While traveling through Boston last night I just gave a lot of thought to my first travels through the city when I was 4 or so. I thought about all the years that had gone by since my mom introduced me to Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere and history.

Life is interesting. Paul Revere’s ride. This from PaulRevereHouse.org

In 1774 and the Spring of 1775 Paul Revere was employed by the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of resolutions as far away as New York and Philadelphia.On the evening of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere was sent for by Dr. Joseph Warren and instructed to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them. After being rowed across the Charles River to Charlestown by two associates, Paul Revere borrowed a horse from his friend Deacon John Larkin. While in Charlestown, he verified that the local “Sons of Liberty” committee had seen his pre-arranged signals. (Two lanterns had been hung briefly in the bell-tower of Christ Church in Boston, indicating that troops would row “by sea” across the Charles River to Cambridge, rather than marching “by land” out Boston Neck. Revere had arranged for these signals the previous weekend, as he was afraid that he might be prevented from leaving Boston).

On the way to Lexington, Revere “alarmed” the country-side, stopping at each house, and arrived in Lexington about midnight. As he approached the house where Adams and Hancock were staying, a sentry asked that he not make so much noise. “Noise!” cried Revere, “You’ll have noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out!” After delivering his message, Revere was joined by a second rider, William Dawes, who had been sent on the same errand by a different route. Deciding on their own to continue on to Concord, Massachusetts, where weapons and supplies were hidden, Revere and Dawes were joined by a third rider, Dr. Samuel Prescott. Soon after, all three were arrested by a British patrol. Prescott escaped almost immediately, and Dawes soon after. Revere was held for some time and then released. Left without a horse, Revere returned to Lexington in time to witness part of the battle on the Lexington Green.

Being prophetic is a lot like that at times. People are concerned about the “noise.” We are interesting times.

• A government shutdown
• Insecurity about healthcare (The Affordable Healthcare Act needs a certain amount of signups to be solvent.)
• Growing concern about the rights of people
• Concern about the economics of the world.

Now you can find those things anywhere. No one needs to be a prophetic voice to uncover those rocks. But what we need are clear, clarion voices to bring peace to the unrest.

As a prophetic voice I see these things as birth pangs. The polarization need not be endorsed by the Christian believer. We have been saying it again and again, God is neither male nor female, Jew nor gentile, Republican or Democrat.

I have followed the fallout in the church, but I want to say that the power of grace has not ceased nor will it ever cease. (One of the more volatile stories of the day with regard to this.) Do we need prophets? Obviously I think so.

But today I realized or maybe it had just been stewing. That not every prophet is going to say what you want to hear. (Or on some occasions need to hear!) As I thought about Paul Revere, he was bringing a message that shook people out of their sleep. Brought them to the reality of the crisis before them.

As a New Testament prophet I have the desire to see the following:

• The church come together as a whole, without schism or divide
• Christ established through the ministries of men and women to bring people to maturity and unity.
• Edification, encouragement and exhortation.
• A return to fundamental values, biblical relationship and the understanding of scripture in the light of grace.
• The value of “forewarned is forearmed.” That does not mean build a garden and hoard food, but to value the words that are brought forth as discerned by the counsel of others.

One of the greatest struggles in my life, my wife would tell you,  is knowing when something is not “going to work out well.” I take no joy in being right in those circumstances. So I table a question or two surrounding that. Do you really want to know? Often people want to merrily go down the path they have chosen and hope it pans out. I will never pressure or push over what I see. If you play the God card or walk another way that is your choice. Do you value the word? (I do not care if you do not “value” me.) So often people want to hear from God but disregard what is said when God uses another to bring it.

We are in the midst of trying times some might say. I say it is time to try; To lay hands upon the sick, cast out demons, raise the dead, find coins in the “fish’s mouth” and more. If grace is not working in your home or your workplace do not “export” as most likely your version of grace is not grace at all. It may be well meaning actions but without the heart and the presence of God one will see not transformation or change.

Many like myself will come like Paul Revere and some may denigrate the words but no one can take away the heart.