Prophets
2 Chronicles 36:16 Despising God’s Word
But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:16
Warnings are seen all over the place, all around the world. Warnings about road work, dangerous gases and fumes, speed limits, falling rocks, and more. They are put into place to protect people from a great danger that is possible.
While most people do heed the warnings, there are also many who just ignore the warnings and continue moving forward. When these warning signs are ignore, often there is a accident that occurs. Vehicles run off the road, illness and injuries, and sometimes even death occur.
People often think that they are immune to the dangers that are warned about, that they can overcome the danger and are willing to take the risk.
God had sent many prophets to warn the people of the dangers of refusing to obey and follow Him. The people often just ignored the message and mocked His messengers. Occasionally they would follow God for a short time, but would quickly resort back to their old ways of sin and refusing to follow Him.
While God is very patient and long suffering, His patience does come to an end eventually. There came a point of no return and God had to punish the people, destroying the nation of Israel.
God is still sending out messages to the world and to the church. He is still in the process of warning people of dangers of living in sinful ways. While there are many who follow God faithfully, there are also many who mock God’s word and refuse to obey Him. They choose to live in ways that are contrary to God’s ways.
There is coming a day of final judgement. Ultimately it will be when Jesus returns for the final judgement. However, there can be consequences endured upon this earth until then.
Take a look at your own life and see how well you are heeding to God’s word. Are you striving to live as Christ Jesus lived? Or are you living like the world?
Every action that you do and word that you speak has a consequence. God is watching and listening. God’s message on how to live is beig given to you through the Bible and through other people, pastors, teachers, prophets and more. Will Jesus know you when He returns, or will He have to reject you?
I pray today that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will hear the warnings of God; that you will obey God’s commands to you; and that you will live as Jesus lived serving God.
1 Kings 22:14 Speak Only God’s Words
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.” 1 Kings 22:14
Talking is something that most people love to do. Every person has their own opinion on situations and like to let others know what that opinion is. There are some people who almost seem professional about it. It does not matter what the subject is, they have a thought or opinion on it.
Many people’s opinions, however, are often based upon the majority of people’s opinions. They do not voice their personal opinions or convictions.
The Arameans were getting to fight against King Ahab. He went to King Jehoshaphat for some help. The both wanted to hear what the prophets would say. After seeking the advice of some prophets, King Jehoshaphat wanted a prophet of God.
Micaiah was the prophet they had found. Ahab did not like him, because of the words he would often speak. When they brought in Micaiah, he said he would only speak what God tells him to say.
Speaking to someone about their own ideas and thoughts is easy to do, but that type of message is not usually what God has to say. It is personal, not God’s word.
Many believers have their own thoughts on different situations as to what God may have to say about it. Often those thoughts do not always line up with God’s word in the Bible. They can be words filled with hate and condemnation, instead of God’s love, grace and mercy.
Believers need to be open to only speaking what God has to say. God knows what the other person needs to hear better than any person. A person only sees the surface of what is going on, God sees the heart and what is really happening. He knows the beginning and the end.
There will be times when you will have an opportunity to speak in a situation. You have a choice to make as you get ready to speak. You can speak your own words that may be pleasing to self or to others. Or you can speak the words of God.
God has given you His Holy Spirit to guide you and give you the words to say. He knows the best thing to say in each and every situation.
Take the time to find out what God has to say and then only speak His words. It will have the perfect results every time.
I pray today that you will hear God’s voice in your life; that you will hear what God has to say; that you will only speak the words of God; and that God will use you to speak to others.
Micah 2:6 Not Wanting To Hear The Truth
“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” Micah 2:6
As Micah was warning the people of a coming destruction because of their sins, there were false prophets and people who were saying stop saying those things. They did not want to believe his words, because Israel was God’s chosen nation. How could God ever want to destroy His chosen nation? They felt as though nothing bad would ever happen.
People have not changed since the time of Micah. Most people do not really want to hear the truth about their own lives. They do not want to hear that what they are doing it wrong.
Take a look at the workplace. When a boss comes up to someone and tells him that he is doing his job wrong, most likely the person will take offense to it. Being told that he is wrong is not what a person is usually willing to accept.
Today the world looks at trying to be politically correct. One cannot offend anyone about anything, at any time. The world does not want to hear that they are living in sin and death and judgment is coming. They want the freedom to do what they want, when they want.
This can often occur in the church also. The pastor might start speaking out against certain sins in the lives of people, and many get offended. They tell the pastor not to speak that way. The refuse to hear the truth.
Regardless of what the world thinks or says, as a believer, you must be willing to speak His truth in love. Do not fear speaking the whole word of God, the coming judgment and the provision of salvation.
You must also be willing to take an honest look at your life through the eyes of God and His word. If you look at the Bible, it tells you that nothing you do is worthy of God. That your heart is deceitful and full of wickedness. It is only through the work of Jesus on the cross that you are allowed to be in God’s presence. Yes, God does judge you, but He also provides the salvation you need, if you will accept it.
Are you saying that you do not want to hear the whole word of God?
Or are you willing to accept what God’s Word says about you?
I pray today that you will know the whole word of God; that you will not avoid what God says to you or others; that you will know God’s salvation He provides; and that you will tell the world what God has for them.
Ezekiel 13:3 Woe To False Visions
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Ezekiel 13:3
There were many prophets during the time of Ezekiel that were going around and prophesying. They were saying that God was saying there would be peace and that God was on their side. While this was happening, God was having His prophets stating that there would be no peace and that there would be destruction. God was watching this and promised that there would be problems and punishment for this to occur.
Although there are not very many people who claim to be prophets today, there are many who claim to have visions from God and know what God wants. The claims are usually mixed with truth and falsehood. There is truth that God does love people and accepts all who come to Him. The falsehood is seen in stating that God accepts people purposely living in sin and refusing to follow His ways.
Visions of God honoring nations that claim to know God are common, however, many in those nations are not really choosing to know God. Cities are not truly following God. They are accepting sin to be openly practiced and promoted.
In the world, these things are to be expected, but not in the church. People in the church turn a blind eye to the sins inside the church. Inside the church are people who are living outside of wedlock and yet are leaders in the church. There are people who are living in alternate lifestyles in the church and it is accepted by the church. There are people who live to gossip and spread rumors in the church, and yet are not confronted about the sin.
Living like this does not show a person who is really seeing or hearing from God. They are living to themselves, following their own ways of thinking.
As you go through your days consider what you are hearing and seeing from God. Where is God leading you? What is He showing you to do?
Do not be like the foolish prophets and claim things that God has never stated. God will have His day of judgment upon those people. Seek to know and claim God and His Word.
I pray today that you will know God’s word in your heart; that God will show you visions of what He wants; that you will only speak the truth of God’s word; and that you will follow all of God’s ways.
Insights From Tom 