Don’t talk about it, pray about it…
Um… in this case, NO
We are in an army, but it is not the US military.
In that army, they say don’t ask don’t tell.
In this army, we are to cry aloud and spare not. (Isaiah 58:1)
Make a loud cry, do not be quiet, let your voice be sounding like a horn, and make clear to my people their evil doings, and to the family of Jacob their sins.
Though they make prayer to me every day, and take pleasure in the knowledge of my ways: like a nation which has done righteousness, and has not given up the rules of their God, they make requests to me for the right orders, it is their delight to come near to God.
They say, Why have we kept ourselves from food, and you do not see it? why have we kept ourselves from pleasure, and you take no note of it? If, in the days when you keep from food, you take the chance to do your business, and get in your debts; If keeping from food makes you quickly angry, ready for fighting and giving blows with evil hands; your holy days are not such as to make your voice come to my ears on high.
Have I given orders for such a day as this? a day for keeping yourselves from pleasure? is it only a question of the bent head, of putting on haircloth, and being seated in the dust? is this what seems to you a holy day, well-pleasing to the Lord? Is not this the holy day for which I have given orders: to let loose those who have wrongly been made prisoners, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the crushed go free, and every yoke be broken? Is it not to give your bread to those in need, and to let the poor who have no resting-place come into your house? to put a robe on the unclothed one when you see him, and not to keep your eyes shut for fear of seeing his flesh?
Then will light be shining on you like the morning, and your wounds will quickly be well: and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will come after you. Then at the sound of your voice, the Lord will give an answer; at your cry he will say, Here am I. If you take away from among you the yoke, the putting out of the finger of shame, and the evil word; And if you give your bread to those in need of it, so that the troubled one may have his desire; then you will have light in the dark, and your night will be as the full light of the sun: - Isaiah 58:1-10 BBE
While the media and internet is abuzz with the latest allegations against a very prominent Megachurch Pastor, the church world is rife with pseudo-apologists rushing to defend him, even as now 4 different accusers have come forth alleging the same thing.
I hearken back to Paul’s admonition to Timothy so many years ago:
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. - 1 Timothy 5:19-20
But we will not believe what we will not believe. This man is not the first, nor will he be the last. Sexual sin is the bane of the preacher. It is one of the three tools that Lucifer uses to lead men (and women) astray The other two are the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2: 16)
Have no love for the world or for the things which are in the world. If any man has love for the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world. And the world and its desires is coming to an end: but he who does God's pleasure is living for ever. - 1 John 2:15-17
There is a centuries long list. Here are just a few recent ones:
James Cleveland left a musical legacy, and a legacy of sexual deviance that is the stuff of Legend. Some were touched by his music, some were touched by the HIV he gave them...
George Rekers, 40 years in the ministry, co-founder of the Family Research Council got caught with a male ‘escort’ after a 10 day sex junket to Italy earlier this year.
Earl Paulk, who was having sex and fathering children with members of his congregation, most famously his own brother’s wife. Even now, after his death, the investigations and trials continue.
Ted Haggard, meth and a male escort… Nuff said.
Pastor Ronald Paige who was murdered in his home in April of 2008. His 21 year old killer confessed and told the reason why. The pastor was attempting to forcibly rape him. What’s more, the pastor has a long history of molesting teen boys at his church. Six other victims quickly came forward and made statements to police.
James Bell, Jr, a COGIC pastor who sexually abused a young boy and most likely infected him with HIV. Bell was arrested Dec. 30 2008 after he went to the Shelby County Detention Center and spoke with police. An arrest citation said Bell told police he is HIV positive and had unprotected sex with a 15-year-old. The citation said Bell did not tell the juvenile he was carrying the virus. State police said Bell told them he had sex with the minor “on multiple occasions” in 2007. The then 47-year-old Bell is pastor of Refuge Temple Church of God in Christ in Shelby County.
Terry Hornbuckle, pastor of Arlington's Agape Christian Fellowship who called himself "Bishop," was convicted of drugging and raping three women, two of them former members of his Arlington megachurch. He is now serving 15 years in a Texas prison.
