The Right Kind of Meditation

Posted on January 7, 2010 by russellmckinney

We’ve been mining Psalm 1:1-3 for spiritual truth this week. So, here now is one last post on the passage. I’m calling this one “The Right Kind of Meditation.”

The practice of meditation is typically associated with far-eastern religions and the mental exploration of one’s “inner self.” But the Bible has nothing to say about that kind of meditation. The Biblical kind of meditation is described in Psalm 1:2, which says of the godly, blessed man:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. (N.K.J.V., emphasis mine)

The Hebrew word translated as “meditates” is hagah. Specifically, it refers to the sighs and low sounds a person makes while musing over something. Imagine a man or woman silently reading a line from a book, pausing for a moment to give in-depth consideration to the line, and then lowly saying, “Hmmm…” That catches the idea behind the word.

The application of Psalm 1:2 is three-fold. First, we should devote diligent, somber study to God’s written word. Second, this studying should be done “day and night.” By the way, this doesn’t mean an employee has to quit work and study the Bible full time or that a student has to quit school and only study the Bible. It does mean, though, that we should make time during the day and night to study the holy scriptures. And then third, even more than just making time to study the scriptures, our studying should be serious enough to cause us to say, “Hmmm…” as God’s truths are driven deep into our hearts.

It’s been said that we hold our Bibles high but rarely open them. The average person’s Bible study might even be compared to the eating habits of a certain tribe of backwoods Aborigines in Australia. The explorers and researchers who discovered this tribe studied the tribe’s cultural habits and noticed that by age thirty the adults had practically no teeth. Further study gave the reason for this odd condition. It was learned that the tribe enjoyed cooking meat in the open sand with water and fire, and the meat was eaten with the sand actually clinging to it. As a result, by the time the adults reached the age of thirty, the years of having their teeth ground away by all that sand left them for the most part toothless. This meant that the children had to chew the meat in advance and give it to the adults. This, of course, kept the vicious cycle going because those children wouldn’t have any teeth left when they got to be adults.

That story describes a lot of people’s relationship to the Bible. They want someone else to “chew” the scriptures for them. They want someone else to put in the hard work of studying and then hand them all that knowledge and understanding. In that way, these people never have to meditate upon the scriptures themselves. They can grab a bite here and there from a sermon or a commentary and receive their nourishment that way.

I’m certainly not saying that preachers and teachers don’t have their place in God’s plan. No, everyone ought to enjoy the fruits of the labors of good, solid, doctrinally straight preachers and teachers. But what I am saying is that you need to study the Bible yourself as well. Fine meat might still taste good after it’s been chewed on by someone else, but doesn’t it make for a more pleasurable dining experience when you do your own chewing?

Posted in Bible Study, Discipleship, God's Word, Preaching, Scripture, Teaching, The Bible | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sin’s Progression

Posted on January 5, 2010 by russellmckinney

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (Psalm 1:1, N.K.J.V.)

In my previous post, I outlined Psalm 1:1-3 under the title “Blessedness.” Now, with this post, I’d like to narrow the microscope down onto one particular aspect of that passage and offer a word about sin’s progression. What do I mean by “sin’s progression”? I mean that hardened sinners don’t get that way overnight. No, they become hardened in their sin by way of a definite progression of events.

First, the individual in question gets counsel from an ungodly person and puts that wrong counsel into action. That gets him started walking in the wrong direction. That’s why Psalm 1:1 speaks of walking in the counsel of the ungodly.

Second, walking in that unwise counsel takes the individual off the path of God’s will and onto the path of sinners. That’s bad enough, but once he is on that path, he finds that he enjoys the sin. Consequently, he decides to stand around for a while in that path. So, now he’s stopped walking the path of sinners and is, instead, standing on it.

Third, sometime later, the individual gets tired from constantly standing on the path of sinners and chooses to actually sit down on that path. Psalm 1:1 describes this as sitting in the seat of the scornful. That term “the scornful” refers to the most hardened and calloused sinners who occupy that path. You see, when the individual takes his seat with them, he is settling in for a lengthy stay to become a fellow member of that group.

To use a specific sin to illustrate how this sad progression might play out in real life, let’s say that a husband is considering having an affair. He’s having some trouble in his marriage, and there is a woman at work who seems to be just what he needs. Well, rather than seek out wise counsel from a godly person who knows the Bible and how to apply it to life, this husband gets counsel from an ungodly buddy of his. This buddy has been married and divorced three times and had numerous affairs over the course of those marriages. Naturally, the buddy tells the tempted husband, “Have the affair. You’ll be glad you lived a little.”

Now the husband has a choice to make. Will he walk in that ungodly counsel by having the one-night stand with the coworker? Or will he keep himself safely inside the confines of God’s will for his life? Tragically, the husband makes the wrong choice and opts to have the one-night stand. In doing that, he is walking in the counsel of the ungodly.

Okay, what happens next? The husband discovers that he enjoys the one-night stand very much. Not only does he keep the affair under wraps, he finds that the sneaking around is exciting! This leads him to start meeting once or twice a week for sexual rendezvouses with the coworker. What’s he doing now? He is standing in the path of sinners as his rebellion toward God has become deeper and more concrete.

Then, somewhere along the way, that adulterous husband goes from standing in the path of sinners to sitting down in the seat of the scornful. He becomes cynical and hardened. In some illogical way, he’s angry at God because God didn’t give him a “happily-ever-after” marriage. This causes him to start mocking the things of God and despising anything remotely spiritual.

Do you see the progression of sin? First, there is the walking. Then there is the standing. Finally, there is the sitting down. That is sin’s progression.

And would you believe the story doesn’t even end there? Sadly, it begins anew and repeats itself on another victim. Sticking with the example of the adulterous husband, when a young man naively asks the hardened, scornful sinner about marriage, he sarcastically answers, “Yeah, that’s what you need to do. Go and get married. Hook yourself up to that old ball and chain.” That answer, of course, comes under the category “the counsel of the ungodly,” and the naive potential groom then has to make his own decision as to whether or not to walk in it and begin his own line of sin’s progression.

