04 | November | 2008 | Truthspeaker's Weblog

In this day and age it is not surprising to see people in public ministry go through a divorce and not miss a day behind the pulpit. Last year we saw the very public break ups of Paula and Randy White and Juanita Bynum and Thomas Weeks, as well as Todd and Shonnah Bentley.

Paula White’s breakup occurred amidst rumors of marital infidelity, while Juanita’s former husband was arrested for beating her in a hotel parking lot. Juanita Bynum then became the self proclaimed face of battered women everywhere. Her ex-husband is now doing a search for wife number 3:

“He’s basically skipping the usual path to romance: chance meetings, singles mixers, social networking, speeding dating, fix-ups. Single women, I see trouble. Steer clear of this train wreck. Oh, but he is also seeking advice from his followers. Isn’t this the man who wrote books on how to love a woman?

He will be documenting his efforts to open his heart to love again in 10 streaming video “Webisodes” starting next Tuesday on his Web site http://www.bishopweeks.com. The idea came after Weeks was flooded with thousands of e-mails and letters from people offering advice about what to look for in his third wife. Some even offered to be his wife.” ( 1 )

Todd Bentley was outted at the height of his Lakeland “revival” fame. He was having an “inappropriate” relationship with a member of his staff. He’s now in hiding … supposedly getting counseling by his “apostolic” oversight. Too bad they didn’t oversee what was going on before it went as far as it did.

Is it our society, or is it just a sad aspect of our sinful nature, that we just don’t know what it means to keep a covenant? The whole biblical concept of marriage is that it is a type of Christ and the church. We are members of Jesus Christ through his blood, the blood of the New Covenant. Covenant is defined as:

“(Bible) an agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return”. ( 2 )

God REQUIRES certain behavior from his followers! Don’t these people know that they are slandering the name of God to the unsaved world because they don’t restrain their sinful lusts?

I recently ran across the web site of our original pastor. He and his “wife” are “pastoring” a church in Georgia. This is a man who committed adultery with one woman in the congregation and when she wouldn’t run away with him, he moved on to another. He lied to everyone, tried to cover it up, slandered anyone he thought knew about it, destroyed the congregation, scattered the flock and eventually he ran away with this new woman. Fast forward 20 years and they are now divorced from their original spouses and are “married” to each other. Does God recognize this marriage? I for one think it’s a sham and unfortunately these people have never made any kind of restitution to any of the people they so recklessly damaged along the way. Not even an apology. How can they possibly think God is with them in their new “ministry”?

I suffered through watched the live stream of their church service this past Sunday and it was with deep sadness that I observed a man who was a minute shadow of his former self. Deceived and deluded he performed the entire service without a trace of anointing.

He reminded me of this verse:

2Ti 3:13

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse *, deceiving, and being deceived. (to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way, go astray, wander, roam about, to be led into error )

The Word seducers is the Greek word Goes which means:

a wailer, a howler
a juggler, enchanter (because incantations used to be uttered in a kind of howl)
a deceiver, imposter

His preaching was done by rote, with a mixture of twisting and distorting scripture and there was much confusion. Then he took about 12 minutes to take the offering – beating his congregation over the head and manipulating them to tithe or there would be no “bread” (word of God) in their church. It was painful and sad to watch. It is just one more classic case of the fox guarding the hen house.

My friend Liz sent this to me a few days ago and thanks to her for letting me share this:

“I can’t help but think about all the people out there “doing their ministry” in metaphorical terms:

I see them all running with all their might in a big city marathon, yet they’re unaware that they’ve been either disqualified by the judge 15 miles ago due to breaking the rules with inappropriate, unjust and unrepented of behavior toward the other runners or they were never properly equipped with the right “gospel” running shoes or given any pure drinking water at proper intervals. What a disaster. A scoop of even that small of a proportion having much less impact would surely make headline news. Because any runner who runs a race with the intention of winning must be fit, focused and fully trained…..

This morning in a time of prayer, I was heavy-hearted and just musing before God about all the people we know (and don’t know), and how there are so many “ministries” and so much stuff going on in His Name that is contrary to His Word. I asked the Lord to teach me and He gave me one word: “Qualified.” And then I began to understand as the Holy Spirit explained it to me in this way: If there is a status of being “qualified”, then there must be a status of being ”disqualified.” I knew He wanted me to do a study so later I went to the Scriptures and this is what I found:

Colossians 1:12 –giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

(Colossians 1:12) The Gk. term for qualified here is hikanoo which means: to make competent, qualify one for, authorize

2 Timothy 2:2- And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

(2 Timothy 2:2) The Gk. term for qualified here is hikanos which means: sufficient, appropriate, competent, worthy, deserving

Colossians 2:18 -Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.

(Colossians 2:18) The Gk. term for disqualify here is katabrabeuo which means: to disqualify for a prize, decide against

Question:

· Who or what doctrines are we following that could disqualify us for the prize?

1 Corinthians 9:27- No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

(1 Corinthians 9:27) The Gk. term for disqualified here is adokimos which means: failing the test, rejected, unfit, worthless

So it seems that there are at least three types of status in God’s sight:

1. QUALIFIED BY HIS AUTHORIZATION

2. QUALIFIED BY BEING FOUND WORTHY; DESERVING

3. DISQUALIFIED BY ANOTHER OR BY FAILING THE TEST

It’s not such an amazing revelation as much as it’s the simple sobering truth that has gotten lost in the mosh pit of charismania. For those who are willing search for truth, God is lifting the Scriptures in 3-D relief so we might examine them once again in the true light that is shining brighter against all that has gone dark. ”

To that I can only add:

Ac 2:40 – “With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”