Today, I present to you a very popular case of 'domestic abuse' that recently occurred in Atlanta earlier on this week.
This is the story of how Juanita Bynum, the well-renowned teleevangelist, was "choked, beaten, and stomped" (police statement) by her also well-renowned husband, and acknowledged BISHOP, Thomas Weeks III. I only just heard about it a few days ago, and I was very bewildered by the whole incident. But one thing I want to quickly point out here on my blog is that over the next few weeks, people are going to use this opportunity to speak against God & Christianity. I agree that this will seem like a perfect opportunity to debunk who God really is. It's only fair that a bishop should know he (of all people) should not beat his wife, esp after he must have PREACHED against it on several accounts.
One thing we all need to know though is that the devil is not joking...he doesn't have that much time left on his hands, so he is working real hard to cause havoc in the body of Christ. So while people are preaching, he is trying to destroy those words. In fact, he will make them go in the opposite direction from what they are talking about. If you were the devil and you were smart, you'd do the same thing. You've gotta try and win your battle, right? Well, now this whole thing forms a perfect picture of "the SUICIDE of the body of Christ." Think about that as a perfect tabloid. Then reading in-between the lines, you suddenly find out that someone actually murdered this person, but then rearranged the room setting to look like a suicide mission. Maybe I've been watching too much of PRISON BREAK....:)
Just trying to say that this is not a time to point fingers, but this is a time to pray harder and watch for yourselves. Jesus said in Matthew 24 that we should "watch and pray, for you know not what hour the thief will come into your house." He was referring to the end times, we need to watch ourselves, our friends, and our families. We need to watch the little things in our characters that are disastrous. We need to watch out for catankerous things that we sometimes do to other people. We need to watch out for jealousy and strife. If you don't watch and pray while you still can, it may slowly creep in on you that there is really something occurring in the atmosphere, and the last day is fast approaching. Don't use this time to point fingers and criticize Bishop Thomas, but pray for him, and take a long look at yourself. Are you doing some wrong things in your life? Are there some not-so-good things you need to change in your life? Do you have God's love on the inside of you to love someone who hates you?
I read a blog just before I wrote mine, and some of the comments I saw were amazing:
Comment 1: "Thats why I do not go to church anymore," I pray this person comes to the important realization that he/she is not going to church to meet with imperfect men but a perfect God, who has no flaws. And I hope strongly that there is also the knowledge that 'in the presence of God there is liberty,' and 'in the presence of God there is fullness of JOY."
Comment 2: "Priests and ministers are the worst people, but they pretend on the outside." Sometimes it is true that they are the most pretentious of all people, but not all of them like that. Even when Jesus was here on earth, He already warned us by saying, "many will come in sheep's clothing but inside they are ravenous wolves." In the end-times, we will find a lot of false ministers. Big deal!!! The devil has targeted them to bring destruction to God's house. Don't be deceived, not all ministers will be good inside their hearts. On the last day, many will say to God, "Lord, Lord, didn't I do signs and wonders in Your name? Cast out demons in Your name?" And God will simply reply, "I know you not!" Because our God does not look at the outward appearances (e.g. a minister with a white robe), but He looks at what's on the inside.
Comment 3: "I can't believe a whole BISHOP will do that," surprise, surprise...a bishop is still a human being with flaws. If Thomas Weeks is a true child of God, then when He runs back into God's arms, God will still receive him (despite all the bad things being said about him right now), because God is LOVE. And the bible also says that, "seven times a righteous man may fall, but seven times he will get back UP again..." If he is repentant (just like many of us who have done HIDEOUS things in the past, pointing a finger at myself), God will receive him again, because that's just how our Father is. Forgiving.
Let's just pray for them...pray that there will be reconciliation. But most of all, pray that God's will be done in their lives, because that's the most important thing. Pray for the body of Christ to remain steadfast.
Pray for yourselves to be the LIGHT of the world, people that others can look up to and say, "yes I wanna be like that person...I want her God to be my God." Light your own lamp.
20 comments:
you couldn't have said it better, jaycee. read the story recently too. truly, we need to watch each other's back
hmm....scary yes, but indeed the need to pray is so important.no pointing of fingers, no accusations, no being judgemental...just pray,for prophetess Juanita for strenght on every side and Bishop Thomas, for help
well said. This is not a time to be dilusion, but a time of steadfast prayers.
Heartbreaking, but like u said, this isn't the time to point fingers and judge. May God help us all.
Gal. 6:1 says "Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself."
It is a scary thought indeed to see a M.O.G do such a thing but like you said the devil is not playing!
I hope people are able to see him for the man he is,and pray for them both.
I just heard the news yesterday and i didn't know what to say.
All we need is God's help
Very well said!!!
It is very easy to forget that there is a warring daily with the flesh and Spirit.
We all able stand and be righteous by His grace only!!!
