Tag: Prophet

Prophets For Profit

Micha 3:5-8

God cares for all men, even those living in willful sin, because everyone has the opportunity to surrender their hearts to Him. While some can be easily convinced, God is the obvious choice, others may require a bit more time for their hardened hearts to soften, so the Word of God can penetrate deep into their souls, to invoke change. For this particular reason, those who have been tasked with speaking the oracles of God to men, must be sure their lives are pure and holy before the Father, so they can always hear clear, and unadulterated prophecy.

Men and women who preach, teach, and proclaim God’s Word to others, are responsible for every word that proceeds from their lips, and what they feed into the hearts and minds of the people, they’ll be held accountable for. In our text, and even today, prophets who were blessed by God (at their initial calling) eventually gave in to idolatry at some point, and began causing innocent souls to fall short of God’s glory. Misleading people from godly platforms is a terrible thing to do, because the consequences that follow could be devastating.

The false prophets in our text, literally caused the people to err, or wander away from holiness, forcing God to step in, and execute strict discipline. God caused a darkness to come over them, so they would not be able to divine, the very sun went down upon their prophecy, causing their days to be darkened, the seers were ashamed, the diviners confounded, and God withheld speaking all messages through any of them. That’s like a bird, being made to fly, but then suddenly restrained, and forced to walk the earth.

Prophets were given authority from God, to do what most men were afraid of; be bold, as they were ordained “to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:10b). “Prophets weren’t ordained to hype up crowds, and collect big offerings, but to pull down and destroy kingdoms of darkness, and expose the hearts of men to the love of God.” (Ell Banks).

If you’re anxious to lead, or direct people to God, be warned, you better do it according to God’s holy standard, or you’ll be reprimanded as God sees fit.

Walk in love,

Ell

Young woman’s pregnancy is sign of Immanuel

Isaiah 7:10-17

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive…” (vs.14). Reading that line without taking into account spirituality, one would quickly presume that the idea of bringing forth a child by way of a virgin, is impossible, and preposterous. Everyone with “good” sense knows, babies are naturally conceived by way of the union between a man, and a woman, but all who have “God” sense understand that things work a little different in the realm of the Spirit. In Jesus, God took on human form, so He could die for our sins. Without needing the help of a natural man, the birth of Christ was made possible by the unfathomable power of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:18).

Isaiah prophesied many years before the immaculate conception, “a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name, Immanuel”, which means, “God with us”. God’s plan to have Christ come to the earth, to redeem man back to Himself wasn’t a last minute idea. In fact, the all wise God knows the end, from the beginning, and the plan of salvation was on the timeline of life events, before man was ever created.

It’s wise to trust a God who knows all things, is all powerful, and is in all places, at all times. That same God who visited the earth for 33 years, and set a standard we should live by today, continues to express Himself through His creation. Only through Christ, can we become one with the Father, and any other way will lead only to destruction. As we continue in this season of giving, remember to give thanks, not to Mary, who was only a vessel used to bring Christ into the world, but to the Savior of all mankind, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Walk in love,

Ell

Test the spirits

1 John 4:1-8

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Satan is also a spirit, and many who have been deceived, worship him blindly, according to the spirit of error. From generation to generation, God calls men and women to speak according to His Word, so that believers and be encouraged, and sinners can be saved. Like a good shepherd, it’s the duty of the Father to keep His sheep gathered and protected from all who would wish to harm them. The devil is the wolf, dressed in sheep’s clothing, who has worked diligently for thousands of years, to sway men’s hearts from believing in God, but the truth of God’s Word is potent enough to keep God’s people safe, because the enemy has already been defeated by the power in that same Word, since Christ took on the sins of the world, died, then arose with all power in His hand!

In the same way we see millions of men and women carrying on their duties on the earth, in the realm of the spirit, there are countless good and bad forces, doing what they were assigned to do as well. God’s Holy Spirit abides in the hearts of believers to comfort them, and bring back to their remembrance, all the words taught by Jesus. His duty is to encourage, inspire, and uplift the hearts of those who strive to be like Christ. On the contrary, the devil and his host demonic beings go to and fro, seeking whom they can kill, steal, destroy, and devour. Our text mentions how we are to test every spirit that influences a man, and not believe their words, except they be inspired by God. The text also mentions that the antichrist spirit is already in the world, deceiving the minds of many who aren’t rooted and grounded in the love of God. Preachers, prophets, teachers, and whoever claims to be called by God, must first confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, before we should believe anything else that proceeds from their lips. Those who deny that Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died, then rose up from the grave, are not of God, but of the devil.

