Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I was born again in August, 1975. At that time I attended a small church in Dallas where my best friend and her husband went. One of the preachers at that church was very respected by my friend and her husband. At one service, I heard this preacher say: "I really hope no one comes asking me to give him a refrigerator or something." (This preacher said he was really financially burdened at that moment and if someone came asking him to give to him, he would have to do it.)
Apparently this preacher did not understand being led by the Spirit of God.
He was expressing that he would have to do something because of the letter of the law.
But Jesus didn't come to burden us.
Mt. 11 ... Jesus says ... 28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Many times during the week, I receive calls from people asking me to give to something. (I have never yet given to anyone who calls this way.)
When we printed our email address on Internet with these writings, I received multiple emails per day from men who said they are pastors, asking me to give to them. (I never gave to any of them.)
How is it I didn't feel required (burdened) to give?
I didn't hear from the Spirit of God to give.
I would have to hear from the Spirit of God to know it was God's will to give.
Consider this scripture:
II Thess. 3 ... 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Several years ago, I was coming out of a store and was approached by a tall man asking me if I would give him a dollar so he could buy some gas for his car.
I looked at this man and he seemed to me to be able bodied.
I said to him: "NO ... You go get a job and work and earn money for gas."
I've received many letters from men who say they are pastors, listing their many religious works, asking me for money.
But ...
Psa. 23:1 ... The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
These religious people who beg us for money to keep their works going look at us as their "god" ... They see us as their source.
Psa. 37 ... 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
In all the times secular and religious types have asked me for money, I have not yet been told by God to give money to them and often I am reminded of scripture showing me not to give to them.
There is a Catholic woman who is an acquaintance and her mailbox is loaded daily with what she would call junk mail asking for money. She is wealthy and often gives to secular and religious people and thinks it to be good work for her to give this way. But she is filling her mail box with more begging from them and she hates receiving this mail and she is troubled by them and she complains often about this. She is the reason for their begging.
When we are born again, having the Spirit of God, we see all these things through the eyes of God and not by the letter of the law. We do not feel guilty nor forced into giving. When we do give it is because we are led by God to give and not forced by thinking we have to give as was this preacher who hoped no one asked him for a refrigerator.
At church gatherings, I have often seen pastors practice extortion when the offering plate is passed in the congregation. Some pastors threaten the congregation with scripture telling you that if you fail to give, God will not bless you. They use subjects such as 100-fold return to try to get people to give more than they have to give. But 100-fold return was not set forth in scripture concerning giving offerings at church. Here is the proper use of the scripture concerning 100-fold return.
Mt. 19 ... 27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
When the call of God is on your life and you choose to obey that call, you are set up for 100-fold return of that which you have forsaken in order to follow HIM and answer that call that is on your life.
Willful giving is from the heart because we are so grateful to God for our salvation and we are very happy to express this through our gift. We do not have to be forced to give by words of a preacher who makes us feel guilty or causes us to be afraid that God will withhold blessings if we do not give. This is extortion.
Paul said: 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. I Cor. 5
Many TV and radio preachers are extortioners.
Many pastors in church groups are extortioners.
Such should be put out of the church. I Cor. 5
Most of these religious extortioners will use scripture to try to force you to give to them.
Beware.