The Love Chapter Sandwich

1 Corinthians 13--it's one of the most well-known chapters in the Bible. But have you ever bothered to read the chapters before and after this one? I remember the first time I really read them as a whole--it gives 1 Cor. 13 a whole new look!

This love chapter is sandwiched right in between chapters about spiritual gifts. Gifts that aren't talked about all too much, which is really quite sad because they're some of the greatest things that God could give us and yet we unknowingly choose not to receive them! In fact, when I first started learning about this stuff, I found out that some people think that these gifts stopped existing once the Bible was finished being written. No offense, but I find that strange...and quite unlike our never-changing God to give the early disciples these gifts but then keep them away from the rest of us.

But anyway--I'm going to focus on one particular verse in 1 Corinthians 14--verse 3. It says: "But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them." When Paul puts it that way, prophesying doesn't sound so scary does it? Who doesn't want to be strengthened, encouraged, and comforted? This isn't talking about future telling prophetic statements. In all the times that I have been prophesied to, not once have I've been told something about my future. But every time I walk away from a prophecy, I do feel so much more strengthened, encouraged, and comforted than I ever do from people's encouragement. Prophecy is God using people's voices as His own to tell His children important messages for just them. These are usually complete strangers who know nothing about my situation or what I've been talking with God about lately and yet they tell me things that are exactly what I needed to hear. It is such a GIFT! I hope you all get to experience it some day :)
And other times, I'll receive words in my prophecy that don't really apply to my current situation that instead I'll tuck away until a later time in my life. Such is the case with a certain prophecy I received last August. I had an audio recording and this is exactly what they said to me:

I was led to the verse Psalm. 46:10- "Be still and know that I am God.” Maybe you’re in a waiting period, but God is there in the stillness. He wants you to know that when you’re still before Him, He’s gonna give good things in ways you may not understand at first.

I got a picture of a dark room. As I looked, I saw a window with light coming in.

I heard the words HOPE & LOVE and it prompted me to go to 1 Corinthians. 13

God highlighted the verse “Love does not delight in evil (the darkness), but rejoices in the Truth. (that window)”

God is calling you into a life of hope, to bring people out of the darkness and be able to see that window and light in the dark world where if you look around there is no hope, but if you look to that window that you see, you can point them to that window of hope. God’s calling you to be a person that points to that light in a dark world.

God wants to use you to help people and point them in this way even if they’re not asking for help. Ask God for nuggets of Truth that you can see something in their life that you can help turn them around into hope & light.

I think of Psalm. 27:4- “One thing I ask of the Lord, this only do I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life..."
People will be coming to you and this verse is what they want but they don’t know how to get there. You can show them that this is what your desire is, too. That you desire to seek Him in His temple and see Christ standing in the window. That’s what makes it so magnificent is that you see Christ in that window--I just can’t get that enough! That you just want that for everyone you touch and see for them to see the window--to see Christ.

I'm so thankful for these prophecies. When I first received them, I would have never guessed that they would apply to me in the way that they do. I never would have guessed that my dark room would be a broken engagement. But so many times throughout these past months, God has helped me to remember this prophecy. He's reminded me to keep looking for Christ in the window and not get overwhelmed by the darkness. Every time that I get another email thanking me for my blog, He reminds me that He told me people will be coming to me to find out how to seek the Lord. Every time I didn't understand and wanted to question what God was doing, He reminded me that He's gonna give me good things in ways I may not understand at first.

I realize that in sharing this with you, I run the risk of coming off as bragging or whatever, but I hope you don't think that. Really, my purpose in sharing this with you is to encourage you to receive prophecy for yourself. I want you to see that prophecies really are comforting and encouraging and legit! God has special words for you! Just like our earthly parents want to encourage and comfort us, how much more so does our heavenly Dad?? He knows that running the race isn't easy and He would love to help us out. If you'd like more information on where you can go to receive prophecy, message me on Facebook or comment with your email and I'll get in contact! :)