THE TRUE PROPHET

WHO ARE OUR MODERN PROPHETS? WHAT DISTINGUISHES A PROPHET FROM OTHER HUMAN BEINGS? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD? THE SYMBOL OF THE HAIR SHIRT.

Paul Tillich.

The prophetic spirit has not disappeared from the earth. Decades before the world wars, men judged the European civilization and prophesied its end in speech and print. There are among us people like these. They are like the refined instruments which register the shaking of the earth on far-removed sections of its surface. These people register the shaking of their civilization, its self-destructive trends, and its disintegration and fall, decades before the final catastrophe occurs. They have an invisible and almost infallible sensorium in their souls; and they have an irresistible urge to pronounce what they have registered, perhaps against their own wills. For no true prophet has ever prophesied voluntarily. It has been forced upon him by a Divine voice to which he has not been able to close his ears….Most human beings, of course, are not able to stand the message of the shaking of the foundations. They reject and attack the prophetic minds, not because they really disagree with them but because they sense the truth of their words and cannot receive it. They repress it into mockery or fury against those who know and dare to say what they know.

Abraham Heschel, THE PROPHETS.

“The prophet is not a mouthpiece, but a person; not an instrument, but a partner, an associate of God. The conception of the prophets as nothing but mouthpieces, the assumption that their hearts remain unaffected, would almost compel us to apply to them the words that Jeremiah used of the people: “Thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart”. Jer. 12/2. The point here is that they have the “burden” of the Lord; they feel what God feels, and are not merely “mechanical mouthpieces.” Heschel goes on in saying: “To a person endowed with prophetic sight, everyone else appears blind; to a person whose ear perceives God`s voice, everyone else appears deaf. No one is just; no knowing is strong enough, no trust complete enough. The prophet hates the approximate, he shuns the middle of the road. Man must live on the summit to avoid the abyss. There is nothing to hold to except God. Carried away by the challenge, the demand to straighten out man`s ways, the prophet is strange, one sided, an unbearable extremist.”

THE TRUE PROPHET.

That appears to be what is happening in the contemporary charismatic movement. Where the spirit of false prophecy dominates, the true prophet will be ostracized and there will be an attempt to intimidate him into silence. Many of us who have sounded warnings about the current movement in the church have found ourselves on the receiving end of threats that our criticisms will result in judgment and disaster coming upon us. An example of this appeared in the “Joy” magazine of Assemblies of God in which R. T. Kendall said that anyone criticizing the Toronto phenomena was like a person putting his hand in water and playing about with electricity. Since playing with electricity and water at the same time is likely to end in death, one is justified in taking this as a death threat. The message is clear. You can say nothing against the movement, however bizarre and erroneous its teachings, however many false prophecies of revival are given. You must submit to it or God will destroy you.

David Wilkerson has written of a “Christless Pentecost” in which there is all the paraphernalia of revival, but Jesus is standing on the outside, knocking at the door of what is in fact a worldly, self-satisfied church, which lacks the true power of God and is filled with pride and confusion (Revelation 3/14-22). In this case the true prophet has to go outside the camp, following the Lord Jesus and being despised and rejected. He stands in the public place as Jeremiah did, calling on the kings (world rulers), the priests (religious leaders), the rich and the poor to “hear the word of the Lord” and repent before the catastrophe falls, not just on one people as in Jeremiah`s day, but on all the peoples of the world. The Lord Jesus spoke of this when He answered the disciples` question “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” He spoke not of whole nations turning to Christ, but persecution, falling away from the truth and a time of such great tribulation that if God did not shorten those days no flesh would be saved. (Math. 24).

To receive prophecies saying that you are going to be highly honoured, very wealthy and take control of nations may be more comforting than listening to what Jesus said about the days before His second coming. But those who receive these prophecies will end up experiencing disillusion and defeat. Much better to listen to Jesus who said, “In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16/33.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN.

Here then are some penetrating insights from one (Leonard Ravenhill), who himself was something of a prophet crying in the wilderness:

The prophet in his day is fully accepted of God and totally rejected by men. Math. 13/57, Mk. 6/4, John 4/44.

