Prophets – How to discern whom to believe?

by Frank Muller

Daily we are bombarded by self-proclaimed prophets telling us the end is near and to prepare for the Rapture, the next stock market boom (or bust) is right around the corner, the government is about to impose a dictatorship, or the Texas Longhorns are going to win the college football championship this upcoming season (oh, I hope that one is true).

The endless parade of newsletters, books, podcasts, news channels, videos most of which in one form or another engage in the human folly of predicting things that cannot be predicted and ignoring the things that are absolutely true and always predictive. This carnival con act continues plays itself out over and over again as we seek voices that confirm our fears, validate our sense of victimhood, and seeks to blame others for the problems of the world and not ourselves for being part of the problem.

The reason why this carnival con works is that the con artists keep predicting until they get something right and then publicize what they got right and seemingly develop amnesia about all their other comments. Tune into Fox News or MSNBC (if does not matter which) and you will see the con men and women playing into angst, victimhood, sanctimonious whining, and back seat driving with no demonstration of their track record of missed speculations or confirming things that were later found to be untrue or at best only partially true.

Write down what they say and then go back a month from now and listen again. There is a pretty good bet they might even reverse or contradict themselves as they have moved on to the next outcry and seldom if ever hold themselves accountable to being so wrong, so many times about so many things.

How then can we learn whom to listen to when it comes to prophecy? Here are some litmus tests I propose for our consideration:

1. Prophets deal with moral dogma and eternal Truths, they do not deal with predicting the winning lottery number. The latter is for gamblers and bookkeepers, the former is for prophets.
2. Prophets sacrifice themselves onto the altar of public shame, ridicule, hate, poverty and in most instances death in proclaiming moral dogma and eternal Truths. In many instances the attack is from both sides of the perceived spectrum.
3. Prophets do not seek adulation or riches; they seek transformed hearts.
4. Prophets do not coerce to get their way; they serve those who are harmed by people who violate moral dogma and eternal Truths and resist where possible in peaceful yet powerful ways.
5. Prophets attract followers who do not fall away at the first sign of resistance, they do not separate themselves over small things, they struggle to understand the prophet and help.
6. Prophets, like all human beings, are sinful people who know what moral and True is but do not always practice it themselves. They persevere in proclaiming the Truth even when they are plagued with their own shortcomings and are the first to say they are a sinner. Only a Prophet who is God Himself can be exempt from those failings.
7. Prophets are humble, and because they know their own defects, they can struggle against the sin of Pride which leads to vanity and a desire for fame that ultimately infects what was True with the stench of half true.

History is replete with examples of great prophets who exhibited these traits. Let us focus on one prophet from our own recent past. Martin Luther King.

Let us listen to the prophets words:

“Most of these people will never make the headlines and their names will not appear in Who’s Who. Yet when years have rolled past and when the blazing light of truth is focused on this marvelous age in which we live men and women will know and children will be taught that we have a finer land, a better people, a more noble civilization because these humble children of God were willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake.”

“Be The Peace You Wish to See in The World!”

“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.”

“May I stress the need for courageous, intelligent, and dedicated leadership… Leaders of sound integrity. Leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with justice. Leaders not in love with money, but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause.“

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.“

“The SILENCE of the good people is more DANGEROUS than the BRUTALITY of the bad people”

“It is always the right time to do the right thing.“

“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.“

My suggestion for us all is to listen to those who struggle to communicate these types of truths. My suggestion for us all is to listen to those who work to implement those truths for the betterment of people. My suggestion for us all is to stop listening to those who seek their own glory and fame and fortune and instead listen to those willing to sacrifice all for the good.

May Peace be with us all.