In the nation of India, there is nothing more sacred than the Brahman cow. As a people that practice Hinduism, they believe in reincarnation and are steeped in idolatry, they believe that the cow is the reincarnation of their ancestors and is the highest form of life. The cow is a symbol of wealth, strength, abundance, selfless giving and a full Earthly life.
Unfortunately, we too have our holy cows. We call them traditions. We call them lineage. We call them dress. We call them standards (not talking about Biblical standards, although I'm sure some of my ultra-conservative, puritanical brothers and sisters will find something to critique about that statement) and our heroes.
I'm not against heroes. In the words of a great man of God who has gone onto his reward, I never critique young men for having heroes. I believe they have to have someone to look up to and admire, someone to imitate and try to be like. That's not idolatry. That's just part of youth. He was one of my heroes in my 30s when I so desperately needed guidance after a few ministers who didn't want to deal with issues in the ministry left me hanging high and dry against a backslidden preacher. For those of you who remember the "divine flesh" doctrine that cropping up among us in the 90's, some of us were dealing with it long after it ran its course and most of the apostolic church organizations took a stand against it and voted it out.
What I am against is turning our heroes into idols. Carved in stone. Infallible. Can do no wrong. Cannot be corrected. Self-ruling Giant of heresy.
These last two issues are what I am going to touch on here the heaviest. I will give Bible, as always, to prove my point. If you have an issue with it...I ask that you please don't go run and hide, post on a secret blog and slander me behind my back, but come out in the open and debate it like a Christian should. "No soldier ever battled any enemy so vicious as a coward."
In over 30 years in church, I have never seen a time as this where the world is sinning harder...and the saints are getting colder. I battle more in the church with young people who are suicidal, depressed, cold, carnal, backslidden...and the biggest thing I find when I talk to them is that they don't talk to their other church friends and family about it because they are terrified they will be ostracized, cut off from fellowship, because they don't fit their Pentecostalmold.
I guess they come to me because I'm the misfit, the odd-ball, the guy who never seems to date, and they know I have a prayerlife and a walk with God and that God does talk to me. Where are the other Apostolics? I had a young woman tell me last night she didn't think God loved her anymore, and that she wanted to die.
One of the hatefullest thing I've seen in the church in all my days was the way some of our churches will withhold fellowship with someone over some "holy cow." Preacher X doesn't like the way Preacher Y doesn't "MAKE" his young people dress like his young people, so they tell the church...don't fellowship with them. I watched for years as people I won to God were chopped apart by saints who snubbed them because they didn't become cookie-cutter Pentecostal saints over night..."her hair doesn't seem to be growing very fast...do you think she's still,...you know!" (snipping motion) I'm going to get down in the weeds, and for you folks who don't know anything about the Gift Ministries going on among us and how they developed, just hold fast. Much of the gift ministries we see today sprang up after the ministries of men like A.A. Allen and W.M. Branham, who held many tent revivals and healing crusades through the early to mid 1900's, before most of our times.
These men were mightily used of God, but in their later day fell prey to sin and in some cases false doctrines. Were they mightily used of God? Yes. Called of God? Yes. Were they fallible men? Yes. Did they fail God? Yes. Did that somehow negate the fact that they were called of God? No! Did it mean their sin was not a public shame? No.
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Galatians 2:9-14
Understand this, Paul not only withstood Peter to his face because he was to be blamed, but the word of this matter was published in your Bible and mine for all generations to see which would come after them. Paul was Peter's peer one man told me and that somehow justified this. Let's go to other instances where great men were withstood to their face for doing wrong. I'll start with the oldest book ever written, the book of Job, chapter 32 (whole chapter).
So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.
And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion. Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom:
God thrusteth him down, not man. Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches. They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;) I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
The Wrath of Elihu! That has a ring to it. I like that...someone rename this blog that! Any of you who don't know the word very well, understand that Job has just lost everything he has, his herds, his flocks, his wealth, his children...the only thing God didn't take from him was his idiot wife, and that will forever amaze me. (I can say that brothers. ;) I'm single. Do NOT try that at home! And yes I know Chris will have something to say about that!) His three "best" friends, have just spent what may have been hours or days berating him openly and publically, finding fault with him everywhere, but never pinning any sin on him, and his lovely wife has just told him to curse God and die! Job had answered their every accusation and showed them that they were wrong, HOWEVER, according to Elihu, he sought to justify Job (Ch. 33:32)before them, but he did find a couple things for which Job was to blame.
1.) Job claimed that his righteous was more than God's.
2.) He did not give Glory for his situation to God!
Why did Elihu, the youngest of them all, speak? ...because of the anointing....
Elihu also proceeded, and said, Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. Job 36:1-2
Elihu finished his statements with these words:
Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart. Job 37:23-24
Then as the young preacher gets through rebuking these four stubborn old men, (Job and his "three friends"), God IMMEDIATELY speaks out of the whirlwind to Job! Now I have often asked myself where the whirlwind came from.
There is no reference to it in the previous verses, so I will just say that that young cat, this hot-blooded, hot-headed, whipper-snapper preacher, Elihu, was the first preacher to ever preach up a storm...and I didn't steal that from any of your stupid tapes, CDs or books!
God basically in the Reader's Digest condensed version of the last few chapters asked Job, "Who do you think you are? Where were you when I made everything?" It didn't take Job long to cover his own mouth in shame and be silent, but God wasn't done. Imagine taking a tongue lashing from a young preacher and then God stepping on the scene and saying in actions, "Step back and let me finish this right!"
Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?Job 40: 6-9
When God finished speaking, Job repented, and then God turned his anger on Job's 3 "friends," not Job's 4 friends as I have had heard some preachers preachers preach.
And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. Job 42:7-8
I always wondered why God wasn't upset with Elihu, like he was with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. After much reading and rereading, I realized...sometimes when you are a preacher, you get all the hell and none of the blessings at time. You will get torn apart by the bystanders, critics and charlatans, and even be forgotten by those that are even righteous...but truth has a ring to it.
God turned the fortunes of Job however and gave him double of all he had before, when he prayed for his three friends. There is no record that God would have heard their repentance, only Job's prayer. I'll tell you why that is, or why I think that is. I am not saying that was God that told me, but it has been turning over and over in my mind and belly.
Lies are an abomination to God and when men find fault with a man who has done no wrong, I believe God places the first step of forgiveness in those situations with the brother or sister that has been lied on, because I have taught for years that it is possible to sin against God and NOT sin against your brother, but it is impossible to sin against your brother and NOT sin against God! I can and will give you Bible for it!
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:23-24
I wanted to go into how Samuel prayed for the people of Israel at Mizpah and God heard him, or how Judah's impassioned plea to spare his brother, Benjamin saved him from Joseph's wrath for all he had gone through at their hands as a boy in his late teens, but I don't have time. I believe I have said enough to get my point across in the Holy Ghost.
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