Jesus = $$$
Posted on December 24th, 2006 by catalyst into the Uncategorized categoryLocutus sends in these two articles on the Prosperity Gospel.
Locutus writes, "Nothing we haven't all read before, but this guy seems to be a couple of steps ahead of Frank in milking "business opportunities" from the church."
Here is a key section from one of the articles that discusses how the Pastor of a local Denver church uses the prosperity gospel:
While many of his church members live on the edge financially, Leonard enjoys a luxurious lifestyle, living in a $1.4 million home in the gated golf community of Castle Pines Village, driving luxury vehicles and vacationing at a condo in Mexico. The bishop also flew across the country on a multimillion-dollar church-owned jet, angering some church members, before it was sold.
I certainly hope those angry church members approached their pastor in a Biblical way. You know, because it's okay to use the Gospel for personal riches, but you accuse a pastor of being greedy, well… that's just going to far.
And please read both of the articles. They'll make you feel better about the faults in your own church.
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December 24th, 2006 at 10:06 am
I tried reading the articles but I could only get as far as the large banner posted out side the church that says “Sinners welcome here”. How condescending is that?
“Jack Asses Allowed”
“Losers Welcome”
“People we are better than…come on in”
I’m sure the “sinners” are lining up…
December 24th, 2006 at 11:19 am
Should have read “VISA/Mastercard Welcome”
December 24th, 2006 at 7:17 pm
Wow!!! That’s all I can say.
December 25th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
And that really says it all. We are alo responsible for the judicious distribution of our donations, both before and after they are given.
Frankly, I have almost decided at this time to support charity directly, without the church being the middleman.
It’s more efficient to give that way.
December 25th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Now that is a fascinating conclusion….
Let me try to understand your ‘almost decision’…*puzzled*
By you ’support charity’ directly…do you mean that you are going to be giving your money to the beggars at Walmart? How about waiting outside the grocery store for a dear lady with a half dozen little children to feed and give her money? Maybe you are going to head out under a bridge and find some homeless person to buy some clothes for? I’m certain the church could make a current list of benevolent opportunities that you could give directly to, if you are really interested. That would be admirable of you….sort of a……’put your money where your mouth is’ lifestyle…:o)
Or, maybe by saying you are going to give to ‘charity directly’, you meant any other charity outside of the church, such as the Friendship House, the Union Gospel Mission, Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, The Grays Harbor Crisis Clinic? Hmmm… the last I checked, each of these ministries, just like the church, also has overhead (ie. a building loan to pay off, heating and electricity, water, sewer, garbage, food, supplies, maintenance, janitorial services, salaries, etc…)?
Or, perhaps you simply begrudge salaries for those who are willing to devote their lives full time to the church? i.e., those willing to fully engage in ‘ministerial roles’ as opposed to congregants who work fulltime in the world, and thus lack the time and/or energy?
Please read for understanding 1 Corinthians 9:1-14 and tell me whether you can with a clear conscience justify not giving to the church….
December 25th, 2006 at 11:14 pm
It’s not about begrudging a person in leadership because they are getting a salary. Of course leadership should be taken care of, but to a certain extent.
There is something wrong here. This “man of God” is living a lifestyle of luxury while some of the church members aren’t able to survive week to week. How much does he make alone from all of the book, tape, CD sales ect? Obviously, between the money from the church and all of his “junk” that he sells he manages to live a lavish life. Instead of doing these things for themselves, these pastors should seek God’s will for some of this money. And clearly there is more than enough. More should be spent on ministries and such. Or how about helping some of the struggling church members?? Jesus was about giving, helping. The Bible preaches the oppisite of storing up wealth here on earth. What are they really doing for God in the end?
Not everybody has the call of God on their lives to enter full time into the ministry. They are abusing those positions to make a profit. They have no idea who God will bless or when or how or whether for a specific reason or out of His grace. Preaching prosperity if you tithe… the Bible makes no such promise.
