The Lunacy Continues

Saints here we go again. It's time for a little comic relief and a whole lot of prayer for the mind...because it (the mind) TRULY is TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE!

With that said, I guess I simply have to go back to the roots of this blog some 15 months ago with Get Right Church & Let's Go Home and Saints vs. Celebrities Pt.1. It was at that time that the church was facing another wave of moral collapse. The Bynum-Weeks Fiasco as it came to be known was spread all over the internet, television and newspapers showing that even those in the ministry had their social and marital problems.

I think we already knew that. We were aware that good, decent and saved folk do struggle in their marriages at times. However, what we didn't know is how actually "crazy" some of the individuals were (are) that are directing the church, counseling marriages and receiving church folks money by the millions per month. Some of these, like the one featured in this article even claimed (if not in words certainly by essence) to be seated at the right hand of God. Unfortunately this same one was not aware that she needed to duck to avoid the "right hook" of man...

Yesss...She's back...The Queen Of The South...Ms. Juanita Bynum-Weeks reborn into Juanita Bynum II...

What In The World Is That?

Essence Magazine recently did an article on Ms. Bynum who was allegedly battered and abused by her estranged husband Bishop Thomas "The Love Dr." Weeks III. As we all know Juanita was stricken in a parking lot with the underside of the Bishop's shoe...or as my friend Sabatha Lewis says, "Beat In The Street With A Cleat" .

Now I know you think I'm probably not saved to make fun of something potentially so serious...and I agree that there is never an excuse for domestic violence and abuse, but I really believe that when we examine this case as we have, we will have to honesty question if any of the participants were ever saved or in their right minds from the beginning.

I say that because these individuals never ceased to exalt themselves. In one instance Bynum claimed that she "was no ordinary preacher like these others", and that she had an unusual gift from God that placed her in a category all by herself...She did this while the crowd cheered and was awestruck over her prophecies that were sometimes kindergarten interpretations of biblical and non-biblical constructs made up to keep the dollars flowing.

She's Back

Only this time she is reborn. She is now Juanita Bynum II. On her 50th birthday celebration Juanita dawned her wedding dress to celebrate her rebirth. She is now the second in a succession of mentally challenged individuals in the same body who love the spotlight and attention.

Pastor Don't You Have Anything Else Better To Do Than To Bring Up This Junk?

Nope. Not at the moment. Besides they have nothing better to do than to do this junk in the open.

Why Is This Important?

Now that's the question a true critic asks.

This is important because Juanita has never repented or apologized to the church for any of her schemes and shams that she has tried to perpetuate on the Body Of Christ. Neither her or her estranged husband have ever stopped one time to address the millions of people that they duped or deceived while they headed global Destiny Ministries. The problem is that people actually believed their lie and now that she is "getting her life together" the people are just another pawn in the grand scheme of things and are expendable.

Just look at the history. After her alleged abuse the next thing you know was that Juanita was off to Hollywood via Oprah's ranch to be the "new face of domestic violence". After she left the ranch (because she wasn't invited) she went on to divorce her husband a day after she said on TBN that she wished him well and hoped to reconcile. Thomas Weeks thought that too because even he claimed that they were trying to reconcile until he got the memo that the reconciliation was off when he was served the divorce papers.

All of this happening and children, families, adolescent and aged alike watched on. Some scared to comment because other said "Well, you better not talk about it 'cause it can happen to you too." TRUE. It, divorce or domestic violence, can happen to anyone, but HOW it happens and WHAT happens makes all the difference in the Kingdom of Christ. Because there is a potential that it could happen is not the basis for true leaders and true leadership to back down from the message of the truth and righteousness. ie: Fear tactics are ineffective and no more than mind and crowd control. What's strange is that seems to be the air the church breathes today.

What's The Mind Behind The Madness?

