Are you a Prophet?

[ember]

The thing is, even prophets in the OT spoke forth the word of God...their main function seems to have been to TURN WAYWARD PEOPLE BACK TO GOD

the did not glorify themselves and they did not try to lord it over others

all a prophet can do, really, is speak what they believe God gives them to speak....it seems a very real problem in the current trend (because it is a trend...make no mistake) is to extract worship from people...

how would that look? well simple! it would look like people going to the prophet rather than to God!

and they would not have it any other way!

as the NT states, we have not come to a mountain that is smoking and quaking and from which fire spurts

18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,20because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[SUP]c[/SUP]21The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[SUP]d[/SUP]22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”[SUP]e[/SUP] 27The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our “God is a consuming fire.”[SUP]f HEBREWS 12
[/SUP][SUP]

We have a high priest who is Christ the Lord...who is familiar with our infirmities and who knows our weaknesses

but see...He does not manipulate and attempt to instill fear...He calls us His friend if we do the things He asks of us

So, don't call out for Moses...call instead for Christ and for understanding[/SUP]

 

[robinriley]

Oh dear Robin. I think to say something so outrageous you would need to back it up with scripture. Though I can't see how you will manage that when it is God Who heals, not man, and He never changes.

(Robin)
You're not being clear (to me, at least) ... it looked as if you originally said that God doesn't take back gifts; so are you now
saying that this was an intentionally outrageous (misleading) statement?
That I countered with the ... apparent ... taking back of Paul's ability to heal, is something that one can glean from the scriptures, so I thought it worth mentioning. Guess what I'd expected of you (this being a discussion) was either agreement,
or some explaination of why my point, about Paul's gift, isn't either true, or not applicable to the topic? Ummmm?

(Convaiaria)
Though I can't see how you will manage that
when it is God Who heals, not man, and He never changes.

(Robin)
And what, pray tell, am I to make of ... "that" ...
You can't see how I will manage what?

But I do agree with you about the healing, it is God Who ultimately is the healer.
He, also, makes it rain ...

(vaiaria)
Does not! Rain comes from the clouds!

(Robin)
It's a matter of perspective; Who do you think makes the clouds?

(vaiaria)
The Weatherman!

(Robin)
Right you are!

 

[psalm6819]

Your comment was unkind and you should have kept it to yourself. If the Lord is alerting you to something sensitive, (which I doubt in this instance) pray first, because there is no shortage of people who will would like to jump in and agree with unkindness.

yes, my first comment was unkind but this seems a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[convallaria]

(Convallaria)
What will you do with this word severally ? Look it up.

(Robin)
It's unclear ... to me ... what you're doing here?


(Convallaria)
Speaking of the gifts: 1 Cor 12:11
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man nseverally as he will.


(Robin)
What translation are you reading ... just checked and there isn't any variants, here, between the the Alexandrian and Byzantine, so the odd reading must simply be that of the particular translation ...

Ahhh ... are you using Youngs translation, then? It's usually a very good translation, by the way ...just not here!

(Convallaria)
What will you do with this word severally ? Look it up.

(Robin)
Better yet ... I'll give you the actual Greek words, and you can compile your own, more accurate, reading ...
It's not all that hard; I'll give you tools (declinations, parsings; Strong's numbering even); I will also give
you my own reading, of course, but feel free to come up with your own, just do it intelligently.

The particular word,(adverb) the one you and Young are reading as "severally" ... Rotherham read, here, as "peculiarly"
which is even more ... peculiar? The actual word, in the Greek is καθὼς ... transliterated as kathOs ...
the Strong's number is 2531, it's Goodrich/Kohlenberber number is 2777 ...Spiros Zodhiates's Word Study says it means
"according as" ...implying manner ... "such as" ...


i agree with Zod's "according as" but think that it should be shown to the reading as hyphenated, in order to indicate that
it's all one word in the Greek ..."according-as" ...

"Yet to all these [manifestations] it operates,
the one and the same spirit apportioning unto own, unto each [one]
according-as He intends."

Actually, this was a difficult verse for me, in that it's God Who gives the gifts ..."according as HE intends" ...
but God is doing this via His spirit ..."yet to all these [manifestations] IT operates" ... that is, I had to do
some mental juggling there, in order to make it read appropriately.