Despite what we see going on, as the end draws nigh, disciples of Christ are to continue to love one another, because God is love. We can’t hate those who refuse to accept our proclamations of holiness and godliness, because the world isn’t tuned in to God, therefore they can hear Him through us, but to those who are of God, they hear us, and will continue abiding in the spirit of love and truth. Your love for others proves your love for God, so walk in love, but beware of deceiving spirits, that try to take that love away.

Walk in love,

Ell

Honor your elders

1 Timothy 5:17-22

Of all the things in life young people should keep in mind, but many often neglect is, the fact that one day they’ll get old. I remember a time when I could count on one hand, the gray hairs on my head and face, but finding them now is as easy as eeny meeny miny moe! Time stops for no man, and the world will continue to turn, despite how we live our lives, so it’s of great importance that we utilize the time God gives us to do good works, and give honor to those who have withstood the tests of time.

Without proper training and upbringing, children have the tendency to develop bad habits, one of which includes disrespecting adults. Gone are the days when the younger generation would use words like “yes sir”, and “yes ma’am” when engaging in conversation with their elders. Children today seem to have little, to no respect for adults, or any other authority for that matter. The Bible teaches clearly that we are to respect those who have lived long enough to gain experience, that can even help us live better lives. It annoys me when I see children who try to out-talk their parents, assuming their own knowledge is superior, when they’ve only been in existence five to ten years. God gives wisdom and understanding to parents to help them as they train up their children in the ways they should go, so the skills they’ll need when they get older can develop and mature over time.

The body of Christ should be a community where respect for elders is the norm, because many have ruled well, and worked hard, so that the people could grow spiritually, mentally, and possibly financially. It’s not an easy assignment to teach, preach, and try to consistently oversee countless men, women, and children, while also maintaining your own family and life affairs. In our text, Paul’s advice to Timothy was, to show honor and respect to the elders of the church, especially to those who rule well. That’s important, because some rule, and deserve respect for their position, but not for the way in which they rule. In the previous chapter, Paul prophesied that in the last days, some would depart from the faith, giving in to the persuasions of evil spirits, and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1). It’s evident we are living in this time, by the way in which many who were once firm believers in God’s Word, have been deceived, and joined allegiance with doctrines of devils.

Churches are being overrun by men who claim to be prophets (profits), Shepherds (wolves), and Apostles (pedophiles), who have been hired by satan, to tear up what God built up in the lives of many members who faithfully attend. We can show respect to a man for the title he bears, but if we discern his works are not aligned with holiness, the honor and respect he could attain, should be directed to those who rule well.

Times today are different from the past, yet the same. Although we live in a time where technology seems to be booming, the same evil spirits that roamed the earth in the days of old, continue to manipulate men today. Let your good works shine brighter than the evil the world promotes today, and take time to give honor to those who have lived long lives, working diligently to fulfill God’s Word. Always remember, one day, we’ll stand in the same place our ancestors once stood, and how we treat our elders now, will determine how the next generation will treat us.

Walk in love,

Ell

God’s salvation for all people

Isaiah 52:7-10

The prophet Isaiah revealed many things that are yet to take place, including the millennial period, when the Jewish missionaries will go from Jerusalem to evangelize the world, telling all men that Christ reigns in Zion. While this prophecy was partially fulfilled in the book of Romans, it will be manifested in full, during that millennial period. During this same period, “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (vs.10b). Salvation is more than simply accepting God in our hearts, but it’s witnessing God’s amazing power, working on the behalf of those who are committed to His will and purpose. The world cannot see the changed lives of all who are dedicated to God, but they will see His “bare, holy arm” manifested in the eyes of every nation.

There is coming a time, when this evil world will be judged, with all the inhabitants in it. God laid the foundation of how man is expected to live, in order to obtain eternal life. While some have taken advantage of the opportunity to dismiss sin from their lives, and exchange it for the mysteries of God, others willingly, and stubbornly reject the only One who can make their eternal existence relevant. God made salvation available for all men, even those who lived consistently in disobedience, because His grace is sufficient, and His love will embrace all who welcome Him into their hearts.

