PREDICTING THE FUTURE: By Wendell Ingram

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know what was awaiting us tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Of course, it is impossible for men to know such things unless it has been revealed to them by God. We are told in James 4:13-14, Now listen, you who say , “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. Although we can’t know the detailed events of the future, God has given us some very dependable indicators to assure us of what the future holds. Those indicators are found in the pages of God’s word.

The Bible contains many scriptures which assure a person of the future consequences of one’s actions or inactions. For instance, we are told in I Corinthians 15:33, Do not be misled, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Now, though I may not know everything that the future holds, I can know for sure that if I spend my time with “bad company”, my character will be corrupted and I will suffer the consequences o f such character.

Another example of a scripture that can help us predict the future is Proverbs 14:34 which says, Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. We cannot know everything the future holds for our nation. Yet, we can kn ow that if we as a people hold to God’s righteousness our nation will be blessed and exalted. On the other hand, if we as a people embrace sin, we will suffer the consequences of that sin and the future holds disgrace for our nation.
Still another example of a scripture that predicts the future is Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. I cannot know what the future holds for my children, but I can know that if I train them in the way of the Lord, they will not depart from the way of the Lord and they will receive the blessings promised to those who walk in the way of the Lord.

I can also know what the future hold for me as a parent if I fail to properly train my children. Proverbs 17:25 says, A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him. And Proverbs 29:15 says, The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother. Though I may not know the details of the f uture, if I fail to train and discipline my children, I can expect that in the future my children will bring me grief, bitterness and disgrace.
The future has also been revealed to the parents who are diligent to properly train and discipline their children. In Proverbs 29:17 we are told, Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul.

It’s true that we cannot know the events of the future, but God has revealed in his word what we can expect in the future based upon how we conduct ourselves today. God has made great and precious promi ses to those who love and obey him, and I can rest assured that whatever tomorrow brings, whether good or bad, it will all work together for my good if I love the Lord. This is the promise in Romans 8:28 , And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who have been called according to his purpose.

King David of Israel spoke with confidence about his future as he penned the words of Psalm 23. In verse six he writes, Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my l ife, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
If we will love the Lord with all our heart and work diligently to do his will, we may have more control over our future than we realize.
-Wendell Ingram