“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Timothy 6:10 King James Version)
That God has not been seen physically talking like human being is an undisputed fact, at least as far as my education and information goes. However, from time immemorial some individuals claimed and are still claiming that God talked and is still talking to them. We have to believe these people in order for us to believe that their messages are indeed from God.
According to those who claim to be deliverer of God’s messages God reveals himself to them via different medium to wit:
Vision: Individuals with this talent, or is it gift, could see things even when they are wide awake.
Dreams: messages are relayed to these individuals while they are asleep
Interpretation: A situation where things are shown to others in dreams, these people are not spiritually strong enough to discern the dreams, others are given the talent, or is it gift, of discerning the dreams i.e. Joseph in the bible
And there are other means of communication, I can’t claim to know them all because in terms of spirituality I lay no claim to having any such dreams or visions or any other gift whatsoever and so cannot give an exhaustive list.
People with talents and gifts are revered and proclaim messengers of God. Whether or not they are depends strictly on individual believes.
Men of God are generally expected to live a frugal live, such as in Jesus, who in fact condemn wealth or should I say the wealthy “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
Someone said this about this passage of the bible:
“As Jesus says just before the famous quote, in Matthew 19:21, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.” They must use their power and wealth to help others who are not so lucky. For every penny a man dies with that is more than he needed, there is a lost chance of a meal for some poor wretch on the street. For every luxury a man keeps in his life, there is a necessity another man lacks. For every rich man who tries to leave this world for a better one with his fancy tomb surrounded by mourners, there are many more who perish alone in the cold, forgotten by all but God.”
There has been some controversy as to the meaning of this verse with some people, as usual, trying to bend the word so that it will not say what it is glaringly saying, which to my mind is that worldly wealth is not something that a good Christian should be after. If that one is destroyed in the process of interpretation as it has been done then how do you explain the following passage:
“Do not lay up treasures on earth for moths to eat, or rust to destroy, or thieves to steal. Sell what you don’t need and give to those who have little or nothing. Lay up for yourself treasures for eternity where there is no moth, or rust, or thief. Where you have put your treasure, you will also find your heart.” Matthew 6:19-20
The bible went further to say “33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Generally then a good Christian ought not to be overtly concerned about wealth rather they should be more concern about what lays after this world and even where they become wealthy they are supposed to use the wealth that they are blessed with to provide for the poor and the needy. This is not my conclusion; it is what the bible says:
Matthew 25 following verses:
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous 16 will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
17 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’
18 Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
These days, a pastor or church that preaches the above message is not likely to have followers because what is being preached today is not salvation it is generally prosperity. How many of the men of God, preaching the word of God or delivering his message will do these things commanded by the same bible that they use to take money out of the pocket of the poor for themselves?
When today’s messengers of God open their mouth to preach to their congregations the word of God how are we to determine that the messages they preach come from the same God that was quoted in the Bible? Are they getting their messages from God or from somewhere else? How are their congregations to determine whether they are men of God or fake prophets as they have been warned by the bible?
24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
If anyone believes that such prophets are not already here what do you make of the mega pastors who are so very rich while some members of their congregations are so very poor?
If you are a Christian and want to be a good one and if you believe that there is heaven and hell after spending time on this earth then, please, read your bible so you will not be sent straight to hell after being a Christian as you claim to be. He who has ears let him hear.
