Revelations In Corinthians

The thing I desire most in my life is to please my Father. I could go the next 20 years without fashionable clothing, a big house, fine furnishings, new cars, etc., but I know that could not go another second without thinking about pleasing Him. I'm not talking about a big "song and dance routine" or being overly dramatic (I have NO tendency to do that-ha!) in order to call attention to myself during worship--stuff like that. I'm talking about getting down to the reasons why I am even here on this earth, in this body, typing on this computer.

I'm sure if you ever have been (and still are) a church-goer, then you've heard 100's of sermons on what it takes to have a great Christian walk. You know the whole spill by heart about watching your words, praying for others, staying away from sin, and following the 10 commandments. Truly, those things are all of great importance, but what are we really here for?


Are we just made to sit around, praise the Father mostly on Sundays, act kindly towards others while out in public (and at home being secretly frustrated with the lack of upward movement in our Christianity) and just waiting for Jesus' return to happen in the blink of an eye....someday....somewhere....somehow?

Or--------are we called to do more than that? Does God want us to revel in His glory with Him, spill it out like a fountain to all we meet, and grab other believers' hands and pull them along with us?


I was doing a word search on http://www.biblegateway.com/ today, and I stumbled upon a chapter of 1 Corinthians that I'm sure I've read 1,000 times, but it stuck out like a sore thumb this time. If you have time and want to truly understand where I am coming from in this post, then please go read:

1 Corinthians 14 (yes, the whole chapter--it's not long!)


To paraphrase it for those who want a cliff-notes kind of blog post, Paul is talking about the gift of prophesy. I realize that a lot of Christians are freaked out by the whole "gifts of the Spirit" concept, and I admit I used to be right there with you. Just for me, and just for a moment, let's pretend that these gifts are real and free to anyone who asks for them. Let's just say that God can speak to the common man, thus turning him into a vessel and a speaker for the nations. Perhaps God can draw anyone at anytime into the ministry without them having schooling in that area. Let's just pretend it's possible.....


And if it is, then regular-old-me could hear Him directly, and I could share a word of encouragement or instruction with someone else--on His behalf of course. Wouldn't that just rock your world?!?


News flash ladies and gentlemen, IT DOES HAPPEN. God does speak to those who choose to listen, and He is moving like He never has before. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul's take on the gift of prophesy is that it can change the church as we know it today. Speaking in tongues (ouch-another uncomfortable but very real gift) is wonderful, and it is a way that our spirit speaks to The Spirit. Doing so is between us and Him, but when you prophesy----then you are edifying the church body--as in ALL Christians. God doesn't make mistakes when He allows us to dream certain dreams, hear certain things, or see something that we may be shocked by. It's all part of the communication process, and I know He desires to speak to us on a regular basis, not just in our "prayer closet"---that's assuming we have a prayer closet of some kind. Prophesy is speaking on His behalf to His people in their language, not in tongues.

I honestly believe more people hear from God than admit to it. I'll tell you all right now that I am a dreamer. That is how He communicates with me, and I didn't realize it until about 4 years ago. I thought I was crazy. Things that I would dream would come true--now if that doesn't freak a person out, I don't know what will! I'm not boasting or saying that to have any form of gratification, it's just the truth. My Father loves me enough to share just a teeny tiny portion of His works with me while I sleep, and I find it a pleasure to wake up in the morning and either take those words to whom they were meant for, or to spend time in prayer digesting it for myself. Guess what--He loves YOU that much too.

It's really amazing what you can hear when you REALLY listen. God doesn't want to be a gigantic mystery somewhere high above the clouds. Instead, He wants to be that still, small voice right next to your ear that whispers secrets only He and you can understand. He also wants to be your best friend, comforter, and guide. The gifts--such as prophesy--are just another way we as humans can please Him. When we use the gifts He gives us freely, and we direct them in ways that build up and edify the church body, He can't help but be pleased--and I know it makes Him smile.