Posted in Adultery, Backsliding, Choices, Counsel, Doing Good, Holiness, Husbands, Influence, Marriage, Personal Holiness, Repentance, Seeking Advice, Sin, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Blessedness

Posted on January 4, 2010 by russellmckinney

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in it season, whose leaf also shall not wither. And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3, N.K.J.V.)

Let me begin by pointing out that the proper pronunciation of the first word of this passage is “bless-ed” rather than “blessed” (as in “blest”). You see, the Bible uses one Hebrew word to refer to “bless-ed” and another to refer to “blessed.” The Hebrew word for “blessed” is barak, and it is used in passages such as Genesis 1:28, which says of Adam and Eve: “And God blessed them.” Notably, however, the Hebrew word used n Psalm 1:1 is esher, a word that means happy, fortunate, enviable, or prosperous.

Actually, esher is plural. This explains why it’s been suggested that esher might accurately be translated “blessednesses.” The point is, esher speaks of more than just one blessing. The person who is esher abides in a continual state of experiencing blessing after blessing as there is a multiplicity of blessings that rest upon the person. Trust me, you’d rather be “bless-ed” than just “blessed.”

But how does a person become “bless-ed”? Well, this passage gives us three main thoughts for an answer. Let’s walk through them together.

First, in verse 1 we are given a word about: the “bless-ed” person in relation to SEPARATION. “Bless-ed” people are marked by things they don’t do, deeds from which they keep themselves separate. Clearly, the book of Psalms opens by dispelling the notion that the sinful life is the good life.

Three negatives are mentioned. Negative #1 is: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Tell me, who do you look to for advice? Is that person a godly person? Is that person living under the lordship of Jesus Christ? Is that person highly knowledgeable of what the Bible teaches? Is that person wise in applying the Bible to everyday life? Is that person really in tune with the Lord?

Negative #2 is: Blessed is the man who does not stand in the path of sinners. There is a path of sin in which the ungodly stand, and them standing in this path shows that their sinfulness isn’t just a one-time slip up. To the contrary, they are engaged in a daily, continual lifestyle of sin. Instead of trying to get off the path of sinners, they continually stand in it.

Negative #3 is: Blessed is the man who does not sit in the seat of the scornful. The Hebrew word translated as “scornful” is luwts. It can also be translated as “mockers” or “scoffers.” These scornful, mocking, scoffing people have unfiltered contempt for God, His ways, and His standards. Mention is made of such a person having a seat because he is thoroughly settled and fixed in his disgust toward God.

The passage’s second main thought concerns: the “bless-ed” person in relation to SCRIPTURE. Verse 2 says of the “bless-ed” man: “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” The phrase “the law of the Lord” refers to that body of law God gave the people of Israel through Moses. That law was written down, which meant that it was the “Bible” by which the Israelites lived. Obviously, the fact that us modern-day believers have a completed “Bible” to consult should result in us delighting in God’s written words even more than those Jews did. Putting it simply, if you want to be blessed, love the scriptures and learn the scriptures.

Finally, the text’s third main thought deals with: the “bless-ed” person in relation to SUCCESS. Here the passage shifts from talking about things the “bless-ed” person does and doesn’t do and offers, instead, a simile (as evidenced by the use of the word “like”) to describe the results of the person’s blessedness. As verse 3 says: “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

Why doesn’t this tree wither away? It can’t wither because it is planted by rivers of water. That location ensures that the tree will always bring forth its fruit in season just when it should. Even its leaves don’t wither, which serves as further evidence of the tree’s health and vibrancy. This all makes for a beautiful description of the “bless-ed” person’s life.

Then the description gets even better! The end of verse 3 says that whatever the blessed person does shall prosper. Unfortunately, some people take this to mean that all a godly person has to do is take his or her wish list to God, have the necessary amount of faith, and wait for God to grant the wishes. Actually, however, God’s idea of prospering isn’t so simplistic.

We can best understand “whatever he does shall prosper” by looking at the life of Joseph. Did you know that even when Joseph was wrongly sold into slavery God called him a prosperous man and caused whatever he did to prosper? Genesis 39:2-3 says:

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. (K.J.V., emphasis mine)

The Hebrew word used to describe the prosperity God gave Joseph is the exact same word, esher, that is used in verse 3 of our text. Therefore, when you understand what God did for Joseph, even as Joseph was a servant in the house of Potiphar, you will understand the kind of prosperity God bestows upon the “bless-ed” person.

As for what kind of prosperity that was, let’s consider the facts. When Joseph was a servant in Potiphar’s house, did Joseph have a lot of money in his bank account? Absolutely not! Did he have a wife and children? No. Was he a man of prestige and standing in the community? Nope. Still, though, God described him as a prosperous man.

Ultimately, Joseph did become rich beyond his wildest dreams as God made him the second most powerful man in all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Also, God gave him a wife and two fine sons. Nevertheless, these later blessings and more obvious prosperity don’t cancel out the fact that Joseph was “bless-ed” and prosperous even before the power, wealth, and beautiful family. And so it is with any saved believer who truly lives the requirements of Psalm 1:1-3.

Posted in Adversity, Bible Study, Character, Discipleship, Doing Good, Faithfulness, God's Word, Holiness, Money, Obedience, Persecution, Personal Holiness, Prosperity, Reward, Sanctification, Scripture, Separation, Service, The Bible, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Three-Point Checklist for the New Year

Posted on January 1, 2010 by russellmckinney

Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left. Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27, N.K.J.V.)

These verses make for one of the Bible’s best texts on the subject of a new year. In them, Solomon offers a three-point checklist that will help us make this new year a godly, blessed, spiritually productive one. Let’s take a look at that checklist.

Item #1 is: Rivet your attention upon this new year. Solomon says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids right before you.” Think of yourself as standing on the precipice of this new year. What should you do as you stand here? You should focus your attention straight ahead and fix your gaze on what lies ahead.

