THE GREAT SHAME OF OUR CHURCHES TODAY IS is that they have become; not only political, but polluted. You would think the church leaders are running for office,
instead of guiding their sheep! You have Pastors bringing "people" into
the ministry as Ministers, Elders, Deacons, Evangelists...without having to "prove" or prepare themselves with education or mentoring. Many are fresh off the streets--without any anointing--and are "crowned" as a Minister before the congregation, without as much as a trial sermon. If our old Mothers and Fathers of the gospels knew of this, they would be turning in their graves. All it seems to take (this day and time) to be licensed as a Minister is a loud, sing-song voice, a little dance in your step, and an animated amount of passion and bravado! Add in a large amount of charisma, and you've got yourself a Preacher! In other words, if you can run around the church with enough passion and energy, and can holler almost as loud as the Pastor, you're in line to be "licensed!" If they dress well, make enough money, contribute
enough to the church, and holler loud enough, they're already at the top of the list! Many Pastors today, round up and license as many Ministers as they can, as fast as they can, with a hidden agenda: To became the Big Guy...a Bishop! Moving up the ecclesiastical ranks seems to be or more importance than leading one's congregation to God. I mean, really, leading them in spiritual growth, maturity, and relationship with The Father and His Son; not just in appearance, but in their innermost hearts. I'm afraid the true meaning of Church--and Worship--is getting lost in the spirit of self importance--self elevation, self propagation, self...period! When did it stop being about Christ, and Him Crucified? When did it become about elevation, and functions, and programs, and everything except Christ? When? I really want to know!And, let's talk about those who are serious about their walk with the Lord--whose very heart and soul is to serve and please Him; and let's say that over a course of years, they've discovered that they have various spiritual gifts that God gave them for the furthering of the Gospel and/or His Kingdom. You would think that a church would be thrilled to have such a person who, could not only draw more people to both their church and to Christ, via the use of these gifts; but in a great many instances, this hasn't been the case. I know of a particular person in the Ministry--an Evangelist--who had a Prophetic gift; I witnessed various male Pastors speak so poorly of her, and joked about her "so-called" gift. They would invite her to speak in their churches (because she could bring a decent "crowd;" but once she left for the night, they would laugh and poke fun at her. They did this to the point that when I opened my own church, I refused to invite her to speak because I thought she was a joke. I had bought into their view of her, because they knew her long before I did. I never agreed with their joking and making fun of her behind her back--I don't play that, and I didn't take part in it, but I thought there must be some truth to what they were saying; or else, why would they all be saying it. I finally felt lead to invite her to my church (though I did it cautiously) and, yes, she was a bit "dominating" in that she wanted to keep interrupting my Message with her prophesies. Talking to her later, I came to realize her "gift" was very real, but she didn't know how to use it! She had never been taught! So, whenever something came to her, she felt she was to immediately stand and speak on it. When I realized the "problem" she had--which was lack of education in this area--I took her under my wing to mentor her. I taught her to either remember what she's been told about a particular person or situation for when her turn came to speak, or write it down so she could remember. That way, she would get to use her gift without interrupting the whole service! No one had ever taken the time to teach her this simple thing; instead, they laughed, joked, and made fun of her behind her back. It was a simple case of learning to do things in decency and in order.
