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God Never Says, "Oops"
by Alan Allegra It's a beautiful, clear midwinter day. The sun is shining, it's unbearably frigid, there is neither a leaf on a tree nor a snowflake in the sky. Just one problem: There is supposed to be a major, record-setting snowstorm. Oops. I'm not complaining. I don't mind when the weather service predicts severe weather and it doesn't happen. After all, we're only human, and computers are only computers. We all make mistakes. The storm predictions were based on several computer models. In a harbinger of confusion to come, the models ranged from one inch of snow to 19 inches. Chances dictate that the amount should have fallen somewhere in between. Turned out that all the computer models were wrong and nothing happened. I am reminded of all the failed predictions and prophesies that men have forecast over the centuries. One of the most recent and most famous belly-flops was Harold Camping's end-of-the-world prediction for May 21, 2011. The only resulting doom was he and his radio network. If man cannot reliably and accurately predict a computer-modeled event a couple hours into the future, how can we expect to believe a prediction made centuries in advance? Mankind has an urge to know what the future holds. We call psychic friends, read horoscopes, follow election polls years in advance, and study racing forms. Some simply say, "Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be." Aside from the linguistic tautology, this reflects an unrealistic submission to a non-existent blind fate. There are issues more vital than weather systems and White House selections -- matters of life and death. There is only one source for 100% accurate visions of the future: The bible. The bible contains hundreds of predictions, most of which have been fulfilled to the letter or are in the process of being fulfilled. It predicts persons, actions, historic events, catastrophes, political movements, names, attitudes, social issues, births, deaths, destinies, even weather. The vast majority of these predictions were made centuries in advance, which eliminates guesswork and statistical analysis. These prophecies hold true because the author of the bible has been in the past, is in the present, is already in the future, and is guiding time and circumstance with unerring accuracy and power. When you investigate investments, you are often told, "Past performance does not guarantee future results." Given the instability of temporal economies, that makes perfect sense. However, in God's economy, past performance guarantees future results. History, archeology, and other studies verify the fulfilment of prophecy. Jesus Christ alone fulfilled 300 prophecies -- from 400 and more years previous -- regarding his birth, words, deeds, death, resurrection, and ascension. That's a pretty good record, so we can be confident the predictions of his return and reign will also be fulfilled. The bible can be fully trusted because, "no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20, 21). Man and his contraptions did not generate the prophecies; God did, "in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior" (Titus 1:2, 3). God gave us his word so we may believe and have the predicted eternal life, and it is to be shared through preaching. As long as one preaches the Word of God and not his own interpretation or opinions, he cannot fail. Further proof of God's accuracy is Jesus Christ himself: "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Corinthians 1:20, KJV). All of Christ's life -- past, present, and future -- verifies the veracity of scripture. God's word is perfect (Psalm 18:30) -- He never says, "Oops!" Alan is editor of Lifestyles Over 50 (Thrive Media) and contributor to the Allentown, PA, Morning Call. He is also an adult Sunday school teacher and Bible study leader. Passionate about reviving theology and church methodology, and being a senior citizen! Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |