Who Needs the wealth the most?

[DavinMochrie]

Hi everyone,

I really want to talk about this experience I had tonight.

As a background I went to a church on the weekend recommended by a friend who just preached about Jesus wanting the congregation to be wealthy, and the whole sermon was about 'what can we pray god for?? '. This is in a rich wealthy middle class suburb. They were praying for babies, and wealth and Business ideas??? Praying for their own needs.

Anyways last night I had a long talk with this friend on the phone, trying to understand this wealth gospel. He made a very good case for it, and even followed up this morning with bible verses he sent me to support it.

Tonight, I went to this Christian bookshop and got yet another version of the bible (for my collection lol) and a bible study guide. As I walked out of the shop and was headed towards my car, This shakey voice was asking after me. 'excuse excuse me'. I turned around and it was this young lady. She was a mum with a small baby, but she came over and she was in tears and she had a lot of shame in her voice. She asked me could I spare any loose change as she was waiting on money and couldn't get it, and she was hungry.

I said, that's okay, and pulled $20 out of my wallet and gave it to her. She was shocked and asked 'are you sure????'. I said, Don't worry about as I placed my hand on her shoulder and looked in her eyes. "I just got paid!" I said with a cheeky smile and walked off.

Now, don't be impressed, because this is one thing I already planned ages ago. My personal decision that I made, was whenever anyone begged on the street to me and was in need, I would give and give generously. What they do with my gift is up to them. In the past year this has occurred about 6 time sin Melbourne. For some reason I am a beacon for people in need. They will literally walk through the crowd and pick me out.

I got to thinking about the sermon on the weekend, where people roll up in their BMWs and go in and pray for 'business ideas' (Which was directed by the pastor to do.)

Not once were we focusing on those in need, but the selfish need of a crowd of people who could more than adequately fend for themselves.

What if instead, this lady, desperate in her hour of need said a prayer to God? All she wanted was money to tide her over the weekend. And my simple gesture, that in no way impacts my life answered her prayer? I was doing God's work?

I think if a punk like me can have a nice office job and make adequate money, that I don't need to constantly pray to god for wealth. I am happy to go and do Jesus' actual work out there.

If all of us did this, then no one would have to be desperate and beg.

I am done with this wealth gospel.

 

[DavinMochrie]

Whoah, How is this for Holy Spirit guidance? That bible I bought tonight? King James Version.

I just sat down then, opened it and this is the first thing I read.

Psalm 41 (King James Version)

Psalm 41

1Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
2The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

 

[Elijah2]

Hi everyone,

I really want to talk about this experience I had tonight.

As a background I went to a church on the weekend recommended by a friend who just preached about Jesus wanting the congregation to be wealthy, and the whole sermon was about 'what can we pray god for?? '. This is in a rich wealthy middle class suburb. They were praying for babies, and wealth and Business ideas??? Praying for their own needs.

Anyways last night I had a long talk with this friend on the phone, trying to understand this wealth gospel. He made a very good case for it, and even followed up this morning with bible verses he sent me to support it.

Tonight, I went to this Christian bookshop and got yet another version of the bible (for my collection lol) and a bible study guide. As I walked out of the shop and was headed towards my car, This shakey voice was asking after me. 'excuse excuse me'. I turned around and it was this young lady. She was a mum with a small baby, but she came over and she was in tears and she had a lot of shame in her voice. She asked me could I spare any loose change as she was waiting on money and couldn't get it, and she was hungry.

I said, that's okay, and pulled $20 out of my wallet and gave it to her. She was shocked and asked 'are you sure????'. I said, Don't worry about as I placed my hand on her shoulder and looked in her eyes. "I just got paid!" I said with a cheeky smile and walked off.

Now, don't be impressed, because this is one thing I already planned ages ago. My personal decision that I made, was whenever anyone begged on the street to me and was in need, I would give and give generously. What they do with my gift is up to them. In the past year this has occurred about 6 time sin Melbourne. For some reason I am a beacon for people in need. They will literally walk through the crowd and pick me out.

I got to thinking about the sermon on the weekend, where people roll up in their BMWs and go in and pray for 'business ideas' (Which was directed by the pastor to do.)

Not once were we focusing on those in need, but the selfish need of a crowd of people who could more than adequately fend for themselves.