December 26th, 2006 at 10:15 am
750,000.00 a year. Wow. And that’s just his church salary.
Their defense seems to be “But look at all the good we are doing. Why should it matter if we have figured out how to make a couple of bucks for ourselves in the process.”
In the words of Bill the Cat: Ack, Barf, Spittle.
December 26th, 2006 at 10:29 am
Oh my! There are at least 4 incorrect assumptions in the statement above!
1) The Church is a building / employer / institution, not people.
2) Said Church is the de facto recipient of a believer’s donations (cash, talents and labor), regardless of the Spirit’s leading.
3) Church workers are entitled to a salary, rather than emulating Paul’s example of working a trade to earn money, and refusing to accept money for the gospel.
4) The context of 1 Corinthians 9 is money, not food.
How different is the gospel, when read without filtering scripture through religious indoctrination!
Sam
December 26th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Of course the thought of this is deviant behavior, nauseating to me and anyone with even a partially discerning spirit should be able to see that this is terribly wrong…sort of a ‘no brainer’, if you will.
)
….however, does that really necessitate throwing the baby out with the bathwater? Are you yourself working fulltime feeding the hungry, sharing the gospel, and ministering to the saints? If not, why not?
I couldn’t agree more. If we are not able to serve full-time ourselves, we should share our treasure with those who can and DO.
Sam, I appreciate your zeal, but I most respectfully disagree with a couple of your rebuttals;
The ‘church’, which I heartily agree is made of human bodies, not bricks and mortar, is God’s ‘hands and feet’, if you will. Even the loosest interpretation of scripture can see that we are here for a mission, and it is remiss on our part to neglect the gathering of the saints. There is strength in numbers (I’m NOT talking ‘mega-church’ numbers, so please don’t take us on a rabbit trail ;o) and if you were to do a word search on ‘one another’ in any of the epistles, you would see that we have a responsibility to serve in whatever capacity we can. If we have no time, we should give money. If we have no money, we should serve. It’s explained clearly in 1 Corinthians 12–the ‘whole body’ concept. We seem to prefer to disect the body and discard or trivialize those parts that we ourselves don’t care for or have a gift for.
Paul held up many ideals; he said single people should remain single as he is, but stated we are not sinning to marry; he said he wished that everybody should speak in tongues, yet acknowledged that not everybody does; and yes, he also said that he refused to accept money for his spiritual work, but also said that God has COMMANDED that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
So, those who preach the gospel, do you suppose they are only the homeless? Do you suppose they have a house to pay for? Heating? clothing? Do they ONLY live by food, or are there other bare necesseties they might need to provide for their families?
Maybe you missed this verse, “Whoever goes to war at his own expense?” Does it take food to go to war? He was talking about more than food when he mentions ‘material things’
(And please, I weary of the drivel about the aforementioned ‘abusers’….they are the exception, not the rule. I am only referring to the ‘real’ church, I could care less about them….)
December 26th, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Maybe I’m just tired of crooked pastors.
December 26th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I’m certain God is, too, and He will take care of them in His time.
However, aren’t you thankful He doesn’t pull a Wendell Smith and ‘cut off’ the rest of the church in his disgust?…:o)
December 26th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Devoting 10 min weekly in sermanettes about why you have to tithe and give offerings . . . reminds me of a friend of mine who fell prey to the not-so-subtle manipulative weekly pressure at her church to give in the offering. She trusted what her pastor was saying so much that she wrote her check out in faith that God would bless her even though she didn’t know where her bill money would come from. Then she wanted to know why God allowed her rent check to bounce when she gave in faith and trust. After that, whenever we’d talk about tithes and offerings, if it came up, she’d refer to that time and say that she just can’t write checks in faith anymore. The clincher is the guy from the pulpit was still promising if you need money, then write your check out for the amount you need and God will bless your faith. Clue number one to tell you it’s time to leave your church if this sort of manipulation is going on.
