“TAKE AWAY THE DROSS FROM SILVER, and it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.”
Proverbs 25:4 (NKJV)
“while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. FOR THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN ARE TEMPORARY BUT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL."
2 Corinthians 4:18 (NKJV)
• God wants you to grow in your walk with Him (Hebrews 5:12-14)
- If you do walk with God and allowed Him to have
His way in your life, with time, things of this world will be meaningless to you. - Albeit, we live in the material world, we need the material things, we need money to do a number of things.
EVEN the Scripture says: “A feast is made for laughter,and wines make merry,but money answers everything (Ecclesiastes 10:19).
YET, if you walked intimately with God, your affection on things above will increase.
- “If then you were raised with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
- SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.”
Colossians 3:1,2 (NKJV)
- As we grow in our walk with God, our affection for heavenly things increases.
- Note: I have seen ministers who are bleaching their bodies.
SOME engage in extra marital affairs, even with some of their members.
SOME blow their hairs with chemicals.
SUCH and other things are signs of worldliness.
“DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR THE THINGS IN THE WORLD. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
1 John 2:15 (NKJV)
• If your desire is all about worldly things, you are still far from God
- Some are even in the ministry work because of money, because of what they will eat (Philippians 3:18,19).
THEY are in the ministry as a career work.
MINISTRY work is not a career, or occupation to earn a living, but a call to fulfil God's plans for your life.
• If you walked intimately with God, things of the world, affairs of the world, will be obnoxious to you
“For all that is in the world—THE LUST OF THE FLESH, THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE—is not of the Father but is of the world.”
1 John 2:16 (NKJV)
“NO ONE ENGAGED IN WARFARE ENTANGLES HIMSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
2 Timothy 2:4 (NKJV)
• A number of ministers are after money
- “NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN.
- FOR WE BROUGHT NOTHING INTO THIS WORLD, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
- And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
- BUT THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE RICH FALL INTO TEMPTATION AND A SNARE, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
- FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
- BUT YOU, O MAN OF GOD, FLEE THESE THINGS AND PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, GODLINESS, FAITH, LOVE, PATIENCE, GENTLENESS.”
1 Timothy 6:6-11 (NKJV)
• Note: Love of money is an offshoot of worldliness
LOVE of money leads to different sins (1 Timothy 6:9).
LOVE of money makes a minister Watered down his messages and allowed the sins in the people's lives.
- It makes a minister compromises his stand, and does things which are contrary, not in line, with the standard of the Scripture.
IT makes a minister turned the people to business, make merchandize of them, and collect money with gimmicks from them (Romans 16:18).
IT makes a minister failed to correct and rebuke those who err.
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. CONVINCE, REBUKE, EXHORT, WITH ALL LONG-SUFFERING AND TEACHING.”
2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV)
- Love of money makes a minister conferred title on people with the motives of retaining them in his church, that they may not leave for another church.
- It also makes a minister not say the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
MANY ministers shy away from telling the truth, they would not want to step on the People's toes, that the people may keep supporting with their money.
THE truth is:
If you failed to tell them the truth, they will later know it and be delivered from your bondage
BUT you will suffer for it.
TELL them the truth, and leave them with the decision to leave your church or not (2 Timothy 4:2-4; John 6:66-69).
REMEMBER, you will give an account on every soul who comes under your Care, on the last Day (Hebrews 13:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10). - The ministers who do the above mentioned things have made men their God, they do not have faith in God that He might meet their needs.
• Admonishment:
- Money should not be your goal in the ministry work.
YOU can lose the anointing of God on your LIFE, if you have the love of money (2 Peter 2:15).
YOU may be laid aside and be forsaken, if the love of money is found in you, and you do allow your love for money to compete with the love for God in your heart (1 Timothy 3:3).
“NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. YOU CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON.”
Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)
- Let God work on you, take evey dross out of your life, that you may come out shining like a refined silver or gold: “Take away the dross from silver, and it will go to the silversmith for jewelry" (Proverbs 25:4).
- “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour.
21.THEREFORE IF ANYONE CLEANSES HIMSELF FROM THE LATTER, HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOUR, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”
2 Timothy 2:20,21 (NKJV)
• There are any numbers of ministers who have character problems, yet they do not allow God to work on them—change them (Romans 5:3,4)
- You would do well to work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to do the work of cleansing in your life.
- A minister may have the anointing on his Life, but without the approved godly characters, such may not go far in the work(1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Timothy 2:22-24).
ANOINTING without godly characters can lead to the early grave.
• It is my prayer that you will not die prematurely.
YOU will finish your assignment well in Jesus' name.
Peace!