Does God make you rich?

[Anthony]

Everything came from Him: the $10 million corporate jet, the $107,000 silver-gray Mercedes sedan, the $2 million home and houses worth another $2 million for their four children -- all blessings, straight from the hand of God.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/special/joycemeyer.nsf/0/18C14871599F61AC86256DDD0081B42B?OpenDocument


Is this the kind of riches talk about in the Bible?

If you stay in your faith, are you going to get paid?

 

[Iddie4him]

These are the riches he talks about giving up and following him....If you can't do that , then you won't get into the Kingdom of Heaven

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Are you saying Iddie that because she has these things then she's not going to heaven?

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Everything came from Him: the $10 million corporate jet, the $107,000 silver-gray Mercedes sedan, the $2 million home and houses worth another $2 million for their four children -- all blessings, straight from the hand of God.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/special/joycemeyer.nsf/0/18C14871599F61AC86256DDD0081B42B?OpenDocument


Is this the kind of riches talk about in the Bible?

If you stay in your faith, are you going to get paid?

I think earthly riches are included in God's promises to us. We are not to seek after earthly riches, though if God blesses us with them then we are to use them wisely.

I believe there are a lot of details left out of the article above. And we must also question whether what was quoted was really said. I know many people personally, who were misquoted by the newspapers.

Why are we so quick to believe what the "world" writes about our brothers and sisters? How is this any different from seeking out the worlds riches? It's OK to seek out the worlds advise, view, etc, but not the that are laid up and stored for the righteous. How sad.

 

[ablikespaintball]

These are the riches he talks about giving up and following him....If you can't do that , then you won't get into the Kingdom of Heaven

If she said that (wich i doubt she did ) then she is totally mistaken. It says is the bible we are not saved by works but by faith alone. Hope you or her didn't get the wrong impression on what salvation is.

God Bless,
AB

 

[Anthony]

Joyce and her husband comments on the article
http://www.joycemeyer.org/html_jmm/hottopic_popup.html

 

[pmarquette]

Is this the kind of riches talk about in the Bible?
If you stay in your faith, are you going to get paid?
---isn't it written that a minister is worthy of a double portion ?
-- what was Jesus talking about in Luke 11.9 ; 6.38 ?
-- what was God talking about in Malachi 3.10 ?
-- what was Paul talking about in 2 Corinthians 9.6-9 ?
will have what we need to accomplish the task he set before us ..... a televangalist has a greater flock , requires a greater stipend to preach the word , than your average congregationalist preacher with 50 - 100 members

Psalms says give me not too much that I forget you , or too little that I would steal , but sufficiency ...

It is a consideration of the heart , stewardship , and calling....
not " filthy lucre "

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Joyce and her husband comments on the article
http://www.joycemeyer.org/html_jmm/hottopic_popup.html

Thank you Anthony for posting this.

I attended Jesse Duplantis' meetings a little over a week ago when he was here in Kissimmee, FL. He was like 5 minutes away He was telling how he has many business ventures on the side and he lives totally off of his own business ventures. All the ministry monies goes totally to the minsitry. . .100%. He is far from being poor and I know that he has given much of his own money away. He also has had people give him extremely expensive items. His ministry is totally debt free and he is currently saving via the ministry for an airplane (can't remember the type). He was explaining that he does not mind at all travelling regular airlines but the schedules do not allow him to travel to as many places in the same amount of time as having his own plane would.

 

[Anthony]

---isn't it written that a minister is worthy of a double portion ?
-- what was Jesus talking about in Luke 11.9 ; 6.38 ?
-- what was God talking about in Malachi 3.10 ?
-- what was Paul talking about in 2 Corinthians 9.6-9 ?

Ministers are worthy of a double portion?

How do you get that, from those verses?

Luke 11.9 isn't refering to ministers

The verse actually starts back at Luke 11:5
Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.

And 2CO 6-9 also does not deal with ministers, It actually deals with the poor.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

"He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever."



Also sowing and reaping should be from our hard work not on the back of other believers

 

[Iddie4him]

Are you saying Iddie that because she has these things then she's not going to heaven?

No,
I am not saying that at all......What I was trying to say is that when we are called to the ministry or whatever, If we can't give up these things cause we are so materialistic, Then we can't enter into the kingdom of heaven. I hope I said that the right way.

