Convenience

I want us to look at the way we like to bend God’s commands to fit our fancy as opposed to following them as God intended. Many times we want those commands to complement our way of life as opposed to shaping our lives to align them with God’s scheme of things.

I will fetch our first example from afar. I know some will wonder what I was thinking about when I chose it.

Remember Boaz and Ruth? What did the nearer kinsman redeemer do when he forfeited his responsibility about Ruth?

Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. (Ruth 4: 7, 8)

Yet what was the command?

And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. (Deuteronomy 25: 7 – 10)

Men had simply refused to face shame, especially the kind of shame God intended to keep someone’s name alive. Incidentally you remember another brother God killed because he used the condom of his day so that he does not impregnate his brother’s wife in Genesis 38 as he enjoyed sex with her.

They had decided to renegotiate that order to make it flow with the times.

But we do not only change the command to reduce its impact. Many times we do it to make it scarier to choose disobedience. That is how taboos are born. We think that by amplifying the order we will be able to overcome any enticement temptation may bring our way.

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17)

Yet look at what Adam did with the command.

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Genesis 3:3)

The problem is that the enticement of the temptation grows more intense when we modify, even amplify it. And we know that the devil is the master of that game as he did with Eve.

What am I driving at? The Bible is complete the way God released it to us. Our bending the commandments to fit our situations is disastrous to our spiritual lives. This is because we could easily divert our focus from what God had intended to be able to accommodate our preferences. But even more dangerous is that we will open ourselves up to the enticements the evil one will bring as we have falsely understood God’s motive.

You see by Adam stretching God’s command to include touching the forbidden tree it became easier for the devil to convince Eve that God was not really concerned about their welfare or growth. As far as God’s command was concerned they could have climbed that tree and played with and on it. The only prohibition was eating from the tree, of course the fruit. Increasing the prohibition to include touching made it easier to fall into the enticement to eat, though indirectly.

I have told you that I have ministered with some products (men and women) of the East African revival of 1939/ 1949 who had to be extremely radical to be able to face the challenges of their times. The freedom struggle was one time they really went through a hard time, many having to die for their faith as there were things they could not do like the Quakers in the new world. And they were persecuted by both warring sides due to that. The Mau Mau killed them because they refused to take the oaths since that was the test for loyalty and the Bible forbid them. The colonialists (oppressors) persecuted them because they would not denounce their land or people.

But I want us to look at an incident to get clarity on our topic. We had with them organized a youth camp. On the last evening we had a question and answer session where the organizers, of whom I was one, the rest being those old men and women, responded to questions from the youth.

One old man made a statement that shook the forum. He said that he does not believe that a woman who plaits her hair will go to heaven. And I knew this old man from interacting with him for a long time for his sincerity and spirituality.

I am convinced that the statement had a history and was not just a killer of good looks. Knowing the times they believed I know that they did not just create that statement out of nowhere. There were realities in their times that equated plaited hair with hell or a journey there. It is the same thing when people talk about some kind of dress. We will just look for verses to justify the reality of our times which though it could be valid may not stretch beyond those times. But that does not absolve us for dressing anyhow. There clearly is inappropriate dress for saints according to the Bible. Have you not read this?

And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (Proverbs 7:10)

And I see it all the way to the front pews of the church. And the pastors seem to enjoy looking at those dressers as it probably increases their ‘inspiration’. Why do I say so? You do not hear preachers rebuking those gates to immorality. You may even see them hugging them tenderly.

Stretching or squeezing the scriptures to fit our times or satisfy our theology defeats the purpose for which they were written. This is because they could very easily open floodgates of rebellion or irrelevance.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22: 18, 19)

God does not permit us to alter His words even for the benefit of His work. Doctoring scripture to win a convert is evil in God’s eyes as the said convert will have a false relationship with His authority, the authority vested in His word.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1Corinthians 2:13)

Scripture should explain scripture. Using our creativity to make it more acceptable opens us to judgment as we are wont to stretch some truths too thin or add excess weight to others as our experience may dictate. Remember this?

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)

And

 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (Matthew 23: 24)

Incidentally that is what happens with our clever fortifications of the scriptures with our experience. We overlook the real issues and dwell on the cosmetic as happened to the Pharisees. In their best effort they ended up dwelling on the inconsequential.

That is why one of my greatest challenges and joys has been to connect people to their Bibles in all ways, from discipleship to the Bible reading plans to Audio Bibles and many other efforts in between. This is because there is no way someone can be misled by reading the Bible only. We are easily misled when we combine it with some other school of thought or theology, especially when we think that we cannot be able to understand the Bible on its own.

