RICH PREACHERS VS GOD'S POOR
There are many local pastors (including ministers of God’s Word) in the Body of Christ who think nothing of accepting offerings of all people in their congregation to fund God’s work thinking that they are accurately representing the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. They don’t even consider that there are some in the congregation that they should be giving to financially instead of taking from. What we (ihlcc) are speaking to specifically are the poor that dwell among us that need a helping hand financially. Not all the poor of the world but the poor who are members of the Body of Christ and in particularly those that belong to your congregation, especially the members that you are aware of their financial state of lack.
Psalms 107:41-43 KJV
41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
The scriptures teach us, as pastors, to know the state of the flock but many rich pastors (and rich preachers) have chosen to know the financial estate of their affairs over (instead of) the financial estate of the sheep. However, they do not think that the scripture which declares to whom much is given, that same much will be required applies to them financially.
Luke 12:47-48 KJV
47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Some ministers interpret that scripture to apply to revelation and knowledge. Yes some even interpret that scripture to mean levels of authority. They think because they are promoted to a position of honor that more things will be required of them. This is truth but God’s Word always runs much more deeper than the basic understanding of men. As we (ihlcc) are learning God’s Word is God’s Word and it applies to everything on several different levels. Yes, there are revelations of God’s Word that we haven’t even begun to fully understand. We pray for ourselves and you, dear reader, not to make the same mistake as some ministers who think that certain scriptures only apply to certain other people on one level. Yeah, God’s Word, the Holy Scriptures, applies to all people groups. Yes, it applies to all levels of people, rich and poor, slow and sharp, the Jew and Gentile alike on different depths of understanding. If you never allow your mind to segregate people away from yourself you will be the wiser in the end. Consider yourself blessed and fortunate when looking at the conditions of the less fortunate. Know with all certainty that you surely could be in that same condition had it not been for the grace of God freely given unto you. Know that humbleness of mind creates humbleness of heart to keep you from the flames of sin in hell. Yes, we believe many ministers are not able to endure hardships financially so they opt out for the message of prosperity to justify their extravagant lifestyle. The new boldness of this type of preaching has weakened the Body of Christ because now only a few can handle hard economic times as we are witnessing today. The sad part is that many of God’s Servants, His Ministers started out in financial bondage and the Lord personally brought them out through a process of progression. The Lord would give to them (through people) here a little and there a little, just as He is bringing us (ihlcc) out of these financial hard times of today. We must use this same process of here a little extra and there a little extra to remove debt to break the strongholds of financial bondage. Financial independence is a process not an event, because as God brings us out He is also teaching us how to handle money more effectively at the same time. Angela and I, have done wise to take heed to what God was teaching us about money. We were able to judge ourselves concerning financial stewardship so a stiffer judgment did not have to come upon our whole family (including/involving our children). We have departed from the current popular message of prosperity by increased giving because the Lord showed us a different (a more excellent) way. Angela and I have experienced this better way together and yielded better results financially. Thus, confirming the results in our own life among three witnesses, Angela, Eric and God’s Holy Word. We both know exactly what that type of teaching brought us into financial hardship and we also see exactly what God’s basic message of prosperity taught us when we re-examined God’s Word anew. Although it is not a new message at all, it is still the same old message God shared with His Jewish branch thousands of years ago. Yes, the message of saving unto prosperity and then investing into Godly treasures (spiritually beneficial investments) will continue to produce the positive results you need as a person and also at the same time prosper the Lord Jesus for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. The sin of some ministers today is that by taking money from the poor (especially God’s Poor Children) they are heaping up damnation unto themselves. You see, dear believer, it is not God’s Will for any person to have lack, it is not God’s Will for any person to suffer financially. It is God’s Will for people to prosper and be in peace even as their souls prospers spiritually. The Lord’s plan concerning the Body of Christ, including the local churches of today, is to follow the guidelines of this dispensation of Grace, which is not by works. Yes, it is God’s Will for churches to grow and mature in the things of God. It should never be giving of necessity to get more money but rather giving freely through God’s joy and grace because you love the message of our Lord Jesus and the works of our Heavenly Father God. Remember, My Word states that My House should be a house of prayer (and deliverance) but man has turned into a den of thieves.