December 26th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Hungry, preaching is not oration, it is a life surrendered so that the Spirit of Christ might live through it. Anyone can read scripture and comment about it. People who preach through being a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) are exceedlingly rare.
Still, I won’t “begrudge” religious people their right to pay hirelings ( John 10 ) to read and comment from a book they’re unwilling or too lazy to read for themselves.
Have you ever read a wonderful story, called Escape from Christendom, Hungry? It will change your world view.
Sam
December 26th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
I can appreciate your desire to point people directly to the Living Water, there is no greater joy than knowing someone is walking in truth.
I fear, though, that you also advocate believers striking out on their own…sort of a “Just me ‘n’ God” approach….that’s very safe when it comes to the exortation not to sin…if we are not close to other believers, we will not have to answer for how we live our lives. I simply do not see that in Scripture.
…the analogy comes to mind of the ember that gets separated from the fire soon burns out. We need other believers in our lives to “encourage, exhort, support and
December 26th, 2006 at 4:44 pm
*OOPS*:o)
….warn. (Collosians 1:28, Ezekiel 3:21)
If we are too proud to let those who we will be spending eternity with speak into our lives, we are setting ourselves up for being disqualified.
If we are too selfish to minister to the saints, we will not recieve ministrations ourselves when we are in need.
If we are too insecure to let God use us to speak into the lives of other believers, we wil become stagnant in our own faith, and stale water is not the most appetizing.
If we are too lazy to study God’s word for ourselves, we will not know when we have been led astray.
If we do not have a heart that views sin as ‘exceedingly sinful’ we will leave bloody footprints across the canvas of our life as we trample through the precious blood of our most holy and wonderful Savior…
Do a quick topical search on ‘reminders’ and tell me who is supposed to be reminding who? It ‘reminds’
) me of one of my favorite quotes by CS Lewis; “We don’t need instructions nearly as much as we need reminders”
December 26th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
I think small prayer groups without the giant overhead of a large institutionalized church might be a much better way to go. Large corporations, even churches, breed inefficiency, hide corruption and are a haven for slackers. Think ENRON.
December 26th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
I’ll add one:
“If you listen to a pastor and forget that they are just a man, it’s very easy to trust them too much”
December 26th, 2006 at 4:51 pm
That’s even been used in a commercial for the Methodist church … strangely, they’re the same denomination that does the “gifts” commercial, as if to suggest that the Medhodist church welcomes any and all of a person’s spiritual gifts. My experience Hungry as a spirit-baptized, tongue-talking, prophesying believer who operates also in the word of knowledge and wisdom, discernment of spirits, etc., is that in most religious institutions, to be such an “ember” is to be snuffed out.
Leaving the non/anti-charismatic mainline denomination churches for a charismatic church (AoG, Pentecostal, Indy) seemed like the logical choice, but the message was the same in all of them: you owe me your tithe if you are attending the store house I oversee, and God wants you rich - if you aren’t rich you have a faith or secret sin problem. It didn’t take long to figure out that the indwelling Holy Spirit and Truth was foreign to all the religious institutions here, whether non/anticharismatic or full-blown holy roller. Not one received me for the vessel of the HS that the Father has made me - each one either tried to snuff the Spirit life out of me, or hook me up to their religious apparatus as if I were a battery (think: The Matrix).
Some here have left an abusive church out of hurt and are looking for something better. Others, like myself, have experienced that cycle one too many times, and have heard the Lord say “had enough yet? Follow ME”. It’s not that I’m a loner, rather I have just come to see that the City I seek is not to be found here on earth. The fellowship I seek is not to be found in religious sevices choreographed by men, but ordained by the Father when and where He sees fit. The men who are seminary trained and who regurgitate doctrine, dogma and anecdote, have very little to say that I want to hear, because I realize they are appealing to the itching ears and intellect of men. I want to enjoy the Living Water as you mention, and not have to sift through vomit covered tables for a scrap of food.