Years back, Dr. Gregory Mantle was right when he said, “No man can be fully accepted until he is totally rejected.” The prophet of the Lord is aware of both these experiences. They are his “brand name.”

The group, challenged by the prophet because they are snug and comfortably insulated from a perishing world in their warm but untested theology, is not likely to vote him “Man of the year” when he refers to them as habituates of the synagogue of satan! Rev. 3/14-22, Haggai.

The prophet comes to set up that which is upset. His work is to call into line those who are out of line! He is unpopular because he opposes the popular in morality and spirituality. In a day of faceless politicians and voiceless preachers, there is not a more urgent national need than that we cry to God for a prophet! The function of the prophet, as Austin-Sparks once said, “has almost always been that of recovery.” Jer. 1/8-9, Ez. 2/3-10, 4/3-9, Mal. 4/5-6.

The prophet is God`s detective seeking for a lost treasure. The degree of his effectiveness is determined by his measure of unpopularity. Compromise is not known to him. Amos 7/7-8.

He has no price tags. He is totally “otherworldly.”

He is unquestionably controversial and unpardonably hostile.

He marches to another drummer!

He breathes the rarefied air of inspiration. He is a “seer” who comes to lead the blind. He lives in the heights of God and comes into the valley with a “thus saith the Lord.”

He shares some of the foreknowledge of God and so is aware of impending judgment. He lives in “splendid isolation.” 1 Kings 17/2-16, Heb. 13/13.

He is forthright and outright, but he claims no birthright.

His message is “repent, be reconciled to God or else…!”

His prophecies are parried.

His truth brings torment, but his voice is never void. Rev. 11/10.

He is the villain of today and the hero of tomorrow. Math. 23/29-39.

He is excommunicated while alive and exalted when dead!

He is dishonoured with epithets when breathing and honoured with epitaphs when dead.

He hides with God in the secret place, but he has nothing to hide in the marketplace.

He is naturally sensitive but supernaturally spiritual.

He has passion, purpose and pugnacity.

He is ordained of God but disdained by men.

GOD`S MEN ARE IN HIDING UNTIL THE DAY OF THEIR SHOWING FORTH. They will come. 1 Kings 17/1, 18/1-2.

The prophet is violated during his ministry, but he is vindicated by history. Math. 23/37, Acts 7/51-52.

There is a terrible vacuum in evangelical Christianity to day. The missing person in our ranks is the prophet. The man with a terrible earnestness. The man totally otherworldly. The man rejected by other men, EVEN OTHER GOOD MEN, BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER HIM TOO AUSTERE, TOO SEVERELY COMMITTED, TOO NEGATIVE AND UNSOCIABLE.

(If you so desire, you can read “The Heart of a Prophet” by W. E. Smith on the following link.

http://livingwalk.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/the-heart-of-a-prophet/

CHARTER FOR STRAIGHT TALK MINISTRIES:

We believe and live accordingly that Jesus set up a contract with us, a marriage contract: He gave His life for us, and our part is our life for Him, 100%. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” So we lose our identity to Him. “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life shall find it.” So we hold nothing back, instead of us controlling and planning and working out how we are to live, (ie us playing God over our lives) we surrender our will totally over to His will in every area of our life. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Instead of walking according to our pleasures and desires, we now walk according to His pleasure and desire for our lives. Our greatest pleasure is serving Him in obedience as He commands. “I delight to do thy will O Lord,” “The just shall live by faith.” “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” In short, if God has not told us to say it, or do it, then it`s sin. We wish to be abiding in “that secret place of the most High where no evil shall befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling,” and we realize that total surrender, trust and obedience brings righteousness; “and be found of Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” We believe that obedience is the key to (a) righteousness (b) the secret place of the most high (c) the blessing or being blessed of God (makerios), meaning His manifest favour, pleasure and presence in and over our lives, (d) the whole armour of God (e) the manifestation of the Fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance;” and it`s out of this manifestation of love we expect our Loving Father to establish the Bride of Christ in surrender, trust and total transparency, NO VENEER, NO LIES, total trust and openness. “Yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exhalt you in due time.” In short, our commitment will be measured by our willingness to submit in love to the authority or oversight that our Loving Father has placed over us, to exhort, reprove, rebuke, teach, preach, pray and minister, as the Holy Spirit commands. Our commitment will be measured by our willingness to be open and transparent to this leadership, indeed to one another.

