Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!
Sing about the glory of his name!
….Tell the world how glorious he is.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Psalm 66:1-3a NLT
John 10:1-10 (<<click here to read the passage)
As a pastor myself, something that really bothers me is when I see other pastors taking advantage of or misleading the people of their churches.
Sometimes it’s a power thing. Sometimes it’s a money thing. I’ve seen churches lead astray by teachings that pastors can shore up with Scripture but are not of God. I know of pastors who needed to leave churches but fought tooth and nail because they “knew” they were in the right. And in the process, churches were divided and angry, and though people would not readily admit it, hatred factored in. And so, so much of it is in the name of Jesus. (No wonder people of the world are reluctant to join us!)
These ne’er-do-wells may get more publicity, but a far greater majority of pastors are truly looking out for the best interests of their local congregations and strive to lead them faithfully, seeking God’s direction in it all.
Jesus, in today’s passage, says in verses 7-8,
‘I’m telling you the solemn truth,’ he said. ‘I am the gate of the sheep. All the people who came before me were thieves and brigands, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.” (New Testament for Everyone)
Jesus is absolutely the only way to God. There is no other. Many came before Him who, as He says, “were thieves and brigands”. I liked this translation in particular because the term “brigands” communicates quite a lot.
Wikipedia defines brigandage as the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. For these types of individuals, it is not just a mistake or a one-time deal, for them, it is life and practice. The more they do it the better they get at it, so they do it all the more
There were those who came before Him and just because God Himself came to us there are those who have come after Him who do the same. Even the Apostle John at the very beginning of the church had to deal with them. He said in 1 John 4:1.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit [speaking through a self-proclaimed prophet]; instead test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world. AMP
We have a responsibility to do our due diligence. Never just assume that a pastor or teacher is giving out the “Gospel truth”. Check it out. If it sounds fishy, it very well could be.
Here is an excellent quote I discovered that we would do well to heed.
“Because my pastor told me so” will not be a valid excuse for when you stand before the creator to give an account for your life.”
July 22nd, 2021, Thurs, 6:33 pm