And the list goes on and on…
But we in the church are busy saying, don’t talk about it, pray about it…
But we MUST talk about it…
What of the voiceless, silent victims... What about the wounded scattered sheep?
So since this latest scandal broke, I have been asked for my thoughts and opinions regarding this. My answer is not a simple one. I mean, it is on a broad level, but the issues that have arisen for me in the wake of this sordid and salacious situation go the heart of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be a Pastor, and what it means to live a Christ honoring life…
So, in no order are the big issues”
1) What should he do?
2) What should We (fellow believers) do?
3) Why has this happened?
Staring from the bottom up: The question is Why has this happened?
One word. Pride.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. - Proverbs 16:16-19
Am I accusing the accused of being prideful? YES.
(There is an excellent discourse on the dangers of pride to be found here: www.afighttothedeath.blogspot.com , the date of the entry is Sept 23.
Do you Want or need proof? Here is a rather famous Quote of his:
"I DEAL with the White House. I DEAL with Tony Blair. I DEAL with presidents around this world. I pastor a multimillion-dollar congregation. You've got to put me on a DIFFERENT SCALE than the 'LITTLE BLACK PREACHER' sitting over there that's supposed to be just getting by..."
Aside from the unfortunate current business, another line of questions really should be asked:
Were not the abundant doctrinal issues more telling years ago?
Why are we even talking about this sex scandal now?
Why wasn’t NBMBC empty YEARS ago?
Why is this even important now?
Because the words that Paul wrote to Timothy, some 1900 years ago, as just as true now as they were then...
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Why haven’t we, as Bible believing Christians, challenged, repudiated and done away with the various heretical doctrines that have plagued the church? Why have preachers like this man and others, been allowed to grow fat and rich like slugs on the backs of the sheeple that fill their pews and their coffers?
Why? Because they make us feel good. They appeal to our flesh…
But this is not the way of Yashuah the Christ.
He said this:
"... The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? - Luke 9:22-25
But that is the way of the modern day pseudo-christian heretic. Bottom line, that church should never have gotten ‘mega’ and no one should know his name. But the sheeple do…
What do I mean?
Well, here are some quotes from the accused, espousing the ‘Little god’ heresy of the word/faith movement.
Exhibit a:
"Tarry here in Jerusalem until the Spirit comes and you shall be my what? Come on, what is it? Say it! Witnesses! Do you know what witnesses means? Translated in the original language says, 'You shall be my duplicates.' See, we miss what evangelism is and what being saved is. And what being gods are. We walk around and be Him! Little Him's." - (Bishop Eddie Long, "You are Mighty," tape from his ministry)
This one is particularly egregious, because the word he translates as 'duplicates' in the Greek is 'Marturus' from which we get the word martyr
So what Yahshuah was really saying is: You shall be my martyrs… See the Luke 9 verses above. Yahshuah was consistent.
Exhibit b:
"That's the reason why when you look in the mirror and you ought to say, 'Good morning God.' Now, I ain't talking about your flesh. I ain't talking about you. But inside of you there is a piece of God. And if you don't recognize that you'll call yourself wretched..."
"My whole objective in life is to be His image, His duplicate, His witness and to show folk what He look like because, before nobody seen Him. Somebody say, 'I want to see God.' Here He is, look at me!"
(Bishop Eddie Long, "God Is After Himself," Tape from his ministry)
Or what of these interesting statements, which clearly put man’s opinion before the Word:
"You gotta hear this! You gotta hear this! Any body that gets an answer as soon as you pray, God doesn't trust you anymore. Because, you can't wait and still be sanctified."
"We're in a mature meeting and I don't have to read a scripture first. Can I mess with you and make you mad at me? A scripture introduced me and a scripture came up. Y'all, You gotta understand that. It is time that the body of Christ comes into the recognition and revelation that you are a scripture. You don't think you went through all that hell being processed that somebody couldn't read God by looking at you? Do you not realize that when you show up God shows up? Do you not realize that your walk and your talk is the living word?"
