Praise the Lord saints.
Remember when God commanded Samuel to go and anoint the new king, sitting King Saul down for his disobedience not once but twice. God told Saul that when he gets the victory these last two times that he was first to destroy and kill everything, and this time take nothing from those wicked places.
Well Saul, having been the big man on campus for such a long time, decided he would alter the plans a bit. No big deal, right? WRONG!
Saul decided that he was going to reform King Agag instead of killing him and he was going to take only the best of the spoils and to justify his misdeed, build an altar before the Lord.
This is not what God told him. And when Samuel confronts Saul, he gets indignant until Samuel broke it down straight forward and to the point.
Samuel asked Saul what did God tell him to do and then proceeded to point out how he disobeyed God. Saul later repented; however, the damage had already been done. Saul tried to cover up his misdeed, but God wasn’t having it.
One other key point to bring out is when God initially told Samuel to go and sit Saul down, Samuel started to pout like a little kid because he had to be the one to bring his hero down. God gave Samuel time to have his pity party, then shut it down.
See, Samuel had such profound respect and reverence for Saul as did many if not all of the people, But GOD placed Saul in his position, not the people. And it was God who gave the order to bring him down because it was time to anoint the new king.
One that not even the most astute would not have figured.
When Samuel entered into Jesse’ home, he stated his purpose and immediately Jesse thought he knew who God had appointed to be king and did as Samuel asked, well, not at first. Jesse brought out all the sons he thought would be worthy of being king.
Again, he thought. But God assured Samuel that he would know instantly once he placed his eyes on him, and we know that to be David, the youngest, the sheepherder.
I bring out this point because the black church today has decided like King Saul and Jesse to do as they feel or believe and disregard the voice of God when it relates to church matters.
They are quick to say “it ain’t my church; it’s God’s church,” but the front row and most of the deacon board is a reflection of your personal Rolodex. This, in your mind, ensures you will leave only when you feel its time and not before because your inner circle wouldn’t dare remove you before then.
You have strategically placed the exact number needed to win every majority decision regardless of how it could affect the whole church. You step on those that don’t fit your idea of what someone in “your” leadership position should look like, act like, talk like, etc., etc.
Those individuals that you stepped on decide they are going to leave the church and in most cases have just cause. To try and save face, you go even further to make it as though they just don’t want to continue to live a saved lifestyle and are choosing to backslide and go back into the world.
But now look at God, He then sends them to another church, and they flourish because they are allowed to bloom where they are planted and allowed to exhibit the God-given talents, skills, and abilities God placed in them, those same abilities you tried to stipend.
The really sad thing is other saints knew what was going on and instead of developing a backbone decided to remain in silence and go on with business as usual. Kind of like Adam in the Garden.
Adam was standing right there with his wife when Satan was dropping then smooth Pretty Ricky lines on her, and she fell for it hook, line and sinker all the while he just stood there. And if that wasn’t bad enough, he didn’t attempt to correct her, stop her from eating, and then He bit, knowing perfectly well what he was told not to do directly from God himself, causing sin and death to begin.
The question was asked, what if Adam never bit but Eve did, and the answer was well, Adam had 11 more ribs so… lol.
Till next week,
God Bless.
Bishop-Elect Rev. Dr. Robert L. Harrison, PhD
