"Sure, God spoke to Noah, Isaac and Phillip," we sometimes think. "But he would never speak to me." Little wonder that when he does speak directly today, it is often a shocking experience. At my request, gracEmail subscriber Jack Outhier has reluctantly but kindly given me permission to relate his shocking encounter with the voice of God -- and the good fruit that resulted from it. (Jack's email address is jack.outhier@LegacySolutionsLLC.com) * * * "I was driving alone. Suddenly, within my spirit, I felt moved to turn at an upcoming intersection to go 'speak' to a couple who lived nearby. I … [Read more...]

After I related a modern story of Christian prophecy, a subscriber asked how often "similar situations lead to disaster," whether this does not open the door to "deceit" and if I am saying that we should be ruled by "feelings rather than by rational content." * * * Good brother, you ask how often "similar situations" lead to disaster. Not often, I would think. For consider the "situation." What we have here are two groups of church leaders in prayer about a common concern, all seeking God's will and glory and asking for his guidance. God answered those prayers by providing direction. Part of … [Read more...]

"Can you give an example of ordinary Christian prophecy today?" someone asks. "What does it look like when it occurs?" * * * The long-time preaching minister at my home congregation resigned early in 1996, sending us into a search for God's replacement which lasted into 1997. About October 1996, after much prayer and diligent labor, we elders invited Rob McRay and his wife Judy of the Northtown Church in Milwaukee to fly down to Houston for a weekend of intense visiting with our church. Rob could not come until January, and he had no intent of leaving Northtown. However, he felt he should be … [Read more...]

The year 1918 saw the publication of Counterfeit Miracles, in which Presbyterian theologian Benjamin B. Warfield argued that supernatural prophecy stopped shortly after the New Testament was written. According to Warfield, spiritual gifts (charismata) served only to authenticate the Apostles' gospel message -- and only to people of their generation. Warfield said that the gifts ceased when the last person died who had known the Apostles personally. In keeping with this understanding, some cessationists interpret "the perfect" in 1 Corinthians 13:10 as the written books of the New … [Read more...]

"If we say that God speaks through prophetic words today," someone asks, "do we not open the door to every form of abuse and exploitation?" * * * Obviously this very beneficial gift can be abused or misused, as can any other gift (including, for example, uninspired preaching). Scripture therefore provides rules, caveats, safeguards and tests. Christians have always been cautioned not to believe every claim of a divine word but to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). For 2,000 years, these tests have involved examining the message (1 Thes. 5:20-22) as well as the messenger. That includes testing … [Read more...]

"Why would we need prophecy today?" someone asks. "We have a completed Bible." * * * The question reflects a common misunderstanding that the purpose of the ordinary Christian grace-gift (charisma) of prophecy is the production of Scripture. Yet that was not even its purpose in the first-century church. Canonical Scripture serves the whole People of God, concerning the entire scope of faith and godliness, until the End of the world. Christian prophecy, on the other hand, usually serves a local church, concerning some particular circumstances, for an immediate and limited time. Look with … [Read more...]

"Does God still speak directly to his people today?" someone asks. "Does the prophetic gift belong to the Christian age?" * * * Yes, God still speaks directly to his people, as it pleases him to do so. Receiving and communicating such a word from God is the exercise of the Christian grace-gift (charisma) of prophecy. As the Christian era formally began, the Apostle Peter announced that it would be characterized by God's outpouring of the prophetic gift on his people in general and without discrimination (Acts 2:16-18, quoting Joel 2:28-29). "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy," said … [Read more...]