How to determine real life prophets

User avatar
darinhouston
Posts: 3112
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:45 am

How to determine real life prophets

Post by darinhouston » Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:58 pm

darinhouston wrote:Who decides whether they are actual real life prophets ?
mkprr wrote:I'd like to have this discussion, if there are existing threads please let me know where to find them.
Here ya go...

User avatar
selah
Posts: 329
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:59 pm

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by selah » Fri Apr 10, 2009 11:39 pm

sincerely sorry, I posted here by mistake :oops:

have a nice day :roll:
Jesus said, "I in them and you in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." John 17:23

SteveF

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by SteveF » Sat Apr 11, 2009 6:56 am

sincerely sorry, I posted here by mistake
Selah, does this mistake determine you’re not a real life prophet? :)

Sorry, I couldn't resist. :)

User avatar
selah
Posts: 329
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:59 pm

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by selah » Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:52 am

SteveF wrote:
sincerely sorry, I posted here by mistake
Selah, does this mistake determine you’re not a real life prophet? :)

Sorry, I couldn't resist. :)
SteveF,

:lol: uhh...er...well...you don't need to be afraid of me!

To quote the OT:
"But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' ---When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." Deut. 18:20-22 :lol:
Jesus said, "I in them and you in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." John 17:23

User avatar
christopher
Posts: 120
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:50 pm

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by christopher » Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:29 am

I once heard Steve quote one of his friends, "Whoever claims to be a prophet, is one".

Of course, the implication of that statement that they are either a true prophet or a false prophet....which according to Paul, is for other in the church to test and judge (1Cor 14:29, 1 Thes 5:20-21). I assume that means those in the presence of the prophesy at the time it is given.

User avatar
Danny
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:52 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by Danny » Sat Apr 11, 2009 1:24 pm

A couple of thoughts regarding prophets:

The model of the New Testament church was of small interconnected communities (ekklesia), wherein each person (male and female) had the opportunity to function for the building up of the community. In knowing one another--worshiping and sharing life together--people's tendencies, abilities, shortcomings and spiritual gifts were recognized and known. Paul's lists of body gifts in Eph 4:11-13 and 1 Cor 12:27-30 are assumed to occur within the context of interactive community. When Paul writes to the ekkesias in Rome he expresses his desire to be with them so that he can encourage them with his spiritual gift(s) and, in turn, that he will be encouraged by theirs (Rom 1:11-12). There is a noticeable lack of hierarchy. Instead there is interdependence and egalitarianism.

I have known real life prophets. It is because I have known them first as friends and fellow worshipers of Christ that I could recognize and trust their prophetic gifting. I could also recognize when they were forcing it. Our gifts are intended to function within community, not only for the benefit of the community, but because each of us needs the checks and balances of faithful friends to keep us from going off the deep end.

The problem with prophets comes when they are not known by and accountable to the community. Self-proclaimed (or organizationally-proclaimed) prophets come into town claiming to speak for God. This was a problem that the early church was beginning to struggle with as it expanded, as evidenced by the guidelines about prophets provided in the Didache (http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/t ... berts.html -- See chapters 11 & 13).

In my view then, the first test of a prophet is this: Do I know them? Are they a part of my community? If not, are they known and in community and accountable to others whom I personally know and trust? If not, I'll pass. God is not niggardly with His spiritual gifts to His body. He gives them freely. Within a community of Jesus followers who are open to receiving and sharing His gifts, there will not be a shortage of prophets or anything else.

Additionally, the presence of prophets in our midst does not negate or diminish our ability--nay, our responsibility--to hear directly from God and follow accordingly. As the author of 1 John wrote, "As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in Him." (2:27)
My blog: http://dannycoleman.blogspot.com

“Both read the Bible day and night, But thou read’st black where I read white.”
-- William Blake

Jill
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:16 pm

Post by Jill » Sat Apr 11, 2009 6:07 pm

.
Last edited by Jill on Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:03 pm, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
christopher
Posts: 120
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:50 pm

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by christopher » Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:36 am

Mort! good to see you. What's up with the "Danny" pseudonym? ;)

Great thoughts on prophets. You've expressed pretty much what I've come to understand also.

SteveF

Re: How to determine real life prophets

Post by SteveF » Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:15 am

Danny wrote:
Our gifts are intended to function within community, not only for the benefit of the community, but because each of us needs the checks and balances of faithful friends to keep us from going off the deep end.
Good point Danny. I don’t see today's "prophets" in the same sense as a Jeremiah etc... Therefore I'm willing to give them more latitude when making mistakes. The sword cuts both ways though. I also don't consider myself to be under any obligation to listen to what they say unless I have compelling reasons to do so. I'm inclined to think God wouldn't want us to look to any one person as the "answer man" anyway. This would ultimately move Christ out of his rightful place in our lives.

I don't have contact with prophets like you do Danny. The people I know, who liken themselves prophetically gifted, are almost always wrong in their predictions/observations.
Last edited by SteveF on Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Jill
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:16 pm

Post by Jill » Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:18 pm

.
Last edited by Jill on Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:04 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Post Reply

Return to “Latter Day Saints (aka Mormonism)”