Prophesying is what the disciples did after they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. So Joel 2:29 plainly declared, as quoted by Peter at Pentecost. So prophesying is Spirit-filled witnessing for Christ, giving a message directly given from God and in the power of the Holy Spirit. - John R. Rice [The Power of Pentecost, pg. 189]
1 Corinthians 14:24-25 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
To prophesy would mean to speak with such power of God that even unbelievers would be convinced and judged and would see revealed the secrets of their hearts, and fall down before God and turn to Him. You see, prophecy is speaking with a special supernatural enablement and power, witnessing for God. - John R. Rice [The Power of Pentecost, pg. 189]
The wicked men who buffeted Jesus in the house of the high priest, before His crucifixion, blindfolded Jesus and then slapped His face, saying, "Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?" In other words, that meant that if Jesus were really filled with the Spirit of God and were what He claimed to be, God would reveal to Him who it was that tormented Him. For Jesus to prophesy to them would be to speak to them with a message from God, showing that God had re4vealed to Him their sin and who it was that struck Him. Prophecy would not necessarily be a foretelling of the future, but it would certainly be a message from God to the hearts of those present, a supernaturally given message, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Prophesying would not be speaking by natural human knowledge. - John R. Rice [The Power of Pentecost, pg. 190]
There is a clear Bible doctrine that, not only for the power of the Holy Spirit but also for many other things, God wants us to wait on Him, plead with Him, continue in prayer and supplication until the blessing comes. So Jacob wrestled all night with the angel of God before meeting Esau (Gen. 32:24). So the widow prevailed and pleaded before the unjust judge in the parable of Jesus in Luke 18:1-8. So the disciples waited in the upper room the ten days preceding Pentecost, and the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon them. No one has a right to discourage people from persistent prayer for Holy Spirit power. No one has a right to promise short cuts that do not involve some measure of deep concern and heart searching and pleading, before one is filled with the Holy Spirit. If it is right to pray, it is right to keep on praying until the answer comes. If it is right to ask God for the enduement of power from on high, it is right to plead and continue in prayer and supplication, as did the disciples. - John R. Rice [The Power of Pentecost, pg. 417-418]
There have always been perversions of marriage. There have been cases of polygamy. There have been times of great spiritual darkness and wickedness in not keeping the laws of God about marriage as well as about other areas of morality. But mankind was made for marriage, and marriage was made for mankind, by the plan of an infinitely loving and wise God. - John R. Rice [The Home, pg. 14]
Nothing more important can be said on the question of marriage, it seems to me, than that Christian people should marry only Christians. Marriage is a divine institution, a holy trust from God. The duties of marriage necessarily involve Christian character. No one can really be the best husband or the best wife who is not willing to follow God's plan for a home. How could anyone be a good father or a good mother of children who does not know and does not love God? And how could anyone keep the vows of marriage adequately, spiritually, who does not love God and does not plan to please God? - John R. Rice [The Home, pg. 48]
The relationship of husband and wife is so intimate, so dear, as well as so permanent, that there is certain to be a continual heartache and continual clash of will and purpose between the husband and the wife, when one is saved and the other is lost. - John R. Rice [The Home, pg. 48-49]
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