Why don't we think about prophecy for a moment, as being representative of all the endowments the Lord is prepared to give to us.

Concerning prophecy, one does not have to start off like Isaiah. It is perfectly proper for the novice to say, "I think the Lord is saying . . ." However, "Thus saith the Lord" is more suitable for someone with an established record as a prophet.

In these days, when the Lord is so close to us, numerous Christians are discovering if they will listen they can hear what the Lord is saying to them personally. You may have heard of "journaling," in which believers sit down with a pencil and notebook and listen for a word from the Lord.

I have not heard of problems arising from this practice, but I think a believer who practices journaling should check from time to time with a respected elder some of the words he or she is recording. The journalings I have seen seem to be coming from the Lord.

So we see that prophetic words can be directed to a single believer.

Then we have the primary use of all the gifts and ministries of the Spirit, which is to build up the members of the assembly into spiritual maturity as measured by the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Finally, there are prophecies which are a testimony to the world, as often was true of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings." (Revelation 10:11)

Do you know, the current emphasis on "getting souls saved" has obscured what may be a major role of the Christian in his capacity as a member of the royal priesthood.

Oftentimes we Christians meet someone of the world who is in a crisis. He or she may look to us for help. I cannot see anything wrong with telling him that God loves him, to look to God for help, to believe God will help him and that his future is not helpless, without trying to "lead him to Christ."

I see nothing wrong with this.

I see no need for trying to "lead them to Christ." As Oswald Chambers said somewhere, "People smell the gunpowder and are repulsed."

What is wrong with telling people to look to God for help? Perhaps some will disagree with me at this point, but my experience over the last half-century tells me that the Christian churches have a spirit of proselyting that comes across as forced, stilted, and contrived. How about telling people that God will help them if they pray, or just being a friend to them, a listening ear, without trying to force them to "take the four steps of salvation"?

I am not, of course, suggesting that people can come to God apart from Christ. I am referring only to a contrived approach that may not prove to be as fruitful as we might wish.

Perhaps the role of the royal priesthood is to bring God's help and comfort to the people of the world, but only as the Spirit leads. Enough of this "going forth to save a lost and dying world," which in my opinion is not of the Lord at all.

Maybe the Lord wants us to be a friend to people, and a gate to Christ, instead of trying to "win our community for Christ."

Do whatever you will with this.

To be continued.