Does Prophecy Matter or Not?

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                        Acts 1:16

Does Prophecy Matter or Not?

by Robert T. Cooper

Some people are fascinated by prophecy and can’t study it enough. Others don’t really care all that much, studying it when they come across it in their regular Bible study, but otherwise intent on simply living for Jesus today. These latter believers wonder what it really matters.

In Acts 1:16, God through Peter reminds us that all Scripture was spoken by the Holy Spirit through the various human biblical writers. If God the Holy Spirit revealed and inspired these things, perhaps we ought to pay some attention to it.

Moreover, God through Peter reminds us that all Scripture has been or will be fulfilled. He intended to tell us before the fact that which He had planned. Since God wants us to know these things, perhaps we ought to pay some attention to it. I mean, do you want to stand before the Lord at the Judgment and have to explain why you dismissed a portion of His Word?

Then in Timothy we are reminded that all Scripture is profitable “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. That includes the genealogies, the Mosaic laws, and prophecy. No matter which passage it is, we can benefit from that passage in at least one of those four ways.

In the comments section, let us know whether you are a person who is fascinated by prophecy or whether you are one wonders what it really matters to your living for Jesus today.

The Same Way

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                        Acts 1:11

The Same Way

by Robert T. Cooper

God is an interesting Person. For the most part, He does not repeat Himself. How many people walked with God and were not (i.e., were taken to heaven without dying) in the same manner as Enoch? How many went to heaven in a fiery chariot? How many Burning Bush incidents have there been? How many partings of the Red Sea have there been? You get the idea.

Not only that, but God treats each of us as individuals. No two lives are exactly alike. We each have a unique manner in which God leads us to grow in Christlikeness. As one wag put it, there are no cookie-cutter Christians. So if you observe a different mix of spiritual disciplines than I observe, that’s not simply fine but is to be expected. If you do your daily devotions in a manner somewhat different than me, God is making yours specific to you and your needs. If your approach to evangelism is a little unique, great!

But God also has a way of doing things so that we can recognize that it is Him. He has some consistency in how He reveals Himself to me. Moreover, the only way I can help you learn to recognize God for yourself is that He is consistent enough for me to share with you how He has revealed Himself to me and for me to recognize Him revealing Himself to you so I can point Him out to you. Unity and Diversity. That is one characteristic of our infinite God.

When Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, there were certain elements that happened. He took His followers to the ridge of the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem. He spoke with them there. At a certain point in the conversation, Jesus was taken up before their very eyes. A cloud hid Him from their sight. His followers looked intently up into the sky as He was going.

When Jesus comes back it will be in the same way He left. In some manner every person in the world will be able to see His return, before their very eyes. The clouds will roll back, and there He will be. He will come down before their very eyes. As He is coming down, the people will look intently into the sky as He is coming. He will return to the ridge of the Mount of Olives. (In fact, as His feet touch the ground there will be an earthquake and the Rift that goes through there will split with one plate shifting north, the other plate shifting south.) Our Lord and Savior will address the people from that position. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Please leave a comment describing how your experience with Jesus Christ has been consistent across time. Also share how it has been characterized with variety.