Consider chapter 11 of Hebrews. (go ahead read it — this post will still be here)
These people had faith — so much so that they gave their lives for it. And how many of those ‘heroes’ had a Bible? Sure they had know about some scriptures, at least those past Moses. How many of those people do you expect had a personal copy of those scriptures? But what actually was it that drove such faith into these people?
Remember in some of the past posts about the different types of Greek words there are for the word “Word”? Rhema is the word for the “word’ spoken by God and received to the very heart of the individual. That is where our faith comes from. You remember.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:7
There are individuals purposed by God from the beginning and their birth and given ‘gifts’, abilities, talents, and insights in their natural order of things. These individuals are naturally sought after by the enemy early as they can see the literal potential of the person. Many of these individuals are sought after for their spiritual sight, spiritual talents, and overall awareness of the spiritual dimension around them. Some become ‘oracles’, or sooth sayers, or in today’s world – spiritual conduits to the ‘afterlife’ (which is basically a dimension of demons seeking to deceive those wanting to connect to the dead). In the world of witchcraft these people are sought after to guide the direction of the covens. In the ancient Hebrew world many of these individuals would become ‘prophets’ speaking the Truth of God to everyone’s demise and heartbreak. No where since has the greater group people anywhere looked to accept that role of ‘prophet’. Even today the role of prophet has been shoved aside by academics saying is no longer exists because we have the complete “Word” (Cessationism). Certainly the role of pastor doesn’t want his sins broadcast to his congregation by a “Unrecognized prophet”. And now even in most charismatic circles the only prophets allowed are the ones delivering “good and encouraging words”. Any prophet calling out sin and calling for repentance is quickly shunned. So where do these types end up? What happens to them? What do they do with the very thing God made them for? The opportunities for these individuals to feel accepted are very slim. There are VERY few places for these individuals to find community today within the Church world.
One of their tenets is that they recognize authenticity. So deception or false humility is abhorrent to them. If not redeemed they use this ability to destroy their opponents by uncovering their duplicity and hypocrisy. Redeemed individuals with these gifts have difficulty fitting into modern Church settings for this very reason. One, most attenders are plastered in ‘masks’ while in ‘service’. And two, they see the inauthenticity of the leadership too easily and see through the manipulations by the leadership, and they personally are disgusted. So what do they do? Challenge leadership for the areas that need to be changed? Yeah, that doesn’t go over so well today. Those called to an apostolic life, and evangelistic life also have difficulty fitting into the ‘regular congregation’ these days. These roles aren’t created in a seminary, their abilities and gifts are inherently given to individuals — but the individuals have to “CHOOSE” the calling from God. Granted many years of study usually is necessary as is a time spent in a type of trial / desert. But the seminary degree never infers God’s gifts to the individual. Just like a college degree today doesn’t infer intelligence, wisdom, or ability.
What am I saying? That the word in Ephesians 4:11 still is correct. It has not be made ‘inactive’ by the paper in a book called the Bible. Those who walk the halls of universities with their fine robes and high places, and many degrees of learning aren’t the ‘end all’ being able to decipher what God wants or is saying. In the days Jesus walked the earth — there was a group just like them called the Pharisees. How well did they recognize Who walked among them?
Those gifts to the Body of Christ STILL exist, and God is still giving those abilities and gifts to people today. But how much do we understand and accept them?
It’s not easy being given abilities that shove you to live in the ‘hard place’. I no longer wonder why so many people with these types of abilities have been accepted by the enemies of God, because they become celebrities with fame and fortune. What does the current Church community offer them?
I leave with the words of John the apostle….
(For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) John 4:44
Let’s just consider why this is.