Judge Not That Ye Be Not Judged?-Part J

Hello World:
This post is going to really be something. What I want to do is present here two main sections from my Dake Bible, from Bible scholar Finis Jennings Dake. I am making reference to him, as he defines in two seperate instances what a prophet is or what prophets do. So, I will not use quotation marks. I will omit the scripture references that he uses, EXCEPT for one scripture. There is a few comments I do need to make in relation to Dake's comments. However, in reading what he is saying about prophets, I think it is really good stuff. So, below here, are Dake's defining commentary on a prophet or prophets.

Prophets are those who spoke for God. They were PRIMARILY preachers of righteousness, but SOMETIMES foretold the future. Prophecy was one of the gifts of the Spirit and those who had and exercised this gift were prophets. Directions for the exercise of this gift are found in 1 Cor. 14. The office was next to importance to apostles.

In another section, Dake says, In ancient times prophets were called seers. The Heb, ra'ah means seeing persons; one who perceives mentally the purpose of God. He was also sometimes called chozen, a beholder; one who has visions or supernatural revelations. The Heb. charah is also trans. seer, and means to glow warm; blaze up in anger or zeal; burn; wax hot; be incensed; be wroth. This word suggests that the prophets saw mentally and in visions things that would make them angry; and in the heat of the Spirit that was upon them, they were borne along and moving to declare to Israel her sins and make the people obey God if at all possible.

A prophet was sometimes called the man of God. It was understood that such men always had an extraordinary commission, receiving their messages by direct inspiration and being moved upon and carried along by the Holy Spirit as a leaf is carried along with a strong wind.

Okay again, Dake mentions a lot of scriptures which I had to leave out but the one above. He also mentions some other things, and goes on to list all the prophets in the Bible. Basically, in defining a prophet or prophets, Dake is saying the same things I am saying in this series, in regards to who prophets are and how they are led by God to judge things. One of things I want to point out, is that Dake's definitions of a prophet of God describes me exactly. Because I really know what it feels like to be moved by the spirit, and have dreams and visions about things, and really get fired up by God to say and do things.

A lot of preachers preach that we should not go by feelings, but only by faith. Well that is NOT always the case. Faith pleases God, and faith needs action by the one who has faith. The action in faith, is moving on something with belief or expectation, without feeling or seeing its' manifestation. The scriptures or in the Bible, it says faith is the substance of things hoped, the evidence of things not seen; from Hebrews 11:1.

The Bible also says that without faith it is impossible to please God; from Hebrews 11:6. The scriptures also say that faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. I and we have faith in God, that HE IS, and HE WILL DO great and mighty things, because I and we have heard those things from His word.

Also, by faith Abraham pleased God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness; from Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6. Also we are saved by faith, and NOT feelings. MOST PEOPLE when they get saved do NOT feel like it. I did NOT feel saved, years back, after I said the sinners prayer. God did do something to me afterwards, but I do not have time to go into what He did at this time.

Even though you do not feel saved or born-again, after you accept Jesus Christ, still be encouraged and know that God has done something good to you and for you, and will continue to. So you want to move in faith. That is good too.

I am ALSO, saying from my experiences that there is a feeling inside, when I am moved by God. If you feel God's presence and his touch that is ALSO good. So, I would also say use faith, feelings and experience. Because FEELING and EXPERIENCING GOD COMES BY FAITH. Feelings and experiences are the results of faith in God that He WILL DO what you, again, believe and expect Him to do. Feelings and experiences are the results of living faith or faith that is alive.

I have FAITH ALL THE TIME that I will FEEL God's presence, God's touch. I have FAITH that God will show up, and that I will EXPERIENCE God!!! So, in reality MINISTERS OR PREACHERS, out there, I always have faith first, before feelings and experience. However, all three are connected. Because when you have faith in God you expect God to do something, that will tangible help or correct your situation. You do NOT have faith in God for Him to do nothing.

Now, some people who may need healing in a area of there body or who may be in a wheelchair, may not feel anything happening, while they are waiting. However, God could still be doing something or wanting to do something, but He is waiting for them to step out in faith to receive their healing BEFORE they actually feel it or see a change or difference. I understand and believe that, and it is important for everyone else to believe that too.

However, If you go day by day, for years and years and you never feel God or know what it is like to feel God's presence and touch, or you go about believing in God and never experience God, then something is wrong with that too. Even the prophet Elijah proved that, and had people see and hear the true God in action, at the sacrifice against the prophets of Baal; from 1 Kings Chapter 18: Verses 17-40. He said you all call on your god and I will call on my God, and let us see who's God is real.

Whose god is sleeping or can not hear and can not answer, and whose God will show up. Go by the leading of God's Spirit. If you feel something, go with it. Again, when you pursue feelings you are also having faith that God is going to do something. We see, feel, hear, taste and smell everybody and everything else around us, even at times when we do not care to; so why is it such a problem to want to feel God and actually feeling God? There is nothing wrong with feeling God. So, again, it depends on the leading of the Spirit of God.

Sometimes I will feel God's presence outside around me, but many times I feel His Spirit inside me moving me to react, when something is not right. There have been times when I would try to refrain, from telling someone something, and I actually felt like I was going to explode. I can tell some examples, but I am trying not to be too much longer. The experience is something else. I do not hurt or be in pain, but I can feel God's Spirit telling me or moving me to go forth. I like it when God does that. When God is moving me or dealing with me in such a way as described above, that is a good thing. I know what that is like, and been there with God.

Several things I do want to mention, going back above, in relation to Dake's comments. He said that prophecy was a gift of the Spirit. I believe that he meant that prophecy is a gift of the Spirit, as in referencing present tense, not past, because the gift of prophecy is still relevant at the time of this post. He also mentions that a prophet is next to importance to an apostle. I just want to say that, that importance is NOT determined by how much of the power of God or closeness to God each has, but in their duties or responsibilities to churches.

And depending on the individual relationship with God and resources available to the individual, those offices can be interchangeable. Paul is an example of that; in that, he was an apostle, prophet and also teacher, and one can even make the case that Paul was also an evangelist, meaning that he held 4 of the 5 offices of the five-fold ministry in the church, aside from the ministry of help and assistant offices. So, again, I think that is good stuff by Dake. More on Judging coming next time.