God is Cleaning House: May we tremble at His word. Isaiah 66: 1-2

 

God is Cleaning House: May we tremble at His word. 

 

Isaiah 66: 1-2

Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be,declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

 

 

 

I gave this word at my church (at the time) on a Wednesday night on October 1, 2008. I have attached a JPEG of it. I didn’t remember this word until I came across it in some of my notes this morning.  I had a very painful and difficult discussion with someone yesterday concerning more recent verified revelations of dishonor in God’s house.

The pastor at the time, tested it and it was a word from the Lord. 16 years later, I see it happening with greater acceleration than it was happening prior to this period of time. This will be a hard pill for some to swallow; but for the others, it could be a prescription towards healing.

The shaking among spiritual leadership, will only intensify until God disciplines and purges His “priestly ministry” of the corruption and impurities some of them, have been operating in for many many years. God allows a long space of time before the gavel of judgment will fall not only because he is long suffering with leaders and gives them opportunities to repent and change, but he loves his people so much that he does not want them to be shattered and scattered.

If they will not repent after many warnings and a large window of time is afforded to them by God, His gavel  of judgment will fall. They will be forced to be removed from their positions of authority and so-called honor. Judgment must begin in the house of the Lord and has already started. 1 Peter 4: 17

There are throngs of people who have been wounded by abusive spiritual leaders. Many no longer believe in God at all; others have turned away from the church, but are hanging on to their faith by a thread.

Part of the problem is that we’ve been taught to look to and follow leaders without questioning them or some of their practices, in any way. They lead the people of God through an authoritarian form of church government,  rather than servant leadership with a plurality of elders. There is a lack of accountability and therefore, one man or one woman is left to be their ministry’s  “prophet” of God and give the vision to the people without question. If you question anything, you you may be intimidated and if that form of manipulation doesn’t work you will be “guilted” then told you probably don’t fit in here.

We have already been given the "vision" for the purpose of the church by Jesus Christ himself. It is called the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. We no longer need a new vision for His church. To operate under a different vision at its best cultish,  and at its worse heretical. Either way, it has done great damage to the body of Christ and besmirched the name of Jesus Christ. 

Cults are built around a man: his or her charisma, and his or her vision. Followers are manipulated into following a man over and above Jesus Christ’s Lordship, dependence upon his Holy Spirit, and the study of God’s word for yourself. 

To question, voice concerns, or investigate issues that you know exist and are aware of as a son or daughter of God, would be considered dishonoring, “touching God’s anointed,” divisive and would identify you as a goat at worse and a rebellious sheep at best.

This is a false teaching and an abusive way to control, intimidate, and dominate God‘s flock. As a result of this false teaching, many Saints, especially those in Charismatic circles, have elevated their leaders above reproach, when there has been valid signs of them not being above reproach. Some members refuse to believe that any of the accusations or  allegations concerning their leader’s cover-ups and corruption which have been exposed are true and they continue to defend them. 

The tricky part in all of this is that they will always preach and teach some level of biblical truth. But looking back, you can see it was full of mixture. Like proverbs says a dead fly causes the whole apothecary to stink.

God will share his glory with no man. We must not allow the revealing of corrupt leaderships’ sins to turn us away from a holy and loving God, but rather turn us to Him as never before. Jesus is the chief Shepherd and bishop of our souls. Only Jesus can save and restore our souls.