A Real Prophet

[Ovedya]

Okay, I'm confused then...isn't prophesy when someone is speaking the words of God? I'm asking because that's what I always thought was prophesy...

Yes, absolutely. To prophesy is to speak for God as a representative of God and to speak forth God into others with the words of eternal life.

I thought that when Spirit-filled believers are gathered and Christ is among them, and one speaks words from God, words that quicken the heart of believers...that person has prophesied. Some people call it a "word of knowledge" - others call it a word of prophesy...but it's God's heart being revealed.

This is exactly what prophesying is. God is no longer outside of man, as in the Old Testament. In the church age, Christ dwells within the believers, granting peace, revelation, enjoyment, joy, etc., as an inward experience of life. Just like a seed planted within the ground. All the life is within that seed, and the seed grows with the life within the seed. Christ within the human spirit is like that seed, it grows with the divine life, and that divine life is expressed. The life of Christ becomes the believer's life and enjoyment. And when that enjoyment is expressed in the context of the church, it is called prophesying.

So let's say you are reading your Bible one day, and you are musing over a particular verse. Then the Lord comes to you and gives you a revelation concerning that verse, or maybe you begin to enjoy that verse by praying it or singing it. This is the Lord becoming your enjoyment in the Word. Or perhaps you may be praying one day and the Lord blesses you, or touches you with a burden for a particular person, and you begin to pray for that person. These experiences of Christ become food for other believers when you share them in the church meetings. Speaking for Christ and speaking forth Christ into others is what prophesying is. The Bible is clear, "He who waters will also be watered."

I didn't know the person had to say, "I'm a prophet and I'm speaking for God"...

I'm saying this very honestly because maybe my understanding of prophesy is wrong or in error.

Is it an official position or title or ? Somebody straighten me out, if I'm off base...

You are not off base at all. In the church there are prophets with a specific function to prophesy. That is to teach as a prophet, and it may include the function of foretelling a future event (although this happens pretty rarely)? But in the Body of Christ we are all called to prophesy for the building up of the Body of Christ. This requires no special office or official recognition from anybody.

In my church we all exercise to build up the Body of Christ through prophesying. We believe that this is the way to conduct the meeting of the church (Although we do not push it opon anybody). So, rather than a single person standing up before the congregation and giving a teaching every Lord's day, we each endeavor to pursue the Lord together and be built up through prophesying. After enjoying the Lord in songs and hymns, and after taking the Lord's supper every Lord's day, some stand up one by one and begin prophesying on the things that the Lord has touched us with during the week. Sometimes there will be a testimony, some will have a word from the Bible, and others may have some enjoyment from the ministry. This is like a regular feast of tabernacles, where each saint brings a different portion of Christ for everyone to enjoy.

[The Journey]

OOPPs I posted and then saw God-man's excellent post. Very nice.

Dearest Cats,

Awesome post!!! As always you nail it exactly. The word "prophesy" is a transliteration from the Greek. if our English Bibles had it translated instead it would read "to speak forth." Today the real prophets speak forth the Word of God as revealed in the Bible. The first century prophets did the same thing only they did not have a written NT.

VOG has a difficult delimma. On the one hand he want to believe he is a special agent from God who gives us common cattle the word from on high. When VOG gives an opinion on Scripture, no matter how wrong his interpretation, it is God speaking. He wants to claim that he holds the office of prophet just like Jeremiah or Ezekial. However, he never gives new revelation. He never predicts the future. Every time he adds just a little to the Scriptures he posts....he goes off into deep error and in my opinion at times heresy. I believe that the Scriptures he posts are Words that have spoken deeply to him. He believes that the Church needs to hear them and he may be right. The reality is that he is a "prophet" just like my pastor or that dear Baptist pastor that Cats posted. He is no different because God has stopped giving new revelation to the Church. The Master wants us to guard the faith that was once for all delivered to the Saints.

Please hear me on this one point. God still speaks to His Church. He speaks to His Bride through the revealed revelation in the completed OT/NT. His last Word was Jesus. We all have what He wants us to know. When parts of the Church follow new "prophets" like VOG they are always led into error. Just look around us at all the "prophets" and the heresy they spew. You want to see a "prophet" turn on Benny Hinn and get a load of his heretical garbage. But guess what? He claims they come right from the throne room. He claims he smells of heaven when the Lord uses him to prophesy. Garbage! and we should be ashamed that so many follow him.

