Offended At His Message And Mission

"From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him." (John 6:66)

I can barely stand to read this passage. It literally brings tears to my eyes every time. It's like I instantly start grieving in my spirit.

This is probably the most heart wrenching Scripture I've ever read. In this passage, Jesus knew who wouldn't stay with Him. He foretold that they would become OFFENDED at His MESSAGE & MISSION.

As a leader, I've encountered this too. You can want something more for someone than they want it for themselves. Jesus led them as far as He could. After they departed...he turned to His inner circle & asked them this: "Will you also go away?"

I love their response..."Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."

Friend, we are living in a time where many people become offended & stray away. When you talk with them, you'll get a varied response: "They expect too much out of you", "They expect you to give up too much", "They are too hard on me, etc."

The reality is, you are trying to PULL people UP but you're also expecting them to PUSH themselves too.

Sadly, until people have their own encounter with JESUS ... life is just about going to work, playing sports, grocery shopping, vacations, hobbies, punching in the time clock at church, etc... (None of those things are necessarily wrong in and of themselves) but anything that DISTRACTS us from our DESPERATE HUNGER for Christ...is secondary compared to HIM!

I think back to when that's all I knew. But once you've experienced JESUS...your "want" changes. Your "desires" change. Your "speech" changes. You want more of HIM so much...that you become extremely focused & intentional about how you live.

All you have to do is listen to the speech of people in their posts, conversations, etc., to figure out what they are focused on. Whatever they talk about the most...is what they love the most. LET THAT SINK IN.

I'm praying for an ARMY of people to become so radically in LOVE with YAHWEH that we wouldn't even think about "turning away & walking with Him no more."

This is the direction I'm walking in. I've been through too much to live wasted days, months & years!

Love you all!
I'm believing for more!
#ROOM

Popcorn Prophets & Peddlers of Deception

Our role & goal as Christians is to bring people to Jesus and make DISCIPLES. (Matthew 28:19-20). We are called AS disciples TO make disciples. (An ongoing process.)

We are to DEVELOP people to full maturity, enabling them to be able to stand on their own two feet in Spiritual Maturity so that they can live PRODUCTIVE, PRACTICAL lives as they are INFUSED by the Spirit of God until the coming of Jesus.

Nowhere, in Scripture, are we called to flock to self-proclaimed "POPCORN PROPHETS" who are seeking to make a name for themselves through showmanship, circus environments or extreme emotionalism...while playing on the emotions of the spiritually immature and the emotionally weak.

Mature believers are wise and discerning to these bags of tricks and keep that foolery at an arm's length.

We must beware of this spirit that is loose, even in "the church" that it doesn't infect the earnest. Pastors must warn against the charlatan spirit (a person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill; a fraud) that is manipulative & seeking to make a name for themselves at the expense of the Kingdom of God.

I see more and more of this today; people swept away with emotionalism...caught up in a conjured up atmosphere of so called "spiritual gifts & prophetic utterances" that are nothing more than hyped up emotionalism & feelings that are worked up into a frenzy.

I believe God moves in many ways. He has the power to manifest in thunder, lightning, earthquakes & a still small voice. He's God all by Himself and He can manifest as He so chooses. I'm thankful for the manifestation of the Spirit & I practice & promote the Gifts of the Spirit as outlined in Scripture in my personal life & in corporate gatherings...with the guidelines of edification. (Every gift must edify Jesus or else it's just a noise maker & an attention getter for the one demonstrating.)

However, as a Pastor, and someone who's been raised in Pentecost, I have become keenly aware of those in the body of Christ who seek to Capitalize on Conjurings. Sadly, they have a following of misguided & unlearned folks who are looking for a reed shaking in the wind. (Matthew 11:7)

Why does the church exist? Is it to have services & meetings where we all give each other words, work ourselves up into emotional frenzies & see who can scream the loudest?

I say no. The church exists to produce CHRIST FOLLOWERS. We must WIN them & PREPARE them for their MINISTRY in the church & life MISSION in the world! We must teach people how to live GOOD, HONEST, CLEAN, WHOLESOME, PRACTICAL lives. We must teach people how to OVERCOME in spiritual & practical ways...even in their finances, relationships, career, education, etc.

How silly is it to see people swept up in emotionalism, screaming, prophesying, running after signs & wonders...when they can't even balance their checkbook or keep the oil changed in their car. I know that sounds silly...but we CANNOT sit by and allow people to be "taken advantage" of by PEDDLERS of DECEPTION.

Pastors: Protect your flocks from wolves in sheeps clothing. Warn them of this type of spirit. Challenge them to stay in the Scriptures & not to be moved by emotionalism & ego driven eccentrics.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Philippians 3:17-19 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)