The Message Leaders Forget

 

 

We also are men

Of like passions with you,

And preach unto you

That ye should turn from these vanities

 Unto the living God,

Which made heaven,

And earth,

And the sea,

And all things that are therein.

 

The gods are come down

In the likeness of men

And straight away Paul had perceived

There was a problem.

 

From the very outset

He tried to nip it in the bud

As any modern-day apostle

Also should.

 

Barnabas became Jupiter

And Paul they called Mercurius

And they were just about ready

To make a huge fuss.

 

They were going to sacrifice

The oxen they brought

But the apostles rent their clothes

And of the living God taught.

 

Why do you do these things?

They sincerely asked

And scarce had restrained them

In this herculean task.

 

Herein is a lesson

For our modern-day gurus

Who often mislead the people,

Even me and you.

 

Taking some of the glory

That belongs to God

And often their followers don’t see

That they are frauds. 

Unlike Paul and Barnabas

Who knew their place

And to accept any of God’s glory

Would be a disgrace.

 

There is much gullibility

Among Christians today

That allow so-called modern-day apostles

To over them hold sway.

 

They are seen like trees

Like that blind man of old

Who had to receive a second touch

From Jesus, we are told.

 

Oh, that they were mature

Like Barnabas and Paul

And point out to such followers

They made the wrong call.

 

For there is only one God

And always will be

And that one God reveals Himself

In the blessed Trinity.

 

An apostle is no greater

Than the least in the pew,

No believer is more significant

When in God’s view.

 

There is an equality

That should be very obvious

Once we are part of that oneness

That exists in Christ Jesus.

 

We are one in Christ

As he is one in the Father

And the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Makes us one together.

 

And as I end this poem

It is wise that I repeat

The verse with which I started;

Please do not delete.

 

 

Acts 14:15

 

We also are men

Of like passions with you,

And preach unto you

That ye should turn from these vanities

 Unto the living God,

Which made heaven,

And earth,

And the sea,

And all things that are therein.

 

Stewart Russell © August 9, 2025

 

The Message Leaders Forget

 

 

Before church leaders

Some parishioners genuflect,

Here’s a message for such leaders

That tend to forget.

 

Revelation 19:10

 

And I fell at his feet

To worship him.

And he said unto me,

See thou do it not:

 

I am thy fellow-servant,

And of thy brethren

That have the testimony of Jesus:

Worship God:

 

For the testimony of Jesus

Is the Spirit of prophecy.

 

 

There is only one

That is worthy of worship,

‘Worship and serve God only’

Is the Bible’s edict.

 

Herod learnt the hard way

When they called him a god,

He accepted the people’s worship

And he died a fraud.

 

God’s glory, the Bible says,

He will not share with another

But the elevation of some pastors

Has become a bother.

 

They appear unfamiliar

With the judgment of Herod

And still strive to stand in the place

He once stood.

 

Their fall will be great

If they too do not repent

And adhere to the divine message

That Herod was sent.

 

 

“And I fell at his feet

To worship him”

Pastors, please point out to them

That this is a sin.

 

“See that you do it not”

Pastors are fellow-servants,

And just like you and me,

They need to repent.

 

If you see men like trees

Having your vision impaired,

Another touch from the Healer

Will make you see clear.

 

No more holy the pulpit

Than a congregant’s pew,

That minister is a fellow-servant

Just like me and you.

 

Beware of those apostles

And of those prophets too,

That befuddle their congregations

As in voodoo.

 

History is replete

With leaders going astray

And leading their blind followers

In destruction’s way.

 

 

Worship God

Is every believer’s duty

For the testimony of Jesus

Is the Spirit of prophecy.

 

And you church leaders:

Stay in your zone,

Accept none of the proffered glory

It is God’s alone. 

Acts 14:15

 

And saying, Sirs,

Why do ye these things?

We also are men of like passions with you,

And preach unto you

That ye should turn from these vanities

Unto the living God,

Which made heaven,

And earth, and the sea,

And all things that are therein.

 

A message to the pew

Regarding the pulpit:

They are men just like you and me

Wherever they sit.

 

A message to the pulpit

Regarding the pew:

Accept that the only difference

Is in your elevated view.

 

Stewart Russell © May 4, 2025