We believe in the “foundation principles of the doctrine of Christ.” 1. repentance from dead works 2. faith toward God. 3. the doctrine of baptisms. 4. laying on of hands. 5. the resurrection of the dead. 6. eternal judgment: We believe that Jesus is coming back for a “church without spot or blemish,” and we embrace fully the five fold ministry giftings, Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher, knowing that a work or vision cannot be perfected without full acceptance and surrender to these ministries, especially that of Apostle and Prophet, their input is vital to “the perfecting of the saints, edification of the body, unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to bring us unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

We believe in the total member function of the church as stated by Paul in 1 Cor. 12, 13, and 14. We believe “freely you have received, so freely give.” “It`s more blessed to give than to receive.” We believe that the true church, the “Bride of Christ,” is a pragmatic church, pouring out, not only materially, but spiritually, as our Loving Father commands and leads.

We do not believe in lording it over the flock of God, but serving, “speaking the truth in love.” We do not believe in controlling the flock of God, but rather yielding and letting the Holy Spirit take control unhindered. We do not believe in self elevation, self recognition. “If any man would follow me, let him take up his cross daily and deny himself.” “A Prophet has no honour.” We believe as “Christ made Himself of no reputation,” then so do we. We do not believe in doing this to “fill our bellies,” to be successful or rich, or “to be seen of men” we do this because we love Him and the Body and want only to please Him. We believe “TO GOD BE THE GLORY” EMPHATICALLY, ABSOLUTELY, FOREVER AND FOREVER AMEN.

“THEREFORE GROW IN GRACE”

NO COMPROMISE:

MISSION STATEMENT

TO SEE THE PREACHING AND TEACHING OF THE “LAW, JUDGEMENT, MERCY, AND FAITH” RESTORED TO THE PULPIT. Math. 23/23.

TO SEE THE RESTORATION OF “THE FEAR OF THE LORD” IN THIS LAND, FIRST TO “THE HOUSE OF GOD,” 1 Pet. 4/17, THEN TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY AT LARGE. Math. 10/28, Luke 12/5.

TO DECLARE “REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, REMISSION OF SINS, BY THE SHED BLOOD OF CHRIST, THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE PROMISE OF GOD TO YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN,…..AND TO ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF, EVEN AS MANY AS THE LORD OUR GOD SHALL CALL.” Acts 2/38-39.

TO “PREACH PEACE TO THOSE WHICH ARE AFAR OFF, AND TO THEM THAT ARE NIGH,” THROUGH THE CROSS OF CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. Eph. 2/16-17.

TO SEE THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TURNED TOWARD THE CHILDREN AND THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN TURNED TOWARD THEIR FATHERS. Mal. 4/5-6.

TO PREACH “THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” Luke 4/19.

TO WARN TO “FLEE THE WRATH THAT IS TO COME.” Math. 3/7, Luke 3/7.

TO PROCLAIM “PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.” Math. 3/3, Mk. 1/3, Luke 3/4.

TO DECLARE “HIS KINGDOM COME.” Math. 6/10, Luke 11/2.

TO PROCLAIM “THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD.” Joel 2/11,31.

TO DECLARE THAT THOSE THAT OBEY NOT THE TRUTH ABIDE IN WRATH. Col. 3/6, Eph. 5/6, Ro. 2/5, Ro. 1/18, John 3/36, Luke 21/23, Ro. 2/8.

TO SEE A BRIDE PREPARED WITHOUT SPOT OR BLEMISH, READY FOR HIS RETURN. Ca. 4/7, Eph. 5/27, 1 Pet. 1/19, 2 Pet. 3/14, Rev. 21/2. Eph. 4/13.

TO LOVE THE LORD OUR GOD WITH ALL OUR HEARTS, AND WITH ALL OUR SOULS, AND WITH ALL OUR MINDS, AND LOVE OUR NEIGHBOURS AS OURSELVES. Math. 22/37-40, Mk. 12/29-31.