I found in a great many churches, that if you're not in the Pastor's "inner" circle; no matter what kind of gifts you have, you're not going to use them in his/her church. And, sad to say, it far worse if you're a woman. If you have spiritual gifts that the Pastor or his wife doesn't have, it would be better for to lay low and keep it to yourself, or you'll immediately become suspect...treated as though you have some contagious disease or like you are a mental case! Your spiritual gifts can't possibly be real, because the Pastor didn't prophesy them over you! Or, they'll try to persuade you that you're off in the left field and don't really have any spiritual gifts, because if God would give them to anyone, wouldn't he have given them to him or her; meaning, the Pastor? Or, they'll preach at you from the pulpit, and insinuate that just because God may have used you a couple of times in the past, it doesn't mean you actually have any specific spiritual gifts, or that you don't still have them. They not only attempt to plant doubt in your own head about yourself, but they attempt to put it in the heads of their congregation's about you as well! And, God forbid you KNOW something (have a revelation or understanding of a scripture) that they don't, because you're definitely going to be preached at from the pulpit, and cunningly made to become suspect to the whole congregation. They have become as Pharisees, and they don't even realize it! Didn't the Pharisees say of Jesus, that if God was going to use or reveal Himself to anybody, it would have been them, not Jesus...not a nobody, carpenter's son! That same frame of thought permeates our churches today. If you're not somebody important, then you're nobody at all! GOD HELP US! I've never broadcasted myself as a Prophet (never!)...it was not that important to me; yet, God uses me with very specific messages, e.g. Watch your child closely for the next three month, she's either going to be raped or molested!--A month later, in another state her mother sent her to, the little girl and her cousin was raped on the rooftop of a New York apartment building. Thank God, this man was caught and convicted months later. I could give you so many more examples of the prophetic, word of knowledge, and healing gifts God has given me and used me in, but most people (except my family and close friends) don't even know about them, because I don't brag, broadcast, or feel the need to shove it in everyone's face I meet! Even with a strong prophetic gift, I still don't claim to be a Prophet! I get upset to this very day when my adult children call me to ask me where something is in their house that they lost, because I feel like they're using me as a psychic, and that bothers me to the core. And, yet, they still do it! I've even been called by my daughter to help a friend of her who lost something important in his house, a house I've never been in...not even to this day. After praying about it (as I always do), I told her exactly where it was located: Exactly! And, it wasn't anywhere the average person would have thought it would be. Someone had hid it from him, intentionally, but nothing is hid from God! And, by the way, please don't misunderstand me; I don't say this to promote myself in any way, but to clarify that when I speak of spiritual gifting, I know what I'm talking about!
I think we should be very careful in using God's gifts for our own attention, elevation, or pats-on-the-back. It should be enough that we were blessed with them, to use to God's glory, to the benefit of His people, not to our own elevation! Not, at all! And, when I did Pastor a church, I taught on the gifts and helped people to first, find out what gifts they had; then, learn to use and mature them. In this process, I discovered a Minister that had been at a particular church (in Syracuse, NY) for eight (8) years who had a gift of healing and didn't even know it! I touched him during ministering once at his church, and God made me aware of it. So, after the service, I asked him about it (because I had never seen him use it), only to find out he didn't even know he had it! And, I don't think he believed me at first, until I proved it to him. Needless to say, not only did he have a healing gift, it was very strong! Yet, his Pastor--whom he had been under for 8 years--never picked up on it. I didn't understand that then, and I don't understand it now. Why? Because I believe God equips us to do the job he called us to do. If he called me to be a Pastor, then I should know the strengths, weaknesses, and certainly "gifts" that my sheep possess! That's just what I believe!
The truth is, people don't like people that are different. People in high positions tend to feel that if God would use anybody; surely, it would be them! What would these very Pastors (Bishops, Elders, Evangelists, and others) do if Jesus came into their churches in disguise, today, and claimed He
walked on water, or fed 10,000 with a hand full of food, or made
blind eyes see! I guarantee He wouldn't last a week in the average church!
They would do everything in their power; not only to discredit Him, but to run Him out of the church, altogether! In fact, that's exactly what they did do! Isn't it? Over 2000 years ago! They even went as far as to say he was doing what he did by the hands of Satan! That he and Satan were in cahoots! After all, they had to say something, because they sure couldn't deny he had these gifts...that he was performing miracles! So, they blamed it on Satan! They said he was doing it by the hand of Satan! His own sisters and brothers--who grew up with Him, didn't believe Him!
