• LOGOS BIBLE STUDY - click on lesson
  • LESSON 101: REPENTANCE
  • LESSON: 102: FAITH
  • LESSON 103: BAPTISMS
  • LESSON: 104 A, B & C
  • LESSON 105: SALVATION
  • LESSON 106: LIFE & DEATH
  • LESSON: 107 HEAVEN & HELL
  • LESSON: 108 SIN
  • LESSON: 109 TRINITY
  • LESSON:110 GOD THE FATHER
  • LESSON:111 GOD THE SON
  • LESSON: 112 GOD THE HOLY SP[IRIT
  • LESSON:113 MAN (Anthropology)
  • LESSON: 114 ANGELS & SPIRITS
  • LESSON:115 SATAN
  • LESSON: 116 ESCHATOLOGY (End Times)
  • APPENDIX A: VICTORY (booklet)
  • APPENDIX B: LOVE STORY
  • APPENDIX C: THE SAMARITAN RESPONSE
  • LEVEL TWO: INTRODUCTION
  • LESSON 201: STEPS TO MATURITY
  • LESSON 202: LORDSHIP OF CHRIST
  • LESSON 203: RENEWING THE MIND
  • LESSON 204: DISCIPLESHIP
  • LESSON 205: GOD'S DWELLING
  • LESSON 206A: PRAYER
  • LESSON 206B: PRAYER
  • LESSON 207: LOVE
  • LESSON 208: Spirit Soul & Body
  • A PRAYER FOR jULY 4TH
  • A SENSE OF FOREBODING
  • ACCOUNTABILITY
  • ALL AUTHORITY
  • AMERICA MUST REPENT
  • AN ACT OF SELF PRESERVATION
  • ANOTHER LEGALIZED SIN
  • AT THE END OF YOUR ROPE
  • AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH
  • BEING MADE A VESSEL
  • BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS
  • BE CAREFULL WHO YOU LISTEN TO
  • BLIND TO THE TRUTH
  • CALLED OF GOD AND ......
  • CARNAL CHRISTIANS - Part 1
  • CARNAL CHRISTIANS - Part 2
  • CHRISTIAN WARFARE
  • COMPARING CHILDREN
  • CREATED IN HIS IMAGE
  • DARKNESS IN CHURCHES TODAY
  • DARKNESS vs LIGHT
  • DECEPTION
  • DECLARING THE KINGDOM
  • DEPENDENCE ON GOVERNMENT
  • DISCERNING THE WIND
  • DISCERNMENT
  • DIVINE GUIDANCE
  • DRIFTING INTO DARKNESS
  • ETERNAL VALUES
  • EXPERIENCEING HIS PRESENCE
  • FEAR - WHY?
  • GO AND SIN NO MORE
  • GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES
  • GODLESS CHRISTIANITY
  • GOD'S PRESENCE
  • GOD'S SABBATH REST
  • GOD'S TIMING
  • GOD'S WORD IS ETERNAL
  • GOVERNMENT
  • GROWING TO MATURITY
  • HARVEST TIME IS ALMOST OVER
  • HE THAT HATH AN EAR
  • HIS ENEMIES - HIS FOOTSTOOL
  • HOW CLOSE IS CHRIST'S RETURN
  • HOW DISTRACTED ARE YOU
  • HOW TO SHIELD YOURSELF
  • I DREAMED OF TREASURE
  • IDENTIFYING ANTICHRIST
  • IMMORALITY IN THE CHURCH
  • IS THE DEVIL IN HARRY POTTER
  • IT IS TIME FOR GOD TO......
  • JESUS SAID IT WOULD HAPPEN
  • KINGDOMS IN CHAOS
  • KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD
  • KINGDOM THINKING
  • KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH
  • KNOW THE POWER
  • LET THE LIGHT SHINE
  • MAINTENANCE
  • MANY REFUSE TO REPENT
  • MYSTERY BABYLON
  • NECESSARY DISCIPLINE OF A CHILD
  • NOT ALL CHRISTIANS ARE BORN AGAIN
  • AN OMINOUS PROCLAMATION
  • ON BEING A WITNESS
  • POOR, BLIND & NAKED
  • PRAY AFTER THIS MANNER
  • PRAYER THAT CHANGES THINGS
  • PRAYING FOR ENDURANCE
  • PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT
  • PREPARE FOR THE LAST DAYS
  • PROOF ISLAM IS OF SATAN
  • PROPHESY GOOD TO US
  • PSALM 91: TRIBULATION PSALM
  • REASON TO WATCH & PRAY
  • RECOGNIZING TRUE MINISTRY
  • REJECTING TRUTH
  • RELEVANCE OF THE LAW
  • RELIGION vs TRUE CHRISTIANITY
  • REPENT MEANS CHANGE
  • RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP
  • SATAN'S STRATEGY EXPOSED
  • SELFISHNESS
  • SHALL DO EXPOITS
  • SHEDDING INNOCENT BLOOD
  • SIN AND GODLESSNESS
  • SPIRITUAL DECLINE
  • STRONG DELUSION
  • STUFF
  • SURVEILLAENCE
  • TAKE A STEP BACK
  • THE ENEMY WE DON'T SEE
  • THE BIBLICAL GOD
  • THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD
  • THE CHILDREN OF GOD vs ....
  • THE CHURCH & TRUTH
  • THE COMING OF JESUS
  • THE CONFLICT OF THE AGES
  • THE CURRENCY OF HEAVEN
  • THE GATES OF HELL
  • THE GOSPEL THAT PLEASES
  • THE GREATEST OF THESE
  • THE ABSOLUTE POWER
  • THE HORROR OF ......
  • THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS .....
  • THE LAST DAYS
  • THE MARRIED WIDOW
  • THE ORIGIN OF CREATION
  • THE OTHER CHURCH
  • THE REFORMATION CONTINUES
  • THE RISE OF LAWLESSNESS
  • THE SECULAR CHURCH
  • THE SEVEN CHURCHES
  • THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LOVE
