Tuesday, April 16, 2013

They Preach Just To Make Money (June 28, 2012)


“You see, we are not like those hucksters – and there are many of them – who preach just to make money.” 2. Corinthians 2:17 NLT
Some time ago, we met a very outgoing Christian brother, who is also a minister, and he became very excited about our prophetic ministry and called us the best friends he had ever had. He started supporting us financially, and introduced us to his circle of business associates and friends in order for us to minister to them. He told us that this would be a great opportunity for us to ultimately receive more financial support from his wealthy Christian business friends.
Somehow, as we were going along with this brother, we noticed that he was talking more about money than God. The conversations were always focused on the wonderful connections he had with his rich friends, the nice things they possessed like mansions, private jets, cars, boats, and beach condos. He often preached to us how God gives him money, and bragged about money never being a problem for him as if he was just like his heroes, the high-level, prosperity gospel preachers.
Even though God was using this brother to support us, we also knew that we were brought into his life in order to expose the true motives of his heart. And indeed, that’s exactly what happened, as we found out that this brother was borrowing money from his wealthy business friend and used it to support us, making it look like the money was coming from him, as he kept assuring us: “There’s more where that comes from!” In his well hidden, but severe low self-esteem, he was doing this because of his delusional desire to belong to the rich elite, and have lots of money himself.
This Christian brother was clearly damaged by the prosperity gospel preachers, “who preach just to make money.” Yes, these are the same teachers you see on television, who “in their greed will make up clever lies to get hold of your money.” (2. Peter 2:3 NLT)
These false preachers craftily preach to their followers and make them believe that you can love and serve both God and money at the same time. Yet, Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24 NLT
The followers of these prosperity preachers end up choosing to serve what they love and crave the most: MONEY, which lead them away from God into all kinds of evil that will ultimately ruin and destroy their lives.
There are many Christians, especially the young upcoming ministers, who like the idea of following the example of preaching the Gospel to become rich, like the well known prosperity preachers, who seem to have it all; money, big houses, and fancy cars.
“But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1. Timothy 6:9-10 NLT
Here is a personal message for you, “who preach just to make money”: You can fool people, but you cannot fool God, because “He alone examines the motives of your heart.” (See 1 Thessalonians 2:4)
God is warning you:
“Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." Hebrew 13:5 NLT

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