What makes me such an expert in all this? I'm not, and I don't claim to be. But, I am quite knowledgeable in the workings of churches and how they operate; both, in public and behind closed doors. I've been in the ministry for almost 30
years (I've been saved for 43 yrs), and I've seen it ALL; from Pastors giving their wives "papers" (ministering license)
just because they "whined" for them, or pressured their spouse for it---not because of
any calling on their lives, to a Minister being given Elder license so his
so-called future wife wouldn't be "over" him (as she was already an Elder, and had been for
years). This was the Pastor's attempt at pairing them up for marriage...and making sure they were equally yoked together; which, needless to say, never took place! One Pastor went as far as to put an
Elder out of his church (permanently) because the Elder "disobeyed" him, by not jumping up and shouting "on demand!" This is the
honest truth! This really happened, right before my eyes!Now we have a wave of Pastors and Preachers calling themselves "Prophets," who can't prophesy the rain, with heavy clouds hanging in the sky! I've seen this garbage up close and personal in many ministries, and it breaks my heart! And, it breaks God's Heart!
I know that no one is perfect--least of
all, me, and I know that God can use anyone He pleases! Absolutely! But, this whole phenomena is totally out of control! You tell somebody--who already had several applications put in at various places--they are going to get a job. Two weeks later, they testify to having a job, and all of a sudden, the pastor who spoke it is now a Prophet! I'm not claiming to be an expert on prophets; they come in many shapes, sizes, denomination, and economic statuses (including, homeless and on the street); but telling someone that a very natural occurrence is going to happen, when the probability of it happening was already high and in place for it to happen, doesn't make one a prophet. Now, when you tell me something specific like what kind of job I'm going to get, possibly the name of the Company or the street it's on, then I'm listening (unless, of course, you already knew I had applied at that particular place)! I just don't like playing church! I didn't like it when I was 17, and I don't like it today! And, when I say I have no respect of persons in this matter, I really don't! I don't care if you're my mother, brother, sister, or great-grandmother, I don't like pretense, and I don't like fake! And, I've always been this way! Because, I don't think God is anyone to play with, as loving as He is: He says what He means, and He means what He says. And, I don't care how long ago it was when He said it--since he doesn't change--His Word doesn't change, either! And, believe it or not, I'm far harder on myself, then I'll ever be with anyone else! I am what I am, and I try with
everything in me to be whatever I am to His Glory! It breaks my heart
to think that I've disappointed Him for a minute; thus, I reach towards
the mark...and I keep reaching! Does that make me better than anyone
else, No, it doesn't. But, it does make me sincere, and I know I'm not
the only one out here that has a sincere heart for God!
I'm not young anymore, but my mind is keen and alert, and my heart is honest and true! Am I perfect? Absolutely, not! Do I make mistakes? Absolutely, I do! I've done things that were dead wrong, but for what I thought at the time was the right reason. It plagued me for over 6 months. I could hardly talk to God, or look at myself in the mirror. It bothers me to this day! And, you know how devious the devil is? You do a wrong thing to help somebody, and then they turn around and stab you in the back, and lie on you and make it look to others like you did even worse than what you really did! As though what you did wasn't bad enough; but, now, they have to make you look like a monster, simply because you claim to be a child of God, and they feel it's their job to bring you down a notch or two! Not, realizing that what you did was enough to break you for life...without their adding lies to it! It hurts me beyond measure when I feel as though I've hurt God or disappointed Him in any way. I can promise you that long after God has forgiven me, I'm still beating myself up about it! I
take Ministry--preaching, teaching, living it--very seriously--especially, for myself--and it's
time the Preachers of this day get back to doing the same...taking it seriously! And, NO--for the record--I'm not talking about any one particular person: I'm talking to ALL those in the Ministry who has made ministry more about themselves--and the who's who of their churches; the ones with the fancy and/or expensive cars, with their pockets loaded with money for the church plates, and all that other nonsense that goes on behind closed doors! These are the "sheep" the average church today seem to care more about, than their "ordinary" people. This seem to be what and who they care about, far more than they do about God and His Son! It's time to get back to basics! To our first fruits!
