THE PROPHET

Today most people know the difference between the simple gift of prophecy and the office of the prophet.

 The verbalizing of prophesy is primarily for giving you a lift in the time of stress. When a prophet speaks he is speaking the words of GOD for GOD to the people.  

I dare say there are very few of these around today.  Now of course we are blessed with thousands of self anointed claimers to be prophets but GOD expects us to know the difference.

One of the ways to tell is - - if they say that they are a prophet then scratch them off your list for they are as phony as tofu baloney.  

One of the scriptural ways to test a prophet is to examine if his prophecies come true.  But first ask your self if it is needed, does it make sense, is it accompanied by an atmosphere of peace akin to the 23 Psalm valley of death experience?

There are people who predict what will happen this year with a high success rate but that doesn’t make them a prophet.  There have been many who claim to speak for GOD and brought forth their predictions.  

Most noticeable was Charles Russell of Jehovah Witness fame.  He predicted the end of the world and gave dates more than once. There have been many down through ages who have done the same thing the latest being Harold Camping who has failed the test miserably but still continues to set new dates.

It is kinda like if you didn’t like the first date I gave you then here is another for you (sucker).  As to who is, he an 89-year-old former civil engineer, who speaks to his followers via the Family Radio Network, a religious broadcasting organisation funded entirely by donations from listeners.  Such is their generosity (assets total $120m) that his network now owns 66 stations in the US alone.

Within Christianity there are many things that sell and capture people’s fancy; prosperity, accepting the person regardless of their lifestyle, end time predictions and so on.

While I believe there is a prophetic ministry I do not need anything but the Bible to show me everything I need to know from getting right with GOD, how to live and what happens after I die. The rapture will come suddenly without prior notice of a date and hour.

2 peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

I think that is plain and there is no mention of someone giving prior notice of when it will happen.   (some notes on Charles Russell)  http://www.cephasministry.com/jw_facts.html