Paul wrote his last letter to his spiritual son Timothy. One warning stands out: The worst enemy Timothy will ever face is not devils, Roman tyrants or barbarians. It’s preachers who are backslidden in the pulpit.
2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.”
Here it is again in the Living Translation: “For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.”
These preachers abound in the church today. Audiences with sensual desires hired them. They are the toast of a generation that never reads their Bibles. The product of churches gone wild.
Why am I writing this?
Why am I writing this? The answer is in the prelude to Paul’s warning to Timothy in this final letter. 2 Timothy 4:1-2 says, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all patience and teaching.”
Paul says, in essence, ‘Timothy you will stand before Christ. He will judge fake preachers with great wrath and burn up their works. Don’t be one of them. Fight them. Rebuke whenever it is needed. Instruct with patience as often as is needed. Don’t just do it when you feel like it. Prove that you are one of the real ones.’
But Mario, what real harm are these ministers doing? More than anything or anyone else is doing to the church.
But Mario, what real harm are these ministers doing? More than anything or anyone else is doing to the church. More than you can possibly imagine. First of all, they are grieving the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. And they are not merely doing more harm than good—they are doing all harm, and no good.
Backslidden preachers are a clear and present danger to the church and to themselves. Their messages create mutants—a huge number of Christian preemies—born in congenital compromise. Lacking in the essential nutrients to start a life with Christ as Lord.
How else do you think we lost marriage, gained late-term abortion, and headed down the path of Sodom and Gomorrah?
How else do you think we lost marriage, gained late-term abortion, and headed down the path of Sodom and Gomorrah? While the backslidden preacher didn’t cause our flood of immorality—they kept the army of God from rising up to stop it.
Because they are backslidden in the pulpit, churches are hostile to true saints. The remnant of God is grieved. They cry tears of sorrow and disbelief at what is pawned off as vessels of God. They struggle to find a church with even a hint of reverence or the presence of God.
To their shame, they and their followers have discouraged sincere young preachers, as well as urban youth who see the lifestyle of drug dealers and pimps and ask, “what’s the use of flipping burgers for minimum wage?”
-Young preachers see the tricks, the flamboyance, and easy money of carnal preaching while they struggle to get partners for a righteous cause.
-Young preachers see the tricks, the flamboyance, and easy money of carnal preaching while they struggle to get partners for a righteous cause.
Lost in all of this is the definition of a real man and woman of God. Let me remind you with these words from E.M. Bounds:
“The gospel of Christ does not move by popular waves. It has no self–propagating power. It moves as the men who have charge of it move. The preacher must impersonate the gospel. Its divine, most distinctive features must be embodied in him. The constraining power of love must be in the preacher as a projecting, eccentric, an all–commanding, self–oblivious force. The energy of self–denial must be his being, his heart and blood and bones. He must go forth as a man among men, clothed with humility, abiding in meekness, wise as a serpent, harmless as a dove; the bonds of a servant with the spirit of a king, a king in high, royal, independent bearing, with the simplicity and sweetness of a child.
“The preacher must throw himself, with all the abandon of a perfect, self–emptying faith and a self–consuming zeal, into his work for the salvation of men. Hearty, heroic, compassionate, fearless martyrs must the men be who take hold of and shape a generation for God. If they be timid time-servers, place-seekers, if they be men-pleasers or men-fearers, if their faith has a weak hold on God or his Word, if their denial be broken by any phase of self or the world, they cannot take hold of the Church nor the world for God.”
I wrote this in direct obedience to God. Judgment is coming upon those of you preachers who are backslidden in the pulpit. Maybe Jesus can use this to save you before it’s too late.
I wrote this because we need to shout it from the rooftops that God will bless those who go after Him with a clean heart. Those who have emptied themselves of all self, have no other plans than to do His will. He will give them untold provision and power. He will raise them up in true promotion. The Lord can still change the world through pure hearts, broken vessels, and Spirit-filled warriors!
When evil is exalted, God looks for deliverers. He scans the nation to see who will cleanse themselves from the carnal church and intoxicated preachers. He looks for those who will allow God to make them the indestructible and irresistible voices to restore righteousness to America.
Amen
Yes Mario and team. It is few and far between to see Righteousness abound
After seeing so many this past yr exposed from YRs of sin .
It’s just sickening
Thats why so many do not have a hunger to go to church
Bad examples do effect the lost
Keep preaching Mario.
