Kregal Book Review: Understanding Prophecy

Understanding Prophecy by Bandy and Merkle is unique in that it isn’t a book that explains verse by verse Biblical Prophecy. Instead this book was written to give us a frame work by which to interpret scripture. Written along the same lines as “How to study the Bible for all it’s Worth” the authors give us a frame that not only applies to prophetic scriptures, but to all scripture. While it is geared towards Theologians; this book is simple for even the lay-speaker to use to interpret the scriptures.

For me personally, what was nice was that this book isn’t about looking solely at the end times prophecy and the book of Revelation—though there is nothing wrong with that—it is a book that looks at all scripture as they are woven together to create the Bible. This book not only explains Biblical prophecies, it also gives the reader the big picture of how prophecy should be interpreted in the light of Jesus Christ.

The book is divided into three sections, which I found great for referencing information. The first three chapters being an introduction to what prophecy is, and whether it is for today or not. These chapters set the framework up for the rest of the book. Chapter one gives us the keys to understanding prophecy while Chapters two and three explain what prophecy is and how to understand it through the lens of Biblical Theology.

Chapters 4-6 shows us the Old Testament Prophecies. These are the prophecies that have been fulfilled or will be fulfilled through Jesus Christ—they also speak about the conditional prophecies as well as Restoration and Messianic Prophecies.

Chapters 7-10 details the New Testament Prophecies. These are the prophecies concerning the coming of Christ, the return of Messiah through the Gospels, Paulline Letters, and of course Revelation.

Concluding the book is a chapter of why prophecy matters.

If you are looking for a book to help you frame how to interpret scripture, and especially prophecy; then I highly recommend this book.

This book was provided to me via the publisher for an unbiased opinion. No monies were exchanged for my review. 

Made it!

As many of you know, I have a new job at Lowe's Corporate and I love it. However, over the past few days of training, I have heard several people say they “aren’t ready” for their first days with out a mentor on the job. I made it, but it wasn’t without it’s struggles.

Week One: My best friend’s dad passed away.

Weeks Two and Three: My mom was in the hospital, and had open heart surgery.

Week Four: My cousin passed away.

Week Five: Another Friend’s dad passed away.

Seriously, if I can overcome all of this stress and learn to do my job, you can learn your job too.

Sky Quakes and Jesus' Tomb

Nearly five years ago, a woman came to me and asked me if I had ever heard “Trumpets” from the sky. At first I thought she was crazy—then in 2012, videos started cropping up of these sky noises—science calls them Sky quakes. Honestly, I have never heard them, except on my PC—but I do think they are real.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CetUF1RUaFw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCAgmtB4j7w

Fast forward to today…Last night I posted a video of circular clouds with strange noises like trumpets from the sky. A former student asked me “How do we know it’s the ACTUAL Tomb of Jesus?” and “How do we know this video is real?” First off, I want to apologize for posting that video without researching it further. Come to find out it was for an advertising company—however, even though that is the story behind the video; there is a deeper happiness that comes from the video—a greater awareness. Yes, the church was duped into thinking that the videos were real, but can’t God use that to bring more awareness to Himself?

For centuries, no one looked inside — until last week, when a crew of specialists opened the simple tomb in Jerusalem’s Old City and found the limestone burial bed where tradition says the body of Jesus Christ lay after his crucifixion and before his resurrection. For 60 hours, they collected samples, took photographs and reinforced the tomb before resealing it, perhaps for centuries to come.

A site known as the Garden Tomb is said by some to be the site of the crucifixion, while the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is more commonly deemed by Christians to be the place where Jesus was buried and rose again. At the time, it was outside the Old City, but the wall was later moved to include the church and its famous tomb.

The marble shrine, known as the Aedicule, was built in its existing form in 1810 during the Ottoman era and has been crumbling lately. But only after pressure from the Israelis did the three religious communities that jealously share the church, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Roman Catholic, agree to a renovation that began last spring. Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic's archaeologist-in-residence says "We can't say 100 percent, but it appears to be visible proof that the location of the tomb has not shifted through time, something that scientists and historians have wondered for decades."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/jesus-christ-tomb-burial-church-holy-sepulchre/

Praying for Loved Ones: Never a Lost Cause

Within the past two years, I have had two very special people abandon me—they weren’t family, except that they were. I guess you could say they weren’t blood related. Yet in the past year, I have felt more a more urgent need to pray for them and their salvation. I know what you are thinking…what if they are saved? What if you are misjudging them? Well then I guess I am misjudging the situation. However, I do know that the way I was treated, didn’t line up with the Bible nor with the teachings of Christ.

So what if I am remiss and I don’t pray for my friends? The best thing you can do for your loved ones is to pray earnestly. We have the assurance of God’s Word that “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16, NLT).