(Bishop Eddie Long, "Dominion Camp Meeting 2004," TBN, July 6, 2004)
There is Much more here (if you can stomach it):
Why is there so much sexual imagery in his preaching?
Why have we never commented on this before?
“We go to church buildings that still have a mortgage. Which means the bank owns God’s house. Which means that we go and make love to God in a house that Satan owns!” (make Love i.e. Have SEX with God?) I mean after all, this is a man who has preached that God took a uterus out of Adam to make Eve, (2008),
Worse yet, he has said that God’s word is his Sperm,… (This particular one was made famous by Comedy Central in their ‘Godstuff’ series
But we don’t say anything, don’t speak out against them, but RUSH headlong to defend them when they are caught with their pants down.
But we are supposed to be silent, don't talk, just pray...
NOT! It is the veil of silence that these controlling heretics hide behind. Browbeating the sheep with false, scripture-twisting doctrines, like the judge not/touch not, and others.
If you would like to be sure that I am coming from the scripture, I ask that you read the following earlier posts from this blog:
The Lie of 'Judge Not Part One
The Lie of 'Judge Not Part Two
But the question must be asked..
How do these heretical doctrines spread?
Like this:
The snail is you dear Christian
The worm is the heresy
The bird is your preacher/televangelist.
Notice the themes of deception, mind control, sacrifice, parasitic behavior, mindless obedience and lust?
A final admonition
1 John 5:20-21 (AMP) 20 - And we [have seen and] know [positively] that the Son of God has [actually] come to this world and has given us understanding and insight [progressively] to perceive (recognize) and come to know better and more clearly Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true--in His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). This [Man] is the true God and Life eternal.
21 - Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen (so let it be).
So, that’s it for now. A lot depends on what the Bishop does tomorrow. That will determine what gets written in this blog next. At least about this hot mess...
Next up, we'll deal with the pew problem: IDOLATRY
Peace & Blessings...
pastor.ctj
We are in an army, but it is not the US military.
In that army, they say don’t ask don’t tell.
In this army, we are to cry aloud and spare not. (Isaiah 58:1)
Make a loud cry, do not be quiet, let your voice be sounding like a horn, and make clear to my people their evil doings, and to the family of Jacob their sins.
Though they make prayer to me every day, and take pleasure in the knowledge of my ways: like a nation which has done righteousness, and has not given up the rules of their God, they make requests to me for the right orders, it is their delight to come near to God.
They say, Why have we kept ourselves from food, and you do not see it? why have we kept ourselves from pleasure, and you take no note of it? If, in the days when you keep from food, you take the chance to do your business, and get in your debts; If keeping from food makes you quickly angry, ready for fighting and giving blows with evil hands; your holy days are not such as to make your voice come to my ears on high.
Have I given orders for such a day as this? a day for keeping yourselves from pleasure? is it only a question of the bent head, of putting on haircloth, and being seated in the dust? is this what seems to you a holy day, well-pleasing to the Lord? Is not this the holy day for which I have given orders: to let loose those who have wrongly been made prisoners, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the crushed go free, and every yoke be broken? Is it not to give your bread to those in need, and to let the poor who have no resting-place come into your house? to put a robe on the unclothed one when you see him, and not to keep your eyes shut for fear of seeing his flesh?
Then will light be shining on you like the morning, and your wounds will quickly be well: and your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will come after you. Then at the sound of your voice, the Lord will give an answer; at your cry he will say, Here am I. If you take away from among you the yoke, the putting out of the finger of shame, and the evil word; And if you give your bread to those in need of it, so that the troubled one may have his desire; then you will have light in the dark, and your night will be as the full light of the sun: - Isaiah 58:1-10 BBE
While the media and internet is abuzz with the latest allegations against a very prominent Megachurch Pastor, the church world is rife with pseudo-apologists rushing to defend him, even as now 4 different accusers have come forth alleging the same thing.
