The Ballestero Blog

So You Want To Be Your Own Pastor?

Some Have Tried To Be Their Own Lawyer, By Defending Themselves In Court.

• There’s an old adage: “A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client.”
• We have often laughed or shaken our heads in disbelief at such people.

Some Have Tried To Be Their Own Doctor, And Operate On Themselves

Dr. Leonid Rogozov cut out his own appendix.

http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/igy1/appendix.html

Johannes Lethaeus had a kidney stone the size of a hen’s egg and could not pass it. He got his brother to hand him a knife and he sliced himself open to remove the stone.

• We have often cringed or shaken our head sin disbelief at such people.

Some Have Tried To Be Their Own Dentist, By Pulling Their Own Teeth.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1135582/Man-pulls-13-teeth-pliers-NHS-dentist.html

• Some pull their own teeth
• A few have tried to fill their own cavities.
• There are reports of others making their own braces.
• We have often cringed or shaken our head sin disbelief at them as well.

Some Try To Be Their Own Pastor

• “A man who is his own pastor has a fool for a saint.” – MJB
• Why would we expect people to respect and honor such behavior?

Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Jude 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Jude 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Thayer Lexicon: poimainō  ποιμαίνω

• To feed, to tend a flock, keep sheep
• To rule, govern
• To supply the requisites for the soul’s need

Feeding Themselves Literally Means, “Pastoring Themselves” – (Without Fear)

• Feeding themselves without fear.
• No fear! That alone amazes and scares me.
• Not willing to be pastored by anyone.
• Refusing to submit.
• Unwilling to obey.
• Believe they know best for their own soul.
• Remember, they’re pastoring themselves without fear!

Some Even Sit In Church And Refuse To Receive The Preached Word.

• They hear but they are not doers.
• They hear but they are not convicted or convinced.
• They feel what the pastor said was unnecessary for them to obey or comply.
• They attend church but never change their heart, their mind or their life.
• They drag their feet when it comes to submission.

• Remember, they’re pastoring themselves without fear!

Others Quit The Local Church And Start Having Church In Their Own Home.

• They want to do it their way own way.
• They fearlessly start their own church.
• They feel competent to interpret the Bible for themselves.
• They take their family with them to the very brink of destruction.
• They rejoice in their newfound freedom and liberty while doing so.
• Remember, they’re pastoring themselves without fear!

Both types of individuals are so foolish and Biblically ignorant that they never understand they cannot be saved without a God called Pastor in their life.

Some day their Pastor will have to stand before God and give an account of their obedience, and their submission before the Great White Throne Judgment.

• You will not be able to represent yourself before the Throne of God.
• Your pastor is going to be the one God asks that question to, not you.
• His opinion and report of your conduct while under his pastorship will be most important to God.

You may leave your pastor and go elsewhere thinking you are free. But you are not. You quite possibly have left a trail of evidence behind you that will incriminate you on that day. What report the pastor gives to God on Heaven’s witness stand will only fall into two categories, either Joy or Grief.

You may leave your home church because you don’t like the holiness standards or you got crossed up with your pastor. But, remember this, you are still his in the Judgment according to Hebrews 13:17, no matter if you have found another church in the meantime.

Your Pastor will be forced to explain to God that you left because you would not obey or submit.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

God Will Ask The Pastor.

• “Did they obey?”
• “Did they submit?”

Understand That It Is Possible To Obey Without Submitting. But One Cannot Submit Without Obeying.

• Go ahead and sit in church all rebellious and come when you want to.
• Lay out of church when you want. Remember, you’re fearless
• Withhold your tithes as a protest to your Pastor.
• Stay home and read your Bible and have your own devotions at home instead of going to church.
• Keep your family home with you. Remember, you’re fearless.
• The scriptures already spoke that people would be foolish just like you.
• Remember, you’re pastoring yourself without fear!

Jude 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear:

• Your spirit of trying to pastor yourself and make your own eternal decisions just got you included in Heaven’s Hall Of Shame along with Balaam and Korah.
• You are no different in God’s eyes.
• Was submission such a big issue for you that you took your soul in your own hands and willingly gambled on your eternity?
• Nothing could be sadder for you.

There Are Those Who Say They Left Because They Are Not Being Fed. Some Continue To Come To Church And Make The Same Claim.

• If I were you I would be embarrassed to admit I was not being fed. Here’s why.
• Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
• Isa 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
• Only the willing and obedient are eating the good of the land.
• Unwillingness and disobedience will keep you at arms length from the blessings of the Lord every time.

The Old Testament Refers Those Who Pastor Themselves As Backslidden. 

Prov. 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

Prov. 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

The actual chance of someone who has become their own pastor and ever resubmitting themselves to God’s Word and God’s man again is not very good.

• Can such a person repent? Sure.
• Will they ever come to themselves and repent? Not likely if we are to go by all the others we have seen.

• Remember, they’re pastoring themselves without fear!

When Someone Rebels Against God’s Word And His Plans For Our Lives, It Is Seldom That We See Such A One Recover.

• Do we try and talk to them when we see them make bad decisions? Yes.
• Do we pray for them? Sure.
• Do we fellowship them after they leave? Not if they have talked against the pastor or the church.

1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

• Railer: Noun. One who rails; one who scoffs, insults, censures, or reproaches.

If I were a saint who tried to pastor myself, knowingly or not, I would repent before God and ask Him to restore the Fear of the Lord back into my heart.

I would repent to my Pastor and ask him if I could resubmit myself.

If I was having my own church at home and pastoring myself, I would repent to God and realize God would never advise me to go against what is already written in His Word.

I would close up my ‘self’ church. And repent to my spouse and family. I would go back to my local church where God had placed me. I would repent to the pastor and the church family. I would pledge my obedience and submission. I would plead with the pastor to give me the honor of coming home.

This blog today was not written to invite bad stories about pastors, but rather is a warning to those who choose to become their own priest.

The coming of the Lord is nigh at hand. May His coming not find any of us living in a fearless manner.

I’ll Ask The Question Again… “Do You Want To Be Your Own Pastor?”

Surely Not! Your Precious Family Deserves Better!