Prophet

I’ve had a deep respect for the Word of God since I was a young man. I remembered reading the names of people I couldn’t pronounce. I remember being a bit freaked out at the prophets and how they foretold things that were coming. As a youngster I couldn’t wrap my head around how they knew what was coming.

I began the book of Amos this morning and right out of the gate I discover that he’s a shepherd from Tekoa and his name means “burden bearer” and he was called to be a spokesman for God. Here is a regular guy called to speak about things that are about to happen way before they happen. Check this out….

1 The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa – the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. (Amos 1:1 NIV)

There are many self-proclaimed prophets today. I’m not always sure that they are speaking the Lord’s word or their own. I suspect that it’s pretty difficult to discern when a person’s opinion comes out at “this is what the Lord says.” In the New Testament Jesus spoke of prophets from the Lord and He called out false prophets. I believe it’s important to be discerning when trusting a self-proclaimed prophet. John gives us a plan to “test the prophet”. Check this out…

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:1-6 NIV)

Another more practical way to test a prophet is if what they say prophesy comes true that is certainly an important part in trying to discern if their message is from the Lord or from their opinion.

This is not easy – I do believe that the Lord will NOT contradict His Word through prophets of today. If prophets today speak something that is contrary to His Word, I believe they’re a false prophet. I will do my best to study the Word of God and seek His Heart in order to hear Him and know Him. I trust His Word over people who interpret or speak of or about His Word. I am not a prophet – just a follower of Jesus who wants to know Him more with each passing day. The words I write here are simply how His Word speaks to my heart.

Pressing On!

Dwayne