“Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.  And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.  And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.  And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.  For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.  And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.“ I Kings 17:9-16.

     I've heard this scripture abused many times.

     Although they do not put it this way, a preacher will imply, “I am the new Elijah.  The anointing on my life and ministry is so powerful!   Are you facing financial catastrophe?  Don't worry about it!  Give me your last dollar.  Give it to me first,--before you pay any other bill, just like the widow woman did with Elijah.  And you see how God multiplied that back to the widow?  She and her household ate while everyone else was starving to death in a famine.  In just the same way, if you give to my ministry, God will multiply it back to you, and keep you from financial catastrophe, like he did with the widow woman.  Just have faith!”

     There are numerous flaws in that reasoning.

     Let's read Jesus' own commentary on this event.

     ”But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. “ Luke 4:25, 26.

     Note first of all, that this was an isolated incident. Elijah multiplied the food for only one widow, and he did it only once in his entire life. Jesus said, “. . . many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah...”  But Elijah couldn't help them.

     Why?

     Because “. . . unto none of them was Elijah sent . . .”

     In the next verse, Christ points out a similarly unique situation that took place in Elisha's healing of Naaman the leper, “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.” Verse 27.

     Why?

     Because God didn't tell Elisha to cleanse all the lepers in Israel by having them all jump in the river Jordan. God identified only one individual who was to be healed this way--Naaman. Elisha could not make this miracle work for anyone except the one individual God identified.

     You see, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were not the personal property of Elijah or Elisha.  Neither prophet could just reach into his pocket, pull them out, and operate them whenever he wanted to.  Both prophets had to have specific direction from God.  Elijah could multiply the meal and the oil for only that one widow, and only because God had specifically told him to do so.  Elisha could heal that one leper, and that one only, in this manner.  

     Elijah did not go from widow to widow, taking each widow's last bite of food, while promising all of them that God would take care of them supernaturally if only they would give sacrificially into Elijah's ministry.  If the original Elijah could not make this miracle work for everyone who gave to him, how can the New Elijahs make it work for all givers?

     They can't.

     Now it is entirely proper to use this passage of scripture to teach people to sow into God's kingdom, and to trust Him to meet their needs.  But when you personalize it to the extent that you guarantee miraculous results for every person who sacrificially gives into your ministry, you are taking this general principle too far.

     I want you to notice another aspect of this anointing that the ”New Elijah's” ignore.  Elijah did not take from widow after widow after widow, and get into his golden chariot, go to the next town, and take from more widows.  I see many New Elijah's take the last dollar from the poor, from widows, and from other vulnerable people, then get in their BMW or in their airplane and go to the next city.  Then when the widow goes further and further downhill, they callously exclaim, “Well I did my part!  She has to release HER faith.  I can't help it if she doubted God's promise!”

     Elijah did not do that.

     Notice that the widow's faith or lack of faith is not mentioned in this scripture.  God told Elijah to go to Zarephath.  Once he was there, God pointed out the widow.  Elijah acted on what God had said.  The widow acted on what Elijah said.  God fulfilled a specific promise He had given Elijah.

     Furthermore, Elijah MOVED IN with that widow.

     He committed himself and his faith completely to her survival and his.  They either survived together, or they starved together.  New Elijah's don't do that.

     They go from city to city, promising the poor, the weak, and the vulnerable that a tremendous financial miracle is just on the other side of their sacrificial gift dropping into the offering plate.  Then they scamper to the next city, and pastors are left to pick up the pieces of their victim's shattered faith life. 

     Brethren, this is a stench in the nostrils of God and of honest men.

     If you really believe you are a New Elijah, then I challenge you to go ahead and take the last dollar from a widow, a single mom or dad, or a homeless person.  Then MOVE IN with them.  Don't draw on your bank account.  Don't take a salary from your ministry.  Don't get on your TV program and weep and promise people every miracle imaginable if strangers will send you more and more money.

     No.

     Move in with that widow.  Draw on none of your own financial provisions or ability.  Release YOUR faith.  And stay with that person until either the miraculous provision comes in THROUGH THAT WIDOW--not through you--and you both prosper or starve to death. 

     Don't care to accept this challenge?

     I thought not.

     Don't claim the mantle of Elijah, unless you are willing to work the miracle PRECISELY the way he did.

     With some of the New Elijah's, I think they are preaching this in all sincerity without realizing that their claims are not backed by scripture.  Others frankly are ministry predators, preying on victims.  Either way, this shake-down scheme needs to stop.

Taking From The Poor To Bless The Rich

     The Bible says absolutely nothing about advising the poor to give to the rich.  Yet I've heard many preachers state that if you need a financial breakthrough, or you desire for God to move in your finances, you should find a rich man and bless him.  They teach that somehow the “blessing of God” that is upon that rich man's life, which has produced riches for him, will come on you and produce riches for you also.  Usually the preachers preaching this are quite well-off, or “rich,” and of course, the “rich” they think you should give to, is themselves.

