People always like to hear what is going to happen to them. How they are going to overcome their financial hurdles. How their kids are going to perform in future, where they will be in coming years. They are anxious to know about tomorrow. The expectation list is un-ending. Certain person from the spiritual world knows this very well, and they take advantage of the hapless situation of the fellow Christians and en-cash on it heavily.
My intention by writing this article is to enlighten those fellow brothers and sisters, who are being cheated. For this we need to know, what was the intention of God? when He sent different prophets at different times. In Old Testaments, God sent so many prophets to this world. I might not be able to pick all of them but let me take Ezekiel and Jonah.
Before I talk about Ezekiel and Jonah, let me share my views about prophecy, viz. modern age terminology used by all visiting pastors is "God's message" or "message from God. Real prophecy must be based on scriptures, should be guided by Holy Spirit, must be for the glory of His kingdom and bring back those who are lost or backsliding from the righteous path. Anybody talking about materialistic gains, which has nothing to do to with gospel or help those are swayed away from God. It is not prophecy but mere foretelling.
Read Ezekiel Chapter 2 from versus 2 till 8.
As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard {Him} speaking to me. Then He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day."I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'"As for them, whether they listen or not--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them. "And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. "But you shall speak My words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious."Now you, son of man, listen to what I am speaking to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you."
Above scriptures clearly indicates what God intends by sending a prophet. He wants to give a chance to the sons of Israel to get back to, where they were before. Similarly, if we backslide or swayed away from the word of God, and if we don't heed when God speaketh to us, through church sermons, or through fellow brother/sister, then he might send a prophet to reinstate us.
Jonah 1:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me. Similar to Ezekiel's call, Jonah was also called to tell the people of Nineveh, they are off track and should back to the right track.
Both these cases clearly demonstrate why God send his prophets. It is only to warn those people who betray him, sway away from him, but not to promise prosperity. Let me explain this in much simpler way. Imagine you have a son, and you love him so much. Suddenly he disappeared from your sight. What would you do? You call other members of your household and ask them to tell your son to come. (other members of your household could be your pastor, or a church sermon or fellow member of your church). What if he left his father's house and gone to some-place far away. In such situation God sends his prophet to you, especially to tell you that you are away from your home and should get back a.s.a.p. In
other words, as long as you are within the range of God's protection, he will talk to you directly, as he don't have to send a prophet, but the moment you step outside, he might depute someone to warn you. If you like, God to talk to you directly remain under his wings. If you are fascinated to hear prophets voice, do so at the risk of losing your eternity.
I totally disagree with the trend of delivering prophecy through visiting pastors, simply because, God won't use wrongful means to deliver His instructions to His Children. Because, He is a righteous God. All those so called visiting pastors, are committing a major sin when they visit a country or church. They are betraying their own God; bringing dis-credit to HIM.
Our God is a best provider. Psalms 147:9 He gives to the beast its food, {And} to the young ravens which cry. If Gods knows what young ravens needs, won't he know what his servant (pastor) need? When you go to a country and beg for financial support, aren't you not declaring that your God is a poor person, who can't afford to feed a person like you?
Leave all this aside, the visiting pastor has a church (???), if yes, is it fair to expose his sheep to the angry beast for the sake of few dollars and go to other countries? What happens when he is out, who will take care of the believers? Such pastors are not only a bad omen to the kingdom of God, but also spoil the spiritual atmosphere of a church they visit.
When I said this, let me share a real story which happened in a church in Saudi Arabia. [the name of the church and year of happening are withheld] In a particular year, the church entertained 112 visiting pastors, i.e. weekly more than 2 pastors. That year number of souls saved was 3. In the year before this happened, there were very few visiting pastors, hardly 10-5 but souls saved were more than 50. This demonstrates, that by entertaining visiting pastors, church won't be benefiting in any way. There are very significant reasons for this. Continue reading………..
I had seen so many pastors visiting, especially to gulf country. Spiritual leaders and pastors are banned to enter these Muslim countries. The solution to this is applying for a business visa, and enter the country. Once a young pastor visited Saudi Arabia, he was very good at delivering sermons. I invited him to my house for dinner. During the discussion, I asked him how he managed to land in Saudi. He said he paid money to a travel agent and got a visit visa (computer engineer). I asked him, pastor if a police man check your credential, what would you say to him? He said, I will tell him that I am here for business purpose, that's what the travel agent told him. Isn't that illegal? Will God use such methods? Surely not. If it is not God's will, then whose it could be? Bible says either you are with God or with satan. A person who is a follower of satan's will, can he be a prophet of God? Can he bring any value to God's children? Certainly not.
Moreover, friends, we need to understand there are two types of pastors, in this world. All those are not pastors. The ones whom God selected, and, the others who selected God.
Ephesians 4:11 And He gave some {as} apostles, and some {as} prophets, and some {as} evangelists, and some {as} pastors and teachers. The ones, who selected God, might do many wonders, but God says, he doesn't know such people. Mathew 7:22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? Mathew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven {will enter.}
These are the type of pastors who struggle for visit visas. For them, whatever they get is not enough, they will do whatever to achieve their target. Their target is not Heaven, but money and pleasure. They preach prosperity to people, so their pockets swell, so also their belly.
The pastors selected by God never worry about such needs. The entire wellbeing of such pastors is the responsibility of God. 1 Kings 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. If HE knows what to provide a young raven, won't he know what his children need? Won't he provide food, shelter and cloths to his servant? Then why do these so called pastors leave their church back home and wander around the world? Is that not greed for money? Bible clearly says Isaiah 56:11 And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.
LET THE HEAVENLY WISDOM PREVAIL UPON GOD'S CHILDREN.
