{"id":28459,"date":"2020-08-28T18:04:30","date_gmt":"2020-08-28T17:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=28459"},"modified":"2020-08-28T18:04:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T17:04:30","slug":"beware-of-dishonest-and-greedy-ministers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=28459","title":{"rendered":"Beware of dishonest and greedy ministers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Tope Banso<\/strong>


I wish this message were unnecessary. I\u2019m not excited about it but my feeling is not important. The Word of the LORD must be delivered. It is unfortunate that we have to warn people to beware of dishonest and greedy ministers. Do they exist? Yes.
\u00a0
Even if a preacher says they don\u2019t exist because he is jealous of his calling and wants to protect his constituency, there could be victims of the activities of these ministers who would step forward and testify that they do exist. Therefore, it serves no purpose to deny their existence.
\u00a0
It is not anything new that we have some ministers today who are walking disorderly and are not following the example of Christ. In the days of the apostles, they existed and the church was even warned about false teachers that would come.
\u00a0
In 2 Thessalonians 3:7, Paul said that the Thessalonians knew how they ought to follow him because he didn\u2019t walk disorderly among them. He also spoke about being in danger of the false brothers or Christians as part of sufferings in the ministry (2 Corinthians 11:26). The point I am trying to emphasize here is that the early church pointed out the bad eggs among them or warned believers about their future activities.
\u00a0
Hear the apostle Paul in Philippians 3:17-19: \u201cBrethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame \u2014 who set their mind on earthly things\u201d (New King James Version).
\u00a0
Much earlier in his ministry, he warned the Ephesian elders: \u201cFor I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears\u201d (Acts 20:29-31 New King James Version).
\u00a0
In view of the foregoing, it is proper to warn believers and others against the activities of dishonest and greedy ministers who give the rest a bad name and work against the Kingdom of God. In the time of Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees devoured widows’ houses or robbed them of their houses (Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47).
\u00a0
Some ministers do a similar thing today, robbing people of their money and property through deceitful practices, including false teachings and fake prophecies. They\u2019re only interested in the gold of the people, not their souls! Their belly is their god. Unfortunately, some of them are indirectly encouraged by those who patronize and celebrate them, neglecting genuine servants of God they should be supporting, including financial support.
\u00a0
They are deceived by eloquence and arrogance, taking it for the anointing! Their victims are attracted by fabricated or demonically inspired prophecies and abandon the sound teaching of the Word.

The Corinthians despised Paul because of some \u201cSuper apostles\u201d who came to minister to them. This was despite the fact that he founded the Corinthian church and, in fact, ‘robbed’ other churches by accepting their contributions so that he could serve them at no cost (2 Corinthians 11:8).
\u00a0
Paul wrote to them, \u201cBut I don’t think I am inferior to these \u2018super apostles.\u2019 \u00a0I may not be a trained speaker, but I know what I am talking about. I think you realize this by now, for we have proved it again and again\u201d (2 Corinthians 11:5-6 New Living Translation).
\u00a0
In 2 Corinthians 12:11b, he stressed, \u201cI am not at all inferior to these \u2018super apostles,\u2019 \u00a0even though I am nothing at all\u201d (New Living Translation). When people behave like the Corinthians, they easily fall prey to dishonest and greedy ministers.
\u00a0
Beware of dishonest and greedy ministers who go about to exploit people\u2019s love to give to God and His causes. Gehazi belonged to this gang of ministers! Naaman did not come to the land of Israel empty-handed; he came with ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing (2 Kings 5:5).
\u00a0
He presented a gift to prophet Elisha, whom God had used to heal him of his leprosy, but he rejected it (verse 16). This could be because it was not time to receive such a gift, as he told Gehazi later: \u201cIs it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?\u201d (Verse 26b New King James Version).
\u00a0
After Elisha had rejected the gift, the next verse tells us that Naaman made a personal commitment to serve the LORD. This was more important to Elisha than any gift from him.\u00a0Jesus told His disciples, \u201cHeal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give\u201d (Matthew 10:8 New King James Version).
\u00a0
However, Gehazi missed the point. He would not spare Naaman! Gehazi said, \u201cLook, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him\u201d (verses 20 New King James Version). Dishonest and greedy ministers don\u2019t spare the congregation or those who come their way. If they pray, people must pay!
\u00a0
But why must Gehazi bring the LORD into his greed by saying, “As the LORD lives…”? Gehazi would not allow Naaman to go without collecting something from him. Therefore, he went after him, thinking Elisha would not know. He lied to Naaman to collect the gift his master had rejected (verses 21-23).
\u00a0
When he returned from \u2018robbing\u2019 Naaman, he also lied to his master that he did not go anywhere. \u201cThen he said to him, \u2018Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.\u2019 And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow\u201d (verses 26-27 New King James Version).
\u00a0
In 1 Samuel 12:3-4, Samuel asked the Israelites, among other things, if he had cheated or oppressed anyone, and they replied in the negative. Paul said a similar thing: \u201cWe have cheated no one\u201d (2 Corinthians 7:2 New King James Version).
\u00a0
It is not every minister who can boldly say what Samuel and Paul said because it is not every minister of God who heeds the biblical warning not to be greedy for money (1Timothy 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7).
\u00a0
Although the Bible encourages believers to give or sow a seed (2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Luke 6:38), if you desire a good harvest, it is not every soil that is right for you to sow your seed.
\u00a0
Do not let any minister manipulate you and rob you of your money or property. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7b). Be guided by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.\u00a0
\u00a0
If you\u2019re not born again, repent of your sins today and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.\u00a0 Whoever comes to Him, He will by no means cast out.
\u00a0
PRAYER POINTS: \u00a0I shall not be deceived by dishonest and greedy ministers. I shall not mistake eloquence and arrogance for the anointing. In the name of Jesus, I shall follow the Word of God and the Holy Spirit in giving support to a minister or ministry. Holy Spirit, guide me not to fall victim to dishonest and greedy ministers. Father, let help arise for Your true servants to do Your work.

(For over 300 in-depth and powerful messages by T.O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org)

\u25aa\ufe0e Banso, an Abuja-based Minister, heads
Cedar Ministry International, and can be reached at cedarministryintl@yahoo.com, cedarministryng@gmail.com; Tel No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523;
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Tope Banso I wish this message were unnecessary. I\u2019m not excited about it but my feeling is not important. The Word of the LORD must be delivered. It is unfortunate that we have to warn people to beware of dishonest and greedy ministers. Do they exist? Yes.\u00a0Even if a preacher says they don\u2019t exist […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":28246,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5772],"tags":[2204,2205,1374],"class_list":["post-28459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-faith","tag-dishonest","tag-greedy","tag-ministers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28459"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28459\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}