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Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy... he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
~ 1 Corinthians 14:1-3 (NKJV)
These verses follow the 1 Corinthians 13 chapter about love. Our family studied it during Bible lesson on Wednesday.
I've previously explained to the kids that prophecy is often thought of as foretelling the future. But it is more accurately when God's Spirit reveals something to one of His people, who knows when to pass it on to someone else. Prophecy is also understanding someone else through the revelation of God's Spirit, so that one is able to talk to God about them.
In other words, prophecy is talking to people on behalf of God and talking to God on behalf of people.
Here's how I explained prophecy's purpose of edification, exhortation, and comfort to the six- thru seventeen-year-old crowd:
♥ edification is to build up and encourage someone in a way that they feel stronger;
♥ exhortation is when you see that someone's strong enough to do something, and you give them a gentle push to help them get started in a way that helps them feel confident;
♥ comfort is when someone hurts, and you know what to say and what to not say so they don't hurt so much.
I am an indoor kinda' gal... There is one way to get me outside in the sun on a summer day and that's to promise me that we're going to pick blueberries.
~ Alise Wright
So begins a most delightful blog post—"Blueberry Pickin'." If you've not yet had the pleasure to stop by the blog Alise... Write, you've missed a gem.
Paul was used to record a word from God about love and prophecy. I made an effort to teach the prophecy blueprint to kids. And Alise illustrated the Scripture's spirit in a brief and beautiful way you really owe it to yourself to read. (You can get there from here.)
Lord Jesus, give us more love, and give us more desire to pass it along.
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Aw, thanks so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it! Have a lovely day!
ReplyDeleteWill head over that way ... the pickin' is always good here.
ReplyDeleteit takes some doin` to leave comments. have to sign out and then sign in again for each comment. read the linked post but what really stood out in my mind is how much i miss going each year to pick them. i'm a select picker and tried to pick them clean and you'd be hard pressed to find stems and leaves in my 5 gallon pail. (but it took a long time!) liked the time with the Lord then too. now here in the west, time is spent with the Lord but without blueberries! oh well, i'm as grateful for the many warm and sunny days. and i finally managed to get a comment posted in here!
ReplyDeleteAlise ~
ReplyDeleteThe words of kindness you have written inspire me. Thanks again for your post! :D May God richly bless you where you've most waited upon Him.
Susan ~
ReplyDeleteYou are the epitome of the gentleness which Alise speaks of. ♥
Bud ~
ReplyDeleteI do love the blueberry pickins' in Michigan. But I'd trade them in a heartbeat for sun and mountains. No matter--I'll bloom where the Lord has planated me. Good to see you! \o/ + :D
Hi, Anne, just to say that I am still around here even I don't leave comments...
ReplyDeleteNatasa ~
ReplyDeleteYou're such a sweetheart! Sometimes I read your English posts in my RSS feed. Sometimes I go to your blog and translate. Sometimes I miss out. :( I also wish I had more time to comment. No worry! :D ♥