You will find me endorsing few men, few books, and even fewer seminars. As one who has served as a teacher I set the same standard for teachers as James did. Check it out if you like. I believe if those who God called to teach would do that faithfully, without backing up one angstrom, much of the idiocy that exists in the church would be exposed, cleaned up and gone. But for the most part the teachers have deserted their posts, they have gone for bigger titles, Apostle, Doctor, Prophet, the like, bigger crowds and bigger bucks. I just wonder what they will do when the whammy strikes. And the post they were to fill has remained unattended while the enemy ran roughshod through the sheep. All too often the enemy was a wolf in shepherd's clothing. Remember that the scripture says that not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter. And the scripture also teaches of God's wrath coming on false shepherds.
There is an underlying reason why the Church has this dearth of sound teaching of the Word of God. The church doesn't want that teaching bad enough to demand it. It would expose sin and make them responsible for the word of God. But they forget they are responsible for it if they neglect the opportunity to learn. In 1994 when everyone in our church was going gaga over wandering prophets and newly self-proclaimed apostles, God spoke something to my heart. I had asked Him why with all the activity in the prophetic and apostolic, why weren't we seeing more miracles, more people coming to Him. I got an answer. Yes, I talk to him and yes he answers me. He even talks at times when I don't want to listen. It was as clear as I have ever heard Him and it was one line, short and to the point. "There is disrespect for the evangelist and disdain for the teacher." I immediately agreed that there was disrespect for the evangelist. I have seen that. A prophet shows up for a one-night stand or a six-day gig and the church is standing room only. Some come every night to get a word from the Lord that they could get for themselves by just spending time with Him. At one time I wondered why I was almost never “called out” by a prophet to be given a word. Then I realized the answer. I personally got words from the Lord first hand and routinely. Why did I need to get it second hand? I often wondered why the church doesn't sell tickets for these guys but then in a sense, they do. Look at what happens when an evangelist shows up. At best a third of the congregation comes. Sometimes those not from the local body outnumber those from the congregation. I had an idea what the sentence from God meant but I had to look up the word disdain to be sure. I am sure I heard the word before but I didn't know what it meant. It was worse than I thought. It has the concept of "not being considered worth listening to"! People have disdain for the teacher. They don't consider them worth listening to. Why? Too many church members are looking for the spectacular not the Savior. They are looking for the burning bush not the one who lit and maintains the fire. They are looking for the one who can tell them the future not the one who holds the future. They are looking for the one who can keep their attention with flowery words not the One who's word created all things. Many in Jesus' day were looking for the Messiah because they were fixated on making the prophecies match their theologies. And I fear there are those today who are so fixated on making the prophecies of his second coming match their theologies that they risk missing Him. He is coming back. But more important He is here now in the form of the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide and direct us. If we fail to discern that we live a miserable life.
That is why I teach the gospel. It is nothing more or less than the good news that Jesus came as a babe, born without sin, lived a sinless life, suffered, was crucified, buried, risen, ascended to heaven and is coming again. When we appropriate His sacrifice we died with Him, we were buried with Him, we were risen with Him, and we will some day rise and live with Him. This is the highway of Holiness that was spoken about in Psalms. It was to be a highway of holiness that would be simple to follow. Man has tacked on the non-standard accessories and parts. They have built something that will not present the Life of Christ because it is so full of the junk of theology and eschatology. We need to lay aside the weights and the sin that does beset us. Note that the writer of Hebrews separated weights and sin. Sin everyone should understand. What are weights? They are things we involve ourselves in that keep us from running well. Much of the study of theology and eschatology beyond the basics of the faith are just that, weights. Jesus is coming back. He is coming in like manner as the disciples saw him go. That is certain. How and when he is returning is nothing more than worthless conjecture and the root of much strife. Let us lay these aside and concentrate on keeping the Gospel the whole Gospel and nothing more. After all, the gospel is adequate without our help.
Heb 12:1
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
(KJV)
Note… I believe an angstrom is the smallest unit of length. It is 1/100,000,000 of a centimeter long. A sheet of paper is approximately 1,000,000 angstroms thick. I believe that when it comes to the word of God we cannot afford to ever back up even that much.