But back to the topic thread ... notice that I've added (in [brackets], by the way) the word "[manifestatons]"
because the demonstrtive pronoun "to these [things]" was stand-alone ... it refers back, of course, to all the
different graced gifts (as manifested by the spirit) in verses 12:9 -10 ...

I'm rambling, sorry ... these individual gifts are individually given, and show up, as the spirit of the gift manifests the given gifts ...
but what I find interesting, and relivent to the topic, is that the context appears to indicate that these gifts are, indeed,
EACH given to an individual. That is, I'm unable to "read into" these verses that an individual is intended to receive more than a single gift? ..."it operates, the one and the same spirit apportioning unto own, unto each

Convallaria)
What will you do with this word severally ? Look it up.


(Robin)
I did ... it actually says "according-as" ... now you look it up!


***


12:11 πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἐνεργεῖ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα, διαιροῦν ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ καθὼς βούλεται.

panta de tauta energei to hen kai to auto pneuma diairoun idia hekastO kathOs bouletai
Yet to all these [manifestations] it operates, the one and the same spirit apportioning unto own, unto each [one] according-as He intends.

to all [things] {3956 A-APN} yet {1161 CONJ} to these [things] {3778 D-APN} it operates {1754 V-PAI-3S} the [thing] {3588 T-NSN} a one [thing] {1520 A-NSN} and {2532 CONJ} the [thing] {3588 T-NSN} a same [thing] {0846 P-NSN} a spirit {4151 N-NSN} apportioning {1244 V-PAP-NSN} unto an own [one] {2398 A-DSF} unto each a [one] {1538 A-DSM} according-as {2531 ADV} He intends {1014 V-PNI-3S}

Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 

[convallaria]

yes, my first comment was unkind but this seems a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Show me please where I have been unkind?

 

[robinriley]

Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

(Robin)
From my recent purchase, "The New Testament, An Expanded Translation," by Kenneth Wuest ...

"but of few things there is need, or of one,
for Mary chose out for herself the good portion,
which is of such a nature that it shall not hastily be snatched away from her."

And from one of my standards, The Dabhar Translation ...

"but there is little need for concern, or only one thing;
for Mary ouches the good part,
which will not be put removingly away from her."

Young's Literal reads this as ...

"but of one thing there is need,
and Mary the good part did choose,
that shall not be taken away from her."

There are a few variations in the source texts of this verse; seems it was found to be a difficult one, and different scribes tried different ways to smooth out the reading. I could give you my reading, if you ask for it; I dont ususally do verses outside of Paul's, but for you I'd make the acceptation ...

So then, why did you post this particular verse, here, in a topic thread where it doesn't appear to fit?

 

[Lancelot]

These would be TV prophets and you shouldn't watch that garbage because it will corrupt you.

Prophets make up a goodly proportion of the body of Christ, the others being teachers, evangelists, apostles and pastors. Everyone in the body is somewhere on that map and no one to be despised: however the roles and ministries do overlap. You can't put God in a box!

The problem for you is to see who the body of Christ is, as opposed to who SAY they are.

I didn't say anything about TV. I've been to church services where somebody claimed to be a prophet. I've known people who attended a service and had some prophet speak over them and they asked my opinion. I've met people who said that they were a prophet and they were all bent out of shape because their pastor wouldn't let them prophesy at their church. I've had people prophesy over me that God was going to send me to the Philippines. (That was over 20 years ago and I still haven't gone, nor do I have any leading in that direction.) Like I said, I've been in this thing for 40 years and I've seen just about everything. There are very few genuine prophets out there.

 

[chancer]

Where did my post go lol?

 

[chancer]

Hi bro,

Can I just ask you some questions please?

 

[weakness]

What are the qualifications to be a prophet?

That is a very key thing here.

Off the top of my head I know they were always 100 percent right because it was the Holy Spirit speaking thru them and not themselves.

What others were there?