It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, to show the possibility of being made right in God’s sight, and to warn of the danger of neglecting salvation (see John 16:7-11). The Holy Spirit will be faithful to do His work in response to believing prayer, seeking out those for whom the Lord has burdened someone to pray. It is of great importance, however, that you permit the life and love of our Lord Jesus Christ to be seen in you. This in itself will be a tremendous testimony to unsaved loved ones and friends, and will prepare the way for a presentation of the Gospel. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV).

George Mueller, the great Victorian Christian and social reformer, tells a story of persistent prayer in his diary:

                In November 1844, I began to pray for the conversion of five individuals. I prayed every day without a single intermission, whether sick or in health, on the land, on the sea, and whatever the pressure of my engagements might be. Eighteen months elapsed before the first of the five was converted. I thanked God and prayed on for the others. Five years elapsed, and then the second was converted. I thanked God for the second, and prayed on for the other three. Day by day, I continued to pray for them, and six years passed before the third was converted. I thanked God for the three, and went on praying for the other two. These two remained unconverted.

                Thirty-six years later he wrote that the other two, sons of one of Mueller’s friends, were still not converted. He wrote, “But I hope in God, I pray on, and look for the answer. They are not converted yet, but they will be.” In 1897, fifty-two years after he began to pray daily, without interruption, for these two men, they were finally converted—but after he died! Mueller understood what Luke meant when he introduced a parable Jesus told about prayer, saying, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).

                As I read this story, my faith is renewed that my prayers will not fall on deaf ears of God—that hopefully someday, my friends will be saved. And while I may never know here on earth what they choose, I hope that sometime in the future, we will walk streets of gold together, and they will know that I never gave up on them. 

New Goal

In my last post, I wrote about needing $1000 to visit schools for my Divinity degree. Things have changed; I am seeking $500 now so that I can attend a Ordination Discernment weekend retreat!

If you can help with this head on over to my gofundme page and donate.

Return to Seminary: I can't do it without you!

As many of you know, God has been doing amazing things in my life lately. Just a few days ago, I asked God to help me get an assignment from the newspaper if I was to apply to seminary and as you may have read within 10 minutes my editor called me and had an assignment. I know my call to seminary and ministry is real-how I know it, is that God is bringing things together for me. However, I also know it is a real call because Satan has truly been after me these past few days.

I have decided on two schools that I really want to apply and feel like would be the best fit for me...but before I can make my final decision, I need to visit these two schools first hand. This way I can make an educated choice.  Last night, a well-meaning person, asked me "Rachel, if God is directing you to one, the other doesn't matter." My answer to that was "Test all spirits." You see if we don't test the spirits then we will end up taking the long way around to get to the final destination!
In order to visit these two schools though, I need money! Something that is in short supply currently. So I have decided to appeal to the goodwill of others...in so doing this, I have created a gofundme account.

Jesus says at the end of the sermon on the mount, ask and it shall be given unto you! So if you are interested in donating to my "Phase 1" plan--Visiting Seminaries (Asbury and Duke Divinity School) this link: www.gofundme.com/2v7nvhrw

The money will be used for:

• One Visit to two (2) seminaries
• Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky
• Duke Divinity School in North Carolina

• Travel Expenses
• Gas
• Hotel
• Meals

Any money left over, will be put towards my second phase of seminary journey...books, tuition, etc. The second phase will move from a gofundme page to a paypal account---this will allow me to have gifts given to me to not only advance my schooling and help me come out of seminary debt free; it will also allow me to write to my supporters and send out via email updates on my ministry and journey to being ordained as a minister. 

I look forward to journeying with you all as we plant seeds into the lives of others. 

Ask and it shall be given to you...

These past two months have been surreal. First off, I was asked to help my minister facilitate classes in our new Bible Study. Next I was nominated to work on committee at the church and  next thing I know I was asked if I had ever considered returning to get my M. Div. Degree. I hadn't of course. But over the past two months, I have honestly had little God moments. I've been applying for jobs left and right and can't get interviews. 

However, this has to do with something I prayed for on Friday evening. As I was looking at Divinity school applications; I started to get discouraged thinking I there was no way I would be able to return to school. Thursday, I had mentioned to my best friend "I don't know where I am going to get an academic letter...I mean I didn't go to campus at Liberty...I guess I could ask my community college teacher!" Then on Friday, as I was looking at the applications, I saw that to apply at my number 1 choice school--I would need $55. I just said "God, if you want me to apply for Duke, then I need an assignment at the paper and I will use that money to apply at the school." So as I got in my car to go have dinner with my parents; my phone went nuts and it was my editor asking me to shoot an assignment. 

Then today, when I was at Starbucks, the professor came in and I got to speak with her. 

How awesome is that?