Saturday, March 22, 2014

Amaziah, the priest of the false shrine at Bethel, demanded that Amos stop prophesying.

14    Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: " I was no prophet, Nor was I a son of a prophet, But I was a sheepbreeder And a tender of sycamore fruit.
15     Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, And the LORD said to me, ' Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'

I have seen Christians defend their unsuccessful use of power by citing their education and accomplishments. Actually, their education was often based on misunderstanding of Scripture, and their past success is a lot less than they admit.

Amos had a clear, rock solid call from God to do what he did. A spiritual weakling, a confused saint, or a misguided "legend in his own mind" cannot be a prophet.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Hosea 9: 7-8 tells us about a problem in ancient Israel. "The prophet is a fool, The spiritual man is insane, Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity. The watchman of Ephraim is with my God; But the prophet is a fowler's snare in all his ways --- Enmity in the house of his God."

Without being a prophet, the watchman continued to tell the truth. The prophets and spiritual men had collapsed spiritually due to the wickedness around them, but the watchman stayed true.

Anyone can speak God's Word when it is easy and safe. Speaking God's Word when it is unpopular and dangerous is another matter. Christians with the gift of prophecy will be under more stress when things are bad, and they have to have strength from God to hold up under that stress.