Are there genuine Prophets Today

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

What is a Prophet? What is the purpose of the prophetic ministry? Why were they given to the Body of Christ?

"If you don't know the purpose of a thing, you will abuse it" by Dr. Myles Monroe

I believe god is speaking to His body today. He body is the Church. God is not speaking through islam or the prophet mohammed if he did Jesus would have spoken of him. God is not speaking through buddah or hinduism because if so Jesus Christ who is the Word of God whould have spoken about it in the Bible.

God is not speaking throught the Jehovah's Witness, they have so many false predictions. God is not speaking through the Church of Latter day Saints (Mormons) God has not given no new revelations.

The 66 books in the Bibles is God's word to man. This must be excepted by faith and not by head knowledge.

God has sent to the body of Christ Prophets, to proclaim the word that has already been written. Prophets make clear the Word of God so the believer can live a victorious life.

Rev. 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Worship is the key, man was created for worship. As we worship God in spirit and in truth the spirit of prophecy is manifested in our lives. God is raising up a prophetic people to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Numbers 11:29
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!

To operate in the Office of a prophet is not for self edification. Everything that we do or say is done to the glory of God. The prophet lives to God make God look good, not himself or herself.

The gift of Prophecy
1 Cor. 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
This gift can be stirred up by prayer and worship. Read the scripture and believe the Word of the Lord. 2 Tim. 1:6, Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. The preaching and teaching will be stronger because the individual is depending on the Power of the Holy Ghost to teach and preach through them, thus giving all the glory to God. God get the Glory because the person is not speaking out of self, but speaking out of the Gift of God. The true prophet will speak to men and women for edification, exhortation and comfort.
This realm of the Holy Spirit is given by grace.

The Doctor Temptation

[edafan]

MikeNYC
Aba21
Curet30
Ivory Fair

not necesarilly in that order

edafan

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

edafan said:

MikeNYC
Aba21
Curet30
Ivory Fair

not necesarilly in that order

edafan

[Ivory Fair]

Not in my understanding of the New Testament Dr. T.

I Cor. 13: 8-9 says...... "........But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears."

In this instance "perfection" is referring to the Word of God. During the first century church, there was a need for people to profess the will of God and his plan for salvation because the Word of God had not been fully written.

The Word of God became complete with the completion of Revelation. Revelation 22:18 says, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book."

Ephesians 4 clearly indicates that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were meant to be temporary... "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. " Again, we have now received the measure of the fullness of CHrist via the Bible.

Add to that the fact that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only delivered via the laying on of hands by an Apostle. Peter and John went to Samaria so that the new Christians there would have the gifts. There is no example of anyone performing the gifts without that power being passed on to them from an Apostle. Since all of the Apostles are dead, well, see my point?

In other words, God's Word is complete and there is nothing left to profess.

That's my take on it anyway.

[Elbridge]

edafan said:

MikeNYC
Aba21
Curet30
Ivory Fair

not necesarilly in that order

edafan

[curet30]

Hi Edafan...

I appreciate the vote but I am far from being any type of prophet. As a student of the Bible, the qualifications of a prophet requires his sayings (prophecies) are to be 100% accurate. That is why I despise the title Prophet, where announcements like "Prophet so and so will be speaking at our church this afternoon" are made.

Please turn to DEUTERONOMY 18:18-22 (NIV) 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death." 21 You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

[Dbaby]

I think there are prohpets today, but I doubt anybody would either recognize or believe someone if they said they were one.

I honestly believe that when the second coming happens, if Jesus just appears on earth and says he's Jesus, someone would put him away.

[Ivory Fair]

I think there are prohpets today, but I doubt anybody would either recognize or believe someone if they said they were one.

And I'm willing to go on record saying that *I* would not.

[curet30]

Dbaby said:

I think there are prohpets today, but I doubt anybody would either recognize or believe someone if they said they were one.

I honestly believe that when the second coming happens, if Jesus just appears on earth and says he's Jesus, someone would put him away.

Hi Dbaby...

The second coming of Jesus is described in detail and it states he will NOT set foot on earth but he will appear in the clouds and all believers will return with Jesus in the clouds. The dead in Christ will rise (from their graves) first and those who are alive will be caught up together with Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

[DrTemptation "Doc T"]

There are Apostles and Prophets. God is raising up anointed men and women who will not compromise the the Gospel of the kingdom of God.

These are the last days and god is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh. God is calling empty vessels, empty of self and ambition....full of Agape love

[curet30]

DrTemptation said:

There are Apostles and Prophets. God is raising up anointed men and women who will not compromise the the Gospel of the kingdom of God.

These are the last days and god is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh. God is calling empty vessels, empty of self and ambition....full of Agape love

Hi DocT

Isn't the qualification of an Apostle one that witnessed Jesus' earthly ministry, His death, burial and resurrection? All appointed by Jesus. Seems like He made an exception with Paul. Were not slso the Apostles the foundation of the New Testament church. Why were there be a need to build a second foundation, let's say on the 3rd floor of building? Or are the qualities, qualifications or characteristics of Apostles in 2005 different from the appointed ones in teh first century. I just need an undertanding bruh ;D

Also, what is the difference between the 1st century Prophets and the Prophets of today? Again, my understanding is that a prophet must be 100% accurate. One of my church brothers used this example "Joe, on June 21, 2010 you and your son will be riding on Main Street at 1:25PM in a blue Lincoln navigator, 2009 model while your wife and daughter are home" If it doesn't come to pass, that man was not prophesying from God.

[nateboomer]

curet30 said:

what is the difference between the 1st century Prophets and the Prophets of today? Again, my understanding is that a prophet must be 100% accurate..