I hearken back to Paul’s admonition to Timothy so many years ago:
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. - 1 Timothy 5:19-20
But we will not believe what we will not believe. This man is not the first, nor will he be the last. Sexual sin is the bane of the preacher. It is one of the three tools that Lucifer uses to lead men (and women) astray The other two are the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2: 16)
Have no love for the world or for the things which are in the world. If any man has love for the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because everything in the world, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world. And the world and its desires is coming to an end: but he who does God's pleasure is living for ever. - 1 John 2:15-17
There is a centuries long list. Here are just a few recent ones:
James Cleveland left a musical legacy, and a legacy of sexual deviance that is the stuff of Legend. Some were touched by his music, some were touched by the HIV he gave them...
George Rekers, 40 years in the ministry, co-founder of the Family Research Council got caught with a male ‘escort’ after a 10 day sex junket to Italy earlier this year.
Earl Paulk, who was having sex and fathering children with members of his congregation, most famously his own brother’s wife. Even now, after his death, the investigations and trials continue.
Ted Haggard, meth and a male escort… Nuff said.
Pastor Ronald Paige who was murdered in his home in April of 2008. His 21 year old killer confessed and told the reason why. The pastor was attempting to forcibly rape him. What’s more, the pastor has a long history of molesting teen boys at his church. Six other victims quickly came forward and made statements to police.
James Bell, Jr, a COGIC pastor who sexually abused a young boy and most likely infected him with HIV. Bell was arrested Dec. 30 2008 after he went to the Shelby County Detention Center and spoke with police. An arrest citation said Bell told police he is HIV positive and had unprotected sex with a 15-year-old. The citation said Bell did not tell the juvenile he was carrying the virus. State police said Bell told them he had sex with the minor “on multiple occasions” in 2007. The then 47-year-old Bell is pastor of Refuge Temple Church of God in Christ in Shelby County.
Terry Hornbuckle, pastor of Arlington's Agape Christian Fellowship who called himself "Bishop," was convicted of drugging and raping three women, two of them former members of his Arlington megachurch. He is now serving 15 years in a Texas prison.
And the list goes on and on…
But we in the church are busy saying, don’t talk about it, pray about it…
But we MUST talk about it…
What of the voiceless, silent victims... What about the wounded scattered sheep?
So since this latest scandal broke, I have been asked for my thoughts and opinions regarding this. My answer is not a simple one. I mean, it is on a broad level, but the issues that have arisen for me in the wake of this sordid and salacious situation go the heart of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be a Pastor, and what it means to live a Christ honoring life…
So, in no order are the big issues”
1) What should he do?
2) What should We (fellow believers) do?
3) Why has this happened?
Staring from the bottom up: The question is Why has this happened?
One word. Pride.
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. - Proverbs 16:16-19
Am I accusing the accused of being prideful? YES.
(There is an excellent discourse on the dangers of pride to be found here: www.afighttothedeath.blogspot.com , the date of the entry is Sept 23.
Do you Want or need proof? Here is a rather famous Quote of his:
"I DEAL with the White House. I DEAL with Tony Blair. I DEAL with presidents around this world. I pastor a multimillion-dollar congregation. You've got to put me on a DIFFERENT SCALE than the 'LITTLE BLACK PREACHER' sitting over there that's supposed to be just getting by..."
Aside from the unfortunate current business, another line of questions really should be asked:
Were not the abundant doctrinal issues more telling years ago?
Why are we even talking about this sex scandal now?
Why wasn’t NBMBC empty YEARS ago?
Why is this even important now?
Because the words that Paul wrote to Timothy, some 1900 years ago, as just as true now as they were then...
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”. - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Why haven’t we, as Bible believing Christians, challenged, repudiated and done away with the various heretical doctrines that have plagued the church? Why have preachers like this man and others, been allowed to grow fat and rich like slugs on the backs of the sheeple that fill their pews and their coffers?
Why? Because they make us feel good. They appeal to our flesh…
But this is not the way of Yashuah the Christ.
He said this:
"... The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? - Luke 9:22-25
But that is the way of the modern day pseudo-christian heretic. Bottom line, that church should never have gotten ‘mega’ and no one should know his name. But the sheeple do…
What do I mean?
