It’s been 15-20 years ago since I led women’s ministry at two churches. The one church was mostly wealthy older women who didn’t seem to have a hunger to know God, and the other church was full of younger women who had so many hurts and were starving for a touch from God. The contrast was amazing and taught me something valuable.
If we are comfortable in our lives we can play what I call country-club religion. We can pray before meals in public and participate in group Bible studies to feel like we have given God His due. But when we are needy, whether it be through illness, financial hardships, abuse or loss, suddenly we are willing to put more effort into knowing God and His will for our lives.
We should thank God when He puts a great need before us if it leads us to intimacy with Him. But if that need only leads to more country-club religion rather than a true hunger to know Him, it has no value but to reduce us. Listen, God can reduce us to nothing. What use are we to Him if we are too busy enjoying the gifts and not the gift-giver.
While I believe that we should be thankful to God for the loved ones that He brings into our lives, like spouses, children, grandchildren, and dear friends, we cannot ignore God and expect that He doesn’t see.
All these years later, after walking away from women’s ministry into deliverance and prophetic ministry, the contrast of a willingness to know God intimately is so very obvious. Yes, there are times when I miss the fellowship with the ladies who I adored, but I wouldn’t trade my time with God. No regrets here with my determination to set myself apart to know God. I will walk intentionally on the path that He has for me. Will you?
Did God put you in their lives to help them improve or to encourage them towards mediocrity?
There are people that don’t know how to guide you beyond telling you that you matter. They cannot constructively criticize you to help you improve because that would mean that they would also have to inspect themselves critically. That’s too much work. They will refuse to look beyond the surface for your sake or theirs.
Does knowing that you matter solve your problems? Does refusing to grow and mature inspire you to greatness? Does laziness create great citizens? Can we survive without nurturing and inspiration? Does telling someone that they haven’t arrived at their goals harm them or motivate them forward?
Will you leave them in their “good enough”? I know the difference in criticism meant to help me and criticism meant to harm me. There is a seething dislike in the one and a mature love in the other. The heart discerns how to filter it with wisdom.
The Father is always watching. He hears the words that you’re speaking to His child. Choose wisely. Don’t leave them in their “good enough” … inspire them to greatness.
It feels good to finally hold the printed magazines in my hands. I would love to host an in-person Bible study to coach others to hear God’s voice in prayer.
Two important pages from “The Covenant Voice of God” edition of The Rogue Prophet Magazine. Same God/Savior, same covenant promise, but different sign of the covenant, people of the covenant, and atonement methods.
Do you HAVE ACCESS to God for covenant restoration conversation?
“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 NIV)
For the last 20+ years, I have been hearing God and delivering warnings from Him. There have been many times that people close to me have gossiped about me implying that I’m delusional for hearing God’s voice. Despite their betrayals, I have consistently tried to teach them to hear God too. I have completed workbooks, newsletters, magazines and a website to communicate the importance of hearing God. None of it has worked because they refuse to know God. They are stubborn and stiff-necked. I am tired of it, but … when God decided that they had finally aroused His wrath, “there was no remedy”.
I knew that when God said to distance myself from them, that it was time for His justice to set things right. I have never liked seeing someone get disciplined. I remember that when my dad would take his belt off to punish one of my siblings, my heart would sink. So when God is delivering His punishment, I would really rather not know about it except in hindsight. God is a God of justice. If He didn’t punish the offenders then it would be the same as not defending the victims. How could He be a loving God if He allowed for His beloved to be mocked and attacked for their faith and perseverance? I do want justice even if it is against those that I once held dear especially when they have done so much to destroy me and nothing to support the ministry that God ordained for me. I trust God to see everything, even their remorse, and render justice appropriately.
I guess their road to redemption must begin with apologizing to God for making Him watch while they defamed my character, attacked my faith, humiliated my loved ones, and mocked His ability to be a God who speaks. Then, they must apologize to me (and I want it in writing), make amends in every way possible, confess their wrongs to everyone that they turned against me, and stop playing the victim every time that I obey God instead of them. Maybe then, they would turn and be healed.
Recently, a woman commented on one of my social media posts insisting that there are no prophets of God today. I know where she gets her false doctrine having been brought up in the same non-charismatic religious beliefs where God is mute, distant and is confined to the pages of a book unable to communicate with us except through Scripture. Below are Bible proof texts to help her and others have better understanding. My preference would be that each person would learn to hear God for themselves, then they wouldn’t need to believe me or receive a prophetic word from God through me.
“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV)
Spiritual gifts are an anointing from God. Some gifts are embedded in our spiritual DNA. Those gifts reside in us and will be used by God when we are yielded to Him. Other gifts require a manifestation of the Spirit of God. The gift of prophecy is in both the service gifts and the miraculous gifts.
Spiritual Gifts of Service: “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” (Romans 12:4-8 NIV)
Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NIV)
I’m not sure when the woman mentioned thinks that the Holy Spirit became unable to manifest power to speak words of prophecy to or through believers, but the Bible clearly says that we should expect to hear God if we belong to God (Reference John 8:47). God doesn’t need permission from anyone to supernaturally empower believers as He chooses.
In all seven letters to the churches in the book of Revelation we are told “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Why would we need ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches, if we were not supposed to bring a message forward to the churches when false doctrine is being taught?
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV)
The Rogue Prophet 