Letter From the Editor’s Desk: The Congregation Should Pray for the Church to Protect Its Members from Leaders Who Cannot Distinguish Between Holy and unHoly

Keywords: Christian Church, congregation, holy, unholy, leaders, covenants, God, SEO, scripture, King James Bible, jesuschrist, eprayer, eprayercircle, freebiblelessons, free bible challenges

 

Hello ePrayer Circle’s Tribe,

While drinking my morning coffee, a funny remembrance came to me that relates to today’s topic. A few years ago, I went to the altar for prayer at church. Many people were there, and the pastor was praying over everyone. As I stood with my head bowed, I felt my purse move. I looked and saw a very tall man in his thirties trying to put his hand in my open purse and take my change purse. He was at the altar!

I looked at him and saw fear in his eyes. I calmly took my purse, placed it on the other shoulder, and zipped it. Then I bowed my head and prayed for him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that he was praying and side-eying me at the same time. When the prayer was over, we both calmly went to our seats as if nothing had happened. Wow.

This story reminds me that we need to be vigilant and pray for each other, especially in times of weakness. It also brings to mind the fact that the devil is now as an angel of light to deceive us. Many shall walk away from the church, so it is more important than ever that the church be strong together.

One way to strengthen the church is to pray for our leaders. We need to pray for them to have wisdom, discernment, and courage. We also need to pray for them to be protected from temptation and from the attacks of the enemy.

Another way to strengthen the church is to be aware of the signs of deception. When we see something that is not right, we need to pray for the person involved and for the church as a whole. We also need to be willing to speak up and confront the issue if necessary.

The church is the body of Christ, and we are all called to protect and defend it. When we pray for each other and for our leaders, we are working together to build a strong and healthy church.

Mark 3:25 KJV  “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

• Matthew 24:24 KJV  “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

 

The Christian Church is a body of believers who have come together to worship Jesus Christ and follow His teachings. As such, it is important for the church to maintain its holiness and protect its members from unholy leaders.

One way to do this is through prayer. The Bible tells us that we should pray for our leaders . When we pray for our leaders, we are asking God to give them wisdom and guidance. We are also asking Him to protect them from temptation and to help them to be faithful to Him.

• 1 Timothy 2:1-4: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Another way to protect the church from unholy leaders is to be aware of the signs of ungodliness. When we see a leader who is not distinguishing between holy and unholy, or who is entering into covenants that are not of God, we need to pray for them and confront them (privately) about their actions.

I want to emphasize that God does not live in a place. He is everywhere and you may worship him in a holy place by stepping outside and praying under the heavens.  However, be aware of public government owned areas because of political fights.  Even so, Jesus did establish the church and it is to be respected.  The church can be inside a persons house, business building, or tent out side.  That is the gift of salvation.  Regardless, how you view church, the Lord established it and commanded that we assemble amongst ourselves.  His house is a house of prayer and worship for all nations.  The bible gives directions on how a church is to be organized with leaders. 

• Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

• Matthew 16:18 KJV  “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

• Ephesians-4-11-14   ¹¹And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ¹⁴That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

 

Why the Congregation Should Pray for the Church to Keep the Congregation Holy

There are many reasons why the congregation should pray for the church to keep the congregation holy.

First, the church is the body of Christ, and He loves His church (Ephesians 5:25). He wants His church to be holy and pure.

Second, Satan is always trying to destroy the church. He knows that if he can corrupt the church, he can damage the kingdom of God. That’s why he targets church leaders.

Third, the church is a beacon of hope in the world. When the church is holy, it draws people to Christ. But when the church is unholy, it drives people away.

• Hebrews 10:25 KJV  “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
• Isaiah 54:5  KJV  “For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”

 

How to Protect the Church’s Members from Its Leaders That Do Not Distinguish Between Holy and Unholy

There are a few things that the congregation can do to protect its members from leaders that do not distinguish between holy and unholy.

First, the congregation needs to be aware of the signs of ungodliness. Some of the signs of ungodliness include:

• A joke or statement that does not support God or his word.
• A lack of humility
• A love of money
• A desire for power
• A willingness to compromise in counseling or activities on God’s Word
• A lackadaisical attitude about doing things properly within the church.
• A lifestyle that is not in line with the teachings of the Bible

Second, the congregation needs to be willing to confront unholy leaders. This can be a difficult thing to do, but it is important to remember that we are all responsible for each other.

A suggestion box is utilized in most churches. You don’t have to put your name on it. It is important to defend the church to be holy, because you are a member of the roual priesthoold and God is not happy with lukewarm Christians. 

• 1 Peter 2:9 KJV  “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
• Revelation 3:16 kjv  “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

Third, the congregation needs to pray for its leaders. We need to ask God to give them wisdom and guidance. We also need to ask Him to protect them from temptation and to help them to be faithful to Him.

• Leviticus 10:10 KJV  “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;”

 

How the Members May Recognize These Actions by Being Aware and Having Conversations with Each Other

One of the best ways to recognize the actions of unholy leaders is to be aware of the signs of ungodliness and to have conversations with each other about what we are seeing.

If we see a leader who is behaving in a way that is not consistent with the teachings of the Bible, we need to talk to other members of the congregation about it. We can also talk to the leader directly.

It is important to be respectful and loving when we confront unholy leaders. We should not attack them or make personal attacks. Instead, we should focus on the issue at hand and try to help them to see the error of their ways.

Matthew 18:15 KJV   ¹⁴Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. ¹⁵Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. ¹⁶But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. ¹⁷And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. ¹⁸Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

 

Conclusion

The Christian Church is a body of believers who have come together to worship Jesus Christ and follow His teachings. As such, it is important for the church to maintain its holiness and protect its members from unholy leaders.

One way to do this is through prayer. We should pray for our leaders, asking God to give them wisdom and guidance and to protect them from temptation. We should also pray for the church, asking God to keep it holy and to protect its members from unholy leaders.

Another way to protect the church from unholy leaders is to be aware of the signs of ungodliness. When we see a leader who is not distinguishing between holy and unholy, or who is entering into covenants that are not of God, we need to pray for them and confront them about their actions.

It is important to remember that the church is the body of Christ. He loves His church and wants it to be holy and pure. We can all play a role in protecting the church from unholy leaders by praying for our leaders, being aware of the signs of ungodliness, and confronting unholy leaders in a loving and respectful way.

We must also remember that we are all sinners, and we are all in need of God’s grace. If we find ourselves in a situation where we are struggling to discern whether or not a leader is unholy, we should seek the advice of other trusted believers. We should also pray for God to give us wisdom and discernment.

The church is a gift from God, and we must do everything we can to protect it. By praying for our leaders, being aware of the signs of ungodliness, and confronting unholy leaders, we can help to ensure that the church remains a beacon of hope and light in the world.  Let Us Pray!

 

A short prayer asking God for help in protecting the congregation and to correct leaders who are not holy:

Father ,

We pray for Your help in protecting our congregation from unholy leaders.

We ask that You give us wisdom and discernment to see the signs of ungodliness and to know how to respond.

We also pray for Your correction of the leaders who are not holy.

We ask that You would bring them to repentance and help them to become faithful servants of Yours.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

****You can also add your own specific requests to this prayer, such as praying for specific leaders or praying for the congregation to be strong and united in the faith.

 

 

May the Grace and Truth of God be With You.

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Romans 10:17 KJV  “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  YouTube Channel Click Here

 

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A CALL TO SALVATION:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:9-10  ⁹That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.

  John 3:5-6  ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