Ps 138:2 For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. NKJV

Over the last 30 years the prophetic has been one of the Biblical subjects that I have endeavored to grow in. In the beginning I was so fascinated with the gifts of the Spirit. I was amazed that the Lord actually "spoke" to us through tongues and interpretation, words of knowledge, words of wisdom and prophecy.

1 Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy , to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. NKJV

Through out my Christian experience I have continually studied the Scriptures and exercised the gifts in my own life. I have also read some of the other books on the subject. I have taught many times on these subjects and helped other people get activated and grow in these areas. The Bible teaches us to desire to prophesy.

1 Co 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

1 Co 14:39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. NKJV

I have always been proactive towards the prophetic. But recently I have had a growing concern at the "abuse" of the prophetic. There are some camps that handle prophecy like a "toy". They announce that they will have meetings and they promise that everyone will "get a word". There are even conferences that if you pay a certain amount you will be guaranteed a word. All of this kind of activity "cheapens" the Holy gift of prophecy. Of course there are levels of the prophetic as well. There are prophetic words that are for nations, cities, churches and individuals. There are prophecies that are exhortations to an individual and prophecies that shift nations. But even the best prophecy is only a small part.

1 Co 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. NKJV

We are told in Holy Scripture that;

2 Pe 1:21 prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. NKJV

It is an awesome and Holy ministry to speak the "Word of the Lord"! Consider these verses.

Isa 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist," Says the Lord. "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word . NKJV

Isa 6:5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts."  6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged." 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?"  Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."  NKJV

Isaiah was "undone" when he saw the Lord and realized that he was a man of unclean lips. A seraphim touched his lips with a coal to take away his iniquity and purge his sin in order for him to be able to be truly "sent" by the Lord. In Is 66:2 it speaks of the Lord looking at those who "tremble at His word." This trembling is lacking in the life of the church in these days and we have embraced a prophetic dribble from lips that have yet to be touched by the coal from the alter.

We have reduced the holy word of the Lord to some cheap, lifeless encouragement that feeds the pride of our flesh more than crucifies it. Many of the so called prophecies that people receive are the intuitions and imaginations of people that have very little depth in the Word of God.  And some prophecies are demonic in origin.

I have concerns about all of the above but my greatest concern is that many people (those that give the prophecies and those that receive the prophecies) put more emphasis on the prophetic rather than the written word. We live in such a fast pace world that it is easier to run and get a prophecy rather than pray and fast and go deeper into the written word.

Prophecy is like the rhema (spoken) word and the logos is the written word. We need both but we need to live and feed out of the written word and NOT the prophetic or rhema word! The lack of knowledge and diligent study of the Holy Bible is setting up an entire generation for great deception.

Personally, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A PROPHETIC WORD SHOULD BE ON THE SAME LEVEL AS THE WRITTEN WORD!  I believe that the written word, the Holy Bible, should have pre-eminence in every area of our life. It is the rock on which we build, it is the bread which we daily eat and it is the guidelines for which we live. Without it we most likely will get off track.

In 1985 in a class on Expository Preaching, Rick Howard said to me, "Give yourself 15 years of expositional study of the Bible in order to build a framework of Scripture in your spirit and mind." I thought, "15 years, that is forever! I can't believe it takes that long!" But I determined in that moment that I would give myself to the expositional study of the Bible. My experience was that 12-18 years later I got the framework!

Text out of context leads to pretext and pretext leads to error.

One of the greatest things that expositional study has done in my life is it allows me to see the verse in its proper context. Not only in scripture but in the time period, the author and who he was writing for. It happens automatic. When I am listening to someone preach, when I am reading a book or whenever someone uses a verse when they are talking to me I automatically think of the context.  For over 20 years I have been studying the scripture expositionally. It was allot of work at first but you learn the tools and they become a natural part of your life. I truly believe that it has been one of the greatest skills that I have ever learned and am deeply grateful for Rick's challenge to me regarding it. He said that "it will add depth to the prophetic word in your life, kind of like an axe that is sharp and has more weight behind it." It has done that and much more. It has changed my life!

Through years of studying the Word I grew in an appreciation of it. It does take work and many hours of devoted time to dig into the Word. But it's benefits are priceless! As much as I love prophecy I can honestly say I love the Bible more.

Ps 138:2 For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. NKJV

My encouragement is this: Give your life to devotionally reading and studying the Word of God and along the way get a few prophecies.

Jn 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. NKJV