Sadly, that is how many pastors and teachers of the word lead their flock. They become the remote (though very present) interpreters of the Bible. They will many times dictate where the flock should be reading so that they may be on the same page. The actual reason is that they are blocking them from getting some other revelation from the Bible as they then will be more difficult to control. Even the Bible Studies are prepared for the same purpose, control.

That is how we slowly add our preferences to the Bible to make it support our theology or whatever fills our stomachs or egos. Then no one will be able to question us as we have protected their understanding of the Bible to our position.

Let us look at a couple of such misapplications.

… Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. (Psalm 105:15)

Do you realize that it is only the ones with expired anointing who resort to that quote? Compare David and Saul. Why did David refuse to touch Saul? And why did he never use anointing to argue against the persecution he was going through yet even Saul was cognizant of the fact of that anointing?

Saul’s anointing had expired and he knew it. He used the argument to run away from repentance.

Why did Jesus, the Anointed One, the source and focus of all anointing never once quote that verse? Why did He not resist being spat on and scourged and nailed on the cross?

Anointing is sufficient and does not need forerunners. Again not once do we see prophets in the Bible quoting that verse though they knew it better than we do. Yet they endured enough opposition, even death for walking in their anointing.

Let me repeat what I have said. Someone who uses that verse to defend his anointing is for the most part walking in an expired anointing and should get back to God for fresh anointing. But they quote it to run away from repentance since like Balaam they do not want to get rid of the rewards of that expired anointing.

And of course that statement was made by God not the anointed.

… believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. (2Chonicles 20:20)

This is not much different. But we need to remember that it was made by a king after a very unconventional prophecy about war. The prophet just issued the word and ‘left the scene’ since that is what he had been sent to do.

Again a prophet who must convince me to believe his prophecy is for the most part walking past his sell by date. In fact if I may be blunt I will call him a false prophet. No prophet blows his trumpet because no prophet carries his message.

A prophet is like a king’s herald and is therefore more concerned about the king’s message than his persona. If such a herald parades his CV more than dwelling on the message he carries anyone will be right if they called him an imposter. And this is what the bulk of these self important selfish prophets are.

Again look at the prophets in the Bible. None fought for recognition as a prophet. They were content giving God’s message as they received it. They did not look for or expect any favors. In fact many run away from them. Many did not even want to be called prophets because for them the message was greater than the herald.

A final thing I will mention is giving. If you must teach people how to give by asking them to give you or your structure (church or ministry) instead of asking them to be more responsive to God’s leading, if you do not exercise the generosity you expect from them, if you are not their example on issues of giving, then you are a comfortable fake.

You see, giving to you does not equal to giving to God unless you are so connected to God for the destination of the last coin. If they give to me as giving to God and there is a hungry person I do not know or there is a child who is out of school for lack of fees or there is a need I do not know, then I am a thief of God’s offering and not much different from Eli’s sons. And I am talking about the church and its leadership.

Why don’t we teach our people to listen to God concerning where they should give those offerings? Why do we teach about the tithe when we do not use it to do what the Bible meant it for? Why must they give to us all the time as if we are the only structure God has on earth? Why are we so scared of connecting our church members to each other so that they can more effectively meet needs one to the other instead of hoarding all the giving to a structure that has no spiritual life?

And like I always say I also require support as I minister, probably more than most of the other ministers. I do not have a salary or a support structure. But for me I find it more fulfilling receiving support from people God has prompted as I can then concentrate on what God wants me to do. When people ask how they should support me I will tell them to pray and ask God as opposed to giving them my own directives and needs (and of course I have needs). Though it is easier to whip up support through guilt or fancy reports, I find it scripturally sound to connect people to God for direction about giving, a giving that does not start or end with me as I am just a servant of the Most High.

Again I will state that my greatest joy is to see people who are so connected to God and His revelation that they can hear what God is telling them and doing it, from dressing to morals to giving. As a minister my role is to assist them make that connection, and not as a broker like many ministers seek to be. I want to fade out once that connection is made so that I do not create diversions or obstructions to the lively relationship once established.

Then God will be glorified by the ministry He has entrusted to me.

Nursery Doctrinaires

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1Corinthians 3: 1, 2)

I have been thinking a lot about these infantile sermons that always stop at giving and the pleasure that is the only product. I find many arguments about the need to concentrate more on assuring the church on what Christ has done as opposed to our responsibility to grow in Christ likeness.

