Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, special ones.
Becki and I did an irregular walk/jog—starting up Short Fellows Road, but turning around with the congestion of some utilities work going on there.
Yea! I can finally go out and start a fire! The burning ban is finally lifted. I sure have a bunch of stuff to burn. But that’s only one small item on my big list for the day.
I wish there was a way I could put a ban on that other kind of ominous pending burning. Becki and I talked about that some this morning—the fact that the Biblical Gospel really does contain a “turn or burn” mandate—and if we really really believe that the Good News is so good because the bad news is so bad—we cannot avoid some heart-level weeping along the way. Hmm…as I think about it…God has not yet instituted a burning ban, but He does offer an exception (escape) from burning within the exclusive requirement to embrace and believe in His Son and what He has done to establish the exception. Heavy stuff.
But now I’m called to breakfast. Blessings.
Love, Dad/Ray.
OK—you want a prophecy over you? I’ll give you a prophecy! “The Lord would have you know that He wants to bless you and keep you unto Eternal Life. He would have you know that He calls you to do your part in achieving that glorious objective. So do your utmost to avoid contamination with the counsel and thinking of the world, because such thinking only makes it natural for you to join in the ungodly practices of the world. Know that failure to listen decisively to this warning and instruction will lead you to sit down in the seat of those who mock and establish themselves as virtual enemies of God. Instead, be filled with God’s thoughts—His Word. Don’t let it depart out of your mind or mouth. Memorize it and think about it day and night. It will cause you to be like one putting on the very armor of God, knowing strength far beyond your own. So come out from among those who are made dull by conformity, those who lean heavily on their own limited understanding and strength. Serve and love your God from the heart. Make it your highest goal to please Him. Understand that this really is the purpose of your very existence. All this will add up to making you more than a conqueror because much greater is His life and Spirit working in you than any other power in the world. It will make you to be like a strong fruitful tree planted beside a continual river that no storm can bring down. Whatever you do will ultimately prosper because whatever you do is aimed at pleasing Him. This is what your God would have you know.”
Whew! Did you catch all that? Are you taking notes? If you would like it to sound more inspired and convincing, I suppose I could edit this message and put it into King James-style English. I could even write it in the first person and lace it with expressions like, “Yea, I say unto thee, my child…”
Now don’t take me wrong. It really is not my intention to mock the genuine exercise of Spirit-inspired prophecy, which I believe Paul is referring to in verse 18. But some of the personal prophecy stuff I’ve been around impresses me as being more dangerous than edifying—involving people playing games and posing as anointed oracles of God when, in fact, they are really trying to bring attention to themselves as mediums of spiritual power to reckon with. In some cases it seems to be a form of Christian magic and/or fortune-telling. May I suggest that you don’t really need someone to make some questionable prophecy over you. And if someone does, make sure you scrutinize the message against the Word. You mainly need to receive and digest His Word for yourself. I will make no claim to being particularly inspired (I’m not using my “preacher voice,” my hands are not shaking, and my eyes are open). But since my attempt above at “prophesying” over you is simply a synopsis of essential Biblical principles, I believe it really is a genuine articulation of PROPHECIES ONCE MADE ABOUT YOU.
GUARANTEE: Following this “prophecy” will prevent “shipwreck” (1:19).