This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

-----

                              Trust Betrayed


  NOTE: This word was originally given to a specific congregation who's 
	pastor fell into a serious sin. He walked in it for the past 
	six years, and concealed it from his congregation with no 
	apparent intention of repenting or stopping. His sin was 
	recently exposed publicly, and he has left the church.

	Members of the congregation are now struggling with hurt and
	a sense of betrayal. Some of them feel angry and are trying
        to "be angry and sin not." The Lord understands what they
	are going through, and last Wednesday, He gave me a word for 
	them. At that time, I thought it was only for them and not
	for anyone else.

	But as I sought the Lord for this week's word, God reminded me
	of what He spoke to that church. He told me that there are many 
	in His body who have experienced some type of hurt or betrayal 
	from someone in spiritual leadership at some time in their lives.
	They have been hurt by it, and that leaves them with a tinge
	of "suspicion" towards other God-appointed leaders. 

	This can make it difficult to trust their current pastor (or 
	spiritual leader), even though it was a different person who 
	hurt or betrayed them.

	The Lord told me that this is one of the strategies that the
	enemy has been using against the body of Christ. He uses one
	spiritual leader to hurt a person in some way, them he releases
	spirits of distrust and suspicion to work against them in their
	relationships with other spiritual leaders.

	The Lord asked me to share the gist of what He had to say to 
	this congregation with you...
	

Dear child, remember that it is not a sin to be deceived. When someone
goes out of their way to deceive you when you extend your trust to them,
you are not the one in sin--they are. The enemy will come along with 
accusation, trying to make you feel mad at yourself (or else at someone 
else) because you trusted this person. But that is the voice of 
condemnation; it is not the voice of your Lord.

The truth is that you were deceived because you exhibited something that 
I value. It pleases Me greatly when you trust the spiritual leader who I 
have placed over you. I like it when you support him and show loyalty 
to him. I like it when you assume the best about your pastor instead of 
being suspicious of the worst. I like it when you extend grace instead of 
trying to find fault. This type of heart and attitude pleases Me.  

Dear one, it is not your fault when the recipient of your trust walks in 
sin and uses deception to cover it up. The sin is not yours for being 
deceived; the sin belongs to the one who walks in the deception. I promise
you, dear one, that I am the righteous judge who will cause all things
to be made right in due time. Do not worry about what they appear to 
have gotten away with--trust Me to do the right thing at the right time,
and know that I have your good at heart. All wrongs will be righted and 
I shall indeed take good care of you.

If you have been deceived by one who is in error, it is My desire that 
you do not stop walking in an attitude of trust towards other leaders. 
Continue to cultivate attitudes of your heart that are pleasing to Me, 
and know that I will continue to take good care of you.

The enemy of your soul would like nothing more than for you to have a 
heart of distrust and suspicion towards any leader I send to you. 
The devil hopes that if you have been hurt by the error of one leader, 
then you won't be able to trust other spiritual leaders in the future.
  
My heart and desire is that you continue trusting Me instead of trying
to guard your hearts against further deception. I may give a period
of grace for an errant one to repent, but I will cause all things to 
be made known if they continue in sin. It is not your responsibility to
root out deception; it is My responsibility to reveal it. 

Can you trust Me to do that? Can you keep having that heart and attitude 
that so pleases Me? Trust Me to bring the right spiritual leader to you. 
Trust Me to cause any wrong things to be brought into the light at 
precisely the right time. 

I don't want you to stop trusting, because a heart of trust pleases Me 
so much. Continue to trust the spiritual leader that I appoint for you. 
Give your loyalty to him and continue to assume the best about the
leader I send you next. Stand behind him and continue to work together 
in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Do not become a
breeding ground for suspicion or distrust.

Do not allow the enemy of your soul to falsely condemn you because you 
have a trusting heart. Do not start condemning your brothers or sisters
because they also chose to trust instead of being suspicious. Do not 
blame the others who were deceived because they did not discern it 
sooner. Do not blame yourself for that either. Instead, trust Me more 
than you trust your ability to avoid deceit. Watch and see how I will 
bring My healing and My glory into your midst as you continue to put 
your trust in Me.

I promise you, dear one, that you will not be disappointed, for I will
take good care of you.