- Steve

[Matthitjah]

Amen sister Cats,

You once again have brought enlightenment.

Our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Priest, a Prophet, and The King in the Line of David.

He is written all over our hearts. This is Righteousness to us. We walk in the Spirit.

The Spirit gives divine revelation thru the Word.

Indeed you heard a Prophet when the Word of Christ was made clear to you.

Will you all walk in the power of the 2 Witness'? Will you walk under the mantle of Elijah? Part of the last men of G-d who haven't been compromised by the enemy(not bowing the knee to baal). Will you all walk in the boldness of John? Crying out in the wilderness! Making straight the pathways to Righteousness! Whom is the Lord Jesus Christ!

G-d Bless you all richly!

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!

Peace :il: Amen

[rollinTHUNDER]

You know, if you look around the boards, you'll find we're all different...we're all unique...

We're different colors, shapes, sizes, ages...and well...life experiences...

Some of us have been through horrible tragedy while others have lived relatively sheltered lives...some have come from the gutter, while others from mansions....every person has a tale to tell; each person is different.

RT, our church isn't dead. Not even close. In fact, we're very much alive. Not all people want "unpredictable" services...we have quite a few seniors who need to take medication at a certain time and many babies needing to be fed and changed...so having a time frame to work in works for us.

And that's where we need to be careful not to think we all have the same needs or that one church "does it better"...

Just because a church is traditional, doesn't mean it's dead. Not by a long shot.

You know, we don't have to jump up and down & make a loud noise...there's a quiet, gentle worship that produces a sweetness of spirit in a person.

Our church may be "predictable" and it may be "traditional" in many ways...and maybe, by some standards, it's not as lively - but brother, never think we're dead.

Our youth pastor is so on-fire, you can feel flames coming off of him.

The congregation is so in love with Jesus, they'd give the shirt off their back to another in need.

There's big, fancy churches who make lots of noise, but once you get in the parking lot...they're all strangers.

So, on the flip side...while we're not all that fancy, the love and kindness moves like an invisible force among those ever-so-humble country folk...

There's something to be said for the poor, country preacher and his simple but kind-hearted congregation.

I imagine our church is too poor to afford a bigger building or better acoustics or nice instruments or even choir robes...

But we have what God gave us....simple but complete...we love each other deeply and in the ears of God, that all-sustaining love is the sweetest form of worship.

That's true cats,

I wasn't trying to speak for everyone, just the way it works for me. That's why I was trying to be careful not to step on anyones toes or offend anyone. I did not mean to judge any church as being dead. That's not what I was saying. All I meant was after tasting a spirit filled church, going back feels like a dead church to me. I'm not saying it is dead, just that it feels that way to me now. In other words, my spirit doesn't get satisfied in that type of atmosphere anymore, and maybe it never did.

Obviously your church is not dead, otherwise the members wouldn't have been moved at all.

I'm sorry that you were offended after all, I guess I failed to send you the responce that you were looking for. You appeared to be very amazed at something to the point of asking my opinion. All I can do is give my view. I can't give you an answer that will work for everyone. Yes indeed sister, we are created all different. Don't worry, I wasn't trying to pry you away from your church. And I still love you just the same. We just have different strokes for different folks!!

[Catsmeow]

RT: Okey-dokey, bruh... I'm cool...

I know God uses all kinds of people and personalities for His purpose. We're all different.

You know, I'm a "bleeding heart"; C4C He's an "encourager"; Journey & Blindseeker our in-house theologians; Traveller's our mighty prayer warrior - *(and a good friend); RT: our End Times person...Pam and Island Rose: encouragers who also make you smile...I could go on and on...So many wonderful people here!

But the point I'm making is that we are all part of the Body and we are fearfully and wonderfully made!

The longer I live the more I cherish the Body of Christ...and the Head wants us to love the Body because we're one... always.

God wants us to love and accept each other.

I hear people speak so badly about Christianity - and sometimes Christians are our own worse critics. I see it different - I see wonderful fruit - flowing from those nourished by the sap of the Branch - I'm blessed!