In order to do that, you’ll have to step out of your past. You might as well step out of it anyway, because you can’t change one second of it. Rearview mirrors really do make poor windshields!

You say, “But Russell, you don’t know my past. You don’t know the things I’ve done. You don’t know the things I’ve gone through.” Well, you’re right, I don’t know your past. But I do know two things. One, I know that Jesus wants to meet you right where you are and do wonderful things for you, in you, and through you. Two, I know that in order for Him to do that you’re going to have to join Him in the here and now. The fact is, this new year can be your fresh start with Christ.

One day a man stormed into the office of his local newspaper and said to the secretary, “I need to see the guy who is in charge of the obituaries.” When the secretary pointed him to a rookie reporter, the man marched over to that reporter and said, “Young man, my name appeared in your obituary column today, but as you can see, I am very much alive. So, I want you to print a retraction in tomorrow’s paper.” To that, the young man said, “Sir, I’m afraid that we don’t print retractions in our obituary column. But what I can do is put you in tomorrow’s birth announcements and give you a fresh start!”

This new year can be your fresh start with Jesus. You can have a fresh start in the areas of prayer, Bible study, church attendance, personal holiness, giving, and evangelism. Whatever sins you’ve committed in the past, whatever mistakes you’ve made, whatever you went through last year, rivet your attention on this new year.

Item #2 on the checklist is: Reassess the path you are traveling. Solomon says, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” The Hebrew word translated as “ponder” means to mentally weigh. The point is, think about the path you are currently traveling. Is it a path that will take you into more intimate fellowship with Jesus? Is it a path that will take you into a deeper level of service to Him? Is it a path that will make you a better Christian and a better person?

Most people never take the time to stop and really think about where their path is leading them. This is why they repeat the same mistakes over and over again, year after year. I read about a man who went to the doctor to get some help for his two burned ears. The doctor said, “Before I treat you, I’ve just got to know how you burned your ears.” The fellow said, “Well, doc, I’ll tell you what happened. The phone rang while I was ironing my shirt, and I picked up the iron instead of the phone.” The doctor said, “That’s terrible! But what happened to your other ear?” The man said, “The guy called back.”

We laugh at that story, but this world is filled with people who never learn from their mistakes. I’m saying that the beginning of a new year is a great time to get by yourself, turn off the computer, the television, and the phone, and take a good, hard look at your life. And don’t be afraid to hurt your own feelings. Be honest about where you are, and if the path you are on is a bad one, admit it. You will never get where Jesus wants to take you in life until you get on the right path.

So, here at the start of this new year, I encourage you to reassess the path you are traveling. If you don’t like the harvest you are getting, change your seed! As we often hear, it is a form of insanity to keep doing what you are doing and expect different results. If you want to change your life, change your path.

Finally, item #3 on the checklist is: Resist the temptation to veer off your God-approved path. Let’s say that you get on the path the Lord wants you to be walking. Is that the end of the story? No, it isn’t. Solomon gives the warning: “Do not turn to the right or the left. Remove your foot from evil.”

As you walk your God-approved path, certain things will appear to your right, things that will look appealing to you. Be careful that you don’t leave your path and go after them. Likewise, certain things will appear to your left, things that will look appealing to you. Again, don’t leave your path and go after them.

Some people are very good at making fresh starts with the Lord. Such a person goes his or her own way for a while and then says, “I’ve got to get right with the Lord.” The person then makes a renewed effort at living a Christ-honoring life. He or she walks that God-approved path for a while but eventually strays from it as some sinful pleasure off to the right or the left proves too tempting to resist. Then, after the person has filled up on the sin, he or she again says, “I’ve got to get right with the Lord,” and at that point the cycle starts anew. I hope you understand that such a roller coaster walk with Christ isn’t what He has in mind for you. How much better it is to get on God’s path for your life and then resist the temptation to veer off your God-approved path.

In closing, let me tell you about two boys who once tried to outwit a wise old man. Because these boys had grown tired of hearing other people talk about the great wisdom the man possessed, they decided to humble him. First, they caught a very small bird, which one of the boys concealed in his hand. Next, they went to the old man, where the boy with the bird asked the man, “What do you think I have in my hand?” The old man answered, “You have a bird in your hand. I can see some of its feathers.” The boy said, “Yes, but is the bird dead or alive?”

It was here that the boys planned to trick the old man. If he said “dead,” the boy would open his hand and let the bird fly away. But if the man said “alive,” the boy would crush the bird before opening his hand. So, how did the wise old man answer? He looked at the boy and said, “As you will it, son. As you will it.”

Will this new year be one in which you serve Christ better than you ever have? The answer is: As you will it. Herschel Hobbs, that notable preacher of days gone by, said, “Years become new only if we make them so.” Ah, but the good news is that you really can make this new year “new” if you will follow Solomon’s spiritual checklist. That means: rivet your attention on this new year, reassess the path you are traveling, and resist the temptation to veer off your God-approved path. By doing these things, you’ll be able to make this year the best one you’ve ever had in serving Jesus.

Posted in Backsliding, Change, Choices, Contentment, Discipleship, Doing Good, God's Will, Holiness, New Year, Obedience, Personal Holiness, Temptation | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Top 10 Posts For 2009

Posted on December 30, 2009 by russellmckinney

With 2009 winding down, I’d like to list this blog’s top ten posts for the year. These are the posts that were the most read via search engines. Other posts might have been read more by regular visitors to the site, but those readings don’t get recorded in a specific category the way readings off search engines do.

#1: Tim Tebow & Jesus: This was the most read post by a wide margin. It almost doubled the second post on the list. When I realized that the piece was being read by so many people, I thought, “Lord, do you want me to change it in any way?” The word I received was, “No, leave it just as it is. It’s what I wanted you to say.”

#2: What Does The Bible Teach About Divorce?: It could well be that this post will become my most read in the long run. Tim Tebow will soon be going to the NFL to play his football, and he’ll most likely be much less of a star at that level. But, sadly, the issue of divorce won’t be waning anytime soon.      

