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THE VOICE OF A PROPHET

"He who refuses and ignores instruction and correction despises himself, but he who heeds reproof gets understanding." (Prov. 15:32) Amplified Bible

Other passages to consider are – (2Chron. 36:15-16).

"The Voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it." A.W. Tozer

Many of the laws of God are what are known as self-executing laws. This means that they carry with them the seed of their own punishment and it is impossible for a person to sin, be in rebellion and escape suffering.

 

God's Love is – Confrontive.

         God's Love is – Convicting.

         God's Love is – Convincing.

         God's Love – leads to repentance.

God's Love – then restores the "whole" person to worship Him and Him alone.

What does all this really mean? The implications are very serious as well as restorative, given the nature of one's response to His Love.

The Bulk of the Bible between Genesis 3 and Revelation 19 is largely corrective. In many different ways, it addresses an utterly fallen human condition, through remedy and through judgment. It points out – repeatedly – that we are in need of a change.

    That's not a very popular position in this world. We don't like being confronted with our sin, especially in America, rooted deeply in individualism and an "I can do it by my self attitude." Many have emphatically rejected Christianity because there are commands and judgments in its Scriptures. We often ignore the God who loves His creation enough to divert us from our own destructive ways. In our own eyes, we often do not see that our own ways are destructive, since even though professing to be "born again" we still are in control of our own lives. What then takes place?

    

 

God, in His great mercy will seek through the Holy Spirit to confront us when we are out of line and He has many manifold ways of doing it. Most often through His word, as in the OT given through His prophets, and God still speaks today through His godly servant leaders, in the local church community setting. Christian men and women who have "spiritual mileage" in their lives and Church history down the ages are replete with such witnesses. Whether we like it or not, His voice often calls us to be "dramatically different."

    The voice of a true prophet is always a voice crying in the wilderness. Often times, it is a lonely voice of redirection, showing all of us as wanderers how to get to the "city of God". It is often not welcome. If it were, it would not have been necessary to begin with. As stated earlier, this world does not like correction, and it is often not interested in getting to God's city. We simply can't afford to absorb the independent ways of this world system, if we claim to have faith, believe in Jesus (the devils do by the way and they tremble, we don't), claim to be "born again" etc; the consequences of judgment are very serious. God will not permit the death of His Only Begotten Son on the Cross to be thrashed.

    When the prophets speak – whether they are the prophets of Scripture or the prophets of our age – we must listen. The loving Father will always correct His children, and we must be open to His correction. Not to have ears to hear Him is suicide. It is like walking off a cliff because we have ignored the true path we were pointed to. It just doesn't make sense.

    One of the many convicting signs of sin in terms of erring or disobedience is that we stress out since our ego is affected by the Word of God that ignites conviction. Absolute, daily surrender is absent, if we still have our ego in place. The true believer is dead, has absolutely no rights and is a "slave to Christ". Can you really hear the convicting voice if you are still attempting to run your life dear one? Repent, and heed the loving voice of your Father, His voice always leads to Life (the Zoe life of God), in that voice of discipline, it will be the marks of Love and it will always point you Home. Come Back Home!! Spiritual homelessness can lead to eternal death and the agony of Hell. Mind you, you will experience hell long before you get there. Today is the Day of Salvation, tomorrow, is never ours.