I am worried that I am starting to feel contempt towards these rich and famous pastors of our time ( Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Bishop Jakes, Joseph Prince, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer and others.
These are my reasons:
1. I feel they are taking advantage of the people trying to find God.
2. I find their lifestyle of mansions, jets and luxury thru income source using the word "God" disgusting.
3. I notice that they have turned into motivational speakers and no longer deliverers of the "Word" of God.
however, I have to acknowledge that
1. Thru them as instruments, people are finding God
2. Thru them as instruments, people are inspired to serve God
3. Thru them as instruments, people are hearing the Word of God.
I'd like to know your opinion..
It is one thing to focus on the goodness of God found in the comparison of wrongness,it is another to focus on the wrongness to allow favor for doing a wrong thing for rightness sake.
If there is the tiniest grudge in your mind against anyone, from that second, your Spiritual penetration into the knowledge of God stops. Watch Spiritual hardness, if you even think it possible to be there, haul up everything else till you get back your softness to the Spirit of God. We tend to start out with the right and wrong argument first, without going to the source first of it's answers. This can be misleading if we get the answer wrong.
God has demonstrated thru-out time that He is in absolute control in victory and He demonstrates it thru His grace, This is seen in the evidence of Jesus. That is to say, things that deserved a beating, He not only dismissed the beating, but did what only a God of complete victory could do, He offered sacrificial service and reward in it's wake of dismissal. Wow! Right??!! I still reel over that to this second. Now that is someone in charge! So what would Jesus say to you right now about this subject of others doing a bad example, possibly even sinning in the Church leadership?
Well, first what has He said to you? Have you prayed earnestly about it first? Or have you come to a thread first? Now, I assume no such judgment about that, simply a question. I see a list of organized concerns, are there a list of organized Scriptures in lew of the search for answers? Again, not a hidden judgement, simply a thought of reflexion. Well the Word tells us to follow Government as to how we should think. He says of the rulers of government that the rulers are of 'Worldly' rule.;not Divinely aligned. So when Scripture says to follow them, what He means is to follow the rules unless He states it violates Gods decrees in you. Then, never follow it even unto death. However, A very gracious placement indeed! He wants us not to serve them but serve Gods honor by submitting to their place of order. In way of the Church then there is another Scriptural principle: Involving the One of who rules the Church. It concludes that it is not our place but Gods direct place thru Christ that is head of the Church. He will police Himself. Has God Himself not allowed the minister among you to be in existence? He has! Along with the 'Worldly' leaders as well , Yet, if there is a problem that God also agrees with you on, He will be the enforcer to the Pastor He has ordained, not just allowed. He will do it with the leaders and deacons of the Church and with Himself directly, thru Spirit and supernatural involvement.. So we can rest assured that God has it under control.So pray about it that way! From victory not for it.
So if Jesus is our example, we need to pray for them not about them, as seen by His grace, and by way of His power. and authority.. We need to pray about ourselves in lew of what you see in them. And then ask God to simply work in it all. We need to be prone before Him waiting His answer to be given His way in His timing, resting in ourselves over it in peace.. Scripture says, a worker is due his service. Are we worried of the amount he is due? If so, why? For the example to others, by way of selfish greed? Or Because you work harder and don't see the bounty? Because you need to do the battling for God in way of His principles, for He has ordained you to fight His battles? Or has He said to
allow Him to fight His battles thru you in pray and teaching? You must ask yourself, Has peace been lost over this? Is there a need to respond in a speedy way, with flaming arrows? Is there a self- righteous pointing Vs. a gracious understanding of truth?
Be simply honest with God over this. Let not Satan take you to the side and beat you over the brow with it. If you are moved by God, move
into God to know what to do, He will give you peace not stress over it, this we know to be true from His Word, And experience if you are born again. Look to see if you are searching for the answer vs. looking for more heated questions, who is stirring the pot? God in you coming out, or something outside of you stirring itself in? In either case stop and surrender it to God. Leave the stress of it at His feet. Let go of the thought you must secure the dam, you do not, you can not.! Simply live correctly yourself, and He'll take care of the rest. But do Pray that He does just that, don't underestimate the power in that! the Holy Spirit will have your back on that request, and submit His own request moving God to act on the principles that first moved you.
The issue is on standing not having to ever leave the security of the victory already found in Jesus Christ.