I have seen the Lord do more amazing things during one year in the wilderness than in the previous 40 in all the religious institutions I belonged to. On the rare occaision I visit a religious service, my discernment goes off like a klaxon as the minister turns the gospel of freedom into a ball and chain of institutional slavery for the brethren.
Had I remained, my ember would surely have been extinguished by their blind and misguided attempts to cast the Holy Spirit out of me.
TTYL, Hungry.
Sam
December 26th, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Right, so why won’t the thousands of people attending not only that church, but other churches that have pastors like that, get a clue and leave?
And, I’m weary of the fact that these pastors, although they are the exception, tend to be the most well known and make Christianity look like a joke.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Nicely put.
So, what is a person who sees greedy pastors demanding money from their flocks to save the flock’s souls to do?
Or worse, where does a person go after being abused by their Priest, Pastor, Minister, Reverand or Rabbi?
How do we heal those who have grevious woundings?
December 26th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Right, so won’t the thousands of people attending not only his church but other churches that have pastors like that, get a clue and leave? Or at least a huge handful?
December 26th, 2006 at 5:14 pm
I don’t think there is anything wrong with being an agent for change where change is needed.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
Blog.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:21 pm
I grieve for you and many others that I know of have been so tattered by your church experience. Would it encourage you at all to know that Jesus suffered at the hands of the ‘church’ as well? In fact, He said that when we are persecuted for His sake, we are to rejoice, not run away, as tempting as that is…:o)
To be honest with you, I am too strong in the Lord to let ‘clergy’ abuse me. I came from an abusive family, so I recognize abuse when I see it, and I simply do not allow it. I know Scripture, I know the boundries that men should respect, and I do not allow them to intimidate me.
Our family has never been cooperative with ‘religious churchism’. We have often felt that we were too conservative for our church, but too liberal for a local ‘home church’. Yet, we also firmly believe and recognize that there is a Church within our church, and so we love the bretheren, and serve one another, just as Jesus commanded us to do, and demonstrated as He washed the disciple’s feet.
Again, I do appreciate your spirit, Sam, and am not trying to provoke you or frustrate you…:o)
December 26th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
LOL!
And act as an agent for change.
Fight injustice.
Seek out the truth.
Promote the american way.
(Music swells, flags flutter…roll credits)
December 26th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Does it occur to anyone that God is using our voices on this blog as an agent to change–yes its a small start but the more I have read here the last few months the more it has created a change in my thinking on money –tithes–overhead and giving.
We were so abused financially at our last MFI church–more truth to still come out-that a group of us can’t even think of giving except to real people.
I want to see a listing of all MFI pastor’s salaries for their own household–
just like any coroporation or non profit would have to do. If you are taking people’s money in trust there where is your quote Prosperity With Integrity
you like the fruit of that teaching but not the accountability.
You should see what we added up when we saw how much our Pastor –wife and 3 children plus spouses earned. Its no wonder they can al build new houses –new cars–go on trips and vacations all over the country at a whim.
Why is it okay for them to spend money like its going out of style and yet not have one psuedo ministry that actutaly helps the poor–and no giving your cast off Banana Republic clothing to the clothing exhange doesn’t count–so sorry.
Come on MFI –fess up–how many of you are living way above your
congregation leaving all of us to wonder where you got it from.
December 26th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
That’s such a hard question, RH. Several scriptures come to mind. One is the man who wanted to follow Jesus, but first wanted either to go home and tell his father good by, or bury his father … Jesus told him to let the dead bury their own dead. Seems so cold - but - the same voice that has called so many out of religious institutionalism to simply follow Him, is calling to everyone, but either they do not hear, or do not obey. I think the mini-message in that is that we are not to let anything deter us from following, and to accept the fact that some / most people choose death (fear) over life.
Another scripture that comes to mind is Peter who after hearing how he was going to die, asked Jesus “what about John” - and Jesus replied “what’s it to you what I do with him - you follow me”. The mini-message in that is, it is Jesus will that prevails for each of us, whether we understand it or not - our only responsibility is ourself.
