Keep Calm and Trust God

Update: 5PM, So more "reliable" sources have confirmed that the "flesh-eating disease is but in fact a hoax.

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I posted this in Facebook following the recent news report that came out last night ...

So last night the news show Bandila came out with this report from Pangisnan about a "flesh-eating" disease that resonates with something that has been prophesied last year by an Indian prophet. Few thoughts:

Let's be responsible in what we post as people of God, let's get all the facts muna. I saw from the youtube video that there is a "part 2" report tonight. I'm also a bit "skeptic" that Babao would reference the prophecy at the end of the report, when it was not mentioned during the report, sounds like a ploy to get more ratings. They've been peddling this hastag "pray for Pangasinan" "mysterious disease" in hopes to make it trend.

I'm not saying it's false (if the news is related to the prophecy). It may be true (The Bible tells us to test prophetic utterances, 1 Corinthians 14:29). But be responsible with what we post. Let us not sow fear, for God doesn't give us a spirit of fear, but of love, boldness and sound mind. Let us be guided with these. Boldness - never shy away from sharing God's Word and God's Hope. Soundness - let's get the facts straight and not overreact or exaggerate. Love - warn in love, don't stop at just warning, but share the antidote, the solution. In everything we do, let's see to it that Jesus is exalted.

Devotion: God's Messenger

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’” Jeremiah 28:15-16

Prophets in the Old Testament are people who are called by God to serve as messengers of Him to the people (particularly Judah and Israel).

If you are tasked to be a prophet for the Lord , the task is not something to be taken lightly. After all you are bearing the message of the King. (I remember seeing a funny clip of Rowan Atkinson demonstrating the different kinds of messengers, one who bears good news and bad news).

In the New Testament, the role of the prophet has been bestowed to individuals in the church, that serves the body of Christ (Eph 4:11). In relation to the world, God calls His people to become proclaimers in behalf of God (1 Peter 2:9). Moses even prophesied this (Nu 11:29).

In Jer 28, we see a "showdown" between Jeremiah, the Lord's true prophet, and Hananaiah, a prophet who prophesied a lie, tricking the people that it came from the Lord. A few thoughts come into mind.