Laodecian Preacher

[jamie]

Just about every sign and symptom fit the church leadership at the church we used to attend.

If you ever sit under that type of leadership and see what it does to not only those around you, but your own soul, you will have a lot of indignation against it. It is no different than being in a cult, it took me at least a good year after leaving to get my spiritual head screwed back on straight (a matter of opinion ) ....and my children were very rebellious toward God.

We watched a once spiritually strong church become another casualty of the world.

These pastors whether knowingly or unknowingly are increasing the realm of darkness on the earth, and for nothing more than having mans affirmation.

Makes me very angry!

[felix]

Sadly many pastors now see their position as a profession and not a calling. They love glitz and glamour and seek to outdo each other by measuring the success of their church in terms of numbers. Many of the charletans on TBN line their pockets with the money of the gullible, live in mansions and have entourages.

Jesus gave Peter an ominous and prophetic warning that some day he would be led to a place where he did not wish to go, apparently predicting Peter's martyrdom. Today's slickly dressed mouthy preacher that all to often stands in the pulpit would never have accepted his position if he understood that Christ's true church is hidden in suffering and weakness.

Amen. The church is becoming worldly because pastors are seeing their position as a profession.

They love glitz and glamour and seek to outdo each other by measuring the success of their church in terms of numbers. Many of the charletans on TBN line their pockets with the money of the gullible, live in mansions and have entourages.

This is a big sign of the Laodicean church (the lukewarm church). The letter to the church in Laodecia is in Revelation 3:14-22. I believe this is a word for us right now.

Revelation 3:17

You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

Revelation 3:18

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

We should pray for revival in the churches and watch that we do not become lukewarm ourselves.

[Catsmeow]

Revelation 3:17

You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

The longer that I'm a Christian - the LESS I look at others and the more I compare the scriptures' warnings to MYSELF and ME!

Jesus warns people to stop trying to remove the speck out of a brother's eye and worry more about the log in our OWN eyes.

Folks, I've been here since '02 and I've seen much criticism of others but let's be frank. Most of us here are NOT preachers and don't have a clue what preachers think since we're not them.

All we can do is assume. And it's possible some folks preach for the wrong motives but WHO CARES? Pray for preachers who aren't doing right...or offer to help out. If that doesn't work, go elsewhere...but just be all that YOU can do.

We need to look real hard at OURSELVES and not at others.

When Judgement Day comes, God won't be asking my opinion about other people.....

[Smalcald]

Well, I do agree that we should turn our eyes to ourselves, that indeed this is the most profitable to our soul.

However the more people I have seen who are truly spiritually and emotionally damaged by charlatans and false prophets, the more I think these things need to be identified so people don't feel isolated and alone when they are in a congregation that has gone this bad. I think a poster here mentioned it took her a year to fully recover from one of these experiences.

I have never had a horrible experience such as those mentioned, I think they border on what I would call spiritual abuse. The worst I have had is simply incompetent men that probably were in the wrong calling or maybe I just did not see their spiritual calling, but regardless these are survivable. But I have spoken to others who have been really damaged by just horrible abuse at the hands of one of these charlatans.

[Catsmeow]

There's a distinct difference between being merely "lukewarm" (a nominal and mediocre believer who barely does enough to 'get by') and a phoney "healing" prosperity preacher.

Not the same topic at all...

Charlatans will bring upon themselves their own end; God will deal with them. The book of Jude says this clearly...that their end is coming and they'll get what's coming to them.

We don't need to worry about them. We're warned that men will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. This we already anticipate.

But "lukewarm" believers and/or preachers are not "charlatans" per se....but uncommitted believers who have a false sense of their own "holiness" and have become altogether complacent.

This is a problem more common to the Church and needs to be addressed....especially in each of our own lives.

[Smalcald]

I don't really know what a nominal believer is. You are either moving toward the Lord or away from the Lord. I would say that a nominal believer does not have faith and is simply now going through the motions, unless they repent as the Church in Revelation is called to, they will not be saved.

[Catsmeow]

"Nominal" means "in name only"....which is what many folks are. They identify themselves as "Christian" but have not been born of the Spirit.

It's basically a "secular" Christian...

[felix]

Revelation 3:17

You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

The longer that I'm a Christian - the LESS I look at others and the more I compare the scriptures' warnings to MYSELF and ME!

Jesus warns people to stop trying to remove the speck out of a brother's eye and worry more about the log in our OWN eyes.

Folks, I've been here since '02 and I've seen much criticism of others but let's be frank. Most of us here are NOT preachers and don't have a clue what preachers think since we're not them.

All we can do is assume. And it's possible some folks preach for the wrong motives but WHO CARES? Pray for preachers who aren't doing right...or offer to help out. If that doesn't work, go elsewhere...but just be all that YOU can do.

We need to look real hard at OURSELVES and not at others.

When Judgement Day comes, God won't be asking my opinion about other people.....

Sister, this message is not about judging anyone or anything.

Again with the following illustration...

A person shows signs of a cough, congestion, headache, fever, muscle aches, chills and a stuffy nose. These are symptoms of a COLD. Is this judgement if I recognize that this person has a cold? Is it judgement on my part that I say that these SYMPTOMS are signs of a COLD?

Likewise, if a preacher shows signs of these symptoms then we should recognize that this is the Laodecian spirit. Is it judgement if we recognize that this is the Laodecian spirit? Is it judgement on my part that I say that these symptoms are signs of a Laodecian spirit?

When someone has a cold we know that we should stay away from him as to not catch one ourselves. This is the exhortation of this message: to keep from becoming lukewarm! It is not for us to judge but to recognize; not to criticize but discern. This message is not intended to judge or criticize...but to warn.

[felix]

Oh Lord Jesus,

Forgive me that I do not love you more, forgive me that I do not spend more time with you, forgive me that I fail to abide by your Word. Lord, I do not want to be lukewarm. May I abide in you and you in me; may my spirit be fanned into flames. You are my one true love, my all in all and my central vision. Lord, may your words become my reality.

Lord, revive me!

[GeneV]

I agree with CATS - but cannot help thinking about Jesus in the temple. Without support these people would not exist, do we therefore encourage people to shake the dust from thier sandals or do we denounce these so called Pastors publicly - would this not be construed as judging others?