Look at California it has heard the Word
Bless you and your family.
I have not found a Church to attend in 30 years. Every time we moved, military, I would look for a church, a Holy Spirit filled church. Only to find churches more interested in their
Own agendas and not the Word of God and allowing Holy Spirit free to move. I stopped trying about 12 years ago when the last church we attended kept canceling the services for soccer practices and games. I realized over the years I was looking for a church like the one I attended when I was young. Where Holy Spirit was in charged. Sometimes we would not leave till after midnight…and still went to school the next day. Unfortunately, as the saying goes “there’s more spirit in grave yards then in churches “.
Holy Spirit move among us today, open our eyes to see King Jesus and our need for Him and you in our mist.
Your comment is impacting. God bless you abundantly
I can relate! We desperately need a move of the Holy Spirit!!
Totally understand! I am not in a church either for many years! Well said
YES! AMEN!!
100% this is truth!
Your comment is impacting. God bless you abundantly
There are men and women preachers/leaders who bring into the churches/seminaries a wordly business mind set. But, God is using people who cannot be bought by money. Their focus is loving Jesus and loving others (the Great Commandment). Then, through the power of the Holy Spirit, they do the Great Commission. <= Most pastors are not truly committed to the latter. They do not truly care that people are going to hell forever. <=If you can say that last sentence without crying, please pastors/leaders fast and pray for a broken heart for those outside His family. We need true shepherds. Many Christians are on a cruise ship when God wants them on a warship in a battle for souls and for making disciples.
The church in America is all about money. If I ever do go back to church which I’ve had some terrible terrible experiences with so-called Christians. My observation since the 70s is that if there’s a fellowship that you go to and they teach on tithing they have not clue one about the Bible. That would be my advice to anyone. Be led by the spirit as you decide where you might want to fellowship but as far as I’m concerned I don’t go to church anymore I am the church. Or two or three are gathered Jesus said there I am in the midst. Organized religion which always amounts to cash in people’s pockets is what I believe John referred to as the Antichrist. Counterfeit Christianity. As I said if they teach on tithing they’re not a bible-based church. At one Assembly of God that I went to people were appointed into eldership based on their incomes. The elders were required to give 30% of their six-figure incomes so they can retain their position in good standing. If that’s not of the devil I don’t know what is.
Paul I’m sorry that you had such a terrible experience at church. I’ve been attending this past church for 16 years. After the second visit I was in the bathroom stall and overheard a conversation with the mature believers. It was ungodly. I said “Lord, I can’t stay here if these are the mature believers.” He said ” You stay and pray for these people.” which I have done. Now our church is absolutely amazing! Our pastor preaches on sin, we had 62 baptisms last year!
I ‘m not sure why you think tithing is nonbiblical. There are scriptures in the old and new testament describing the blessings behind it. God doesn’t need our money, he wants our heart. Making people give 30% of their money never earns your way to heaven. Nor 10%, but God can use the combined money to do much good in the community if given out of love, which then brings more fruit and believers. Praying for the eyes of your heart to be enlightened.
Yes indeed there are fake pastors everywhere. I know someone who claims they became a pastor online through youtube. And got the certificate and all. But, who has never done any of the work that it takes to be a real pastor. Instead this person hijacks info from other pastors websites without their permission. In my opinion it takes years and years of dedicated service to the Lord before anyone should even consider themselves qualified to lead the sheep. I feel sorry for these mis-guided souls. They are doing a lot of damage as Mario says.
I have seen first hand two such Preachers. The first was a “Bishop” of a well-known organized Church who decided to support and pander, on his Pulpit, for a presidential candidate that supported late-term abortion. The second was a week ago when a Pastor, standing on his Pulpit, behind the podium with his Bible turned to Matthew 11:12, reasoning with his congregation his “threat” against what Our President has DŌGE doing. It was his justifying VIOLENCE by using the Word of God that I took offense.
True! True! It’s become a den of thieves. Thanks for sharing. You say it so well. We will pray a great year of repentance in the body of Christ. Blessings!
Mario, you are so right on in your statements. May this warning help all of those in ministry to serve with a true servants heart.
Let the Truth be Told. Down here in the Bahamas, We as Children of God has the same situation . But God is able to Change the Culture of Luke warm Pastors. I Pray for a Supernatural Revival by the Holy Spirit that these Pastors would Repent and turn back to God.