#3: The Bible & Homosexuality: I wrote this post in response to the scandal that arose in the wake of homosexual activist Perez Hilton asking Miss California, Carrie Prejean, that infuriating question. The post was at the top of this list for most of the year. Actually, it shot out of the gate and took such a sizable lead that I figured it would stay there. But the Tebow piece took off in an even greater way, and the divorce piece just kept steadily moving up the list all year.

#4: Straight Talk About God’s Will (The Book): This isn’t actually a post. It’s a sample chapter of my book. I’m glad that a lot of people have accessed it, and I hope that God has used it mightily. Now if I can get more folks to actually buy the book!

#5: Brief Bio: This isn’t a post either. But would you believe that it was the hardest thing I had to write all year? You try summing up your life and ministry in a “brief” way! I figure that one of these days I’ll get around to rewriting it. If people are going to keep visiting the blog, I suppose they’ll keep clicking on “Brief Bio” because they’ll want to know who they are reading.

#6: Lessons Learned From The Tiger Woods Story: I wrote this post late in the year, but it was a “hot” enough search to pull some good numbers. For now, Woods still hasn’t been seen in public since his fall from grace and his marriage seems to be over. No sports celebrity has ever plummeted so far so fast.

#7: Why Hasn’t Russell Been Posting More?: I’m at a loss as to why so many people found this post off search engines. It’s just a simple little update that I wrote to let my regular readers know what was going on with me. I’m glad that so many people read it because my church, Disciples Road Church, and my book, Straight Talk About God’s Will, are prominently mentioned in it. By the way, if you are interested, the church website is disciplesroadchurch.com. We’ve got a lot of good stuff on there. (Yes, that was a shameless plug.)

#8: Billy Graham: I wrote this post after some of my preacher friends and I paid a visit to The Billy Graham Training Center At The Cove. What makes the piece different from the usual writing on Billy Graham is that I name some criticisms that have been leveled at the world’s most famous preacher.

#9. Ted Kennedy & Leadership: I’m glad this post ended up being read by a good number of people because the Lord gave me an uncommonly strong burden to write it. The fact that so many people have found it only validates to me that God always intended to use it in a significant way. Also, I have no doubts that the post will continue to be read going forward. People will always be doing searches on Ted Kennedy.

#10: Does Satan Exist?: This post came out of a debate that was aired on Nightline. Mark Driscoll and Annie Loberts argued for the existence of Satan. Deepak Chopra and Carlton Pearson argued against it. I like this piece because I use it to raise what I think is an intelligent and valid point that comes out of the debate.

Well, there you have them, my top ten posts for the year. If you missed any of them, let me encourage you to go back and read them. And as for 2010, who knows what the Lord might lay upon my heart to write about? We’ll just have to see what the new year holds. Writing a blog has been a whole new adventure for me, and the adventure continues. I want to thank each and every person who has taken the time to read anything I’ve written. Keep coming back and reading and don’t be shy about leaving comments!

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The Old Testament’s Revelation of Christ’s Birth

Posted on December 28, 2009 by russellmckinney

The Christmas season is a perfect time to do a walk-through of the Old Testament’s record of how God systematically revealed, step by step, the specifics of the Savior’s birth. Are you up for doing that Bible study? If so, the walk-through goes as follows.

1. The revelation began when God said to Satan (who was possessing Eden’s serpent at the time), “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed…” (Genesis 3:15). That strange term “her Seed” shows that the Savior would be born to a woman, specifically to a virgin. So, the Savior would not be an angel, or animal, or any other type of creature. He would be born a human being into the human race.

2. The revelation progressed further when God went on to say to Satan concerning the Seed of the woman, “…He shall bruise your head. And you shall bruise His heel.” So, the Savior would be born to a virgin and be born a male.

3. The revelation progressed further when Noah said to his son, Shem, “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem…” (Genesis 9:26). Even though it is questionable as to whether or not either Noah or Shem understood the full implication of Noah pronouncing this blessing upon Shem, God surely understood it. So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, be born a male, and come from the line of Shem, as opposed to either of the lines from Noah’s other two sons (Ham and Japheth).

4. The revelation progressed further when God promised Abram (Abraham), one of Shem’s descendants, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:16). So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, be born a male, come from the line of Shem, and come from the line of Abraham. And since Abraham was the father of the Jewish race, God’s promise to Abraham meant that the Savior would be a Jew.

5. The revelation progressed further when the prophet Balaam prophesied, “…A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel…” (Numbers 24:17). So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, be born a male, come from the line of Shem, come from the line of Abraham, and come from the line of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob. Furthermore, since Jacob was the son of Abraham’s son, Isaac, this prophecy meant that the Savior would come from the line of Isaac, as opposed to Him coming from the line of Abraham’s other son, Ishmael.

6. The revelation progressed further when the elderly Jacob (Isaac’s son, Abraham’s grandson) prophesied that the Messiah would come through the line of his son, Judah, as opposed to any of the lines of Jacob’s other eleven sons. Jacob said, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; And to Him (Shiloh) shall be the obedience of the people” (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5). The term “Shiloh” means “peace-giver” or “the One who brings peace” and is a reference to the Savior. So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, be born a male, come from the line of Shem, come from the line of Abraham, come from the line of Isaac, come from the line of Jacob, and come from the line of Judah. And since Judah’s line would become Israel’s tribe of Judah, the Savior would come from the tribe of Judah.

7. The revelation progressed further when the prophet Isaiah prophesied, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isaiah 11:1). Jesse was a descendant of Judah and a member of the tribe of Judah. So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, be born a male, come from the line of Shem, come from the line of Abraham, come from the line of Isaac, come from the line of Jacob, come from the line of Judah, and come from the line of Jesse.

8. The revelation progressed further when God promised Jesse’s son, King David, that He would establish the throne of his son’s kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:8-13; Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:26-27; Romans 1:3). Even though David’s son, Solomon, would ascend to the throne of Israel after David’s death, the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy would be found in the Savior. So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, born a male, come from the line of Shem, come from the line of Abraham, come from the line of Isaac, come from the line of Jacob, come from the line of Judah, come from the line of Jesse, and come from the line of David.

