Wednesday, May 10, 2023

THE PROPHETIC WORD

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 22

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

A panoramic view from the top of the Golan Heights looking west over the south end of the Sea of Galilee.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 1 Kings 22:15

Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”

Micaiah is a prophet worth listening to. In verse 14 he makes this statement: “Whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” For us who are believers in Jesus, we may do well to read and pay close attention to the Apostle Peter who wrote about prophets. Read 2 Peter 1:15-21 and 2 Peter 2:1-3. There were false prophets in our reading for today. There are false prophets today. How do we recognize a false prophet? They will “exploit” because they covet our approval and our money for their own advantage. How do we recognize the truth when it is spoken as New Testament believers? According to Paul, the gift of prophecy will bring “edification, exhortation, and comfort” to us (1 Corinthians 14:3). New Testament prophecy is described as “the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 19:10b). Peter has warned us that we should expect to come across “false teachers” (2 Peter 2:1). We should ask ourselves these questions:  Does a teacher stick closely to the Scriptures? Is Jesus front and centre? Is the teaching in line with the historical understanding of Christian doctrine, or is it, as Peter warned us, a “private interpretation?”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord, please keep me true to You and to Your Word. I do want to be true to Your Word, as Micaiah said, “Whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” What You have said, Lord, is here in my Bible. I pray that I will let You speak through my Bible as Peter said, “The prophetic Word made more sure” (2 Peter 1:19a). I recognize that the written Word is “more sure.” Please continue to open the eyes of my understanding every day as I continue this Bible reading discipline. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

A while back I came across an old letter from my mother to a young man named Jim, who was interested in my teenage sister, Elaine. Elaine is almost six years older than I am. I really liked Jim and hoped he and Elaine would someday be married, but it was not to be. I was eleven at the time. Anyway, here’s some good advice for us all from Mother’s letter…

“It is an encouragement for us to know if we have helped someone heavenward. But then we remember that if we are living close to Jesus our influence is always telling for Him. If we get out of touch, we are ‘scattering abroad,’ instead of ‘gathering with Him.’ Last Sunday I had the privilege of teaching a class of girls, including Elaine [my daughter]. One of them told us how she was troubled because evil thoughts would come to her mind. She never dwelt on them, but if she was right with God, these thoughts should not come. We told her that the very fact that she hated those thoughts and put them from her was proof that they had no part in her life. Christ was tempted, even to devil worship, but He resisted the devil. She surprised me in the evening service by coming and thanking me, as this which had troubled her for a long time was cleared up. And so the Lord does use each one of us to help others if we live where we are useable.”

My mother died just six months after she wrote that letter to Jim. Some years ago, when Jim became a Pastor in Hamilton, he gave me two letters he had received from my mother. I treasure these letters. I have given one to each of my two daughters, Elaine and Ellen.

Yours for reading God’s “more sure Word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19a – King James Version).

David

6 thoughts on “Wednesday, May 10, 2023

  1. Ahab,like many ‘Christians’ today only wanted to hear what pleased him,not what God wanted.I wonder what goes on behind the scenes with such Christians?
    May God bless
    A Mighty Cloud

    The eyes of the blind become crystal clear,
    The mute shall be heard to speak,
    While he who was deaf will then hear,
    And the lame shall no longer be weak.

    Living streams in the wilds and desert flow
    And leprosy is cleansed from flesh,
    As the poor will then come to know
    The good news that comes afresh.

    Now when the dead again are given back
    And knowledge is found world wide,
    While the sun and moon turn black,
    Will be the time for evil to hide.

    It is near the time that the sky rolls open,
    When trumpets will sound aloud,
    For then the Word we had hope in,
    Will come forth with a mighty cloud.
    G W (Bill) Marshall / 19 July, 2013

  2. Thank you William. Truth reigns in your poem. Please continue to pray for Alberta fires. It’s getting quite warm there which makes it possible for the fires to increase and for the firefighters, more great difficulties. Thank you. Blessings all. Amen

  3. Amen. Continuing to pray about devastating fires in Alberta. Praying for rain snd protection of all the properties that have been evacuated. Praying the Lord will protect all the animals and provide shelter for cows and their babies being born in that area.

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