Anguished, not Angry
Galatians 5:7
“. . . who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?”
Let me start off by saying that not all of today’s preachers fall into the ‘group’ that I am concerned about, but one must admit that many have lost sight of what it is to be a man of God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
Recently I have become deeply concerned by Pastors saying things like the following;
“There is not much difference between heaven and hell” This preached from the pulpit.
“I challenge this congregation to give up sex with their ‘partner’ for Lent” Preached from the pulpit and sent out on radio and internet. They are after all very inclusive of all religions.
Even those religions that are not Christian? Even religions that worship idols? Even religions who believe in works for salvation instead of the Gospel of salvation by faith?
“Let us pray for our fellow pastor’s family, for their comfort as they tend to his needs after this stroke” Said to a group of pastors at a seminar. What about praying for a healing or at minimum pray for the comfort of the pastor who had this devastating diagnosis for long term.
That’s right, a group (14) pastors, some with Doctorates in Theology, all but two the leaders of Churches, Shepards to congregations, Counselors to many sick and elderly.
A televangelist proudly and boldly announced that “we should all pray for a certain missionaries elderly mother who was at home waiting to die” The elderly God fearing, Bible believing woman was watching the message that day. Imagine her surprise to learn she was waiting to die?
Oh what a testament, a pronouncement of faith, a proclomation that God is our Physician it would have been to announce from the pulpit that all who were watching to bow their heads in prayer as the televangelist prayed for renewed strength, for improved health, for the Holy Spirit to visit upon the woman the healing power of THE Almighty God in her time of need.
Has preaching become a profession? A profession like politics where you cater to your tithe givers so you can keep your job? Gotta keep the retirement funds intact.
No thank you.
There is not a single elder or church member who will stand in judgement of anyone on the day of Judgment. Only a just and Holy God, who will pronounce sentence or crowns of glory to each and everyone of us. Only a God who sees righteousness will determine my eternity. Not someone who pays my salary, or decides what I preach, when I preach it.
Church in America has been worn away by the sinful world.
Leave one bad potatoe in the sack and soon all the potatoes in that sack have gone bad all because that one had not been handled properly.
One drop of deadly poison in a glass of water is all it takes to harm and even destroy.
Galatians 5:9
“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”
These Pastors like to preach about the leaven, they like to talk about the inerrant Word of God but they don’t stick to it’s truth or authority. They gloss over it, use the Greek or Hebrew root words but shy away from the real substance. They like to ‘adjust’ themselves and the meaning to fit the circumstances.
They stand for the standards of the old Gospel hymns, then allow a little contemporary music to slide in. Not offending but allowing, until it has crept in and becomes the standard.
Seminars that teach the latest in ‘congregation building’, best coffee and donuts, best free gifts, best self-help books to read . . . . . Best for who?
Let the world slip in just a little and even the strongest pastorate can become a people pleasing career. A poisoned doctrine can become ‘our tradition’ then our tradition is our doctrine. Not the Truth not the Word of God. We are to bend to God’s Word. He does NOT bend His Word to our whim. How can we say He is the same yesterday, today and forever if we are attempting to change His Word?
His Word can change our life, our family, our community our back sliden nation.
It is said that 200 years ago 25% of everyone on earth was a evangelical Christian.
Eighty years ago that number was around 15%.
Today that number is below 6%.
The next generation may not even know the name of Jesus. It won’t be part of their vocabulary.
Why? Because those who should know better, you and me, have let weak men stand at the pulpit and tell us their thoughts on God, unable or unwilling to stand behind the Bible, rightly dividing the word of Truth.
Heard a man who claimed he was an ordained minister preach a watered down sermon. I knew it was going to be watered down from the moment he set foot at the pulpit. As he stepped up he laid his Bible on the floor and stepped into the spotlights and color changing disco lights to recite his message, never once pausing to let the congregation search the verses he spouted, barely pausing to catch his breath.
Most in the crowd accepted it, because after all, he was their fishing buddy, the one who paid for the disco lights, the guy who had the firmest handshake. The elders who let him preach, the deacons who thought it was a good idea, those who knew better, they will have to answer to God for their decision, as will the man who claimed he was ordained, assuring those who asked that he was there to do a job that most didn’t want.
“Some are evangelist are prepared to be anything to anybody as long as they get somebody to the altar for something.” L. Ravenhill
It is said that 1500 pastors leave the pulpit in America each year. Are they tired? Have they given up because the message doesn’t fill the pews the way it used to? Have they realised the need for the Truth to be preached from every pulpit, every highway and alley-way, from every street corner and they don’t have it in themselves to stay and fight.
Has the new standard for gospel hymns been rewritten?
Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war,
With the Truth of the Gospel,
Laying on the floor.
My heart aches as it has never before, my desire that all hear the Gospel and come to repentance is now being torn apart further by the pain of seeing Church become an experience that costs nothing, does nothing and is worth nothing.
The message in Churches today is not of God. Turn to God, turn to your Bible, determine your doctrine based on the Word. Not on the words of those preachers who have become watered down examples of what led them to preach in the first place. Not to some self-help book with the photo of some author who knows what you need in your life.
What they are selling will cost you more than the price of this weeks gotta have glossy book, or the time spent listening to a recited sermon from a filing cabinet drawer in a seldom used office, filled with divinity books and plaques on the walls.
If the Holy Spirit has stirred in you about this message. Whether you are a pastor who is struggling or a congregation member who knows the Truth is not being preached, now is the time to kneel in prayer, seek God’s direction, find the answer in His Word. Stand up, march forward, don’t go into war with the cross of Jesus, home behind your door. Say something, do something. Answer to God not man.
Lift up those pastors who preach the Word in season and out. Support them with prayer, if possible support them with tithe. Support their needs as they support your needs by faithfully, truthfully and boldly preaching the Word. Law and Grace. Heaven and hell. Good vs. evil. Christ crucified, Christ resurrected, the Blood Atonement, Salvation freely given.
Until His return.