Category Archives: Greed

Holy Spirit

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:4

Who is the Holy Spirit? Often this has confused many including Christians, but Peter makes it clear here that the Holy Spirit is God. Now to understand this, you need to understand the Trinity doctrine. Those who deny the Trinity doctrine not only don’t have a clear understanding of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but they are also denying scripture (The Word of God)

but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin “—Mark 3:29

Jesus made it pretty clear, that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was pretty serious. So why would this penalty be so serious if the Holy Spirit wasn’t to be taken serious? As we go back to our story in Acts, Ananias and Sapphira didn’t take the Holy Spirit very serious and lied to God. The consequences were major, sent shockwaves through the Christian Church.

As a Christian, The Holy Spirit was sent to guide, convict, comfort, (John 14)  and seal you (Ephesians 1) Listen to the Holy Spirit, don’t rely on human intelligence, greater is he living inside of me than he that is living in the world Amen!

Receive Power

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. Acts 1:8

These are the last words Jesus spoke before he ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus said “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon You”.

Often as Christians we feel helpless and maybe even forgotten, but God has said he will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6) God has fulfilled this promise by the arrival of The Holy Spirit. Now wherever you go or whatever circumstance you may be facing, The Holy Spirit dwells inside you and you receive his power!

Some might say, “I don’t feel powerful” or maybe you feel totally defeated. Remember we are fighting a spiritual warfare not a physical one.   Think about when Jesus went to the cross, from a physical standpoint, he seemed weak and even defeated. But what the world didn’t realize is on the cross, Jesus defeated sin, death, and Satan! Jesus won the war of our souls and Gods Kingdom

Jesus went on to say “We are his witnesses, not just in Jerusalem but to the entire world”. When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior and are baptized by The Holy Spirit, you are a Child of God! Its time to be a witness for Christ, this is not optional its an obligation as a Christian!

Spread the gospel to all the nations in the name of The Father, Son , and Holy Spirit Amen!

Mustard Seed

He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; Matthew 13:31

Most times when we hear this parable of the Mustard Seed, we reflect on our own lives. However what about reflecting on Jesus life? Think about how a carpenters son from a little town could change the world forever! Talk about small beginnings, this is exactly how the Kingdom of God came to Earth

Jesus began his ministry, with basically nothing but a staff and clothes on his back, yet he not only took on the religious establishment, his teachings became a new religion! He planted the seed of truth, which is the Word of God, and over time it grew into what we know as Christianity today!

Think about how one man, who was perceived as a blasphemer and law breaker, was crucified on a cross, saved the entire world from their sins!

and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.” Matthew 13:32

The seed that Jesus planted into the world, grew to become our hope and salvation, that all of us can rest under that tree. The same tree that Jesus bore the penalty of our sins! God in flesh dwelt among us but he was so misunderstood and overlooked, that they mistaken him for a common criminal

Keep planting the seed of God’s Word throughout the entire world and watch Gods Kingdom continue to grow beyond our comprehension in Jesus Name Amen!

Good Fruit

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Your faith is like a tree, the word of God is like a seed, when you accept Gods word for truth and learn and grow from it, you grow stronger in your faith.

Jesus said we would know false prophets “By their fruits” (Matthew 7:16) if we don’t produce “Good fruit” then eventually God will cut us off (John 15:2), so what is Good Fruit? Lets look at the Fruits of The Holy Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galations 5:22-23)
If your actions don’t match those qualities of the ones above, then your actions are not from God but from the flesh. Its important we remain lead by The Holy Spirit and not by our own flesh.

Second God says “We will be pruned so we can bear more fruit “ (John 15:2) Some might wonder as a Christian, why would God allow you to suffer? Sometimes our pain and suffering is to prepare us and grow us “Good Fruit”

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (James 1:2-3)

Don’t be misled by the fake “American” “Prosperity” Gospel, for anyone who loves this world and things of it, God is not in them (1 John 2:15) As a Christian there will be trials and tribulation, but know in the end we have the ultimate victory by the Blood of Christ in Jesus Name Amen!