It is treated as the worst sin to confront sin and worldliness in the church as we could easily traumatize believers. The only Biblical truth worth shouting from the rooftops is the fact that Christ did it all and that nothing we may do has any connection or consequence at all. Talking about demonic music or harlots’ dressing or sexual impurity is equated to trashing the cross. As things are, knowing what Christ did is more than enough to think about since it appears like the capacity of our spiritual systems has drastically reduced.

But recently God has opened my eyes to another perspective of this whole thing. And like I always say it is not a new revelation as it has been since the Bible times. It has only been reintroduced very recently for the convenience of spiritual conmen.

An infant requires lots of attention and affirmation. A small child must be touched and rocked and lulled to grow healthy. Shouting to an infant can shock it very badly. In fact even visitors are advised to lower their voices in a room it is in. We cannot reprimand infants when they do something wrong as they do not really know what they are doing. We remove dangerous things and toys because we cannot hold them accountable for drinking poison or injuring themselves with whatever.

That is what many pastors have made of their congregations. They treat them as spiritual infants. The church has therefore been transformed to a vast nursery where all that is required is feeding all these infants and making sure that they are not shouted at whatever they do. Their mess can’t be addressed since they spiritually do not know what they are doing. Their sin can’t be addressed because they could not know any better.

The only problem is that we are not able to be with them at all times like we do with our infants; meaning that they will mess all over as they have no ‘grownups’ to watch over them, especially because the Sunday sermon evaporates very quickly as happens to all infants.

And that is where our similarity with the infants stops. Slowly by slowly an infant learns responsibility.

Let me give an example. A child will when suckling test its gums by biting the mother’s breast. Initially the mother will laughingly coax him to stop. But then the razor sharp teeth grow and the game changes. A stupid mother will continue coaxing the child, but then the biting gets beyond pain to injury. The mother will then shout more from shock and confusion than anger. The child has discovered another game.

Eventually the mother can take it no more and decides on a very painful pinch or slap. Then the child discovers that there is a rule being set. But it will be testing that rule once in a while. Until it discovers that it is an absolute rule not open to any other interpretation.

Even then we will not hold that child accountable for much. You will not open a class to teach it manners or positive behavior. We will still smile at their attempts at doing anything. We will not blush when they defecate on themselves or fall again and again when as try to walk. We do not even expect them to eat the food we eat.

But even that is for a season. We expect the child to surely though slowly grow to be more stable, more responsible, more independent.

And even the diet aspect must change. The child initially lives on exclusive breastfeeding for quite some time. Should it take any other food, the system is not developed to handle such diet.

But the child will eventually have to be weaned off that breast milk. Why so? It has developed in such a way that breast milk is not only insufficient for its dietary needs; the body has grown that it is able to digest whatever food it is given. In fact the milk may eventually become useless.

Why are churches content with the milk of the Gospel year after year? Why is a pastor not only content but fulfilled when the only ministry he has in the church is changing diapers and holding the milk bottle to the masses? Why are Christians allowed to wet and poop on themselves and the pastors feel it is wrong to expect those children to be toilet trained?

Eventually a child will grow up to take up responsibilities, first on himself and his needs and later on the family and society. Then he will become a fully responsible member of his society.

Incidentally that is the reality of a healthy church. And I will need to mention that the problem has not started with our generation. The Corinthian church was as infantile as they go. You just need to read the two books to realize that Paul went through the frustration many of us go through when we look at the situation the church is in today.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5: 12 – 14)

We see the same frustration with the writer of Hebrews. Again he draws the parallel with a child’s development.

A pastor may invest his all to ensure that there is enough milk for the thousands in his church. Truck loads of that milk are constantly availed for the health of his church (again many these days are hers).

What does someone already weaned do? The plain fact is that he will be starving. Their spiritual systems simply become malnourished even with all that milk because they need food, solid food. Those spiritual teeth will need to be chewing or something will happen to them. That digestion could collapse as it is meant to digest something solid.

But the infants will be celebrating, not realizing that their growing bodies are stunting due to all that milk. Their continued reliance on milk makes them content with lack of growth, even growth in grotesque ways. Bones may refuse to develop as there is not enough dietary material for the same. Teeth may refuse to grow due to the same. The brain may also refuse to develop in a healthy way due to the same.

That is the kind of church we are building with all this motivation and positive and almost irresponsible preaching. No wonder we have a problem with sin in our congregations.

But the bigger problem is with leadership. How do we get leaders from all these suckling babes? No wonder churches have to advertise widely when they need a pastor as there is nobody in their ranks mature enough to hold the bottle for the others. It is even worse with the deacons and elders because we must trash the Bible and its requirements to be able to get any.

