Category Archives: Christians

Click on following links for: Part 1,  Part 2,  Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.

What is the price for rising above entry level prophesying?

2. Grace

Jeffrey Dahmer, the convicted serial killer of seventeen men and boys, was bludgeoned to death on November 28, 1994. Afterward, a local pastor stated that Dahmer was a born-again Christian.

An enraged newspaper columnist wrote the following about Dahmer’s born-again status. “If God saves wretched monsters like Jeffrey Dahmer, then I want nothing to do with God. Nothing at all…ever.”

Of all of God’s attributes, grace has to be the “ugliest duckling” of the bunch. After all, how could a just and holy God save a guilty, wretched monster like Dahmer? Or for that matter, how could God save a guilty man like me?

For the first eight years of my Christian journey, I did not link grace to the prophetic gifts. I just figured God chose me because He knew I would be His workhorse willing to pray, study and fast so that I could be the best prophetic voice possible.

Though I knew grace was defined as unmerited favor, I assigned grace to the Baptists. They were the “grace guys”, not me. I was a prophetic machine-gun with a hair trigger and the safety off.

But sadly, my prophetic words often had some legalism attached to them. Are you wondering, how that was possible?

A pupil is not above his teacher, but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40)

The teachings I studied and the church I attended, all put grace on the back burner. It was there, but not in a significant life-changing way. Thus, my beliefs contained a legalistic tilt to them rather than a grace-filled one. More than a few, “Thou shalts” and “Thou shalt nots” flowed out of my mouth.

Then, I started hanging out with an older couple, Marion and Morris. They were solid grace-filled believers; and soon I wanted their revelation of grace for myself.

Yet, it was not easy for me to change. I had a mountain, seven years high, filled with legalistic teachings which needed to be overturned within me. So, what did I do?

I sought the Lord. I memorized and meditated on scriptures over and over again. Until one day, a divine revelation flooded my inner being, erasing my past teachings on grace. I knew that I knew that I knew that my life, my calling, my prophetic words depended on the Lord’s grace, and not my own works.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them… (Romans 12:6)

Many of  you probably know accurate prophetic voices who do not agree with me on my grace teachings. And yes, I would agree this has been true up to the present.

But there is a New Wind Blowing in America, and it is my belief that now a believer has to have a positive revelation of grace to rise above their present prophetic level.

(Continued in Part 7)

*I have used the word prophesy in a general sense to denote prophecy, words of knowledge and words of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12: 8-10).

In my lifetime, I have watched tattoos shift from just appearing on the arms of a few sailors into being accepted by many who are in the mainstream of America.

Whereas, the old-time sailors, often, wished their tattoos would disappear after their tours of duty ended, not so with today’s aficionados.They love tattoos and want more.

And guess what? Many Christians are going along with the trend. John 3:16, crosses and Jesus are some of the popular tattoos appearing on exposed skin.

As for me, I have struggled with tattoos.

You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:28)

So, what’s your thoughts on tattoos? Like? Don’t like? Could care less? Or what?

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s  a little of this and a little of that, all written  to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.

Starting on Monday, Swimming Upstream which appears on this blog, three times each week, will try something different. There are numerous issues which I personally have struggled with in the past, am struggling with now and probably will be struggling with in the future. These same issues may be thorns to you, too. I don’t know, but let’s find out, okay?

I will start out by giving a short statement outlining my thoughts on a subject, and then ask you for your ideas. You can write a quick comment or a volume; that’s up to you.

Hint for Monday’s discussion: Leviticus 19:28

*picture of baby is my youngest grandson, Eric, born in 2004.

Over the years, I have read books and listened to tapes by and about many prophets. Each has contributed some insight for my own life and calling.

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s  a little of this and a little of that, all written  to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.

Click on following links for: Part 1,  Part 2 and Part 3.

The Who’s Who List of socialites sat in the tea garden, listening to the internationally acclaimed concert pianist performing a Mozart concerto.

When the pianist finished, the ladies clapped their hands. The pianist stood and bowed.

One lady, sitting near the  pianist, proclaimed, “Oh, I would just give anything to play the piano like him. Just anything.”

The pianist pivoted around and stared at the lady. “No, you would not,” he said.

The crowd gasped at the man’s rebuke of one of New York’s most respected women. How dare he make such a disrespectful remark?

Tears streamed down the embarrassed lady’s face onto her Paris designer dress. In her hurt, she defiantly mouthed, “Yes, I would.”

The man stepped toward her. “No, you would not,” he proclaimed. “Because if you truly meant that, you would have given up your childhood and your teenage years practicing the piano. And even now, you would be willing to give up eight to ten hours everyday practicing so that you could play like me.”

He pointed toward her. “You see, there’s a price to sit on this bench. I’ve been willing to pay it and you haven’t!”

This story illustrates a truth, one that is especially true about the prophetic gifts.

