How could I have taught and even written books on the subject of how to get rich, when Jesus spoke so clearly about the dangers of earthly riches? One of the statements of Jesus that kept echoing in my head and heart was in The Parable of the Sower, where Jesus said that “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in chock the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19NKJV).
The deceitfulness of riches! The more I thought about it, the more I had to admit that I had fallen into that snare. I had allowed the quest for material possessions, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things to choke the Word of God in my own life, and in the lives of my family members and coworkers. As PTL grew larger, and our ministry more widespread, I had a financial tiger by the tail; just coming up with enough money to meet the daily budgets dominated my thoughts and my time. Continue reading →
Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
“Sowing and Reaping”, “The Widow’s Mite”, “30, 60 and 100 fold return”, “The Cheerful Giver”, “Don’t Eat Your Seed” and even tithing taught in some forms, are just some of the topics that have been twisted and manipulated to extract more and more money from trusting congregants. Continue reading →
Woe to the Shepherds!
One of the most scathing rebukes found anywhere in the Bible is in Ezekiel 34. It is a rebuke to the shepherds, or in today’s culture, the pastors. The Prophet Ezekiel was not the least concerned with sparing anyone’s ‘feelings’ when he gave his politically incorrect rebuke in the 34th chapter. He was concerned with saying what the Lord instructed him to say. He didn’t water it down, and he didn’t consider how it might put him in social jeopardy. He was not afraid of the shepherds, but he did have a healthy fear of God, something the modern Church seems to lack. Continue reading →