What if instead, this lady, desperate in her hour of need said a prayer to God? All she wanted was money to tide her over the weekend. And my simple gesture, that in no way impacts my life answered her prayer? I was doing God's work?

I think if a punk like me can have a nice office job and make adequate money, that I don't need to constantly pray to god for wealth. I am happy to go and do Jesus' actual work out there.

If all of us did this, then no one would have to be desperate and beg.

I am done with this wealth gospel.

Praise our Lord Jesus Christ, praise the revelation that our dear brother in our Lord Jesus Christ has had, bless him Lord, bless him.

Davin my dear brother the treasure that you will store in heaven will be all those $20 that you give to the needy with a grateful heart.

Get right away from all that prosperity faith. Prosperity in our Lord eyes is your treasures in heaven, and goodness and kindness on earth.

A lesson learnt, and a blessing gained.

 

[capnator]

We are not above our master, but are to be like Him, who even though He is the greatest being in the universe and owns all things became as nothing for the benefit of others.

Mat 16:25For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Do we want to live for now?

 

[Digit]

Hey Davin,

Your posts always make me smile, it's like everything I went through when I was a new Christian. Really good to see someone else experience it in such a similar manner.

I do the samething as your in regards to those who are in need and ask, I gave this guy $10 outside Melbourne Central a while back, and came outside and he the largest sandwich I'd ever seen lol.

Also the same with me, I don't know why but it's like they have Digit-sense and just zero in on me. Eerie I tell you *glances upwards*

Cheers!
Digit

 

[ContentInHim]

Whoah, How is this for Holy Spirit guidance? That bible I bought tonight? King James Version.

I just sat down then, opened it and this is the first thing I read.

Psalm 41 (King James Version)

Psalm 41

1Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
2The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.
3The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

Davin - it's called confirmation! God is confirming that you did what he asked you to do.

You asked "what if she prayed for the money". Well, maybe she did and you were the answer to that prayer!

I believe that if we, as believers, are well off financially it's so that we can help others. Fairly frequently money I have given to others has been returned to me 7-10 fold. This gives me more to give out. I don't give it to churches particularly, but directly to people whose needs I can see in front of me.

 

[Sketcher]

Very good. The passage you posted is one of the many reasons I disdain the so-called prosperity gospel. Believe it or not, not all upper class churches have the attitude of the one you describe.

 

[footprints1973]

Hi everyone,

I really want to talk about this experience I had tonight.

As a background I went to a church on the weekend recommended by a friend who just preached about Jesus wanting the congregation to be wealthy, and the whole sermon was about 'what can we pray god for?? '. This is in a rich wealthy middle class suburb. They were praying for babies, and wealth and Business ideas??? Praying for their own needs.

Anyways last night I had a long talk with this friend on the phone, trying to understand this wealth gospel. He made a very good case for it, and even followed up this morning with bible verses he sent me to support it.

Tonight, I went to this Christian bookshop and got yet another version of the bible (for my collection lol) and a bible study guide. As I walked out of the shop and was headed towards my car, This shakey voice was asking after me. 'excuse excuse me'. I turned around and it was this young lady. She was a mum with a small baby, but she came over and she was in tears and she had a lot of shame in her voice. She asked me could I spare any loose change as she was waiting on money and couldn't get it, and she was hungry.

I said, that's okay, and pulled $20 out of my wallet and gave it to her. She was shocked and asked 'are you sure????'. I said, Don't worry about as I placed my hand on her shoulder and looked in her eyes. "I just got paid!" I said with a cheeky smile and walked off.

Now, don't be impressed, because this is one thing I already planned ages ago. My personal decision that I made, was whenever anyone begged on the street to me and was in need, I would give and give generously. What they do with my gift is up to them. In the past year this has occurred about 6 time sin Melbourne. For some reason I am a beacon for people in need. They will literally walk through the crowd and pick me out.

I got to thinking about the sermon on the weekend, where people roll up in their BMWs and go in and pray for 'business ideas' (Which was directed by the pastor to do.)

Not once were we focusing on those in need, but the selfish need of a crowd of people who could more than adequately fend for themselves.

What if instead, this lady, desperate in her hour of need said a prayer to God? All she wanted was money to tide her over the weekend. And my simple gesture, that in no way impacts my life answered her prayer? I was doing God's work?

I think if a punk like me can have a nice office job and make adequate money, that I don't need to constantly pray to god for wealth. I am happy to go and do Jesus' actual work out there.

