In politics it’s where one businessman offers a politician a ‘donation’ with the unspoken proviso that the politician will affect ‘change’ in policies in the businessman’s business interests. In church is where the pastor offers spiritual and financial rewards for your, wait for it: ‘generous donation of just 10 – 15 – 100 or if you feel led – 1000 dollars!‘ The best part is we can choose the amount!
It happens all the time and has done since the beginning of time. It’s why so many slick businessmen in shiny suits and gold chains enter the church with their trendy bands and light shows – they see a great opportunity to fleece the meek, trusting and hurting flock by offering them similar incentives to line their pockets. Great TV and stadium promises of ‘returns’ ‘gains’ and all manner of nonsense.
We should support our church financially – so they can serve the poor, widows and orphans (or anyone in serious need).
We know God does multiply our generous giving but look how he insists it must be done?.. in secret. And your cash should NEVER be requested by men with a promise and guarantee of spiritual or material gains – outrageous! Like God is a cash machine. These wolves clearly do not believe in God – if they did they would stop in fear of His wrath.
Ask for what you need but God cannot be bribed
In church we call this The Prosperity Gospel. Where you have a meeting with God and offer to do x, y, z or pray x times a day – pray or as Joel Osteen would say -say the magic words – whatever they current fashion is for God’s favour. Of course – none of these ‘pastors’ like Benny -The-Bank-Hinn will be able to help themselves when they become old and in-firmed by filling the pockets of others (they leave that detail out). It’s why you’ll never find them at any local hospital heeling the sick with their ‘gift’ – because they are sick. The problem for them will be that God cannot be bribed. And prayer is not there like a casino slot machine where you drop in your offering and if you’re lucky it spits out some good fortune.
We now even have pRay to play
Prayer is meant to build faith. It’s meant to train us to only ask for what we NEED (ie what God would have us have to serve His purposes). If that happens to be a lear jet then by all means pray for it. But you better really need it. It also trains us not to ask for what we don’t need – ie what our carnal flesh desires – money wealth – fame. If god wants to grant us those things – He will – but we have to pick up our cross and DENY ourselves. Jesus never prayed to be taken OFF the cross.
Sorry – The Bible’s message is Your Best Life Later
We should always week to improve our skills and income and wealth if possible in a Godly submissive way so we can we bless people with charitable deeds (ie doing – is the greatest love according to the Bible – unfortunately ‘charity’ has come to mean just giving cash – how convenient we no longer have to give our precious time or anything that really costs us when we can fulfil this by dropping in a few pence into a bucket). Utilmateiy it’s thy will – not my will. This is very hard – especially for the young who I feel should have more slack – as the world – especially Silicon Valley (or The Valley of Fools) works tirelessly to offer them ever more reasons and means to be selfish and get hooked on all that is useless and unprofitable – even damaging to their psyche to the point where paradoxically they won’t even let their own kids use their creations. Sure The Valley of Fools created this software – but I’m only using it as a last resort – to help an ailing struggling church’s with it’s inevitable failings – real face-to-face relationships and Godly families – you know the thing liberal governors want to weaken are infinitely better than virtual ones.
But as you get older fruitless enticements (did I say Angry Birds?) don’t have as much gravity – not because we get morally better than young folk (though obviously the idea is Christians mature with age) but simply because of the biological ageing process – it’s easier for us – before I get smug. And as the days lessen you get tired of not speaking the truth for fear of treading on toes – saying the things you’ll NEVER hear at Hillsong or from Rob Bell, or Rick Warren – any of the super-bowl best-life-now churches.
In the last days they will be lovers of self(ies)
I remember at Hillsong – yep, I dared to speak against the sacred cow that ‘brings the young into the church with it’s ‘fantastic’ music and me me me sermons’ (actually by not speaking the hard truth it sets them up perfectly or falling away) – once taking three offerings in one hour service – of course with a promise of blessings to go – before being quickly ushered out for the theatre for the next lot of fools – and the next – and the next. I gave them some money but will never go back.
