Saints vs Celebrities Pt.2

As continued from Saints vs Celebrities Pt. 1 we observe that Celebrities do what they do best...focus on themselves, desire to get paid above all else, and provide inconsistent answers to their problems that are usually displayed openly and before the world. Now, before I go too much further I am compelled to remind you of what I said regarding judgement in my initial blog, "Get Right Church and Let's Go Home"

• We as a church have the right and God given call to discern between right and wrong, good and bad. Paul said in I Cor. 6 that we (Saints)are going to judge the world and angels we should be able to judge the things that pertain to this life. That judgement is not a condemnation to hell, but rather a discernment of truth, right and wrong.

Discernment, is the key to properly understanding and defining these events and interpreting them in light of the WORD of God. We must use Bible DISCERNMENT to fully understand what has happened because only the Word has the standard of objective truth. I was sharing with friends this week that discernment is essential in the church and in the life of every believer. In fact discernment is so important that I Corinthians 12:10 says that "Discernment Of Spirits" is a spiritual gift. Therefore, in order for the church to be properly and fully edified, discernment must be in operation.

• I John 4:1 says, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:"

How can the spirits be tried other than through the WORD and proper spiritual discernment? Certainly not with some metaspiritual feeling or touchy belief. Therefore, Discernment is the ability to perceive and measure the spiritual and moral implications or characteristic of a circumstance, event or person through the objective standard of the word of God. We must be willing to look at a situation and perceive it plainly and openly as either good or evil, righteous or unrighteous, or acceptable before God or not acceptable before God. There are times when we perceive a sinless imperfection but nonetheless, we should be willing to make a judgement. The problem presents itself when the church offers a twisted perception of truth and declares unrighteous acts righteous and unholy acts holy.

• Isaiah 5:20- Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

When evil is called good and good is called evil the community, and in this case the country, is effected in a negative way to say the least.

We will move on to other topics and discussions, because there is plenty that the church must discuss and get right, but the Bynum-Weeks FIASCO has taken flight and gone to another level of strange and flat out contradiction last week. It is filled with TV appearances, lawyers, divorce proceedings, and press conferences. I also want you to know that I am praying for the repentance and turning of each of the individuals involved in the Bynum-Weeks and White circumstances and everyone who is struggling with similar and/or greater issues. For those who don't know what happened, it goes a little like this:

First, TBN EXPLOITS Juanita's situation and pain by asking her to appear as an "exclusive" special host of Tuesday Sept. 4ths program. As a CELEBRITY (and y'u-know doing what they do) she accepts the appointment and puts on the best show possible. { So I guess that could mean that she EXPLOITED HERSELF}Anyway, you know as well as I know, that Juanita was in NO WAY mentally or otherwise ready for anything like that, but she is a CELEBRITY and CELEBRITIES must entertain. I'll deal with the spiritual arguments that she made in a moment.

Shortly before the show, Juanita held a press conference and declared that she was the "New Face Of Domestic Violence". She then went on to say that she is seeking out Barak Obama to shore up his stance on Domestic Violence {I'm sure he was waiting for her to go through this so he could make a stand one way or another}Then, {and I'm unsure of whether before or after the press conference}, Juanita also receives an invitation to the BIG HOUSE...Oprah Winfrey's California mansion to be with the "A List" or "Who's Who" of black women, during her annual two day, touchy feeley, pow-wow power excursion. WOW! IT TOOK ALL THEM BRUISES FOR OPRAH TO FINALLY LET YOU IN JUANITA...All that preachin', prophesying and tellin' about your past wasn't enough...I guess being choked, kicked, stomped and embarrassed allowed the WORLD to finally accept you. CONGRATULATIONS!

Unfortunately it only gets worse!

During her appearance on TBN (TUESDAY) Juanita addressed many topics as it pertains to herself and the condition of her marital relationship and feelings for her husband. These are some of the highlights and statements that she made:

• "I Won't break the COVENANT between me and my husband" "He is an anointed MAN-D of God"{???}
• "I'm in warfare for EVERY woman all over the world who has ever been through this" {Every woman, all over the world=Self-Exaltation}
• "I don't even feel any bitterness, I forgive my husband and I want the world to pray for him because it's not about that, it's about MY DESTINY" {Self-Centeredness}
• "People don't want to hear 50 million scriptures, they wanna know have you been through what I've been through."- {According to Juanita's revelation why even try to reach the drug addict or prostitute. If you've never been one you have NOTHING to offer}
• "God told me not to listen to any other Pastors because no one else is in the equation, it's about MY DESTINY." {Now, God has given her a NEW SYSTEM of help and instruction...There is no need for the Biblical definition of a PASTOR, God's got her back directly, no matter what}
• Then, toward the end, she heard a "SOUND" coming out of her belly.

I'll stop.

One more thing though. She also received a prophetic and spiritual word that Jesus is giving her a "BLOOD BATH" so that when the demons touch her they'll get "infected". What is that? Is the blood of Jesus somehow now some sort of demon viral-anti-virus? Wait until Pfizer gets a hold of that one!