  • THE THREE HOLY SPIRITS
  • THE TWO SIDES OF GOD
  • THE WALKING DEAD
  • WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE
  • THE WORKS OF GOD
  • THREATENED WITH DEATH
  • THE TIMING OF EVENTS
  • TO FEAR OR NOT TO FEAR
  • TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH
  • THE TRAGEDY OF ICABOD
  • TRIED BY FIRE
  • TRUE RICHES
  • TRUTH vs DECEPTION
  • TWO KINDS OF WISDOM
  • TWO NATURES IN CONFLICT
  • TWO KINDS OF ENEMY
  • UNCLEAR PROPHETIC WORDS
  • UNDERSTANDING THE LIBERAL MINDSET
  • WHAT HINDERS GOD
  • WHAT BECAME OF THE NEPHILIM
  • WHAT DOES JESUS HATE
  • WHAT GOD WANTS
  • WHERE IS YOUR TRUST
  • WHY A MINISTER FALLS
  • WHY CHRISTIAN DECLINE
  • WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE
  • WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE?
  • WHY GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE
  • WHY IS AMERICA IN DECLINE
  • WHY IS THE CHURCH IN DECLINE
  • WHY NO JUDGMENT ON THE WICKED.....YET
  • WHY PEOPLE REJECT TRUTH
  • WHY PEOPLE WORSHIP FALSE GODS
  • WHY PRAY
  • WHY THE CROSS
  • WHY THE LATTER RAIN
  • WHY THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS
  • WHY WAS JESUS BAPTIZED
  • WONDER OF THE SEED
  • YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER
  • YIELDEDNESS
  • YOUTHFUL LUSTS
  • YOUR BEHAVIOR REVEALS .....
  • DO NOT BE DECIEVED
  • WHEN ARE WE CAUGHT UP
  • WHERE IS THE POWER
  • REAL SURVIVAL GEAR
  • UNITY IN CHRIST
  • VISION OF TWO CHURCHES
  • WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
  • WHY SEXUAL PERVERSION EXISTS
  • WHEAT AND THE TARES
  • ON BEING SONS OF GOD
  • WHAT KINGDOM DO YOU DESIRE
  • WHAT IS THE GREAT AWAKENING
  • THE GREAT AWAKENING - Part 2
  • TWO HIGHWAYS OF LIFE
  • PRAYING FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY
  • WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN POLITICS
  • WAS JESUS LATE?
  • WHY THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH
  • WHY DID JESUS COME
  • WHY IS THE CHURCH IN DECLINE
  • WHY CHANGE IS COMING
  • CLARIFYING THE GREAT AWAKENING
  • YOU WILL FACE THE JUDGE
  • WARNING: BEWARE OF WOLVES
  • FAILURE OF THE PRIESTHOOD
  • WHAT DOES "LORD" MEAN
  • THE ULTIMATE LOSS
  • THE WAY YOU THINK
  • WHAT IS REALITY AND TRUTH
  • THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY
  • WHY IS PATIENCE IMPORTANT
  • WHERE WAS GOD WHEN ......
  • WHY MANY WON'T BE SAVED
  • SECTARIANISM IN THE CHURCH
  • WHY SO MUCH DARKNESS
  • INCREDIBLE DECEPTION
  • THE VALUE OF SALT
  • WHY THE PARABLE OF WHEAT AND TARES
  • WHO IS IN CONTROL
  • We Are Wonderfully Made By God
  • STUDY OF DIVINE POWER
  • TOTAL REDEMPTION
  • THE HARVEST IS RIPE
  • THE PENALTY OF UNBELIEF
  • WHAT PRECEDS THE RETURN OF CHRIST
  • WHO WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN HEAVEN
  • THE ERROR IN THJE GRACE MESSAGEE
  • FINAL CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE
  • HAS AMERICAN BECOME WORSE
  • WHY CELEBRATE PENTECOST
  • WE HAVE BEEN INFILTRATED
  • IS A FAMINE COMING?
  • THE FOUNDATION OF GOD'S KINGDOM
  • DEALING WITH LEFTIST PROGRESSIVES
  • MAN'S KINGDOMS vs GOD'S
  • MOTIVATION TO PRAY
  • PRIDE - WHAT GOD HATES
  • SEEING IS BELIEVING - OR IS IT?
  • WHY THE DISCIPLES HAD GREAT SUCCESS
  • REVIVAL vs ENTERTAINMENT
  • FACING DEATH
  • AFFLICTION
  • THE CONSEQUENCE OF BITTERNESS
  • THE REALITY OF HELL
  • TIME OF TRAVAIL
  • IN HIS IMAGE
  • BELIEVERS ARE SONS OF GOD
  • EXPOSING A FALSE DOCTRINE
  • EXPOSING A FALSE DOCTRINE - PART 2
  • THE POWERLESS CHURCH
  • WHAT IS ATONEMENT
  • UNGODLY COUNSEL - BEWARE
  • BEWARE FALSE PROPHETS & MINISTERS
  • THE GREAT DISCONNECT
  • WE HAVE A SERIOUS FUEL SHORTAGE
  • WHY SO MUCH CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENT
  • PROOF OF A DIVINE CREATOR
  • THE DANGEROUS PROSPERITY DOCTRINE
  • SPIRITUAL WOLVES
  • OUR WORLDLY STRUGGLES
  • UNEXPECTED AND UNPREPARED
  • WHAT GOD IS
  • EVERTHING IS BEING SHAKEN
  • NO EXPIRATION DATE
  • WHY JUDGMENT BEGINS AT THE HOUSE OF GOD
  • WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
  • THE STATE OF THE UNION

