Well not really all things related, nor really about oil, nor about 2010, but thought what heading can I give to this post. I have read with interest the comments back and forth from Paul’s word for 2010 (will probably post re 2010 myself in a few days time).
First, I was glad to ask Paul for permission to post his word. He is someone I have known since around 1998. A man of integrity, not looking for platform, a man who has taken decisions that have not advanced his ‘career’ or bank balance, but have been ones that have sought to advance the kingdom. I have known him as someone with prophetic integrity and accuracy. When he speaks I listen.
Second, signs in the natural, as Paul says are often what God speaks through. When the signs are ‘good’ that is wonderful. One of the pains in the prophetic is when the signs are not what we expect but are what we have declared. In 2004 a good friend of mine was in Madrid, prophesied that there would be an explosion in the city that would turn the outcome of the elections that were taking place the following week. Within days was the train bombs, and the result in the election was the opposite to what had been expected. She said to me, but I never thought that there would be an explosion of that nature. Should we have prayed and gained more insight, did the prophetic insight reduce the number of potential casualties. Bottom line is we don’t know.
There are other situations I have been involved in where the sign has taken place and there has been pain for people. Never did I think that the outcome would be as I expected. Some of those are still very painful to think about.
Then there are times the sign hits one own home too. Elijah prophesies drought, his own water supply dries up.
Third, I think the dialogue that opened up has also shown the divide (apparent and real) between, let me call it ‘charismatic’ prophecy and ‘social’ prophecy. There should in reality be no divide.
And finally, lest we lose sight of Paul’s word. Focus on what can be taken from it. The oil is at least an illustration (and for me a sign; BTW we all use oil – it is the economic exploitation of this resource, at the planet’s and those caught in poverty’s expense that seems wrong).
The shifts that are coming, the uncoverings; the repositioning; the ‘back to the garden’, etc.
Last night I had two dreams. Both spoke of 2010 being a year of rebalancing. Maybe more in a day or two.
.
5 Comments
I hope what I said did not come across as negative because I am actually really excited by what Paul said. What excited me the most was the fresh oil coming from minnow countries and gushers coming forth from those who have experienced economic hardship. Living in Latvia (population a mere 2.3m) where corruption needs to be exposed so people can move on from a place of distrust and where the economy has collapsed at a phenomenal rate it really needs fresh oil. Paul also wrote about being surprised what comes out of Eastern Europe and what sprung to mind was something that I have been crying out for and that is a utilisation of so much abandoned countryside to produce the fuel that Europe needs, oil perhaps but not as we expect. As a scientist by training I know there is more than one type of oil available and we have just become fixated on one sort but new ways are continually being found and in some ways rediscovery of old ways but using more efficient modern methods there are a phenomenal number of possibilities that God created. So yes I see new oil fields as a prediction of something new coming forth but the whole of the prophecy spoke of so much more to me, things which tie in what I have been studying in terms of rural development and what that that has revealed so far.
Hi Martin
This reminds me of what of you have said previously that we get distracted by the sign and forget to look at what it is pointing to.
We still do but more so with signs from the Land as stewardship is now the “in” word in Christian circles, we forget that it is the biggest expanse around us, what else could God use to show us what is happening, where else are spiritual battles fought and where else are spiritual things manifested?
Creation is still groaning for us (humankind) to take our place as sons and daughters of the living God until then unfortunately for this lovely planet and possibly other systems around us its groaning brings tragedy to both its inhabitants and itself and our lack of maturity deteriorates it further.
So we pray for things to be done God’s way and look for what He is saying, seeing the signs and especially what it points to and bear in our hearts a sliver of what God feels about the casualties and effects of these signs.
Hear this from a friend but need to go back and chase up the details as we were talking of other things too – but what she said was about the full moon on new year’s eve/day here in UK which was a blue moon as it was the 2nd of the month and that there was a partial eclipse which will not happen again for another 91 years! But also that sun spots have been very rare of late, like the sun is asleep but it is going to wake up in 2010, the astronomers have predicted. What she actually said was “the sun is going to wake up”. Aparently when there is massive sun spot activity major changes in life style happen (need to check the dates and events she said happened around the last one) and if it is very severe it could effect out electricity supply.
I’ll check details and sources and get back to you. Just thought it was relevant with your talk of natural signs.
Well, I’m off for 4 days since Internet was not available to me, and wow. Great discussion. Some really great thoughts on oil, God’s word, signs, new things and 2010. Just goes to show that rarely are things really clear cut and when a sign comes we generally have to wait to understand the meaning. We are, still human. As I look for a renewed Creation I want to see whatever signs God sends us. I know that God’s ultimate work is to make us more like him, and to release Creation from all that causes it to groan out with pain. Though, considering the state of creation right now, I think of it as more ‘screaming’ out in pain, rather than just groaning.God spoke to me about PIacenza and Italy and 2010 over the weekend and that will be my next post.
C.
Cheryl,
Looking forward to reading the post. I too loved the discussion – I think if there is to be a true balancing (and not compromise) that arises, discussion is one of the keys.