Let's Merchandise

2 Peter

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.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 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.

I don't know about you but I see a lot of exploiting going on. Just the other day an exploiter was on television panhandling. The man was trying to get me to support his newest building. He wants a prayer chapel or prayer building up on his Christian funded hill. For a gift of money ($1000) he will put a plack up in my name.  He will hang it there in his new building, dedicated in my honor. OH! BOY! That's a great idea. Would you like to donate some money to my prayer barn. I need a new barn. I guarantee that I will pray in it everyday. I will hang a plack with your name on it and think of you often. 

My prayer barn will really look like I'm doing a work for God. I will get my neighbors to pray for your needs and be open 24 hrs a day. In fact, you can come live by me and freely man my phones lines for God's greater good. Notice the word, "Freely." I won't pay you. You will be giving yourself to the greater good of My Ministry. Notice also I used, "My Ministry."

I really can't believe there are those peddling with a straight face. This one guy often says, "The love of money is the root of all evil" and yet he likes what money can buy. Most of those peddling for Jesus sees it as a great opportunity to have things. "It is more blessed to give than receive so give a little to me," is their motto. 

Jesus gave us an example that we can do a work of God with little or no money. In fact many times he told His disciples to leave their money at home. 

"Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat" Matthew 10:9-10.

We are not doing God a service by supporting those in His name who are building empires. We are not to love the things in this world.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" 1 John 2:15.

It's great to have a ministry for God but we should not expect the people of God to pay for all our worldly thrills and gadgets. We should examine the fruits of those who teach and preach in God's name. If they are building an empire for Jesus, it is a indicator that something is wrong with their mentality. 

Yes, we are taught to be givers of our time and talents. This also includes the so-called ministers who like to reign over us. We are not commissioned to build a kingdom of wealth by peddling Jesus. Those of us in the ministry should lead by example and not by lording over the flock and exploiting them by taking all their money. If the minister wants to live a life of plenty then go to work at a job in the world. God doesn't need them. Their occupation does not suit their lusty ambitions.

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you" 2 Corinthians 4:8.

It is time to pray and put a stop to men that want to exploit us. They are not building anything for God that will last. It doesn't take a Porsche or Cadillac to preach the gospel. It only takes two legs and a mouth. We must also practice what we preach. We must be careful not to make money our security. God is our security. When we look down at our dollars, is it in god that we trust? God is not our money. Use your wealth for meeting the needs of the hour but not for squandering it away on useless junk.

When helping those in need use your eyes. Do they have better things than you do? Then you should be helping yourself instead of those who want to exploit you. Does your minister have a cable television or some other high priced network that he enjoys? Then he should be giving to you who can barely afford a radio.

I must confess that I have a lot of junk in my life. I think I might start giving it away. We need to evaluate our lives and live with just the mere necessities.  Life does not consist of the things we own. We need to invest in things that will make us healthier and yet not burdened with excessive crap. Having said all that, we must also make sure that we preach to others within the Christian world not to be covetous. Covetousness is just as bad as loving money. Especially covetousness that exploits other people in the name of God by acting like they are of God. 

KJV Defended Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUhFDv7CNKc

The Inner Word

We live in an infectious world. It takes prayer and faith to survive. I rely upon the bedrock of faith that is contained in this one scripture,

 "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" Matthew 4:4.

We should study and memorize the Word of God. But do you know there is more than the written Word that we should live by? I call it the "Inner Word."

The "Inner Word" is spoken about in Scripture. It is given to us by Mary the mother of Jesus in these words,

John 2:

"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:

2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

"Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."

Mary refers to Jesus the "Inner Word and Written Word."

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Corinthians 13:5.

To be a child of God we must be attuned to the inner word and written Word. We must be knowledgeable of the Word of God in order to be attuned to the inner words of God.

The HOLY GHOST wants us to be attuned to the INNER WORD. As we walk by faith we must know what HIS VOICE is and what the DECEIVER'S VOICE is. The deceiver will try to lead us astray. The deceiver's voice has a mission,

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" John 10:10.

Nothing given to us by the "Inner word" will contradict the Written Word unless it doesn't come from God.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" 1 John 4:1.

As you probably know, I am into health foods. This brings us back to my opening statement, "We live in an infectious world."

"After nearly 100 years, the bacterial infection, scarlet fever, has made a comeback in Britain and in parts of Asia. And to make matters worse, it may no longer be an easy treatable infection as new research suggests that the infection is showing signs of antibiotic resistance."

"West Nile, a mosquito-borne virus, was introduced in North America in 1989. It has drawn the most attention for its impact on humans, with 1 in 5 people who are infected developing a fever with other symptoms, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In rare cases, people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, neurologic illness.

According to the CDC, West Nile Virus which originated in birds, then spread to mammals and then humans killed 85 people last year with 2,122 cases reported. So far, 63 deaths have been reported, 28 in California alone, with 1,197 cases reported in the United States. The first deaths from West Nile Virus were reported in 1999.

The most deaths were reported in 2012 with 5674 cases reported and 286 deaths."

If ever there was a day that we need the healing of God, it is today. We not only need to seek God's protection from infectious diseases but we also need to hear his "Inner Voice." We need guidance from God.

Take for instance a special cupcake bought at your local bakery store. It's pretty and decorated with colorful frosting. Does God want you to eat it? Are dainty morsels of sweetness from our local bakery the way of God?

Others have given the warnings and yet we know better, right?

"But let’s talk about a new and scary ingredient you may not have heard of – propylene glycol. This petroleum based chemical food additive – that’s been approved by the FDA – is also found in products like brake fluid, acrylic paints, tile grout, primer, shoe polish, antifreeze, floor polish, tire sealant and sealant paste, according to Food Facts.org. It has been reported on Dr. Mercola.com that the following symptoms can arise after repeated small doses – throat irritation, headache, backache, and kidney problems. Furthermore, ingesting very large doses of this chemical can cause drowsiness, vomiting, respiratory failure, coma, convulsions, or can be fatal.

Yes – you have to ingest a lot of this stuff to see some of these reactions – but is saying “death by a thousand cuts?” taking it too far? I don’t know – you decide. And why is this stuff in our birthday cakes anyway?

Even the cakes that Harris Teeter gets from a famous local bakery, “Tizzerts,” are just as bad as their store brand cakes because they also contain propylene glycol."

http://foodbabe.com/2012/04/06/why-you-shouldnt-buy-supermarket-birthday-cakes/

Does God say, "It's okay to eat birthday cakes bought at bakeries? I will protect you. Don't worry, be happy."

Those attuned to God and those giving us the warnings are trying to tell us something,

"So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof" 2 Kings 4:40.

Do you ever hear from God from the "Inner Voice?" "There is death in the pot." We need to start responding and doing those things that God might be telling us in the inner man. I know it is hard. Life is hard. We need to be so attuned to God in our daily lives that we begin to heed his voice. Sometimes it is a voice of affirmation from others who have already given us the warnings.

You are the ultimate judge as to what path you will follow. However, please get attuned to God. There is sickness all around us. We need the miraculous in our live but we also need good common sense directed to us by God through the "Inner Voice."