Pity the Pastors and Pray for Them

There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled -Zechariah 11:3

Many men with a genuine call of God, good men who really desire to serve the Lord, have been made shipwreck by the church system.  Many have exchanged their calling and gift for the security of a salary, tithe, organization, need for acceptance, prestige, control of others, or position. 

The "many" of endtime scripture indicates the majority would fall into what Peter said in: 2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.   In church there are more "doctors" but fewer healings.  But among believers, more healings though fewer titles.

There is a great abundance of warning to God's people, the ones who have eyes to see and ears to hear, regarding the great fall of leadership away from scripture,  specifically "in the last days". 

This prophetic word came via an email, and we quote here from the writing:

Later, He impressed upon my heart that the process would begin in 1985, and from there, would mushroom. It has indeed started, but we have yet to enter into the mushroom effect. I believe another elevation began to take place in 1991, and will continue to increase. The angel assured me of what the scripture already says. God will not be mocked. Judgment must start at the house of God.Howl, fir trees; for the cedar is fallen because the mighty are spoiled; howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down. (Zech. 11:2) (emphasis added)There are leaders of the church in the free world who have pampered and spoiled themselves with God's finances. Presidents of some major corporations don't make as much as some ministers do in the ministry today. If Jesus was to be the prototype for ministers who would walk in the secret of God's counsel and with the awesome power of the Holy Spirit to set the captives free, then why do we have pampered ministers walking in so little power on an international scale? While I'm not saying this is true without exception, the numbers it typifies are sickeningly high.

Please understand, I'm not saying the Lord doesn’t want ministers to have homes, cars, etc., but it's the place these things hold in the heart and corresponding excess that God is dealing with. God’s ministers are judged by a much higher standard than others (James 3:1). It's His ministers that have propagated a gospel without a cross, righteousness without responsibility, and a justification of greed in the heart of the church. 

It hasn't been the Holy Spirit. He will never contradict the Word to gain friends. Because ministers have made holiness a religion without relationship and a life of works and outward appearance, they have put their own stamp of approval on greed, teaching that we should give to get, and when we get, get big and spend it big. To coat it with righteousness, the body is reminded, "but remember to tithe on all you get." Why? So you can get some more? Jesus hates greed. It's idolatry and it eats at the soul like cancer.

So God is dealing against it. Soon, everyone will know whose ministry was made by man and whose was made by the Holy Spirit of the church. No one will have to guess.

Let the Priests, the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar. (Joel 2:17 Amp.) ...Now says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning [until every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship is restored].  (Joel 2:12 Amp)

Some will lose everything, but in the loss, they will find the Lord, as perhaps they have not known Him in years. For some others, maybe as they have never known Him. In their brokenness and contrition, in finding God, they will find the ministry they have never touched before, although it was for the fulfillment of that ministry that they were created. The church will speak of them as Israel spoke of her beloved David. Their hearts will be for God and for God's people.

Other ministers, the body will lose.

There will be two categories. One segment will just leave the ministry- some will even be taken by death. The other part of the group will become goat leaders. During this process, all facades will be removed. The true hearts will be made manifest. Of this group that will become goat leaders, that with which they deceive others as well as that by which they are deceived, will be their platforms to gather unto themselves the insincere of the flock."

Does your pastor talk the talk better than he walks the walk or is he about building bigger barns to administer in the name of "the kingdom"?  Is your church populated by the unhealed, unconverted, non-fruit bearing, program-following, respecters of men or is it making disciples resembling a denomination or personal ministry?

We submit the following passages for your personal study:

Ezekiel 34

Isa. 56:10-11

Jeremiah 5: 30-31, 12:10-11, 14:14  23:1-4

12:10-11 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

14:14 Then The LORD said unto me, The prophets (preachers) prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart.

Amos 4

Malachi 2:1-7 (oh yes, in Mal. ch 3 it was the LEADERS who God rebuked for robbing Him!)

Do you have the courage to ask the Lord for the truth  fellowship or are you content to blindly  defend personal tradition?   

 As Paul wrote in Romans "Let God be true and every man a liar". 

Turn to Him today.