It's
time to take off those weights that do so easily beset you--the weight
of Pride, the weight of Arrogance, the weight of Self and
Self-righteousness, self-indulgence, the weight of Secret Sins, the weight of Gossip and
Back-stabbing, etc.--and get back to pressing towards the mark of the
High Calling. Put back on the Robe of
Righteousness...and walk in Holiness! In fact, let's first put on our Armour of Salvation, period! So that we can fight the good fight! The bible says, Many are called, but FEW are Chosen. Today, most of the "chosen" ones have chosen themselves. I can't tell you how many false prophesies that's been "prophe-lied" over my life! I used to believe every one of them because I didn't know any better. If they said they were a Prophet, I believed them! Why wouldn't I? Christians don't lie, right? I'm now 60, and not one of them have come true, accept the prophecies of a true Prophetess that God introduced me to a little over 10 years ago. I had set myself up to not even listen to her, until she started saying things she couldn't possibly know! She didn't know me, she didn't know my friends or family! But, she DID KNOW MY GOD! She told me what I'd done, what I was doing, and what I would be doing in the future: She's been 100% accurate on it ALL, and very specific! She's now one of my closest friends!
People, thank God for the gifts and talents He's given you; don't pretend to be more than who you are! Isn't it enough that you're in Him? That He loved you enough to give His life for you? Trying to be something you're not will only serve to hurt the very people you're trying to minister to! Don't try to go further than God plans for you to go before time; He will elevate you in Due Season! Stop trying to be the Big Shot and just be the Pastor people NEED you to be! And, to the regular church people (those without titles), don't pretend to be less of who you are just because someone makes you feel that way. You know who you are in Christ, and you know what gifts he's given you. If you're in a place where you and/or your gifts are not appreciated, then find a church that will appreciate your gifts as well as you! It's as simple as that! God gave you your spiritual gifts to be used...so use them, wherever you are! Don't stifle your gifts! That's no different than quenching the Holy Spirit!
And, Pastors, I know how busy you can be---remember, I've been a Pastor, too! But if one of your
members is on their sick bed, and they
specifically asked for YOU, show up! Don't send a minister or deacon
or mother in your place; they deserve first class attention if they
asked for it! Don't get so big that you can only provide personal
attention to the "Big Shots" in your church, and leave the so-called
"little people" to everyone else! God put YOU over them, not everyone
else! Just saying....
People...time is short; very, very short! You can believe it or not, but Jesus is on His way back! And, He's looking for a church without spot or blemish; A church who's not covered in the muck and mire of the world, but in His Anointing! So, I beg you, those that have not given your lives to Christ, do so now! Some preachers talk about hell and casting out demons, but don't even truly believe in them! You tell a Pastor today that you cast a real demon out of someone and, again, they look at you suspect, like you're out of your mind! God, help this untoward generation. Demons are REAL! Angels are REAL! Heaven and Hell are REAL places! Please, Choose you this day whom you will serve...thus, choose you this day where you will spend eternity! And, Who you will BELIEVE!
Remember, Pastors...many have entertained Angels unaware! Many more than you might even believe! In fact, even demons for that matter! Just because you don't see something, doesn't mean it isn't there or doesn't exist! Either you believe the whole bible or none of it at all! Pastors, Preachers, Ministers, Bishops, Evangelists...Please...Get it right with God! Check yourself and see if you measure up with the Word of God. It's no shame in regrouping and confessing your faults; it IS a shame to pretend you're right when you're NOT! And, the truth is, people know whether or not they're right with God, even those who cover their sins with excuses! You can fool the WORLD, but you can't fool YOURSELF, and you certainly can't fool God! Just, get it right...for YOUR own sake, and for the sake of the PEOPLE you lead and serve. Shake the dust from your garments, and get back in the battle! Because, whether you're an Elder, Bishop, Deacon...or whatever, you're NOT a Big Shot in the Eyes of God, you're a SERVANT! Keep the "Servant" part in mind, and it'll keep you forever Humble! But, start believing you're more special than anybody else, and you'll lose vision of why you were called or chosen in the first place! Never, lose sight on who you are in Christ Jesus! And, in the end, on the DAY of Judgement, you just might get to hear God say, "Well done, my good and FAITHFUL SERVANT!"
So, From One Servant to the Other...Keep on Serving to the Glory of God,
And NEVER Give Up the Good Fight...Because, You're Not Just Fighting for Your Life,
But For The Lives of So Many Others!