There’s also the house built on sand parable … the Lord sends the wind and waves to test everything we build. When those wind and waves are causing the thing we or our religious institutions have built to fall apart, when we try to fix it up or effect reform, we are ineffect working against the Lord who is sending wind and waves. The best thing for that which we have built on sand is for it to be destroyed, completely. Until we learn to build on the rock, and only in concert with the Spirit. I have become convinced that the institutional church can not be reformed, for it is rotton to the very foundation. Man has carried forward from the OT the notions of temple worship, separate clergy and laity, the tithe and other laws, etc., while the picture of the NT Church is of a people, following the Lord wherever He leads - not hindered by institutionalism, buildings, denominationalism, etc.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do, is walk away. Remember the last time Jesus left the temple? Matthew 23:38 (?) - He said: “Behold, YOUR house is left to you desolate”. Note He calls it “YOUR house” not “my Father’s house” … contemporary language for that is, ahem, “Jesus has left the building”. So if Jesus has left the building (i.e., Jesus has abandoned the OT temple worship metaphor), why do we keep trying to drag Him back into the buildings? He wants His people to leave them (Revelation 18:4). I see no purpose in going back there to minister to those who refuse to heed His call to leave them and follow Him. Disobedience has a price, and they’re paying it, 10% at a time. You know?
Sam
December 26th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
Isn’t it great to be able to use the church’s credit card whenever you need to
buy something. Go ahead take out 30 of your family members for dinner
at an expensive restaurant after church. Why not? Each Sunday –Every Sunday–while your sheep stand in line at Wendy’s buying the 1.00 meal.
Did it ever occur to you –if you are going to use their funds as your personal
checkbook -to invite someone other than your ‘inner circle’ out for a nice meal.
Of course you do tell us how well you tip as a sign to non believers –but than
again it is our money.
Just an idea.
December 26th, 2006 at 6:10 pm
I remember Ex-Pastor Doug Cotton going to the D.C. church, presumably on CLF’s dime. As I recall, a LOT of his normal expenses were allegedly paid for by CLF. Doug lives in a house that is quite a bit more expensive than the average house in Aberdeen.
Curiously, that house is not in the name of Ex-Pastor Cotton and his wife…. Just Doug, nobody else.
I wonder why?
December 26th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Exactly.
December 28th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
assholes
December 28th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Is that really necessary, mel tang?
Oh, and BTW, don’t you think 16 different IDs since 12/3 is a bit excessive?
Sam
December 28th, 2006 at 11:43 pm
I apologize.
December 29th, 2006 at 7:15 am
Well…I wonder then what Hebrews 13 means…
Heb 13:12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
Heb 13:13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.
Heb 13:14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
December 29th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
Harbor,
People in ongoing dysfunctional and/or abusive situations who choose to walk away are not running away. There’s a difference. Running away is the result of fear. Walking away is a calculated decision that comes from wrestling with the turmoil of what the walking away will cause.
Have you read the book ‘Boundaries’ yet? It’s been around for quite awhile now and there’s a reason it needed to be written in this day and age. Could it be that God is asking his people to quit being so passive and actually stand up to oppressive forces by walking away if He asks them to? That action itself speaks volumes more than the resounding gong of arguments, whining and excuses.
When the Lord gives a person the ok to walk away when the grace finally lifts to be an agent of change, that is not running away. And who are you to pass judgment on whether their going is from the Lord or not? You can argue all you want with the Christianeze platitudes, but strong Christians everywhere the world over are asked by the Lord to go against the flow in some arena sooner or later. It could be the very test of strength that brings them to their next step in God’s plan for their lives. What’s so sad and tiresome is that any persecution they receive from obeying the still small voice of their true Master comes from other Christians labeling them rebellious and ‘independent’ and self centered. Unfortunately, we Christians have more of a reputation for shooting our wounded than in showing our love to each other. Instead of passing judgment, why not say ‘I don’t know all the facts’ and give people the respect of considering that they too could be hearing from God even if it ruffles your feathers a bit?