Now, as I mentioned in the comment section of Part 2 to jeremiah17:

Perfect character is not a mandatory requirement for the spiritual gifts. But just like a soldier in the U.S. Army, there are different levels of marksmanship for these spiritual tools or weapons. Consider the spiritual gift levels to be akin to marksman, sharpshooter and expert.

To raise above the entry marksman level demands godliness and a continuing effort to be like Jesus…

The Body of Christ needs believers who are willing to pay the price so that they rise above the entry grade of just giving low-level prophetic words. We need sharpshooters and experts for what’s waiting ahead of us, just over the horizon.

So, what does the price involve, right?

*I have used the word prophesy in a general sense to denote prophecy, words of knowledge and words of wisdom (1 Corinthians 12: 8-10).

(Continued in Part 5)

Let’s say, somehow, someway, you have decided to obey 1 Corinthians 14: 39, and be a prophetic person which the Holy Spirit can use to speak to His people.

Good decision, but let me ask you a few questions, okay?

At what point will you quit prophesying?

Will you quit if you prophesy about a person on her deathbed that she will live and not die; and yet she dies?

Will you quit if a prophet calls you out in front of a crowd and prophesies that you are not called to prophesy?

Will you quit if all of your family thinks you’re a nut?

Will you quit if all the pastors in a city think your prophecies are in error?

Will you quit if you prophesy that a man will win the presidency; and he doesn’t?

I’ve gone through all of the above and more, and I can tell you, it was unpleasant. In fact, a part of me – each time – felt like crawling into a cave and never ever walking out again. You know, loving the Lord from inside my little cave, just me and Jesus.

One memorable morning, after receiving a blistering rebuke from an internationally-known prophet, I was standing on a ladder, wondering about my calling. Was it really worth it?

As I dipped my brush into a paint bucket, I looked up. There right above me was a gigantic yellow-jacket wasp. Without provocation, it swooped down and stung my forehead.

Ouch! Double Ouch! It was unbearably painful.

And guess what? Then, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said:

“Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead, do not be afraid…” (Ezekiel 3:9)

You need to make up your mind that once you put your hand on the prophetic  plow, you never look back (Luke 9:62). Just keep on prophesying. If you make mistakes, ask forgiveness, learn the lessons, and then, keep on prophesying.

And if you can’t do this, ask the Lord to give your prophetic anointing to me. I have countless believers I am praying for, they will use it.

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s  a little of this and a little of that, all written  to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.

“I’m going to shoot your mom,” I said to Honey as we slipped into bed at the end of a long day.

“Sweetheart, what?” she replied, her eyes blinking in unbelief.

“After, I shoot her, I’m going to hang her by her neck, and then, drop her off a cliff,” I continued on, dredging in the same cesspool of thoughts.

“Dear – that’s not like you at all,” she said. “You wouldn’t hurt anyone, especially not mom.”

“After today, I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things; and I’m going to shoot your mom right between the eyes,” I said.

Then, we fell to sleep.

This conversation actually took place in Glidden, Iowa, when Honey and I were staying with her mom on Fern’s five-acre farm. At the time, Fern was seventy-eight years old, but don’t go thinking she was a weak link, not pulling her own weight around the farm. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Everything had been great between Fern and me up until that week. She was bright and fun to be around. But all the warm fuzzies ended when sweetcorn season arrived.

Now, let me set the stage. It was late July. The temperatures were in the upper-90’s. Humidity was somewhere in a tropical rain forest range. No air conditioning. Ten zillion, pesty, ornery farm flies. Three acres of sweetcorn.

At the time, Honey worked for a company in Carroll, Iowa, and I had just finished detasseling seed corn. So, when Fern asked, “Larry, would you like to help harvest some sweetcorn?”

“Sure, of course,” I said.

The four days were an absolute  “Hell on Earth” for me. The heat, humidity and flies took their tolls, but what pushed me over the edge was Fern constantly saying, “Do this. Don’t do that. Be careful. Watch out. Grab this. Let go. What’s wrong with You?”

Now, I’m not silly; I knew I had a problem. So, long before sunup the next morning, I crept out of bed and went down to the family room. There I dropped to my knees. “Lord, what’s my problem? Why do I want to kill a sweet, seventy-eight year old woman?” I prayed.

A long time later, the Lord spoke to my heart. “You’ve given up on senior citizens. You think they just want to collect their social security and sit on a porch, taking it easy until they die. You don’t believe I will use them in a move of My Spirit in America,” He said.

Then, He added, “I haven’t given up on them; and neither should you. So, repent of your attitudes.”

Once again, I’m not silly. I repented right then and there.

So, when I read where believers are asking the Lord to move on young people here in America and wherever, I want to shout aloud: “Don’t forget the geezers! God wants to use them, too.”

Fern Fielder, a great mother-in-law (1920 – 2008)

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s  a little of this and a little of that, all written  to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.