Mark 11:15-17 KJV
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Some have thought concerning the previous scripture that those people selling wares in God’s House were business people but we know according to the holy scriptures that those who operated inside the temple were connected to the priesthood, known today as ministers. Yes, they were supposed to be God’s Holy Servants and instead they chose to go the way of profit over helping people. Many servants of God have erred by choosing the path of Balaam instead of righteousness. Balaam knew what was right but changed his mind to come against God’s people for more money when he was already living comfortably.
Jude 1:11 KJV
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Similarly the priest (ministers) of the temple in the days of Jesus thought they had a legitimate ministry but that is not what God thought. The Lord thought they had forsaken their calling to become more closely involved with the world system of financial gain. Those priests (ministers) thought it was a good time to start a business instead of the Lord’s business of feeding His sheep. Yes, they chose the lust of flesh and the deceitfulness of riches over God’s Calling for their life to help the specific people He had called them to. Remember saint of God each and every person that has a calling on their life is predestined to help a certain number of people or a certain people group. So when man decides to do something else those people who would have been helped sometimes fall by the wayside. Some never come to Christ and since God knows exactly who it was that was supposed to help them He (the Lord) does not hold that guilty minister who forsook His Calling (which is God Will for their life) as innocent or blameless. The disobedient servant of God thinks that when they choose not to serve God they are only rejecting the calling of God and thus, forsaking their greater reward but that is not the truth. Satan knows that if they reject God’s Will they are also rejecting God’s Grace and divine protection. The enemy knows the more disobedient a servant of God is the greater the influence of the evil one upon that individual and more importantly the greater chance they have of ending up in hell with Satan as their permanent Lord. The truth is they are also rejecting their fellowman along with the plan of God. They are sinning against the Lord and the precious souls that were waiting for their ministry to flourish and blossom. No, it is not just about God and Jesus it is also about people who need to get linked to Jesus Christ. Once the Servant of God points people to God they are relieved of their core duty as a minister of Christ. However, if a Servant of God doesn’t point people toward the Lord they will be responsible for the outcome of that specific individual(s). If the Servant of God (the minister) points people toward riches to greed to hell it will be their fault. However just the opposite is true also, if the Servant of God points people toward love to Jesus to Heaven unto God’s glory through a good strong fellowship with the Father God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that will be to the honor of the Servant of God and enduring rewards in the Kingdom of God. Many ministers (some local pastors included) today have already adopted the thought of rich preachers (this is a theme running through the Body of Christ today) but the key thought they should have adopted is a moderate preacher stewarding over a rich church. Why, because a rich church can feed the hungry, a rich church can cloth the naked, a rich church can heal the sick (yes, in some cases using godly (good) medicine), a rich church can give even more to the poor (not just prayer and knowledge but actual financial assets beyond food and clothing). It is not God’s Perfect Will to take the widows last mite to prosper the priest or the priesthood. No rather it is God’s Will for the priest to escort the poor widow away from (out of) poverty. No one should have to live with the horror of lack when they are obedient children of God. Some widows are only poor because their husband died; it has nothing to do with their lack of giving or lack of faith. Someone could say, “But God can make them rich.” However, we (ihlcc) say, “Not without help from other people.” It takes people working together with accurate knowledge and understanding to bring about prosperity according to God’s Word. We could also note that the Lord has already ordained through His Holy Word for the children to provide for their godly widows and in the event of no children being present the church should provide for those who are widows indeed.-Refer to 1 Timothy 5:3-13 No one was created to endure the torments of poverty and to teach people that their riches come solely from their giving is a gospel of works apart from God’s grace. Many rich pastors (including other rich ministers) who openly choose to be exalted through money from those in their church (which is God’s Church) will be punished for the sin of greed and deception. Remember, those who teach others will be judged more severely than those who teach no one.
