Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said recently that God has told him a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a "mass killing" late in 2007. The televangelist was quick to point out that God didn't necessarily say the attack would be nuclear, but said he felt it would be "something like that." He also predicted that major U.S. cities, and possibly millions of people, will be affected by the attack, apparently scheduled for late in the year. And he said he received the information from a very reliable source -- God.

This isn't the first time the host of "The 700 Club" has received national press for his predictions.

The broadcaster predicted in January 2004 that President Bush would easily win re-election. Bush won 51 percent of the vote that fall, beating Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

In 2005, Robertson predicted that Bush would have victory after victory in his second term. He said Social Security reform proposals would be approved and Bush would nominate conservative judges to federal courts. That year, lawmakers confirmed Bush's 2005 nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, but the president's Social Security initiative stalled out and faded from the political spotlight.

"I have a relatively good track record," Robertson said. "Sometimes I miss."

On the other side of the coin, in May Robertson said God told him that storms and possibly a tsunami were going to crash into America's coastline in 2006. As we all know, the U.S. was not hit with a tsunami. However, Robertson later cited last spring's heavy rains and flooding in New England as partly fulfilling the prediction.

Personally, I have a problem with the press making such a big deal out of these "predictions."

If any of the columnists in such magazines as Time, Newsweek, or U.S. News & World Report were to list their ideas of what the new year might hold, most folks would yawn, take a deep breath, and then sit back and wait.

Robertson, on the other hand, reports that he "heard from God" during a recent prayer retreat. I have no problem with that. What reason is there for prayer if not to hear from God? I know that most folks use their prayer time to recite their spiritual shopping list to whoever might be listening, but the real reason for prayer is communion and communication with God.

The problem arises when one presumes to speak for God or speaks out in a voice that infers "thus sayeth The Lord." Though pastors, preachers and teachers stand in pulpits around the world week after week and speak forth what they feel God wants them to say, when one makes a prediction we tend to call it prophecy. Once labeled, the words take on a whole new meaning. Surely a Bible teacher like Robertson knows that the Old Testament calls for a very harsh punishment for what may be called "false prophecy."

"But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death. You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord ?' If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NIV)

I'm not saying -- or even suggesting -- that God might deal with Robertson in such a manner. I suppose the answer lies in whether or not this was a simple prediction or a "thus sayeth The Lord" prophecy.

It may not matter anyway.

The way things are going, his prediction just might come true.

The Shepherd's Heart appears on Thursday.