Difficulty in understanding

[Capt. Mac]

I have a problem understanding and dealing with the following, I hope someone will be able to enlighten me.

I have a problem with these large (rich) churches, on TV you see these church organizations showing this and that, asking people to send in more and more money to buy this and that, they have large fancy and glourious buildings and the such, pastors and their wives drive or ride around in nice fancy cars, and all the time this is going on there are millions of homless and hungry people all over the world that could use help that could be given by these churches.

This remainds me of the story in the Bible where this "rich man" ask Jesus, how he could be saved? Jesus said to him, sell everything you have and give the money to the poor and come follow me.

I also think about the man who said he wanted to follow Jesus and Jesus told him the I the Son of Man do not have a home or even a place to lay my head, and these churches, instead of taking up there crosses and following our Lord, just keep on begging for more. I know our Lord wants us to have things and to be happy, but when I see all the children of the world starving to death with no food, no clean water, no desent cloths, I cry!

Jesus said to keep silent what you do for his sake and I agree, but in making this post, I have to say, I and my wife give to feed the children each and every month. We also try to buy shoes and cloths to give to organizations that are helping children, and the whole time I am asking where are these churches? Why aren't they trying to help?

I used to attend churches, and I am not condeming churches mind you but I get tired of hearing pastors give a sermon about giving to others and they seem to find an excuse they can't. Jesus said in the end we would have to answer for why we didn't follow his commands about giving to those that are less fortunate than we. Gods Blessings just keep coming to me and the more God sends to me I give to others. Just think of all the churches out there, if they sold all they had and gave to the homeless and hungry, we the Christian People of the WORLD could really put a huge dent in this problem.

When Jesus was here preaching and healing He did not have a church to preach out of except when He preached from the Temple, When I was a child we used to have what was refered to as a pounding, where church people would come around to homes and ask for what you could spare to help a family in the community, what ever happened to that? I don't know how full or empty our pantry's are, but if at some point during the month churches could have every person in the church bring in a small bag of food and give it to some one in their community's who need help, what a differance that would make.

Now when Jesus comes back, where are all these (buildings) churches going to be? I believe they will become piles of trash. And these folks (and they may do good), I really don't know, who have to flaunt what they have should be ashamed.

Please forgive me for ranting and raving on this matter but it really bothers me. You see I love my Lord and I try so very hard to follow Him and to do what He said for me to do. I can't remember where in the Bible it is written but Jesus said for us to take care of orphans, widows and our fellow man. He said if someone comes and ask to borrow, to give it. Jesus also said in His teaching, when I was hungry you gave me something to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me drink. Jesus also said, when you do to the least of these you have also done unto me.

If there is someone out there that can help me understand, WHERE ARE THE CHURCHES during thse hard times? I thank you!

May our Lord Bless you all for the help and understanding you offer.

YBIC- Ronnie

 

[Jay Adkins]

Capt. Mac, I understand what you're saying here. I struggled with this for a long time and I know there are many so-called churches out there doing all the fund raising but never giving.

At the same time, there are many large churches such as mine who are gathering lots of money and other items and giving them right back out. Most of the time, our church gives out more than we've collected.

Our church is just one example of a church that is in a nice big building with a television show on TBN but we give hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid per week, over a million per month to people who need it all over our country and the world.

I was like you, very weary of the church until I started digging into the finances further. I wanted to know where all the money was going and I have been very satisfied with the findings.

I also know there are churches out there where the Pastor drives a Lexus, wears a Rolex and lives in a big house but gives very little to those in need. Their day of judgement will come upon them! God will make them accountable for what they do in this life. Especially what they do in His name!

 

[ladylovesJesus]

Capt. Mac

I have moved your post for you as someone has responded and you may get more replies with your post started in a new thread here.

Please forgive me for ranting and raving on this matter but it really bothers me. You see I love my Lord and I try so very hard to follow Him and to do what He said for me to do. I can't remember where in the Bible it is written but Jesus said for us to take care of orphans, widows and our fellow man. He said if someone comes and ask to borrow, to give it. Jesus also said in His teaching, when I was hungry you gave me something to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me drink. Jesus also said, when you do to the least of these you have also done unto me.

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’



22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

I too, have seen many times on TV where they are begging us to give money. Yet they travel all over the place themselves.

I am reminded that it says in the Bible do not store up treasures where moth and rust destroy.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradiction between prosperity teaching gospel and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, "You cannot serve God and riches."

God bless :rose: :rainbow: