Christian worship of stars
1st of March
I am writing this since the Holy Spirit came over me one evening and showed me how God wanted to build His kingdom. He showed me how people were worshipped within the Body of Christ voluntarily and against their will. He showed me how some churches and organizations use known preachers as an attraction in order for people to come to their meetings and conferences. These people receive an enormous amount of money, but since they draw people to the conference, it is probably worth the price. This is not meant as a critic against certain “conference-speakers”, but as a warning against certain trends in the Body of Christ. Many people use the methods of the world within the Body of Believers and forget that we are in the world, but not of the world. We are the ambassadors of the Kingdom of God and we are supposed to spread His kingdom in this world. The fact is unfortunately the opposite and God becomes sad and wants to give us a warning.
The Word of God is clear. He has called each and every one of us and given us different gifts and tasks. Each one of us has to seek Him in order to know how He wants to use us. Neither the heart nor the brain is visible, but they are vital. We would die without them. The same is true for the Body of Christ. There are only a few who are visible, but without all the volunteers in our own country as well as in more remote areas, the Body would slowly diminish and fade away. I have recently listened to fantastic testimonies from India and quite a few were either killed or persecuted for their faith. Many were saved, healed and delivered and they prayed till they saw the desired result. They had an enormous dedication to the Lord. Just think of all the people who are tortured and killed in prisons around the world and the only reason is that they refuse to abandon their faith.“The blood of the martyrs are talking even to-day.” We can often see that a revival is breaking out where there has been a persecution and many persecuted people ask us Christians in the West to refrain from asking God to stop the persecution. We do not want to become lukewarm and we want to see an increasing number of new converts. In many countries we are living with so much luxury that we do not need anybody to rescue us.
Do you know the names of many of the martyrs to-day? Your answer might be no, but you might be able to mention the names of many of the speakers that are travelling from conference to conference. Persecution and torture are very unpleasant and we do not like to think nor talk about it. We in the West might avoid witnessing about Jesus in fear of being rejected. That is another dimension than being killed or tortured. I feel ashamed when I think of the way my brothers and sisters have surrendered their lives in other countries.
God is calling people to speak and I do not want you to misunderstand me. He calls some to speak either as teachers, prophets, evangelists, apostles or shepherds. They have a received a message that they are supposed to share with others. There are certain truths that are supposed to be emphasized at certain times within the Body of Christ. These five ministries are supposed to reach different groups. The evangelist is most of the time speaking to the unsaved and the Word is manifested by signs and wonder. When we hear about huge campaigns, it is mostly held by the evangelist. The shepherd is supposed to feed his own children in his own local church. The apostle starts new congregations, but he can also have an influence on many churches as well as small and big areas. He has a break-through anointing. Prophets and teachers can function both in the local church as well as international. God wants that His message shall be spreading through each of these ministries. To-day we can also receive the message from TV, radio, internet and by books. It is fantastic that God can use these media to feed both the unsaved as well as His own children.
It is rather frightening when well-known speakers are worshipped as idols. They themselves might not want this, but the temptation is there. The Bible says that we eagerly should encourage each other, but it does not say that we should worship man and it does not say that only a few should be encouraged. To-day we have an elite in the Body of Christ. You might see huge posters all around with their names and pictures on. They are used to attract people. They might have famous TV shows and when they speak, they are given a huge amount of money. Some of them take so much money that the listeners have to pay in order to listen to them. If a less known one is speaking, he or she will probably get their expenses covered and in some cases a love offering. I believe that the laborer is worthy of his wages, but that should be the same for all the laborers, not necessarily the same wage, but everybody is worthy a payment.
I have listened to many appeals for money and the pastor says how much money they need for food to poor children and material for poor Bible school students in other countries. They do not mention that most of the money goes to a few teachers and missionaries that are travelling back and forth regularly using the most expensive hotels and air tickets or to those living there in luxurious apartments. Most people would have been happy with a much more simple living and cheaper travelling. A lady went to the forest picking berries and sold them in order to give to the poor. She really did not know what her money should be used for. Many people work as volunteers in the same congregation, maybe for several hours a week. Aren’t these people worth their wages?
When I have been travelling in India, I have often been served better food than the others and been sitting in the nicest room together with the pastors. One pastor said that I should come back more often since they got so good food then. The reason was that I was white and from another country. I resent the fact that I am treated as more valuable because I am white. I love to share what God has given me, but to God be the honor.
I believe that all idol worship comes from the devil, also the worship of stars within the Body of Christ. I do not want you to mistake worship with respect. We should respect each other and we should also respect those who are given authority and those who are chosen as leaders by God. The Bible writes about slaves and masters and we are not all the same, but we are all just as valuable before God since we are all bought with the same price, the blood of Jesus.
When the Holy Spirit came the other day, He said that when God is looking for pearls, He is not looking at the stars, but among those who are not easily seen. When we look for pearls in the natural, they are also hidden. The pearls in the Body of Christ are found among those who serve the Lord faithfully without thinking about honor and money. They know to whom the honor is due. They have given their lives to the Lord and they are the same no matter where they are. They are not putting on a holy mask in the church and when they come home, they might neglect their children and their partner, in the worst case they might even hit them. The Lord knows the difference between real and unreal pearls and He knows where to find them.
I do believe that real stars exist, but they do not want to be worshipped. I recently saw a video from a young woman and she had been in heaven and Jesus had showed her His mother Mary and she was happy, not knowing how they worshipped her on earth.
Yesterday I heard how stars can go out, but it takes a long, long time before we can discover that. In our eyes it looks like they are still shining. I believe that it is the same in the Kingdom of God. The “stars” might have gone in the wrong direction or lost the anointing since they draw the attention towards themselves and not the Lord. People might still continue to worship them and they do not see that they no longer reflect the light from heaven.
When you attend meetings and conferences, what are your motives? Do you want a meeting with God or do you go to listen to a well-known speaker? God wants to use those who are not so known and the Bible says that He will use those who are nothing in the eyes of the world.
DO NOT LOOK FOR THOSE WHO SPARKLE, BUT LOOK FOR GOD IN YOUR NEIGHBOR! ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD!
Mother Else