                                                                  WHY A MINISTER FALLS

                                                                                                                                                                     By W. G. Guy

          The following is a tragic real-life account of a man who once served God and proclaimed the gospel message of salvation around the world.  I know this story personally since we worked together on evangelist campaigns and missionary trips around the world during the 1970’s and 80’s.  His name will not be used due to the nature of his failure and fall from the ministry.  The purpose of this story is to identify why such things happen to those in the ministry as it has been repeated over and over again, even by some very well-known ministers.

           This man came to Christ and had a marvelous life-changing experience.  He was full of zeal and became very active in his church.  He had a flamboyant personality which showed in how diligent he was in sharing the gospel of Christ.  I assisted him at times in his studies at a seminary that he attended as an extension student.  He loved to preach and sought every opportunity to do so.

          He supported himself by advertising sales with one of the largest radio stations in central Florida.  Since he was a good promoter, he joined the team of a large local church that developed a traveling music ministry.  He traveled the US booking engagements for concerts.  Almost weekly he would call me while I was pastoring a church in Minnesota and he would report on his experiences and things he discovered about various churches as he traveled.  In particular he reported on ministers who had fallen into sin and reproach which troubled him.  It appeared he needed someone to talk to about these matters and I was that person.  During his tours I had him come to conduct a week long evangelist crusade at my church and teach my congregation how to witness and evangelize.

          After I returned to Florida, we worked together as organizers of the Here’s Life Florida crusade developed by the late Dr. Bill Bright.  We also traveled together to foreign countries conducting crusades where he was the evangelist holding nightly meetings and I was the teacher conducting daytime seminars for ministers and their staff.  We were a very successful team.

          In the 1990’s our efforts went in different directions and he began a daily radio talk show that became the biggest and best known talk show in central Florida. He even got his own weekly TV show on a local Christian TV station.  He had me on a guest on one show as a result of my monthly publications in which one topic really caught his eye and which he wanted to promote.  While he was doing his media work I joined the staff of a local seminary where I taught and administered as an Assistant Dean and Director of Foreign Outreach.  He and I had little contact during this time as he was very busy with his radio program which continued to expand.

          Unfortunately things took a wrong turn for him after a few years of great radio success and I did not hear any more from him until he ended up in serious trouble.  He and his wife came to my house for a visit as he needed to talk and wanted help.  I couldn’t believe what happened and the snare he fell into and in which he continued to dig himself deeper and deeper instead of finding his way out.