​But God also sent deceiving prophets among the people, so 100 percent isn't always the case either. May be that's why other prophets should be in the meeting so they can discern, may be others don't or can't know what God is revealing. Prophesying isn't like making up a sermon on Sat. night and giving it Sun. I think as we grow in the LOrd we take on more of the fulness of Jesus and that would mean manifesting more of his nature, which is what the gifts are, manifestations of God himself. Paul said he was given a thorn in the flesh through Satan to buffet him so he would not be Proud or be esteemed as to God like. Something most of us don't have to worry about unfortunately. And that its in our weakness that God is revealed as the deliverer. Quit often God said he would send a lying spirit among the people because they were filled with lies and didn't want the truth. God will send them a Strong delusion so that they will be damned who believe not the truth.This is coming or is here so......watch out. The day might come when all of what we think is the Church is a lie! Read the old testament. Yet God will chastise and redeem those that are called by grace. Tribulation isn't God's wrath, and through much tribulation we will enter the kingdom. Thats what Jesus did and he is the express image of the Father. When Jesus returns will he find faith on earth? Maybe a remnant? Except he shorten the days ,no flesh would be saved. Don't expect some free ride out a here. More chance of being martyred than that multi-million $ industry ,the rapture

 

[convallaria]

​But God also sent deceiving prophets among the people, so 100 percent isn't always the case either. May be that's why other prophets should be in the meeting so they can discern, may be others don't or can't know what God is revealing. Prophesying isn't like making up a sermon on Sat. night and giving it Sun. I think as we grow in the LOrd we take on more of the fulness of Jesus and that would mean manifesting more of his nature, which is what the gifts are, manifestations of God himself. Paul said he was given a thorn in the flesh through Satan to buffet him so he would not be Proud or be esteemed as to God like. Something most of us don't have to worry about unfortunately. And that its in our weakness that God is revealed as the deliverer. Quit often God said he would send a lying spirit among the people because they were filled with lies and didn't want the truth. God will send them a Strong delusion so that they will be damned who believe not the truth.This is coming or is here so......watch out. The day might come when all of what we think is the Church is a lie! Read the old testament. Yet God will chastise and redeem those that are called by grace. Tribulation isn't God's wrath, and through much tribulation we will enter the kingdom. Thats what Jesus did and he is the express image of the Father. When Jesus returns will he find faith on earth? Maybe a remnant? Except he shorten the days ,no flesh would be saved. Don't expect some free ride out a here. More chance of being martyred than that multi-million $ industry ,the rapture

I think you have the answer there. In OT times the Holy Spirit was not poured out like He is in this church age, where every born again believer is only born again by receiving Him...and so having the Holy Spirit, and the mind of Christ, plus still having the flesh and the mind of flesh...we have to learn to distinguish between what the Holy Spirit is saying, and what is the will of the flesh, especially the religious flesh. When two or three prophets hear the same thing then God is among us.

Your posts are most enjoyable!

 

[DiscipleDave]

In the time of before Y-shua ascended into heaven and He sent the Holy Spirit on the Feast of Shavuot (feast of Weeks, Pentecost ((N.T)), the Holy Spirit was not given to the individual. (We were not so necessarily confused in the O. T.) Therefore, G-d would appoint a prophet. To be a prophet is simply to have foreknowledge. The Word of G-d is complete; there is no more adding onto the word. I believe that G-d can and does give foreknowledge to specific people about a specific situation; therefore they act in the “office” of a prophet. However, I truly believe one must in all humility and be sure to really know “This says the Lord” before one says flippantly, this says the Lord.

True, it is written in the Word of God that they who say this is from God or says God told them, and He did not tell them, that not only he would die, but his family would die as well. Woe to anyone who claims God told them something, if God did NOT tell them that, how will the escape the wrath of God.

Now granted many THINK they hear from God, but they FAIL to test the spirit, that is to say they do NOT compare to what is being said to the Word of God. If what is being told a person from God, does not line up with, or is contrary to the Word of God, that is NOT from God at all. For example a voice speaks to a person, and that person thinks it is God, and that voice says many True things to that person, and then says "now you must kill your parents, it is my will that you do so" This then is contrary to the Word of God thou shalt not kill. i don't care if that voice 99% of what was said lines up with Scriptures, It is the 1%, that makes it NOT from God.

Anyone who claims to hear from God and they did not hear from God, will suffer a greater damnation, than if he/she would have not said anything at all. Those who claim to hear from God, better be absolutely POSITIIVE it is indeed from God, because if you don't. God will avenge.

