When is it...Time to Change Churches? Chapter 6

THE PASTOR AS…

THE MAN WITH THE MANY DEGREE’S

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 2 Corinthians 1:12-13

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him]. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though [I be] rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been horoughly made manifest among you in all things. 2 Corinthians 11:3-6

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. Colossians 2:4

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men’s shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your

Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren. Matthew 23:1-8

The Reverend Dr. So and So, Mdiv, PhD, Th.M, M.R.E., and the letters go on and on. And the sad thing is this…

There are churches that feel like they must have a pastor with all of those credentials. There are pastors that will tell you to call them Reverend Doctor Such and Such. They like to flaunt their title at you to show you their massive amount of education. The question at hand is this, does it honor God or man? Look again at what Matthew 23:8 says,

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

This is not just a reference to being called Rabbi, for the very next part says, “for one is your Master, even Christ. We have only one Master and that is Christ. When pastors feel they must promote themselves and their education in such a way as to lord it over the people, then you have a situation where the pastor is looking for self glory and not to glorify God. We are to humble ourselves, not to lift ourselves above others. What does the last part of verse 8 say? “And all ye are brethren.” We are ALL nothing more than brethren in Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ, to serve Him, obey Him and bring Him the glory. A pastor is one who leads the earthly church but he is still nothing more than a brethren doing the Lord’s work.

The Bible tells us that when God saw darkness on the face of the deep,

He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1:3).

God saw the light and it was good.

Notice that He saw good after He spoke!

God wants you to deal with the problems in your life by speaking forth what you want to see.
Beloved, I promise you that when you start speaking the good that you want to see, you will see the good show up in your life! ~Joseph Prince

And we wonder why some people just don’t get it. No discernment whatsoever as to what scripture actually says. This twisting of scripture is wrong on so many levels. First off, we must see “who” it is that is talking. GOD, not just a mere man, but God spoke the Word and said it was good. Everything HE CREATED was seen as good in God’s eyes. Do not take this to mean that man has the ability to just speak something and God is obligated to obey man. There are many thousands of people daily who have cancer and want to see the cancer gone. Some receive a miracle healing from God but more often than not, many die from the disease. I want to see a million dollars, but just because I want to see it does not make it so and God is definitely not obligated to give me the money. This is all part of the name it—claim it type of preaching and it is false teaching that needs to be exposed for what it is, a sham and a devious, deceitful attempt by Satan to get you to assume the role of a god over The God. Secondly, Prince says, “I PROMISE YOU” and again, this is a promise that he cannot keep. He is taking Psalm 37:4 out of context. “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” The first part is a command to us to take delight in the Lord, the second part means that if our heart is right with God then the things that we will desire are God’s love and His mercy. The way Prince wants you to believe is that if “you” have a desire for some thing, God is obligated to give it to you because His word says He will. That is wrong. It has to line up scripturally with His character and His will.

Here is another example of scripture twisting and it will sicken your stomach (at least, if you are truly a Christian).One of the most well known preachers (calling him a pastor is like calling a wolf a sheep!) in America, completely twists scriptures just so he can make a statement that he wants to make. No discernment whatsoever by him or by his listeners. People will follow this smiling man and assume that everything he says is from God. How happy do you think God is when His Holy Word is twisted to mean what “man” wants it to mean? Ephesians 1:4 in his bible says...

Long before God laid down earth's foundation He had us on his mind. Because of the sacrifice Christ made we are free people and not just barely free but abundantly free.