Twice Dead Preachers By Rev. Shane Philpott April 6, 2012 You would think that living in the last days as we are, one would be hearing a whole lot more preaching and teaching about the imminent return of Jesus Christ. But we aren t. What we are
indeed seeing is just the opposite. Church houses have been converted into entertainment centers. Pastors and preachers have transformed themselves into talk show hosts. Christian television has gone prime time with its watereddown, hollow messages that cater to the spiritually blind and deaf masses. The Holy Ghost has been shown the door as the power of Pentecost has been exchanged for the pleasure of the placebo. It s all broken. We were warned. Woe to them! For they have run riotously in the way of Cain, and have abandoned themselves for the sake of gain (it offers them, following) the error Balaan, and have perished in
rebellion (like that) of Korah! These are hidden reefs (elements of danger) in your love feasts, where they boldly feast sumptuously (carousing together in your midst), without scruples providing for themselves (alone). They are clouds without water, swept along by the winds; trees, without fruit at the late autumn gathering time twice (doubly) dead, (lifeless and) plucked up by the roots. Jude 11-12 Amplified Bible. Abandoning the Call To say that things are simply a mess would be a gross understatement. Things are flat out broken! As a result of
error and rebellion, many ministers have abandoned their call in exchange for money. The Bible labels them as dangerous elements that feast off of true believers, interested only in themselves. Empty clouds and fruitless trees, they bring nothing to the table, yet they eat greedily from it. They take and do not give. They are stagnant waters, not life-giving rivers; sponges, not faucets. It is time to publically rip the mask off of these men and women that God has not sent. It is time to expose those whose doctrines do not line up with the Word. We must declare once again that the church is the ecclesia, the called out assembly of
professing believers, and that we are to live as called out from the world, not as being included in the world. We need more emphasis on the godliness with contentment part and less on the great gain part. 1 Timothy 6:6. Our preachers need deliverance from this demonic lust for mansions and Rolls Royce s and jets and notoriety and popularity. We need to banish once and for all the practice of comparing our ministries, a habit that ultimately results in the competing of our ministries. We need to tell these self-appointed, smooth-talking celebrity preachers to shut up, and then force them to by
not buying their books and their CDs and by turning off their carnal programming. Then we need to tell our sheep to do the same. We need to test the motives and agendas of those who boldly carouse among us. The next time some apostle tells you that you need to become his son and sow up into his ministry, you need to remember that much of this fathers and sons movement has deteriorated into a pimps and whores movement. Only carnal men could so pervert the father and son relationship. Let us exert every effort to resist the silver and gold
gospel so that we may be able to say, but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6. Which Kingdom are you Pursuing? We need to constantly remind ourselves that our ministry is not about this world s kingdom, but rather it is about the Heavenly Kingdom. It would also do us good to remember that whether we leave this planet through death or through the rapture, it s not about who dies with the most, it s about who dies with the least. The names of our preachers should be known in the halls
of Hell because we are doing great damage to the kingdom of darkness, not because we have future reservations there. Our remnant churches are witnessing the great falling away predicted by Christ. The collateral damage that has been forced upon today s believers is immeasurable. Every one of us cringes when we attempt to mentally list those few sheep that have managed to stay saved more than two years. Brothers and sisters, it s not going to get easier. That s a Bible fact. However, we have the guarantee of great times of refreshing that will come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19. We also
are patiently waiting for the promise of the latter rain. James 5:7. And as we fight this fight of faith, it would do us well to remember the words of Malachi 3:16: Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His Name.