End Times Prophetic, Prophecy, Visions, Dreams, Revelation, Christian Blog

Christian prophecy for the church and for the nations from a servant of God called to speak God’s word

Holy Ghost housecleaning or repentence?

‘Recent religious scandals have so tarnished our (Christianity’s) credibility that we have become a curious freak show. Many unbelievers now associate ministers with wife-swapping, wife-beating*, no-fault divorce**, gay affairs*** and $10,000-a-night hotel rooms****. We need a Holy Ghost housecleaning.” said Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine.

“I think all Christians want our ministries to operate with integrity. And I can tell you that most of our readers are getting tired of money-focused celebrity Christianity.”

I agree with Lee Grady on all these points, except than rather than expecting some sort of revivalist type sovereign move of God that blasts all these charlatans, greedy shepherds and other evil doers and hypocrits in one fell swoop, we need an insistent and persistant call to rise up within the church for repentence unto holiness - not to mention a demanding for leadership accountability as well as a call back to the final authority of the scriptures.

Rather than delegate the responsibility for ‘housecleaning’ to God, and waiting upon Him to ‘move’, isn’t the church responsible for sorting out herself from within? It is God that waits for us, not the other way around on this point. Certainly the early church knew this truth – anyone reading through the pastoral epistles such as Timothy could not come to any other reasonable conclusion. Repentence and/or discipline comes before a mighty move of the Spirit! The laissez-faire attitude of the church (ie: leave it to God to judge and sort out, let’s all love the heretics and not rebuke them or get our own house in order) is responsible to a large degree for the church being in such a bad state as it is today! It is for the church  to arise and take action – not to wait for God to sort ‘em all out.

* Referring to Thomas Weeks and Juanita Bynum Incident

** Referring to Randy and Paula White (among others)

*** Referring to Ted Haggard (among others)

**** Referring to Benny Hinn (among others)

January 19, 2008 - Posted by endtimespropheticwords | Benny Hinn, False Prophets and Teachers, Juanita Bynum, Prosperity Gospel/Seed Faith, Randy & Paula White, Revival, Ted Haggard, Thomas Weeks, Thomas Weeks III | , | 14 Comments

14 Comments »

  1. What more could anyone add!! Amen.

    Comment by Teri | January 20, 2008

  2. I feel sick at what’s happening in the name of Jesus, but exactly how is the ‘church’ supposed to clean up this mess. We need God to intervene. My daily cry to Him is please help us. We are truly a wretched generation and by all appearances we have lost our way. I have been an out of church christian for over 20yrs now and crave the fellowship of true Jesus loving, obeying believers and graciously God has brought a few across my path that are absolute gems. I’ve tried various church groups at varying times, but they talk another language. In my search for Christian teaching and wanting to know what is happening out there in ‘the body’ I came across Benny Hinn who had a vast host of guest speakers. Some where absolutely wonderful and others where well a bit suspect. The Elijah list was a site I loved to view, but after a time I would feel absolutely awful, thinking I was out of the loop of ‘on fire’ people and must be in a back-slidden state. Yet when I got rid of the Elijah List out of my favourites, the peace I had was worrying. Worrying? because I began to feel alarmed at the thought of what/who were supposed to be ‘cutting edge’ believers/ministry WEREN’T!! The divorce announcement of Paula White absolutely flabbergasted me. Every day, I lay my life down (take up my cross) for my unbelieving husband, turning the other cheek, all the things Jesus asks us to do if we love Him….and Paula White can’t?? I can testify to this fact that when I have humbled myself and trusted Jesus, really trusted Him and put my life on the line, HE HAS COME THROUGH FOR ME. In the process of researching exactly who Paula White is (boy was that a shock) Miriam’s site came up, exposing everything, confirming what I felt the Holy Spirit was revealing to me. My background is Plymouth Brethren and we were always taught the imperitive of a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus and KNOW His Word. It was knowledge of the written word of God that would convict me if something wasn’t ‘kosher’. Sometimes I would get a check in my spirit if something wasn’t right. Still I needed Scripture to identify what the problem was. One can’t just go it alone with a hunch or feelings. It has to be supported by the Word of God. Refreshingly, Miriam does that. On the day of Pentecost when all the religious people where in the Temple performing their rituals, the Holy Spirit went right passed them and settled on 120 seemingly insignificant other people. I am of the opinion that perhaps in the coming days, God will call out a people who will hear Him, love Him and yield to Him with all their hearts and those pre-occupied in their religious rituals (irrespective of the denomination) will be by-passed. Still I cry, please help us Father, we are poor, wretched, miserable and blind.