^i^ responding to post # 80

 

[DiscipleDave]

The thing is, even prophets in the OT spoke forth the word of God...their main function seems to have been to TURN WAYWARD PEOPLE BACK TO GOD

Their main function was to reveal to the people what God tells them to reveal to the people. Prophets did not, nor do they, reveal to the people from their own thinking or from their own minds, they reveal what God has told them, showed them, or revealed to them. A prophet is a human being, he is not divine. He is merely a vessel that God uses to tell the people what God wants them to know via the prophet. If the prophet spoke his own mind, then it is from him and not from God, whatever is from him (human) is prone to error, corruption, temptations, and the sway of satan.

What i teach is what God has told me, i merely repeat to this generation what He has told me. Now if i do give my (human) opinion on a specific matter, i will clearly say, this is from me, or this is my opinion, or this MIGHT happen or that MIGHT happen, these are from my own intellect and can be, and most of the time is, WRONG. But those things that God has told me, and i teach are from HIM, is the TRUTH, and they are NOT wrong. Even though those who live in the last days generation will altogether not hearken to the Truth nor even give ear to it, even as people have done for ages, rejecting the Truth, accepting that which is easy. Nothing i have said in any post here at CC or any other message boards, have been contrary to Scriptures, ONLY contrary to what people from this generation believes is the Truth. And if i say anything that is contrary to what they THINK is the Truth, they will NOT go to the Scriptures to see if those things i teach is True or not, NO, not this generation. They would rather just right me off as the one who does not KNOW the TRUTH, because it does not line up with what they themselves believe is the Truth, and that Truth which they think they have, came from men and their own interpretations of the Bible, and NOT from GOD. The Truth they believe they have is from man, NOT from GOD.

all a prophet can do, really, is speak what they believe God gives them to speak....it seems a very real problem in the current trend (because it is a trend...make no mistake) is to extract worship from people...

Anyone who remotely wants to be put on a pedestal, is no True Prophet. Anyone who thinks they are above the least of anyone, is no True Prophet. Anyone who does not LOVE ONE ANOTHER, is also no True Prophet. Also you say "all a prophet can do, really, is speak what they believe God gives them to speak.." Anyone who says what they BELIEVE God told them is one that should not be hearkened unto. If a person does not KNOW it is from God, but merely believe it may be God, has doubts, which is NOT of God. i KNOW to whom speaks with me, in the past, and that is God. i do not believe that what i teach is from God, i KNOW what i teach is from God.

how would that look? well simple! it would look like people going to the prophet rather than to God!

and they would not have it any other way!

This is True.

as the NT states, we have not come to a mountain that is smoking and quaking and from which fire spurts

18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,20because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[SUP]c[/SUP]21The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[SUP]d[/SUP]22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”[SUP]e[/SUP] 27The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our “God is a consuming fire.”[SUP]f HEBREWS 12
[/SUP][SUP]

We have a high priest who is Christ the Lord...who is familiar with our infirmities and who knows our weaknesses

but see...He does not manipulate and attempt to instill fear...He calls us His friend if we do the things He asks of us

So, don't call out for Moses...call instead for Christ and for understanding[/SUP]

Amen.

If i would have this generation do one thing, it would be this. LOVE ONE ANOTHER, and if i could endeavor to have this generation do one more thing it would be to forget EVERYTHING you have ever been taught by men and forget everything that you think you know, then read the Word of God and believe what it says. Children can understand the Word of God, leave it to the minds of men to corrupt the simplicity of it, by ADDING their own interpretation, altogether ignoring the Scriptures which plainly teach, that interpretations belong to God NOT TO MEN.

^i^ responding to post # 81

 

[presidente]

I also think many have the wrong idea of what a prophet does and what a prophet is, some think that a prophet is one who receives divine revelations via dreams visions or some other means and explains future events to come and warnings of mass destruction.

There is a Biblical reason to think of prophets as receiving visions and dreams.
Numbers 12
6And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. 7Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. 8With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" (ESV)

I wouldn't conclude from this that anyone who receives a dream from the Lord is a prophet. The Book of Job talks about God giving men dreams to warn them.

As far as warnings of mass destruction goes, there were prophets in the Old Testament who warned of invading armies and things like that. In the book of Acts, we read about Agabus prophesying a severe famine.