If all of us did this, then no one would have to be desperate and beg.

I am done with this wealth gospel.

God Bless you. What a loving gesture! You are truly living as Jesus did. Remember He said (and I am paraphrasing sort of) "Whatsover you do, to the least of my people, that you do unto me".

As for the "prosperity gospel", it makes me ill. I believe that if Jesus was speaking of prosperity, he meant SPIRITUAL prosperity.

Laura

 

[Ephesians4]

Praise our Lord Jesus Christ, praise the revelation that our dear brother in our Lord Jesus Christ has had, bless him Lord, bless him.

Davin my dear brother the treasure that you will store in heaven will be all those $20 that you give to the needy with a grateful heart.

Get right away from all that prosperity faith. Prosperity in our Lord eyes is your treasures in heaven, and goodness and kindness on earth.

A lesson learnt, and a blessing gained.

Yes! Totally agree. Store up your treasures in Heaven -- and you're doing that by giving out of love not from greed. Yay!!

 

[footprints1973]

Davin,
I've been thinking about your post...and I think that God sent that woman into your path on purpose. Because He knew that you would bless her through Him.

God Bless,
Laura

 

[""]

Hi everyone,

I really want to talk about this experience I had tonight.

As a background I went to a church on the weekend recommended by a friend who just preached about Jesus wanting the congregation to be wealthy, and the whole sermon was about 'what can we pray god for?? '. This is in a rich wealthy middle class suburb. They were praying for babies, and wealth and Business ideas??? Praying for their own needs.

Anyways last night I had a long talk with this friend on the phone, trying to understand this wealth gospel. He made a very good case for it, and even followed up this morning with bible verses he sent me to support it.

Tonight, I went to this Christian bookshop and got yet another version of the bible (for my collection lol) and a bible study guide. As I walked out of the shop and was headed towards my car, This shakey voice was asking after me. 'excuse excuse me'. I turned around and it was this young lady. She was a mum with a small baby, but she came over and she was in tears and she had a lot of shame in her voice. She asked me could I spare any loose change as she was waiting on money and couldn't get it, and she was hungry.

I said, that's okay, and pulled $20 out of my wallet and gave it to her. She was shocked and asked 'are you sure????'. I said, Don't worry about as I placed my hand on her shoulder and looked in her eyes. "I just got paid!" I said with a cheeky smile and walked off.

Now, don't be impressed, because this is one thing I already planned ages ago. My personal decision that I made, was whenever anyone begged on the street to me and was in need, I would give and give generously. What they do with my gift is up to them. In the past year this has occurred about 6 time sin Melbourne. For some reason I am a beacon for people in need. They will literally walk through the crowd and pick me out.

I got to thinking about the sermon on the weekend, where people roll up in their BMWs and go in and pray for 'business ideas' (Which was directed by the pastor to do.)

Not once were we focusing on those in need, but the selfish need of a crowd of people who could more than adequately fend for themselves.

What if instead, this lady, desperate in her hour of need said a prayer to God? All she wanted was money to tide her over the weekend. And my simple gesture, that in no way impacts my life answered her prayer? I was doing God's work?

I think if a punk like me can have a nice office job and make adequate money, that I don't need to constantly pray to god for wealth. I am happy to go and do Jesus' actual work out there.

If all of us did this, then no one would have to be desperate and beg.

I am done with this wealth gospel.

I am very touched by your post. May the Lord bless you for it.

 

[soap]

Here's some Scripture. Read it over and pray about it. I believe the Lord can show you a lot in this:
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:3-11


But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2 Peter 2:1-6

They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. Titus 1:16


Paul wrote this to the Corinthian church:


Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children.
1 Corinthians 4:6-14

 

[Pennypower]

I'm so glad you can see this. I hate the prosperity gospel so much and I could write a book!
I was in one of these churches for a long time. It always bothered me, but over time it started to mess with me. When I got out it was like taking 1000 lbs off my shoulders. There was such a heirarchy there, and favoritism based on wealth and success. The pastors were treated like celebrities. That makes me sick.
I'm glad you see it, stay far far away.
And just to add a point, watch out for any "feel good" gospel that focuses on making you feel like you are such a wonderful person, rather than a sinner saved by grace. The largest church in America is one of these. Joel Osteen. Oops. Did I say that?