Knowing, and seeing how the Bible has already fulfilled most of what it predicted, men should have a greater desire to only do those things which are pleasing to God. How sad it will be for those who reject God now, to see that His words were indeed true, but on judgment day. In the same way the rich man, who refused to show love to a feeble and destitute Lazarus, asked for help while in hell, I can imagine how many people will beg and plead for God to show them mercy, when it’s too late.

When a hurricane is predicted to hit Florida, I watch how people scurry, and run rampant, in and out of stores to buy supplies that may be necessary to endure the storm, if it hits. People spend money, loading up on food, water, gas for generators, impact windows, and the whole nine yards, just to be sure they’ll last through the storm. I lower my head in sadness, wondering why won’t people prepare the same way for Christ’s return. This life is temporary; more like a dress rehearsal before the main show, so how we live today, will determine whether or not we’ll be on the right side of judgment, during the millennial reign of Christ.

“Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15).

Walk in love,

Ell

God-sent ravens to feed Elijah

1 Kings 17:1-7

Have I mentioned lately, how much God hates evil, and despises sin? If not, then here goes…God hates evil, and despises sin! Acts of sin defy God’s expected acts of obedience to His Word. When we willingly sin, we are choosing to side with baal, or satanism. No matter how pretty the picture is painted, sin is always wrong, and consistent acts lead to rebellion against God. God created man to bless him, and make him to prosper in all things, but when a man sins, inevitable consequences will always meet him on his path.

There was a man named Ahab, who assumed the throne to rule over Israel, during the time when king Asa ruled Judah. It’s been written, king Ahab did more evil in the sight of the Lord, than all who ruled before him. That’s intense! What could this man have possibly done, that excelled above those before him? For one thing, his biggest mistake was first, marrying one of the most wicked, and sinister women in Scripture (Jezebel), coupled with serving baal, building an altar for the pagan god, and worshipping him religiously. Verse 33 of chapter 16 reads, “and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him”. After reading that verse, you could safely assume, God would respond in a powerful, yet unusual way (to get the kings attention, expose his evil, and hope to convince him to change his evil heart). God loves everyone, but He has no tolerance for sin, and will give you a chance to repent, but that window could close before you know it.

During the evil reign of king Ahab, God raised up a prophet to stand against the king, and reveal His power to the nation. Elijah, meaning God is Jehovah, was one of the returning exiles mentioned in the book of Ezra. God sent Elijah to confront the king, then announce that there would be no dew, or rain until he says so. That was an interesting statement on many levels. First, the king probably wondered how a mere mortal could control the elements, after getting over the fact that this man came in his presence to check him. Knowing that the king’s heart was pure evil, God then ordered His prophet to run to a place where he would be provided food and water for a season. Telling a king there would be no way for the fields of crops to be watered no doubt angered him, because food is an essential, and he, along with the people could suffer greatly. The more evil and pride a man holds in his heart, the more God will do to prove to him, he’s nothing without the Lord.

While the king suffered for a season, God cared for Elijah by sending ravens to bring him bread and flesh every morning and evening, while he drank fresh water from a brook. God always provides for those who are obedient to what He commands them to do, and brings judgment on those who willingly rebel. Even today, there are many who are similar to, if not worse than the wicked king Ahab, who suffer greatly for their continued disobedience. But those who are just as bold and faithful as the prophet Elijah, are on schedule to receive God’s best!

Walk in love,

Ell

Prophetic examples of faithfulness

Luke 4:24-30

Throughout the Bible, prophets of God were known to expose wickedness in the hearts of men, warn others of coming judgment for failure to repent, and predict inevitable events that would eventually take place. Rarely were prophets accepted by the public, because they often challenged men to change their hearts from haughty, to humble. One of the scariest things to do is, ignore a prophet’s warning, because God usually sends them moments before bringing judgment. Of all the prophets who ever lived, Jesus was no doubt the greatest of them all (for obvious reasons). Where the prophets of old, such as Elijah and Elisha, exhibited faithfulness to God in great ways, Jesus took faithfulness to another level.

