Saints of God, WHAT IN HELL DO YOU WANT?!
Revelation chapter 21:verse 8
By Evangelist Ella Townsend
When I was growing up, there was a phrase used when someone you didn’t really like would continuously annoy you by calling out your name for whatever reason. And when they had just gotten on your last half of nerve, they could expect to hear your angry response, after calling out your name for the last time… “What in hell do you want?”
One of my favorite preachers back in the day, was the late Rev. Leo Daniels, out of Houston, Texas, who preached a sermon titled “What In Hell Do You Want”. To be honest, I can’t recall the content of his sermon, because I have not heard the sermon since 1989. But what was most important for me to remember, and it has stuck in my mind over all these years, is the scripture passage that he used, Revelation chapter 20:verses 13c, 14, & 15, which reads: “… And they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone who was not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” … sermon’s title, “What in Hell Do You Want?”….
In Second Timothy chapter 3, Paul forewarns all of us who are called Christians, by the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, “ that in the last days, perilous (dangerous) times will come, because men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers. Without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God … hav-ing a FORM of godliness but denying its power. And from such people TURN away!”
In case some of you don’t know, our last days started the moment Jesus Christ was born on this earth, and we have been living in perilous times from that day forward. No one is exempt, all we need to do is step out of denial, and look all around us in our homes, our schools, our cities, our different levels of local, state, and federal governments. Yes, these perilous times are within our walls and systems of living, education, and governments, from the white house to the outhouse. And we are also seeing and experiencing first hand the greatest effects of these perilous times in our churches, among spiritual leaders those who are suppose to be the “called and chosen” of God, to lead His people in righteousness.
The church (building and body) is the one place where we are suppose to be safe, find peace, love, joy and fellowship with one another strengthening our faith. The church is suppose to be the place wherein the weary, the lonely, the sick, the brokenhearted, and the cast-down can come, and find comfort and rest under the shadow of God’s wings. The church is the place where those who are Christians and are in sins, and those who are lost and don’t know Jesus Christ, are to come, so that they might come to their senses through the hearing of the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And come to repentance for the forgiveness of their sins.
Many good things take place in the church, that has been set aside for worship, offering of praise to God, and for the preaching and teaching of God’s Holy Word. The church building, is where the real church of the Lord, the body of Christ, gathers in one accord under the spiritual leadership of those faithful and godly men and women who are “called and chosen” as pastors, under shepherds, overseers, bishops, apostles, teachers, and prophets. Whom God Himself has place in the church, to watch over His sheep, for “the perfecting (training and equipping) of the saints, for the works of the ministry; and for the edifying of the body of Christ; through the teaching and preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Until we ALL (not Y’all), but ALL come into a oneness of faith and knowledge of God’s Son. (Ephesians chapter 4).
But, too often, what we are finding in the church(building and body) is unrest, and the weary are burden down with more problems of what is going on in the church among the spiritual leaders and the members, than what they themselves go through at home or on their jobs. What we are finding is that the brokenhearted are even more broken in the church, and those Christians who are in their sins continue to sins even the more, along side of the spiritual leaders who have been set over the church by God. And the lost who don’t know Jesus Christ, don’t care if they do or don’t come to know Him, because of what they see that is going on in the church building, and among those who are the body of Christ, the living church of God.
We are finding satan’s penthouse set up in all of its glory in the church. And many church folks are the servants in attendance, from the pulpit to the choir stands, from the door of the church to the altar. The church is filled with satan’s ministers of light, regardless of how deem or how bright their lights might so shine. These are they who are busy doing satan’s work under the disguise of being “saved” in Jesus’ name. And these are they, who are suppose to be placed in authority in the church by God to guide and lead us, but they themselves need guidance and leadership, because they are lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, unloving, unthankful, unholy, and many are practicing homosexuality, adultery, fornication, idolatry, stealing, lying, headstrong, and the list goes on.
Revelation chapter 21:verse 8, makes it plain: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerer, idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their place in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” So, I ask you today, Saints of God, What In Hell Do You Want?
Jesus says it like this, in Matthew chapter 7: verses 19-27: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits (deeds) you shall know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.” Listen to what Jesus says , I “never knew you”, He does not say, I once knew you , but you have changed. But He says, I “Never”, which is a strong word.
The body of Christ is burden down with the accusations that one of our spiritual leaders Bishop Eddie Long, has been charged with claims of alleged sexual immorality by four young boys from his church. It has been reported, and we have seen, and he himself has boasted about the Presidents and world leaders he has met and knows, and about the many great things he has done in his church and in his community, and for others all over the world. But Only God, Bishop, and the boys know the truth, about whether or not these alleged charges that have been filed against him are true. And ONLY God keep very excellent records therefore, it matters not who Bishop knows or who he has met, or what he has done for the church, or for others in his community or over the world.
If these claims and charges are of a truth, God’s Word will never (there’s that word again) return back to Him void, Bishop will be punished by God for his sinful deeds. It would be a very sad things for Bishop to hear Jesus say in that great day of the Lord, “Depart from Me, I NEVER knew you.” Prayerfully, in due season we will all know the truth of these claims, if the Lord sees fit to say the same. Until such time, we are exhorted by God to prayer for the Bishop and those young men , as they too are God’s children, and need prayer and deliverance.
If we believe what Paul writes and exhorts in I & II Timothy, and in the book of Titus, that Bishops, pastors, elders, prophets, overseers, deacons, and ALL spiritual leaders in the church are to have good reputations in the presence of those in the church, and those who are not saved outside the church. If we believe God has called spiritual leaders in the church to a higher accountability and a higher standard, and they will be judged by a higher standard for their sins, and that they are to be blameless and without rebuke. Then, I can’t help but wonder, what part of Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, the Bishop did not understand?
It also leaves me with the questions, as to why the good Bishop fail to respect and take responsibility for his leadership role and position of authority with these young men. And why he did not take a female or a mature male companion along with him, or even his own son on these trips, as not to be alone with these young boys, in order to protect himself, and prevent claims such as these against him, if this is of a truth.
If these claims are truth, then one must ask, why was the Bishop not practicing what God’s Word teaches, and what he preaches? And why does the bishop, even now, think it nothing to embarrass the body of Christ, and cause shame to the church of God, and cause the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the Word of God and His name? Why would Bishop Long so boldly be in disobedience, and expect others to follow his teachings in obedience. Why didn’t Bishop Long follow the directives laid out by Paul, to “shun or abstain from the very appearance of evil,?” Why is the good Bishop being headstrong and in disobedience before God and the church, and has not felt it spiriutally proper for him sit down until these things pass over?
These are perilous times in the body of Christ, because many of our very own spiritual leaders whom God has set over the church to protect us, have become, many are becoming, and many are already lovers of themselves, defiant, headstrong, unholy, lovers of money, boasters, and proud.
But, I charge you, Bishop Eddie Long to, Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. Be humble, don’t leave New Birth with the painful task of doing as Paul has order the church to do in, I Corinthians chapters 5-6. Nor should you give opportunity for further shame and embarrassment of claims to come up against you to sit you down. Be wise, as It is spiritually important and correct that you be humble, and with humility please, take your seat until this is over … What In Hell Do You Want?!
