Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Is This For Real? (March 5, 2012)


The other day I received what was supposed to be joyous news, a message about two of our nation’s spiritual leaders receiving presidential seals of the United States and a new mantle of authority for this nation.
My immediate thought was, “Is this for real?” Have these men really received presidential seals of the United States and a new mantle of authority for this nation from God? Are we now supposed to submit and follow these men? You’ve got to be kidding me!
I can’t find anywhere in the Bible, where the disciples of Jesus Christ were sitting in conferences stroking each other’s ego and rewarding each other with “seals” and “mantels.”
To the contrary, they were applying what their Master and Savior taught them, which is:
"Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:26-28 NLT
In this frame of mind of humility and servanthood, the apostle Paul explained the Corinthian Church that no one was a more special leader than another:
“So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you— whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Every-thing belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” 1. Corinthians 3:21-23 NLT
That is why we as followers of Jesus Christ need to be very watchful when we hear about people who are being awarded with “seals” and “mantels” and boasting about it by making a big deal out of it. We are to test everything that is being said, whether it is coming from God and His Word.
“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.” 1. Thessalonians 5:19-22 NLT

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