Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Who is qualified? | 1 Tim 6:17 | justme | 53648 | ||
Dear In the Andes: Oh my, talk about picturing something wrong , I sure did. After reading this answer I KNOW what you mean. Bless your heart. I have seen several missionaries in Bolivia, and Mexico and I came back with a changed attitude. In fact in 1982 when I went to La Paz, Bolivia is what God used to so me I was not a Born again Christian. Can you imagine it took me 37 years anda trip to Bolivia to wake me up? It was March of 1983 I found Christ as my Lord because of my trip to Bolivia! Now, I could not agree with you more on how much misssionaries give up, and sacrifice for being in "the ministry". I do not think it is fait to have missionaries raise their own support. Some go to the field with less than 90 percent of the needed funds. Half way through the year churches forget a month or two and then others who promised to be faithfull supporters have hard times and you suffer even more. Before you know it you are at 55 percent. Then some supporters want to know what you did with THEIR money? Am I right? I was in the pastorial ministry here in the US for a good length of time. In getting my BA degree, my M.Div. and MARS it cost almost 100,000 dollars by the time I finished. At one church I stayed three years with no raise in pay, and we had our fourth child there. No the church did very little, and it was darn very little. However others in strange ways helped in ways only God could done. We had a Ford Van with 165,000 that got 12 mpg. We bought a cheap 4 door Mercury Topaz. We heard about how we misspent our money! I made 65 dollars a week for three years. Ministry is not as glamorous and joyfull as we thought. We suffered, went without as church members has the very best of everything. Yes God rewarded our faith, but the cost was very high. But I feel it was worth it from my point of view. My two oldest children, now adults, have had a hard time resolving their hurts, but have done so. I kow of a Canadain Baptist Missionaary who left Boliva, because they wer going to have board the young children while the ministered to the Bolivians in La Paz. I agreed with his choice. What good are you to God if you let someone else raise your children? Who ever suggested such a stupid thing failed to see priorities that are God given. I believe you need the very best tools and living conditions. Nothing hurts me deeper than to see a missionary come to the church and put on a dog and poney show to begg for support. Sometimes they are not even given food, or gas monet that took to come to the church! I hope you can feel my hurt I feel for you. I believe I can honestly say I understand. What mission group are you connected with? I have seen the Andes, they are the most spectacular mountians I have ever seen. My plane LLoyds Bolivino almost crashed going from Santa Cruze to La Paz. There was a general Government strike. A unexperienced piolet was in charge. The stewardest got sick it was so bad. We bounced all over and the left wing came within 5 feet of hitting the mountians edge! Would you believe I went back to La Paz in 1986! It was in civil unrest and the military shot bullets to get people to move. That was out side our hotel. Well Bless you friend. agape, justme |
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2 | Who is qualified? | 1 Tim 6:17 | In the Andes | 53658 | ||
Oh my gosh! See that's exaclty what I mean. Christians freak out when you say that God desires to bless His children with stuff, and the very reason for it is to be a blessing. I say, Prosperity without purpose is poison. But According to Gen 12:1-3 Part of the Blessing of Abraham was, "I will bless you and in you ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED." I believe that financial success is essential to every born again believer for that very purpose. To be a blessing, to provide for their own 1 tim 5:8, to provide for his brother 1 john 3:17, to provide for the Poor Gal 2:10, to provide for the church, 1 Cor 16:3 and to provide for the pastor 1 tim 5:17 and the missionaries 3 John 7-8 You know what. I feel really sorry for those people in the church who didn't support your ministry. When they get to heaven, I'm sure God will say to them "Well you're done, cheap and stingy servant. I'm so proud of you. You were really stingy. You did such a good Job of keeping Justme without money. I really needed help keeping him humble." Did you hear the sarcasm in my words? Unfortunately I cannot discuss my mission organization in public. Other than we've got schools all over the world. We've been talking about commandments in the NT in another forum, A good NT command is "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especailly those who labor in the Word and doctrine." 1 Tim 5:17. Honor in context being salary. I believe that the Elders refered to in scripture are most often Pastors, Since I am NOT a Pastor of a church, I can say, Every Pastor ought to be highly paid. Especailly with all the junk they have put up with. My heart goes out to you! I work with Pastors daily helping them to succeed in ministry. I have some idea of what you went through. Ciao, |
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3 | Who is qualified? | 1 Tim 6:17 | The Berean | 53734 | ||
