1 John 1:1-4
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled,
concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have
seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the
Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and
heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly
our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And
these things we write to you that your joy may be full
When you
read the Bible it should be noted that there were scribes. So as Paul was in prison he was telling someone
what to write. This person would write
out what Paul would say and he would tell them what he had seen, heard, and experienced. Although the scribe would learn a lot about God through Paul he didn't have an encounter of His own to write about.
Then in the
Bible there are prophets The
scribe would write what the prophet would tell them. Here we are hearing the account of John. He is letting us know that this isn't something he had heard about at a church service or by his friends. He is letting them know the Jesus he had encountered for Himself.
The
difference in the prophet and the scribe is as wide and vast as the sea. I long for this generation to become prophets. Telling a lost and dying world their own
experience with God.
I am troubled by people's ability to fall in and out of love with God so very easily. Then I realized the other day that my frustration is with scribes. See, you can't be talked out of something that you have experienced for yourself. I know that chocolate is good because I have tasted it for myself. I have tried lots of kinds of chocolate and with that I can tell you my favorite ones to eat and my lesser favorites.
Most people have never truly tasted of God's goodness and His presence. That is why it is so easy for them to be talked into following someone else.
One of my favorite scriptures is when Jesus looks at the disciples and asks them "Are you going to leave me too?" then Peter shouts out "To whom else would we go? Your words are the words of eternal life!!"
(John 6)
Peter understood that he left Jesus then he would then give his life to someone else. He had experienced too much of Jesus to leave. It was too late to leave. He was too far in. He knew too much. He knew nothing else compared. No one else could satisfy.
Can I just challenge you to become a prophet in this world!?
Experience God for yourself. Stop talking about the stories of others encounter and get an encounter for yourself.
