Prophecy
Where Gain is Godline$$
Shared by Patricia Backora, author of the book
Tough Love in Christ’s Millennium
Which you can order online from: http://www.publishamerica.com
I Corinthians 4: 8-13; Galatians 6:14; I Timothy 6:5
The writings of Paul the apostle are often used to justify the get-rich-quick gospel of these end times. If he really were the father of such a heresy, he was undoubtedly a failure at getting its principles to work for him.
No other minister of the early Church was more faithful and hard-working than My servant Paul. He willingly assumed the responsibility for the oversight of many churches. In his numerous travels, he diligently sought to impart My Truths, wherever they were lacking in the faith of the churches he visited. He saw the need for the operation of spiritual gifts in the life of the Body of Christ. Through praying with the laying on of hands and the word of prophecy, many other ministries were raised up to edify the people in My congregations. Paul lived to propagate My Truth. Many ignorant people living in darkness were converted to the Lord Jesus Christ and had great spiritual riches imparted to them, because of the faithfulness of this one apostle and his associates.
There was one assembly in particular which this long-suffering apostle had problems with, the church at Corinth. Having been converted to the Faith through the ministry of this apostle, and nurtured on the good things of My Kingdom by him, these people were too tight-fisted to give him financial support.
This was a wealthy church, by the standards of that day. The carnal Corinthians luxuriated in their prosperity, and didn’t see much point in sharing it with someone who had poured out his life to serve them at My Table. Instead, they found an excuse to try to wiggle out of their obligation to him: Paul was not one of the original twelve who had known Jesus during his lifetime. They dismissed him as a jailbird, because he had the chains to prove it. So what if Paul was doing the job of an apostle? Why call him one, or give him the monetary support due his office?
I had foreordained that those who labor in My Vineyard by preaching the Gospel as a vocation should receive their living from it. Paul knew that while he and Barnabas had to work for their living, Peter, John, and all others in full-time ministry were receiving due support from their flocks. Many, like the apostle Peter, were even free to take a wife with them on their travels. Peter certainly did not go back to fishing for a living once He got involved in My work of fishing for the souls of men!
Rather than court the risk of bringing reproach upon his office and hindering the work of the Gospel, Paul waived his claim to financial support. He decided not to make an issue of his right to share in the prosperity of the Corinthian Church. He continued his tedious toil as a tent maker, laboring late into the night, and sharing My Word at every opportunity.
For My sake Paul suffered privations, as well as persecutions. The bitter irony of it all is this: A certain measure of his sufferings were inflicted by ungrateful believers who refused to treat Him as one of My own! While he fasted, rich Christians feasted, thinking they were living like King’s Kids. They had the carnal mindset of a spoiled child who attacks a box of chocolates, and refuses to share any.
I wonder how poor Paul would have been received in modern-day Prosperity Churches. Reduced to rags, his rough-shod feet blistered from thousands of miles of torturous travel, gaunt, windburned and unpolished, I strongly suspect he would have been mistaken for a vagrant and shown the door. What a pitiful advertisement for Prosperity Theology this fellow made!
Paul gloried in the Cross of Christ. Thus, he was dead to the world and the world was dead to him. Very much alive to this present evil world, con artists wallow in the cash of Christians, and dare to cross Christ.
Paul would have been disgusted by today’s “sale-vation” promoted by money-hungry propheteers.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 968 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Patricia Backora or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 968 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.