Feed and Tend the Sheep!

In today's churches, it is very sad that many pastors and leaders go out of their way to protect the tares and goats over the sheep or wheat. I did not say rather but over the sheep and/or wheat. Many leaders think the spiritual ones or the sheep can handle being oppressed. Many protect the tares and goats in the name of love or for the sake of a soul. But could it really be because the goats and tares have fatter wallets or because many measure their spiritual success on the number of attendee rather than the Power of God and Fruit within their churches?

I once told a preacher to let the tares go if the spiritual was offensive to them. It becomes very dangerous as one can quench the Holy Spirit thinking they are protecting some folks from the novelty of spiritual manifestations just because they may be new to Christianity. However, there are a great deal of people who are just religious and are offended by any kind of manifestations of God's power or gifts. Many think they are protecting but in realty it becomes control.

If one gives too much thought on how not to offend people, then one centers their ministry around pleasing people. One may then be serving both fear and God. We cannot serve two masters. Our ministries or walk with God should be centered and revolving around Jesus Christ alone and for His Glory. Churches and their leaders should not be afraid of offending people because of the Holy Spirit gifts or manifestations. We are to be lead by the Spirit and not whether people will be offended and leave. Jesus told His disciples to feed and tend to the sheep. If such people are offended and if they threaten to leave, LET THEM GO! If they all threaten to leave, will the pastors have the courage to stand on uncompromising Truth? Whether you preach or serve to one or to a thousand in front of you, we must serve without any compromise to HIS Word and His Spirit.

Many of God's temples are no longer led by those He has appointed but by those who have been appointed or voted in by the size of their wallets or secular influence. Have we not figured out why many of our churches are internally fighting, breaking up, sick, and dying?A great deal that has to do with this problem is because we have appointed (elders/deacons) the uncircumcised in hearts and flesh to run much of the leadership positions.

Ezekiel 44:5-10 And the Lord said to me, Son of man, mark well and set your heart to see with your eyes and hear with your ears all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the Lord and all its laws, and mark well and set your heart to know who are allowed to enter the temple and all those who are excluded from the sanctuary. 6 And you shall say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: O you house of Israel, let all your previous abominations be enough for you! [Do not repeat them!] 7 You have brought into My sanctuary aliens, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to pollute and profane it, even My house, when you offer My bread, the fat and the blood; and through it all and in addition to all your abominations, they and you have broken My covenant.8And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but you have chosen foreign keepers to please yourselves and have set them in charge of My sanctuary. 9Therefore thus says the Lord God: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh shall enter into My sanctuary [where no one but the priests might enter], of any foreigners who are among the children of Israel. 10But the Levites who went far away from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, they shall bear [the punishment for] their iniquity and guilt.

Jeremiah 2:8-9 [Even] the priests did not say, Where is the Lord? And those who handle the law [given by God to Moses] knew Me not. The rulers and secular shepherds also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by [the authority and in the name of] Baal and followed after things that do not profit. 9 Therefore I will still contend with you [by inflicting further judgments on you], says the Lord, and with your children's children will I contend.

Ezekiel 34:2-10 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them, even to the [spiritual] shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep. 4 The diseased and weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the hurt and crippled you have not bandaged, those gone astray you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought to find, but with force and hardhearted harshness you have ruled them.5 And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts of the field.6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill; yes, My sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought for them.7 Therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8As I live, says the Lord God, surely because My sheep became a prey, and My sheep became food for every beast of the field because there was no shepherd--neither did My shepherds search for My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and fed not My sheep--9 Therefore, O you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
10 Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My sheep at their hand and cause them to cease feeding the sheep, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more. I will rescue My sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

It is time for His shepherds and the Church to repent and begin cleansing the House of the Lord. The House of the Lord is a place for prayer but it is full of money exchangers.The Power of God and His Truth are not used to draw people but worldly marketing gimmicks are used instead. If we do not repent, judgments starts in the Household of God FIRST!

1 Peter 4:17 (AMP) For the time [has arrived] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will [be] the end of those who do not respect or believe or obey the good news (the Gospel) of God?

Fire of God
Steve Yong Kim
April 24, 2012