This post is Day 7 in a series of studies about “Gifts & Giving”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Gifts & Giving – Day 7

The gift of prophecy is not what many of us think it is in our churches. We do not have to be able to see into the future, of anyone or any situation. The prophets in the Old Testament heard from The Lord and spoke it out to the people.

1 Corinthians 14:1

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

The Thought

This verse follows the famous chapter where Paul describes love. It is a chapter worth reading any day and every day to remind ourselves of who God is and what He desires of us. Eagerly desiring the gifts of the Spirit is suggesting here that they will help us to follow the way of love. God gives all that He gives out of His immense love and we must try to do the same, having a loving attitude to all whether we agree with them or not.

The gift of prophecy noted alone here is not what many of us think it is in today’s church. We do not have to be able to see into the future, of anyone or any situation. The prophets in the Old Testament heard something from The Lord and spoke it out to the people. Nothing more and nothing less. Their first call was to be obedient. It is the same for us today.

My husband and I were recently praying for people at an Alpha weekend. As we prayed for each one at the end of the last session, we were given things from the Lord to say to them as individuals. Neither of us consider ourselves prophets, but we spoke out what we heard God say, and we did not try to interpret it, or put in our own opinions. That was the spiritual gift of prophecy in action when needed. It was a very special evening for all concerned.

Action

Ask yourself if you know other believers with whom you are not in unity. People who are members of a church group that you really don’t know too well, or about whom you have only heard negative things. Can you invite them for coffee to talk things through and discover what you have in common.