TO HERALD GOD`S GREAT LOVE FOR THE WORLD, John 3/16, AND HIS GREAT LOVE FOR HIS PEOPLE. 1 John 3/1.

TO PROCLAIM JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER AND EVER AMEN. Math. 6/13,

“THAT HIS FEAR MAY BE BEFORE YOUR FACES, THAT YE SIN NOT.” Ex. 20/20.

Bevan Kluver,

Straight Talk Ministries,

Ph/Fax 07 5545 2874

Website www.straighttalkmin.org

Email bevan.kluver@bigpond.com

EZEKIEL

1 Thes. 5/2-3. “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then SUDDEN DESTRUCTION cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape”.

GOD`S WARFARE Part A

In the womb of his labouring mother, a child is yet unborn,

But the Father knows of his purpose, a mark which will be worn;

A levitical priest of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council of the day,

Ezekiel`s twenty year commission, prophesying all that God says;

A wheel in a wheel, but it seems so unreal,

Ezekiels zeal, his obedient meal;

God`s anger and fire, cleaning out this mire,

Their hearts of wire, enlisting Ezekiels hire;

Ezekiel meaning “God strengthens”, or he has the “strength of God”,

In the time of King Jehoiachin, trained up in the reign of Jehoiakim;

A prophet with a book of prophesies, foremost on God`s anger for the Jews,

Prophesies of destruction, and restoration, out working as God shews;

With his visions and spiritual connection, God showed Ezekiel annihilation,

For the sin of the land was abhorrent, and needed cleansing before restoration;

But face on the ground he cried out, will you make a complete end of the remnant?

His heart in lament for the righteous chosen, but a prophecy for their betterment;

Among the captives by the river Chebar, in the land of the Chaldeans,

Visions of The Lord God Omnipotent, of His Omnipresence and Omniscience;

A whirlwind from the north, a wheel in a wheel and the firmament of His Throne,

God`s watchman sent to announce judgment, their behavior he no longer condoned;

Preparing a clay model of Jerusalem, an iron siege which cannot be broken,

Laying siege three ninety and forty days, to a nation which must be awoken;

“But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me”,

“For they are impudent, hardhearted, and most rebellious, as you will surely see;"

Adulterous Israel your judgment is near, the wicked shall be slain,

His glory departing from the temple, your righteousness you must reclaim;

Your prophets of Baal, false prophets they are, like foxes in the desert,

Falsely divining “thus saith the Lord”, I am against you, you`re a menace;

A forecaster of doom against foreign nations, their iniquity also uncovered,

Your vengeance, your greed, your hatred, your pride, is no longer undiscovered;

Woe to the shepherds who feed themselves, should you not be feeding the flock?

The weak you have not gone and strengthened, nor sought the ones who were lost;

GOD`S PEACE Part B

In the Spirit of the Lord He brought me, to a valley full of dry bones,

And behold there were very very many, in death many wailed and groaned;

So I prophesied as I was commanded, bringing life to all who were dead,

And now My Spirit is within you, from the graveyard by which you are led;

The battle is finally over, your armies have been destroyed,

My judgments have been executed, My wrath on you deployed;

But now you`re back from captivity, no longer will I hide my face,

I will never leave you nor forsake you, your repentance has granted you grace;

Spiritually in the land of Israel, with visions again beholding,

He saw a new city, God`s Temple, it`s dimensions slowly unfolding;

With Gateways, courts and the Altar, the Sanctuary and the Chambers,

God`s love for His people, His restoration, will lead them away from danger;

A new Jerusalem will rise from the ashes, be lifted spiritually high,

His great love and forgiveness for you, in your lament you sought to be nigh;

A city named, “THE LORD IS THERE”, according to their salvation,

A cry in the heart of the people, after much apocalyptic devastation:

AMEN 7^th Feb 2003

(Bevan and Rikki Kluver are not associated with, and are not acquainted with any of the above whose material we have quoted in this paper: Paul Tillich, Abraham Heschel, W. E. Smith and Leonard Ravenhill).