9. The revelation progressed further when the prophet Micah prophesied that the Savior would be born in the small town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-6), which not coincidently was the birthplace of King David. So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, born a male, come from the line of Shem, come from the line of Abraham, come from the line of Isaac, come from the line of Jacob, come from the line of Judah, come from the line of Jesse, come from the line of David, and be born in the Judean town of Bethlehem.

10. The Old Testament’s revelation of Christ’s birth finally concluded when the prophet Daniel prophesied that the Savior would be put to death (“cut off”) 483 years – the years being described as “weeks” of years (“sevens” of years) – after the Persian ruler, Artaxerxes, would issue a decree allowing the Jews to leave their exile in Babylon and return to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding their decimated city. Even though Daniel’s prophecy didn’t name the actual year of the Savior’s birth, it did provide the approximate timeline for it. So, the Savior would be born to a virgin, born a male, come from the line of Shem, come from the line of Abraham, come from the line of Isaac, come from the line of Jacob, come from the line of Judah, come from the line of Jesse, come from the line of David, be born in Bethlehem, and be born some 400 years or so after Artaxerxes issued that decree.

You see, down through the eons of human history, God kept getting more and more specific regarding the details of the birth of the Savior of the human race. A plan was always in place, and God was always working His plan. And that plan culminated on that night so long ago in the birth of that little baby whose first crib was a manger.

Posted in Bible Study, Christ's Birth, Prophecy, Scripture, Virgin Birth | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Take the Christmas Quiz

Posted on December 23, 2009 by russellmckinney

Here are 20 questions (actually 21) that come out of the Bible’s Christmas story. Take this quiz and see how you do. Each question is worth 5 points and the extra credit question is worth 10. The answers are given after the last question.

# 1. On what day was Jesus born?

a. January 1st

b. July 4th

c. we can’t be sure of the exact date

d. December 25

———————————————————————————-

#2. Joseph and Mary lived in what city?

a. Dallas, Texas

b. Nazareth

c. Capernaum

d. Jerusalem

———————————————————————————-

#3. In what city was Jesus born?

a. Bethlehem

b. we can’t be sure of the exact city

c. Miami, Florida

d. Nazareth

———————————————————————————-

#4. Why were Joseph and Mary in that city?

a. they lived there

b. it was the closest place with a doctor

c. it was where their donkey broke down

d. they had to be registered for taxation purposes

———————————————————————————-

#5. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, what was the relationship between Joseph and Mary?

a. they were husband and wife

b. Mary was betrothed to be Joseph’s wife

c. they were brother and sister

d. they had dated in college

———————————————————————————-

#6. What was so unique about Mary giving birth to Jesus?

a. she was still a virgin

b. she rode to the hospital in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer

c. she was 70 years old at the time

d. she thought she was giving birth to a girl

———————————————————————————-

#7. What is our best guess as to the specific site of Christ’s birth?

a. a tavern

b. an inn

c. a shopping mall

d. a stall, stable, or cave where livestock were kept

———————————————————————————-

#8. Not long after Jesus was born, what did Mary wrap Him in?

a. her family quilt

b. a new blanket from the baby store

c. cloths

d. the sheet from the bed

———————————————————————————-

#9. Where did Mary lay baby Jesus?

a. in the backseat of her car

b. in an animal’s feeding trough

c. in a crib that Joseph had built

d. on some straw on the ground

———————————————————————————-

#10. Who were the first people to hear that Jesus had been born?

a. some shepherds in a nearby field

b. the people who helped with the birth

c. Mary’s parents

d. the little drummer boy and his animals

———————————————————————————-

#11. How did they hear that Jesus had been born?

a. they heard a baby’s cry and followed the sound

b. it was a news broadcast that interrupted “It’s A Wonderful Life”

c. they were there on scene when He was born

d. an angel suddenly appeared to them and told them

———————————————————————————-

#12. Once they had seen baby Jesus, what did they do with the news of His birth?

a. they kept quite about it because they were afraid

b. they went and told a lot of people in the surrounding area

c. they posted the news on their Facebook pages

d. they only talked about it amongst themselves

———————————————————————————-

#13. What did they do following that?

a. they went back to what they had been doing before

b. they sold all their possessions to follow Jesus

c. they began to doubt what they had seen

d. they wrote a Christmas hymn about their experience

———————————————————————————-

#14. When did the wise men come to see Jesus?

a. when they had earned enough money to make the trip

b. at least several months after his birth, possibly even two years

c. when they got laid off from their jobs and had some spare time

d. the night of His birth

———————————————————————————-

#15. How many wise men were there?

a. three

b. none, because any woman can tell you that no man is all that wise

c. twelve

d. the Bible doesn’t tell us

———————————————————————————-

#16. Where was Jesus when the wise men found Him?

a. working at Walmart

b. lying in a manger

c. in Mary’s arms

d. in a house

———————————————————————————-

#17. What gifts did the wise men bring to Jesus?

a. gold, frankincense, and myrrh

b. a cell phone, a PlayStation, and a laptop

c. a shepherd’s staff, a sling, and a pouch

d. a white stallion, a king’s robe, and a crown

———————————————————————————-

#18. What was the occupation of the wise men?

a. they were shepherds

b. they were scholars who studied the stars and natural sciences

c. they operated a chain of Christmas tree lots across the land

d. they were kings

———————————————————————————-

#19. What is our best guess as to where the wise men lived?

a. the city of Jerusalem

b. the city of Rome

c. the region of Babylon/Persia

d. Los Angeles, California

———————————————————————————-

#20. The star that prompted the wise men to begin their journey was seen in what part of their sky?

a. the section directly over Santa’s workshop at the North Pole

b. the west

c. the south

d. the east

———————————————————————————-

(extra credit question): We find the Christmas story in what parts of the New Testament?

