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The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Prophecy

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The healthy church knows that prophecy is a manifestation of the Spirit of God. She knows to expect warning, caution, or rebuke through God’s prophets as was always modeled in the Scriptures. However, the unhealthy church mocks God’s messengers and neglects that God has spoken. They refuse to humble themselves and to take the message delivered through God’s prophet directly to God and seek Him for the change needed.

God called the prophets. They didn’t earn their ‘title’ of prophet through attending seminary or being born into a royal family. They had no tangible proof that they heard God call them as a prophet or that they were relaying a message from God. In other words, there was no certificate or specific eligibility requirement. God did the choosing and that was all there was to it.

“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 prophets carry a message from God through hearing His voice. The unhealthy church wrongly classifies prophecy as speaking wants into the air or through speaking Scriptures. That’s not prophecy. The ancient prophets (and even prophets today) were PERSECUTED for bringing hard words of warning, caution, and rebuke.

* “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—” (Acts 7:52 NIV)

* “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12 NIV)

* “Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.” (Matthew 23:34 NIV)

While there is a service gift of prophecy (described in Romans 12:4-8) that is an innate analytical ability to see strengths versus weaknesses, the prophecy found in the miraculous gifts (outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11) is a manifestation of the Spirit of God. In the miraculous gifts, God specifically and deliberately spiritually manifests to speak to and empower the prophet. Often there are stated severe consequences for refusing God.

* “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” (Jeremiah 1:17 NIV)

If you study the Scriptures, particularly in the books of the prophets, you will see that God always anointed His prophets with a message of caution, warning, rebuke and even impending judgment. He frequently delivered words about an adulterous people who bowed down to false gods and ignored their Creator God. The unhealthy church wants prophets to speak encouragement while they ignore God’s voice. But because the prophet’s life and the prophet’s family line are at stake, the prophet will refuse to be silent and will speak unfiltered as God directs.

* “For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, ‘See no more visions!’ and to the prophets, ‘Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!’” (Isaiah 30:9-11 NIV)
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The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Women in Ministry

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The unhealthy church loves to sideline women labeling them as unqualified for God’s anointing. But the healthy church values God’s anointing on women and embraces their leadership qualities.

This subject is personally frustrating to me as a woman who has been hearing God’s voice daily for more than 23 years and one who has personally experienced every manifestation of the Spirit gifts delivered through me. I truly believe that women are generally naturally more receptive to receiving God’s presence then are men. (But don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!)

The Lord regularly speaks through me in tongues of angels and tongues of men. Like the apostle, Paul, I also speak in tongues more than most of you. Remember that Paul said “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” (1 Corinthians 14:18 NIV) However, with all the connection that I have to God, because of my gender, the unhealthy churches refuse those gifts of God through me and other similarly anointed women. Why?

There were women leaders recorded throughout the Scriptures. There were women prophets, women apostles, women evangelists, women teachers, women disciples, and women deliverers. What nonsense is the devil strategically placing in the unhealthy churches that causes them to intentionally wrongly divide Scripture away from God’s heart?

Let’s look at the Biblical texts to study about women and the roles they have held throughout generations as described in both the old and new testament manuscripts.

Female Prophets:
Miriam (Micah 6:4)
Deborah (Judges 4:4-5)
Huldah (2 Kings 22:14)
Anna (Luke 2:36-37)
Phillip’s Four Daughters (Acts 21:8-9)

Female Apostles, Evangelists, Deacons & Teachers:
Junia, an apostle (Romans 16:7)
Priscilla, a teacher and missionary (Acts 18, Romans 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19)
Pheobe, a deacon (Romans 16:1-2)
Lois & Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5)
Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11)
Nympha, church in her house (Colossians 4:15)
Euodia & Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3)

Female Disciples of Jesus:
Joanna (Luke 8:3, 24:10)
Mary, the mother of James and Joseph (Matthew 27:55, 28:5-7)
Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:38-42, John 11-12)
Salome (Mark 15:40)
Susanna (Luke 8:30)

Female Deliverers:
Deborah (Judges 4:8-10)
Jael (Judges 4:17-22 and 5:24-26)
Esther (Esther 4:14)

In some protestant Christian divisions of the church, women are forbidden from leading prayer or teaching if a man is present despite that we can clearly see in the Scriptures, that woman had leadership and teaching roles with men present. In some divisions of the corporate church, women are not allowed to teach doctrine or discuss doctrinal anomalies despite that there were women prophets, apostles, and evangelists mentioned by name in Biblical texts.

While there are a few texts in Paul’s writings that seem to exclude women from speaking, those are thought to be situational rebukes of specific heresies surrounding women “deities” rather than corporate doctrine. Who but the devil wins in devaluing half of God’s anointed vessels from ministry? How have the unhealthy churches fallen prey to such negligence against God’s heart?