The irony in prophecy is, those you seek to save, often reject your words of positive influence, and make attempts to get you as far away from them as possible. This took place vividly in our lesson’s text, as Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth, to teach, and to prophesy. When Jesus taught from the Scriptures, His gracious words filled the people’s minds with amazement, but that glory was short lived, as the hearts of the congregation changed when Jesus began to reference the days of Elijah and Elisha, when God blessed one heathen for sustaining Elijah during the famine, and healing the other by the words of Elisha. Apparently, the people of Nazareth despised the heathens, and refused to appreciate the words Jesus spoke, so they gathered together, and drove Him out of His own town. The evil in their hearts was exposed the more, when they went so far as to make an attempt to push Jesus over a cliff! Are you kidding me? They tried to push JESUS over a cliff? Lol, wow! What disrespect this was to Mary and Joseph as well; their own neighbors, trying to kill their son for telling simple truths?

The heart of a man is always revealed when the light exposes their hidden motives. Don’t get angry when God sends someone to help bring you back into right standing with Him. Warning always comes before a fall, so take heed when you’re given warning to tighten up, and get back on track. Also, learn to appreciate those who are faithful to God, and their calling, and aren’t ashamed to perform the works He called them to do, because many who started out well, have given up, or given in to life’s pressure.

Walk in love,

Ell

Samuel is dedicated to the Lord

1 Samuel 1:24-28

Samuel was one of the most prominent men in Bible history. He had the favor of God, and of men, was established as the prophet of the Lord, was acknowledged as a true prophet of God by all Israel, became the 16th judge of Israel, delivered Israel from the Philistines, and even anointed David as king, later on in his life. This man was so anointed, even as a child, that every prediction or word of prophecy he spoke was literally fulfilled. He knew that God was the Lord of all creation, and allowed His words to inspire him, so that all his counsels could be received as coming from God Himself. Had it not been for a faithful, and God-fearing mother and father, there’s no telling what kind of man Samuel would have become.

Hannah was truly “souled” out for God, and was unselfish in fulfilling her promise to Him, in giving her promised child back to Him. When little Samuel was weaned, and old enough to be separated from his mother, Hannah took him up with her, along with offerings of sacrifice, to the Lord in Shiloh. When she reached the temple, or wherever they gathered, she approached the prophet Eli, and reminded him who she was, and that she had come to deliver her child to the Lord. While it’s unlikely Hannah was the only woman to pray by the high priest, asking for a child the way she did must have impressed Eli so that he’d never forget her.

Hannah’s prayer was direct, and definite, and God honored her words. Our prayers should be that way as well, and not a bunch of emotional and not fully thought out petitions. When we pray, we are to first believe that God can, and will answer us, then make our request known to Him, and follow that request with a life of dedicated service to His purpose, until He answers us. Sometimes, God will even honor our thoughts. I can recall a few times when God answered things I only considered in my head. That’s amazing, but I lived in a way that pleased Him, so He showed me just how great a Father He was.

Live your life in a way that God can’t hold back any good thing from you. When He’s searching the earth, seeking whom to bless, make sure He never passes you by without loading you with good things.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jeremiah, Prophet to the nations

Jeremiah 1:4-10

As we near the end of our journeys on this earth, it’s surprising how many who attend churches around the world remain prideful, rather than humble themselves before the mighty hand of God. With all the persecutions, torturing, and killing of innocent Christians across the nations, I shake my head at men and women who are so consumed with wearing a title, until they willingly ignore the present sufferings of their brothers and sisters across the globe. One of the popular titles floating around modern-day churches are prophets. Modern prophets are men and women who claim to have been called by God to pretty much reveal your personal business, and extend words of blessing for generic things like houses, cars, and wealth. These men go from church to church, giving rehearsed speeches that have been proven to net them great offerings, based on previous experiences. I’ve even witnessed some who grab the audience’s attention by calling so-called random members from the crowds, and recite personal information about those persons that they probably obtained from someone who knew them on a more personal level. Prophets today seem to be all about fame and show, whereas the prophets in Scripture operated under a different authority. There may still be some who are indeed called by God to prophesy, but those who claim the calling only to use the title for selfish gain, set bad examples for those who truly serve God with their gift. According to the Bible, a prophet is one whom God sets over certain areas to “root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (vs.10). Does that definition identify with any of the prophets who had previously entertained you? Things that make you go hmm…