But I don't think a prophet is a prophet because of the particular prophet he prophesies on. Genuine prophesying is whatever the Spirit wants to say through a person. A message doesn't have to be about the future or about a calamity.

But I don't think this is what a prophet is, in my view a prophet is nothing more than a messenger, he or she hears God's message and they speak it to the people, they have an ear for God's voice. visions and divine revelations do not make one a prophet in my view, yes you may have the gift of prophecy but a prophet isn't just about prophecy they bear the the role of being God's voice to the ppl. in the Old testament when the jews were confused and needed direction they often times went to the prophet to hear what God would say to them.

If someone claimed to a prophet but never prophesied (spoke as carried along by the Holy Ghost), I'd consider his claim to be somewhat doubtful to say the least.

back then or at least as far as I have read not just anyone claimed to be a prophet but in this day and age many make this claim whether they are legit or not or whether they purposely misleading or not.

There were times in the Old Testament where there were relatively large numbers of prophets. There must have been a number of them before Jezebel. One man named Obadiah hid 100 prophets in two caves. The Ahab's kingdom had 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. But after Yahweh sent fire on Mt. Carmel and the people said, "Yahweh, he is God", it appears Ahab went back to having court prophets who prophesied in the name of Yahweh. Four hundred prophesied his victory, but Jehosophat knew better. He asked if there weren't any prophets of the Lord, and Ahab admitted that there was one through whom they might enquire of the LORD. So they had fake prophets back then, probably professional prophets. But a company of apparently genuine prophets formed again during the time of Elijah and Elisha.

I don't know if this is true or if it is biblical or not but I have always seen a prophet very high ranked in God's kingdom

Yes,, and this is a kingdom where the greatest shall be the servant of all. Prophesying is a ministry that serves others in the body of Christ, so it is a great gift. The

I have yet to meet one legit prophet but I do believe they exist still, after all I cannot say they don't exist anymore simply because I have not seen them yet however false prophets are very real and honestly I think a lot of them are simply confused, true there are some with dark intentions but I think many Think they are hearing God's voice when it is there own or even the enemies. our voice and the enemies voice is much easier to hear and can easily if we allow it be seen as God's voice.

I've encountered numerous people who I believe genuinely prophesy. I don't know how many of those are 'prophets'. Probably some are. To be a prophet, one doesn't have to be the ruler of a whole nation like Moses, and most prophets in Old Testament times probably didn't have the type of dramatic encounter before the whole nation that Elijah had on Mt. Carmel. I suspect not all of them were miracle workers either.

I can't tell you how much I want to meet a real legit prophet but searching on the web for one does no good not to mention if I did find one I likely would not be able to speak with them.

Why not? You probably would. They'd probably be so ordinary that you wouldn't recognize the person as a prophet.

Have you ever witnessed a specific prophecy that makes manifest the secrets of your heart or someone else's? Have you ever witnessed a prophecy in church that you recognized as a word from the Lord?

 

[presidente]

I've met people who said that they were a prophet and they were all bent out of shape because their pastor wouldn't let them prophesy at their church.

Well, the passage that tells us what to do in church does command 'Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge." But it doesn't specify that pastors can talk in church. They are included in the 'every one of you' who may speak in church.

I've had people prophesy over me that God was going to send me to the Philippines. (That was over 20 years ago and I still haven't gone, nor do I have any leading in that direction.)

People? Like more than one? Were these people who heard each other, or prophecies that were 'independent' from each other? I'd certainly pay attention if I went to one place and got a prophecy and went elsewhere and someone else prophesied more or less the same thing over me. I've experienced that sort of thing, btw.

If someone prophesied for you to go to the Philippines and it was really from God, and if you didn't go, does that mean the prophecy was false, or that you were disobedient? It's up to you to determine what decision you are going to make to honor the Lord with what information He's given you. If it was a false prophecy, then of course you don't have to follow it. But if it were a true prophecy, and you don't obey, then that doesn't make the prophecy false.

A number of things have been prophesied over me. Some have come to pass. Some haven't yet. I keep in mind the fact that Abraham waited a long time to have Isaac, and some Old Testament prophecies took centuries to be fulfilled. I'd imagine some Judeans had written Jeremiah off as a false prophet after a decade had passed without the country being taken over by an invasion.