The healthy church seeks God on these matters and doesn’t disqualify His ambassadors based on ethnicity or gender. It has been fewer than 100 years since the unhealthy churches disqualified black men and women from serving in ministry (or even attending church with white people). How does the devil keep blinding churches from truth and continuing that scheme seemingly without corporate church opposition?

Has your church visibly opposed the spiritual crimes against women being perpetrated in the unhealthy churches?

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 NIV)

Additional note regarding elders:
I submit to you that 1 Timothy 3:11 and Titus 1:6 (in original context) also gave WOMEN of one-wife husbands leadership authority. Paul specifically calling for “husbands of one wife” proved that polygamy was an issue at that time. However, polyandry (one wife with two or more husbands) was rare or non-existent. Still Paul called out that women ministrants needed to be the wife of a one wife husband. In either case, for men or women, being married or single was not a deterrent from leadership authority. (Paul wasn’t married during his ministry.)

“Women — in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things. Ministrants — let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,” (1 Timothy 3:11-12 YLT) ~ Young’s Literal Translation

“ if any one is blameless, of one wife a husband, having children stedfast, not under accusation of riotous living or insubordinate –” (Titus 1:6 YLT)

Some will use these two passages with modern day language translations to promote that women cannot be elders. But the original language does not say that. But don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!

Note: “Polyandry is a rare form of polygamy, which broadly refers to any marriage involving more than two spouses. In polyandrous arrangements, multiple men are married to a single woman, often sharing responsibilities, resources, and familial duties. This contrasts with polygyny, where one man has multiple wives, which is far more common worldwide.” ~Ai assist

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Missions

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Warning: You are probably not going to want to hear what I have to say.

We are at war! We need to equip warriors! We need to train warriors! We need to defend truth with our best investment. Gone are the days when the church can afford to be passive on political matters. Gone are the days when the church can afford to ignore God’s specific leading. Gone are the days when the church can view missions as building splash parks and sending shoe boxes to foreign nations.

If the church doesn’t rise up here at home, we are going to lose our nation to the enemy’s schemes. I’m not just talking about homelessness. In fact, that is the least of my concern. Are we a nation that pleases God? If our churches are not training true Christians, those who are willing to fight against injustice with spiritual weapons and strength from God, we will be defeated.

More and more, I see anti-Semitic leadership developing in this nation. Tucker Carlson, once a MAGA warrior, is now spewing anti-Israel garbage. If someone with his viewership can highjack the narrative seemingly overnight, how fast could we lose God’s favor on our nation? Tucker is just one of a growing number of media influencers gaining traction towards tainting our nation’s stance against the devil’s schemes.

I’m begging you to SEEK GOD about this. Please, for the love of God, STOP doing stupid things with God’s money. Really? You’re going to send shoeboxes of meaningless stuff over to other nations when we are in a war to maintain our nation’s sovereignty? Listen, those countries would much rather have God’s favor on them, like we have experienced.

God’s heart is going to turn from us if we don’t start seeking Him with real sincerity. We must invest God’s money in God’s missions. We must stop using missions as a way to advertise “generosity”. We must, instead, start equipping our nation for true revival back to God’s heart. Invest in training people to hear God’s voice. Make it your top priority! Quit turning people into drones that worship religion, and start building a nation who actively listens to God. If you can’t invest in that, get out of the pulpits before God comes against you personally. Because the day is quickly coming when the Lord will no longer put up with your apathy towards His heart.

In the last few decades, our country has imported a nonsense theology against life, liberty, and truth. We import third-world religions and think that we must somehow assimilate with their ungodly values. We have imported a growing neglect for righteousness. If you are blind to it, then please open your eyes. Stop giving God advice and start seeking His counsel.

“‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.” (Leviticus 26:14-18 NIV)

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Politics

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Recently we were called to civic duty to vote in a primary election. Do we also have a spiritual duty to seek God about how to vote? Do we need to seek Him for His specific will? Does God want government leaders who know Him in office? If you answered “yes” to those questions, did it occur to you that none of that was mentioned from the pulpits of the churches?

I purposely listened to many sermons to hear if they mentioned seeking God on how to vote. Not one of those messages included an encouragement to seek God for voting instruction. Not one! Why?

God sent the prophet Samuel to intentionally find and anoint one person, a shepherd boy, to be the future king. He chose David, not one of his brothers? Why?

God has a very specific will that we should not ignore. But did you vote in the primary election without seeking Him? Will you seek Him for how to vote in the general election? For candidates? For Amendments? Do you think that God doesn’t want you to know His exact will for you regarding politics?

Ask yourself this too. Why was I allowed to post repeatedly the names of exact candidates that God told me to vote for (always with the instruction to have your own conversation with God) but your church was not? Why might that please God or anger Him?

