Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Because I have all three types of the prophetic gifts I have born witness to the offending eye. It is the abuse of the prophetic gift. I am not even sure with any degree of confidence that the offending eye I have seen is a gift or the desire for the gift.

1 Corinthians 12:31a But covet earnestly the best gifts:

Some covet in the sense of stealing what is not theirs. They will use personal knowledge of others to further the myth of a prophetic gift within themselves. Others will quote scripture with the preface “Thus saith the Lord.” Yes the Lord has said all scripture but to use scripture to insinuate that the Lord is aiming those scriptures at a member of the church for correction is nothing more than judgment run amok.

During discipleship training we will endeavor to cover all three prophet gifts. The motivational, which are given by God at birth. The ministry, which builds up the church. The manifest, which is the power of God absent of any human will.

All the gifts are subject to the same warning. Do not abuse the gifts for self-gain or self-glory for they are a gift from God and should be accorded the respect due God.

In the end the absence of gifts among us does not prevent what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:31b “and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

With those words Paul begins the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.