1 Peter 5
Being an elder myself; I am so sick hearted to hear and read about my fellow brothers in CHRIST JESUS who have been openly disgraced due to their selfish pride. We have been given a charge to shepherd the flock of GOD with a pure heart of a true servant; we are to oversee their growth in the precious Word of GOD. Some of us have gotten away with sin for so long; that we think that we are invincible. We all; clergy and laymen require someone in our lives that we can count on to hold us accountable for what we say and do. That person should be someone who is objective; that is not a close intimate friend or a family member. I say this because close intimate friends and family have a tendency to be prejudice towards us. They love us so much; they don’t hear or see our shortcomings. It’s a rare thing to have an intimate friend or family member who will tell you just like it is and you will listen. I’m disgusted with male clergymen having sexual relations with their flock; be they men; women or children. Or for that matter going outside of the marriage covenant to have a sexual tryst away from the flock. I’m disgusted with the clergy exalting themselves or allowing others to exalt them into a god or superstar status. I’m disgusted with the clergy wearing $1000+ clothes / shoes; driving the finest automobiles; living in mansions or estate homes. And your flock can barely eat a proper meal because they believe that they will not be blessed by GOD if they don’t give their final $1 to whatever offering there is. I’m disgusted by the fleshy compulsions that drive you; your willingness to be dishonest and eagerness to become famous among other clergy or anyone that you believe matters because of their financial holdings. I’m disgusted by the way some clergy will lord the Word of GOD over less mature saints of GOD to fit their agenda. You were entrusted to be an example setter for the less mature; we are all the only JESUS most people will see. It is these reasons why the lost don’t trust Christianity. It is for these reasons why churches are being broke into; profanity is being used in the presence of the clergy or in front of a church building. It’s absolutely nothing wrong with GOD’s children living better than those who do not belong to HIM. However, we are to help each other; this includes the clergy towards their flock and the flock towards each other. Some clergy move around as if they were R. Kelly (I think everyone is aware of him). He’s a superstar not us; I understand why he may require security because people want to touch him and take with them a souvenir that he is wearing and he could be trampled; which will cause serious injury or death. However, we are to be approachable at all times. JESUS never had or required security; neither did his disciples who later became apostles. Stop the madness. Be who GOD called you to be; point people to JESUS and not you or the church you pastor. Learn how to be humble and forget about being prideful. Return to your first love JESUS CHRIST; place yourselves back in the mighty hands of GOD. Allow HIM to exalt you and stop exalting yourself. GOD knows what we all stand in need of; if we would only believe and trust in JESUS as we used to and rest on and in HIM. We will see that HE will take care of all our needs. We have stopped placing our cares on HIM and have begun to work for righteousness. We are causing ourselves to be no different than those who are in the world. We have stopped serving GOD who is supposed to be our LORD and Master and returned back to the world and made it our lord and master. Didn’t the Word of GOD tell us that we can’t serve two masters; we would love the one and hate the other. Our actions and our speech will always give us away. We will either be a wonderful testimony towards GOD’s Grace or a pitiful witness towards GOD’s Grace. Which would you prefer to be? Verse 8 in this chapter tells elders to be sober; some of us have become drunk with self power and pride. In this same verse we are told to be vigilant. We have fallen asleep at the post; we have allowed the enemy to come in and sup with us and our flock. We were supposed to be watching; ever alert. Why have we taken our cue from other fallen clergy? Why have we taken our cue from the world that is headed towards hell like a meteorite? The devil has come in and he is walking around roaring and tormenting the flock with great fear because of their lack of understanding GOD’s Word. The devil is not your friend; he is not a friend of our flock and he definitely is not a friend of GOD. JESUS redeemed mankind on the cross not the devil. The devil exalted himself and was evicted from heaven a place everyone wants to go to but no one wants to die to get there. We have to die to self daily; a kingly lion lay around and roars while the female lions hunt; then he is the first to eat the spoils. The devil is not the king; just as the sub servants to the kingly lion roar out of fear. This is how the devil is described in the Word. We, the children of GOD have the authority and the power; that is if we are baptized in the Holy Spirit to resist the devil. If you don’t have the power to resist the devil then you need to stop in your tracks and ask GOD in the name of JESUS to baptize you in the Holy Spirit who gives us power to overcome. Only then can we become fixed and focused on the desires of our DADDY and heaven. Only then can we be firm in our faith and purpose within JESUS. Only then can we become unwavering. GOD who is all Grace has eternal glory by CHRIST JESUS; who will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us fully. http://about.me/amfbministry