Showing posts with label men of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label men of God. Show all posts

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Pulpit reserved for the pastor

In the church-buildings we still find today with lesser attendants than some years ago the pulpit was and is still reserved for the pastor.
The Christian Flag displayed next to the pulpi...
The Christian Flag displayed next to the pulpit on the chancel of a church sanctuary. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


Many Christians consider the pulpit a sacred space for someone who recognized the sacred duty. This place on a raised platform, usually surrounded by a barrier, set up in churches as the appointed place for preaching, leading in prayer, etc., is looke on by many as a holy sanctuary where nothing but the truth is been told. The church members would not dare to question those things which were said there.

Men of the cloth can find their honoured place where everybody looks at them as their teacher and guide in this world full of difficulties.

Those men of faith have now found their own soap on television in the United states of America.
"The Preachers of L.A." represents the distilled toxicity of Christianity combined with a money-obsessed generation of American preachers. Even to sympathizers, the show seems to reaffirm all the negative stereotypes about greedy prosperity preachers more interested in bling than the Bible.
Since large church pastors are on television and prominently featured in media, many think that’s what the church experience should reflect. In their eyes, Jesus would have failed miserably as a pastor (He had only 12—or 11 if you exclude Judas—faithful “members” of His ragtag band). 

People expect to hear from the pulpit how they can have a better life. By the teaching of those standing on that holy platform and their example, they showed a generation of believers how they could use their faith to change their circumstances.They wanted to have their flock to believe that faith could heal bodies, multiply finances, restore families and bring a taste of heaven down to Earth.

In the previous years the examples of many 'men of God' (mainly Catholic priests and bishops) did give the world a totally different picture than the Master Teacher Jesus would have loved to see, and presented them with something they would not like to happen to their children.

Though the pastor or priest was and is still seen by many Christians as God's mouthpiece. Many also expect from him that he will bring a message that is to deliver the people of God from bondage and sin. Recognizing this, the preacher's accompanying humility-laden approach to sermonizing would cause others to grow deeper in their faith. As John Wesley puts it, the preacher's duty was to "catch on fire" so "others will love to come and watch you burn."

asks

Have we doused the fire in the Black church? Have we grabbed our extinguishers labeled "prosperity," "tradition," and "justice," and forgotten about the Gospel? Do we just run across the pulpit as a shortcut to our next destination? Have preachers forgotten about that sacred space?
Let us be honest and recognise that today there are so many faithful men and women of God who are faithful to god His Word. For them it is not the word of a human being that should be the most important word. That pulpit where  many look at should not be that sacred space.

The television may make a caricature of ministry in the American church, but without the history of tradition and the equivocating vague and duplicitous religious language the holy books would not have reached so many. In time many modern believers have had to change the way they think about their holy books. Today all interested in religion can find many websites discussing all sorts of beliefs. The language used over there by some is not always nice but should give a good idea where the better people could be or where it is wrong to spend time and to follow the insulting words of those calling themselves preacher, pastor, prophet or man of god.

In the world of Christendom there are even persons who say:



Unless you’re a Young Earth Creationist Christian you have to accept these days that the Bible is not the inerrant word of God. At best it’s a human interpretation of the revelations it is supposed to contain.
Those interpretations made that many thoughts crossed each other. We can not ignore that some modern theists have almost squirrelled God away out of critical reach, making their Christianity virtually atheistic Humanism – which then raises the question of what they actually have faith in, and why they continue to put such store in a book like the Bible.

For a long time the Christian church world has gone far away from the Word of God. They seemed to have lost the way that recaptures the heart of the Gospel and can help fan the flame some have tried to extinguish by making other stuff the main thing.

We should get back to the basics and remember that Jesus was not standing in front of a mega church, standing on a pulpit presenting his own ideas. As a real man of God he enjoyed being with ordinary folks, talking with them as a friend, not as a higher being. for Jesus it was not his Word nor his will that was important. Ha wanted the will of his Father to be done. He also wanted that as many people as possible could find the way to his Father, the Only One God. to get them there, Jesus used the Holy Scriptures, the Torah, which was the Law for the people to follow.

By Jesus and his apostles the Word of God and the Good News or the Gospel was always center.

writes:

Today also all other church-related matters should be submitted to the supremacy of the Gospel. This removes the man-glory of the prosperity gospel and replaces it with God-centered preaching that says we were created for His glory. This removes the racist-worn stains of bitterness and hatred and moves us toward reconciliation. The Gospel bridges the generational gap and finds us all at the foot of the Cross. That’s the third way. Not every pastor wants to be famous. There are those who want to make Jesus’ name famous. Not every pastor waters down the Gospel for the sake of political affiliation. There are those who care more deeply about people’s souls than what they check on a ballot. And this third way, this Gospel way, has burned incessantly for centuries. And although I lament, I’m encouraged by the grace-fueled flame flickering in the darkness. And I echo John’s words in Revelation: Come, Lord Jesus.
Today, we have so many people that believe differently and preach different things behind pulpits.We should look carefully at them and see how they behave and if they live according to their preaching. We also should check what is first on their lips and where their own heart lies. That pulpit in the church like many know it is not thé place where we should hear the Word resounding. From everywhere around us we should hear the call to come to know Jesus and to come to know his Father, the Divine Creator.

Every person who believes in the offer Christ took on himself for the sins of so many, should follow his teachings and should go out in the world, making every possible place a 'pulpit' a 'platform' for the spreading of the Gospel. And that person presenting the Word of God should do it with love for everybody around him, believer, non-believer and other-believer.

