Self Inflicted Wounds

I've been learning how to surf the web of late, and have come across some interesting, and some not so interesting sites.
On many websites the opinion among a majority in Christendom is that because of the latest wave of embarrassing headlines concerning some of the more popular televangelists, the world has started persecuting us.
To say that this is persecution dear friends is to demean and diminish the definition of persecution, and disparage dare I say tarnish the memory and sacrifice of those who were truly persecuted.
One cannot shoot himself in the foot, then attempt to convince anyone within earshot that they were brutally attacked. In police jargon they call that a self inflicted wound, and after they establish accident or intent, they either send you to a specialist to determine whether or not you are suicidal, or they send you home with a bandage on your foot, and call you a fool behind your back. The church is doing this to itself, lukewarm living, and substance less faith, have bloomed, and now their fruit is heavy on the branches of men's countenance.
If some of you believe that exposing homosexuals in the pulpit, reporting on wife-beaters, (even if the couple claimed to be apostles, prophets, whatever the newest title they've afforded themselves was that day), if you think the fact that financial impropriety has finally boiled to the surface and is being exposed is grounds for calling it persecution, my friend, you are not ready for real persecution.
Persecution isn't when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, or exposed for not living what you are preaching, it is being beaten, tortured, maimed and killed for your faith, for the sake of Christ.
What is happening now, is men and women who would not submit to God, those who would not humble themselves and repent, are being exposed and shamed by the very devil that beguiled them in the first place.
God's desire is to humble, the devil's is to shame.
Personally I believe that for too long men who call themselves God's servants have lived absent of accountability, a law unto themselves, and slowly but surely their intentions were perverted, and they once more became slaves to the corruption they had left behind.
The only tragedy in all this drama, is the innocent sheep, the hungry Christian, who placed their trust in men, and are now left disillusioned and disappointed.
If per chance you happen to be one such sheep, I have some advice for you that will spare you further grief and heartache in the future: Put your trust in God, He will never fail you or forsake you.
Follow men long enough, and sooner or later you will realize that they are just that, men. I know, I know, they said they were the apple of God's eye, God's anointed, apostle to the nations, your own personal prophet, a Jesus substitute but how many of them need to turn out to be greedy merciless wretches, somewhat less than human, living only for the now, before you realize there is no substitute for Jesus?
One way, One truth, One life, all three encompassed in Christ, and what He did on the cross for you and for me.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.