Joel - An Amazing Prophet!

Prophecy has always inspired and amazed me. We often see it as events that will happen in the distant future, but for God, all time is NOW! Past, present and future are definitions we apply to things that have occurred, are happening now, and are yet to come. Please understand, we are incredibly limited in our perspective, God is not.

Many people try to maintain that prophecy is merely speculation. Satan supports these misled individuals in their error. The devil hates God, hates us, and wants us all to be condemned to perdition. He wants you to NOT believe the prophets. He wants you to reject salvation. Why? Because you CAN go to heaven, to be with God, but Lucifer CANNOT!

These excepts are from the Living Bible. Feel free to compare them with your own preferred biblical version.

..."...I will pour out my Spirit upon all of you! Your sons and daughters will prophesy; your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. And I will pour out my Spirit even on your slaves, men and women alike, and put strange symbols in the earth and sky - blood and fires and pillars of smoke.
...The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and terrible Day of the Lord shall come.
...Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved; even in Jerusalem some will escape, just as the Lord has promised, for He has chosen some to survive." (Joel 2:28b-32) tlb

Think about it! Children and young adults will begin to prophesy. Older individuals will begin to have disturbing dreams. People will have visions that will probably scare everyone who hears of these things! Those who are in extreme bottom end, financially speaking, will hear the call of God! These are those who usually cannot even afford the time to attend church, and yet, they WILL become vocal in their efforts to spread God's Word!

Many strange and disturbing things will happen, and people will probably try to attribute these events to space aliens, global warming, etc.

But, notice what is said next, "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." It simply cannot get any easier than this! Try it on for size! "God, I know you sent your Son to die for me, and in my place! I could NEVER begin to deserve this! Thank-you for this awesome gift!" Then, get out and tell the world! Don't wait! Even a few seconds from now might be too late!

..."I will gather the armies of the world into the 'Valley Where Jehovah Judges' and punish them for harming my people, for scattering my inheritance among the nations and dividing up my land." (Joel 3:2) tlb

The Valley Where Jehovah Judges is also called the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and you've probably heard it that way before. This will occur at the end of the Tribulation, so you can guess what their "punishment" will be. Total opposition to God is NOT something that might look good on a resume or better your station in life!

..."Multitudes, multitudes waiting in the valley for the verdict of their doom! For the Day of the Lord is near, in the Valley of Judgement.
...The sun and the moon will be darkened and the stars withdraw their light. The Lord shouts from his temple in Jerusalem and the earth and the sky begin to shake. But to his people Israel, the Lord will be very gentle. He is their Refuge and Strength.
...Then you shall know at last that I am the Lord your God in Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem shall be mine forever; the time will come when no foreign armies will pass through her any more.
...Sweet wine will drip from the mountains, and the hills shall flow with milk. Water will fill the dry stream beds of Judah, and a fountain will burst forth from the temple of the Lord to water Acacia Valley.
...Egypt will be destroyed, and Edom too, because of their violence against the Jews, for they killed innocent people in those nations.
...But Israel will prosper forever, and Jerusalem will thrive as generations pass.
...For I will avenge the blood of my people; I will not clear their oppressors of guilt. for my home is in Jerusalem with my people." (Joel 3:14-21) tlb

God has already seen the future, and it SHALL be as He has said! We, who are Christians, have become a part of God's people by virtue of our having been "adopted" by our salvation, courtesy of Jesus Christ. We must do our part to get the Word spread to all people. Remember Peter's words, "But don't forget this, dear friends, that a day or a thousand years from now is like tomorrow to the Lord. He isn't really being slow about his promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But he is waiting, for the good reason that he is not willing that any should perish, and he is giving more time for sinners to repent." (2 Pet 3:8-9) tlb

Since God does NOT want any to perish, then who are we to NOT spread His Word? Do your part! Be a witness! You, too, can be a "lifesaver!" Make God proud!

Someday soon, we will all rejoice together, in Paradise!