And, I ask you to consider if the above lack of seeking God is the same reason that the churches can invest tens of thousands of dollars in Christmas shoe boxes or to repave a church parking lot, but cannot invest in paying teaching ministers to equip congregants to hear God? Are all of their public works aimed at pleasing someone other than God? Which is more appealing to God teaching truth or sending dollar store play things to foreign nations? Ask Him!

“For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.” (Isaiah 30:9 NIV)

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Stands Strong Against Injustice

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Does the church even know what justice is? Can it be trusted to want God’s will against injustice? Individually or corporately are we reluctant to understand God’s need for justice? If we were the one who was falsely accused, would we then desire God’s justice? If we were the one who was abused, would we want God’s justice against our abuser? Is the church afraid to discuss God’s justice because they fear it being directed at them?

“And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. (Psalm 50:6 NIV)

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6 NIV)

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’” (Matthew 25:41-43 NIV)

The healthy church understands that God sees right from wrong, good from evil, and every heart motive. We know that He is sovereign and delivers discipline and punishment as only He can. King David was confronted by the Prophet Nathan for conspiring to kill Bathsheba’s husband and to coverup the affair that produced a child. God’s punishment was to kill their firstborn child. That wasn’t karma. That was God’s justice.

“Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 HCSB)

So, understanding that God sees injustices, does that make you want to pray differently? Could you be praying contrary to the will of God when you pray for healing or provision for someone who God is disciplining and punishing? Do you not think that God is sovereign and can do as He pleases? Or do you instead think that the devil is somehow more powerful than the Lord making it impossible for Him to heal if the enemy were the one delivering the trial?

God is not waiting for you and one-hundred of your closest friends to convince Him how to make His next move. If God needed our advice, He wouldn’t be much of a God. Would He?

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. (Isaiah 46:10-11 NIV)

To be clear, I am not saying that every trial is a discipline or punishment. Trials can be used to equip us or position us. But God surely doesn’t need our advice in any case. So, wouldn’t it be best to seek God for His will in how to pray? Seek God rather than advise God. Maybe there is something that God would like to explain to you.

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Hospitality

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Hospitality is a service gift from God. There are people who just exude this gift and then there are others who don’t have a clue. Who do you know that has a strong gift of hospitality? Now, consider which places that you go to where you always feel welcome. Is it church? Do they know your name? I feel more welcome at local coffee shops than I do at most churches.

Recently, I attended a church event that was posted on social media as a public invite. When I arrived, there was very little emphasis on hospitality. The event host was busily readying the administrative things involved. She asked for contact information so that she could finalize the next meeting location and date. But she never contacted me until after I didn’t show up to the next event. I’m not criticizing her because I have been her. My version of hospitality used to be organizing an event and making sure that everything was done well. I was so event focused that I wasn’t necessarily people focused.

What I’ve learned from years in ministry and attending events is that people want to feel invited every time. They want to feel welcome every time. They want to be made to feel special just for their presence. It takes courage to show up to a group where everyone already knows each other. It’s important to learn names of guests and greet them with sincere care. I recommend for those of us who have administrative talents to partner with at least one person with the gift of hospitality who can concentrate their focus on the welcoming aspect. It’s crucial to repeat attendance. (And of course, we all need to learn hospitality. Ask God to guide you to improve.)

Now, I need to talk about the biggest offense that the church does against hospitality. Everybody has a phone with a camera these days. We are polite enough to silence our phone during sermons (when we are reminded beforehand). But some use the sacred gathering that is meant as a time of worship to take photos of private moments. There should not be any photos or recordings taken of guests during a worship or prayer time. Absolutely ZERO! Ask God about it. He will tell you.

I do not feel comfortable allowing myself to praise God wholeheartedly in worship at churches where a “photoshoot mentality” is practiced. I don’t want someone making a mockery of me raising my hands in praise or bowing in solemn prayer. It’s an invasion of privacy. I should be able to expect privacy away from the paparazzi when I’m in my Father’s house. The churches need to really seek God about this because He is not pleased with the “advertising” gimmick that’s being used. Don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Doctrine

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The healthy church constantly walks with God and learns from Him. However, the unhealthy church is so sure that their faulty interpretation of Scriptures is all that there is. They don’t need to learn from God through hearing His voice in prayer because they have already learned from another (faulty) human everything they need to know. (That was sarcasm.)

King David said “I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” (Psalm 119:102-104 NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote letters to the churches in Rome, Corinth, Thessalonica, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae. He wanted them to know truth and stand firm in it. The same God who spoke to the Apostle Paul still speaks today. He speaks to His prophets. He speaks to His apostles. He speaks to His children to be heard and obeyed. If church managers and ministers are unwilling to seek God, they are always going to be teaching contrary to God’s heart even if what they’re saying sounds like what we want to hear.