The Gospel is not about money. Why must we always consider being a blessing to someone else in the form of money or material possession? It is about spreading a message of salvation to the world. Proverbs 22:2 "The rich and the poor have a common bond, THE LORD is the maker of them all." Evil people are 'blessed' financially and Good people are 'blessed' financially. Our purpose on earth is not the pursuit of material wealth. Many of us including yourself are not content with what God has already provided us. We don't like to take into consideration the entire bible. We only want the good things, huge salaries, big homes, huge churches, etc. The bible says in Philippians 4:11-12 "Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and sufffering need." And what does the bible say in 1 Cor 9:18? "What then is my reward? That I when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel." A majority if not all pastors who claim they need more money, etc. to minister to the world are really nothing more than scared men with strength. Paul did not need satellite tv, the web, radio to get the message out. Andes read the bible for what IT is...not for what you WANT it to be. 2 Cor 13:8 "For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth." Finally pray and meditate on this scripture...Proverbs 3:13-14 "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver and its gain than fine gold." That my freind is true riches. Sincerely, The Berean |
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4 | Who is qualified? | 1 Tim 6:17 | In the Andes | 53750 | ||
No one ever said the Gospel is about money. No one ever said that to be a blessing it always requires money. Pro 22:2 Does not say that God makes one man rich and another poor. IT SAYS GOD MADE THE MAN. You should read the rest of the proverbs. Pr 18:13. I don't believe you've ever heard the whole story. It's obvious from your attack against my character. Of course evil men are blessed. The children of the world are often wiser that the children of the kingdom. According to Prov. wisdom in the area of finances brings wealth. No one said our purpose was the pursuit of wealth. You are NOT QUALIFIED to judge me and tell me I am not content. That position is the Lords. And THAT is precisely my point. Who is qualifed? Let me share a little something with you. I don't receive offerings from those to whom I'm preaching the Gospel. I'll tell you what though. It takes a great deal of money to do what I do. When was the last time YOU got on an airplane to go preach in another nation? It wasn't free was it. NO! I'll tell you what. You and a whole bunch of other christians would rather that I backpack from the states to Chile. Spending 80 or 90 percent of my time trying to find cheap lodgings and begging for rides from the nationals. Eating food that's not fit for the dogs! NO. I'm not going to do that unless I have NO OTHER OPTION. The fact is I do have other options. Why should be exhausted every time I get into the pulpit. I preach an average of 4 hours a day. 4 days a week, not counting Saturdays and Sundays. The Lord has instructed me to start 3 new schools here in this nation. Do you know one of them is 8 hours south of my home. I'm not going backpack down there. I'll take the bus as that's what I can afford. And when God prospers me, I'll begin taking a plane. That's every weekend now, 6 hours every Saturday and not including Sunday. Monday will be MY only day off. We are now in the process of planting churches. We've started 2 and have 4 more to do by the end of the year. Why don't you ask me how much that costs? Transportation, workers, advertisement, renting buildings, renting sound equipment. NO THE APOSTLE PAUL DIDN'T HAVE TO RENT BUILDINGS. He lived in a completely different culture than I do. He went into the synagogues, etc. Why don't you ask me how much is in my savings account? 0! You know why, cause ever penny I get keeps me here doing the will of God. I'm doing what I can with what I have. My vision is big. And God is sending us faithful people to get behind it. The more I have the more I can do. And I'll eventually have more. And those that aren't offended by it, will be laborers together with us, and will have "fruit abounding to their account." Won't they be surprised when they find out how many souls were wrought under their name. (I feel like the apostle Paul defending my apostleship to the Corinthians 2 Cor 10-11) And there's absolutely nothing more fulfilling or rewarding OR EXCITING than what I'm doing. This weekend I saw several several people got born and again and healed. There's absolutely NO substitute for it. I've NOT reduced the Gospel down to money. I know exactly what it is. God's got a bigger problem than a few preachers with their prioritys out of line. And as I was about to tell you what it was He told me to drop the subject. So with that. I'm not mad or offended. I know so many young people who would love to give their lives to the mission but are constantly told that God is NOT interested in money and they know of no way to fulfill their dream. We are laborers together. 3 John. One go's one send's. One man said it like this. Either Go or Send a substitute. I just want to stir up the church to this! My motto is, I'm either gonna cause a revival or a riot but when I leave you'll never be the same again. Andes |
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5 | Who is qualified? | 1 Tim 6:17 | The Berean | 53801 | ||
My apologize for not recognizing the whole story...I have realized that you are trying to take on a lot...it is obvious you yourself cannot do everything. Point said..there are far too many people who claim to be christians and about 97 percent of us do not share the gospel with anyone. Could you imagine the impact of every believer acting on the Great Commission? Money would never be an issue if people just did it. It is obvious you are doing wonderful work...but be mindful that money alone cannot spread the gospel. It takes people and those who have faith. We cannot make money a disclaimer saying that it neccessary..needed yes but neccessary no. Keep up the good work...and again I apologize for my word. Be Blessed. |
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