
There are three ‘areas of development’ included here that I think we’ll see in the next 5 years. I’ve followed each projection with a brief outline of what our response should be.
The first has no scriptural foundation. It doesn’t mean it’s not legitimate. But it is conjecture. And you should know that. The second is a mix of prophetic intuition and Biblical exegesis. This will be teased out in subsequent posts. And the third is entirely Biblical with no subjective reasoning involved.
FIRST, the obvious. The United States (and it’s far reaching implications globally).
Today marks Read more >>
Solitude and the Restoration of True Community
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Solitude and the Restoration of True Community
With the witness of Scripture, the testimony of Church history, and the conviction borne by personal experience all whispering in my ears, I am convinced that the call to Christ-centered solitude is one of the most important and yet most misunderstood and neglected practices in the Church; particularly in the west; specifically with regards to the cultivation of true community. The impact of this neglect is deep and wide.
In this session we’re going to look at the place of solitude in the midst of community.
I. THE DESTRUCTION OF TRUE COMMUNITY – GENESIS 2-3 Read more >>
Living In Light of the Mounting Crisis in the Nations – An Exhortation for 2011
So far 2011 has been quite turbulent – the shaking of the Pacific Rim, the dangling global economy and the the volatility of the Middle East have profoundly disturbed us all. I expect things will only intensify as the year and this new decade unfolds. And as it does, opinions about what is and isn’t going to happen will become more and more pronounced. This mounting crisis between now and the return of the Lord over the coming years and decades will create a vacuum for both the authentic prophetic ministry and its counterfeit in all its various expressions.
Daniel 9 instructs us about how to live, love and lead as the confrontation, controversy and confusion covers the earth:
“…in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:2-3)
First, Daniel studied the written word of God and discerned what the prophets of his day were saying. He scoured the writings of the prophets of his parents generation (“the word to Jeremiah the prophet”). And he was incredibly grounded in the writings of Moses (as demonstrated through his repeated reference to Moses in the following prayer of 9:4-19). As he was a living contemporary of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and most likely Habakkuk and Zephaniah (as well as the false prophets who opposed them) he wrestled through their prophecies as one who was on the ground in the moment of their declaration. Bear in mind, these prophecies weren’t in the Bible yet. They had just been declared. He had to weigh them up and seek the Lord concerning their legitimacy and authenticity (a daunting task considering the tension between those who were prophets and those declared themselves to be; as in Jeremiah 23).
Second, Daniel discerned “the signs of the times” (to borrow a phrase Jesus used). He read in Jeremiah’s prophecy that Israel would be driven from the land (which Daniel personally experienced as a pre-teenager) and held in exile by the sovereign hand of God for “70 years.” Daniel read the prophecy, did the simple math and realized he was living in the hour in which prophecy was to be fulfilled. He was a faithful and diligent student of the written word. And he was sober minded about extra-Biblical prophecy (at that time anyway) that was being declared in his generation. He held the word of God in highest regard. And he clung to the promise that “God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets” as declared by the prophet Amos (3:7) a century and a half earlier.
Third, Daniel “sought the Lord” through prayer, fasting and the sweet embrace of humility. This is significant for two reasons: (1) Daniel understood that though the prophecy was sure and written, the Lord wanted him to engage in the prophecy coming to pass by standing with him (like Elijah before him) in asking the Lord to accomplish that which He promised. The Lord values our “face” being “turned” to Him (9:3). And in response He turns the course of history. The sovereignty of God and the call to prayer are not at odds. Daniel’s response to the revelation of the promises of God in history compelled him to lift his voice – not disengage as a mere spectator. (2) Daniel understood that the call to prayer in the hour of prophetic fulfillment is as important if not more important than the call to proclamation. This is why Jeremiah challenged the prophets of his day saying “If you are prophets of the Lord, make intercession!” (27:18) Daniel knew that prayer is the only place from which we can be prepared to proclaim prophecy. It’s important to notice the fact that Daniel’s initial response to the revelation of the soon fulfillment of prophecy was not to proclaim it in public but to wrestle with the Lord in secret. This both preserved Daniel’s personal relationship with the Lord (see Dan. 6:10) and empowered him as a messenger when he did step into the public spotlight. Additionally, Daniel understood that fasting is essential to the cultivation of discernment. If we seek to understand the written word of God and the subjective prophecies of our generation prayer and fasting is to be embraced as the cultural norm of the church of Jesus.
As we approach the near return of the Lord we should view Daniel’s response as a model and an example to follow. We must (1) cherish prophecy contained in the written word of God, (2) cling to the hope of God’s gift of the subjective prophetic ministry in the hour of transition and (3) give ourselves to the pursuit of the face of God through prayer and fasting. This is a lifestyle. A lifestyle we’d be wise to embrace now; in the relative calm before the storm.
This lifestyle fills us with confidence in God’s wisdom and sovereignty as the end-time events unfold, protects us from offense as we face difficulty and suffering and fills us with clarity and boldness to declare the word of the Lord to a generation caught up in a whirlwind of confusion with no anchor.
This is the heart of the prophetic ministry. And this is the only safe place to be as the Day of the Lord draws near.
