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.

Mealtime Stories

Royal Priesthood, Holy Nation                                          Acts 1:4

Mealtime Stories

by Robert T. Cooper

Have you noticed how many of your family stories center around mealtime or around food? One of the earliest family stories about me has to do with me getting seconds on potatoes at lunch at school. Then there is the story about my dad and the raisin pie.

It’s been like that throughout history. We know about the time the Earl of Sandwich was playing cards. We know what Marie Antoinette thought about people eating cake. And a whole lot of Bible stories center around mealtime or around food as well.

Here we are in the first paragraph of Acts (well, the original manuscripts didn’t have paragraphs, but we are at the very beginning anyway) and Luke is about to quote something Jesus said in the 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension. He wants to help people remember which appearance during that period it was, and so he says that it was on one of the occasions when Jesus was eating with the Apostles. Like that is going to narrow it down a little! Not!

My point is this: Jesus did so much teaching at mealtimes because people learn well in that atmosphere. Think about it.

1.      People tend to be relaxed when they are eating, and so are more teachable.

2.      Because people are busy eating, they will chew and listen while you are making your points, especially if what you say is interesting to them.

3.      Because people are used to conversing at mealtimes, they will ask questions and have discussions as part of your lesson plan at a meal.

4.      You can build a structure where the lesson is the length of the meal, with a life-application assignment to get up and go do immediately following the meal.

So whether you are a parent, a teacher, a mentor, a student, a church member, a disciple, a team leader, or just an ordinary person, pay attention when you are at meals. You may be in a lesson situation. Take advantage of the opportunities to teach and to learn.

Question: What are some of your family stories that center around mealtime or around food? How can you apply this idea of sometimes making a mealtime a learning situation?