SECOND COMING? WOW!
I watched as a man announced the Second Coming, a God given miracle and the New Breed in America. I've spent years of study on the subjects of rapture and Christ's second coming, so this man had my attention. He said there was a project in a southern state, that when completed, would lead the way to lift up the working class of Americans. Furthermore, he said, this "miracle" would be shared by people in 22 states. He declared "It is our God given right to be able to profit."
A Christian minister had published a book some time ago bearing the exact title this man used. This book is entirely about scripture, and a subject people of faith would want to read. It does not address the subject of financial wealth. There is a vast difference between financial and spiritual wealth. People who are interested in making money target
groups of people they find likely to "invest" a moderate amount of money to get on the "inside" of a "good thing." The title of this man's subject seemed to address those who are conservative Christians.
At this point I became suspicious because he seemed to be interested in money, and not Jesus Christ. He did throw the word God around, but it was always connected with our "right" to gain wealth. There were other tease references, such as this wealth would be generated in 22 states, which made me think of the "red" states since he said the clue to this was in a southern state. I did not have to watch or listen to any more of his "preaching," because I had already guessed his "pitch." He was using a highly successful advertising method to bring a message of dollars rather than Christ. But I followed him to the end of his pitch.
I watched as a man announced the Second Coming, a God given miracle and the New Breed in America. I've spent years of study on the subjects of rapture and Christ's second coming, so this man had my attention. He said there was a project in a southern state, that when completed, would lead the way to lift up the working class of Americans. Furthermore, he said, this "miracle" would be shared by people in 22 states. He declared "It is our God given right to be able to profit."
A Christian minister had published a book some time ago bearing the exact title this man used. This book is entirely about scripture, and a subject people of faith would want to read. It does not address the subject of financial wealth. There is a vast difference between financial and spiritual wealth. People who are interested in making money target
groups of people they find likely to "invest" a moderate amount of money to get on the "inside" of a "good thing." The title of this man's subject seemed to address those who are conservative Christians.
At this point I became suspicious because he seemed to be interested in money, and not Jesus Christ. He did throw the word God around, but it was always connected with our "right" to gain wealth. There were other tease references, such as this wealth would be generated in 22 states, which made me think of the "red" states since he said the clue to this was in a southern state. I did not have to watch or listen to any more of his "preaching," because I had already guessed his "pitch." He was using a highly successful advertising method to bring a message of dollars rather than Christ. But I followed him to the end of his pitch.
Of course he didn't ever mention scripture. He repeatedly referred to our "right" to have money (wealth), and how we could cash in by following his advice. Christians have been told by many pastors that God wants us to have abundance. Their explanation of abundance is material (cars, houses, etc.). Scripture's definition of abundance is found in Luke 12:15, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." When the apostle Paul and other writers in the epistles spoke of Christian "benefits", they listed the gifts of the Spirit, not money. The real value of Christianity is salvation and the Holy Spirit's guidance to follow Christ's teaching in the four gospels.
Way too much time is spent by Christian leaders raising money and promoting a "give and get" financial message. This may be Christianity's method of operation, but it never was the method of THE WAY, which was the title of the original church. Funds do have to be raised for the gospel to go out, but the social gimmicks used to gather large numbers
of people do not actually increase the number of committed Christians by any substantial amount. The buzz words used by the Second Coming speaker were designed to entice people to make a large profit.
I read a wide variety of publications to keep abreast of changing world and national situations as well as religious matters. While some of this man's claims are or will be true, it isn't quite what it may seem to be. He outlined a fast-growing phenomena we recognize through terms such as fracking and pipe lines. There's really big money in this industry, and it's growing. Anyone with common sense should know it will raise the standard of living for some people, but the poorer Americans will not be the major beneficiaries. Property owners who lease the land where successful wells are located gain the lease
money and a royalty on gas produced. If you aren't one of the blessed property owners, you gain little unless you can afford to buy stock in an energy company that makes a profit.
The claim that we'll see lower domestic prices for gasoline or natural gas is false. Think about two things: prices last winter for heating and your car's gas, and the man's clincher from the southern state. This clincher is the construction of a transfer station that will receive the fracking gas and load it into ships for foreign sale. Of course they have to
build pipelines to sell the gas overseas. There are proposals all over the map for constructing these pipelines. But, let's back up to those foreign sales. They will only benefit the energy companies and the stockholders of those companies. How many low and middle income people can afford these stocks?
This message is not about financial advising or finance, but rather to alert conservative Christians to the reality of the man's proposition. I don't have investments, but I read The Wall Street Journal. They follow finances very closely. Some energy companies are returning big profits to investors right now. Some of these companies are spending risky
large amounts on the hope rapidly expanding lease acquisition and successful drilling will follow. Some of these over-extended energy companies will fail and their stock will be worthless.
Subscribing to this man's financial newsletter/business does give him a comfortable income. However, he makes no pretense of following any part of God's involvement. Christ never said it was "our right" to be rich or wealthy. In fact, many/most of Christianity's leaders have not been rich and endured prison or were killed. If you consider investing in anything, you should pray for guidance. God is in control, but He gives you a choice. God may not lead to riches (money), but He will always lead to THE WAY, and that's for eternity. We have no man-made miracles for money or blessings. When you put your trust in man, you are not dealing with the One who operates the controls.
Just a little information about give and get that is spelled out in scripture, but not easy to understand...We are living in the period of grace, but grace is only the fulfillment of the Law. That, of course, is the Ten Commandments plus one (Christ's Eleventh Commandment.) The tithe was a believer's contribution, or God's share of your blessing (income). The tithe is not a sacrifice. A sacrifice before Christ required shed blood.
Christ died for our sacrifice. A Christian's sacrifice must be of special value to the person, just as blood was required before Christ. Giving from much is rarely a sacrifice. It usually does not represent a need, but could represent something like a tax write off. To understand this better, look at Luke 21:2-4.
"And He saw also a certain poor woman putting in two mites. So He said, 'Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.'" Congregations tend to "look up" to members of the church who are big givers, but this only means they are impressed by amounts of gifts. Giving from much means little to God, and is not a sacrifice. It is a generous and good thing to do, but must be considered as God sees it. Reread the statement from Luke if you still don't understand. The widow had respect for God, and valued Him over money. Who comes first in your life? If you respect God over money, He will bless you with those things you need. Otherwise, you are
standing alone, and are at the whim of man. Look to God, not man. He can give you things more precious than gold such as health and family.
Rev. Walbear
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