    Comment by Shoshana | January 21, 2008

  3. Shoshana: if the church does its bit, God will more than do HIS bit. It is right without God we can do nothing, BUT at the same time there are things we must do as we have been entrusted with the responsbility – and one of them is deaing with false teachers and crooks.

    If the church rised up en masse and refused to put up with these charlatans and fraudsters and gay divorcees, then that would help. Do not send them money, do not watch them on TV, or the channels they are on, do not buy their books, speak up and keep on speaking up…etc

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | January 21, 2008

  4. Thank you for your response Miriam but as you said IF the church rises up…a big If! Truly, I wonder where this will all lead. Are we already in the midst of the great apostasy, the falling away? I gave up watching Benny Hinn a very long time ago, when I couldn’t get out of his website for a prayer request without paying money. It was appalling and I felt very grieved that what I was suspecting was confirmed. Because, Its a joy to see people loving and worshipping the Lord and when you see that it’s all a big deception….words fail me. I am glad to read your articles. Thank you

    Comment by Shoshana | January 21, 2008

  5. At the end of the day, you can only raise yourself up and speak boldly against this stuff and not put up with it, and hope people will follow you. Don’t wait to be led, or wait for others to do it – lead :) If people follow, great, if they don’t they don’t but at least you won’t be a wallflower any more. The more that do it individually though, the more that will follow. Yes we are already in great apostasy.

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | January 21, 2008

  6. Shoshana

    May the Lord Jesus Christ hold you in his warm embrace! It is not often that one sees a person really brings it out, and ‘brings it on’ with the real testimony you’ve rendered. I admire you for doing it—moreover; it shows your trust and faith in God, through Christ his son. Thank you for sharing.

    A couple of issues jumped out at me as I read your response: We all need to remember that theologians, pastors, teachers and administrators, and this so-called ‘church’ is really nothing more than men and women who are certainly fallible.

    One problem we, as Christian’s, need to do is pray for the courage to stand up and lift our voices to the Almighty. People in America as well as other nations seem to take license when any Christian stumbles. So why does this happen? Because we let them…plain and simple. I encourage anyone and everyone to start blogging for and on behalf of Jesus Christ. I do and I love it.

    Shoshana, as you know—there are degrees of knowing Christ and surrendering to him daily. I am reminded of how during the charismatic renewal of 1970 the saying was: “Not by my strength, nor power, nor might, but by the Spirit of God…”

    One other issue that jumped out at me was the notion of self-checking to see if we are ‘right’ with God. You answered it in your magnificent post. Ask, seek, and knock. We all need to ask Jesus to reveal to us through the Holy Spirit what is good, right, and pleasing to him. In reality it’s easy to type and even to say; however, when one asks for this, they should be ready for the answers.

    May wonderful blessings rain down upon you and yours. In His name,

    Onemorecup

    Comment by onemorecup | January 21, 2008

  7. Dear Miriam

    I am heartened to read your site and believe that you are truly walking in Truth and Light. We recently came out of a church afer many years, there was sin, strife and dis-unity in the leadership – which most of the church knew nothing about.

    We have felt a calling on our lives for many years and have now started a Ministy – it is going very well and is starting to grow – Praise the Lord!

    There are 2 things really that I would be very grateful for a word about – we came out of the church in love and grace and I personally was very grieved about leaving at the time, although I knew it was right. We declined to be “Prayed Out” by leadership – I felt the Lord saying “beware the leven of the Pharasees”

    Although I have repented about it – I am sometimes troubled that I said “nothing”! Sometimes I think the Lord will hold me responsible for not saying anything – about 3 years ago I believe the Lord gave me a word about the pastor – I don`t even know if I was supposed to give the word to him – but I didn`t. The word said that the Lord was going to take His dispensation of grace off the church if he didnt repent – I felt too uncomfortable to give this word – and to be perfectly truthful – what if it was just me!!!

