You've seen the ads from psychics and astrologists promising to tell your future - for a fee. You may have grown up in a church that believes that God still speaks to His children through prophets. Both are mysterious, though the church is quick to point out that psychics and astrologists are witches and pawns of Satan intent on leading you away from the Lord.
I've been exposed to both, though the psychics and astrologists tend to be very general - not like the lady in the link above who promises specific times and events soon to occur in my life. She seems sincere, but if it's really vital to my future to know this information should she withhold it unless I send her $60? What if the lack of this knowledge ends up killing me?
A few years ago a prophet spoke at our church. He said he had a vision from God where he was standing on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, looking out at Europe. At first Europe seemed to be prospering with lots of ships loading and unloading at the ports, trucks and trains hauling goods back and forth. Then pieces of the European continent began falling off into the Atlantic. Greater chunks fell leaving Europe devastated. The pieces that fell into the Atlantic created a giant tidal wave that swept towards the United States. The prophet watched as the wave rose as high as the clouds and seemed about to crush him until God spoke to him and told him to move into the shelter of a huge building with columns. The wave broke over the US shore, over the building where the prophet sought shelter. In its wake were destroyed homes and businesses. The damage was far beyond what the government could hope to rebuild.
Troubled, the prophet asked God why He had shown him this vision. God explained that a huge economic storm was coming (this was about 5 years ago when the prophesy was given). Europe, which has been thriving under the European Union, would see their prosperity shatter almost overnight. The result of the EU fall would have sweeping impacts on the U.S. with a magnitude almost as severe as it had on Europe. Then God explained about the shelter in which He had protected the prophet. The shelter was the Church. With the government unable to help the citizens, those who are in the Church will rise to meet the needs of our countrymen. People will be forced to look to the Church for help because only the Church has the resources they need. The end result was that God would be revealed and glorified before the world. However, God cautioned the prophet that he must warn us (Christians) now so that we will be prepared to survive and serve. We must distance ourselves from debt; we must not pour our money into bigger homes, more expensive cars, or waste money on movies like Tropic Thunder, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express.
The front page of today's Wall Street Journal talks about the first cracks in the European Union economy. The Euro is down; they are feeling the same pressures we are with housing and job woes. Is this what God prophesied just a few years ago? More importantly, are we prepared to survive the storm?
The astrologist predicts that there is a 103 day period in my near future in which many opportunities will present themselves that, if I take advantage of them, will turn my finances around as well as improve my love life. I'm getting married in 79 days, so my love life will definitely improve then. I've assumed that our finances would improve too because we'll be supporting one household rather than two. Should I send this lady $60 to find out specifically what I should do and when to look out for the opportunities? Should I assume that the prophet's word is coming about - which is the sign of a true prophet?
The Church has presented God as mysterious, and tells us that His ways are not our ways. Astrologists would argue that God created the cosmos for a reason, not just to give us something to look at at night. Jesus said that if you've seen Him, you've seen the Father; but even His disciples had trouble understanding his teachings. God has used an ass in the past to help someone. He uses prophets today. We can't put Him in a box and say He wouldn't use an astrologist. So you tell me, should I spend that $60 on my personal prediction or should I buy $60 in lottery tickets?
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