Responding to Crisis in the Age of Facebook – A Call to Discernment After the Earthquake in Christchurch
Just before 1pm today the city of Christchurch on the south island of New Zealand was rocked by a devastating earthquake. As of tonight the death toll is up to 65 with hundreds still missing. Since we’re living in the age of social media where everyone finds out about everything as soon as it happens, chances are, you’ve already heard all about it; regardless of what continent you’re on. Living in the “age of Facebook” has its pro’s and con’s. One of the worst things about living in the era of social networking is that everyone can share their opinions; many of which aren’t worth sharing – especially in the wake of a catastrophe.
Right now Facebook is lit up with social commentary on the earthquake.
On one side are those who are defining the event as the judgment of God. They argue that this event (and other like it) are God-ordained opportunities for judgment-stricken regions to repent and seek the Lord. They appeal to God’s righteousness, justice and sovereignty. And on the other side are those who are saying God does not use things like earthquakes as instruments of judgment. Some even argue that historical judgments have been made obsolete. They argue that “God is good and God is love; therefore devastation could never have come from His loving hand.” They appeal to God’s mercy, compassion and kindness.
One seeks to get God on the throne; one seeks to get God off the hook. One intends to disrupt; the other to comfort. I submit to you that both of these messages are most likely out of touch with reality and not endorsed by heaven. Let me explain by way of example.
Jeremiah lived through a season of history marked by unprecedented suffering, affliction and pain; all of which God took responsibility for. Throughout the course of his ministry Jeremiah was consistently in conflict with so-called prophets who were scoffing at the idea of God being the source of the nation’s suffering. Those of you who’ve read the book of Jeremiah know how intense this conflict became.
In chapter 23 Jeremiah weeps His way through an address to those prophets who were resisting his message of God-ordained judgment. This chapter bears profound relevance for us now in the wake of the shaking of Christchurch. The core message of the address is in verse 18 where Jeremiah says:
“For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?”
The word of the Lord to Jeremiah’s generation facing devastation, I believe, is also the word of the Lord to our generation facing devastation (in whatever form). Jeremiah says that the appropriate response to crisis is not analyzing it and attempting to manage it intellectually. He says that the first and foremost activity of the people of God (especially leadership) in the wake of catastrophe is “standing.” The word “standing” (or “stood”) refers to the posture of the priests who ministered to the Lord. They waited upon Him. They were slow to draw conclusions and swift to tarry.
The prophet asks the leaders of his day for the source of their messages. He charges them saying “Have any of you actually heard this from the Lord or are you just speaking what you think should be said?”
It’s important to note that Jeremiah didn’t rebuke them for their theology – he rebuked them for the posture of their hearts. The Lord wasn’t necessarily offended at their conclusions (while He clearly was; just read the chapter!). He was more so offended at their willingness to speak without having been commissioned to; without having heard from Him first; without having waited upon Him; and most importantly, without having made themselves vulnerable before Him willing to embrace whatever it is He was thinking and feeling.
Look at verses 21-22:
“I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them…”
The text requires no detailed exposition: leaders were saying things they were never told to say. And herein lies the great crisis beneath the crisis: often we are unwilling to “stand” and “hear.” We itch to “run” and “speak.” And so we refuse to enter into the tensions involved. We resist the complexities. And we attempt to resolve it; inappropriately. We refuse to confess, like the leadership in Jeremiah’s day, “Lord, I don’t know you!” (1:6, 8). Instead we flaunt what we do know. Even if what we know isn’t true.
So here are a few closing exhortations: if you feel comfortable quickly proclaiming the earthquake (or any cataclysm) is the judgment of God or most definitely isn’t, you’re more than likely out of touch with reality and speaking words that “darken counsel.” Why? Not because your conclusion is necessarily wrong (though it may be), but because you’re so hasty to declare it without making yourself vulnerable to the idea that you may not have a clue what the Lord is doing or who He actually is. There’s more at stake in times like these than merely being “right.” And there’s a lot of the line if we’re “wrong.”
“Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Now is not the time to analyze, speculate or dissect. Now is the time to stand, to listen and to weep. Our responsibility right now is to be counseled by the Lord – not to counsel on His behalf. With that said, let me be clear, we must contend for the prophetic spirit. And we must be faithful to declare the Word of God. I’m not negating that. I’m simply challenging the flippant culture so pervasive in our generation that encourages us to speak boldly when we have virtually no idea what we’re talking about. History is full of people like that. And every now and again a Jeremiah comes along and rocks the boat by proclaiming “You don’t know Him” suggesting that our intellectual management of the Almighty has gotten us into trouble. And this isn’t conducive to our shallow and opinionated “Facebook culture.”
Beloved, we need the prophetic ministry in these days. But the prophetic ministry in its purest form is but the overflow of the priestly ministry. And the priestly ministry is often the last place we think to go in crisis. Sure we “seek the Lord;” but most of our seeking is driven by false ideas about the One we’re seeking that we refuse to reconsider. If we miss this we could end up on the wrong side of history and the wrong side of God. And if you aren’t open to that idea as a possibility, then I’d suggest you pull a Job and put your hand on your mouth and your face to the dust. And since that’s what many people are doing tonight in Christchurch, it’s probably the best place to be: in the gap between the heart of man and the heart of God feeling the anguish of it all.
“If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then let them intercede with the Lord of hosts…” (Jeremiah 27:18)
