Whether you are a Christian, skeptic, agnostic, or god hater,
we’ve all seen them on late night TV –
the slick, fast talking ministers that promise health,
wealth and success if only you would ‘SOW YOUR SEED INTO THEIR MINISTRY(!)’
There may even be glowing testimonials by people on how their
life was changed through that pastor’s teaching
or even a dramatic healing that they received in one of his
services, or how God saved their soul from sin and death.
All the above is TRUE – but not for the
reasons the huckster minister said about financial faithfulness to
their ministry!
The Apostle Paul saw this 2,000 years ago when lots of
self-proclaimed ‘men of God’ were jumping on this
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healthy profit from it. However as Paul said in today’s verse, and Isaiah 55:11 states, whether
preached sincerely or insincerely, God’s
Word will “not return unto me (i.e. God) void
(i.e. with no effect), but it shall accomplish that which I please.”
Even though opportunist preachers take advantage of the naive and gullible,
their ‘ministries’ more often than not DO have positive outcomes,
and even miracles happen because Bible principles from the Word
of God are being applied.
Years ago while on a business trip I visited a well-known
ministry in Florida run by two charismatic pastors.
The music was tremendously uplifting, the people rejoicing,
some even crying earnestly and attending faithfully each week
in that congregation yearning for the presence of God,
yet I had never before experienced such an underlying manipulation
of people and emotions in a church! FOUR OFFERINGS
were requested (even using your credit card!)
and the music, while performed beautifully,
was emotionally controlling. The pastors and elders all sat
on a stage in giant throne-style chairs like lords in a court
and the various speakers recited one Bible verse
after another, yet underneath it all was a spirit of insincerity.
For them it was another Wednesday night, they were open for
business, and the customers were in the store ready to buy,
yet God’s Word did not return void!
People were definitely getting saved in
that church and the Spirit of God was
working through people there.
God - nor His Word - is not mocked, because
“…whatsoever a man sows, that will
he also reap.” (Galatians 6:70) The judgement
of those that sow their gospel for their
own glory and gain is in His hands, just as is the
Blessing His Word is to those souls that hear it,
regardless of how or by whom or by what motivation it is spoken.
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