True prophets of God in the first century never prophesied anything that was opposed to the plans, character and attributes of God. But just like in the alpha century, there are many of them today. Their own imaginations and the desire for recognition and prominence caused and causes them to say weird and unbelievable things;

e.g. Benny Hinn: Jesus would start to appear physically on the platform in "one of our crusades" (April 20, 2000),

'All homosexuals in America would be destroyed by fire by 1995' (Dec. 31, 1989)

'Castro will die in the 1990's' (Dec. 31, 1989).

Through Jeremiah (23) God says, "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?....... Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. "Therefore," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes," declares the LORD, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The LORD declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the LORD. "They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the LORD."

So called prophets nowadays are consantly getting into hot water. Just watch TBN. The more false prophecies some of these"prophets" make, the bigger their congregation gets; strange. In debating some Jehovah's Witnesses, some are very good friends of mine; we disagree agreeably, i always point to the dozens of false prophecies that the Watchtower has made. I give them the date and name of the publication so that they can look it up for themselves. Their answer, 'they only had a little light at the time.' I say, no matter how much light God gives, if it is truly from Him, What you prophesied will come to pass. One false prophecy disqualifies you.

There really is no need for prophecy as far as the end of time is concerned. From Genesis to the last book Revelation gives us all we "need" to know about the coming Savior and where some of us will spend eternity. However, God reserves the sole right to Sovereingly reveal whatever He wants to whomever He wants whenever He wants. As Psalms states, 'God does as He pleases'.

As far as Apostles are concerned, it comes from the Greek word Apostolos which means, the sent one or envoy. Here are some excerpts from
"Word Of Truth Ministries" by Pastor Frank Jones about those who claim this moniker:

"Self-appointed ministers have always heaped upon themselves lofty titles they do not qualify for and cannot bear its behavioral load.Today more than ever, men seem to be taking on the title of apostle, but anyone can go to a dictionary, a mere reference of a word's meaning, and find that apostle means a messenger, one sent forth, etc.That is a rough approximation of the meaning used in common discussions, but that meaning is quite different from how God defines apostle.

What modern man has done generally is concocted his own definitions of God's word and his own standards of morality and attempted to place those on God. But God will not be bound by man's ways of thinking or by man's definitions and standards of morality. This behavior is man's transposition of truth. Human beings must, instead, comport themselves to God's ways. And He has declared that His ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts. [Isa. 55:8-9] But these people unknowingly testify against themselves as they twist God's word to fit their destiny of destruction.

When the justice of God is slow in coming, that slowness prompts men to position themselves and God's people into thinking the justice of God will never come; so they do as they please and attempt to make God's word conform to their flawed reality. [Ecc. 8:11; 2 Pet. 2:3] But the wrongly divided word of God is not what God is saying; it is what man wants God to say. God's thoughts and ways are different.

Knowing the terror of God, I would be more than concerned for one who is so presumptuous as to take on the title of apostle. For one to take on that standard, one must be able to live up to it; a failure to live up to that standard while still maintaining the title is to pull the original apostles down, and that is very dangerous indeed. It is dangerous to the one who does it and to those who follow such a one. Jesus said that they both will fall into the ditch. [Matthew 15:14]

There are those of low self-esteem who have sought a dangerous way to salvage their low self-esteem by reaching into godly areas without the requisite qualifications. They reach for a godly title they do not qualify for and put it on. But that is a very dangerous endeavor indeed. For the foundation of God stands sure: The Lord knows those who are his, and everyone who names the name of Christ will depart from iniquity!

Instead of playing in the things of God, by taking on titles they cannot possibly qualify for, I suggest that the apostles of modernity may want to find another way because the justice of God is sure; it will come and will not tarry, and the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber will answer it and condemn them all.

I further sugggest that we be careful, lest you fall into the hands of the living God! [Heb.10:31]

-Nate "Boomer"

[curet30]

NateBoomer -

Thank you very kindly for your time to post your message.

You seem to be a student of Hank Hanegraaf. ;D

I probably have that same info on the Watchtower failed prophecies with publications and page numbers to boot.

Speaking of titles, my pastor (the humblest man I know) does not get into titles as many do. Some programs, on outgoing appointments, have him listed as 'APOSTLE' or 'THE RIGHT REVEREND' but he continues with his appointed title of Bishop and makes no fanfare of it.

[nateboomer]

curet30 said:

NateBoomer -

Thank you very kindly for your time to post your message.

You seem to be a student of Hank Hanegraaf. ;D

I probably have that same info on the Watchtower failed prophecies with publications and page numbers to boot.

Speaking of titles, my pastor (the humblest man I know) does not get into titles as many do. Some programs, on outgoing appointments, have him listed as 'APOSTLE' or 'THE RIGHT REVEREND' but he continues with his appointed title of Bishop and makes no fanfare of it.

Not only are you welcome, but "You" must be a prophet Curet30. As i write this, i am listening to the Bible Answer Man with Hank Hanegraaff. Though i don't always agree on everything he says, he has a monumental handle on biblical interpretaion which is, at times, remarkable. Oddly, i haven't listened to Hank much in the last two months. I am currently listening to the fascinating apologetics of Ravi Zacharias who can be heard on "oneplace.com" under, "Let My People Think."

As long as your pastor knows what God has called him to, it's a good that titles don't move him. It is when we start believing the hype about what people say about us is when pride and ego takes over and we get in deep trouble; And we know that God hates pride. As i became more aware of the sovereingty and divinity of God, i haven't warmed up to the term "Reverend." In fact i totally disagree with it because God is the only one we Should "Revere" for only he is worthy of "Reverence".

I have numerous documentation about the Watchtower as well as books on the subject. To paraphrase Hank, 'you want to be so well grounded in the truth, that when a counterfeit looms on the horizon, you will know it immediately'.

-Nate "Boomer"