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)?

Tighten It Up!

It is a phrase that is used when there is too much slack in a particular thing. I also use this term when telling my youngest son to clean his room. In this blog excerpt, I am using this term in that very manner. It's over due for Spring Cleaning.

Some people do this every season. It is why you see when the garbage truck comes around some have more junk at the curb then others. Then you have those who can find a use for everything they have whether it is broken up or just so old no one else can see a use for it. When the revelation knowledge comes for them to give up some things then there is a pityful garage sale a little too late. No one can use certain technological products that are obsolete. It's a waste of time having a garage sale when you waited too long to get rid of stuff.

Personally, I look at my closet that can get stuffed from time to time. I like to keep certain garments just to see if I can still get into them after so many years. But when they get too big and its been more than three years, I see no purpose in keeping them. I purchase mostly classical pieces that can stay in style for a longer length of time and are a blessing to those who can recieve them.

Spiritually though, it takes that time with the Lord in being quiet and hearing what He says (1 Kings 19:12 KJV). Then after that hearing, we are suppose to act on what we heard (Romans 10:17 NIV). Whether it is not to talk so much, use the talents you have instead of getting a second job, or clearing stuff off of your desk, closet, or house. It's the smallest of things to do and you would be surprised at how much more clearly one can think when those things are cleared away.

I have been watching a few shows about Hoarders and how they behave or what made them hoarders to begin with. Many times it was something traumatic that made them react in such a way. Your trauma may not be as horrific as someone else's and yet the reaction can be the same - or can it? Does hoarding happen all at once? Some became hoarders because of how they lived as children. But I believe once you establish a home of your own, you make certain decisions and maintain them. For the most part, it is a mental disease and has to be treated as such.

Spiritually; however, there are those who have attachments to things and have kept them within, thinking no one will know or see those things but them. You would be wrong. God sees the hearts of men and if He is the greater one living on the inside of others (1 John 4:4 KJV), they see it too. Not to forget that the truth always comes to light (Luke 12:2 KJV). So that which you believe is secret, when angry or reacting in some other emotion, that which is hoarded on the inside will be blurted right out. How does one clean that up when it has been exposed for all to see?

When Mel Gibson left his first wife with all of those children. I felt sorry for her that he would do such a thing when she had been with him all of that time. I even thought he was more attractive that he had so many children with the same woman and decided to stay with her for all of those years. Then when creating The Passion of Christ, he just reached another level of suave and debonair. Alright, he got drunk and said some things. It wasn't his best moment, but still - he created the movie about Jesus! Wow - right? Then this week his second wife released some audio tape of him going on and on about how he was really feeling about her. It was hateful, demeaning, and it exposed what he had been harboring about certain people for a long time. She had heard all of this before or her reaction would have been much different. What had his first wife been through for all of those years? I no longer felt sorry for her but could actually envision her dance of relief and utter joy that he finally left her for someone else. Mel Gibson's career after the inward appearance of his heart has been exposed to all? Its pretty obvious - isn't it?

It is a good example for us as Christians to keep a vigilant watch over our selves and those God would have us get up in the wee hours of the morning to pray for (Ephesians 6:18 AMP). Having unforgiveness in our hearts about a matter or person will lead to a lack in some other place in our lives (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV). It will start off very subtle and before you know it because you got use to it, it has become a mountain (Mark 11:23 KJV). Naturally we tend to view (think, ponder, speak, hash and rehash) the problem more then the solution. This practice is magnifying the situation we would rather get rid of. God is the All Mighty not the situation.

Oprah had a hoarder on her show. She was a mother of three grown children. She knew that the problem started when her children were leaving the home to establish lives of their own. So she began purchasing and collecting things to fill her empty nest. Her husband remained quiet. He just believed her shopping was making his wife happy and he allowed for the clutter to overwhelm him, her and their home. When she was ready to receive the help that she needed and finally relinguished her hold on all of the stuff, the therapist gathered and sorted through the mounds and mounds of things and categorized them in a warehouse for her to see. The family including her, marveled at how much she packed into a three bedroom, three garage home. The warehouse was the size of a football field. Then while she was coming down from the horrific sight, they walked over to another large room that the therapist covered with a curtain. He revealed all of the appliances and televisions that couldn't fit in the warehouse. The entire family began to cry.

Why does it have to get to that point? Why do we have to get so angry that all of the suppressed rage comes out to where families are destroyed, feelings are hurt, and relationships are damaged beyond repair. Wait... look at those descriptive words. Destroyed...hurt... and damaged. Who does that (John 10:10 KJV)? What would you have to do with him? Is he your friend? Does he give you comfort? Who are you listening to? Who haven't you forgiven? When did you stop watching? Why aren't you vigilant anymore (1 Peter 5:8 AMP)? When did you slack up on your responsibilities? What is it going to take?

Do you see your mess now? Are there some things that you can let go of? Do you see the purpose of blessing those who spitefully use you? Now can you pick up the slack and really tighten it up this time.