SHocking
I received an email that we should pray for weeks and bynum.... i was like why? what ? but i'm gonna pray...
I am just getting the full story from your blog
THis is
shocking
and disappointing.
Shocking? I don't think so. Disappointing? Hardly. Who knows what goes on in our private moments? Or maybe I'm just jaded. I applaud Juanitta. It must've taken a lot of courage for her to stand up and say, 'yes, my husband, the Bishop did this.' So many women within the church leadership have suffered the same kind of abuse and are keeping quiet. The prayer is that Juanitta's public denouncement will give them to courage to stand up and say, 'No more. I'm a child of God.'
I have never had much patience for those who purport to be Christians and criticise the Church. Speak out (with discernment) but do something about what you see, otherwise, shut it is my motto. And as for those who start their sentences with, 'All Christians are hypocrite especially the leadership, blah, blah, yada, yada.' My response is as ever, swift, 'I suppose you have never professed something and veered from it, not even once in your life. It must be great being so perfect, oh so moral one.'
I know the Church is not perfect but I do not tolerate any finger-pointing. At the end of the day, we, the Church, are human, and doing the best we can. Give us a break and if you can't, shut it.
That's the mistake we always make when someone comes to complain to us or we read about something negative. We are so ready to give our own input and even more make matters worst. How many times do we take our time to commit that individual to God? I am guilty of pointing fingers too...but may God have mercy on us all...
I hope people will realize that the church is not bad, neither is the religion bad...it is the individuals that need to surrender their lives to God. "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." - James 1:14
I know ppl xpect better from M.O.G.,like dey r nt s'posse 2 sin since dey preach about it, dey shud know how 2 go about avoidin sin(includin me)... in d end we r all human n d Devil no dey joke,but we have a role to play in our sins...lets all pray for him n one anoda n watch ourselves well lyk jaycee sed coz the devil is lookin 4 ways 2 bring down Xtianity,lets nt aid him by condemn each oda instead encourage eacg oda 2 rise up afta every fall
You have a nice blog here. Talking about the things that really matter. Didn't Junaita Bynum just get married to this guy? Why would he do something like that?
Hi
I love the music on your blog. You had 'Deeply in Love' by Hillsong United a few days ago--any idea how I can get hold of the track on the web?
Thanks!
Before I start, I find it necessary to state that I do not condone what this man did to his wife. It is barbaric at best.
I like your response to comment 1. There are no perfect men. Only the Almighty is Perfect. We want these men (bishop and all) to be perfect, perhaps so that we can have someone to look up to.
Let's not forget that they live in our times and are subject to our temptations.
The bible says "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
I applaud her for coming forward. A lot of Pastors and Co are guilty of spousal abuse but tend to get away with it because their spouses don't want to cause a scandal.
You've said it all Jaycee. I pray that God will help all of us not to judge others, lest we be judged in the same measure. None of us is perfect, we are only saved by grace.
Jaycee, I loved your blog. I had been saying the same thing as you once I heard what happened to Prophetess Bynum. The devil is no joke, he is truly trying to discredit God's people, and make a mockery of the body of Christ. I not only prayed for Prophetess Bynum, but also Bishop Weeks because I know he must be hurting behind all of this as well. Thank you so much for your positive perspective on such a awful situation. I hope people take heed to all you said, it was right on da money!!!
Sweetie, missed you too,
and I haven't been here in ages, not thanks to face book, my new addiction.
I love the way you went about this post, I love love Juanita preachings to the bones, and funny thing was I was reading one of her books this morning, the threshing book, the book on prayer, and she said something in the introduction, about how many people deny themselves, the benefits of the presence of God, because of the people, we cannot say becuase one person messed up, the whole clan is bad, its like throwing away the baby, with the bath water.
I Pray bishop Thomas becomes healed in his mind and it totaly renewed and pastor J, is healed inher body and heart, and creates room to love him again.
We has christains must not take our race has a joking one, but a serious fight of faith, we must win.
Thanks for this post.
I meant the threshing floor, not book, error.
firstly the bible says if we confess our sins God is just to forgive .Juanita and weeks need to confess the sin of adultery when they went into marriage .Juanita needs to be discipled and sit under a Godly ministry for restotaration. She must not readily go into public ministry as she has not set a good example. its not a question of charisma only but character is very important in ministry based on the fear of God and fruit of the spirit.
For a while after reading the Bynum case on the heels of Paula White, I chose not to make any comment on these issues but decided to pray for myself.
But add to the scenario Benny Hinn's recent impending divorce. To be honest, I quaked in fear.
The fact that you faithfully serve God all these years, sticking close to your calling and wham, one tiny issue and the devil gives you a pinfall. You tell me if that's not serious. It's so easy to point fingers but until we've been in their shoes and come out unscathed over and over again, we have no right to cast that stone.
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