Dear Reader,
The Churches have been buzzing with ideas for the year end, holiday’s and festive.
I can already smell the hot coffee and cake.
So, the Church next to our block invited a very well known and gifted pastor. The advertisement flyers looked lovely too. I often wished we could get around to put up something this good and that’s when the Spirit pulled me to read this portion of the Scripture.
I truly enjoy a God intervention moment but this time it stirred my heart towards a question – what are we actually looking for from a servant of God?
Is it that, the person who is the most well-known among the people?
– No.
Is it that, the person has spiritual gifts or not?
– Cannot be the only criteria.
Is it the person who is gifted to know the Lord personally and popular to speak the Truth?
– Yes.
Turn your Bible to 1 Kings 22,
You see two King’s seeking advice over whether or not they will be victorious in a war against the Kingdom of Aram and four hundred prophet’s of the Lord testified they surely will win! One of the prophet used an iron horn to declare that the king’s will win, sounds like the presentation based sermons ( no offense to the fancy extra effort ) but all this to shout out that Israel and Judah will succeed!
Against the people’s popular band was a man whom they knew brought the prophesies they don’t want to hear of.
*drumroll* Micaiah is summoned and the messenger tells him to say things that are positive (yeah! like today’s positively diluted Gospel) and of victory because all the other four hundred prophet’s were doing that out there. Oh! how we enjoy a prophesy of blessing.
1Kings 22 vs 14
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”
Micaiah was known to prophesy without adding or diluting to favour his audience.
Unlike several teachings we see today, he was non-conforming in nature.
His character is what attracted the King’s to seek his advice. They knew there was more to what God has to say and God will reveal it to Micaiah.
He wasn’t the professional from the most popular group, like the other 400 prophet’s. He was set apart -different, because of how he walked with God and known to reveal harsh realities.
He prophesied trouble was coming over the King and the King refused to believe it, later we see how true this prophesy was.
What surprises me is also how the King is initially open to whether he should be going to war or not be going to war! Later when he heard of his destruction, he punishes Micaiah and sets out to war, eventually leading to his death.
Telling the truth may not bring positive reactions but honesty is the core character of a true servant of God.
Christian walk can be difficult, often long, dry and painful.
Yet,
~ We need to understand God’s warnings are as important as God’s blessings!
~ We need to stop people pleasing when we share the Word, stop diluting and speak with honesty!
~ We need to stop speaking what people want to hear but what God wants us to speak. An honest vessel that delivers the best wine.
