There are many extortioners in the ministries today.
They use scripture to take up offerings and to try to force you to give to them through coercion by making you feel guilty or by making you feel God will not bless you unless you give.
Some promise you 100-fold return on that which you give. This is a very terrible misuse of scripture to get money for themselves.
The 100-fold return had nothing at all to do with giving offerings.
Jesus explains 100-fold return as follows:
Matthew 19:27-29
Then answered Peter and said unto Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
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.
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.
Then answered Peter and said unto Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
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.
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.
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After I was born again, I was so grateful to God for HIS saving me that I wanted to give. I gave far more than 10% tithe as many churches teach.
Although I heard many pastors practice extortion while trying to get their congregations to give money, I never realized it was extortion until now.
Extortion is defined as follows:
- The practice of obtaining money through force or threats. (They use scripture to try to force you to give and they use scripture to threaten you by implying that God will not bless you unless you give.)
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The apostle Paul instructed the following concerning extortioners:
I Corinthians 5:11 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... 13 Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
The pastor himself is often the extortioner.
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I would rather put my trust in God rather than pressuring man.
In taking up offerings, I'd rather just tell them to give as God leads them ... perhaps give as God has prospered them.
Or say nothing, and have collection plate passed, trusting God to touch the hearts of HIS own people.
Personally, I never ask for offerings.
God has raised up 6 people to give to this ministry. I never ask them for offerings. They are faithful to God and send offerings monthly.
I take no salary but live on monthly check of $779 from USA social security. I live in house owned by ministry and ministry pays utilities and upkeep. We pay no taxes since we are non-profit registered with USA government.
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It is incredible!
The works we have been led by God to do cost us no money at all.
Publishing this blog through Google: No charge to ministry (average page views per day for last month were over 700)
Publishing books through Amazon: No charge to ministry. (all books are in e-book format and many books are also paperback. Amazon free book programs go all over world in e-book format.)
We go daily throughout the entire world on Internet without cost to ministry.
Hebrews 3:13 exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:25 exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
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I didn't figure out this plan. In a dream, in 2012, God showed me to start a blog. We were led by God to publish the books on Amazon through a series of steps which brought us to this position.
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (that power is the Holy Spirit who leads us and guides us in what to do by bringing thoughts to our mind to show us the will of God.)
The messages we share daily are through God by Holy Spirit as HE reminds us of scriptures and stories which show what God wants shared. We are faithful to God to share those things shown us by God's spirit.
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