It gets worse with those who have outgrown the milk because they are made to look too critical to the holders of those milk bottles, especially because the infants do not see beyond that milk. They do not expect any growth. They do not envision a situation when they will take off their clothes and go to a toilet. They cannot imagine feeding or even dressing themselves. They are content just being bottle fed and changed and lulled to sleep.

The problem of the church today is therefore the lack of growth. We are celebrating bigger nurseries and more efficient milk disposal equipment. Then we call them mega churches.

The greatest plus for such churches is that infants do not know value, nor are discriminating about anything that is not milk or the bottle. A child will very comfortably exchange a gold chain worth a fortune for a box of sweets (candies) worth a dime because a child’s value system is judged by its mouth. It therefore goes that those infants will give those milk providers their lives if need be. The pastor will just need to sneeze a need before the infants start falling over themselves to meet that need because they cannot envision life without that bottle holder. Put simply, to them that bottle (sermon) and its holder (pastor) are the beginning and end of ministry. Only the bottle holder knows where the milk comes from and so requires all the support these infants can muster, even if it involves raiding their granary. I believe this explains the attractiveness of this ‘Gospel’.

But the game will change once someone is weaned. They will slowly learn value as they start getting responsible and as they get into greater involvement with the life of the family and society. They will not pick just anything to give to anybody without establishing its value. In the spiritual realm these will not be content to hear what God tells the ‘prophet’, they will seek to connect with God for their own instruction. They will grow to hear from God in obedience. Milk is the introduction to growth, an introduction to good health.

Is your pastor the ultimate source of your spiritual instruction? Then you are in such a nursery and you are feeding on milk and not solid spiritual food.

Can you hear from God apart from your spiritual superstar? Do you understand the Bible when you are reading it without the input of your spiritual superiors? Can you pray and get answers when someone else has not helped you lift them ‘higher’ to God? It is probably that you are getting weaned from the milk I have been talking about.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10: 27 – 30)

Money

Many pastors argue that Jesus taught more about money than about heaven and hell. I will not get into that argument because I have not done any study to confirm or deny it. But I am also not in a hurry to do it because I also think there are more important topics to research on than those statistics.

Like I have argued again and again there is only one thing Jesus came, lived and died to deal with; sin. It would for me be extreme folly to focus on peripheral issues though mentioned a thousand times and forget the one thing Christ came for even if it is mentioned only once.

I will compare it to putting the most elaborate lighting fixtures in a house that is not wired for electricity as they will be simply decorations however costly they are.

But let me take their argument as they want me to. Is all that mention of money in the scriptures limited to give me, give the church, give the pastor or preacher, ad infinitum? Is it confined to sow this or that seed in me or my empire? Does it all talk about the preacher and his kiosk when requiring that we give? This is because there is only one verse that is always applicable to the preachers, whether they are pastors, bishops, apostles, evangelists, etc.

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. (Proverbs 30: 15, 16)

One thing he had not observed is the modern preacher because he is worse than those four combined. Why do I say so?

You give him a bicycle, he asks for a car. You give him a car, he asks for a car with a ‘bigger testimony’. You pay his house rent, he wants his own house. You buy him the house, he wants a mansion. You buy him a mansion, he needs a palace.

But is that the only financial instruction we get in the Bible? Is that the only thing Christ mentioned more than He mentioned heaven?

Now why am I talking money? Why must I rattle these complacent folks who are swimming in motivational prophecies?

Some banks have crashed, and with them many depositors’ money, even futures. And it is so bad because that shock has taken some of the victims to hospital, I suspect due to despair.

I have heard a few pastors preach to congregations and heard nothing I can associate with a voice from heaven as it is their usual prophetic motivation that things will turn for the better and nothing else. I am yet to hear a preacher speaking scriptural guidance and diagnoses of the situation, a diagnoses that cuts deep into the spiritual fibre to effect deep healing and direction..

Now there is nothing inherently evil with telling people to keep their chins up. But it is wicked to do so when all along you have been prophesying great days ahead. Many have been prophesying the great cancellation of debts as if they are talking about the debt of sin, yet sin is the only topic diligently avoided. It is wicked when you have been prophesying astronomical growth of account balances. Aren’t you ashamed of visiting someone who is in hospital because they took your prophecy seriously enough to invest into a sinking bank or business empire? Don’t you fear the wrath of God when you know that there probably are people who have no food because you did not prepare them for the eventuality of a failed business, yet they have kept you in excellent comfort? Aren’t you ashamed of standing on the pulpit to preach the same old song when you know that some may die due to that erroneous teaching? How do you feel when you walk into that house or sit in that car you know you have because of that deceptive preaching?

