- Jan 1, 2024
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The gift of prophecy I feel has been both neglected in many places, or is misused, and I don't need to get into all the abominable false prophecies that have abounded during my near 40 years as a believer.
Prophecy also can be both forth telling the Word, as in Holy Spirit anointed preaching, and foretelling of events. I find personal prophecy far rarer than prophecy against sinful social conditions, which is what the majority of the Bible prophets dealt with.
Unfortunately I've seen far too much personal prophecy and very little prophetic preaching about the nations dire condition, the call to repentance, and the blessing of God upon those who walk in His holiness. I've had personal prophecy done on me that fell flat that very night: it did not come to pass, which according to scripture marks a false prophet.
Deuteronomy 18:22,
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him"
Paul actually stresses prophecy as the foremost gift to be coveted in 1 Corinthians 14, I've gleaned out all the verses dealing specifically with prophecy,
"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort....
he that prophesieth edifieth the church....
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Let all things be done decently and in order."
I always liked this passage from Numbers 11:25-29, especially the last verse I highlighted,
"And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!"
Of course there are self proclaimed prophets such as those who've tried to predict exact dates of Christs return, which flies in the face of Mark 13 which says we do not know the time, nor Day, nor hour, only the Father knows. And the misuse of this gift, or the plain faking it has caused a lot of damage and distruct. < I'll leave that typo there, as I meant to write distrust, but also destruct(ion) of peoples lives.
Would that those who have this gift, or any gift humbly seek the Mighty LORD, and become very very small, that HE might increase in them, and the gift operate as led by the Spirit. And this goes with any gift, even the lowly "helps" of 1 Corinthians 12:28, which is basically a helper, an aid, a supporter, a care provider who does so not as a job, but as unto the LORD. That one's not just helping people in need, but doing things necessary as needed around the church, even taking out the trash when you see it need done. Would that more people accept this gift as well. In fact, I never heard anyone preach on the gift of helps, and so often a pastor has to ask people to do something.
I pray the body of Christ come together on these things and do as it is written, everything decently and in order. Amen.
Prophecy also can be both forth telling the Word, as in Holy Spirit anointed preaching, and foretelling of events. I find personal prophecy far rarer than prophecy against sinful social conditions, which is what the majority of the Bible prophets dealt with.
Unfortunately I've seen far too much personal prophecy and very little prophetic preaching about the nations dire condition, the call to repentance, and the blessing of God upon those who walk in His holiness. I've had personal prophecy done on me that fell flat that very night: it did not come to pass, which according to scripture marks a false prophet.
Deuteronomy 18:22,
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him"
Paul actually stresses prophecy as the foremost gift to be coveted in 1 Corinthians 14, I've gleaned out all the verses dealing specifically with prophecy,
"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort....
he that prophesieth edifieth the church....
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Let all things be done decently and in order."
I always liked this passage from Numbers 11:25-29, especially the last verse I highlighted,
"And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!"
Of course there are self proclaimed prophets such as those who've tried to predict exact dates of Christs return, which flies in the face of Mark 13 which says we do not know the time, nor Day, nor hour, only the Father knows. And the misuse of this gift, or the plain faking it has caused a lot of damage and distruct. < I'll leave that typo there, as I meant to write distrust, but also destruct(ion) of peoples lives.
Would that those who have this gift, or any gift humbly seek the Mighty LORD, and become very very small, that HE might increase in them, and the gift operate as led by the Spirit. And this goes with any gift, even the lowly "helps" of 1 Corinthians 12:28, which is basically a helper, an aid, a supporter, a care provider who does so not as a job, but as unto the LORD. That one's not just helping people in need, but doing things necessary as needed around the church, even taking out the trash when you see it need done. Would that more people accept this gift as well. In fact, I never heard anyone preach on the gift of helps, and so often a pastor has to ask people to do something.
I pray the body of Christ come together on these things and do as it is written, everything decently and in order. Amen.
