God, Deliver Us From Glory Seeking Pastors!

There is a famous quote attributed to P. T. Barnum, although he denies ever having said it. The quote is this: "There is a sucker born every minute." Whether he said it or not is not the important issue. The truthfulness of the statement ranks as my highest priority for I believe it is absolutely true, but I believe when it comes to Christianity and the church today, the quote should be amended to every few seconds rather than every minute. The church as a whole has been so thoroughly deceived by the few, that they no longer recognize the One, (the few being the pastors and the One, being Christ.)

There would be limitless areas of so-called church worship with which to verify the above. But for the sake of brevity, let us discuss just one area of coming together for the service or worship of the Lord. Search as I will, and I have from Genesis to Revelation, and looking through all of the concordances, Bible dictionaries, and commentaries that God has blessed me with, I have yet to find the scriptural passage that talks about or commands Sunday School, but then I have never been able to locate the passage on taking the collection of tithes either.

Be that as it may let us continue on to the point. The meeting together of the saints is a fact, and we are commanded not to forsake it. There is a very specific, God-given, Holy Spirit anointed, Biblical method of having that meeting. In 1 Corinthians 14:26 the Word of the Lord says, "Howbeit then brethren, when ye come together everyone of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. All of these things must be done for the edifying of the church."

Can you possibly imagine going to the local Baptist, Assembly of God, or whatever denomination of church this Sunday and announcing to that pastor that you have the psalm, that you have the song of worship for today, or that they can cancel the 100 person choir and all of their choir robes and the cantata which they have been rehearsing for the past three months because God has anointed you with that song of worship and praise? (You don't even have a good voice, you have a squeaky one, but one that is anointed by God?) Or better yet, to tell the pastor that God has spoken to you in a vision or a dream and He has given you a revelation to speak to the church today. What then would be your chance of proclaiming that message?

It has been said that it is an impossibility for the demons to have snowball fights in hell. I believe the same odds would apply to that pastor stepping down and turning the pulpit over to you or anyone, save it be an individual who was above him in the hierarchy of his denomination. (Of course, God only moves in his particular denomination.)

Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 14:6 that if He should come to you with a revelation, that it would do you no good unless He spoke it to you plainly. If He came to any of these churches with a revelation, it would be an impossibility for Him to speak. My point being this: the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, the Son of the Almighty, the Head of the Church, (which is His Body,) has a special love for ALL of His people.

When they come together God has something for each one. He does not anoint one person and shove everyone else into the background. That is not scriptural. But, of course, and here is where the rub is, if we were to go back to home meetings, (meetings in our houses,) meeting places that we can afford, whether it be a house or a back yard, coming together as a loving body on the same level as everyone else and ministering one to another, then there would be no reason for the unscriptural offerings.

We would all be required to have a job and support ourselves. We would all be of the priesthood of believers, on the same scale with one another, loving one another, loving the Lord and ministering one to another. Allow me to interject at this point that I am not against the gifts of God to the church, the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists. I believe the Word of God says they were sent forth. I believe they were, they are, and they shall remain.

In this area, the church has done another neat trick in that they have done away with those they don't want any more. They say there are no more apostles. Remember, apostles are the ones anointed of God to start new works. As I look upon the world, especially Third World countries, I see thousands of anointed apostles of God beginning new works and moving in the miracles and power of God. Prophets are those who have the Word of God for the church, for the body, and it is usually a word of rebuke. I can see why the church doesn't want any more of them, but the worse the church gets, the more prophets I see anointed of God and sent forth to speak that word.

Look at the Upper Room. Did they stop before the coming of the Holy Spirit to take an offering? Did they have to pay for this great work of God? I believe in pastors. God has given me a church to pastor. That merely means that God has given me to be more of a servant than anyone else. It means I get the spiritual job of cleaning the toilets, making sure the church is clean and doing all of the other 'chores' that need to be done, plus praying for everyone else diligently and attempting to watch over their souls. It also means being in prayer before God that I might discern the one He sends with the psalm, the teaching, the revelation. Basically, it is to keep God's order in the church.

The only thing that will keep us from obeying scriptural direction
and meeting together on His terms is
PRIDE !

 OBEDIENCE

I said, "Let me walk in the fields,"
He said, "Nay, walk in the town;"
I said, "There are no flowers there,"
He said, "No flowers, but a crown."

I said, "But the sky is black,
There is nothing but noise and din."
But He wept as He sent me back;
"There is more," He said, "there is sin."

I said, "But the air is thick,
And fogs are veiling the sun."
He answered, "Yet hearts are sick,
And souls in the dark undone."

I said, "I shall miss the light,
And friends will miss me, they say."
He answered me, "Choose tonight
If I am to miss you, or they."

I pleaded for time to be given;
He said, "Is it hard to decide?
It will not seem hard in heaven
To have followed the steps of your guide."

I cast one look at the field,
Then set my face to the town;
He said, "My child, do you yield?
Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into His hand went mine,
And into my heart came He,
And I walk in a light divine
The path I had feared to see!

George MacDonald

Provided by:
Into the Light Ministries
www.intothelight.org