James 3:1 GNB (Good News Bible)
My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others.
Yes, robbing from the poor happens when you put the thought into someone else’s mind that they must give to God to have more favor with Him. To even imply that financial giving to God through extra offerings is guaranteed to increase your revenue down here on earth is not founded (substantiated) in God’s Holy Word. Why, simply because we are told (taught, instructed) give from our abundance with the motive of love to help others not for the purpose of increasing our own personal portfolio (greed). Giving to God’s Work doesn’t automatically make you a good steward, nor does giving outside of love qualify you for a good return (a harvest on your giving). Notice 1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV (English Standard Version)
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
A Christian could give away all their income and still not know how to handle money as a good steward. If a saint or sinner does not know how to properly handle their financial affairs they will not prosper financially. Yes, those who practice such teachings will be judged by that same sin of false teaching. If the false teacher/preacher concerning money will be in Heaven or in Hell will depend on if they will listen to God’s Spirit of Correction or not, only God knows. Those who repent will be in Heaven and comforted while those who continuously reject God’s Holy Spirit of rebuke and/or reproof will have their stay in the Lake of Fire solely because they followed Satan unto the end, instead of God, our Loving Father, through the precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Yes, many are robbing the poor at this very hour, so we (ihlcc) choose to stand against them in the Name of Jesus through the foundational teaching and preaching of God’s Word. Knowing, as a minister of God, that the promise of superabundance through divine prosperity is not for every saint. The truth is not everyone will prosper financially while here on this earth, and those who aren’t financially rich in this earth are not to be told they are any less spiritual (unfavorable toward God). Yes, be content with such things as you have and be at peace one with another.
Hebrews 13:5-6 KJV
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
We (ihlcc) teach people that loving God is the most important thing they can do and their greater financial reward will come in Heaven, not necessarily upon the earth. Does the Lord help people to prosper? Of course He does. Yes, absolutely He does, but “does He design for every person to be rich with an abundance of money on this earth no matter what they are called to do while on this earth?” we believe absolutely not. God’s Will is God’s Will for mankind generally just as God’s Will is God’s Will for each and every person individually. No one should take God’s general will for mankind and try to make it fit every person specifically because the general calling for all men gets them into the Kingdom of God but after that the Head of Church, Jesus Christ, has a specific calling for each saint in His Church. Although, all come to church is there not one pastor?, are all ushers?, are all deacons?, are all greeters? No, no, my brethren, every person cannot solely be the same one part in the Body of Christ, or else what kind of Body of Christ is only one part. Since it is up to each person to determine how money fits into God’s Calling upon their life no minister should pervert that personal issue to be resolved with God by suggesting that every person should go after wealth to satisfy God’s Will for their life. No Jesus, the prophets and the apostles did not seek money or fame they simply trusted God and the Lord blessed them with favor and eternal life that cannot be taken away from them. They forsook the message of wealth and prosperity now as a symbol of success (similar to the message of the world’s system) for a better more enduring Kingdom of Heaven message of rewards to come. They were patient enough to wait on their reception of greater rewards in Heaven, as opposed to down here on earth. We (ihlcc) are not saying that you have to make a vow of poverty or lack because that would be foolishness and error. We are simply stating that we, as ministers of God, are to live modestly while upon the earth as an example of Christian virtues not depending upon riches for our peace of mind or future security. This financial discipline will keep us connected to the majority of people in the Body of Christ to guard our heart from pride.
Proverbs 30:7-9 KJV
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Who do you think is the wiser? “The saint that gathered his rewards while working to harvest souls on earth or he that gathered diligently trusting the Lord to reward his efforts in Heaven latter after all the reaping is done?” I tell you Saint of God the latter of the two is the wiser of the two. Yes, live well, live right and live free in Christ Jesus your Lord, Lover and Leader forever. Amen! Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father is with us even until the end of the age (this financial Dispensation of Grace apart from financial works of the flesh).
