I just posted on hope - and how knowing the future can interfere with it.
It's Wednesday now and I've had a little more "processing time" after seeing the "prophet" at my church. I've been waiting on a call from my pastor since Monday (sometimes it takes a while to get through his assistant, who was out of the office).
I've led a sheltered life. This is the first time that I've seen (in person) a "modern day prophet" in action.
I didn't trust her. Here's what happened. The "apostle's" wife (the prophet) came up on the stage at the end of the service and offered a prophecy to the pastors and their wives. She had talked about the time they had all spent together and the prophecy didn't seem like anything that she would not have gleaned just from being with these people for several hours over dinner. Then she "prophesied" over the church. Basically, follow your leaders. (I think there might be a reason for that.)
Then, after the congregation was released, she stayed on the stage and "prophesied" over individuals. Some things I'm pretty sure that she could not have known, others she might have asked a question or two and found out something.
But there was a crowd of people who wanted to know what was in their future. Is this what God wants for us - really?
Does He really want us chasing after the Christian equivalent of fortune tellers, or does He want us leaning on Him; trusting in His goodness?
God didn't send His prophets to tell His people that they (as individuals) were going to marry this man or that woman; that they were going to move to a different city, that they were going to change jobs or that their future was rosy.
No.
When God sent His prophets, they told the people exactly what they did not want to hear.
The woman I saw on Sunday told people only good things. And vague things. And things that will be forgotten in a short time.
We laugh at the "prophet" on the street corner. You know - the one that doesn't look the way we think a prophet should look. The one that probably looks the way John the Baptist looked after living in the desert and eating grasshoppers for a few months. The one that tells us that the end is near. Yeah. That one.
But the pretty one in the nice suit, we flock to. You know - the one that tells us that everything is going to be good. The one that tells us we're going to lose weight. Or that we're not going to be alone. Yeah. That one.
It brings doubts to my mind when we only embrace the "prophet" that tells us the pretty things.
thought?
Susanna
ISn't it amazing how readily we will listen and believe if we hear nice things? NO wonder people do not like the message of Salvation. That is far from pretty with regard to our human state.
I don't know you, or anything about you, but I would be very wary of any 'prophet'. As you rightly point out, God does not tell us everything. Just as well, as some of us may have very hard times ahead. But what He does tell us is that His word The Bible is sufficient for us. He does not hold back any good thing from us. So why should we go seeking things He has not freely shown us? We are warned about adding to or taking away from God's word. So we should rely on it,and on Him for our futures and listen to the small voice in the quietness of our souls, not seek mans interpretation. Very good point about different prophets though. Appearance can be very deceptive.
Ellen
thanks for stopping by. I'm really starting to delve into this subject.
😉
rabbi-philosopher
I like this Ellen; very telling. jb
We laugh at the "prophet" on the street corner. You know - the one that doesn't look the way we think a prophet should look. The one that probably looks the way John the Baptist looked after living in the desert and eating grasshoppers for a few months. The one that tells us that the end is near. Yeah. That one.
But the pretty one in the nice suit, we flock to. You know - the one that tells us that everything is going to be good. The one that tells us we're going to lose weight. Or that we're not going to be alone. Yeah. That one
Anonymous
Ellen,
So what did your Pastor say?
-Shrode from thinklings
Ellen
eeeee...he hasn't called back yet. In the middle of that I lost my cell phone and that's the phone number I left on his voice mail - so if he didn't want to leave a message, there was a day when he couldn't get hold of me.
Then we went out of town. So I left another message today - he's out of the building.
I'll let you all know tomorrow what's up.
Ellen
update - I left another message yesterday and emailed today. The pastor had his assistant try to reach me (apparantly unsuccessfully) to make an appointment. I was not able to get through to her and she has not reached me (or left a message on voicemail)