I truly love the Body of Christ...all of it, despite our differences. Each part is special and each a treasure designed for our Makers' good pleasure.

[Guest shadow2b]

Okay, I'm confused then...isn't prophesy when someone is speaking the words of God? I'm asking because that's what I always thought was prophesy...

Maybe I'm wrong...I didn't think they had to say, "Thus saith the Lord..."

I thought that when Spirit-filled believers are gathered and Christ is among them, and one speaks words from God, words that quicken the heart of believers...that person has prophesied. Some people call it a "word of knowledge" - others call it a word of prophesy...but it's God's heart being revealed.

I didn't know the person had to say, "I'm a prophet and I'm speaking for God"...

I'm saying this very honestly because maybe my understanding of prophesy is wrong or in error.

Is it an official position or title or ? Somebody straighten me out, if I'm off base...

I sure thought that pastor's words were direct from the Lord Himself...the Holy Spirit sure confirmed it.

Cats...From the story and discription you shared. He is a very annointed "Pastor"... Not a Prophet!

I'm not sure I know the difference then. Don't they both speak on behalf of the Lord?

CATS----my dear sister-----YOU are NOT wrong-----I LOVE your new- avatar---I was very moved by

your[pastors--prophet] very moving message...NO DOUBT ''he' received that word from the LORD--HOLY-SPIRIT----Whoever or whatever 'HE'[the pastor--prophet] is called--the WORD came from GOD thru this man of GOD TO/for GOD'S people----------WEBSTER'S--new-collegiate-dictionary---defines--PROPHET--PROPHECY---PROPHESY--PROPHETIC---------PROPHECY---ALSO--PROPHESY---cies----also---sies---[prophet]--#1----the function or vocation of a prophet;--specif;--the inspired declaration of divine will and purpose---#2---an inspired utterance of a prophet --- #3 --- a prediction of something to come------ prophesy --- #1 to utter by or as if by divine inspiration --- #2 --- to give instruction in religious matters: preach --- #3 -- to make a prediction syn see foretell---- prophet --- #1 one who utters divinely inspired revelations -- #2 -- one gifted with more than ordinary spiritual and moral insight-----prophetic -- of relating to, or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy----------

There are TOO many people running around CLAIMING they are [PROPHETS]-----

didNOT JESUS--YESHUA--tell US to be careful[heed] what we hear---how WE hear????????-------

mark.4vs.24----take [heed]---[be careful] 'WHAT YOU HEAR---luke.8.vs.18---TAKE [heed]-be careful]---

therefore [HOW] you hear----------

--SO,the 'office' of a [prophet] is actually--a messenger-boy[messenger] SENT by GOD with a direct[inspired] word from the very heart--[mouth]--of GOD--------kind-a-like western union used to SEND-- a messenger-boy--to our houses with a telegram----[remember those--good ole days??]----then the messenger-boy- goes back to the office & WAITS--for the next message-----WeLLLL,now why are these--[modern-day-prophets--messenger-boys] still hanging out at the [house] where, they delivered the last message????????? instead of going [bACK] to the office for the next message??????

AND WHY are WE the only ones that are so blessed to be receiving ALL the messages from[WESTERN UNION??] ARE there NO other [houses] that [need--want--deserve] messages from [western union??}

GOD-BLESS----------------------Gary-----

[eric]

Hey Cats, you're special. You've got a real heart for God. You go girl, I love your posts. Preach it! eric.

[rollinTHUNDER]

Hey Cats, you're special. You've got a real heart for God. You go girl, I love your posts. Preach it! eric.

You're special too eric. God loves us all just the same!!

[rollinTHUNDER]

Finally, a white-haired elderly gent

[Matthitjah]

Grace and Peace to you Brother,

You are that rich mans brother. Although you have already been sought out and saved. There are many more lost sheep brethren yet to be likewise. Seek them out. :il:

Now to my mind a prophet always was told, thus says the Lord. Or go and tell so and so, the Lord say's.

All the Word came from the Lord. So when you read any part of it in Truth and Righteousness. You read prophecy.

The Lord came to fulfill the law and the prophets. The prophets and the law spoke of the Lord. Now I don't profess to be a prophet. Yet when I read Zechariah out loud I Prophesy.

Peace Brother and Grace to you.

G-d Bless you richly!

Peace :il: Amen