Matthew 19:21 KJV
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Romans 15:25-26 KJV
25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
Revelation 3:16-17 KJV
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
A word of warning to the rich, “Please choose to become more moderate in your distribution of money, lest your over indulgence of pleasure lead you astray to the place where your garments are moth eaten and the riches you trusted in be taken away. We (ihlcc) would hope that you never reach the place of financial poverty but holding back from sharing with the poor when you have money in abundance is one way to increase your chances of being poor. Hopefully your repentance unto liberal giving to the poor happens while you are upon the earth because then you have time to make things right. Contrarily, there will be those who repented not while on earth and they will find themselves in hell where there is no place of escape just an everlasting experience of tormenting slavery, the worse form of poverty there is, for there (in hell) even your soul belongs to another. Today, you have the option of calling upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ so that He can show you His infinite mercy and then repent financially by giving abundantly (or consistently) to His people that are financially poor in your life and/or ministry.
James 4:13-17 KJV
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
We are surely aware that speaking against personal riches for everyone may decrease the financial offering coming into your ministry
or church but standing (striving) for complete righteousness according to God’s Holy Word is a better reward by far. Financial gain
can only help you in this life but in the life to come spiritual principles will last forever. Amen!
Remember, the Lord is in favor of a rich church to meet the needs of the people (which are His Children) but He is not in favor of
rich ministers ignoring the cries of poor in their very own church or ministry when they have the money to help. Why should the
minister of God get rich through the church and hinder the church by his personal greed from liberally giving to the poor of the
church as God designed? Just like in a family it is expected for the father to provide the base necessities for his children living
in his house, why would it be any different for God’s Children connected to His House (the local Church of Jesus Christ) in the spirit
of God’s love and compassion. When the church is prosperous should all members of that church be partakers of that prosperity?, or
should only the preacher prosper apart from the financial status of the congregation in general? We (ihlcc) believe they should all
prosper together as One Body in Christ Jesus. We do not encourage freely giving to those who are lazy or sinful but we do encourage
seeking out the legitimate poor of your church and helping them financially, as the churches benevolence fund allows. Also, personally
if you are enjoying the financial riches of God and you know in your heart that there is someone you can really help get over a
financial hurdle please share a portion of your financial prosperity with them to strengthen the Body of Christ. If one member of the
Body of Christ struggles does not the whole Body of Christ struggle with that one member?
2 Corinthians 8:13-15 KJV
13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
The New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ started out with special considerations for the poor. They spoke of taking care of the poor in their churches as a part of their ministerial duties. Therefore, with the change in times and locations we firmly conclude that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has not changed. Since the Father’s heart is to provide for His beloved children that are poor it would be unreasonable to think that His original Will (desire, intention) has changed during these last days. The Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow which means He is still looking over the whole earth to show Himself strong on the behalf of the poor and all those whose hearts are upright toward Him. Amen!
Galatians 2:9-10 KJV
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
The “Rich Pastors” who give more unto the “Poor People” of their church won’t stop the blessing of financial prosperity from coming to the church. No, quite the contrary, because the stronger the people are financially the stronger the church will be financially and this strength will benefit the Pastor also. Remember, it is not so much about exactly how much you give to each person but rather did you give something beneficial to those you could. We know God loves us all, it may only take a little bit of money to help some people get over a financial hurdle. There will be others that need actual financial assistance along with good solid financial counseling. The needs of people are endless but through God’s Grace we can accomplish our vision to be a blessing unto the Body of Christ (our members especially) and overcome all obstacles that rise up against us. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but rather against powers, principalities and spiritual wickedness in high places. Yes, against the wicked spirits just named only God’s Pure Love (His Blood), God’s Word and the Name of Jesus can prevail. We will prevail if we purpose to do what is right as a Body of Christ in whole and members in particularly (including Rich Pastor). Amen!
In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster