House Church Talk - Prophecy and HC

[Dan Beaty]

David, Claire and others,

Prophecy  and eschatology do relate to our home churches in many respects.
How we understand or misunderstand God's purpose for His people can have a
great bearing on how we function together.

Personally I see it as a healthy sign that some of the popular views
especially of the past 50 years or so are being re-examined and questioned.
My Christian upbringing included the basic Hal Lindsay view of the
end-times. The impression I got from my youth was that there was no point in
working to better things here on earth, for it was already predetermined
that everything was going to get continually worse up to the climactic,
horrendous conclusion.

It would be well, of course for the believers, who would all be up in
heaven, which was all that mattered anyhow.

Perhaps the main confusion was in my own mind, but I remained under the
cloud of that gloomy outlook for some time. Later I began to see in the
Scriptures for myself, a more inspiring future. I cannot say I have the
details all worked out, but at least I do not feel anymore that I am after a
lost cause. Like the one where God tells us to pray for the peace of our
land, but cannot or will not provide it in our time.

No, I believe that He is waiting and listening for a prayer of faith, a
hearts cry unto Him that is so passionate and hopeful, to which He can
joyfully respond with a rain from heaven as has never been seen!

Dan B.