Prosperity preachers make money so important that they use it to accuse brothers and sisters of lacking faith if they don't give their money. God doesn't need our money, He wants our love and devotion.
Psalms 51:16-17
"For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise."
Money is a useful tool, but over the years I have realized how often God provides something even without money. He provides things we don't even ask for just to bless us. I have also noticed that organized religion thinks it needs large buildings and fancy pews, but none of that is important. We do not need Venus for elaborate events or entertainment. Much of the money the prosperity preachers beg for goes to things God hates and produces arrogance instead of humility, not to mention the wealth it places on greed men who claim to be leaders in the gatherings. The are not leaders they are charlatans saying what people want to hear so the money continues to flow to them.
Luke 20:45-47 "45 In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples, 46“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”"
When we fixate on money regularly we are not appreciating what God has already given us and even walking fearfully about tomorrow that hasn't even arrived yet.
Matthew 6:25-34
The Cure for Anxiety
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?
27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?
28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you."
Prosperity preachers who beg for money using manipulation to cause guilt in those they want to fleece are demonstrating the lack of faith they accuse others of having.
We are not called to monitor what others give or to even question them about it, we are called to be led by the Holy Spirit in our giving. We cannot go wrong when we simply obey Him. And, we will not have guilt when we just obey Christ.
Notice the verse Matthew 6:33, the most important matter of the entire admonition, "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be provided to you."
Begging for money for ministry is not Biblical and neither is being guilted by others to give when we are not being led by the Holy Spirit to do so.
God gave me a phrase many years ago to answer those who love to pressure us to do things they think they should do. That phrase is this: "God didn't call me to do that." It's simple but effective, if anyone questions our choices they can ask God and they should just mind their own business about things that are not sins but merely preferences,
God's instruction to all of us is this; "1 Thessalonians 4:11-12: "And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing".
I do believe in confronting those who are sinning and who say they are Christians, but not about things that are opinions and preferences that are not described as sin in the Bible.
Many people interpret the Bible in ways that fit their agenda, it is wise to ignore these people and obey God.
Hallelujah!
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