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From the Zondervan Handbook to the Bible:
"In the New Testament too, prophecy played a very important role in the life of the people of God. There was those, like Agabus (Act 21:10) and Philip's daughters (Acts 21:9) who were known for having specific prophetic gifts. However, very few people are actually identified as prophets; rather the gift of prophecy is presented as belonging to the whole church. Particular individuals might be used by God to bring specific messages from God to his people, but the emphases is on the MESSAGE and the response of the church rather than the one who brought it.
In the New Testament church, all believers were now viewed as having a priestly role, able to enter into the presence of God without need of any priestly mediator other than CHrist himself (Hebrews 10:19-22, 1 Timothy 2:5). There are strong indications that all were aslo viewed as having a prophetic role, able to hear for themselves, what God was saying and bring their understanding of that to church for it to be weighed and worked out (1 Corinthians 14: 29, 31)
AND TODAY?
For today's church and today's Christian the challenge of prophecy remains. We are still called upon to speak out about the justice and holiness and love of the great God whom we serve, and we are still called upon to live out that justice and holiness and love.
We may not all be among those who are recognized as prophets, regularly able to encapsulate the essences of the things that God wants his people to hear, in a way that is immediately recognized as valid by all those who belong to God and genuinely seek his word. But if all believers are in direct relationship with God, there is the potential for all believers to hear what God is saying.
IF this is true, it is vitally important that WE ARE ALL GOOD LISTENERS; able to listen to what God is saying so that we can share it with others and be able to listen to what others are saying to us so that we can judge whether God is speaking to us through them."
Just thought I'd share that with my brothers and sisters in Christ have a blessed day.
YouTube - Who Am I - Casting Crowns
"In the New Testament too, prophecy played a very important role in the life of the people of God. There was those, like Agabus (Act 21:10) and Philip's daughters (Acts 21:9) who were known for having specific prophetic gifts. However, very few people are actually identified as prophets; rather the gift of prophecy is presented as belonging to the whole church. Particular individuals might be used by God to bring specific messages from God to his people, but the emphases is on the MESSAGE and the response of the church rather than the one who brought it.
In the New Testament church, all believers were now viewed as having a priestly role, able to enter into the presence of God without need of any priestly mediator other than CHrist himself (Hebrews 10:19-22, 1 Timothy 2:5). There are strong indications that all were aslo viewed as having a prophetic role, able to hear for themselves, what God was saying and bring their understanding of that to church for it to be weighed and worked out (1 Corinthians 14: 29, 31)
AND TODAY?
For today's church and today's Christian the challenge of prophecy remains. We are still called upon to speak out about the justice and holiness and love of the great God whom we serve, and we are still called upon to live out that justice and holiness and love.
We may not all be among those who are recognized as prophets, regularly able to encapsulate the essences of the things that God wants his people to hear, in a way that is immediately recognized as valid by all those who belong to God and genuinely seek his word. But if all believers are in direct relationship with God, there is the potential for all believers to hear what God is saying.
IF this is true, it is vitally important that WE ARE ALL GOOD LISTENERS; able to listen to what God is saying so that we can share it with others and be able to listen to what others are saying to us so that we can judge whether God is speaking to us through them."
Just thought I'd share that with my brothers and sisters in Christ have a blessed day.
YouTube - Who Am I - Casting Crowns