Each of us needs to individually seek God and learn from Him. When His Spirit cautions us about something we have heard from a message, we need to lean in to Him and gain clarity through asking questions and listening to His answers until we have peace.

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3 NIV)

Many denominations of the church develop their own church stance on doctrines while not caring if and when other churches teach contrary to their doctrines. They stand shoulder to shoulder in a fake unity, as if God would want a unity of false doctrines. God wants us to oppose false teaching, not sit complicit with it.

If a church is so sure that their doctrine is correct, shouldn’t they oppose the message of the false teachers? The problem seems to be that the unhealthy churches, that don’t seek God, don’t realize that they’re teaching falsely. The healthy church seeks God for every doctrinal stance.

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV)

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Butt-Kissing Pathetic Pew Sitters

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Please listen sisters-in-Christ. You do not have to be sitting in a church chair to hear God and obey. You do not have to be in a church building to hear God and obey. You do not have to be submitted to a certain denomination of the Protestant Christian church to hear God and obey.

God is the head of the church. You can be anywhere that God is (which is everywhere) and be submitted to Him. You can hear God and obey while sitting in your car. You can hear God and obey Him while walking in the park. You can hear God and obey Him while laying down. You can hear God and obey Him while sitting on the toilet. You DO NOT need permission from a pastor to be God’s prophet, messenger, or agent of change.

God is watching the lies and deceit that are being spoon-fed to you. But He is also watching if you’re idly complicit because you’re too lazy or enjoying your seat of dishonor. If a pastor clearly says that the men of the church are gathering to plan the vision of the church, it’s pretty obvious that he is saying that women have no place in setting the vision of the church. If you only knew how little they value God’s appointing and anointing of women, you would be as outspoken against them as I am.

But some of you women will come against me time and time again because you don’t want me to call out the blatant false theologies that he is teaching. You have your lips so close to kissing his butt that you can’t see that he is just using you to build up his seat of honor. Listen, please, if the church’s doctrine is that women are not allowed to discuss doctrine in the church, you should RUN from that place. Instead, you defend that nonsense. Only the devil would want you to defend false doctrine and false teachers. But don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!

The Prophet’s Gift of Sarcasm

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When I hear a pastor teaching nonsense and purposely distorting what the Scriptures teach, I always ask God about their motives.

Recently a pastor preached that God’s prophets are not true prophets if they’re not submitted to a church authority. I asked God why the pastor purposely brought that false doctrine. God said that the pastor is jealous of my giftings and wants to dissuade people from believing that I’m God’s prophet, apostle and deliverance minister. Do you think he’s jealous? God says he is.

To the pastor: There is absolutely NOTHING in the (Old Testament or New Testament) Scriptures that says that a prophet must be under the authority of a church body. No matter how much you want to twist the texts of the Bible, you are wrong. But perhaps, you’re counting on the laziness of your churchgoers to check the Scriptures for themselves. (Because let’s face it, you believe your congregants are actually more stupid than you are.)

But for the anointed true Christ follower all they would have to do is have a simple conversation with God and listen to His answer. Because we are supposed to hear God, right? (Can you hear the sarcasm in my words?) So, who is up for the challenge? All you would need to do is simply ask God. “God, is Tammie Edwards your prophet?” Or you could ask “God, do your prophets need to be a member of a church that teaches false doctrine in order to be under your authority as the head of the church?”

Maybe you could ask a question that you don’t really want to hear the answer to, like “God, is the pastor at my church teaching false doctrine?” Another possible question might be “God, is the pastor of my church an idiot?” Perhaps you’re not practiced at asking God questions because you’ve only been taught to give God all your wise advice (Did you hear the sarcasm again?).

Try actually having a conversation with God where you listen to His voice and SEEK HIM rather than tell Him.

Tammie Edwards,
Christian Apostle, Prophet & Deliverance Minister

(Don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!)

A WASTED VOTE!

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Any vote you place on a ballot that doesn’t have its origin in specific conversation with God is a wasted vote for you personally. If you didn’t include God, He saw it. He also saw whose opinion was more valued by you.

Did you ignore God when He wanted to give you insight? Did you refuse God’s gentle nudges for you to seek Him in prayer? Did you forget that He is indeed sovereign over life and death (yours included)? Did you forget that He can allow you to be taken into captivity for choosing substitute “gods”?

Why would you allow your vote to be wasted in God’s sight? And please hear me, you don’t get a pass by refusing to vote. God has entrusted you with a sacred duty to seek Him. Refusing to vote is the same as voting contrary to His will. He sees it!

If you break the covenant oath with God to seek Him and obey Him, He can and likely will allow you to feel the weight of the broken covenant.

Warning:
“But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.” (Leviticus 26:14-18 NIV)