Like I said, I've been in this thing for 40 years and I've seen just about everything. There are very few genuine prophets out there.[/QUOTE]

 

[pottersclay]

question......did a prophet introduce himself as a prophet or by the words that were
Spoken the person was declared a prophet?

2. What's the difference between someone having the word of knowledge and someone speaking prophecy?

 

[RussellJBenigno]

What's the difference between someone having the word of knowledge and someone speaking prophecy?

The word of knowledge is just that, a piece of information. A word of knowledge can just about be anything which brings an answer to prayer or gives knowledge to deal with something.
An example:
My motorcycle broke down on a back road and I had to leave it to stay at a hotel a couple of miles down the road. I got up the next morning and began hitching a ride. A car stopped to pick me up. The man prayed for God to show me what was wrong with the bike. Instantly in my mind I saw a small piece broken on the bikes points system. I went right to the bike and popped the points cover off and there it was just as I had seen it.

Prophecy on the other hand is a message from God to a particular person or group. The message will be what ever God directs. If it is a gift of prophecy or an office of prophet, they will always say what they are told with out altering the message. The prophesier understands they are representing God and therefore must not distort the Word of God.

 

[ember]

If the word of God never is distorted, then why is the Bible chock full of warnings about deception?

See, anyone can say they are a prophet and if the hearer believes that, then should they listen to the prophet or should they listen to God?

I sure know which one I am going to listen to

Since Jesus was the greatest prophet who ever lived, well, His words are as choice gold and precious silver and He does not lie and He does not misrepresent God and He does not curse those who disagree with Him...this is still the time frame wherein whosoever will may come and God help anyone who prevents another from personally knowing God by standing between that person and their Maker

 

[presidente]

If you were a prophetess you would have known.
Apostles are sent ones directly by Jesus. They were witnesses of Jesus and His resurrection.

The Bible doesn't actually say that. Paul lists being an apostle, being free, and having seen the Lord while explaining his right to live of the Gospel. He doesn't say you had to have seen the Lord to be an apostle.

What they wrote were as good as Scripture.

Most of the apostles, if they wrote everything, did not add any of their writings to scripture except for a couple of paragraphs that they sent jointly with the elders of Jerusalem. Do you think the apostles wrote nothing at all other than this, or are there apostolic writings missing from our Bibles in your opinion.

On a minor level 'sent ones' we call missionaries.

I think some missionaries are apostles, and that some who do not cross national boundaries are as well. Notice that Ephesians 4 tells us that Jesus ascended on high and gave gifts to men. The twelve were made apostles BEFORE the ascension, and Ephesians 4 talks about AFTER the ascension.

 

[presidente]

Severally comes from sever...to section off. He gives some to one, some other gifts to others as He wills.
I never said God takes back any gifts. Your objection should have been with Blain who seems to think one day he has one gift another day another gift ...day in and day out. Since God doesn't take away gifts, by now Blain should have ALL the gifts. Think about it.

There are some other issues we need to consider. At least certain gifts require us to get something 'on-the-spot' from God. They are synergistic, rather than monogistic. God has to work with us and cooperate through us and we are dependent on getting something from him to operate in them. A clear example is prophecy. If someone just stands up and prophesies whatever he wants from his own mind, that's not genuine prophesying. If someone can prophesy, He can 'hear' or perceive the message the Spirit gives him and speak it out. But he has to get the message to speak for it to be prophesying.

The apostles did miracles, signs, and wonders, but apparently, even though they had the ability to do miracles, they had some degree of dependence on God to do a miracle in an individual case. They had done many miracles already, but in Acts 4, they prayed that God would stretch forth His hand to heal and to do signs and wonders for the sake of His Servant Jesus. If miracles and healings were totally done at the will of the apostles-- like Superman using his heat vision at will--then why would they pray that? Why would Peter kneel and pray before raising Dorcas/Tabitha from the dead?

The apostles casting out demons, a kind of miracle, was also dependent on their faith.

Some people see the gifts and manifestations in the first part of I Corinthians 12 as a one-time-thing, that one healing is a gift, one prophecy is a gift. 'Gift' is a broad term, and something that is ongoing and repeatable can be a 'charisma.' But why couldn't a one-off thing be a 'charisma'-- a gift granted through the grace of our Lord?