But it is really true that the Bible does teach (not just mention) giving, many times. But give, give and give the preacher or church is not it. It talks about banks and failing businesses. It mentions interest and auction. It mentions loans and collateral. It mentions investments and real estate. It mentions seed capital and advertisement.

Why do pastors not teach all these scriptural principles to their congregations? Why do churches and their leaders start businesses instead of preparing their people to do them? Why do they advertise and sell real estate instead of teaching their people to be the best in the same?

Because only one reality operates in their lives, their stomach and all it entails. Unless and until they eat, nothing else exists. Anybody can eat only as long as the big guy is eating, and eating from the others. You can starve so that he eats and that is not a problem. He will prophesy anything that will make people pour things into his stomach. That explains why a pastor of an impoverished neighborhood and church will comfortably drive a very expensive car and live in a very expensive house yet there are members of his church with children at home for lack of school fees, fees that a slight reduction of his weekly fuel money could easily resolve.

(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Philippians 3: 18, 19)

Leeches

The Bible is the best financial and investment manual when it is read and obeyed. We fail when we allow other people to read and interpret it for us when God released it for our continuous and consistent intake. God never meant the pastor to replace the Holy Spirit or His word. We are therefore open to deception when we allow people, irrespective of how spiritual or holy thy look, to be God’s agents of instruction instead of the Bible faithfully read and carefully obeyed.

I will put down just a few verses from the Bible for our consideration. I will remind us that I have dealt with giving and tithing several times and there are posts with such. I therefore will not get into that, at least not today because I know many are wondering whether God is ever interested in the hurts of His people who are really the victims of a false Gospel (not failed banks) that feeds some as it kills others.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6: 19 – 21)

Jesus is not saying do not save. He is just giving the reality of business and asking us to focus our attention on God and what He has to say about our finances (not through a spiritual superstar, however spiritual they are or look). We will thus not compete to increase our bank balances without asking God whether He wants that money to do something else. I suspect some people sacrificed vitally important things to raise their balance that much. Some have been labeled beasts because there were gaping needs they refused to meet for those balances to grow. Some may have watched a close relative die since they refused to pay for their medication to ensure that balance grew. No wonder it is devastating when a bank goes down.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)

When did you hear that verse being mentioned in a sermon, even obliquely? Again this is a statement of fact, a fact that we know all too well when we owe something or see auctioneers. How does a prophecy cancel a loan? Was that the purpose for the loan in the first place?

A friend of mine had a microfinance that went down. A lady was so excited that she went to give the testimony that she was now free because her lender was down, without knowing that a friend was in that church. Is that debt cancellation?

He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:5)

He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor (Proverbs 28:8)

He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure. A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh. (Proverbs 11: 15 – 17)

Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! (Isaiah 5:8)

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. (Matthew 5: 23, 24)

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 6:1)

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? (Matthew 6: 24, 25)

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.  Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6: 28 – 38)

I hope I have given someone some scriptural light to help guide through the confusion of failed financial structures and lives.

I remember the pyramid schemes several years ago that crushed many people. And the main reason was that they were run from the churches, even by pastors or some very close associates.

I remember telling people that God had showed me that those very attractive things were wrong and some would laugh me off, wondering how I could dare imply that their pastor has not heard from God when he advised them to sink their money into those bottomless holes. But the story changed when they lost their money. A friend told me that his pastor called him and said that if he had only one chance to listen to him, then God’s voice was that he sinks his money into the scheme. And he lost a tidy sum.

It was on the news recently that the main guy in one such scheme was able to get so many people was through his reputation as a born again financial consultant and writer. Though I have never read his books, I would be surprised to find any of these verses I have quoted. I would expect what I would get in most financial books, only with a spattering mention of a verse or another that says nothing different from what the worldly financial expert is saying.

I will close with this

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6: 33, 34)

If your pastor’s preaching does not lead you to this position and determination, agree with me when I call him (there are many hers as well) a spiritual conman. This is because if God is not the ultimate guide and focus of your finances you will eventually sink, whether in the mire of sinking empires or in the deception that could eventually lead to a Christless eternity though immensely successful here.

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

(I have not even mentioned the sports gambling (betting) craze that is the ultimate in financial manipulation and destruction, and that because it is more addictive than drugs once it sets in. And sadly there are also church leaders in the leadership of those houses from hell. Again pastors will hint a temptation along those lines so that the winners will bring those ill gotten returns to their pockets. Yet the Bible aso has a lot of say on that as well)