Being a prophetic ministry, we've been asked many "prophetic" questions from our readers over the years. These questions range from simple questions on how to hear God's voice to how to enter into the deep revelatory realms of God. From time-to-time, I've answered some of the most popular questions from readers, which I share a few below. Before sharing these questions and answers, here's the history of how the term "Debugging" came along.
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History of "Debugging"
In 1946, when Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (Winner of the 1984 Woman of the Year Award, Young Women's Christian Association of the National Capitol Area) was released from active duty, she joined the Harvard faculty at the Computation Laboratory where she continued her work on early computers--the Mark and Mark III. She traced an error in the Mark II to a moth trapped in a relay, coining the term "bug." This bug was carefully removed and taped to the log book. Stemming from the first bug, today we call errors or glitches in a program, a bug--or the removal of the bug--the "debugging" process.
In 1946, Admiral Hooper joined the Eckert-Machly Computer Corporation (later called Sperry Rand). At Eckert-Machly she helped design the first commercial electronic computer called the UNIVAC. The UNIVAC operated a thousand times faster than the Mark I. "Debugging" came to mean fixing both computers and making things plainer when teaching.
Debugging Questions and Answers (Q&A) with Steve Shultz
Q. What if the date we celebrate Christmas on is not accurate, as has been cited by many? Should we then celebrate Christmas on a more accurate date?
A. I've heard one prophet, who I trust, state that December 25th was the date that Jesus was conceived. Though the Lord has not shown that to me, I find it interesting. What is important is Romans 10:9-10 (see next question).
Whenever I worship the Lord, I'm already celebrating Christmas ("Christ Mass")--which is to say, a "gathering" or a "mass"--concerning all that Jesus is, and all that He did.
The exact date doesn't matter to me.
Q. Because Jesus is Jewish, why don't we, as Christians, celebrate Chanukkah?
A. This is a dual-layered question. First of all, in the flesh, Jesus was, and in a sense still IS--Jewish. On the other hand, the same Jewish Apostle, Paul, also was quoted as saying this:
"I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God…" 1 Corinthians 15:50
Jesus is SPIRIT, so He's not necessarily Jewish now! That's one way of looking at it.
Secondly, it's also true that it doesn't hurt to celebrate any and all holidays that remind us of the birth, death, burial, and resurrection. Also, the Apostle Paul said this:
"...If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10
So if you celebrate either Christmas or Chanukkah, or both, or neither, the bottom line is that salvation is gained by confessing and believing in Jesus.
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Q. How many Prophets are there?
A. Remember that even in the Old Testament:
"Moses replied, 'Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit on them!'" Numbers 11:29
How much more in the New Testament does the Lord want us to continue the process of learning to hear God and tell others what He is saying? That's the true definition of "prophecy," of course. First, what did God say? Then, when you tell someone what He said--that's "prophecy."
So, theoretically there can be as many prophets as there are Christians. We all, in fact, hear from God--each one of us--every single day. When we follow those impressions from God, even when we don't know they are from God, and we tell someone what we "sense" God might be saying--it's prophesying.
Some believe a prophet is at a higher level than one who just prophesies. Perhaps they are right--but every prophet starts as a trainee, just as Elisha trained under Elijah.
Q. Jesus clearly told people, "Freely you have received, freely give." So why do Prophets and prophetic people often accept financial gifts?
A. It's good to ask hard questions. The answers are sometimes right in front of us though. Let me make a few points:
• In Matthew 10:8, where the command to "freely give" is given, the clear context is that the disciples were healed and delivered, so they should do the same freely. Freely in this context means, "Don't hold back! Do it a lot! Do it freely!" (my paraphrase).
• We speak often of the five-fold ministry. Most Christians have no problem with Apostles, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists receiving financial gifts for what they do. Yet, somehow we tend to feel a prophet should never receive the same.
• Most people who struggle with this issue would quit their own jobs the first time their employer could no longer pay their salary. Yet most prophets devote their lives and support their family through their own prophetic ministry. Paul even said in 1 Corinthians 9:14, "...the Lord has commanded that those who preach the Gospel should receive their living from the Gospel."
Prophets preach the Gospel too, even as they prophesy. So they are instructed in the Bible that it's okay to receive their living through the prophetic ministry they do.
• One of the most important points to be made is this (though there are many more which space doesn't allow): It's always most important to remember that Jesus was THE PROPHET HIMSELF. And as "the prophet," He appointed a treasurer to keep the money that was coming in for the ministry. He appointed Judas. He must have known from the beginning that Judas would steal from the treasury and betray Him.
We don't know, because it's not recorded how the money was taken in, but it must have been coming in on a regular basis because we're told:
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"...After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means." Luke 8:1-3 (emphasis added)
Did Jesus ask for support? Or did people just offer money on their own to Jesus' ministry? We just don't know those answers. But we know at least this--Jesus accepted regular financial support from women who He ministered to, cast demons out of, and prophesied to. It says so. And He allowed Judas to handle this same money--though Judas was a thief.
To me, it seems likely that Jesus accepted money from many others as well.
Steve Shultz
Founder, ElijahList and ElijahRain magazine
www.elijahlist.com
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