TODAY'S DEVOTION: October 04, 2021
THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
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2 Peter 1:20-21 (KJV)
REFLECTION:
It seems like every time we turn on the news, we hear about global disasters, terrorism, and political unrest. The frequency of these events seems to be increasing at an unprecedented rate, which has led to a greater interest in the gift of prophecy.
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Unfortunately, even some religious leaders are creating confusion by predicting the date of the end of the world.
Never before have we needed to understand what the true gift of prophecy is and what it is not.
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In Matthew 24:36, Jesus clearly states "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
So no one can predict the hour or the day of His return and the end of the age. Only the Father knows the time.
Therefore, anyone who says he knows the exact date of the end of the age is speaking contrary to God’s Word, acting like God and therefore a liar.
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Although speaking about events in the future is related to the gift of prophecy, Christians must make sure that what they believe about prophecy lines up with God’s Word.
The word prophecy is composed of two words that mean “forth” and “telling.” “Forth-telling” is very different from foretelling or predicting the future.
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Any Christian can speak forth what he knows to be true about the past, present, or future when his foundation for Truth is the Word of God—God’s revelation of Himself.
God gave authority and inspiration through the Holy Spirit to a group of prophets and apostles to record His Truth in the Bible, God’s Holy Word.
As Peter said in 2 Peter 1:20-21 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
Then He closed the book.
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No one can add to or take away from what God has included in His Word.
The source of prophecy today is the Bible.
Anyone who speaks anything that is inconsistent with the Truth expressed in His Word is not speaking for God and endangered of God'warning written in Revelation 22:18-19.
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PRAYER:
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God, thank You for giving us Your Word as our guide. Help me know Your Word intimately so that I will know when someone is speaking inconsistently with what You’ve revealed in Scripture. I pray to You, in the name of Jesus. Amen.