Prophets for Profits



Ezekiel 3:18 When I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. (NIV)

          On any given day, you can turn on the TV and listen to a pastor teach on the importance of "Planting a Seed" into their ministry. They give you all the scriptures in the Bible concerning tithes, offerings, and first fruits in an attempt to warn the people about "curse" that may be over their lives if they fail to give and willfully withhold God's money. Series after series are taught to their members, those viewing online, television and listening in on the radio for people to support and give to God's cause. Many will teach that in order for God to bless you, you must bless Him by way of monetary support. It usually becomes a thing of -- I give to God so that He can give to me type sermon.
Isaiah 56:11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding, they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain. (NIV)

          The scriptures are given (often misused), the music is playing (to work on the emotions), the guilt is laid (God only gives unless you do), and the lines are formed (you don't want to be the one left in your seat) as the dollars from the pockets and purses come open, while people run to the alter. This is not to even mention the "Pledge Cards" that are given for members and guests to fill out so that the church can secure their monetary budget for the year. The money scheme is prepared in such a manner that it is used by way of scripture to get those who are unlearned to give even more from their hard earned funds. This is not to say that giving to ministry for the sake of saving souls is wrong. However, many churches are run more like businesses than the House of the Lord.
Matthew 21:13 "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it 'a den of robbers.' " (NIV) Does this make you wonder what Jesus would do in today's time with all the money changers who are in the pulpits?

        
          Many pastors love to guilt their congregation into giving by using the book of Malachi. Let's actually read what Malachi had to say. Malachi 1:6-8 "A son honors his father and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the Lord Almighty. "It is you priests who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'  "By offering defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the Lord's table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the Lord Almighty. (NIV) 

What many pastors fail to teach their congregation is that the Lord was talking to the priest when He was speaking in Malachi. The priests were offering to God unacceptable sacrifices and God was upset with them because they gave Him defective and blemished offerings. I suggest that everyone reads the entire book of Malachi. Now let's skip over to Malachi 2:1-4 "And now, you priests, this warning is for you. If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name," says the Lord Almighty, "I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you  have not resolved to honor me. "Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue," says the Lord Almighty. (NIV) Again we see that God is disgusted with the priest  and has vowed to curse them because of their disobedience to Him. God wanted perfect sacrifices but His priests robbed Him and kept the best for themselves. This is why God told them that they would be cursed.

Malachi 3:7-10 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' "Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you ask, 'How are we robbing you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--your whole nation--because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (NIV) Earlier, when we read God's rebuke to the priests, He said that he would rebuke their descendants. The word "nations" as used in Malachi 3:9 means (a large aggregate of people united by common descent) which also means descendants. This curse was not for today's body of Christ as many pastors lead their congregants to believe. This curse was ONLY given to the priests of that time.

          This is not to say that God does not want His people to give for the sake of the Kingdom and to help those in need. God definitely wants us to give and help those who are less fortunate. We cannot expect God to bless us when we fail to bless others. A tight hand has no room open to receive.
2 Corinthians 9:6-10 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (NIV) 

          The work of the Lord needs to be spread and it takes funds to do that. However, there is a difference between doing for the work of God and supporting ministers need for greed. Many mega pastors are doing just that...having people support their need for greed. They want fancy buildings, expensive homes, foreign cars, tailor-made suits, and the celebrity status just to name a few. This is all while taking from the poor who are giving to God from their nickels and dimes in an effort to please God. Many ministers have also fallen into the trap of the enemy by not speaking truth to their congregants in an effort to not run people away. The message has been watered done to appease the people instead of teaching them what is right and wrong.  Many pastors will remix the message of money a hundred times, but will fail to preach even one time about Christ return and end time events.

Malachi 2:7 "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned away form the way and by your teaching have cause many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi," says the Lord Almighty. "So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before al the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law." (NIV) I believe that this scripture still holds true today when you see that many people do not want to attend services at a church building because of what they see in front of them, and the various scandals that many ministers have found themselves in.

          Now, I don't want this to sound like I am suggesting that all pastors are out for money. That is not the case. However, you have so many that constantly preach on money that it will make you wonder, why this is the case? See, this is the cycle of how they do it and if you think that I'm wrong, just check out your TV and you will find that many of them preach the same sermons around the same time. The money schedule goes a little something like this...

A.) January--First Fruits (Bring a day's, week's, or month's salary in for this is a requirement of God.)

B.) March-April--Resurrection Sunday (Easter) Offering (Give in honor of Jesus death and resurrection and because most people attend service on this day so the offerings should be large.)

C.) May-June--Many people are going on vacation so the summer months may not bring as much offering. Therefore, sermons have to be preached to ensure people do not forget to give.

D.) October-November--Thanksgiving season is approaching and the congregants must remember to give as a way to show God that they are thankful.

E.) December--Christmas season and the people must be reminded not to spend all their money at the mall on Christmas gifts so a sermon must be preached just in case.

          In between these times there are Pastor Anniversaries, Pastor birthdays, First Lady's birthdays, Church anniversaries, First Family Christmas gifts, building funds and pledges. Okay, can you say children's college fund? Some pastors have been known to have people in their congregation contacted over the phone to ensure that they donated to a certain cause and signed their written pledge, but have failed to contact that same member if they were laying up sick in the hospital or nursing home. Can you say, "SHAMEFUL." What about those pastors who's churches are so big that they can't possibly know their member's names, but will send money requests in the mail to ensure that you give your fair share? Now, if your pastor is doing the work that God has ordained for him/her to do as a shepherd, then this is not applicable. However, if all the pastor does is preach for services, but fail to be a servant to the people because of his/her celebrity--I think that pastoral care is not their calling. They may want to go into Investment Banking as their next career move.  

1 Timothy 3:1-3 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. (NIV)

          Pastors are to be teachers of the word in order to win souls and not just for money. However, so many are out to be famous and only want to do the opposite of what a leader is actually supposed to do. There is so much more to this topic that I do not have the time to put it into this blog. However, please join me on YouTube Starting Friday, July11, 2014 every Friday and Monday where we will discuss more events and dig further into this topic amongst others. Also, join me on my website at www.klrich.net.