(By Michael Youseff) It seems like every time we turn on the news, we hear about global disasters, terrorism and political unrest. The frequency of these events seems to be increasing at an unprecedented rate, which has led to a greater interest in the gift of prophecy. Unfortunately, even some religious leaders are creating confusion by predicting the date of the end of the world. Never before have we needed to understand what the true gift of prophecy is and what it is not.
In Matthew 24, Jesus clearly states that no one can predict the hour or the day of His return and the end of the age. Only the Father knows the time. Therefore, anyone who says he knows the exact date of the end of the age is speaking contrary to God’s Word. Although speaking about events in the future is related to the gift of prophecy, Christians must make sure that what they believe about prophecy lines up with God’s Word. The word “prophecy” is composed of two words that mean “forth” and “telling.” “Forth-telling” is very different from foretelling or predicting the future. CONTINUE
