Saturday, July 2, 2011

Glorify the God of the Man/Woman, Not the Man/Woman of God

My husband and I once visited a man's ministry.  During praise and worship as we were worshipping, I noticed in the spirit that the praise had shifted.  So I opened my eyes to see what was going on.  Then I saw that as the man of God was being escorted to the pulpit, most of the people were clapping their hands in praise to him.  This happened each time we visited.  On the last day of our visitation, the congregation conducted an Honor Service for the pastor.  One-by-one a person would give tremendous honor to the pastor.  Then suddenly, the LORD spoke through the mouth of a prophet who was visiting that Sunday.  He said with a loud voice, "That is too much honor for a man!"  My husband and I, and even our young daughters, looked at each other because we knew this was the voice of God.  We knew by the Holy Spirit that this was wrong.  They paid no attention to the prophet of God and continued honoring the pastor.  Let me say this.  That pastor was a man of God and a true worshipper.  His only weakness was that he continued to allow his congregation to give him more honor than God.  He did not and would not forbid the people in doing so.  Well, we decided never to return because we refused to honor him above God as the others.  Several months later that same pastor was in the headlines.  Young girls and boys of his national and international congregations accused him of sexual molestation.  He was found guilty and given 15 years in prison.  Now rather the accusations were true or not, I do not know.  All I know is that the LORD warned him through the mouth of His prophet and he failed to obey. 

Galatians 5:24 reads, "And they glorified God in me." Therefore, it is safe for you (and for the man/woman of God) to never glorify the man/woman of God, but to glorify the God of the man/woman.  Selah †

No comments:

Post a Comment