So true!! Thank you for speaking the TRUTH in LOVE! We need honesty, boldness, and truthful preachers in the pulpits of America if we want true Holy Spirit (BOOK OF ACTS) REVIVAL for the United States to be Turner around for Jesus Christ!! Thank you MMM! 🙌📖🎯👀
I love what you have said. I haven’t seen things that way but maybe I threw up my arms and defending my children and refused to let them any where near the church. And now that my children are grown up. I was wrong I kept them away from God. I didn’t mean to do that I had built up so much fear of these preachers I lost myself along the way. Thank you Mario I wish you Love and Happiness in all you do for people of course Todd is included in this because I get fired up watching you two. God bless and keep you and your family safe. Marvette Shuman
I don’t have any of these accounts anymore I stay away from them. There just a bunch of fear mongering going on. Thanks Marvette Shuman
Thank you I needed this,I’ve always been timid ,please pray that I get that Boldness that only The Lord can give.The Boldness and Courage to do His Will
Hey Kathy! If you’re born again you’ve been made the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). Proverbs 28:1 says the righteous are as bold as a lion. So just start saying that about yourself. “I’m righteous and as bold as a lion.” You’ll be agreeing with God and pretty soon you’ll start seeing that Word produce boldness in you!
Such do not tolerate anything or anyone that does not accept the status quo and will do things and say things that “encourage” folks to stay away.
At some point their sin will find them out, but the damage their attitude and words have done to those that want more of God stays like skunk spray.
“Thorn in the flesh”, Speaking from experience.
Thanks Mario,
The time to be recklessly abandoned to the Lord, is now. Peter writes 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not delaying the promise of His coming, as some in their own minds reckon delay; rather, He is longsuffering toward us, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
I pray your message, stirs those who have drifted. Backslidden in the pulpit. It will filter to the pew. Or as in the days of the black death, the leaders abandoned their duties and God raised up the true Shepherds to fed the flock.
There is a momentum going from the White House, but true change comes when we seek first His (,God’s)House. Seeking the Kingdom, His righteousness.
Love the quote from EM Bound. Thanks for following hard after God. From what I am seeing, Jesus has put His finger on the scale. Let the church arise.
Praise God ! True words from God ,I have seen preachers who are only after the money . Thank you brother Mario for speaking out about their corruption in the pulpit , seeking only to soothe the carnal flesh .
Thank 😊 you Mario. You speak the truth. God Bless You and your precious family
❤️
Thank you Mario. The last church I attended, believing the Pastor had grown in the Lord.To my dismay,his money begging didn’t stop,I felt like he was rapeing the young marrieds,and the elderly .to build his legacy. Then I found out there was sin in the worship team. I left, and am still searching for a non woke church.
I live in a very left-leaning state. It’s hard to find a good church with faithful pastor. We found one, very small and blessed. No hype, just pure word of God. Love your ministry. Thank you!!
AMEN AMEN AMEN AND AMEN! THAT IS THE TRUTH NOW THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND REPENT AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST STAND STILL AND NOW THAT IAM ABBA FATHER GOD RIGHT NOW IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS!
Mario, how do we find a church that is in tune with God, and not trying to fit in to the worlds standards?
I have been looking for a while, going to different churches and all spirit filled churches in Australia seem to have a rule, Act like the world to entice the world in. !!!!
I miss going to church to worship the Lord.
Help.
I pray that the Lord connect you through divine appointment to enable you to find church family. In Jesus Name.
Wow very powerful … this message is not just for the preachers at the pulpit at least for my position it opens eyes of maybe assistant pastors youth leaders worship leaders to what’s really going on above their pay grade as to say … and maybe they can Shout the truth in the church if the head pasture and Leadership refuses to…. or simply leave and start their own churches as they run after the Ecclesia..personally has dealt with this for the last 10 years got kicked out of a couple churches.. me and my wife and my family had to deal with a lot of feelings of rejection…. but with the Holy Spirit like fire in my mouth I could not stop myself from speaking the truth the price to be paid for that is so worth it blessings brother
Mario, I just realised in my post that always keep saying Australian churches and the Lord corrected me.
I actually live in Queensland Brisbane so I can’t speak for the other states, only what I have been exposed to here.
Margaret Court, I have heard who is in Western Australia, has a wonderful spirit filled church.