This is where the true saint comes in at and becomes the most effective. Juanita is in need of prayer and her inner circle will seemingly only affirm her. In fact if I'm her friend there's no way I sit silently and let her put on a gown, carry around a sword and celebrate a birthday like that. That's flat out EMBARRASSING. Look at the mind for a minute. Let's see, when asked why she was wearing the gown Juanita responded by saying this:

• "One of the greatest moments of my life was the day that I married. That day was supposed to be the defining moment of my life when I would show the world that I had stepped into my womanhood."

The world KNEW that she was a woman BEFORE she got married. She had told the world about "No More Sheets" and how various of her body parts were sold and had been sold to men all around the country for various prices. She must have been the ONLY one in the United States that thought she hadn't reached her "womanhood" Let's read on:

• "It was always the original intention of my dress and I refused to let it not be because it was made for me. So I wore it because I felt like someone had robbed me of that right. I waited so many years to walk in it and I wanted to give the dress the honor for which it had been made. My father told me to always face your fears head-on, and since this was the dress that is connected to the incident for which the whole world remembered me, I said that if I'm going to cross over I have to go back and stand in the same place."

What is that Juanita. Overcoming your fear and entering your womanhood through a dress or article of clothing??? Is this a word from the Lord or what???

Then she spoke of the importance of he wedding dress, her rebirth, new name and evolution:

• "...When I stood in that dress for the second time I looked at myself in amazement because I knew the real moment that I waited for all my life had come again for me to define who I was."

Hold the phone. A wedding dress "defined" who she was? Forget what God says...let's all look to be defined by our clothing now.

• "So that's when God gave me my new name, Juanita Bynum, II, because I have redefined myself and been reborn. It was like being given an opportunity to be me again—the new evolved me. I rewrote my ten commandments and I declared that my past would not be a part of any mockery, shame or error, and it would only be a part of my future for me to pass on lessons about my experiences..."

She said God gave her a new name because SHE has redefined herself and been reborn??? Then she "rewrote her 10 commandments" What is that??? That is mental pressure speaking and an unsound mind. Problem is she's still directing the lives of others in this condition, still selling books and still receiving offerings from the faithful...WOW! Now, be careful, because the last celebrity rebirth that we experienced was Kirk Franklin. Soon after he declared his rebirth, he was on Oprah declaring that he was a recovering porn addict. All the while he was an award winning gospel artist. Is something similar in the works for Juanita Bynum II?

Now this is where it could get sticky...So far as the sword is concerned...(And I won't quit my day job to go on a comedy tour) let's see what she says about that:

• Bynum: "Yes, I told my manager when I lifted that sword [during my birthday celebration] I had something on me and that I'm getting ready to fight for every woman I know who has low self-esteem, feels like she can't get herself together or has been made to feel like trash. That fight is in me for real now."

Now I wonder what she's gonna do with that sword. If she reads this we probably all know what her response is to that question, but all I can say is that those who live by the sword die by the sword. The new sword we have is an invisible and all encompassing sword of the spirit and of the WORD which is the only thing able to meet the needs.

Now, I told you 15 months ago that she considered herself a celebrity. When asked about her sincerity in her endeavors what does she say?:

• "People that don't understand the life of a celebrity would say that. You should never talk or fight while your opponent is fighting. Let them say anything and everything they are going to say. I'm a lady so I don't do that. But everybody in their right mind knew I was going to stand up for it with dignity and not like a clown. I had a story to tell. There are things that happened in my marriage that I will never discuss because there's no need. Today, I am married to my destiny and l promise to remain faithful to her forever and always."

In other words we question because she, as a celebrity, has a life that we common folk can't quite grasp. Self exaltation STILL reigns in this lady's mind. Can the church, does the church see it? I wonder. In addition, she was always married to her destiny...that was what most of her most popular messages were about...a self destiny and purpose. Certainly NOT about the Kingdom of Christ.

I do want to conclude by relaying my sympathies for the death of her father 7 months ago. This was another very stressful event upon her. I really and sincerely believe that Juanita has snapped and should be advised by at least one of those 300 people who went to her birthday event to sit down, get some sound counseling, restore or establish a relationship with Christ and don't be afraid to become and be another face in the crowd of the sanctified and blood washed host.

