Phillip had 4 daughters who prophesied the Bible says. (Acts 21:8-9) How could they do this without opening their mouths and speaking for God?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

1 Corinthians 14:3 LEB “On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.”

Do you really believe God says a woman can’t speak to people for Him? Just because she’s a woman? What about the woman at the well Jesus spoke to? Afterward, she told many in her town that she met the Messiah and they believed. The news was so exciting they came and heard Jesus for themselves and believed even more:

John 4:39-42 LEB “Now from that town many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me everything that I have done.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they began asking* him to stay with them. And he stayed there two days. ⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word, ⁴² And they were saying to the woman, “No longer because of _⌊what you said_⌋ do we believe, for we ourselves have heard, and we know that this one is truly the Savior of the world!”

All this was accomplished through the prophesying of one woman. I can’t say I’ve ever been used to lead a town of folks to Jesus. But one woman did. 

Acquilla and Priscilla (his wife) were early missionaries of the Lord. The Bible says they both taught Apollos (an evangelist) the way of God more correctly:

Acts 18:26 CSB “He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.” 

“They [the husband and the wife] took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.” God used both the man and the woman to teach Apollos. Not just the husband and the wife had to shut up. Acquilla and Priscilla were highly esteemed co-workers of Apostle Paul in the ministry. And you still think when Paul said he doesn’t allow a woman to teach or usurp the authority of a man he meant they cannot prophesy? They cannot speak for God?

Apostle Peter rightly said there are some things Paul taught that are hard to understand which the untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the rest of the scriptures. (2 Peter 3:15-16) God never contradicts Himself. This we know. That would make Him a liar. And the one thing God can’t do is lie. (Hebrews 6:18) So there must be a misunderstanding for those who think a woman is out of place when she speaks for God or prophesies. This next passage also proves this:

Acts 2:17-18 ESV “‘And IN THE LAST DAYS it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on ALL FLESH, and your sons and your DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and FEMALE SERVANTS in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and THEY SHALL PROPHESY.’”

Do we need to go any further with this? No. So, a woman is not out of place if she shares God’s word. It doesn’t matter whether she does it in person, through a video, a podcast, in writing, etcetera. What did Paul mean when he said he doesn’t allow a woman to teach or usurp the authority of a man in the churches? (1 Timothy 2:12-13) I encourage us all to study this deeper for the answer to that question. It can’t mean she shouldn’t prophesy because God will never contradict Himself. But one thing we know for sure: the gifts of the Holy Spirit are poured out on women and men in these last days. And when it comes to my sisters GOD SAYS, “THEY SHALL PROPHESY!”😊

Please share this with a friend

Psalm 91:14 LEB “Because he loves me, therefore I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you told someone your name and they said, “Nah, that’s not your name you look more like a Bryan or a Patricia. No, Patrick is your name.” Would you get angry? Would you argue over your name? Some people would. Others would laugh. Knowing God is similar. When you know God’s name; His authority, His character, you don’t get into frivolous arguments about Him. The security that comes with knowing God’s name gives you great confidence and comfort. But those who don’t know Him are fearful. (Revelation 21:8)

Some who think they know God’s name argue over whether He is black, or whether He is white. They debate whether you should pronounce His name in Hebrew or your native language. Do you think the angels in heaven know what God looks like? Do they know how to pronounce His name? Of course, they do. Yet that didn’t stop a third of them from falling from heaven, did it? Hence there must be more to knowing who God is. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Those who know God’s name are secure. God Himself says so:

Psalm 91:14-16 CSB “Because he has his heart set on me, I will deliver him; I will protect him BECAUSE HE KNOWS MY NAME. 15 When he calls out to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor. 16 I will satisfy him with a long life and show him my salvation.”

It doesn’t get any safer than that. Enjoy your stable position in the Lord. Don’t let anyone rob you of it by making you feel like you have something to prove to them by arguing. 

AVOID FOOLISH DEBATES

Titus 3:9 CSB “But AVOID FOOLISH DEBATES, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law, because they are unprofitable and worthless.”

God doesn’t want us bickering with people it achieves nothing. To receive anything from God a person must come to Him humbly because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6) We can’t approach Him proudly thinking we know something when we know nothing. So avoid clashes with people like that.

When the Spirit leads you to speak and He convicts through your words (which are His) folks say things like, “We don’t know, We’re just men, We’re not God, Only God is the judge.” Though these words sound pious they’re go-tos for folks who don’t want any reproof. But in the next breath they’ll say something like, “Well, my opinion is,” such and such and such. But wait! I thought they just said, “We don’t know. We’re just men. We’re not God. Only God is the judge?” Then why are they strongly offering their opinion? Because what they’re actually saying is, “You don’t know, I do, let’s leave it at that. And don’t judge me.” 

Hebrews 4:12 CSB “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to JUDGE the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

When you know the truth it’s like knowing your own name. You don’t argue about it. You’re secure in who you are. Yes, it may irritate you when people refuse to pronounce your name right. But isn’t it that way with the truth? Doesn’t it irritate us when people butcher our Father’s word? But the point is we don’t have to argue with everyone who does it. Even God says let the ignorant be ignorant: 

1 Corinthians 14:37-38 KJV “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.”

Proverbs 9:7-9 LEB “He who corrects a scoffer gains abuse for himself, and he who rebukes the wicked ⌊gets hurt⌋. 8 Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you. 9 Give to a wise one and he will become more wise; ⌊teach⌋ a righteous one and he will increase learning.”

