Christian Wisdom for 2012

Christian Wisdom for 2012

As I continue in  online ministry until my own “end,” unless the Lord chooses to bring me into a public arena, I myself plan to maintain “a  low profile.” Believe me. I have no fear of dying for what I believe. However, I do not plan to be foolish and be the primary provider of specific information about myself to potential enemies. I believe that to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove, it is best not to place too much personal information into the hands of enemies who will strategize and use it as weapons to plot, pursue and persecute you. Almost equally as important, I perceive the major problem in the Christian world today is an exaggerated emphasis on self promotion to Christian celebrity status. There are just too many Jesus Christ Superstars whom the enemy has successfully used to defile the work of Jesus Christ.

One reason why many professing Christians may not be able to survive endtime persecution in this country is a lack of understanding of and a lack of faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Yet, there is another reason that is outlined within the Lord’s warning to the Laodiceans. In my own vernacular, many professing Christians of today are puffed up and self seeking,—blind in their quest for self-glorification and an ambitious desire for personal fame and fortune.

Let’s face it. They capitalize off of the name and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth  in order to “have a ministry of their own”. The point is well made by using the music industry as an example. Consider those who first attempted to “make it big” as a secular singer or rapper and failed, who then became famous by “switching over” to the Christian music industry. In order to clarify this point with another illustration, take a look at the subject matter of an “up and coming” conference:

501C3 application preparation, how to set up your ministry or non-profit organization–Getting your ministry license, Enrolling in Seminary School–Everything you need to know on how to publish your book—Records and gospel Entertainment—How to Handle God’s Money with Care, Making It in the Gospel Music Industry—Ministry FundrasingTips and Ideas For Promoting Your Ministry events—-How to Start a Radio Ministry—Howto Start a TV Ministry–Planning Your First Conference—Managing and applying for grants—How to Work in Full Time Ministry—How to Network Effectively—The Teenager in Ministry—The Men in Ministry AND MORE

I receive several marketing email ads of this kind on a daily basis. I chose this particular ad as an example because I have had personal contact by email and by telephone with the woman who is the founder of the organization who promoted  this conference. About 7 years ago,I promoted women in ministry on my website. This particular woman was just starting out in full-time ministry,so she placed an AD on my website that consisted of a photograph and her bio, posted  on a “women in ministry” page. I stopped offering this service completely. I reference it now because I know for a fact that this particular woman’s own non-profit organization was established less than 5 years ago.–perhaps more like 3 years.

Even though she is a mega wannabee, my comments are not about her personally but about the subject matter of her conference and why I believe that those who are seeking this sort of ministerial “empowerment” are headed straight for disaster. To be quite honest with you, ten years ago, I would have probably both promoted and even attended this conference so I know better than to judge ambitious seekers for I was once one of them. Broken by the hand of God for many years, it is not surprising that  a conference with subject matter such as “everything you need to know on how to publish your book”, literally turns my stomach.

I kid you not. I could actually VOMIT! Perhaps it is the Lord’s distaste that I feel when He insulted the lukewarm Laodiceans with, “I could spit you out of my mouth.” With their eyes and hearts filled with ambition for personal success, countless mega wannabees are writing books, going on radio and TV and promoting themselves in sickening marketing ads that are “full of self.” Most of these people are simply too ill-informed, yet they are misrepresenting themselves with unearned academic credentials and most importantly, they have not been seasoned Christians for any length of time.

Therefore, they do not read the signs of the times and they have no discernment. They don’t perceive that the Christian church in this country may be headed for persecution. They are making of themselves “sitting ducks.” Actually, the wise approach in times of peace is to limit self promotion and attention seeking. For a day may be coming when we may ALL have to assemble in secret. As for me–while I have the opportunity, I am preparing myself for wide scale persecution of Christians by  professing Christians in my lifetime.

As a  Christian author, I have  an apostolic, a prophetic, an evangelistic, and a pastoral calling to send forth  written nuggets of truth that provide connection and correlation to the wold of God. For example, the word of God tells us to “try the spirits” but it does not lay out the process line by line or step by step. Jessie Penn Lewis‘s book “War on the Saints,” written more than a century ago, was used by God to teach me how to try the spirits. Her authorship has inspired my own, particularly my third book “Faces of the Religious Demon.” Sister Lewis is an apostle sent to believers in 3 centuries.

So a Christian author is not just an apostle and a prophet, but also a teacher and a counselor.

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