Nutty Fluffer

Sunday, I listened to a message on television from a very well known pastor. As I listened to his always inspiring sermon, I noticed the verse he used to solidify the message was misquoted. Though it substantiated what he was saying, it wasn't at all the truth that the verse was supposed to be holding for those that read it. I wondered what would this do to those who believed what they heard and about to use in their everyday lives. Would they fare well and if the minister cared if anything happens to them based on what was preached and they spiritually consumed.

Look at it from a different perspective. A waiter takes the order of those who desires a meal. He/she then takes the order to the cook and waits for the preparation of the food. Once the food is ready, there are those that garnish the plate and then the waiter is told that the order is ready for him/her to take the food to the waiting patrons. If along the way that the server sneezes, cough, drops a plate and scoops the food back on it, or so forth, he/she has the responsibility to take the food back and tell the cook, it is no longer fit to serve or not. The responsibility is on the server and anyone that saw what the server did or not do. If the contaminated food is served anyway, the consumer will undoubtedly become ill.

Add this onto the perspective given: I noticed on a commercial some years ago about yogurt. There was a new style that was being offered with just as much flavor but half the calories. It was called to have a decadent smooth taste. Though it was marketing for the consumer to purchase the product, it is the responsibility of the consumer to find out what made this product better then the one they already had. The company took half of the container of yogurt, used a high powered mixer and whipped air into it. So you are getting half the product you use to get for the same amount of money (if not more). Yes, it is half the calories because you are getting half of the original product. Isn't that evil or just business?

The 23rd Psalm, a very popular passage that some of us had to learn and recite for our Easter Pageant, tells us that the table has been prepared by the Lord. This tells me the food that He has for us, has already been set. When Jesus told Peter to feed My sheep, he was being instructed to serve. Serve what? Serve from what He has already prepared in the 23rd Psalm (Verse 5). Remember this.

Now putting this all together, I have to take offense when a minister, pastor, apostle, evangelist, or teacher takes it upon themselves to make changes when speaking a message under the guise that it came from the Lord (  Hebrews 5:1-12 AMP). The position taken as mentioned previously, is a privilege to serve God's children. That doesn't mean anything that comes to mind. It is a message to be served as it is given. For we all are created at time such as this to be a set aside as a peculiar nation for God's treasure...His harvest. When a message is given from the Lord, isn't it the duty of the minister to study all of the aspects of that message, so when it is delivered (served) not only will the babies enjoy the milk of a nourishing meal, but the children and sons (mature Christians) are also fed from the Word as well (Hebrews 5:12-14 AMP)?

When ministers preach to others messages that they heard from television, a CD, a DVD or from another minister rather then directly from the relationship that he/she has with the Lord, isn't it diluted by the time it is delivered to the people...or lukewarm.... or contaminated with all sorts of fillers? And then the congregation hears it and starts speaking it as well because they trust that this minister has done the right thing...it then becomes a way of life for them. Would it not have been better if that minister studied, prayed on it, and then meditated to live that message as a minister before actually teaching it to God's people (Revelation 3:15-22 AMP)? Bishop T.D. Jakes asked a question in one of his many messages that would seem apropos here: How can you take me to a place where you have never been? I thought about that question and had a few of my own. If you as a minister never ate from that table or lived with that Word you preached to the congregation in your own life, how then can you tell me to do this, that, or the other thing? How can you chastise me for not doing something that you don't do? How can you tell me fornication is wrong, and then be involved in a scandal? How are you

teaching to draw nigh to God but the words you teach are drenched in contempt rather than love? How can you counsel a staff to do what is written and then be found in extortion? Its bothersome to say the least.

A pastor from a very large following was involved in a scandal that lasted for a couple of years. The congregation tried to stay loyal to the pastor but it was too much for them to accept and eventually, they began to leave. One of the nearby ministries in the area noticed that his congregation was getting larger then it has in years and believed that many of the congregants were coming from the church whose pastor was fighting the public scrutiny. The leader of the neighboring ministry told the new congregants to go back to the church where they came from. He said that they had no business leaving their pastor while he was going through this bit of trouble. I understood where the ministry leader was coming from, but what does the Word say about it? Was he being loyal to God or the troubled pastor? It was bothersome as well.

This post is entitled the Nutty Fluffer because the description "nutty" gives reference to the sanity of anyone taking the office to minister God's Word and then deciding to use his/her own words instead. It is written that not one tittle shall be added or subtracted from the Word of God (Deuteronomy 12:32 NIV, Proverbs 30:5-6 NIV, Revelation 22:18-19 AMP). When doing so anyway, in spite of what has been directed from God not to do, is insane. A lesson I heard in a sermon was: to do the same thing and to expect different results is the definition of insanity. I beg to differ when the Word tells us that it is the diligent that will reap the reward (Hebrews 11:6 AMP). Therefore, doing wrong and expecting to be rewarded for it is insane.

A fluffer would be the title of the one that uses the high powered mixer on the yogurt described above. This person takes a food product and whips air into it to make the product look as if it is more then what it actually is. In ministering the Word, which one of you does that? The product has already been prepared. Who is it that dilutes the Word or exaggerates what has already been written (Matthew 5:17-19 AMP)? Jesus is the Prince of Peace. The Father of all lies is the devil. He is also known as the prince of the air (Ephesians 2:2 AMP). Again, who is it that fluffs up what the Lord has already prepared? Do you really think you can do better then the Teacher (Luke 6:39-40 AMP)?

