Dumb As A Rock

Have you ever heard that saying? When someone is describing a person they don't think is very bright they will say he or she is dumb as a rock.
Hold that thought.
I want to talk to you about prophesying. Bet you didn't see that coming :) Like it or not Paul tells us in Corinthians to pursue it.
1 Corinthians 14 1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Why do people get so freaked out when you want to talk about this? You don't have to be a spiritual super hero complete with cape and a leotard to do this. You just need a heart that loves, eyes that read the word, ears that listen to the Holy Spirit and a mouth to speak the words God puts on your mind.
Simple right?
We have all been guilty, myself included, in starting a conversation with someone that goes like this “I don't know if this is from God but I feel like I'm supposed to tell you....” Sound familiar?
I remember a day when the Holy Spirit gave me a message for a girl I worked with. The message was, don't let the why nots keep you from doing something your thinking about doing.
Gems I had no idea what that meant but she did. She thanked me for giving her the message as she was in the process of making a decision . Every time she thought about it all she could see were the reasons why it might not work and this gave her the push she needed to move forward.
People are always wanting to hear from God especially when we are in the decision making process. God doesn't always use people but a lot of times He does. Sometimes He uses people to give you confirmation that you did hear from Him directly on a subject.
According to Paul he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
When Jesus was with His disciples the Pharisees got bent out of shape when the disciples started prophesying.
Luke 19:38 saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
They were pretty much telling Jesus to tell his guys to shut it. Why? Did they feel the disciples weren't qualified to speak God's word to men? Did they feel like the disciples were in some way stealing their thunder? Did they think they were the only ones God spoke to?
Why don't churches allow prophesy today? Clearly it's biblical. Some say they believe in it but where is it being practiced if they do?
I'm not dissing the pharisees or the church I'm just asking some questions to you. What do you think?
People are desperate to hear from the Lord but if we aren't prophesying to them when God gives us a word how is it going to happen? Especially if they are unbelievers (those that don't believe in Christ.) Paul said in Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Gems Jesus told us all to go and preach. You see one of the amazing things that can happen when you give a word to someone is you share something with them that you couldn't possibly have known. The person knows you couldn't know so it causes them to ask “how did you know that? And then you tell them about the Holy Spirit. It get's their attention, they can't deny the truth and it opens the door to share Jesus with them.
True story: A few years ago the Lord sent me to Tennessee. I can't tell you the whole story because it's too long but it was one of the best times of my life. Before I left the Holy Spirit gave me the name John. I was like OK now what? After a series of events I ended up in this little town near Johnson City. It was very old and there were antique shops on both sides of the road. I stared walking down the road when the Holy Spirit said “go in that store.” Now a lot of these businesses were also the owners homes so you had to be careful. I walked up to the door and there was a sign that read “ring the bell” I suddenly felt like Dorothy and thought a small door would open and a man with a big mustache would ask if I were there to see the wizard.
I knocked on the door having no idea what I would do next. The door opened and a nice looking man let me in. I stepped inside and saw a couple in the living area looking at the antiques. I was about to walk into the living room and the Holy Spirit said “introduce yourself” so I stopped and looked at the man and said “hi I'm Gena” to which he replied “I'm John.” Bingo! The other couple ended up leaving and I went on to tell John the Lord sent me from Florida to Tennessee to share Jesus with him. He was an unbeliever, a Jewish man from Florida and awed by God. He listened and we prayed together. It was an amazing day.
1 Corinthians 14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Please note we are not to throw rocks, the convicting part is done by the Holy Spirit.
Back to our previous story of the Pharisees, I love how Jesus answered them.
Luke 19:40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Jesus is telling us if His people, us, won't speak up His stones will cry out!
I don't know Gems, maybe rocks aren't so dumb after all.
I don't pretend to have all the answers but I do have lots of questions :) I hope you will ask the Lord who He would have you prophesy to and that you will be obedient in doing so. Don't miss an opportunity to edify and comfort your brothers and sisters.
Rock on!