A. the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)

B. the gospels of Matthew and Luke

C. the table of contents

D. the gospels of Mark and John

———————————————————————————-

answers:

1.c     2.b (Luke 2:4)     3.a (Luke 2:4-5)     4.d (Luke 2:1-5)

5.b (Luke 2:4-5)     6.a (Matthew 1:18,22-25)     7.d (Luke 2:7)

8.c (Luke 2:7)     9.b (Luke 2:7)     10.a (Luke 2:8)

11.d (Luke 2:9-14)     12.b (Luke 2:15-18)     13.a (Luke 2:20)

14.b (Matthew 2:16)   15.d (Matthew 2:1)  16.d (Matthew 2:11a)

17.a (Matthew 2:11)     18.b (Matthew 2:2)

19.c (Matthew 2:1; they lived in a land east of Jerusalem)

20.b (Matthew 2:2; they were in the east, saw the star in their western sky, and traveled west toward Jerusalem)

extra credit question: b

Posted in Angels, Bible Study, Christ's Birth, Christmas, Christmas Traditions, Scripture, The Bible, Virgin Birth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Royce’s Birthday

Posted on December 22, 2009 by russellmckinney

Yesterday was my youngest’s birthday. Royce was born on December 21st, 2000, which makes him nine years old now. December 21st is the winter solstice, that day that fascinated superstitious cultures enough to build entire winter festivals around it. On December 21st, 2012, Royce will be twelve years old. That’s how old Jesus was when Joseph and Mary found him in Jerusalem’s temple sitting in the midst of Judaism’s most brilliant minds, listening to them and asking them questions (Luke 2:41-50). December 21st, 2012, is also the day the ancient Mayan calendar stops. I’m sure all these facts link together somehow in regards to Royce. I’m just not sure how.

Royce is the son I never expected to have. All along “he” was supposed to be “she.” Isn’t “Rachel” a beautiful name for a girl? But the first time I saw my second child on ultrasound it was very obvious that the name “Rachel” wouldn’t apply. To be honest, I’m still recovering from that initial curveball Royce threw me. Even after nine years of living with him, studying him, and trying to figure him out, I still find myself frequently asking the question, “Why did he do that?” Tonya says he had to be my polar opposite because my oldest, Ryan, got every last gene and chromosome that I had to give. Since Ryan is my clone, I can’t argue with that logic.

Yesterday was a case in point of how differently Royce and I think. For his birthday, I wanted to load up the four of us and drive an hour to a place called Fun Depot. Maybe you’ve seen these kind of places. It’s a warehouse-type facility that offers video games, skeet ball, putt putt, laser tag, batting cages, and jungle gyms. A kid can lose a whole day there just running around like a wild man. I thought, “Royce will love this idea.”

From the onset, though, Tonya had her doubts about that being the best gift we could give him. He’d been talking about how much he’d like to have a friend over for his birthday. So, we called him into the living room and laid out the two options. After explaining that taking a friend with him to Fun Depot wasn’t on the list, he chose to have a friend come to the house and spend the day.

The whole experience served as a reminder to me that our classes in parenting are never out. Even as we teach our kids, they teach us. They teach us that we can’t predict their every move. They teach us that each child is unique and must be allowed to grow and blossom in his or her own way. They teach us that our preferences are not necessarily their preferences. They teach us that we should stay on our knees in prayer, asking God for guidance as to how to raise them rightly.

Royce had a good 9th birthday. I’m sure he will remember it. I went and picked up his little friend and brought him to the house. I followed that up by going to the grocery store and buying one of those cookie cakes Royce loves so much. Then I went to McDonalds and brought back some grub. Royce dove into the french fries, opened his presents with glee, blew out the candles on the cookie cake, and had a blast playing with his buddy for a few hours.

Late last night, just before Royce went to bed, Tonya asked him to name his favorite part of his birthday. He immediately chose having his friend over. That verified one more time that we’d carried out the right birthday plan. I don’t know if we’ll ever make it to Fun Depot, but I do know that we did exactly what we were supposed to do yesterday. After all, a kid only gets one 9th birthday in life, and you ought to let him spend it the way he wants to spend it.

Posted in Children, Fatherhood, Parenting, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Big Snows, Global Warming, & God

Posted on December 21, 2009 by russellmckinney

I don’t know how the weather is where you are, but here in Spruce Pine, N.C., we’re still buried in snow. It started snowing early Friday morning and didn’t stop until late Saturday night. By that time we had twelve inches on the ground. Yes, that’s right, a full foot of the white stuff. Actually, the highest elevations in our three-county area got two feet.

Since this snow is one of those “heavy” ones, we’ve been living under the constant threat of broken branches falling down onto power lines. Fortunately, our house only lost power for about three hours on Friday night. Other folks in the area didn’t fare so well. Some were without power for over a day. As for church this morning, we cancelled, just like virtually everybody else around here did.

The thing that has fascinated me about this snow is the effect it has had upon my two boys. They’ve seen snow before, but they haven’t seen a big storm like this. These mountains of western North Carolina get a fair amount of snow, but you have to go back to the winter of 1993 to find a storm that dumped this much on us.

Actually, when I was a kid, some thirty or thirty-five years ago, we got these big snows much more frequently. I’m being serious and literal when I say that one year we were out of school for virtually the entire month of January. But, alas, now our typical snows are in the two-to-four-inch range. That’s what made this one such an event for the boys.

Over the past couple of days, they’ve ridden their snowboards for hours on end, built not one but two snowmen in our front yard, and begun construction on a couple of snow forts in the back yard. I don’t think the forts will get finished, but the boys have never even begun such forts after previous snows. That right there tells you that this storm is one for the memory banks.

Ryan, the twelve-year-old, said something interesting to me yesterday. He said, “Daddy, I’ve never seen a snow this big. Is this one of those like you got when you were a kid?” I said, “Yes, son, it is. It really is.” Following that conversation, I thought to myself, “Here is a boy twelve years old, and yet he’s just now seeing a snow this big. What should I make of that?” What I made of it is that our weather seems to have changed even over the course of my lifetime.