I wish to commend Bishop Weeks for his APOLOGY Wednesday. He said that he apologized to both his church, community and Christians around the world for his actions and for us having to "endure this ordeal" Although, we acknowledge the fact that Bishop Weeks HAD NO RIGHT to HIT OR HARM Mrs. Bynum-Weeks in any way, (I'm unsure of whether he APOLOGIZED to HER but, the beat goes on {No pun intended}) he seems to acknowledge his wrong and is willing to accept the consequences for his actions. That is a good thing and at least a step in the right direction. As a Pastor, I pray that time will help him make determinations to eliminate any violent behavior from his character. GIVE UP THE PULPIT THOUGH. He needs to be healed and it will take some time to try to straighten this one out.

The part that amazes me here is that during Bishop Weeks news conference, ON WEDNESDAY, while his lawyers were talking, a reporter asked had they seen the DIVORCE papers that Juanita had filed and what did they think. The lawyers responded by saying that they were unaware of any such filing...This is what CELEBRITIES do:

• Say things like, "I won't break the COVENANT" {On Tuesday) then BOOM-SHANK-A-LANK- GRANT ME MY DIVORCE PLEASE!(On Wednesday)
• They often believe that every situation is about THEM and THEIR DESTINY why, because they must be at the center of everything.
• They often look to validate their circumstances with accolades and acceptance of others. In this case Juanita said she asked people to come who would "minister" to her and her needs on the show. This leads me to believe that she accepted this appointment some time before her appearance Tuesday.

I still don't know what the "SOUND" was that she heard coming out of her belly. It MUST have been the sound of her LAWYERS typing up the bill for writing and filing her divorce papers.

CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

This is ever so important because just the "other day" Juanita was claiming that she was both a "Judge" and a "Prophetess". These are high and significant callings of God and one that does not allow the wearers of the titles to behave in unstable manners and act foolishly. Aside from that, there was a considerable amount of Self-exaltation and oversight over the community of Gods people that she and others in her circle assumed.

First of all, for every SAINT, including Juanita, your home and acceptance IS NOT among SINNERS and Worldly Women or Men of influence. It is in the CHURCH where you began. Men and women CANNOT affirm or validate the SAINTS. They can only affirm them that belong to them:

• John: 15:19a- "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

CELEBRITIES affirm CELEBRITIES...Cliques affirm cliques, but God affirms his SAINTS. One must know that real SAINTS serve the Lord in spite of:

• Attention
• Recognition
• Materialistic Gain
• Accolades or
• Encouragement From Others

The reward of the SAINTS is given from God and by God.

• Psalms 149:4- "The Lord taketh pleasure with his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation."

The reward of the CELEBRITY is temporary and fleeting. The Lord's pleasure is not the pleasure of the world.

The actions of the CELEBRITY are inconsistent, found wanting and dependent upon MEN. The actions of the SAINT are determined by the Lord and offer strength and stability:

• Psalms 37:23- "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way."

The SAINT seeks the path of modesty and humility, while the CELEBRITY only knows excess and overabundance materialistically.

• Psalms 37:16- "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked."

So who wins in the battle of the SAINT vs CELEBRITY?

It can be summed up like this:

• Revelation 7:14b-17- "...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15) Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16)They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17) For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

Now, don't think for a minute that SAINTS are in a war with the CELEBRITIES. Our warfare IS NOT against flesh and blood. (Ephes. 6:12) However, we must "earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). I wish you to be encouraged to refuse to allow the CELEBRITY MENTALITY to hijack, redefine and terrorize our faith, holiness and Biblical affirmations. This is why the time is now for the REAL and TRUE SAINTS to take their place within the community, stand up, and show the world that CELEBRITY SALVATION (in the context that we have spoken) IS NOT AUTHENTIC or acceptable to God.

As a Pastor, I refuse to sit quietly, saying nothing, while individuals use the Bible and twist the methods that I hold dear, to take advantage of the meek and sincere individuals who are looking for a deliverance at the cross of Christ. I affirm to the TRUE believer that there are several things that will not stand in the day of judgement:

• Marry and divorce "salvation" with no provocation
• Babies out of wedlock "salvation"
• Praise the Lord and cuss you out "salvation"
• Fornicate/adultery brand of "salvation"
• Worship MY CHURCH and MY FLESH "salvation"
• Excess and Materialistically based "salvation'

No matter what your gift SAINT of God, use it to the glory of God beginning by submitting yourself to HIS Spirit and yielding your members (body) to HIS service.

Final thought on this subject...PLEASE don't look for a TV or "big church" personality or CELEBRITY to bring us (the church) to another dimension...God will not share his glory with ANYONE. I believe that God is raising up "common folk" at a grass roots level, to help bring the church back to its knees and help refocus our desires. YOU are the MOST important element to this move of power that we will observe. It is through your lives that families, schools, and communities will be changed, not through book sales, mega-conferences, hip-hop choirs or TV programs.

Blessed!