Thursday, April 4, 2013

Clean and Unclean Living

I am not patient with Christian Senior Leaders (any of the five fold) who insist in living way outside their members lifestyle.  I could start naming names, but the news is constantly helping out by pointing out the excesses.  God's washing machine Jesse Duplantis called it long ago.  I don't believe for a second that a spiritual leader should live in poverty, lack or want. 

I also don't believe that a spiritual leader should become so ostentatious that the world sees them and in turn us as bad stewards, con men, rip off artists, PT Barnum-ish looking for that sucker born every minute.  We do nothing for the cause of Christ by our behavior.  Paul, the Apostle talked a lot about things that are lawful, but not profitable.  About eating meat sacrificed to Idols.. in view of those weaker.  Not being a stumbling block.  I can't accurately judge what is or is not excess..  

I have known and know many men and women of God who went there and a few years later stumbled badly.  Bankruptcy followed.  The list is long.  You can only keep up that scam (in the worlds eyes) so long.  The problem is many people who are now in ministry bought into this.  They grew up poor.  Never had money.  Never understood money.  Became entranced by the lifestyle.  AND THEN..... with money flowing thru their hands were trapped by the deceitfulness of riches and thought it was right (deceived) to purloin those earthly riches into a life that spoke of success and not service.  That comes mostly from people who never had money and never learned to resist the temptation of Money flowing thru their hands.

I have known too many very good and prosperous ministries who use the money they have to help those in need inside their own fellowship.  It is the scriptural thing to do. 

A few years ago I was given a revelation of the Heavenly trust fund that is laid up for all of us for provision and for our protection.  It has guided my thinking in this area.   The capacity to handle money in a Godly manner is an act of righteousness.  Generosity and Righteousness are inextricably linked in Scripture by GOD. 

I know this, God is dealing with those who misuse what God places in their hands.  It is making some shriek.  That is not a shock.  Shrieking always happens when uncleanness is exposed.  I no longer call things right and wrong, good or bad, sin or sinlessness.  I'll let the word of God deal with that.  I believe that as a prophet I am called to declare that which is clean and unclean.  Ezekiel 44:23 "They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean". That's the commission for the sons of Zadok.  That's what we are to do. I just did.

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