mserv@mozart.cc.iup.edu (Mail Server) writes: : Ok, a few days back, the below-included message was posted stating:  :  : >     I believe with everything in my heart that on May 3, 1993, the city of : >Portland, Oregon in the country of the United States of America will be hit : >with a catastrophic and disastrous earthquake... :  : By now, we know that this did not come to pass.... :  : ...I don't think it's particularly  : glorifying to God to say things like "Well, I THINK the Lord is telling me...",  : ..Such statements seem to me to be an attempt to get a spiritual thrill should  : the guess happen to come true, without risking the guilt of false prophecy  : should it fail to come to pass.  I do not believe genuine prophecy was ever  : like this.  Comments? :   I agree.   People should not be misled to believe "thus sayeth the Lord" by innuendo or opinion or speculation.  Speak directly.  If the Lord has given you something to say, say it. But, before I declare "thus sayeth the Lord", I'd better know for certain without a shadow of a doubt that I am in the correct spiritual condition and relationship with the Lord to receive such a prophecy and be absolutely certain, again, without the tiniest shadow of a doubt that there is no possibility of my being misled by my own imaginations or by my hope of gaining recognition or of being misled by the wiles of the devil and his followers.  Mistakes in this area are costly and dangerous.  For me, my greatest fears in this area would be the following:  1--that the people would be misled 2--that people would lose respect for christianity 3--that true prophecy would be clouded by all the false prophecies 4--were God to call me to be a prophet and I were to misrepresent God's Word,    my calling would be lost forever.  God's Word would command the people    never to listen to or fear my words as I would be a false prophet.  My    bridges would be burnt forever.  Perhaps I could repent and be saved, but    I could never again be a prophet of God.  In the light of this, it is critical that we speak when the Lord says speak and that we be silent when the Lord says to be silent lest we deprive the world of God's Word and hide it under a bushel either by our inappropriate, cowardly silence or by our false statements.  And because of this, it is critically important that we remain close to the Lord, in His Word, and in prayer, and filled with the Spirit of God so that we know the difference.  In this day and age, sinners spout off their mouths left and right judging one another, claiming "rights" that are not theirs, denying rights that do indeed belong to others, demanding equal respect for all the "gods" of this world, and uttering every form of falseness that promises to make one feel good.  It's time that we christians give an example of honesty that stands out in contrast against this backdrop of falsehood.  When we say, "thus sayeth the Lord", it happens.  When we pray, prayer is answered because we prayed right. When we say we're christians, we really mean it.             Dan  -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 	"I deplore the horrible crime of child murder... 	 We want prevention, not merely punishment. 	 We must reach the root of the evil... 	 It is practiced by those whose inmost souls revolt 	 from the dreadful deed... 	 No mater what the motive, love of ease, 		or a desire to save from suffering the unborn innocent, 		the woman is awfully guilty who commits the deed... 	 but oh! thrice guilty is he who drove her 		to the desperation which impelled her to the crime."