Please share this with a friend

Proverbs 14:26 KJV “In the fear of the Lord is strong CONFIDENCE: And his children shall have a place of refuge.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

What dog barks the most, a pit bull or a chihuahua? Most people are like chihuahuas. They bark often and loud to intimidate you. Most of them couldn’t bust a grape if they stood on a bag of them. But that doesn’t mean chihuahuas aren’t dangerous. Fear and manipulation are their tools. Once they find prey (someone fearful) they can seem as imposing as a pit bull or a lion. They lead the fearful down dark paths. And fear of man is a snare God says. (Proverbs 29:25)

Even the giant Goliath was a chihuahua. Why do I say that? He barked threats daily to the army of Israel. He wanted them to be too scared to fight his Philistine troops. And it worked. Israel was horrified. Until one day a boy named David stepped up to the plate. David was only a boy. But he had the heart of a lion. He was no chihuahua.

David once slew a lion and a bear for trying to steal his sheep. David was a sheep herder you see. This boy put his life on the line to protect animals, inferior beings. What love he must have had for those sheep! David didn’t have a gun when he killed the bear and the lion. A shepherd’s weapon was his staff. What humans do you know would take on a bear or a lion without a gun? Who do you know would put themselves in harm’s way for anything? This story sounds familiar to me. It reminds me of Jesus. Jesus’ love for his sheep; humans, lower beings, moved Him to put His life on the line and give it up to save us. He even left His home in heaven and became one of us. (2 Corinthians 8:9) He knew saving us meant He’d be brutally murdered. Yet He did it anyway. He went through every pain one could suffer. It was as if He had been shredded by a lion or a bear when they flogged Him and nailed Him to the cross. Only his death was slow and painful. What love JESUS has for His sheep! No wonder He is called the lion of Judah (David’s tribe) and the son of David. Jesus is no chihuahua that’s for sure. 

Thankfully God raised Jesus from death on the 3rd day. He now sits at God’s right hand interceding for us in ultimate glory. We have forgiveness of sins and are saved from death through His sacrifice. Those who believe in and follow Jesus have eternal life. (Matthew 16:24-25) Look at what love, humility, and courage can do! Jesus saved the human race! He conquered every fear, and suffered betrayal, even death itself. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus is God’s greatest champion! Let’s strive to be like Jesus and David. They are no Chihuahuas. 

Will we put ourselves in harm’s way to help save a soul? A creature of equal status? David and Jesus did this for lower beings.

John 15:12-13 GNT “My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them.”

1 John 4:17 NLT “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with CONFIDENCE because we live like Jesus here in this world.”

Acts 13:22 ESV “And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ “

Please share this with a friend

Luke 16:19-31 GNT “ ‘There was once a rich man who dressed in the most expensive clothes and lived in great luxury every day. There was also a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who used to be brought to the rich man’s door, hoping to eat the bits of food that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the feast in heaven. The rich man died and was buried, and in Hades, where he was in great pain, he looked up and saw Abraham, far away, with Lazarus at his side. So he called out, ‘Father Abraham! Take pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip his finger in some water and cool off my tongue, because I am in great pain in this fire!’ But Abraham said, ‘Remember, my son, that in your lifetime you were given all the good things, while Lazarus got all the bad things. But now he is enjoying himself here, while you are in pain. Besides all that, there is a deep pit lying between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, nor can anyone cross over to us from where you are.’ The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father Abraham, send Lazarus to my father’s house, where I have five brothers. Let him go and warn them so that they, at least, will not come to this place of pain.’ Abraham said, ‘Your brothers have Moses and the prophets to warn them; your brothers should listen to what they say.’ The rich man answered, ‘That is not enough, father Abraham! But if someone were to rise from death and go to them, then they would turn from their sins.’ But Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.’ ”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

You see a homeless man or woman and you look at them with disdain. You think about how they had the same opportunities you did in life but squandered them. You think all they have to do is this or that and they don’t have to be homeless. But little do you know it’s not always that simple. You think all the homeless are lazy bums, they don’t wonna work, and you can’t show affection to anyone like that. You are wrong wrong wrong! Many will be in the lake of fire who think this way. (1 John 3:17-18) The Bible clearly says those who have not been merciful will not be shown mercy on Judgment Day. (James 2:13) Don’t punch your ticket to the lake of fire like the selfish rich man who showed Lazarus the beggar no mercy. Repent. We all need to repent. This world has hardened our hearts. If we don’t repent we will suffer the rich man’s fate. Even if we’re poor. The key is love and show mercy. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) 

James 1:9-11 “LEB “Now let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his high position, ¹⁰ but the rich person in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the grass. ¹¹ For the sun rises with its burning heat and dries up the grass, and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is lost. So also the rich person in his pursuits will wither away.”

Please share this with a friend