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Jeremiah 23:1
King James Version
23 Woe be unto the pastors
that destroy and scatter
the sheep of my pasture!
saith the Lord.
It is not popular.
It drives away members.
It turns off its hearers.
This thing about sin.
About repentance.
Or the end times.
And yet, that is the VERY reason for the church's existence.
Something many churches forget.
Or don't want to acknowledge.
Because they have become beholden to the world.
They go for volume, for the number of followers.
They go for mass appeal, again, to gather more followers.
It's a "followers" thing now.
Churches MUST talk about GOD's laws.
Churches MUST warn people of their wicked ways.
Churches MUST talk about JESUS.
Churches MUST be faithful to Scripture.
Churches MUST live by Scripture.
EVEN if people shrink from hearing such.
EVEN if it causes fear, panic, and resentment.
EVEN if people resent being called of their sins.
EVEN if people would rather party, and have a good time.
EVEN if people think they're charitable, and doing pretty well.
EVEN if people choose to remain blind, deaf, and dumb.
EVEN if people don't want to see what's really happening.
EVEN if people don't want to know the truth of the world.
EVEN if people don't want to hear the LORD's reproach.
EVEN if people don't want to be involved in the world's misery.
EVEN if people refuse to be corrected by the WORD of GOD.
GOD spoke of these people.
Isaiah 30:9-11
King James Version
9 That this is a rebellious people,
lying children,
children that will not hear the law of the Lord:
10 Which say to the seers, See not;
and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,
speak unto us smooth things,
prophesy deceits:
11 Get you out of the way,
turn aside out of the path,
cause the Holy One of Israel
to cease from before us.
How can a church talk about "smooth things", when it can cause people to perish?
Shall we keep people in the dark, when JESUS is the LIGHT?
Church leaders, pastors, and ministers must do what we were called to do, in service to the LORD:
We must warn others.
We must tell them of the LORD's laws.
We must share Scripture with them
We must lead blameless lives, ourselves.
We must conduct ourselves, as JESUS did.
We don't serve the world.
We serve CHRIST, the LORD of ALL.
We are not meant to be popular.
JESUS already told us what to expect:
Luke 12:51-53
King James Version
51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?
I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52 For from henceforth there shall be
five in one house divided,
three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son,
and the son against the father;
the mother against the daughter,
and the daughter against the mother;
the mother in law against her daughter in law,
and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
There is no peace, when people defy the laws of GOD.
Such is the nature of the world.
People would rather do their own thing.
Even as the laws have already been defined.
Many ministers are not holy either.
They are covetous, and thus, idolatrous.
They live by the lusts of their flesh.
They don't live by the Bible.
They don't live, what they preach.
Woe unto such pastors.
Woe unto such ministers.
Woe unto such church leaders.
We are tasked to lead people to repentance.
We are tasked to teach about JESUS.
To teach people to model themselves after CHRIST.
Who is the way to GOD, and salvation.
We are not to be caught up in the world's ways.
We are to submit to GOD, and resist the devil.
Ministers must talk about sin, repentance, and the end times.
We must warn the wicked.
We must be blameless.
We must stay true to GOD.
We must be free of hypocrisy.
We must be aware, awake, and alert.
We cannot be what JESUS calls the blind, leading the blind.
Matthew 15:14
King James Version
14 Let them alone:
they be blind leaders of the blind.
And if the blind lead the blind,
both shall fall into the ditch.
Church leaders, pastors, and ministers are "watchmen".
We have GREAT responsibility.
Ezekiel 3:16-18
King James Version
16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days,
that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man,
I have made thee a watchman
unto the house of Israel:
therefore hear the word at my mouth,
and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die;
and thou givest him not warning,
nor speakest to warn the wicked
from his wicked way, to save his life;
the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity;
but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 3:19
King James Version
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked,
and he turn not from his wickedness,
nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity;
but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Ezekiel 3:20
King James Version
20 Again,
When a righteous man doth turn
from his righteousness, and commit iniquity,
and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die:
because thou hast not given him warning,
he shall die in his sin,
and his righteousness which he hath done
shall not be remembered;
but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 3:21
King James Version
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man,
that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin,
he shall surely live, because he is warned;
also thou hast delivered thy soul.
More than at any time, NOW is the TIME to talk about sin, repentance, and the end times.
Today is the GREATEST opportunity to talk about the RETURN of CHRIST.
The Rapture can happen ANY moment.
How can we bear being lax at our job?
If GOD does not want anyone to perish, why should we want anyone to perish?
2 Peter 3:9
King James Version
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.
We must warn people about the "day of the Lord".
2 Peter 3:10
King James Version
10 But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night;
in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise,
and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat,
the earth also and the works that are therein
shall be burned up.
When your born again church doesn't tell you about sin, they are remiss in their duty.
When they don't tell you to repent, they fail in their ministry.
When they don't tell you about the end times, they have endangered you.
When they don't live in holiness, they have betrayed JESUS, SPIRIT, and self.
Scripture was given by GOD, so we may live right.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
King James Version
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
SPIRIT was given, so we may be corrected.
John 16:7-11
King James Version
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
It is expedient for you that I go away:
for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you;
but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come,
he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father,
and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world
is judged.
What excuse have we, as men of GOD?
None, that GOD would ever allow.
1 Corinthians 9:27
King James Version
27 But I keep under my body,
and bring it into subjection:
lest that by any means,
when I have preached to others,
I myself should be a castaway.
Hebrews 10:26
King James Version
26 For if we sin wilfully
after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
As ministers of CHRIST, we must talk about sin, repentance, and the end times.
It is our duty to do so.
We must warn the people.
We must all lead blameless lives.
2 Peter 3:13-14
King James Version
13 Nevertheless we,
according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved,
seeing that ye look for such things,
be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless.
We stay on the job.
Every person matters.
We must care about EVERY person, as JESUS did.
Luke 15:3-7
King James Version
3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep,
if he lose one of them, doth not leave
the ninety and nine in the wilderness,
and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it,
he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home,
he calleth together his friends and neighbours,
saying unto them, Rejoice with me;
for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you,
that likewise joy shall be in heaven
over one sinner that repenteth,
more than over ninety and nine just persons,
which need no repentance.
So, who cares if you only have one person left in your congregation?
But that person seems to be listening.
Taking to heart the LORD's Word.
Aiming to repent, and be saved.
Calling to JESUS for help.
That one person matters.
Being a minister is a tough thing.
And yet a wonderful thing!
Sure, we won't be popular.
We may be shunned.
People will avoid us.
We will lose members.
We may not have any money.
But it is not a popularity thing.
Neither is it a money thing.
It is a GOD thing.
We cannot avoid the laws of GOD.
No one gets to ignore the FATHER.
Man has done that long enough.
Look at how the world is today.
The LORD's day will come.
Let it not be too late for us to listen.
Regrets come too late.
Do your duty, as minister.
JESUS did say:
Matthew 9:37-38
King James Version
37 Then saith he unto his disciples,
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
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