zoe ministries
GL Garden 01-21-02, Solok Paya Terubong 8, 11060 Penang, Malaysia
House Phone: 604-8277554 Hand Phone: 60165318276.
Email: cvs3zoe@yahoo.com
Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Dear Friends, when the early church began after the Pentecost experience they were living as a family of God recognizing other believers as brothers and sisters. The Christians in Jerusalem shared all they had so that all could benefit from God’s blessings.
Acts 2:44-45 (NKJV) 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
None of these Christians felt what they had was their own, and so they were able to give and share, and eradicate poverty among them. This was not a project but an act of love. This was an expression of love towards one another because of what the Holy Spirit was doing inside of them.
Differences of opinion are unavoidable even among believers and can be helpful if handled with the love and wisdom of God. BUT spiritual unity is very important –loyalty, commitment, and love for God and His Word. Without spiritual unity the Church will not survive. When those who have are not sharing with those who do not have simply shows that the church is divided. This shows that the church does not have the Holy Spirit [who is the Spirit of Love]. The Church does not have Love. It is disgusting to say these words.
Acts 4:32 (NKJV) 32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
Acts 4:34 (NKJV) 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
Acts 4:37 (NKJV) 37 having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Today is the church growing? Is it maturing? To answer that question please look at some statistics below.
In the United States in 1950, 10% of all income was spent for luxuries ($50 billion).
By 1980, 30% of all income went to luxuries ($350 billion). [Did the Christians in USA live differently?]
Amount Americans spend on entertainment and recreation $705 billion
Amount spent by American teenagers [ages 12 -17] (2006) $179 billion
Amount Americans spend on jewellery (2008) $65 billion
Amount Americans spent on state lottery tickets (2007) $58 billion
Total US – government foreign assistance budget for the world $39.5billion
Amount spent on pets (2003) $31 billion
Amount spent by Americans on cosmetic surgery (2007) $13 billion
Total Overseas ministries income to 700 Protestant mission
agencies, including denominational, interdenominational, and
independent agencies (2005) $5 billion
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personal income of Christians Globally per year US$15.2 Trillion
Potential giving from above should be US$1.5 Trillion
Actual giving by Christians US$270 Billion [1.8%]
Church budget 0.001% for 24% of UPG
Mission Giving is US$15 Billion [$8 annually per Christian]
[I got the above statistics about the church 7 years ago –Do you think there is a change now –better or worse?]
I believe a BIG part of the church consists of “goats”.
Matthew 25:31-32 (NKJV) 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Matthew 25:41-43 (NKJV) 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
The actual giving of the Christians [check above statistics] shows that there are many robbers among us and some of them leading the Church. There are leaders who rob the members and there are churches who rob God.
Malachi 3:8 (NKJV) 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
Mark 11:17 (NKJV) 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
Idolatry
Luke 16:13 (NKJV) 13 “No servant 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.”
Many of God’s people including pastors are still worshipping idols. They worship mammon.
The moment the local church grows in number and finances; what does the pastor of a local church thinks about? He thinks about building a big church building [which he calls church]. He will say that he is building for the glory of God. He is not thinking about building lives but making a name for himself and building an empire. [This is anti –Christ spirit]. He leads the people away from doing God’s will. He leads them to give towards his project. The people will be manipulated and controlled to give to something that is not of God and so the servants of God and the poor will be neglected. Perhaps once in a while they will tip the ministers of God and the poor so that they can show some statistics on the white board.
Genesis 11:4 (NKJV) 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
The statistics above shows that about 99% of the finances of the church budget is used for “self” but 0.001% is used for the 24% of the World’s Unreached People Group.
Does this show that the church is growing [maturing] or decaying?
Remember my friends –the spirit of this warning and exhortation is love. I love God and His Church [including pastors] and those who have not yet become His People. I truly love them. It is His love that moves me to write these strong words. It is not easy for me to do this.
Think with the mind of Christ
A family of five with children going to school and some about to go for college. The father buys a brand new luxury car. Why? All his colleagues have one. Beside it will not glorify God’s name if he is using an old car or even a new Japanese car. The children’s budget is cut because the father needs to drive a new luxury car for the “glory of God”. The wife and children do not have proper food and clothing. But the father dresses and eats for the “glory of God”. [I am wondering whether you understandJ]
Modern day parable
Think with the mind of Christ again
Two brothers’ families live in the same row of the street.
One has 3 cars and lives in a big house with 7 rooms. Daily, in their rubbish bin is found left over rich food. Every year they go for 3 foreign holidays to rest and recover. Window shopping and shopping is a lifestyle. They are fat and have all the rich man’s disease [This family is sick because of over eatingL].
The other brother is working hard to feed, clothe and shelter his family. They are a family of five who live inside a 1 room shack. The father cycles everyday to deliver newspaper. The children did not pay their school fees for the last 6 months because the father was sick and admitted in hospital for the last 5 months that’s why no money [not because of laziness], little food and no school fees. Sometimes the children eat from their uncle’s dust bin. [This family is sick because they are malnourishedL]
The above story is about today’s two churches. One MEGA and one micro church. One RICH church and the other poor church. One City church and the other village church.
[BTW many of the members of mega churches were once from the village and small town churches]
I thought Jesus is building His Church. That is there is only ONE CHURCH.
But we are divided. Divided into have and the have not.
Please read Jesus’ parable on the rich man and Lazarus [Luke 16:19-31]. Please understand what happened to the rich man. Do we understand what is Jesus saying?
Many Big church pastors are going to suffer in hell because they did not care for the poor. When they had their opportunities to help the small churches they did not help them. If they helped them it is with condition; that is the small churches must change their church’s name and come under the Big Church’s covering. [What evil is done by the church?]
Do we minister the spiritual gifts [which we have received from God] with condition?
Do we minister the talents [which we have received from God] with condition?
Why do we minister the finances with condition? We are no better than the World.
Listen to what Paul said.
2 Corinthians 8:13-14 (NKJV) 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.
Paul stressed that all believers had a duty to contribute out of their own abundance to the needs of the poor. Beginning with the family of God and over flowing and touching others who are not yet in the family of God.
Friends, what should we do?
1] Repent from the sin of idolatry [especially worshiping mammon]. Repent from the sin of pride [making a name for yourself].
2] Start giving [your God given Time, God given Talents, God given Treasure] to the small churches / village churches / small town churches to help them to grow. [Your nation and other nations]
3] Start giving to ministers of God [they do not have to be your church staff] and send them to the nations to be a blessing to the nations.
4] Give continuously and consistent to God’s character.
5] Give to the poor and help them to rise up [without condition]. Give without letting them know that you come from the church. They will find out that you are one if you are a follower of Christ.
6] Defend the poor, the widow and the fatherless. Speak up for them.
As we begin 2011 let us ask God for help to pull out every root of bitterness, root of lust, root of pride and ask God to fill us with His Love.
Let us return to our first love then you will understand what I am writing and speaking about.
Revelation 2:4 (NKJV) 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Bonus
Luke 12:42 (NKJV) 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
Luke 16:10 (NKJV) 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Praying that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ will grow and flourish and bear fruit that will last and give HIM Glory.
With Love
Christopher.K
31/12/2010
