b'END TIMESGreedBy Michael Forti It reminds me of something similar, of when I wastion has not been sleeping (2 Pet 2:1-3 NIV, 2Tim going to a church many years ago, as a new believ- 4:1-8, Jude 3-4).er, when the pastor was taking up offerings for theIt was obvious that several preachers back then W hen the early church started to grow, they allnewbuildingfund.Itturnedthoughtthattherewasnoth-had one thing in common. It was to collect theout that not all of the contri- ingwrongwithcompromising wealth from those who were blessed, and to give tobutions went for the building.theWord,andthenchanging the poor. It was said, that he kept a por- the grace for their own finan-The apostles had their hands full in dealing withtionforhimself.Whenitwascial gain.persecution, church growth, and with preaching theexposed,Itcausedachurch Words of Jesus. They appointed Steven along withsplit and it gave Christianity aPaul,receivingfinancial other faithful believers for the work of the ministryblack eye. It sure caused me tohelp for a legitiment mission-and evangelism.wander and to stumble. arycause,wantedtomake TheapostlePetertookasurethatthechurchknew Peter not only had his hands full when it came tostrongstandagainstthosethattheirmotiveswerepure, preaching the Word, but also to making sure thatwho were taking up an offer- unlike others who were abus-the contributions were being used to honor the Lording to feed the poor, yet wereingchurchfunds.Hetaught, and to feed the needy.dipping into the till. Peter not"For the appeal we make does Unfortunately, as the church started to grow, theonly needed to pin them downnot spring from error or impure apostlesweredeeplyconcernedtodiscoverthatfor having wrong motives, butmotives,norarewetryingto some of their appointed elders, pastorsstartingfor compromising the Word intrickyou.Onthecontrary, to think that they were worthy of a certain percent- order to beef up the funds forwespeakasmenapproved age of the funds that were being collected. profit.byGodtobeentrustedwith thegospel.Wearenottrying Peter, most likely, teaching his Sunday morningPeterpressedonwithatopleasemenbutGod,who sermon, took a strong stand, educating the churchstrictandabrasivewarning!tests our hearts. You know we aboutthesinfulnature,GREED,pride,sexual"But there were false prophetsMichael Forti never used flattery, nor did we immorality,idolatry.andhowtruebelieversamong the people just as thereputonaMASKtocoverup were supposed to be repenting and turning from awillbefalseteachersamongGREED" (1Thess 2:3-5 NIV).deliberate life of GREED and sin.you.Theywillsecretlyintroducedestructiveher- Paul continues in 1Timothy chapter 6:3-15, "He HeconfrontedAnaniasandSapphirawhenitesies (false misleading teaching), even denying our(the false teachers-84NIV) has an unhealthy inter-came to holding back some of their charitable fundssovereignLordwhoboughtthem,bringingswiftestincontroversiesandquarrelsthatresultin forthemselves.Theyhadallgoodintensionstodestruction on themselves. MANY will follow theirenvy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and con-sell some of their land to give to the poor, yet theyshameful ways, and they will bring the way of truthstant friction between men of corrupt mind. Who decided to keep some of the money from the saleinto disrepute (error-contradiction). In their GREEDhave been ROBBED of the TRUTH, and who think for themselves, in secret, MISLEADING the apostlestheseteacherswillexploityouwithstoriestheythat godliness is a means to financial gain"(1Tim and the church into thinking that they were givinghave made up.Their condemnation (bound for hell)6:3-4). "People (preachers) who want to get rich fall it all. has long been hanging over them and their destruc- into temptation and a trap and into many foolish andharmfuldesiresthatplungemenintoRUIN and DESTRUCTION. For the LOVE of Money is a/the root of all kinds of evil. Some people (preachers), eager for money, have wandered from the faith, and havepiercedthemselveswithmanygriefs"(1Tim 6:3-15 NIV-KJV).It was obvious that several preachers back then thought"Wandered from the faith." Does this mean that that there was nothing wrong with compromising the Word,there were shepherds, honest, trustworthy, sincere, devoted, preaching in the Name of Jesus, all lov-and then changing the grace for their own financial gain. ing and caring at one time? What happened? What caused them to "wander" from the faith and from the truth that they once knew? How far did they wander? "RUIN and DESTRUCTION."Continued on Page 71. VARIOUS GOSPEL6. ANTHONY BROWN - HERITAGE 2.0 2ECOND WIND2. DAVID & NICOLE BINION -7. NEAL ROBERSON - SHOUTGLORY OF EDEN 8. ANDY MINEO - WORK IN 3. DARIUS PAULK - STRONG PROGRESS4. PASTOR MIKE JR. - LIVE9. WILLIAMS BROTHERS - FREE COOLING WATER5. BYRON CAGE - ISOLATION 10 TAUREN WELLS - CITIZEN OF HEAVEN4 MARCH 2020 BOCNEWS.com'