But, please, don’t place me at the front of the global warming bandwagon just yet. For one thing, I have no point of reference for the weather in other parts of the world. For another, even if our planet is getting warmer, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the increase is the result of what mankind has been doing to the planet. Maybe we have simply entered into a different longterm weather cycle.

What I’m absolutely, positively, 100% sure of is that global warming isn’t going to bring about the end of life of earth. I’ve studied Bible prophecy and I know how things are going to play out. Yes, the book of The Revelation describes ecological disasters and cataclysmic events, but they all take place under the sovereign control of God. Our weather operates inside His mighty hands.

So, Chicken Little, calm down and know that God is in charge of such big departments as the weather and life on earth. I don’t mean to convey a “don’t worry, be happy” attitude, because much of the prophesied stuff for this earth’s future is very grim. But let’s never forget that God is in control. Not man. Not mother nature. Not mother earth. Not big business. Not Greenpeace. Not the United Nations. There is no panic in heaven, and the whole situation down here is in no way spiraling toward some undetermined end.

I can’t speak for you, but that simple, childlike faith in a sovereign God gives me great comfort. It makes me feel “safe.” What’s even better is the fact that this sovereign God once took human flesh upon Himself and was crucified on a Roman cross for the sins of the world. Even better than that is the fact that He arose from the dead and ascended back to heaven. Even better than that is the fact that I have placed my belief in Him as Savior. So, come deep snow, wintry mix, rain, or sunshine, I can rest in the knowledge that I will spend eternity with Him. That should give anybody a warm feeling on a night when there is a blanket of snow on the ground.

Posted in Christ's Birth, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Faith, Fear, God's Omnipotence, Personal, Prophecy, Salvation, Weather, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Oral Roberts & “Seed Faith” Giving

Posted on December 18, 2009 by russellmckinney

Oral Roberts was undoubtedly one of the most famous preachers America has ever produced. He died on December 15th, 2009, at the age of 91, after 70+ years of ministry. As we look back over the totality of that ministry, it isn’t hard to spot both good and bad.

On the good side of the ledger, Roberts preached Jesus, reminded people of what the Bible teaches about Christ’s miracle-working power, and played a major role in bringing the church into the age of television. On the bad side, he gave many prophecies that turned out to be false, claimed to have performed literal resurrections and other miraculous healings, founded a religious empire that has frequently been associated with accusations of financial malfeasance, and was the originator of the “seed faith” approach to giving.

It is that “seed faith” approach to giving that I want to focus on in this post.

The basic idea with “seed faith” giving goes like this:

#1. The Christian generously gives his money to support a ministry (for example, the Oral Roberts ministry). This is called “sowing a seed.”

#2. The Christian has faith that God will return to him a greater harvest than the original “seed amount.”

#3. God rewards the faith and sends the greater harvest. This greater harvest can come by way of a job promotion, a sudden windfall of money, etc.

#4. With the increased wealth, the Christian can begin the process all over again by giving an even larger “seed amount” of money to the ministry.

#5. With more “seed” with which to work, God can reward the Christian with a harvest even bigger than the first one.

#6. Out of that greater harvest, the Christian can send yet another increased amount of money to the ministry and, subsequently, receive an even bigger harvest.

#7. From there, it’s basically a rinse-and-repeat cycle as the cumulative process keeps rolling along and the Christian, as well as the ministry, keeps getting wealthier and wealthier.

Oral Roberts claimed that Jesus Himself revealed the “seed faith” principle to him. Supposedly, Jesus did this by explaining to him how to rightly interpret Acts 20:35, the verse that quotes Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” According to Roberts, Jesus told him that translation doesn’t properly convey what He meant. Instead of it being more blessed to give than receive, it is more productive to give than to receive. At least that’s what Oral Roberts said Jesus told him.

Decade after decade, Roberts taught “seed faith” giving as part of his push to bring his brand of “health and wealth” Pentecostalism into the mainstream of Christianity in America. He preached “seed faith” giving in his crusades. He promoted it as part of his televangelism broadcasts. He wrote more than 130 books, many of which were variations on the teaching. In 1963, he also founded Oral Roberts University, a university that has churned out new “seed faith” preachers ever since. Most notable among those preachers are Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland.

Oral served as the President of Oral Roberts University until 1992. At that point, the school’s regents elected Oral’s son, Richard, to be the University’s second President. Richard had been serving as an integral part of his father’s ministry team for many years prior, frequently being featured as a singer in his father’s crusades and on his father’s television and radio broadcasts. He had also been elected President of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association in 1985 after his father had stepped down from that position.

Richard had married his first wife, Patti, on November 27, 1968, but by Richard’s own admission, that marriage had been a mistake. Despite the fact that the couple had produced two children together, the marriage had ended with Patti filing for divorce in 1978. Richard had then married his current wife, Lindsay, in 1980.

In her book Ashes To Gold, Patti reflects back on her days as Oral’s daughter-in-law. She talks about how guilty she felt about the excessive wealth the Roberts family enjoyed, and she seriously questions the validity of “seed-faith” giving. She says the “seed faith” teaching:

…bothered me a great deal because I saw that, when taken to extremes, it reduced God to a sugar daddy. If you wanted His blessings and His love, you paid Him off. Over and over again we heard Oral say, ‘Give out of your need.’ I began to question the motivation that kind of giving implied. Were we giving to God out of our love and gratitude to Him or were we bartering with Him?

Patti also pointed out that “seed faith” giving was promoted on every television broadcast produced by the Roberts’ broadcasting empire, whereas the Gospel itself was rarely given. For example, here’s a typical quote from Richard Roberts as he tried to get his audience to support the Oral Roberts Ministry by way of a financial gift:

Sow a seed on your MasterCard, your Visa or your American Express, and then when you do, expect God to open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing.

