$end Me Your $eed Money!

I used to see those “prosperity gospel” type preachers and teachers and think “certainly no one listens to them… at least not “normal” people.  I thought that for years.

Then I moved to Oklahoma.

I have lived here for almost eight years.  (I actually think I’m rolling out somewhere around my eight year anniversary in about 4 weeks.)  In this time, I have been bewildered, frustrated and sometimes just angry over the collective belief in the likes of these thieves.  Sometimes I want to scream “Where is your discernment?” and punch them in the throat.  But that wouldn’t be Christian, so I restrain myself.

Pastors here (and everywhere, I’m sure) have even invited some of these money worshipping quacks as guest speakers, or have hosted their video and book “bible studies” for their congregations. 

Wait.  It gets worse.  The zeitgeist is so off-base from the Spirit that pastors will actually get up on stage and pick and twist Scripture to fit their watered-down feel good message. 

One pastor put Philippians 3:10 up on the screen (“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death…” NIV) and literally said “but we don’t have to experience the fellowship of His sufferings because He already died, so we just get the power of his resurrection.”

What’s happening?!?!

I got up and walked out.  (If you need a complete guide of Scripture that points to carrying your cross or suffering for your faith, please Google- it’s there!)

Later, my friend who had invited me to this particular church asked me what I thought (in text, of course).  I replied with “the pastor twisted Scripture!!” (with a surprise face emoji).  She has never spoken to me since.  That was six years ago.  Literally, she didn’t even ask, “What do you mean?” or say, “Hmmm, I will pray about this and ask God myself.”  No.  She just disappeared.  

And she is not the only one.  I have been chewed out, blocked, laughed at, scoffed at, and flatly told “You just don’t know God.”  People want to believe what they want to believe.
I am coming to grips with the sad reality of 2 Timothy 4:3- For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (NIV)

If you like the “live your best life now” message more than the message of the Cross, you are in for a big surprise.  It might go something like “I never knew you. Away from me…”  (Mat. 7:23, NIV) 

Better to get these things straightened out now.  Read your Bible for yourself.  Pray. Earnestly seek God. Be like the Bereans- test everything (Acts 17:11).

What’s Happening photo credit: https://mbestebr.wordpress.com

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