It's supernatural. But is it holy.

"And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake"

- Hebrews 12:21

I saw recently a man that claimed to be a prophet of God. He was retelling an experience he said he'd had when God called him to be a prophet and how an angel had visited him.

What struck me perhaps more than anything else was that he related how when this happened, he was not afraid at all. But, he said, he just knew God was 'up to something'.

THEIR UTTERNESS - HIS OTHERNESS

If there is one single thing that distinguishes a man that is speaking for God, if there is one peculiarity of his disposition and demeanor, I believe it would be this: their utterness, and the sense of otherness they communicate in the message they deliver.

By 'utterness' I mean that there is a pervading resolutness of purpose in their speech and conduct, especially when they should be claiming to speak for God, that communicates to the hearer that they must either accept or reject that God has spoken, but that they should have you without any doubt, that He has.

It is amazing the flippancy, the carelessness, the ease with which the modern prophets can hop and skip and jump between words they claim come from God, and then some 'normal' discourse, even before a televised audience.

Instead of communicating to the hearers that THE ONE from another existence has spoken to them, they communicate rather like co-workers in a office. Like pals. Like friends. Like you've just heard from your boss. NOT ALMIGHTY GOD.

What the prophets of old called the BURDEN of the Word of the LORD, the modern day propehts treat as though it were some kind of fax they just recieved, like tele-type, like an e-mail. Just read it, and pitch it in the trash when you're done.

They comminicate to you a god that runs his affairs more like a three-ring circus than the ARCHITECT of the UNIVERSE, like somoene who desperately wants to share his secrets with you and will gladly do so, and teach you the secrets to reading the private correspondence of heaven - just be sure to pay 9.95 and shipping and handling for the service of 'his messenger'.

The leprosy of Naaman clung to Gehazi because he wanted to profit from the glory of the Word of God.

And that is another thing then. The Lord said through Jerimiah that the prophets had caused His people to err, through their lies...

and through their lightness.

The word lightness there means frivolity.

It is an utter contradiction and distinction over and against the one thing that should be communicated by a man or a woman that claims to speak for God- that is HIS WEIGHTINESS.

That is properly what the glory of God means. He is WEIGHTY. He is the altogether utterly absolute and significant ONE. He alone gives meaning and purpose and definition to LIFE! He is and lives and defines truth and HIS Words, if they have come from Him, SHOULD CONVEY THAT ALSO!

I was reminded of something from Art Katz...

The false prophets of Baal with whom Elijah was in conflict actually thought there would be a god to answer. They believed wholeheartedly that there was going to be for them a fire from heaven. They were not cynical men religiously posturing. They were deluded and deceived themselves. The false prophets of the Last Days may be well-meaning men with sincere intentions, fully persuaded that they are right and that the other man is the person who is in error. What distinguishes, therefore, the one from the other? We can hardly think of a more valid question for the church at this time.

And so there are two parallel tracks, the fictitious, assumed and presumptuous nonsense of men as opposed to the authentic thing, now in process of restoration from God. One will flatter you with entreaties to your flesh and the other will inevitably call you to the Cross, and by that you can know who are the true prophets and the false. This issue of true or false is a critical issue, and it is the issue of the Cross in an authentic appropriation, not just in credal acknowledgment! Merely to be satisfied with credally acknowledging something as being true is itself the heart of deception and apostasy. To passively acknowledge something as being doctrinally true is not the statement of its ‘truth.’ It falls short of the existential reality that God is after. If we have not pressed in and wrestled to obtain the actual reality of truth, then we will not be able to communicate it to anyone. What we are seeing in the new crop of ‘prophets’ is a testimony of a dubious Christianity that has not pressed in and wrestled, but has been satisfied with glib credal affirmation and a craving for confirming experiences. It has been sufficient for us to ‘get by,’ but insufficient for God’s glory! Everything rests in the existential appropriation of the faith.

-excerpted from The Spirit of Prophecy by Art Katz

This is why I was so amazed at the youtube video of Dr. David Owuor speaking to the pastors of Venezuela. He was so bold and hammered the convicting message home. It was the first time in a long time that I had heard a message with authority.

Very excellent post. I am in such grief over the lack of holy fear in the people today.

One of my most favorite scriptures: "And Elijah called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. ( Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly)", speaks to me of the trembling which should be evident in anyone that considers themselves a spokesperson for the Lord.

Brother Art Katz strove to encourage others to attain that priestly goal. Today, it is so necessary, and I rejoice that others recognize it as well.

This disreguard for reverence trickles all the way down to the very youth who dishonor the elderly of the people.

The love affair that the church has with the world has played such a role and is so evident in the conduct of the ministers.

The more a man or woman spends time in His holy presence, the more he/she will walk in greater solemnity and fear.

This is a real word of wisdom for those
who are always seeking the next and new
thing in the Spirit!!