    However my husband gave the word to a senior leader who was also a friend. He rejected the word and also said that the pastor had been given the word by someone else and he had rejected it – I don`t know if the leader gave the word to the pastor. Could you seek a word from the Lord about this situation please.

    Also I would be grateful for a word about our ministry – we long to serve the Lord in the fulness of His plan and purpose for us and to make full use of the talents He has blessed us with – thank you so much – Free Indeed

    Comment by Free Indeed | January 23, 2008

  8. Free Indeed: if your conscience still troubles you then I encourage you to seek to give this word direct to this pastor (in person ideally or by letter/phone/email if not possible) – even though it be three years old it is still relevant. If the word was from the Lord, the pastor did need to hear it then and still needs to hear it now. The fact someone else said the same thing is possible confirmation that your are on the right track.

    This is something I think you should do, for you and him, and is regardless of whether the leader passed the word from your husband on ’second hand’, as we all know what Chinese whispers are like at the best of times and the best of intent. Then leave it into the hands of the Lord – you have done your bit if you speak out, and you will have been faithful (albeit later than was ideal but that is OK if you have repented and the Lord knew all along what would happen- remember Jonah still went to Nineveh.)

    As for your ‘ministry’, I see you in a vision standing with your arms outstretched holding out a very large special looking gift wrapped up in very bright colorful (even ‘loud’) giftwrap with a giant bow and ribbon and it looks very nice and pretty and colourful, and this is your ideal image of your ministry/what you want to give to people through ministry. However in the vision, I see you are a bit disappointed, frustrated even, as it is not like that in reality, not as ‘big’ or as ‘pretty’ as ‘looking’ as you would like in your dreams, but the Lord says you are distracted by appearances, you have the wrong goal and image in mind – and that what he has for you looks differant than you imagine/visualise in your dreams, it is humbler, normaler, dirtier but far more glorious. I encourage you not to be distracted by outward appearances, size, bows and ribbons, bells and whistles, but follow the Lord’s voice step by step. Be assured He has something for you both that has more impact than you will know this side of eternity.

    I feel the Lord saying that both of you are like seed sowers who carefully and methodically sow the seed in the ground in many rows but will not see the final crop arising so much as in your case I think God is saying someone else will reap what you sow (and perhaps get the glory for your work) – but be faithful as you are doing what God has for you and He knows wht you truly reap. You are the farmers who get their hands dirty, doing the basic essential stuff, (with little glory) not the merchants dressed up in fine suits selling the finished stock from the fine flower shop who look nice but did nothing to produce the actual crop.

    I hope this makes sense to you.

    Comment by endtimespropheticwords | January 23, 2008

  9. onemorecup – thank you for your kind response and greeting. How I wait for the day when I meet the most amazing Person in the universe face to face. I became a christian when I was about 8yrs old and have travelled a very lonely path. Daily life was a struggle with endless oppression/depression (mainly due to a turbulent home life).
    When I lived in the nurse’s dorm I would have scripture verses stuck up all inside my wardrobe so that every time I opened the door I was confronted with the word of God – encouraging myself to hold fast to the Word of truth (which is able to save us), fight the good fight of faith, work out my own salvation with ‘fear & trembling’ etc etc. Yes I was involved with the renewal in the 70’s and wow what a time that was. Some shiny bright nurses that I suspected were Christian introduced themselves and invited me to a charismatic meeting. A whole lot different to what I had been used to. It was another stage in my life surrended to the Holy Spirit. At the time I was led to believe by the leadership that I had the makings of a preacher/evangelist and just to let them know when I ‘felt the time was right to start’. Funny enough, that time never came and it always puzzled me. A word of knowledge was given to me by a visiting minister (he singled me out of a crowd of about 300 youth) that I would walk alone, that I wasn’t crazy, just saw life differently to most and to separate myself unto God. Well, in spite of the crowd of people around me throughout my life, I have definitely walked alone. I just love my brothers and sisters in Christ,who God has brought to me, the ones who love to talk about Jesus, who love to share from His Word. I was fellowshipping with a very dear friend who the Lord brought across my path in the recent couple of years and I got the most wondrous sense that I was fellowshipping with Jesus. Bit like when you get a rheema of the word – a revelation, quite extraordinary. Eternity in the family of our Heavenly Father and His precious Son is worth fighting tooth and nail for. Not to give up and lose faith. Like you said, there are degrees of maturity in the Lord and I long to encourage everyone of my brothers and sisters in the Lord to hold fast to what the Lord has given them, He has given to EVERY man a measure of faith. We all have the power to believe, we need to choose to, as an act of our will. Days that I didn’t want to believe or struggled to believe, I chose to trust Him in spite of my circumstances and feelings. It’s hard, it’s scary and I was plagued with doubts. But I believe in the Word of God as being trustworthy, because I believe God has integrity and if Jesus could come and surrender Himself to the most appalling ordeal and death, He truly deserves my gratitude as the first step in a life devoted to Him, irrespective of the difficulties that lie across my path. Yes, I loved your opening statement – may the Lord Jesus Christ hold you in His warm embrace, amen to that! You know, my walk has been relatively uneventful on a day to day basis and in the midst of all the charismatic mania I really wished and hoped for some signs and wonders just ‘to confirm my salvation’. Isn’t that appalling! I can hear Jesus bereating the Jews for ‘always wanting a sign’. Seems a lot of Christendom has been swept up in the signs and wonders mentality around us these days. Like you, I also want to shout from the roof tops (or rather, blogging) for and on behalf of Jesus Christ and His amazing love and faithfulness. I was young and now have a grown up family and Jesus has been with me every step of the way. How can I say that, because He said He would be with me to the ‘end of the world’ and He will come and take me and all my brothers and sisters home to His place in the days to come! Many blessings to you in Jesus’ name

