24 November 2018

Speak things speak things of benefit to others


** We must speak things which are beneficial to others

Luke 22:64 "And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?"
Teaching and learning in the scriptures are much more than academic. It involves being guided by God's principles in relation to others, as well as knowing and responding to God. It calls for the learner to put the Word of God into practice, not just hear it (Jas. 1:22).

 It involves hearing a word from the outside and putting it on the inside, so that it may be expressed in our every action. Proverbs 2 tells us to incline our ear unto wisdom, apply our heart to understanding, cry after knowledge, lift up our voice for understanding, seek her as silver, search for her like hidden treasures, and then we will understand and find the knowledge of God (Prov. 2:1-7).
 God says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6), and He admonishes us to meditate on His Word day and night that we may observe to do all that is written therein.

All things should be done unto edifying. If those present cannot be taught by what is being done, then it shouldn't be done. Just as with the gift of tongues (that was spoken in the church to benefit everyone) so it is with prophecy. Those who listen will learn and be comforted.

The end result of prophecy is to comfort, encourage, edify, strengthen, exhort, stimulate and help. These should be the guidelines for prophecy within the New Testament church.

We, as believers, are given the sole responsibility in ministry to build others up. This takes place in various ways as we walk in love, promote harmony and peace, and seek the true welfare of others. We must prophesy unto the edifying of the church, and speak things that are good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others.

The silance of the SON!





Luke 22:63-64 "And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?"
 

Here is the account of God's own created people mocking and insulting His Son without Him intervening. The pain that this must have caused the Father defies description. {We can not undersatand how great pain was!} 

Those who struck Jesus and told Him to prophesy who it was that struck Him, must have taken Jesus' silence as proof that He was not who He claimed to be.

The natural mind could not conceive that Almighty God would take this kind of abuse from His creation. But this was the plan of God.

Isaiah prophesied that, as a lamb before its shearers is dumb (Isa. 53:7), so Jesus would not open His mouth. Isaiah also mentioned that Jesus "was taken from prison and from judgment" referring to the fact that He was not given a fair trial (Isa. 53:8). Isaiah went on to prophesy in Isaiah 53:9 that Jesus would make "his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death."

 This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified between two thieves and buried in a rich man's tomb.