Jeremiah 23: 35-38
“’Instead of claiming to know what GOD says, ask questions of one another, such as ‘How do we understand GOD in this?’ But don’t go around pretending to know it all, saying ‘God told me this… God told me that… ’ I don’t want to hear it anymore. Only the person I authorize speaks for me. Otherwise, my Message gets twisted, the Message of the living GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. - ’You can ask the prophets, ‘How did GOD answer you? What did he tell you?’ But don’t pretend that you know all the answers yourselves and talk like you know it all. I’m telling you: Quit the ‘God told me this… God told me that… ’ kind of talk.”
“You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’ But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. ‘This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the LORD’s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’ But suppose they respond, ‘This is a prophecy from the LORD!’ Then you should say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Because you have used this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD,’ even though I warned you not to use it,”
Only that directed and empowered by God’s Holy Spirit can accurately transmit God’s words. These verses are a powerful waring. Like these ancient preachers, we so easily deceive ourselves that God is speaking in and through us. But really, it is our self that is up to mischief. Claiming to speak for God carries awesome responsibility to get it right. Men ever look for leaders to fill the God space within. Counterfeits are everywhere. True leaders are God chosen, and their knees bear the scars of hours spent in prayer before the Author of Creation.
Lord, we have a dearth of good leaders now. Please give us men and women who lead with humility and strength to guide us through the mess we have made. Give them your wisdom. Empower them by your Spirit, whether they know you or not. Have mercy on us and call us back to yourself so that righteousness and justice may overflow.