April 17, 2006

• Before getting back to Revelation (or is it Back to the Future – we watched that movie this weekend), I just want to type out another chapter from our Discipleship Manuel by Pastor Don.

  
  

  This is another point Pastor Don emphasized in our six month Discipleship course, and sadly I have seen this in the churches I have attended, including ours. This is comes from Page 191 in The Discipleship Manuel by Pastor Don Moore (he hasn’t published it as a book yet, but I am encouraging him to do so. He got much of this from sitting at the feet of his Grandfather and Father as they pastored and administered churches).

  
  

  Go Behind Vultures

  
  

     This category of vultures is best described by an illustration. You invite guests for dinner and after the meal you wipe off the table and load the dishwasher. One of your guests rises and, to your surprise, begins to wipe off the table again, and to your utter amazement, fills the sink with water, takes the dishes out of the dishwasher, and proceeds to put them in the sink.
     Let’s do another illustration. A husband and wife are locked in a loving embrace, you go over, tap him on the shoulder and say “excuse me, let me show you how to hug her!” Both of these illustrations demonstrate how people can interrupt, disrupt, disrespect, and go behind someone to help where they’re not needed. They may have something worthwhile to offer but they are out of order and on an ego trip. Often they seek attention and recognition as a powerful saint – prayer warrior. Somehow they think that the job isn’t done until they minister to the person. Women seem more guilty in this area than men. The reason may be “coached” sports, where men are trained not to butt in or speak up until asked. After the Holy Spirit or the presiding minister has attended to the people, the vulture will zone in on the prey – unsaved, visitor or disturbed believers, to have a private prayer or counseling session. They take the hands of the prey so they can’t escape and pull them to a corner to be alone. With compassionate eyes they begin, “the Lord loves you so much and I have to tell you what God put on my heart to tell you….” The prey always asks later, “who was that person and what were they trying to do?” When the Holy Spirit has ministered to someone they are doing all they can to dwell in or understand the moment. The vulture, though well intentioned, overloads and adds confusion. Even as a pastor I must be careful not to go behind the Holy Spirit and re-do or un-do His work. If someone is having an experience with God, they don’t need us to go over and lay hands upon or pray or do anything. Hold what you think you have for another time or at least ask God and the minister what should be done.

  
  

           ***Self appointed apostles are sent ones—sent by self.

  
  

     The go-behind cleaner is flesh led and therefore must be taught and gently rebuked. They are easily offended and their need for importance will misinterpret correction. The vulture feels that what they have to offer is of paramount importance. “I hear from God and you are just holding me back” they’ll say! The hard core will even use the prey publicly in their testimonies of how God used them. A vulture that’s totally out of control will go behind the minister and lay hands on people again. The ultimate ego tripper will pick up those  slain in the spirit and give them a word and attempt to re-slay them. This calls for rebuke without any concern for their feelings, for this grieves the Holy Spirit. Ministry is not a show and people are not puppets to be manipulated; and an Amen goes right there.
     After praying with someone, be aware that after you leave the Holy Spirit continues His ministry. Also before you arrive He has begun to minister. When the unction comes to make an altar call, it is because God wants you to give people the opportunity to act in Faith in response to what He is doing.

  
  

       ***Let us hold the image in our hearts that we are not the surgeon,
               but the maintenance man. At our best we create an atmosphere
               for the surgeon to work in. Amen

  
  

  *******************************************************************

  
  

  Heather’s comments. This course on discipleship, which is the second time I have taken it, sure impacts me greatly and is so convicting. I once told Pastor Don that I walk away feeling I will never be able to do all that is taught, to keep the proper humility, and with a profound respect for what God needs from His servants. That was not Pastor Don’s heart in writing this manual, but I also realize that without God directing my path, there would be no way of doing any of it. Basically it involves being the instrument that is willing to be used by God as a servant to walk alongside others.

  
  

  One element that runs through the entire manual is Humility, not letting Ego guide one’s steps and actions. I think that when Pride rears its ugly head is when the disciple gets into trouble and pride comes in so many disguises.

  
  

  I have been the victim of a prayer vulture, and went up to Pastor Don and told him that someone wanted to pray with me, that I felt uncomfortable, backed off, turned and escaped, but was also worried because I did not want to do what was wrong. He told me (and this was early in my time at Living Word Chapel) that if someone wanted to pray for me I should tell them that Pastor Don told me to have them pray for me with Pastor Don present. That gave me a way out to protect myself. In fact, that is a good line to use when someone wants to pray for you and you have a check in your spirit about it, telling them that you would like your pastor present.

  
  

  I fear so much being a stumbling block on someone’s path. Never do I want to do something to impede a person’s progress toward or with God. And yet, I am certain that there are times that I have done just that. I just pray that God is more in control and my ego less, but trust me, I have far to go before that happens. I have much to learn.

  
  

  Well, back to the future (Revelation), maybe later on today, maybe tomorrow, depends. The kids have one last day off, two have gone with their dad to saw down a tree that fell this winter on our summer place (one day I’ll put up a picture, my husband loves the place, but to me it looks like something Charles Addams would construct. It is as one TV repair show states, “a real fixer-upper). The other one is going to come with me on the quest for the perfect hammock for his birthday, one that he can take camping with the scouts.

  
  

  Hoping you have a blessed day,

  
  

  Heather

  • 8:42 am
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