Wealthy Pastors

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Judas had his eyes on money

"And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

There is no reconciliation. Church leaders have fallen into the material snare of self-deceit.

The apostle Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none”.

Jesus chased the money makers out of the Temple. Those people were successful materially, and very important in the Temple but irrelevant to God’s plan.

Jesus said, “Woe to you rich” but “blessed are the poor”.

In our materialistic world the church made the fatal mistake of calling wealth a blessing. As if wealth is something to aspire to. That is an extreme focus on self. Yet we are meant to die to self. The world’s wealthiest man cannot keep his wife.

A millionaire has just committed suicide in prison. So does money really make people happy? We buy more but enjoy it less.

We are humbled by loss, not by success.

John was put into a horrible prison colony on the island of Patmos before he could receive his incredible Revelation visions to close off the Bible.

The more our physical situation shrinks, the more our spiritual awareness opens up.

The opposite also happens. The richer you get materially, the poorer you become spiritually.

Venezuela has the most oil but is the least productive. So having a lot does not make us better or more effective.

A minister is a servant.

Wealthy church leaders give the orders, they are not servants. After all, they have a business to maintain which requires years of targeted self-promotion.

A half hour of a TV broadcast has a pull for money. A brief appearance of a pretty face to attract attention. A coffee cup, usually untouched, to create a homely feeling. Cameras that come in from different angles to create change and thus hold our attention. Distant cameras to include the big audience as well. An upstairs camera to show that the huge hall has an upstairs balcony as well. All designed to impress. Because they know that deep down church-goers today do not seek truth, they seek to belong. And they want to belong to the biggest and the best church.

Then disco music to entertain. Drums are never mentioned in the Bible.

All of these gimmicks come from worldly TV programs. But it is effective to pull in the crowds and more importantly, the money.

Style and show, but lacking substance.

Much in the show room but little of value in the stockroom.

We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values.

The only time Jesus got angry was with religious money-makers in the Temple. He chased them out on Palm Sunday and then again the next day, Monday. They killed Him three days later on Thursday.

Revelation Chapter 3 describes the major sins of the end time church.

Lukewarm. A mixture of Scriptural salvation by grace through faith alone as well the unscriptural belief of celebrating the Lord’s birth that the Bible never asked us to do. Worse still, on December 25 which was chosen as the birthday of the pagan Roman sun god. Then the Christmas tree decorated with gold and silver which Jeremiah 10 told us not to copy. Then the unscriptural “Good Friday” and “Easter Monday” with Easter eggs and Easter bunnies. Total pagan traditions.

Then the Bible says that the church speaks for the first time in its 2000 -year history and says “I am rich and increased in goods”.

The emphasis of the rich is on self. Look at me! I am rich because God has blessed me. Therefore I am right with God.

Total nonsense. “I am rich” is said as a condemnation of the individual. You kept the money for yourself but are blind to understanding Scripture. Thus you never got baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38)

The New Testament never placed a Pastor in charge of a church.

Nowhere does the Bible claim that the tithes belong to the Pastor.

The New Testament mentions Pastors once only. That does not qualify him to be the head of the church.

The Old Testament condemns Pastors 6 times. So they are obviously doing something wrong.

Jeremiah 23:1

“Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.”

Jeremiah 23:2

“Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.”

Jesus was born in a stinking stable.

He borrowed a boat to sail on and even borrowed a tomb for three days.

His ride in triumph as King on Palm Sunday was on a borrowed donkey.