December 29th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
That wpould require tolerance and an acceptance of personal inperfection, as far as not knowing for absolute certain what God’s plan is.
In my experience, those attributes are woefully lacking in most people, myself included.
December 29th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
Maybe on account of the root of judgment is self-exaltation? We likes to exalt ourselves doesn’t we, no matter who we steps on in the process. Better you than me, right? Self-exaltation is the way of the IC (and the pharisees): Thank GOD I’m not like that sinner over there!
Jesus way is humility: Let the one among you who is without sin, cast the first stone …
December 29th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
Very true. Well put.
December 29th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Isn’t this a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, Sam?
December 29th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
What are you talking about, McBlogster?
December 29th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
I mean “a rose by any other name is still a rose.”
December 30th, 2006 at 8:25 am
L Jumper said:
I totally agree with you Jump, and I would take it a step further…
I’ve heard it said on this blog, many times, that “not all pastors are of the Frank Damazio ilk,” meaning, not all pilfer the saints like he does, but consider this nasty image: If one is walking through a city park on particularly stunning summer day, and happens upon two piles of dog manure, and one is evidently from a dog the size of a dachsund, by its diminutive size, and one evidently from a very large dog, which one is more offensive to you, when you suddenly step in it? Obviously the larger pile, but considering they both represent the same thing, just in varying amounts, I’m drawn to conclude that no matter how large or small, it all stinks.
It is true, there are many pastors who handle their hierarchical control mechanisms in far less abusive ways, than others, but if you had a choice between being beaten gently, tortuously, or not at all, would the decision be all that difficult?
In deference to the many gentle abusers, I know from experience, the power of historical Christianity, and its powerful influence of conditioning, but each of us are responsible to respond to the still small voice of revelation Jesus brings, and if we don’t, and if we continue in those things He is trying to call us out of, whether we are Frank Damazio’s or your favorite local country pastor who is as gentle as a puppy, we still miss the freeing call of Jesus, and the voice that beckons us to follow the Lamb wherever He leads.
Caveat to this: Not everyone’s time to “get out” is the same. Apparently He leaves some of us in the system longer, for purposes known only to Him, so before we harshly judge everyone who feels to stay in the system, it would behoove us to remember this strange fact.
In the end it all comes down to hearing and responding to The Voice. God help us to hear…God help us to respond.
December 30th, 2006 at 9:26 am
Before anyone freaks at my “dog manure” illustration, if you know me and have followed previous blog entries, you will know I am not saying pastors are the manure. It is the system they have bought into that is the manure.
Some will use other stronger terms for “manure,” and I’m ok with that, but my style seems best suited for a tempered word.
It is the “system” that stinks, whether it is manifested through the gentle pastor or the master manipulator. Unfortunately, the pastors of the system end up stinking from their connection to the system, but in my theological understandings God always loves the errant ones and always hates the error. It is the error that stinks, unless the pastor is so obviously sleazy that the distinction between the error and the one promoting it are indistinguishable. In my experience these types are not the norm. Generally I have found most pastors are gracious, loving, and well intended, though nevertheless still deceived.
December 30th, 2006 at 10:01 am
Tom, some dogma is newer, some dogma is older. We fling a lot of dogma around here, and truth be told, I’d rather be hit with dogma older than dogma newer, cause the old stuff has had time to dry out so it just bounces off when it hits ya. It’s the dogma newer ya gotta watch out for cause it kin stick to ya. Often people try to reconstitute older dogma to make it dogma newer, but it’s still the same old crap. No worries, bro.
Amazing ain’t it, how the Lord let’s us be heaped up around our roots with the stuff to make us grow - the very stuff Paul counts as worthless? One more sign of how great our Lord is - only He can bring forth fruit from life’s poo.