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Friday 16 August 2013

Being sure of their deliverance

In the old times before Christ Jesus (Jeshua) was born there were several people who believed in the Creator and his promises. They were sure that the divine Creator was with them and would continuously guide them through easy but also through difficult times.
The Holy Bible in Modern Greek translated by N...
The Holy Bible in Modern Greek translated by Neophytus Vamvas (Νεόφυτος Βάμβας): At Exodus 6:3 the divine name of God, the sacred Tetragrammaton, is rendered "Ιεοβά" (Ieová, that is "Yehova" (Eng.) or "Iehova" [Lat.], also "Ιεχωβά" [Gr.]). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the Holy Scriptures we can find the Hebraic writers and the congregations of ancients who used their songs in worship to God and did not mind showing to others in Whom they believed and how He was guiding them and giving them deliverance.

Those men of God had a special relation with Him, whom they could not see. But they told others about their experience an ongoing, intimate walk with God and for that reason they could have faith in Him about their deliverance.
English: John the Baptist baptizing Christ
 John the Baptist baptizing Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Psalms 32:6-11 The Scriptures 1998+:  (6)  Therefore, let every kind one pray to You While You might be found; Even in a flood of great waters They would not reach him.  (7)  You are my hiding place; You preserve me from distress; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.  (8)  “Let Me instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; Let Me counsel, My eye be on you.  (9)  Do not be like the horse, like the mule, With no understanding, with bit and bridle, Else they do not come near you.”  (10)  Many are the sorrows of the wrong; But as for the one trusting in יהוה {Jehovah}, Kindness surrounds him.  (11)  Be glad in יהוה {Jehovah} and exult, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Like King David those men could say these things and mean them because they like we knew they could count on the Only One God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. And they were willing to give their heart and soul (their whole being) onto the Eternal Creator and led them be fed by His Mighty Power the Holy Spirit.

 Today we still can look forward to the “songs of deliverance” with great joy and big expectations. For we have received the Full Grace of Salvation. By Jesus Christ the Messiah our relationship with the Creator is restored and we can go up to our Holy father in heaven. Because of the Offer of Jeshua (Jesus Christ) we have received the  proffered gift of salvation and presence with and friendship with Jehovah for all eternity. though we still may do faults we can count on it that we can get forgiveness of sins through Jesus the Messiah, who is the son of God, the only human being who resisted all evil and who managed to stay clean in the eyes of God, always doing the will of his Father above his own will.

God took care that we still can read the old songs of deliverance and we too can use them. Therefore take up the Bible and use those songs and prayers to worship the Only One God and show your thanks for His blessings.


Please do find a Dutch version of this writing / Gelieve de Nederlandstalige versie van dit artikel te vinden op: 


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About prayer and trust in God you may read:

  1. The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen
  2. God should be your hope
  3. God Helper and Deliverer
  4. Gods promises
  5. Belief of the things that God has promised
  6. Gods salvation
  7. God Feeds The Birds
  8. Gods measure not our measure
  9. God showing how far He is willing to go to save His children
  10. Listening and Praying to the Father
  11. Prayer, important aspect in our life
  12. Worship and worshipping
  13. Praise and give thanks to God the Most Highest
  14. Praise the God with His Name
  15. Gods non answer
  16. Faithful to the leastening ear
  17. Wishing to do the will of God
  18. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
  19. Golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters obedience
  20. Happy who’s delight is only in the law of Jehovah
  21. Rest thy delight on Jehovah
  22. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
  23. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
  24. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
  25. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #1 Prosperity
  26. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #2 Purity
  27. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #4 Transitoriness #3 Rejoicing in the insistence
  28. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #1 Listening Sovereign Maker
  29. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #2 Witnessing
  30. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #5 Prayer #3 Callers upon God
  31. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #6 Prayer #4 Attitude
  32. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #7 Prayer #5 Listening Ear
  33. Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #8 Prayer #6 Communication and manifestation
  34. Some one or something to fear #6 Faith in the Most High
  35. Attributes to God
  36. Scripture Word from God
  37. Bible Word from God
  38. Bible Word of God, inspired and infallible
  39. Scripture Word from God
  40. Bible guide Taking the Bible as a lead
  41. Bible a guide – Bijbel als gids
  42. Bible in the first place #1/3
  43. Bible in the first place #2/3
  44. Bible in the first place #3/3
  45. Bible in a nutshell
  46. The Bible and names in it
  47. The Divine name of the Creator
  48. יהוה , YHWH and Love: Four-letter words
  49. God about His name “יהוה“
  50. Another way looking at a language #5 Aramic, Hebrew and Greek
  51. Knowing old sayings to understand the Bible
  52. Use of /Gebruik van Jehovah or/of Yahweh in Bible Translations/Bijbel vertalingen
  53. God of gods
  54. A god between many gods
  55. Hashem השם, Hebrew for “the Name”
  56. I Will Cause Your Name To Be Remembered
  57. Lord or Yahuwah, Yeshua or Yahushua
  58. Jehovah Yahweh Gods Name
  59. Archeological Findings the name of God YHWH
  60. Titles of God beginning with the Aleph in Hebrew
  61. Use of /Gebruik van Jehovah or/of Yahweh in Bible Translations/Bijbel vertalingen
  62. Without God no purpose, no goal, no hope
  63. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #1 Creator and His Prophets
  64. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #2 Instructions and Laws
  65. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #3 A voice to be taken Seriously
  66. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
  67. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
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