Jeremiah was very unique in that he was sanctified, and ordained as a prophet before he was born. Similar to John the Baptist who was also called before birth to be great, Jeremiah was called and set apart to do the Lord’s work at an early age. As any child who felt immature and unprepared to do something that seemed overwhelming, Jeremiah heard what God had said, but he felt that because he was a child, he wasn’t equipped well enough to speak to Nations. God immediately told him to correct his speech, be ready to go where He sends him, and to only speak the words he’s commanded to. Coming before large crowds of people, and exposing their sins would surely cause all sorts of backlash, but God encouraged Jeremiah to ignore the faces of those who may disapprove of his message, because God would be with him, to deliver him from any situation that could cause him harm. If God’s mere words weren’t enough to convince Jeremiah that He would be with him, God then touched Jeremiah’s mouth, and literally put His words in it. Could you imagine if God did that same thing to all those who preach and teach in churches today? My oh my, would there be a lot of hurt feelings, but also many bowed heads and repentant hearts. The truth does hurt, but only enough to convince you to consider a change of heart.

Prophets weren’t ordained to hype up crowds, and collect big offerings, but to pull down and destroy kingdoms of darkness, and expose the hearts of men to the love of God. The next time you hear that a prophet is coming to your town, line up his message with what God defined a prophet to be. If he or she hoops and hollers for hours, then calls for 50, 100, and 5000 dollar offering lines, then they are prophets only to profit. On the other hand, if the prophet gives words inspired by the Holy Spirit, that may perhaps step on the toes of some, and even upset others, but all for the purpose of making them better for God, then this is a true prophet of the Lord. Be not so easily deceived by titles and men’s reputations, but check the spirits of those who claim to be sent by God to feed your soul.

Walk in love,

Ell

Son of the Living God

Matthew 16:13-20

The disciples whom Jesus chose to be apart of His inner circle, were a very particular group of fellows. These men were persuaded to leave all, to follow after the prophesied Savior, and they did so without hesitation. During their early days as Jesus’ companions, they were privileged to witness the power of Christ first-hand, as He cast out demons, healed lepers, healed those who were lame, brought some back from death, opened blinded eyes, provided food miraculously for thousands of hungry people (on 2 occasions), and walked on water. My mouth is left wide open while writing some of these amazing things Jesus had done! What makes Jesus so wonderful is, He did all those miracles without seeking any glory, or attention for Himself. Instead, God received all the glory and praise for every miracle Christ performed.

Moments after rebuking the Pharisees and Sadducees for trying to tempt Him to show them a sign from Heaven, Jesus warned His followers to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and avoid being misled into falling into their hypocritical ways. There were many in that day who heard of Jesus, but had no clue who He really was, so Christ posed a question to His disciples, asking them, who do men say He is. I’ve read this passage of Scripture for over 20 years, and I’ve noticed something this time around I never paid attention to. Those who had heard of Jesus, and His works, believed Him to be one the great prophets Elijah or Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets of the past. This response is odd, because those men were looooooong dead by the time this conversation took place. What makes this discussion even more interesting is, others believed Jesus to be His own cousin, John the Baptist, who was beheaded just two chapters before this lesson’s text. I wonder why people assumed Jesus to be a reincarnation of one of the great men of the past, when His story had been told much differently throughout the Scriptures? Things that make you go hmm. In any case, Jesus then asked His disciples, “But whom say ye that I am” (vs. 15). Peter’s accurate response was inspired by the Spirit of God, as he replied, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (vs. 16). It’s important to note that revelations from God are always inspired by His Spirit, and not from flesh and blood. Jesus is the only begotten Son of a living God, not from a lifeless idol carved from wood or other created materials of which many false gods are formed.

Christ was pleased with Peter’s response, and continued to encourage him with powerful words sent straight from Heaven. As God in the flesh, Christ continued to exercise His authority in giving Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven. What an awesome blessing Christ gave, not only to Peter, but to all believers as well. The children of God have all been bestowed authority to the kingdom of heaven. We share the same power and authority the disciples operated in. The problem is, many Christians are either unaware of the power they have access to, or are too afraid to tap into it. Although the Son of God now resides at the right hand of the Father, He left another comforter in His stead, to stay with us forever. The Spirit of truth who abides with us will never be received or understood by the world, because they base belief on what they see with their natural eyes, but the body of believers will know the Spirit, because he dwells in us, and we recognize the character of Christ in Him as well. His purpose is to teach us all things, and bring all things Christ taught His disciples, to our remembrance. Who do you say Jesus is?

Walk in love,

Ell