"Personal Words" from the Lordby Pam ClarkThis is not written personally to anyone in particular. And many get offended when I address this matter. It's not what I mean to do, but if the Body is really going to walk in the prophetic correctly, this must be addressed.People are playing with prophecy! And they are not going to get away with it. I was just in a church this last year that catered to this and there were more flesh prophecies, fantasy prophecies and false prophecies than I have ever experienced. It was not a totally corrupt church either, as in denying the Lord Jesus, but 1998 was one of the worst years of my life for having experienced this. It is true we have to stretch our faith to grow in it. We are going to make mistakes and learn by them. But there is a "mystique" that is not, and goes beyond, the "fear of the Lord" into sin. It's what I call "Mystery Babylon." You know what it's like to go to the doctor's office and he goes, "Hmmm, yes, hmmm..." and you have NO idea what he is doing that about. Then he gives you his report. By faith, usually, you take his advice and his medicine, and you PAID for it! Often this can be a blind trust and because of professional standards, most of the time it helps. But if you encounter those who do not operate "by the book" you may not get the best help or worse. This advancing time of the last days is going to be a time of lying signs and wonders. I did not come up with this, Scripture did! Jesus said to judge the tree by its fruit. What is it producing? I live in a big city and on Christian television and in the pulpits, you can see people who will tell you that God's will for you is prosperity! You should be blessed, they say, you should have all your problems solved, and hey!-- sounds good to all of us! (Sometimes that will be at the expense of those who have paid the real price.) But more is going on than fleshly prosperity. Of course the way to receive this, they will tell you, is to give, and there is truth in that, but they still could be missing God and getting rich off of you! And if they are defrauding, by using the Name of the Lord in vain for personal gain, will they escape the judgment? First you give, and if you don't get rich, you wonder, what is wrong? Then you have the choice to deny personal relationship with God and do it THEIR way or go back and maybe suffer a little to get the real thing. God is NOT opposed to prosperity! He is opposed to handling material wealth the wrong way. He is NOT legalistic about prosperity either, saying: "Live on $200 a month and give all the rest away." No, God is fair and balanced. A workman is worthy of his hire but there are Spiritual riches that are worth more than many earthly riches that can be had in the here and now. When people come for "personal words" from God, they are usually seeking better prosperity conditions. Maybe, but not always, they are looking for another way than the way they heard from God. Not everything God asks of us is easy! To have a personal relationship with God, or anyone else, takes personal sacrifice. Prophets are not vending machines of God's words. If you find one like that, check the fruit again. Prophets should get insulted when people come to them in that manner. If a person comes to me, as even just a Christian, wanting "a word" and I don't have one, I WONDER WHY!!! If they are seeking God truly, I will almost always have one. But even the prophet Elisha said to his servant regarding an issue, "The Lord has not shown it to me." Prophets are not all knowing! (duh... Hang around if you don't know that!) Sometimes under pressure, prophets will guess. Sometimes in order to please or receive (he who has ears, let him hear), prophets will come up with a word--one that sounds good to their ears, something they heard somewhere else, one that worked in another situation. How sad that God trusts us this much, but He does! He also trusts untrained people to be parents of precious children! If you do not know the Word of God, how can you know if "the word" you get is right or wrong by Scripture? Jesus' words were right and He had manifest miracles, including food provisions, and the people wanted to make Him king. He refused and then they wanted to crucify Him. What does that tell you about what is in people's hearts? Some people will flatter with gifts to get "an approval" and some want everything for no gift at all! Where is the sacrifice in that relationship? As stated above, true relationships involve sacrifice.
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. 4 He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people: 5 "Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."
At our meetings, we have done much personal ministry. But honestly, when the anointing lifts, I quit. I am out of there! Many are young and are learning how to prophesy--All that means is that they are learning to hear from God, they are training their ears. This is good to do in the covering and oversight of more seasoned and mature believers. Something is WRONG when there is competition on who has the best minister. "My minister is better than your minister!" P-lease! Is that the Kingdom of God??? I don't think so!!!! True ministers will incorporate you into the Body with Love. There won't be back-biting and back-stabbing and people greedy for gain. And yes the flesh must die and take persecution to walk Godly in Christ Jesus. We all wish for another way and we are all tempted for it. Whoever says they are not is a liar! But there is a Redeemer and His Name is Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One. He is anointed to take the bondages off and cause you to walk in the Presence and Holiness of God with great joy and wonderful glory. I can praise God a lot but I don't want to praise anyone into a frenzy that denies what is going on here. We need a right and sound mind. God called human beings to be productive. We each express the gifts within to His purpose and glory in different ways and all benefit each other as we fit into our proper places. If I were God, I would have all the answers, but I don't and that can make people angry if I tell them I have the prophetic calling on my life. "Well, then, why don't I know?!" they will exclaim and then proceed with murder in their hearts. Ministry of any kind is not easy just for that alone! God must equip the saints for ministry. All are called to ministry and God will respond to those who "touch His anointed ones." That does not mean that those ministers will not be "touched" by trouble, but it does mean that God will deal with it. And we are all accountable for how we respond to Jesus, the sinless One. When you ask for a word, be sure you have gone to The Word first. Then go for prayer, and then if the gift of the personal word is in the person, it will come forth with great joy, for the giver of the word as well as the receiver. It may even be a hard word, but it will be a word that gives peace and brings forth good fruit and confirms God's Word. God's Word is not condemning. What is a Tree that bears good fruit? According to Scripture, the fruit of the Holy Spirit (can you get higher than that?) is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (or self discipline). It is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. See the opposite of that? Then check it out with the balance of other Scripture and make God your Source, not man. Ask for discerning of spirits--it is a gift of the Spirit. It is wisdom. With much travail and tribulation we enter the Kingdom. But the fruit is worth it. Know someone who never has trouble or challenges? Selah.
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