There are ten Italian cities facing a high risk of bankruptcy. Most of them are in the south of the country, and have long histories of financial mismanagement, corruption and mafia infiltration. However, there are some from the more prosperous north.
The warning comes after Mario Monti, the Italian Prime Minister, warned that the Italian island of Sicily is at risk of default. Sicily has a high degree of financial autonomy, but the Italian government are poised to take over the financial affairs of the island.
Default for these cities could mean trash is uncollected and schools fail to reopen after the summer vacation.
Why is it important that an eeimgrng prophet remain in relationship/submission to an Apostle and a prophetic community? The office of a Prophet is an awesome and very valuable one. Although all are called to prophesy, there are those called into the specific office of a Prophet. The mantle that God places on his ( I’m spotlighting the masculine gender here, although the office could be filled by a woman), shoulders is a unique one. He is called to minister to the church with God’s word, providing divine direction and encouragement. As he works with a the Apostle in a specific body of believers, his gift benefits them all.I have seen those with strong prophetic gifts, however, swerve off base when the Prophet leaves the body of believers to which God has called him. He might begin giving prophetic words to others, saved and unsaved alike, perhaps for glory, pride or even for personal financial gain. Without the safety of a God-ordained spiritual leader to give him godly feedback regarding his actions, he can travel far away from the fold and get snared by the enemy. A Prophets who shuns correction and guidance from mature Christians, as he continues to operate in his prophetic gift, often does so to his own demise. He can also wreak havoc in the lives of others. (This happened to me as a very young believer. It left me VERY confused!).I’m not sure why a Prophet would choose to depart from the prophetic community in which God has placed him, but I think that it has to do with the original lie posed to Adam and Eve in the Garden. Is God holding out on you? Once a person’s eyes are open to the spiritual realm, he begins operating in that supernatural place. Perhaps the ability to know and communicate supernatural things becomes too big of a temptation. He begins using it for his own gain.Therefore, the prophetic office requires a committed, disciplined, godly servant whose heart is fully open to the Lord with a willingness to minister to the congregation under the godly leadership in that place. This is a high calling. He must work closely with those whom God has placed over him, listening to their counsel and following it. This will keep him from answering the call of the enemy who would use his gift to harm others, as he asks, Is God holding out on you? The answer, of course, is found in Psalm 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. My admonishion to all is to Bloom where you’re planted!