INSTITUTE OF LOVE

The Begging Preacher
Text Box: You’ve heard them begging: "PLEASE! Send us more money, or God will kill us if we do not continue this wonderful ministry! Please, send us $50 a month, so that God can bless you! Please, send us $1000 right now, as a love gift. Please, we need, please, God needs, please! Make a difference, for time and eternity! Please!"   Sometimes they manipulatively hit you up with the guilt trip: "If you don't send us money today, we will have to go off the air, and then just think about the millions of people who will burn in hell forever!" They are basically saying that this ministry is RUN BY YOU, and that God set up this ministry and He expects YOU to keep it running!   But then, how come these Faith Preachers, Televangelists and Radio Evangelists never asked us, the audience, for our permission before they set up these so-called ministries? If I'm the one that keeps it running, maybe they should have consulted me FIRST before investing so much time begging for money, saying things like: "You are partners with us in this ministry!" But then again, don’t partners make decisions together?   Aren’t these ministers supposed to be the frontrunners in leading people in the example of having faith in God for provision? They tell us to give money to them and in return trust and believe God that He will bless us and make us rich, and yet they themselves do not put their trust in God but in YOU, as they beg and pressure YOU to give them money. They even challenge you and tell you it’s no problem to put your gift on your credit card.   In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. 2. Peter 2:3 NLT   This behavior is what ticks off many people and give Jesus Christ a bad rap!!! There is nothing wrong with asking people to prayerfully consider donating to your ministry, but ministers of God SHOULD NOT BEG FOR MONEY and expect people to be their source, but trust that God will provide for them!!!   There are two Psalm passages written by King David in the Bible which comes down to the fact that whenever we obey God by doing His will, we can be sure that God will take care of us and therefore we do not have to beg. Instead, we will be busy trying to help others.   I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. Psalm 37:25 NKJV   The children of the righteous need not go hungry. In King David’s day, Israel obeyed God’s laws which ensured that the poor were treated fairly and mercifully. As long as Israel was obedient, there was enough food for everyone. When Israel forgot God, the rich took care of themselves only and the poor suffered.   Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Psalm 127:1 NKJV In other words, if God is the one who gave you a particular ministry, you can be sure that He will take care of it by providing the means for it and then all your accomplishment will not be futile. But people who are craving riches can be caught in an endless cycle that only ends in ruin and destruction. Greed leads to all kinds of evil; marriage problems, robbery, blowups in partnerships, extortion and corruption along with so much more. Yet true religion with contentment is great wealth. After all, we didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 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 at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1. Timothy 6:6-10 NLT Warning Before you send money to any cause, evaluate it carefully whether the preacher or teacher is clearly serving God or is promoting his or her own interests. Find out whether the money will be used to promote valid ministry, or whether you are being used to finance further promotions to keep the ministry running. You should never give money under the pressure of begging or guilt, but allow God to lead you as you make up your own mind as to whom you should give to and how much. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. 2. Corinthians 9:7 NLT In Conclusion It is the obligation and responsibility of every believer and follower of Jesus Christ to test the spirit in a person whether they are speaking and acting according to the Word and will of God, even if they call themselves Christians. Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 1. John 4:1 NLT What I meant was that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a Christian yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Don't even eat with such people. 1. Corinthians 5:11 NLT   Copyright©2010 Sophia & Edwin Christiaan Text Box: By Edwin Christiaan