It should be understood, however, that Oral Roberts’ ministry was merely the fountainhead of what quickly became a massive river of “seed faith” preaching. Over the years, the water flowed out to wherever Pentecostal and Charismatic churches and ministries were found, and Paul and Jan Crouch’s TBN broadcasting empire sent it around the world. Today, thousands of “prosperity preachers” now preach “seed faith” giving every bit as fervently as Oral Roberts ever did.

But the central question remains: Is the doctrine of “seed faith” giving Biblical? In one corner, we’ve heard from Oral Roberts. In another corner, we’ve heard from his former daughter-in-law, Patti. This leaves us to ask, “What does God say?” And His ruling, revealed through His written word, is that the “seed faith” approach to giving, an approach that should lead every Christian to great wealth, is a lie. Let me prove that to you.

First, I’ll describe the earthly life of Jesus. Luke 9:57-58 says:

Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (N.K.J.V.)

These verses certainly don’t describe an earthly life of wealth, do they? Jesus didn’t own a house. He didn’t have a lot of money. He didn’t live lavishly.

As you read the gospels, you will see that Jesus ate with anyone who would invite Him to eat, spent many a night outside, and probably had just one set of clothes. He rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey. He and His disciples observed the Lord’s Supper in a borrowed room. After His death, His body was laid in a borrowed tomb.

As a matter of fact, rather than promoting the importance of worldly wealth, Jesus warned of the dangers of it. He said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20, N.K.J.V.). He also said, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:23-24, N.K.J.V.).

These quotes certainly don’t sound like the words of one who was preaching earthly prosperity as a byproduct of salvation, do they? The fact is, you won’t find a verse where Jesus says, “Follow me, and I’ll put money in your pockets.” Neither will you find one where He says, “Believe in me as Savior, and your financial woes will be over.”

Instead, what you will find is Christ’s constant downplaying of money. In His story of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man, it is the rich man whose soul ends up in Hell (Luke 16:19-31). In His story of the rich man who planned to tear down his overflowing barns and build bigger barns, God comes to that rich man and says, “You fool, this night your soul will be required of you: then whose shall these things be?” (Luke 12:13-21, N.K.J.V.).

This was the earthly life of Christ, and it certainly doesn’t line up with the idea that God wants to make every Christian rich. If anything, Jesus taught that the love of money is one of the primary hindrances to people being all that God wants them to be. Try fitting that into the whole mindset of “seed faith” giving.

Second, I’ll describe the lives of the apostles. In 1 Corinthians 4:9-13, we find some verses in which Paul vividly describes the life of an apostle. He writes:

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. (N.K.J.V.)

Tell me, does that description sound like the apostles lived lives of wealth, ease, and luxury? It surely doesn’t! Well, was that because they just didn’t understand about “seed faith” giving? No, it was because it is not God’s will for all Christians to be monetarily rich.

Third, I’ll describe the lives of the Smyrna Christians. In Revelation 2:8-9, the risen, glorified Jesus gives a message for the apostle John to relay to the Christians who were living in Smyrna. That message was:

“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ‘I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.'” (N.K.J.V.)

Notice that Jesus said to those Christians, “I know your poverty, but actually you are rich.” The interpretation isn’t difficult. Those Christians were poor in an earthly sense but rich in an eternal sense through the treasures laid up for them in heaven.

Jesus didn’t say to those people, “If you will give in faith, you will get that gift back with an increase.” He didn’t even say to them, “I know your poverty, and I’m going to do something about it.” What He said was, “I know your poverty, but don’t forget that you are actually rich.” For many Christians today, this same “Smyrna truth” applies: poor on earth but rich in heaven.

Fourth, I’ll describe the life of Timothy. In 1 Timothy 6: 3-10, Paul has some very telling things to say about money and worldly riches. He writes:

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wrangling of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (N.K.J.V.)

Whatever else we might bring out of these verses, let’s at least get it settled that Paul did not say, “Timothy, God wants you to be rich in the wealth of the world. Why aren’t you?” What he said was, “Timothy, work at being content with having food and clothing.”

On the subject of “prosperity preachers,” let me say that I especially like the way the New Living Translation describes those false teachers to whom Paul was referring. In verse 5, it reads:

These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they don’t tell the truth. To them religion is just a way to get rich. (N.L.T.)

Now, as I begin to close, I’d like to point out that the Bible does provide us with many examples of believers who were rich by the standards of the world. Abraham was rich. Joseph was rich. Job was rich. Solomon was rich. Joseph of Arimathea was rich. So, I’m not saying that it isn’t God’s will for any Christian to be monetarily rich. What I’m saying is that no Christian has a right to expect or demand worldly wealth from God. Such wealth isn’t a matter of the Christian getting under the teaching of the right preacher, and it certainly isn’t a matter of lining up with the “seed faith” plan of giving.

When it comes to attaining worldly wealth, the Bible talks about things like: hard work, saving, giving a right portion back to God, paying your bills, giving to the poor, and avoiding sin. There’s even a bit here and there about wise investing. These things are the building blocks to getting rich in this world. It’s not about sending $100 to the Oral Roberts ministry or any other ministry and expecting God to reward you with a ten-fold, fifty-fold, or one-hundred-fold harvest on that original “seed.”

Truth be told, Oral Roberts’ false doctrine didn’t even work for him. In 1989, his City of Faith Medical Center was forced to close due to a lack of funds. The Center, which cost $250 million to build, reportedly drained the Roberts organization of $30 to $40 million per year. This was the cause of Oral’s infamous 1989 fundraising drive in which he announced to a television audience that God would “call him home” if the sum of $8 million wasn’t raised by March. Even though $9.1 million was raised, the City of Faith still closed not long afterwards. In light of the closure, onlookers were left to conclude that either Oral Roberts didn’t practice what he preached in regards to “seed faith” giving or the whole approach to giving simply doesn’t work. As for me, I might have my suspicions about the former but I have no doubt whatsoever about the latter.

Posted in Bible Study, Business, Contentment, Giving, Money, Reward, Seed Faith Giving, Sowing and Reaping, Stewardship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments