2 Peter 4: 2 - 5 NKJV
I was glancing through my email this week and came across Wayne Jacobsens weekly "God Journey" podcast link. I have to admit that this one actually made me stop and think. See, Wayne was getting into the topic of prophecy and right away my mind turned to the likes of Benny Hinn and Joel Osteen. Although these have come to be seen as two (almost) well respected christian speakers, they have their detractors. I happen to be one of them. The topic of prophecy was always a foggy one for me. Sure, I believe that the elders of old received Gods word from the prophets, and that we today continue to be inspired by these men of God. However, every now and then there comes along someone who claims, in no uncertain terms, to be a profit with a message from God for the masses. Again my mind wanders, this time to the likes of Jim Jones and David Koresh. For those not into historical events, these are just two of the thousands of men who liked to think of themselves as modern day prophets. They got their messages out alright, and people died because of it. So, so you can see how when I hear that topic of modern day prophecy a few red flags go up. There are times when I wish that I would be in the company of one of these men who claim to have a message from God. Of course, I ask way too many questions sometimes so maybe that's not a good idea. So, if there is a message from God that everyone supposedly needs to hear, why hasn't He let me know about it? One of the comments Wayne made kind of hammered home that point. He made the comment that many times, desperate people find themselves dependent upon others for the voice of the Lord. Huh? How is that possible? How is it possible that if I have His Spirit within me that He would not speak something to me if He felt I needed to hear it {Galations 2:20}? Unless God is in the business of withholding information from us, but I don't think that's true.
25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.26“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, eas I said to you. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30“I and My Father are one.”
John 10: 25 - 30 NKJV
I had a friend who I used to see on sunday mornings when I used to go to church more often. He was a former Marine, so his brashness kind of got on my nerves every now and then, but I passed it off as bad drill instructors. Every now and then, my friend would stop me after service and excitedly tell me "God told me to tell you something!" Of course, not knowing the truth of Christ that I do today, I usually was interested in what it was that God had for me to hear. Yet, every now and then I would pray and ask Him, "Lord, why didn't you just tell me that and avoid the middle man?" Well, it wasn't that God wasn't ignoring me, I was simply not listening to what it was He was whispering into my heart. You could say that I had eyes to see, but not ears to hear {Matthew 11:15}. Now, do I believe that God could indeed pass along messages to us through others? Of course, I believe that our heavenly Father will use any means to get His message to His children. However, knowing the truth of Christ Jesus who now lives through us, we are able to receive that direct communication from the Father. We are closer today to God than we have ever been. The notion that we need to pray more, more or pay more tithes in order to somehow become closer to God is a false teaching rooted in the old covenant. That old covenant was disolved by Christ on the cross. What remains today is Christ Jesus...in us. I will be the first to admit that I my own ears have failed to hear what it is God has whisperd to me. My ears did not hear my Fathers voice. That doesn't mean that God wasn't there within me, only that I did not hear His voice. My prayer should not be for the Father to speak to me, but that my ears would be opened that I might hear His voice. Maybe God did have somethng to tell me after all.
3“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5“Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
John 10: 3 - 5 NKJV
~Scott~
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