    Comment by Shoshana | February 27, 2008

  10. To Miriam, As you said, I haven’t become a wallflower and am sharing with fellow believers what I have personally discovered and what you have uncovered and posted on your site. I think it is only a matter of time before more Christians will become a ‘wake-up’ to the fraudulent nature of the various tele-evangelists/prophets. I guess it’s a bit like fraudulent art. It looks exactly like the real thing, but its the art critic ‘who knows his stuff’ (or hears the voice of the Holy Spirit, in our terms) that can identify the deceit. We are so trusting, so gullible and even when I started to feel uneasy about things I was witnessing, I couldn’t believe it. Recently I dreamt that Benny Hinn was wandering dazed in the midst of a bombed out chaotic scene, his lovely white suit dirty and in tatters, he was in shock and couldn’t understand what was happening. A person was calling out to him, that he had to turn to Jesus and put his faith in Him. Don’t want to say that this was a Holy Spirit inspired dream (because I’m not sure)maybe, a dream from my own troubled heart over the whole matter. Miriam, I think of you often and what you may be going through at this time. No doubt you have raised the ire of many people and you’re very brave to stand up for and speak what God has shown you. A million thanks for your courage and obedience which has helped me immeasureably. I trust that Jesus will be with you in a very very close manner these days, encouraging and sustaining you in a miraculous way and making clear your path,and decision you will need to make. I so appreciate you. Look forward to meeting you in that day!!

    Comment by Shoshana | February 27, 2008

  11. The bible tells us we are to expose and rebuke sin and false teachers. It’s my prayer that most Christians will wake up to this responsibility and tell the false ones like Benny Hinn and Stephen Strang and NAR that they don’t speak for Jesus Christ and are not Christians!

    Comment by brad | December 20, 2008

  12. So what happened to the Holy Ghost Housekeeping or repentance that Charisma advocated a year ago?

    Nothing!

    Not surprising since it came from Charisma?

    Comment by brad | January 6, 2009

  13. Brad, what you say about our duty to expose evil is true. But unfortunately, the motives of some speaking out are no different spirited than Job’s friends. They are completely unaware this self-righteousness is within their heart.

    Some have another iniquity within that is not glorifying God. They have long suffered from feeling insignificant, and have found a place within Christianity to prove they are significant by showing they “know” the Scriptures. But they do not know the spirit that accompanies their accusations. In that case, it matters not whether they are right or wrong. It’s the spirit in which they expose evil.

    Indeed, we do need a place outside the churches to expose what God is showing us, but we all need to allow the Holy Spirit to show us what is hidden in our own hearts, too. DavWms

    Comment by David L. Williams | January 6, 2009

  14. A friend of mine put it very well – all we can do is keep our side of the street clean, and pray for others…

    Comment by Charlotte | March 9, 2009


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