prophecy

DON’T ZIGZAG WITH GOD’S WORD!

October 04, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss share another precious meditation…

Do you remember waiting for examination results? Year after year Britain’s BBC gives time to the anxiety, agony and ecstasy of the day when the results are posted.

In our day, which was when the Royal Mail was the main source of communication, we were on holiday and I (Norman) was waiting for the letter to arrive which would give the results of my second degree. We lived in a small English town back then and as we looked from the window we could see the postman coming down the street.

Not only did he move slowly, but he would actually pause, look at the address on a letter and go back to the other side of the street to deliver it. So his progress was a zigzag journey.

After a couple of frustrating days, my beloved Margaret rang up a friend in London and asked her to go to the university building where the results were displayed. After all what’s a bridesmaid for? So she kindly set our minds at rest and all was well. She had the word we were waiting for and it was good!

Carry God’s Word in Your Heart
We were meditating on 2Kings 3:12,‘Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him”’ and we felt the Lord was saying—  

‘Every true servant of mine carries my word in their heart and mind. My Holy Spirit dwells within you and will speak my words through you.

‘Just as Elisha needed to quieten his heart and to wait on me for my word, so you need to be in the secret place if you would bring prophetic words in time of need.

‘Do not despise prophecy but heed the words that are spoken either by others or by yourself. Yet weigh all things and walk in humility before me.

‘To have my word with you is the best thing that you could have. For my word—

  • Brings peace and contentment.
  • Conveys blessings and fruitfulness.
  • Shall be given and those who ask for it.
  • Is altogether the very best that you could ask for.
  • Gives grace and enables those who otherwise would be near to giving up.

‘For my word brings clarity to a situation, it brings understanding and peace for those who are anxious and worried. It brings comfort and solace to those in despair and brings life to those who are in exhaustion.

‘My word is everything and brings increase. Only believe with all your heart and it shall be done — most certainly!’

Dear readers — seek God’s word that will bless the discouraged. Have it in your heart, carry it straight to the needy one and deliver it. And don’t zigzag enroute!

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Norman and Margaret Moss — Link: charlesnmoss@gmail.com — pastored Queen’s Road Baptist Church, Wimbledon for over 30 years, experiencing charismatic renewal since the 1960s. Desiring still to encourage ministers, churches and groups hungry for more of the Holy Spirit, although ‘retired’ they preach and teach by Zoom, and contribute to Dr. Ayodele Afuye’s Vessels of Virtues Fire Ministries. They recommend Vessels of Virtues’ YouTube weekly presentations.
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MORE ABOUT THE PROPHETIC WORD

(May 26, 2021) Robert McQuillan responds to a further question on prophecy…

Dear Dr Robert
You explained to me a while back what a word of prophecy is. Please tell me some more. Jono

Dear Jono

All right… seeing we’ve just passed Pentecost Sunday, the one day of the church year we should gladly celebrate as it recalls the coming of the power of the Holy Spirit, I feel to share the following, Jono.

It used to be common practice for pastors (especially Pentecostal ones!) to allow this precious Holy Spirit gift to operate in Sunday services… as well as other meetings. What would happen would be along these simple lines… At an appropriate moment that didn’t disrupt the flow of the service especially the preaching, say, after an exhorting chorus or hymn, or general prayers, someone (not necessary the pastor or other church leader) would in faith speak forth an encouraging, perhaps directive, word of prophecy from the Lord. (They were allowing the Holy Spirit to use their voice and would ‘just’ know when to stop speaking. They would be natural in it all, never saying anything foolish like ‘Thus saith the Lord-da…’).

(more…)

WORD OF PROPHECY

(March 14, 2021) Robert McQuillan responds to a young man’s question …

Dear Dr Robert
I have a question. Can you tell me what is a word of prophecy?
Jono (Not real name)

Dear Jono

Prophesying means a Christian (not necessary only a church leader or minister) under divine inspiration from God boldly bringing a word – a message, short or longish – to bless and encourage people. Paul mentions it in 1 Corinthians 12 as being one of the nine supernatural manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit (Hence the divine inspiration aspect, not from one’s imagination ‘making things up’ just to please, win favour or misguide).

It’s a  gift that’s used in faith (itself one of the nine gifts), believing that we’re being directed by the Holy Spirit. (more…)

PROPHECY, DREAMS AND VISIONS

(March 10, 2021) Brian Bell shares a meditation…

Scripture often speaks of these three topics. It is not my intention to ‘major’ on them as individual topics but to share some thoughts from those well-known words of Joel 2:28 (NLT 1999) where the prophet says – ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will see visions.’

Prophecy
It is generally accepted that prophecy falls into two general categories… ‘foretelling’ when God gives an insight to what is yet to take place. And ‘forth telling’ when God gives a word speaking into a specific situation very often to bring encouragement to his children.  Prophecy is also a gift of the Spirit which several exercise today: God’s word, however he chooses to speak it, is foundational.

Take, for example, Joel 1:16(NLT) where the prophet declares, ‘No joyful celebrations are in the house of our God.’ I believe he was speaking of an experience prevailing at that time. The people’s spiritual experience of God had waned. Could it be that we see a parallel in our recent experiences?

For many months there hasn’t really been the same joyful celebrations in the house of God – wherever that may be for you – as in the best interests and well-being of our congregations we have resorted to live streamed services conducted by a small number of people in a controlled environment. Or to a computer application such as Skype or Zoom or similar tools which enable ‘virtual’ meetings.

I know that many faithful believers have struggled with this, saying we should never have given up our liberty to meet in fellowship. Whatever view we may take, the most important aspect is that our personal relationship with the Lord must be encouraged and enriched, as we continue to live for him without the support structure, we were used to in our church fellowships (which, God willing, we may soon resume, perhaps with renewed appreciation and enthusiasm). (more…)

PROPHETIC INTEGRITY

(January 23, 2021) Dr Jim McClure, straight shooting theologian, highlights ‘prophetic words’ false and genuine…

Well, it happened.  Donald Trump  failed in his bid to be re-elected as President of the United States.

While many media outlets have almost ecstatically delighted in reporting this fact, many people in America (and in other countries) are profoundly concerned about the policies that a Biden administration will pursue.

I mention this not to give a personal evaluation of recent political events in America but to draw attention to a related issue that needs to be considered by Christians – ‘prophetic words.’

Forthright prophesying
Let me make clear this fact – I believe in prophecy!

I believe that the prophetic gift was expressed by the prophets of the Old Testament at two levels: (more…)

CONFUSION IN THE CHURCH – PART 2

Jim McClureDr Jim McClure, noted theologian, writes more on this current danger …

‘The days are coming when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord’ (Amos 8:11).

In Part 1 I mentioned that the Hebrew word translated as ‘hearing’ in the above verse means ‘hearing with understanding.’ Despite the ready availability of the Bible today in many languages, there is much confusion in the minds of many Christians concerning many aspects of the Christian faith. (more…)