Training

I recall a song when going to church at a young age. Whether the title is the same as the lyrics, I don't know; however the lyrics went something like this:

I'm a soldier, in the army of the Lord. I'm a soldier, in the army. You don't know like I know, what He's done for me. You don't know like I know, what He's done for me. I'm a soldier, in the army of the Lord. I'm a soldier, in the army.

I had no idea what I was singing. It was catchy and easy to remember. It wasn't until many years later did I realize about the army and the waging of war that continues - even now!

Its a scary thing to go off to battle to fight something that you have absolutely no idea who it is and where it is coming from. Ministers preach with the knowledge and assumptions that people coming to service will get it once they get into being faithful and with diligence. Its just that it takes time for each and everyone of us to get there. Personally, hearing about some all out war that we all have to be in, was something I didn't want to do. War? Who willingly signs up for that? I have a job, car, bills, a house and family to raise! With all of that I have to stand strong against a war that I might not win... oh but wait, there's another song. We win! We have the victory!

Of course, its all by faith (Hebrews 11:1 KJV). And the enemy we are fighting, we can't see. And the weapons we use, we can't see either. But the war, we can see that.

This might be academic for some people, but others are just going through the motions so they won't go to hell in the end. They figure if they keep going to church services and volunteer now and again, the pastor will be happy. And if the man of God is happy with your services, then God will be too. Here's a news flash: that is a lie (Colossians 1:10 AMP). The man of God has a task to complete like the rest of us. He has to maintain the a church with the flock well fed. How he gets this done is the guiding of the Holy Spirit. If there is a willing participant to fill the position that needs to be done, so be it. Then he moves on to the next thing that needs his attention. He's doing whatever he has to do to be pleasing to God as well and its not coddling every person who is trying to impress the pastor. Eventually, the diligent, faithful church goer is going to have to get there like the rest of us and establish a relationship with God. He is the heavenly Father that created all and knows all and is at the ready to hear whatever it is you have to say. No one else is there like that but Him.

I know of which I am writing. When I was going through a hard time, I was awakened in the middle of the night by the thought of what could happen to me and my family. It was terrifying and I just couldn't calm down. So I called a friend of mine to talk to or just pray with me (Proverbs 27:17 KJV). We have prayed before and we have had discussions to where I was praying for her. It was our thing to do and we did the same for others. Granted, it was late at night, but isn't that what friends are for? I called her and it immediately went to voice mail. I tried again and the same thing happened. Instead of waiting for it to be a reasonable hour, I called a prayer hotline and got the comfort I was seeking. Later, I called this friend and asked what does she do with her phone at night. She said she turns it off so she can get a good night's sleep. I learned, not to use the term, friend as loosely as I did.

What if you are wakened in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep? What is it that you do? Do you study the Word? Turn on the T.V.? Go get something to eat? Why not a talk with the Lord? Did you ever think it is why you were wakened? I have heard testimony of people being awakened in the middle of the night. They knew it was the Lord and they whined when they found what time it was. As if it was more important for them to get those few more hours of sleep then in talking with the Judge of all (John 5:22-27 KJV).

The lesson learned is that people are going to do what they think is best for them. Believers in Christ have to realize that each and everyone of us have our own finger prints. We are unique individuals and what I can comprehend may not be the same as what someone else perceives. Someone else or even myself will not digest the same information in the same way. I don't expect much from those who are not in the faith. I have got to the place that the name calling that is done in the school yards is not that much different when you become an adult other then the tougher skin. I understand that those who have no idea where they are going when they leave this earth are afraid and will do whatever they must to make themselves feel better. This is the definition of a bully. As a child, the first reaction to the attack is to be afraid, cry, run, and if it comes to that, defend yourself. As an adult having established who I am in Christ, the tactics are completely different. Because I know what is the right thing to do through Christ Jesus, my feelings are in tact, the bully has much to process for the rest of his/her life, and I have pleased my Heavenly Father - once again.

Adults who believe, do not react in the same way as children. We use our weapons that were given at the point of salvation (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 KJV). We are at the ready and on the look out for those that need the help whether they know it or not. We wake at the wee hours of the morning for a reason. We sacrifice in one way to be strengthen in many other ways. There is a battle to be fought and those who have made Christ their Lord, have received their assignments. Its nothing like I use to believe that the war was (1 Samuel 17:47 KJV). Its been such a journey and in thinking where I was when it began, I can smile and thank God for it. Am I being cryptic? No, all that would like to know what the battle is, is written in the Word (2 Corinthians 10:1-7 KJV). It is why when I write these posts, I do so with the Word of God in mind. Click on all of the highlighted portions and allow God to speak to you through His Word.

Note: I will plainly write, when you wake early in the morning and don't know why, pray. For the Word of God tells us that Jesus will come like a thief in the night. When we wake to pray in those times, we are making it a habit. He is training us to be ready for His arrival. When T.D. Jakes got the message from on high and preached for a good many years, Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready, it was rhema.