Monday, November 19, 2007

Loose Ends

I just arrived home to a coughing wife, who needs a little attention after my being gone over the weekend, so this will not be a long post. The Ohio meetings were, to use an overused adjective powerful, and I got to meet some of you who read this web log regularly. Fellowship strengthens me as does seeing hunger for the truth.
I have a problem. In fact I've had this problem since I was a small child. Whenever I would fall and scrape my knees or my elbows, I always picked at the scabs soon after. If my mother knitted me a sweater that happened to have a loose thread anywhere, I would find it, and proceed to disassemble the entire sweater before I was done.
To this day I don't like loose ends, and so I've decided to post a few thoughts before I go and attempt to make chicken soup, for a coughing wife.
The first subject has to do with public prayer, and having read through some of your comments, I would like to clarify something. I believe public prayer is Biblical, however my issue was with the fact that we give credence to, and endorse the idea of ecumenism by our very presence as children of God, in the Deity stew that was the public prayer in Georgia. With the rains having come, which god do we give credit to for answering the prayers of the multitudes? Each represented faith, will now point to their god, and say, 'it was due to us, and our supplications that the heavens opened, if only for a little while.' There is wisdom in God's command to be separate from the world.
I will be writing an article on prayer sometime this week, the basic idea of said article being the fact that very rarely are we told what Jesus prayed, the Bible simply stating that He went off on His own to pray. More on that later.
The second issue, is the fact that I mentioned the school of the prophets in one of my posts, and I was asked by a reader of this site how I reconciled talking about the school of the prophets, and then saying prophecy cannot be taught.
My answer to that is a simple one. The men who made up the school of the prophets during Elijah's and Elisha's time, were not men who just came off the street wanting to be prophets, paying their membership fees, receiving their workbooks, and giving each other words of knowledge that weren't so knowledgeable. These were men who had already been called, chosen and sanctified for this sacred duty. The school of the prophets was simply fellowship between those whom God had already chosen, and established as vessels for Himself.
The truth, is that a gift of God cannot be taught from one man to another. The only thing that we as human beings can do, is be viable candidates for the gifts, by having cleansed our wineskin, made it new, and desiring the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When they come, and which gift comes, what sacred duty we are entrusted with, is wholly dependent upon God. The only thing we can do, is live in righteousness, and holiness, to sanctify ourselves, preparing our vessels for that which God will pour into them. Yes, we can desire the gift prophecy, but it doesn't mean that's what we will receive, all the nine gifts work within a body, to keep it strong, fruitful, obedient, and aware.
So, save the $495 that it will cost you to learn how to be a prophet, and bend the knees, lift your countenance, and ask God, if it be His will, when He finds you ready and acceptable in His eyes, to use you in the manner He sees fit.
Too often the pride, arrogance and vanity of our hearts hinder us from approaching God in humility, in letting Him choose the duty, and the office which we should occupy, and instead make foolish demands of Him, telling Him what we will accept, and what we won't accept. I have seen too many bodies of believers torn asunder by the absence of humility, wherein a finger thought it was a nose, and a nose thought it was an eye. Again, another article for another time. The point, is that God knows best, where we will be our best, where we will be useful in furthering His kingdom, and bringing glory to His name. He will call, He will equip, He will send, and He will anoint. All you must do is obey.
When we realize that it's not about us, our vainglory, or our pride, but it's all about Him, and His work here on earth, we will be content wherever He sends us, and whatever office He calls us to.
The water is boiling, I'm off to make soup. Thank you for your patience, since there has been no substantial post in over four days, and in your prayers tonight, please remember my wife.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

There must have been an antique road show marathon on this weekend. Too much yelling. I'm telling ya', hide the remote. I'll keep ya' all in my prayers.
God Bless
Levity Jeff :o)

Anonymous said...

hey michael,

i see you will tackle this public prayer thing in a latter post and i was wondering now about that too-i guess i never gave it much thought before and was pondering how many times Jesus prayed publicly-and could only come up with a handful of times-with his disciples the longest we have is the Lord's prayer and that was more of a teaching and then john 16 where he prays for unity.

i find it strange that the only time we see him pray among the unbelieving is perhaps the breaking of the bread and fishes for the masses and a healing and then at the end of his life where it is more a quote from one of the psalms.

it seems he reserved prayer for his most intimate times and only on several occasions were the closest disciples allowed to enter in to his circle-with the garden scene being the perhaps most revealing.

thanks again for opening your world to us through this blog, i look forward to your daily thoughts! and please pass on our thanks and gratitude to your wife for sharing you with us in this way!:) you guys are in my/our prayers!

and amy that is a yes to your question.

