Luke 3:18
And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.
The other day, we spoke about 1 Cor 14:3 and the idea of speaking prophetic truth to people and what it means to get a word that doesnt necessarily make someone feel good. I think that we are in that fine area where people dont want to speak truth. Daystar might be guilty of this in their ministry (Nate take note for Boulder).
Truth is truth, no matter what. I continue to wrestle with the prophetic gift vs. the prophetic office. Does one with the gift simply encourage? No. He speaks the word as God reveals it to him. What then is the office of the prophet for? It is for the equipping of the saints as found in Eph 4.
To be given a word from God is fresh bread. Prophets carry the bread to His children. Isnt it funny that the two guys who were in prison with Joseph were the butler and the baker. One handled pharaoh’s wine and the other his bread. It was the bread guy that ended up dead, and Joseph was the one to carry the new bread into Egypt through the prophetic dreams of pharaoh.
The words he brought were of death. These words werent encouraging to many. But, as Joseph later describes, it was meant so that many would remain alive. We dont always know the motives behind a word of God, nor should we question Him.
So, in Luke 3, we see John the Baptist bust on the scene. The only “encouraging” word that he spoke was that the Messiah was coming. Other than that, he throws out “brood of vipers”, repent, stop stealing, stop intimidating, repent, bad trees will be uprooted and thrown into the fire, etc. These words certainly wouldnt come across as encouraging then or today. Yet, John was called the greatest among men, no?
I believe that the Lord wants His prophets to speak the truth – period. It is not for man to decide what is encouraging, edifying or exhorting. In Luke 3:18, after John utters all these directions, it says that he preached to the people with many OTHER exhortations. Everything that he had been saying up to that point was exhorting. Bless God.
We are at that point again. The word must be preached. The truth must be spoken. The prophets must say what they hear our Father speak. We shall not take from nor add to. His Word is sufficient.
Rhema = fresh bread.
Eat, and be filled.