 

[Andrew]

What I was trying to say is that when we are called to the ministry or whatever, If we can't give up these things cause we are so materialistic, Then we can't enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Huh? you mean won't be saved? Isn't that works? I thot God gave up Jesus so we could enter. We don't give up possessions so we can enter, whether called to the ministry or not.

And it doesnt mean that you become worse off when you serve the Lord. My Pastor is even more blessed today after he gave up a VERY high-paying secular job.

Mark 10
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold NOW IN THIS TIME [LIFE], houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

No,
I am not saying that at all......What I was trying to say is that when we are called to the ministry or whatever, If we can't give up these things cause we are so materialistic, Then we can't enter into the kingdom of heaven. I hope I said that the right way.

I understand Iddie. I think too that a lot of times we don't fully know what people have given up because they don't tell about it. Generally, at the beginnings of one's ministry it is very difficult but as time goes on God blesses. Yes, it may come through other people and/or good business practices and hard work. . .but it is God doing the blessing.

 

[Droobie]

There was recently an article similar to this in Australia regarding the Senior Pastor Brian Houston of Hillsong Church. Many of these are taken from a secular point of view, were money and materialism is a much stronger 'master' to them than God is. Of course they will focus on what a senior pastor 'earns'. A secular author/reader would have little concept of godly purpose, sowing, reaping and blessings.

 

[pmarquette]

Ministers are worthy of a double portion? from the old covenant, Levitical priest hood , do not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain [ refering to tithe and offerings brought into the store house by the other 11 tribes [ the flock ]

How do you get that, from those verses?
sowing and reaping : give and shall be given , pressed down shaken together , running over - Lk 11.9 ; 6.38 ; give and you shall receive all grace , all needs , all times , that you might prosper & continue to do so - 2 Corinthians 9.6-8 ; give and I shall open the windows of heaven - Malachi 3.10 ; if you obey me will be blessed in city , country , leaving , return , work of your hands , in all that you do - Deuteronomy 28.1-6
sufficiency ...

 

[Anthony]

Ministers are worthy of a double portion? from the old covenant, Levitical priest hood , do not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain [ refering to tithe and offerings brought into the store house by the other 11 tribes [ the flock ]

How do you get that, from those verses?
sowing and reaping : give and shall be given , pressed down shaken together , running over - Lk 11.9 ; 6.38 ; give and you shall receive all grace , all needs , all times , that you might prosper & continue to do so - 2 Corinthians 9.6-8 ; give and I shall open the windows of heaven - Malachi 3.10 ; if you obey me will be blessed in city , country , leaving , return , work of your hands , in all that you do - Deuteronomy 28.1-6
sufficiency ...

Pmarquette

Those are nice scripture verses, but they have nothing do with the claim that was being offered up, that ministers, themselves are worthy of a double portion. Tithes were to the community or the preisthood, they didn't have individual ministers. There are passages in the New Testament in which Paul discusses the apostles getting compensated. But none that talk about a concept of double portion. Also the verse in which Paul talks about compensation wasn't even offered.

 

[Anthony]

And it doesnt mean that you become worse off when you serve the Lord. My Pastor is even more blessed today after he gave up a VERY high-paying secular job.

Mark 10
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold NOW IN THIS TIME [LIFE], houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Mark 10:29 is one line in a dialog between Jesus and his disciples. The hundredfold thing is a metaphor. Also it is important to read the entire passage, which puts the two verses you quoted in context.

Mark 10:23-34
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Jesus is using figurative language; it's one thing to promise a 100 to 1 return on houses, but does it make much sense, if taken literally if it is applied to getting 100 kids when you give up one of yours? or getting a 100 Moms, when you give up your Mom?

Jesus is talking about spiritual multiplication not the physical increase in one's possession or income. This verse in not about increasing one's wealth, just look at the first thing Jesus tells, them give it up. Jesus is also talking about how one's family with increase a hundred fold . . . the family of believers.

Also the passage just before this in Mark 10:21-22

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.


Jesus is talking about a bigger picture here

 

[ABDIarise]

I wonder why God did not make Abraham a poor slob and instead allowed him to haul wagons of gold around making him "very" rich in gold and silver?

Anyone know the answer?

 

[razzelflabben]

I think the answer to that question,ABDIarise though not satisfying, can be comforting, is that that is what God chose for Abraham. God gives to each man what he sees fit for him to do the job God has for him to do. Maybe a better question is what does God want you to do with what He has given you.