---p.g.---

Anonymous said...

Dear brother Michael, I will pray for your wife, but I wish I knew her name... :)

Amen to what you say about ecumenism and separation from the world and about prophets and gifts. Regarding the "school of the prophets" in the days of Elisha, I also wanted to state the obvious, that it was like a Yeshiva or "seminary" where priests and prophets gathered to hear and study a copy - maybe the only copy - of the Torah and the rest of Yahweh's Word in existence at that time. In case people forget :) they didn't have their own Bibles back then like we do today - there were only maybe a couple handwritten copies. They were studying the WORD - what God had already said, like Deuteronomy 28 - not how to be soothsayers!

Anonymous said...

Michael,

With all due respect, and a big smile on my face as I type this... I think it's impossible for you to post a "short" blog. :)

Praying for you wife and you tonight.

Wade in Michigan

A Seed Sower said...

Yes Brother Michael, people are told that they can be taught to speak in tongues, prophesy..learn how to heal people..its all rubbish it feeds peoples egos its a travisty. Prophets are chosen, called and gifted by God Almighty, and have a heavy calling. Speaking in tongues is a work of the Holy Spirit not the intelect of men. Healing is also the gift of God, not something that is taught by men.
Yes I with the other saints will remember Monica in prayer. May the Lord gift you with the abilities it will take to tend to her.
God Bless
Helen B

Elm Street Chapel said...

Michael,
I pray and agree for your wife's speedy return to complete health,in Jesus name.

I, as I'm sure many others delight to hear your good report. I pray that the fruit of your ministry always remain, and God be glorified.

As to the gift of prophecy wouldn't this be the standard:

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
24But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

While it is true enough that all do not prophesy, I believe that all may prophecy or have prophetic insight. That is not to be confused with the office of a prophet, or negate the necessity of every part of the body of Christ. All who are Spirit filled speak in tongues. We are instructed to pray that we can interpret, but better that we prophesy. Often a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge are confused with prophecy. Of course, they are both given by the same Spirit. Discerning a spirit could also be misunderstood for something it's not. But when;

1 Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.,

occurs, and they are all inspired by the Holy Spirit,other than content what value would the gift of origin be if all comes from God? Would we put a higher value on truth if a prophet spoke it verses a humble man with the gift of knowledge? The callings and offices are certainly different and covetous men often find pride in repeating a word authored by God. But the humble know the voice of their master and never claim it as their own, for they know that they cannot change the color of one hair on their head.

These are the days of the shepherds beating and killing the sheep. Jesus said that in these days He would Shepherd His flock. If by the Holy Spirit we break free of the bondage of religion, come out and not partake of the wrath to come we will have ears to hear. Hear the voice that leads.
L.J.P&HG
Dave

Bonny said...

Oh so true, Michael. Some of these self-appointed prophets today are like the untouchables....I have sat under too many dogs.
God bless, hope Monica is well soon.

Anonymous said...

Shalom Michael, You confirmed a thing for me re. time spent with those mixing up the "Deity stew" and i thank you. As one who is living an a geographically isolated area i also appreciated you comment that fellowship strengthens you ... in the absence of "Family" i'm seeing that my time in this place must be for pressing in closer to The Master, as there is no one else willing to pray with. Will look forward what you share about prayer.

blessings in Messiah,
Priscilla R

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much Michael for your post.

God Bless

Anonymous said...

Hi Michael,
I join in asking for Monica's restoration to full health through Christ Jesus. I am looking forward to the post on prayer and building a relationship with God. I've been learning this past week that I know God as a provider, protector but I really do not understand Him as a loving God who wants to have an intimate relationship with me - don't get me wrong, I understand God loves me but I feel I'm limited in my understanding...in truly KNOWING the love the led HIM to have his son crucified...to really KNOW him so that doing anything that wrongs HIM becomes to me unimaginable.
In His Grace,
Joyce

Elm Street Chapel said...

Amen, I am in agreement with the others regarding your wife, Monica.

May the Lord bless her with perfect health and cause her to draw close to Him in these times.

Bless her, Lord, with all that you have for her and cause her to be obedient in all that you have called her to do for Your name's sake.

In Him,
Ryan

Anonymous said...

thank you brother michael.your letters truly represent the word of God,i feel so comforted and nice when i read your articles.They are pure and holy without any adulteration from the world.i pray that you may always be fruitful like the seed that fell on the good ground.
i am so happy that you lay stress on humility,truly it is so important to be humble ,pure and holy.nothing impure shall enter the kingdom of heaven as the word says.thank you for the posts.