WILL SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE?

By Wallace B. Henley, Exclusive Columnist Thursday, January 18, 2024

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Many people believe that something big is happening amid the gloom, doom, and panic in our modern world.

Some church leaders increasingly agree that positive phenomena will transcend despair.

Although leaders should avoid triumphalism, it is crucial to understand and benefit from Biblical revelation. That's where the belief is that the brighter the light, the darker the darkness. This is not an absurd hyperbole; it is a powerful truth that is based on a promise in Scripture, which reads, "Those who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who dwell in a dark land, light will shine upon them."

These promises were first given to people in the days of the Old Testament Covenant. But the term is not limited to their situation. On the contrary, the promises are eternal for those who lead from a position of faith, reaching throughout history. Actually, the promise is very important.

Leaders in the contemporary era can boldly accept God's promises and lead based on these beliefs. Wise leaders blend their professional skills with transcendent conviction, and therefore they carry forward their efforts and those of the people they lead with the conviction that the more severe the damage, the greater the recovery. The Lord promised his people, "I will redeem the years that the swarming locusts have eaten."

Moreover, the more painful the wound, the more comfortable he will be. Job, initially weakened by much suffering, knew the truth. When he saw all the suffering and fear he experienced, he cried out to God, "I repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42).

In his article in the New York Times, Roger Cohen expects an in-depth discussion of the future that describes our times as "unraveling times.".

Evangelical, charismatic, and Pentecostal leaders, as well as churches and liturgical, reformed, and fundamentalist organizations, recognize that the greater the pain and confusion, the greater the blessings God will create for centuries to come. They lead based on God's pattern and promises, not courage. They understand the pattern and encourage those who try to avoid the phenomenon of modern culture.

Chaos, obscurity, and weakness of leadership may be the basis of what is happening in the Catholic Church. At this time, there is a shift that will go down in history as a time of great improvement and the creation of new hopes.

For years, experienced leaders have known that the more crises and the stronger the pressure, the more results the disturbing phenomenon produces. "Revival predisposes to decline," said the famous revivalist Charles Finley. This must have happened in Wales in 1903–1905, when a very dark society was engulfed in spiritual renewal.

From the beginning, the Bible itself encouraged hope. From the chaos of tohu and bohu, or formlessness and emptiness, comes an orderly and fruitful world.

Do not panic; do not be afraid. Everything happened on time, as I said in the previous column. Courageous and mature leadership recognizes and prepares for future needs and opportunities in a way that is realistic and unaffected by sensationalism. This is not a delusion; I witnessed its success through Charles Colson and the Prison Fellowship, one of the most influential Christian leaders and institutions of the contemporary era.

I knew Colson remotely during my time working in Nixon's White House; he was one of Nixon's Circle members, and I was his junior assistant. Colson was renowned for his strength and political acumen; at least that's how it looked before he was jailed on charges related to the Watergate scandal, which contributed to Nixon's failed presidential election.

One day, about a year after Colson believed in Christ, a staff member from a ministry in Washington contacted me by phone and told me that Colson had accepted Christ as his Savior. He said that Chuck was within a three-hour drive of his home. I was asked to visit Colson and try to serve him. After learning about Chuck's strong reputation in the Marine field, both inside and outside the White House, I was sure that he would not accept me as a lowly staff member.

To my surprise, he welcomed me well in the prison where he was imprisoned. I visited Chuck on three trips. Nevertheless, it was the first conversation that came to mind. He spoke of his concern for his fellow inmates even though he faced personal challenges that weighed heavily on Chuck's soul. Many of them listened to Chuck from the heart of Christ himself. Chuck begins to consider possible prison options. His life seems disjointed. Nevertheless, thanks to God's promise, Chuck receives the largest prison ministry in the country—and possibly in the world—as Colson's dream expands internationally, despite the scorn and even opposition of some federal government agencies.

The pitch darkness that, from the beginning, could envelop Chuck Colson became a medium to realize his vision.

Because something big is shaking the foundations of our company, leaders must bring this spirit into this era of uncertainty.

Wallace Henley, Call Down Lightening, and Thomas Nelson (2019 are the source materials for this column, including citations and references.

Wallace B. Henley is a former pastor who has worked as a daily newspaper editor, congressional aide, and in the White House. For 18 years, he taught at Houston's Second Baptist Church. Henley is the author or co-author of over twenty-five books, one of which is God and Churchill, co-written with Jonathan Sandys, great-grandson of Sir Winston Churchill. Who will rule the coming 'gods', is the title of Henley's latest book. AI-driven spiritual crisis

NewsSources : https://www.christianpost.com/voices/something-big-coming.html