My apologies. Meg
Amen
I see this too often. Teaching around the truth.no pwer, no evidence of the power of the word of God. A whole lot of talking without any backing, seemingly of Holy Spirit.
I have seen the powerless church all my life. Those who demonstrate the word with power seem to slip into a state of being full of themselves, and soon it becomes a repetitive song. But the day of the Lord is coming. I see it, but the time is not yet.
Amen…
Amen! Raise up the remnant Lord!!!
Wow! Trust Murillo for Spirit-cutting insight: right down to the bones and marrows in the body of Christ and the whisperings of the redeemed and unredeemed heart of man, Murillo gives timely warnings in love, and refreshingly honest prose.
Preach that!! We all ‘must impersonate the gospel.’ And every believer has been called by God and given the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18) Thank you for preaching God’s truth, Mario.
Brother Mario, I am in the joy of the Lord to report to you that those behind the pulpits in Eatonton are preaching the Word of God. I am currently in a group led by a true shepherd of his flock who cares about his beloved. It is always evident even in the natural when you see people of all ages flocking to your church. They are hungry and thirsty for THE TRUTH! I share your messages all over the place. People are listening and awakening. The worldwide Ekklesia is working together in unity, and the greatest way, as you know, to do that is to pray together and thanks to our technology today, the world gets increasingly smaller. Thank you once again for being radically obedient to the Lord’s work He is called you to do in this hour. I just wonder how many crowns you shall throw at King Jesus’ feet when you meet Him face to face. May our Lord continue to give you strength, stamina, a sound mind, a loving heart, and all resources necessary to carry out His will. In the name of Yeshuah HaMashiach, Amen and amen.
As the beginning so will be the end..20 or more years ago the terminology of a preacher was a apostolic anointing if any of the 5fold were walking in The SPIRIT, Acts 2 shows us what the end is, the Apostolic walk, period..in then the ” time of refreshing ” so is it beginning now…signs and wonders, healing, miracles, creative miracles…and the luke warm pulpit pleasers will be exposed…wide open Lion of Judah
You’ve said my heart & deep burdens which many don’t understand & think is just being too negative or critical. Loved the quote, also, by Bounds. It seems courage & boldness are vitally important & missing from too many in the pulpit & politics. They might have strong convictions, but can’t bear rejection in any form. God, help us all.
Thank you Mario for speaking truth and standing against the deceit in the Church. This backsliding is continuing to be exposed in teaching and actions of so many. We have heard for decades about the Catholic church have abuse but finally the truth has come out against the Christian and spirit filled churches that are doing the same and worse. They also learned that covering up or handling INTERNALLY will not protect you from the truth.
Blessings over you and your ministry and the Church being cleaned up and so.many good followers not having their churches closed but bad leaders removed and true leaders taking over and running them as God has instructed.
Your word is so true. It is so hard to find a true Christ Centered Church. Too many churches have become social institutions that do not preach from the Bible but from the teachings of man. The problem with these teachings is that it changes like the surf of the ocean but God’s word never changes. As Tiff Shuttlesworth states, preachers must start in the Bible, stay in the Bible and end in the Bible.
These back sliding preachers are leading generations of people on the path to hell. Why, because preachers and their congregations are not reading and studying the Bible on a daily basis. We spend too much time on social media and worldly pursuits. This is a trick of the devil to pull us away from God’s word. Just like drugs and alcohol, it clouds our judgement.
God has given us a way out through his grace via Jesus Christ and his only requirement is for us to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and turn from our wicked ways.
I thank you Mario and others like you who are preaching the Bible and not your own religious doctrine. May God continue to Bless and use you to do his will.
Amen! 🙌🏻
Thank you for speaking the hard truths. E.M. Bounds also peached and taught during a time of great time of great upheaval and a time of defining our nation to the world. We are in such a time now.
Lord pour out Your Spirit in Your churches, give a Holy Boldness to Your people so we may rise up and speak Your Truth to the lost. Speak once more to the false teachers, drawing them into Your Righteousness. Seeking You, and turning to You. If they refuse, Move them out, In Your Name we pray. Amen
Only the Spirit filled churches will be equipped to endure to the end. Man MUST stop leaning on his own understanding and fully surrender his own will and be baptized in Holy Spirit.
