Bible Question (short): Are you truly searching for a prophet? |
Question (full): Dear Jensen, Greetings, my friend, in Jesus' name! Accuracy, hmmmm. Sorry, but I think that if you expect a prophet to be perfect, you will be disappointed. There are none. Only the prophecies written by prophets in the Bible are perfect, because they have a God-divined mission to bring us the God-inspired Word. Other that these, we cannot even speculate that Biblical prophets were perfect. As to desiring to know the counsel of God, this IS possible. As I wrote in another post, God has provided a tri-fold means by which we can know His will in a personal manner. The same thing applies to knowing His will in a corporate (i.e., local church) manner. These are 1) God, through the Holy Spirit, speaks directly to the heart of His believers, 2) The Bible, through the Holy Spirit, speaks all believers in the written Word, and 3) God's chosen (called) vessels, through the Holy Spirit, speak *as prompted* the counsel of God. The last would be the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the ministerial gifts given to the church. While it is true that there are many false gifts being bandied about these days, and many self-serving ministers, we are not 'off the hook' to ignore these blessings. If we discount the gifts and ministries for the sake of the abuses, and demand that the remaining few be perfect, then there will be no other means by which to hear God than the Bible and your own personal feelings. Brother, this is a setup! Both of these means are under the influence of personal whim and bogotry. This is why we have the church, with the responsibility of fellowship and mutual submission. It is the 'balancing factor' that CAN keep the church in God's will. All I can say is that you did not answer the short question! Are you truly searching for a prophet? Or have you decided that there are none, so you will just depend on your own Bible interpretation? IMHO, if you are seeking the counsel of God, He will give it to you, but not just YOU! He will give it to the church, and you will be a co-partaker. Bless you in your quest! (unless you've stopped looking! :-)) In Christ Jesus, charis |