Bread Alone

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:4

What do you need to sustain your life? Will money, food, shelter, and clothing save your life? The answer is No, these things may sustain your physical body temporarily but will not deliver your soul for eternity. Jesus addressed this issue when he sayed “Man can’t live on Bread alone” Remember during this time Jesus was being tested in the wilderness for 40 days by Satan (Matthew 4)  But Jesus knew that his temporary suffering could not compare to the Glory of God. (Romans 8:18)

So knowing this our feeding our souls with the Word of God? For we know what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18) We need to learn to not focus all our efforts on the temporary physical world, but use our time wisely to prepare for eternity, as we press on to the prize of our higher calling. (Philippians 3:14)

Knowing these we must deny ourselves, carry our cross, and follow Jesus. (Matthew 16:24) For we know he is the only Truth, Life, and Way to God. (John 14:6) All other roads lead to destruction. So choose your path wisely, let God be the lamp for your feet and guide your path. (Proverbs 3:6)

So don’t worry about what you need to eat or drink, for God knows your needs (Matthew 6:31) and will be your provider (Philippians 4:19)  Instead focus your time on preparing yourself for your eternal calling which is with our Lord and Savior, remember he is the Bread of Life, not this world in Jesus Christ Amen

Can’t Buy Faith

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Acts 3:6

I love this story in the Bible, as it shows you Peter healed the man by their faith in Christ and not by money.  Isn’t this the approach and attitude our Christian Churches and Ministries should be using? You can’t go to a church service or watch a service on TV without being begged for money. What faith do these Christians really have?  Well they’ll bring up we must tithe. Let’s examine tithing from the Bible.

(Deuteronomy  14:22)” Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year”

There are a couple of Old Testament scriptures about tithing; here Moses gives the command to give 10% of all that you have to God. Problem is this is part of the Old Covenant. If you truly a Christian your part of the New Covenant. Let’s see what Jesus said about money.

(Matthew 19:21) “Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.””

When a man asked Jesus about following the commandments, Jesus told him to sell everything and give to the poor. How many Christian churches follow this practice? My point is Jesus never asked for or required money to spread his Gospel. If you have money and want to praise God help someone in need with it.

(Matthew 6:24) “”No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

I know that it takes money to operate a church or ministry, but in the pursuit of fulfilling the budget needs I think a lot of Christians have lost their real purpose and reason for the Gospel. You don’t need an elaborate Church to worship God, Jesus would spread the Gospel anywhere and everywhere.  This is why I believe Jesus said to just give it all away. He knows once you make money a priority you cannot serve two masters.

(Matthew 7:15,16) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ant-Church or ministry. My point is don’t lose your focus on Jesus. Instead of putting financial burdens on your members, put your faith in God. He will make a way if you truly have faith in him. And beware there are a lot of false prophets and ministries out there that are will cash in on your faith and generosity.  As Jesus said you will know the false prophets by the fruit there producing. Are they leading people to Christ or leading money to their bank accounts?

I pray for all the churches and ministry’s that they remember the real reason they started was to bring people to Jesus Christ. Please help us seek and see the truth in Jesus name Amen

Root of all Evil

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10
Isn’t it amazing that even back in Biblical days, people were obsessed with money. What is it about money that people are literally willing to sell their soul? Is it the false sense of power? Is it the collection of material things? Whatever it is, Satan knows you want it and will use it to manipulate you.
Remember the story of the disciple Judas who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Luke 22). Judas who was literally a disciple of Christ sold his soul for a few dollars. It didn’t end well for Judas either as the guilt overcame him or eventually he hung himself. I think Jesus said it best (Matthew 16:26) “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Consider what Jesus said about wealthy people in Mark 10:25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”
Why is Jesus being so harsh on wealthy people? Is it a sin to become wealthy? To understand let’s examine what Jesus said in (Matthew 19:20-22) 20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.…
Jesus was asked about the possession of wealth and he simply told the man to give it all to the poor, obviously the man was not happy. Why is it so difficult for us to be willing to give to others? In my opinion this is the main root why Jesus has a problem with wealth. In order to be wealthy you need to continually obtain money and possessions, most likely more than we need.
Therefor becoming wealthy essentially makes you selfish and greedy because you’re constantly wanting or withholding more from others. We probably heard the phrase “Share the Wealth” sometime in our life, this is exactly what we should be doing as Christians. In Jesus Name Amen