Romans 12:1-2 ~ "1-I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy , acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2- And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and accpetable, and perfect, will fo God."

Blessed!

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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!

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Get Right Church and Let's Go Home

This is the very first post I did. I am revising all initial posts with scenery as I am able.

PHB. 10/24/2008

I must say that the comments regarding Bishop Thomas Weeks III, Prophetess Juanita Bynum, Randy & Paula White and the circumstances involved, go from extremely good to extremely bad. I might as well add my little 2 cents.

First of all, everyone NEEDS to talk about what happened at length. Please stop this "touch not my anointed" commentary because it's taken TOTALLY out of context. 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. Yes, we should pray...but that praying SHOULDN'T have started with Juanita Bynum and Paula White.

We should pray because the Bible says that men ought to ALWAYS pray and not faint (Luke 18:1). Not because Bishop Weeks III beat up his wife. Bishop Weeks, Prophetess Juanita, and Evangelist Paula were CELEBRATIZED and caught up in MONEY, MATERIAL AND FLESH. This didn't just start, it's happened for a number of years and partakers of their ministries have contributed to their current situation. The facts are these:Juanita was the main money maker at almost EVERY conference at which she spoke for over the last 10 or so years.

Paula was a similar money ticket. It's reported that the nights they were featured on the programs that offerings usually exceeded $100,000. They made the budgets in most places. Church leaders who have used these women as CASH COWS must repent for not assisting them to place a healthy perspective on ministry and build their HOMES AND MARRIAGES FIRST... Churchgoers, such as many reading, MUST REPENT for exalting Flesh and people and giving them more authenticity than either of them were due...and Gospel Celebrity seekers MUST REPENT for having ANOTHER God and not humbling themselves to the true and living God...As with Jim and Tammy, Jimmy Swaggart 

, Clarence McClendon, Jim Jones and countless others, our folly and silliness in NOT demanding accountability in leadership has set the stage for further problems, while we use cliché’s such as "this too shall pass" and "something good will come from this". Get real, get spiritual and most of all GET BACK TO THE BIBLE...I am a Pentecostal believer and preacher for over 26 years of my 43 year life. Pentecostalism or the style of ministry IS NOT the problem. FLESH, MATERIALISM AND CLICHE'S ARE. The good that will come from this is when we, as a church, as families, and as married folk, talk about everything that has led to this point, discover the ugly truths of how PREACHERS can be on TV, ministering to others while they're creepin', beatin' women, writin' books, drivin' nice cars, buying bigger homes, collecting excessive gifts from the poor, and doing seemingly all the things that makes us feel good about our leader.

What's more, we must discover why we feel that those sort of excesses are essential and necessary for our church leadership, while AIDS ravishes our community, poverty rapes our families, bad education destroys our community dreams, and a new subculture, with its own new standards of morality, lives within our homes destroying the lives of many of our children...Yes, while we're talking, we must discover everything. Tell the whole story.

Bishop Weeks has NO EXCUSE for hitting a woman (outside of protecting his own life)NONE of them have a right to continue ministry as they've done until they have taken time to settle some issues, restore themselves, and get a new focus and direction...I will not accept this "God will heal me as I heal others" NO! These situations are too visible and have affected too many people...It's my prayer that all of the leaders involved will humble themselves, retreat into their systems of accountability, allow godly men and women to oversee their current churches for a season, and come back with clear, forthright repentance and set forth greater measures to safeguard against this happening again. So church, TALK, TALK, TALK AND PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. We must do both to get a grip on this and MANY other situations and circumstances that have invaded our churches, seduced the minds of God's people, and weakened many of our relationships with Christ...

Luke 12:48(b) "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:"

Let's get this thing RIGHT. We may NOT ever be on TV, but we can certainly offer VALUE to the Body of Christ and the communities that we serve by simply LIVING RIGHT!!! (Thank God for Jim Bakker at least he had the spiritual nerve to admit his error. God bless him.)

Blessed!

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