I just read one. I won't identify it here because he is a hero to some.
When I read it I almost heaved spiritually. The presumption. The ego. The arrogance to hold himself up as this spiritual giant. He's not a giant, he's an gi---ANT.
I am criticized from time to time as being "Prophet Gene". I am not an Apostle, Pastor, Teacher or Evangelist. I can function in those, but I am Prophet. My given name is Gene. So... until people cease being called Pastor Bob, or Apostle Tony, or Evangelist Roy or Rabbi (Teacher) Shumley, I'll stick to what I am called to do and carry the appellation of my office without further apology. Prophet Gene.
Some however are far less humble. Far more endowed. The Bio's they publish will astound you for their presumption.
Here are some excerpts from this "GREAT MAN OF GOD's" bio:
- brought healing to many others as he has laid hands on them through the gift of healing. (This is good, as it should be normative, so OK)
- began ministering at the age of 9 (Jesus waited till he was 12 years old, WOW)
- He walks in the 5-fold ministry gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher and pastor according to Ephesians 4.(Wait, I must have misread that passage, seems like we all operate in a Grace...a Grace, only Jesus is the fullness, or am I missing something here? He seems to be just like Jesus, possessing all five gifts at the same time. Unless he IS Jesus and I don't think he is, He's way off base with this. Read it again). 2With all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love;
3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
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11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: - Vision to raise up a church full of the 5-fold ministries to reach the world. As he travels, proclaiming the miraculous power of God, many souls are saved, many families are being reunited and numerous individuals are becoming debt-free, because they received him as a prophet.
I won't post any more. It's so over the top. It saddens me.
Yet, this goes on all the time. How about that Lowliness and Meekness? Is that still in Verse 2 of Ephesians 4? I'll be long-suffering and forebear in love this man who must be Jesus equal on earth (at least in his own eyes).
I looked up his Church. This international ministry. This great man who began the ministry 25 years ago at the age of 9. This man who nearly threatens the greatness of Jesus. His Church is--
A small building on a rural dirt road in the south.
I don't despise small beginnings, God uses the simple to confound the wise. I'm the chief exemplar of that.
Just don't hype your bio so greatly that you appear to be a loon.
IF you are wondering what this has to do with Prophecy, when the Spirit of Jesus lives big in you, what grieves you in the Spirit, is HIM grieving thru you. See Romans 8.
People of God...get back to being the People of God and not the People of Man's Hubris.
3 comments:
I did a google search and found someone who matches your description. Did he also say, "He has been healed of being hit by a train, a drunk driver, three heart attacks and cancer 8 times."
I don't know about you but I'm impressed.
Fall, I had the distinct feeling that it was an upmanship of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:
25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches
Maybe I'm cynical, but when I read this I was moved...and not in a good way.
When someone walks into a church and they are asked to stand and introduce themselves and they say something like, "I am Evangelist so n so, or Deacon this, or Prophetess that," my spirit man, my whole being just recoils inside.
Funny thing, many times in the past I have been asked to "host them" as part of a church's welcome committee in a little fellowship that was given after services. 9 out of 10 cases, they did not so much as speak to me, and the contempt that was being emitted from them was almost palpable.
(Or perhaps it was because I did not fall all over myself to fawn over them. I treated them like any other guest, with cordiality, not hype.)
No I do not have a poor self image, and it was not imagined. And NO I did not clue them in to the fact that besides being a child of God and sister in the Lord, I am also a ministry gift from the Lord to this world. Rather, I observed how NOT to act and be...
That being said, if I EVER come across as uppity or condescending, please someone stop me and remind me that as ministry gifts we are here to serve, not be served!
Our identity should be wrapped up in HIM and not anything else. I am a Daughter of the King,a servant of His, a delight to my Bridegroom, a pupil to the Holy Holy Spirit, and THEN I am a ministry gift. Our ministry is to Him FIRST, before all else. My quest is to KNOW HIM and LOVE HIM more intimately each day. And if out of that flows the gifts as He wills, then so be it.
I can guarantee you that without that, whatever flows is going to be brass!
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