Did you ever start telling a
friend or family member about something God did or was doing in your life and after
you did you felt bad?
I did! I have had this happen to me several
times! So this time I ask God why… I said God isn’t that what I am supposed to
do is brag about what you do for me? But the word brag bothered me… so I ask
God again isn’t bragging about what you do for me giving you glory? God said
“NO”, I was shocked… then He explained:
He told me that bragging about what God did for “ME” was singling out his glory and what He will do for me He will do for anyone that asks Him. He reminded me that He is no respecter of persons and He said that when I would brag I was making it sound to others like “I” was special instead of just blessed. So I listened to myself and repeated what I had said to my friend… I saw it. As always God was right, I was bragging in a selfish way not meaning to at all… but nonetheless I was taking God’s glory and God will not allow that.
Acts
10:34 (KJV) Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons:
Isaiah
42:8 (KJV)
I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images.
Isaiah
48:11 (KJV) For mine own sake, [even] for mine own sake, will I do [it]: for
how should [my name] be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
Needless to say I was ashamed when I had to
face the way I was saying things. I truly did not mean to sound like I was
bragging. I was truly trying to give God glory… I just did it badly. So now I
will learn how to say, “In God’s grace and mercy to us all He helps us by”…
then add the blessing God did for my family or me. Let me try to give an
example:
“My life is so much better since God heard my
prayer and has done a miracle in our home.” (Bragging)
“I am a witness to the fact that God answers
our prayers, we were suffering with a problem we couldn’t fix, we knew we
needed God’s help and He helped us just as He promised all of us He
would.” (Giving God Glory)
As I study God’s Word and listen to what the
Holy Spirit is teaching I keep finding these little ways the enemy deceives us…
our pride so easily trips us up if we do not keep our eyes on His Glory and not
ours. God reveals these things to us so we can share them with others, but we
must share them in the right way. Please understand I am not trying to put
anyone down by what I am about to say, but I feel God leading me to do this. A
lot of ministries will act as though it is through “their” ministry that people
get blessed… when in truth it is through the Word and Truth of God that we all
get healed or blessed and anyone teaching these truths will get the same
results. It seems that most TV ministries have become commercialized to the
point that they lose the very thing God sent them to do. Personally help the
body of Christ! No there was not as much money in traveling around visiting the
churches and teaching salvation as there is in advertising and spending
thousands of dollars on TV movie sets to be come TV stars and collect lots of
money. And yes people are helped by these shows … but this help comes because
God’s Word is being taught, nothing else. I am sorry to say many more are hurt
by this kind of impersonal commercialism. Understand this is not saying having
the Gospel on TV is wrong, it is just wrong when it is done for … to put it in
God’s words… for filthy lucre. The very thing these ministers tell you they
should be living… they say give and believe God for your return, yet these same
people tell you that if you want them to keep their program going you must give
to them! Wait a minute? They want you to believe for your return by giving to
them, but they need you to give to them because if you don’t they will fall? If
God wants them to be there He will see to it they have enough money to do it
with out asking you or making you feel it is your duty to give “more” … faith
works so where is their faith… if God wants them to be where they are He will
meet their need. These ministers need to teach the gospel and leave the need of
paying for it to God and if the money isn’t there then maybe they need to find
out where God really wants them!
Some of these TV ministries leaders have
thousands of dollars invested in their homes and cars and whatever worldly
thing they want and they justify this by saying it is God blessing them for the
work they do. This is not what the word of God says about this! They shouldn’t
live like a beggar, but there it a large gap between beggar and millionaire!
How can these ministers justify taking money from poor little widows, homeless
children and retirees so they can live so high on the “HOG”… sorry but this is
just plain wrong. Until we the people stop feeding these “HOGS” they will
continue to do this because it is an easy way to get rich. They don’t have to
deal with us “the people” “the body of Christ” they stand up there and tell us
how we are failing to do enough so we will give them more and they don’t have
time or energy to help us or minister to us as we need them too. It is truly
sad. So many people need personal help, time to visit with our pastors,
teachers or evangelists (TV stars) that they hear… just a little true personal
love of God through a person of God! What has happened to that? No minister,
teacher or evangelist should be so big they cannot personally help God’s
children. Instead of trying to be a super star they should delegate other
ministers or evangelist or teachers to help with the need so the people are
receiving the counsel and the care they need. Even Jesus had twelve disciples
with Him to help Him minister to the people. Jesus did not dress in expensive
clothing and Jesus did not ask for money when He taught. Yet people gave to
Him, the needs of them all were met. Jesus was focused on helping the
people!
This sounds so harsh and I really don’t mean it
to be… but I ask you “Why would a minister need to spend hundreds of dollars on
one outfit of clothing to teach God’s word?” The very people they are teaching
and asking to give them money are wearing clothes from bargain stores! I could
go on and on about the wasted spending most of these TV ministries do and sorry
to say even some of our church ministers. We have children starving in our own
country, we have old people dieing because they can’t pay their electric bill,
they either die of heat exposure or freeze… we have so many street people …
people that just can’t earn enough money to live any other way. And these
ministries spend all that money for a good show to make themselves look good.
Brag about how blessed they are with their fancy cars, homes, clothes and life
style. The damage this is doing to the body of Christ is unspeakable! Even a
lot of churches are now getting into this kind of teaching… they don’t want to
visit with the people anymore, they want to advertise to get more people in the
church … not to save them… but to collect money from them! It seems like today
a minister marks his worth by his bank account, how sad is that? This is a
reality check for all leaders who read this… you can dismiss this or you could
look at it through God’s eyes… God will show you the truth no matter how bad it
hurts because the truth sets people free!
1
Peter 5: 1-11 (NLT):
And
now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a
witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share his glory and his
honor when he returns. As a fellow elder, this is my appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock of God entrusted to you. Watch over it
willingly, not grudgingly-not for what you will get out of it, but because you
are eager to serve God. 3 Don't lord it over the people
assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example. 4 And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a
never-ending share in his glory and honor.
5 You younger men, accept the
authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for
"God
sets himself against the proud,
but
he shows favor to the humble."
6 So humble yourselves under the
mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what
happens to you.
8 Be careful! Watch out for
attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion,
looking for some victim to devour. 9 Take a firm stand against him,
and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters
all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
10 In his kindness God called you
to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little
while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a
firm foundation. 11 All power is his forever and
ever. Amen.
1
Peter 5: 2 (KJV): Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight
[thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a
ready mind;
There are so many verses in the Word of God
about this… I pray that whoever reads this reads it with an open heart to find
the truth of God for their lives. The one time the bible tells about Jesus
getting angry and lashing out was when the moneychangers were selling things in
the temple, and for years now our very churches set up tables and sell the word
of God in books, tapes & trinkets and say it is okay? The TV evangelist
started this rage and to their shame! God does not change, why do these leaders
think they can change the way God wants things done? There should never be
anything sold in the hallways of our churches or the meeting places of the
evangelist! The Gospel is not about “money” it is about “LOVE”. Is this selling
of the Gospel the great falling away the bible tells us about?
Mat
21:12-13 (KJV): And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out
all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the
moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is
written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a
den of thieves.
I had to pray for boldness to do this teaching…
to God be the Glory!
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your friends and family. Please come again and may God’s blessings chase you
wherever you go…
If
you have any questions or need prayer just e-mail us… Joy