         As a result of his talk radio program in which people would call in to discuss issues, both local, church related and personal, he ended up counseling a woman who was having marital problems.  After a few counseling sessions he ended up going to bed with her – this was his first and major failure.  That woman’s husband found out about it and would call in to his radio program to lambast him on the air.  He also called the shows sponsors to tell on him and harassed him as much as he could in order to do him harm.

          He could no longer deal with this and sought to eliminate the husband as a problem.  He actually contracted a hit man to kill the woman’s husband.  However he ended up hiring an undercover cop for the job.  He dug himself deeper in the pit.  He was out on bail when he came to me and asked for me to pray for him and to be with him and his wife during court proceedings.  He was found guilty and I was also with him when he was sentenced:  he got three years prison followed by three years of probation.

          I communicated with him and his wife at various times while in prison until he got out.  I also gave his wife the money she needed to travel to the prison to see him.  By this time he changed, but for the worse as he now had a “chip on his shoulder” and he no longer communicated with me.  He treated me as though I was now on the other side as an adversary, especially since I left the seminary and was workings as a probation officer at the time.

          While he was on probation he became a voice for the criminals with whom he identified with while in prison.  He joined the local ACLU, an opponent of most things Christian, and became the local director.  As their central Florida spokesperson he was present at all such demonstrations and protests.  He relished being in front of the TV cameras making his case for the cause.  He was no longer and ambassador for Christ but became and ambassador for sinners.  What a change.

          During this time his wife passed away; she was several years older than he.  He finished his period of probation and I still never heard from him, and I no longer knew where he was.  A couple years later he died.  I still remain dumbfounded at his turn in life and frequently wonder how such a thing could happen.  But then again, others in ministry have fallen into depraved conditions; some recovered, others have not.

          Several times since his death I have thought about his situation and asked why, and how, as it troubled me since I was so close to him at one time.  Then I got serious in my desire to understand what happened.  I posed my question to the Lord and He gave me the answer immediately in very plain and simple terms.  His problem was twofold; first he failed to “die to self, and take up his cross daily and follow” after Jesus.  This is essential for anyone going into the ministry.

Luke 9:23-24 – And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

          After he got in trouble all his focus was on “self-preservation” rather than on humbling himself and repenting for the wrong he had done.  Self-preservation is what the apostle Peter did when he denied Jesus three times.  That is when a person opens himself up to the wiles of Satan, which is what my friend did.  Death to self, its fleshly vulnerability (1 John 2:15-16), prevents the devil from getting a hold of any fleshly weakness in a person.
 
       His second area of failure was in not praying, he lost his fellowship with God.  His zeal for God was replaced with a zeal for his work, his so-called ministry.  He was so busy achieving his success that he no longer had time for God.  His prayer life dropped to zero.  It got to where he was operating on his own effort rather than being led of the Lord.  He got so professional and so used to doing things his own way that he no longer needed the Lord’s help or guidance, so his prayer life dropped.  He was doing his own thing rather than God’s.  His life reminded me of what Jesus wrote through the apostle John to the Ephesian church where they lost their first love - even though they were diligent in “their” ministry. 

Revelation 2:2-5 – Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent

          Jesus’ warning to the Ephesians was that He would remove their candlestick from its rightful place – they would lose their status as a church belonging to Christ.

          A similar warning was issued by Jesus in Matthew about those who portend to work for Him rather than let Him work THRU them; a warning about doing their OWN thing and not HIS, (which is more common today than most realize).  Doing things your way rather than his way is referred by Christ as “iniquity” which is also rebellion – doing your own thing.  This is man’s attempt to build the church that Christ declared He would build.

Matthew 7:21-23 – Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

        A wise man seeks Him and obeys Him in order to do His work:  His work is to build His house and you must build it His way, not your way.  You must spend time with Him to hear His instructions and be led by Him; otherwise what you build will collapse when the storms of life hit.

Matthew 7:24-27 – Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

         The work of the ministry in His name requires doing things His way and being led of His Spirit.  This requires prayer, time in communion with Him; also fellowship with Him by being in His Word.  Failure to do this makes one vulnerable to the enemy’s subtle tactics.

John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

1 Peter 5:6-8 – Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:  casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

          Jesus knows how to protect, defend and lead His servants, but they must know His voice and follow Him and not get caught up in “their” ministry so much as to not have time to spend with Him.  After all, it is His work we are to be doing, not ours; it is all for His honor and glory, not for our own.  Our problems begin when we think the work and effort are ours and not His!

Luke 18:1 – And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

​1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing!  

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