‘Scrupe
December 30th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
I am not belittling or diminishing the pain of an abusive situation. I grew up in that kind of home, and I have been thoroughly educated in dealing with abusive personalities.
I have to often check myself, though, and make sure that I am now ’stronger’, not ‘harder’. Being ’strong’ means having those mentioned ‘boundries’ and not allowing anyone to push through them. Understanding and recognizing true Biblical authority has helped immensely in that area.
) The unhealthy flip side is being “Hard”, where I am not just paranoid that somebody in authority is out to ‘get me’, but I also ’safely’ keep my prickly defenses up so that no one can get too close to me to ever hurt me again.
I have found that it is a delicate and fine line to walk after going through the healing process, and if I may, I would just like to gently caution each of you who have been victimized to not play the ‘victim card’ too often.
I remember when I first moved out of my mother and step-fathers house, where I suffered through 12 years of many kinds of abuse (emotional and physical), neglect and 5 years of being molested by my step-father, and moved into my father and step-mothers’ home. One thing that my step-mother used to tell me that ruffled my feathers immensely was; “Don’t use your abuse as a crutch”.
“What do YOU know?” I used to froth; “That’s easy for YOU to say, YOU never had to go through it!!!” Well, after crutching along in misery for the rest of my teen years and into young adulthood, where despair and thoughts of suicide were constant, mocking companions, My Lord rescued me and I was born again.
The Great Physician and Counselor gently healed me and helped me to realize that my misery from the past was over. Any misery in the present is self-inflicted pity partying and I needed to move on and quit thinking about myself so much. I know to some of you this sounds like an oversimplification, but that reminds me of a quote; “The definition of an “expert” is, somebody who takes something simple and makes it complicated”.
I think of how Jesus treated the demoniac when he delivered him from the legion of controlling demons; the now sane man fell at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to let him follow Him. Jesus’ ‘follow-up’ care was to tell him, “Go back to your city and tell what God has done for you.” Note Jesus didn’t say, go in for ten years of counseling, followed by a twelve step program, followed by Celebrate Recovery…etc….”
Anyway, that’s my perspective. I’m not saying that everyone has to ‘do it my way’ or it’s not real, I can only share what has worked for me, personally…:o)
December 30th, 2006 at 4:28 pm
Thanks, Hungry. I hear, feel and identify with that comment so much. Last time my friend David Benrexi visited, he introduced me to the music of a few new musicians, among them Lynn Badamo who is in Pittsburgh area I think. David is a man who follows the spirit, and one of the songs he played for me from Lynn, had the words “let your guard down - let your guard down” - and man - each time she sang those words I felt like I was being hit by a spiritual truck. I still hear them in my spirit when I am inclined to a defensive response, when openness is called for.
I grew up in a home 1 generation removed from that kind of dysfunction and abuse - still the ‘isms’ were present in my home (read: after effects) but not first hand abuse. Came to understand what scripture means about the sins of the fathers being passed on …
Thanks for sharing your story, Hungry.
Jack
December 30th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
Ooops. Forgot the song - it’s called Can I Move You …
December 30th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Thank you for sharing your story Hungry! Each of us have a story. Our story reveals the amazing grace that came to us, drew us out of many waters, and set restoration in motion.
Each of us are masterpieces in the making. See the scar, the drawn line under the eye, the smile that reveals more than joy? Our lives are composites of pain and glory.
Thanks to Jesus, we were not left where we were. Endless eternity will never be enough to tell Him how much we love and appreciate Him for delivering, healing, and giving us hope, from places, people, and events that threatened that hope.
We are unfinished paintings, and each touch of the master, often ministered by another brother or sister, represents an ongoing story line. How very cool is His plan!
Sorry for the mixed metaphors, but frequently I find one picture is insufficient to encompass the imagery and magnitude of His work that I see.
December 30th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
Tom Sparks-
I love to read your comments! They are always so uplifting.
December 30th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
Choice,
Thank you! God help me to be edifying…the world certainly needs encouragement!
Tom