Amen – so true because he is the vine and we are the branches.Unless we are in constant communication with our Father,Son,and HOLY SPIRIT..we can do nothing for the kingdom of GOD.Pray always with ALL Prayer and supplication IN THE SPIRIT!
So timely. Amen.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: makes straight the way of the Lord. John 1:23 I am a newly certified minister in the Assemblies of God. I’ve been preaching to the homeless for a couple years and just got an interview to go into the jail on Sunday afternoons. Then I got slammed by the devil. My health has been affected my home has been affected my heart aches for more of God in the midst of this struggle. Thank you for encouraging my heart today Mario. Pray that opposition would not cause me to shirk my responsibility. I believe as I walk in the anointing all things are possible! Blessings on all you do brother. Lord may we never compromise the word of God!
Let’s go!🔥
May the Holy Spirit direct these selfish pastors, elders , deacons etc. back to their 1st Love. That is to Holy Jesus the Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus only 1 road to be taken! Narrow is the path and few find it !
VERY, VERY POWERFUL TRUTH!!!!
Bro. Murillo, Yes saints walking with the Holy Spirit can see them. Thanks
In our assembly now, we are praying for all the churches in our small city to come to repentance and unite in love. The Great harvest that is coming is too big for one ministry, one church, one man. We need all hands on deck. Each church must take up the mantle the Holy Spirit gives it to bring His Kingdom to earth. God will weed out those with stiff necks just as He did with the Isrealites in the wilderness. Only the humble, submitted saints are called to serve Him. Pray for the backsides to awaken to the Spirit of the LORD.
No Weapon Formed Against Us Shall Prosper. Let us put on the full Armor of GOD daily. Read Psalm 91 many times daily. Plead the blood of Jesus over all. Pray for our true leaders and America and Israel. GOD WINS America and Israel shall be saved. 🙏🏼❤️🇺🇸❤️🙏🏼
“A falling away will come first “
But it may be a cleansing of the church also
But the younger generation are lacking also spiritual guidance and growth
Thank you once again, Mario, for a message that hits the bullseye of the need for the Church to be resolute in preaching and teaching the full Gospel with signs and wonders following by confirming the Word with power and for true Shepherds that lay their lives down for their flock. Pastors need to embrace their forefathers who were Black Robe Regiment Pastors at the time prior, during, and after the Revolutionary War. http://www.blackrobereg.org/
https://wallbuilders.com › resource › black-robe-regiment-hub
https://blackroberegimentusa.org/ May God continue to reveal His perfect will for you, Mario, so that all you set your hand to do will continue to be for His Glory. I pray for you and your family’s protection with His blessings abounding!
Judgment begins in the pulpit. Jesus said you will know them by their fruits. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual discernment. We have the power of the resurrection in us. It’s time for all of God’s children to use that power. Jesus gives us power over all of our enemies, including satan. Mario, keep up the great work you’re doing. We’ll stand behind you and with our President with the power of Almighty God.
On Monday morning when I awoke at 4:30 AM (Feb. 10th) Jesus spoke very loud and clear, “Teaching against My Holy Spirit must stop!” The day before at church, someone spoke about Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky” to illustrate a point, not a message that our Lord, Yeshua Ben Yosef, would serve at his table!
“Either you are with Me, or you work against Me!”
May Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to Bless and strengthen you…
What you have written Mario is why I will not go to a church. I prayed to find a place to worship and God said start one. We now fellowship with spirit-filled believers who are sold out for God. We praise and worship our King, take communion together, study God’s Word, and break bread just like they did in the book of Acts. It’s a fellowship of believers. Giving God all the glory.
I came out of one of those churches a year ago. The pastor demanded that each member commit themselves to him only or leave & never return. I left as did many but the ones who stayed are blinded & deaf.
Continue to be BOLD Mario, in calling out wickedness!
I am sorry but many of the comments here are not useful as the person does not seem to continue to look until they find a church that is preaching the Word. Pastors are out there. I live in a city where there are many pentecostal/charismatic churches (50+). Over the years, I have visited 20 or more of these churches. God is preached. Many were/are focused on prayer several times a week, Salvations, missions, growing in the Word, and, yes, some do pass the offering or have a box at the back. The problem is not always the church or the pastor. It is the attender with a bad attitude. It was hard to decide here, but we passed up an A/G church of 10,000 people in our neighborhood for a church of 250 who have all I described above. It’s not all bad out there. And, amazingly, you may be able to contribute to make it more godly.