Amen Compton :-)

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Jimmy H

There is a great message located on this website that speaks about greed -- including how it is taught by prosperity preachers.

In David Wilkerson's message entitled [i]Holy Ground[/i], he speaks about some misconceptions about greed. He argues that greed is often considered the sin of the rich. Yet Wilkerson, speaking from personal experience, explains that sometimes it is the American "poor" (who might not trubly be "poor") who are often guilty of coveting the things of this world. He states that he feels less covetous now than when he was a 23 year old preacher -- wanting and needing so much. Wilkerson explains that, like the writer of Ecclesiastes, many people who have tasted abundance understand the fleeting nature of it. The secret is to be grateful and content with everything that God has given.

I can't help but think how much this plays in a conversation about the "redistribution" of wealth. Most of the people who want this are not doing this out of true need -- but out of wanting so much more (greed). They point to those who are successful as being "greedy" when they, in fact, are the ones coveting the prosperity of the wealthy.

Our nation's "poor" are a far cry from the "poor" of most other nations. Our poor can get free food (via food stamps), free or low cost housing, free medical care, free clothing, free utilities, free college educations, and even free gasoline (in some states). Even our prisoners are provided clean beds, clean prison cells, hot and cold running water, TV, books, writing material and three nutricious meals per day (estimated to cost approximately $55K a year per prisoner). In many parts of the world, the "poor" are those who simply don't eat, have clean water or have a place to sleep.

If you ever have the opportunity to participate in a real missionary trip, do it! I remember my first trip into the rugged pine-covered mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental in southwestern Chihuahua. We literally drove over trails on 4x4s -- many miles from "no where." The indigenous Tarahumara were literally starving from a drought that was affecting their water supply, their corn (their staple crop) and the few animals that live in the high elevation. I literally watched babies die. It was heart-wrenching! It finally began sleeting while we were there, and the Christians were meeting beneath a tree in the cold rain. Yet they were content. They knew little about life outside of those mountains. They lived in caves...and in small huts. There were no houses, bathrooms, telephones, or even slabs of concrete. In fact, there wasn't any electricity at all! Yet when those believers prayed to give thanks for the food that they were provided -- it touched me deeply. They didn't speak Spanish (let alone English), so I couldn't understand them. Yet their hearts were loud and clear. They were grateful to God for their abundance.

The missionary team worked hard to build a log cabin church building and a water pump. The believers and unbelievers alike were extremely grateful.

When I returned from that trip, I remember hearing a girl in my youth group complain about her parents not purchasing her a Christian CD that she wanted because her parents just didn't have the money. She stated, "I'm so tired of being poor!" It made me shiver. Her family was not rich (by American standards). Yet they had two cars, their own house, two parents at home, food in a refridgerator, a large back yard, electricity, running water, and two indoor bathrooms complete with toilet paper. Yet she complained about being poor.

It is a sad indictment on the people of America -- and the Church -- when people dwell on a misconception that they are poor...and that it is such a bad thing! I don't know anyone who is starving -- and I started a vibrant bus ministry with the poorest people in our college town. While those people were poor (compared with my lifestyle growing up), they were rich compared with the Tarahumara. Ironically, I found that many of the parents were the most covetous people I had ever encountered! Their "poor" condition was always someone else's fault. Some of them even justified stealing...as long as it was from the "rich" (anyone middle class and up).

In the great scheme of things, I think that greed is not confined to the rich or poor. It is the condition of a heart that wants more than what is necessary. It is the storing up of Manna in our tents...only to later discover that hording it causes it to turn into worms.

God help us to realize the abundance of which He has provided for us! And may we understand just how relative greed can be.

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Christopher

Yet Wilkerson, speaking from personal experience, explains that sometimes it is the American "poor" (who might not trubly be "poor") who are often guilty of coveting the things of this world.


Indeed. I have seen the same.

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Jimmy H

Brother Robert wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek

Eze 28:2 "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your heart [is] lifted up, And you say, 'I [am] a god, I sit [in] the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,' Yet you [are] a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god

Eze 28:3 (Behold, you [are] wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you!

Eze 28:4 With your wisdom and your understanding You have gained riches for yourself, And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

Eze 28:5 By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, And your heart is lifted up because of your riches),"

In the above Scripture we find that God has judged the prince of Tyre...

1. What is the reason for this judgement?

2. What "activity" enabled the prince of Tyre?

IN Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek

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Robert Wurtz II

Brother Robert wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek

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Robert Wurtz II

Brother Robert wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek

Eze 28:2 "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Because your heart [is] lifted up, And you say, 'I [am] a god, I sit [in] the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,' Yet you [are] a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god

Eze 28:3 (Behold, you [are] wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you!

Eze 28:4 With your wisdom and your understanding You have gained riches for yourself, And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

Eze 28:5 By your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, And your heart is lifted up because of your riches),"

And then....

Eze 28:16 "By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.

In this section of Scripture we find that the King of Tyre was lifed up by the riches that he had acquired through "trading." Notice how the corruption took place...

Eze 28:16 "By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within,

So it is the "action" of "trading" that has taught this king the wisdom of this world. The abundance of pursuing this "activity" has taught the king of Tyre to excell in the pursuit of treasures. He has begun to think of himself as a god...just like his father, Satan...

In Christ
Jeff

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Jeff Marshalek