You know, I see where it says in the word of God that Jesus preached to the people, but what I don’t see is where it says, Jesus preached the gospel and then HE passed the plate!!
I am certainly not against paying your tithes and offerings!!! We get blessed when we pay our tithes and offerings!!! The WORD says that The Lord loves a cheerful giver!!! 2 Cor. 9:7
Jesus told the disciples, Freely you have received, Freely Give!!!
Matthew 10:7-10 (AMP)
7 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!
8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.
9 Take no gold nor silver nor [even] copper money in your purses (belts);
10 And do not take a provision bag or a wallet for a collection bag for your journey, nor two undergarments, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman deserves his support (his living, his food).
Most churches pass the plate in the services (where everyone can see who gives what), and then the ministers, especially the ones on TV, get up and tell you that if you need a copy of today’s sermon, they will provide it you for a certain amount of money.
I wonder why this is??? I see it almost everywhere!!! It is done in almost every church!! Most ALL of the preachers are selling The Word that God gave them for the people!!!
When God gives a WORD for the people, it is supposed to help them!!! It shouldn’t be sold to them!!! God gave the preacher that message for free and it should be given out for free!!! Yes, on CD’s or tapes!!! But I see it every where, people are selling these same messages over and over again!!!
John 2:13-16 (AMP)
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was approaching, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 There He found in the temple [enclosure] those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there [also at their stands].
15 And having made a lash (a whip) of cords, He drove them all out of the temple [enclosure]—both the sheep and the oxen—spilling and scattering the brokers’ money and upsetting and tossing around their trays (their stands).
16 Then to those who sold the doves He said, Take these things away (out of here)! Make not My Father’s house a house of merchandise (a marketplace, a sales shop)!
And what about the people who say, Today, I am preaching out of Psalms 44:24 because this is what God gave me, and so today in the offering you need to give $44.24 each so that you can be blessed/get healed!!! I do NOT see where Jesus did this!!!!
But I do see where Jesus chased the money changers out of the temple and told them that they had made His House a den of thieves!!!
Matthew 21:12 (AMP)
12 And Jesus went into the temple (whole temple enclosure) and drove out all who bought and sold in the sacred place, and He turned over the four-footed tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who sold doves.
Matthew 21:13 (NKJV)
13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
God also showed me where Naaman came to Israel to seek his healing from the prophet of God and brought many riches with him to pay the prophet.
He also showed me that the prophet refused to be paid for what God did!!! Yes, what God did!!!
2 Kings 5:14-16 (NKJV)
14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
Naaman was healed because he came to Israel when he was told that The God of Israel would heal him!!! He chose to believe what the prophet said and did it!!! And because of his faith, he received his miracle!!!
I see where Gehazi went after Naaman and lied to him. And he received payment for the services of God!!! God was NOT pleased!!!
2 Kings 5:20-27 (CEV)
20 Gehazi said to himself, “Elisha let that Syrian off too easy. He should have taken Naaman’s gift. I swear by the living Lord that I will talk to Naaman myself and get something from him.”
21 So he hurried after Naaman.
21 So he hurried after Naaman.
When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he got out of his chariot to meet him. Naaman asked, “Is everything all right?”
22 “Yes,” Gehazi answered. “But my master has sent me to tell you about two young prophets from the hills of Ephraim. They came asking for help, and now Elisha wants to know if you would give them about seventy-five pounds of silver and some new clothes?”
23 “Sure,” Naaman replied. “But why don’t you take twice that amount of silver?” He convinced Gehazi to take it all, then put the silver in two bags. He handed the bags and the clothes to his two servants, and they carried them for Gehazi.
24 When they reached the hill where Gehazi lived, he took the bags from the servants and placed them in his house, then sent the men away. After they had gone,
25 Gehazi went in and stood in front of Elisha, who asked, “Gehazi, where have you been?”
22 “Yes,” Gehazi answered. “But my master has sent me to tell you about two young prophets from the hills of Ephraim. They came asking for help, and now Elisha wants to know if you would give them about seventy-five pounds of silver and some new clothes?”
23 “Sure,” Naaman replied. “But why don’t you take twice that amount of silver?” He convinced Gehazi to take it all, then put the silver in two bags. He handed the bags and the clothes to his two servants, and they carried them for Gehazi.
24 When they reached the hill where Gehazi lived, he took the bags from the servants and placed them in his house, then sent the men away. After they had gone,
25 Gehazi went in and stood in front of Elisha, who asked, “Gehazi, where have you been?”
“Nowhere, sir,” Gehazi answered.
26 Elisha asked, “Don’t you know that my spirit was there when Naaman got out of his chariot to talk with you? Gehazi, you have no right to accept money or clothes, olive orchards or vineyards, sheep or cattle, or servants.
27 Because of what you’ve done, Naaman’s leprosy will now be on you and your descendants forever!”
26 Elisha asked, “Don’t you know that my spirit was there when Naaman got out of his chariot to talk with you? Gehazi, you have no right to accept money or clothes, olive orchards or vineyards, sheep or cattle, or servants.
27 Because of what you’ve done, Naaman’s leprosy will now be on you and your descendants forever!”
Suddenly, Gehazi’s skin became white with leprosy, and he left.
You know, what happened to Gehazi is quite scary!!!!
It seems plain to me that God is being very merciful to ALL of us!!! Because too many folks are receiving some kind of payment for what has given them for FREE!!!
Here are Paul’s instructions to the disciples before he left to travel to Macedonia.
Acts 20:32-35 (CEB)
32 Now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all whom God has made holy.
33 I haven’t craved anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that I have provided for my own needs and for those of my companions with my own hands.
35 In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
33 I haven’t craved anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing.
34 You yourselves know that I have provided for my own needs and for those of my companions with my own hands.
35 In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
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