Well, here are some quotes from the accused, espousing the ‘Little god’ heresy of the word/faith movement.
Exhibit a:
"Tarry here in Jerusalem until the Spirit comes and you shall be my what? Come on, what is it? Say it! Witnesses! Do you know what witnesses means? Translated in the original language says, 'You shall be my duplicates.' See, we miss what evangelism is and what being saved is. And what being gods are. We walk around and be Him! Little Him's." - (Bishop Eddie Long, "You are Mighty," tape from his ministry)
This one is particularly egregious, because the word he translates as 'duplicates' in the Greek is 'Marturus' from which we get the word martyr
So what Yahshuah was really saying is: You shall be my martyrs… See the Luke 9 verses above. Yahshuah was consistent.
Exhibit b:
"That's the reason why when you look in the mirror and you ought to say, 'Good morning God.' Now, I ain't talking about your flesh. I ain't talking about you. But inside of you there is a piece of God. And if you don't recognize that you'll call yourself wretched..."
"My whole objective in life is to be His image, His duplicate, His witness and to show folk what He look like because, before nobody seen Him. Somebody say, 'I want to see God.' Here He is, look at me!"
(Bishop Eddie Long, "God Is After Himself," Tape from his ministry)
Or what of these interesting statements, which clearly put man’s opinion before the Word:
"You gotta hear this! You gotta hear this! Any body that gets an answer as soon as you pray, God doesn't trust you anymore. Because, you can't wait and still be sanctified."
"We're in a mature meeting and I don't have to read a scripture first. Can I mess with you and make you mad at me? A scripture introduced me and a scripture came up. Y'all, You gotta understand that. It is time that the body of Christ comes into the recognition and revelation that you are a scripture. You don't think you went through all that hell being processed that somebody couldn't read God by looking at you? Do you not realize that when you show up God shows up? Do you not realize that your walk and your talk is the living word?"
(Bishop Eddie Long, "Dominion Camp Meeting 2004," TBN, July 6, 2004)
There is Much more here (if you can stomach it):
Why is there so much sexual imagery in his preaching?
Why have we never commented on this before?
“We go to church buildings that still have a mortgage. Which means the bank owns God’s house. Which means that we go and make love to God in a house that Satan owns!” (make Love i.e. Have SEX with God?) I mean after all, this is a man who has preached that God took a uterus out of Adam to make Eve, (2008),
Worse yet, he has said that God’s word is his Sperm,… (This particular one was made famous by Comedy Central in their ‘Godstuff’ series
But we don’t say anything, don’t speak out against them, but RUSH headlong to defend them when they are caught with their pants down.
But we are supposed to be silent, don't talk, just pray...
NOT! It is the veil of silence that these controlling heretics hide behind. Browbeating the sheep with false, scripture-twisting doctrines, like the judge not/touch not, and others.
If you would like to be sure that I am coming from the scripture, I ask that you read the following earlier posts from this blog:
The Lie of 'Judge Not Part One
The Lie of 'Judge Not Part Two
But the question must be asked..
How do these heretical doctrines spread?
Like this:
The snail is you dear Christian
The worm is the heresy
The bird is your preacher/televangelist.
Notice the themes of deception, mind control, sacrifice, parasitic behavior, mindless obedience and lust?
A final admonition
1 John 5:20-21 (AMP) 20 - And we [have seen and] know [positively] that the Son of God has [actually] come to this world and has given us understanding and insight [progressively] to perceive (recognize) and come to know better and more clearly Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true--in His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah). This [Man] is the true God and Life eternal.
21 - Little children, keep yourselves from idols (false gods)--[from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart due to God, from any sort of substitute for Him that would take first place in your life]. Amen (so let it be).
So, that’s it for now. A lot depends on what the Bishop does tomorrow. That will determine what gets written in this blog next. At least about this hot mess...
Next up, we'll deal with the pew problem: IDOLATRY
Peace & Blessings...
pastor.ctj
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