     There is no basis in scripture for this teaching.

     Jesus Christ himself told the story of the rich man who went to Hell because would not give to a poor starving, sick man named Lazarus, who lay at the rich man's doorstep.  Luke 16:20-25.

     John the Baptist told repentant sinners to “give to those who have none.”  Luke 3:10-12. 

     Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell what he had, give to the poor, and follow him. Matthew 19:21.  The list goes on and on.

     The Bible exhorts and warns the rich--including rich Christians--to give to the poor:

     “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate . . “  I Tim. 6:17,18.

     Contrary to the clear directives of scripture, some preachers teach that you should overlook the hungry, the naked, the poor, the orphans and widows, so that you can give to a rich man.

     Of all the erroneous teachings in our midst, it is hard to think of one more opposed by scripture, more contrary to common sense, or more inhuman and immoral than this one.  The “tell the poor to give to the rich” teaching leads directly into the next error.

Conflicts of Interest in Prosperity Preaching

     Ministers must walk a very fine line, particularly when they are receiving offerings.  Once you are in ministry, you can quickly see how easy it is to increase your offerings by putting a “pull” on people.  If you are in a financial pinch in your ministry or personal life, all you have to do when taking up an offering is to place a little bit stronger emphasis on giving than you usually do, and many times, people will give you practicaly every penny they have.

     I like something Brother Hagin wrote about these kinds of conflicts of interest in receiving offerings.  He wrote, “In all the years I ministered as a traveling evangelist in various churches across the country, I never took up an offering of myself. I bent over backwards to avoid even the slightest possibility of anyone thinking I was self-seeking.” Page 119.

     In a recording I have of Clara Grace, she mentions that in her entire ministry, she had never taken up an offering for herself.  On another recording I have of Howard Carter, he tells everyone that he never set any financial conditions for coming to minister anywhere.  If he was invited, he came.  He accepted whatever came in through the offerings, and went to the next place.

     Although I believe there is actually nothing specifically wrong with receiving an offering for youself, I note that Jesus never took one up for himself.  More than that, on some occasions, he directed people away from giving into his ministry.  He did not say to the rich young ruler, "Sell all  you have, and sow it into my ministry."  Instead he directed the young man to “give to the poor.” 

     John the Baptist did not tell men with extra coats, "Sow one into my ministry, so that my coat-multiplying-anointing can multiply 100 coats back to you!"  No.  He instructed those with extra coats to “give to him who has none.”

     Elisha refused to receive an offering from Naaman the Syrian after healing him.  Elisha's servant Gehazi sneaked away, asked Naaman for an offering, hid the offering, and the leprosy of Naaman came upon him as a result.  

     Some of the evangelists in the Healing Revival became rich men by passing an offering plate immediately after God dramatically healed someone in their service. 

     Too often today, we see traveling ministers who insist on taking up their own offerings.  Some are well-known for refusing to come to minister in a church unless they are allowed to personally put the pressure on people to give into their ministry.  With my own eyes, I have seen such individuals take as long as an hour to pressure and pressure and pressure people into giving, before they passed the offering plate.

     In a particular church that I know about,  the pastor went on vacation and invited a financial prosperity preacher to minister one service in his absence.  This guest minister exhorted and pressured people to give, give, give, and then he took up an offering.  He walked out of that one meeting with $50,000.00 in his pocket.  Once the pastor found out how thoroughly this guest minister had picked the pockets of all his congregation, the pastor called the financial prosperity preacher and said, "You raped my bride!  I trusted you with my bride, and you raped her!  You send half that money back."  The preacher complied.  Then he promptly went forth to rape other brides.

     Our ministry brethren who engage in these pressure tactics, and make all kinds of wild claims and promises, and demand to PERSONALLY take up offerings in meetings act as though such practices were engaged in by the early apostles and prophets.  Such is absolutely NOT TRUE.

Quotes From an Early Church Document

     The Didache, also known as The Teaching of The Twelve Apostles, was written somewhere between approximately 70 A.D. and 100 A.D.  This document circulated widely in the Early Church.  It gives a number of specific instructions concerning traveling apostles and prophets:

”Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. . .  Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. . .  if he asks for money, he is a false prophet.  But if anyone should say in the spirit, 'Give me money,' or anything else, do not listen to him.  But if he tells you to give on behalf of others who are in need, let no one judge him . . . '” (Cited from: “The Apostolic Fathers,” Second Edition. Translated by J.B. Lightfoot and J.R. Harmer.  Edited and Revised by Michael W. Holmes. Published August 2000 Baker Publishing House. Pages 155-157).

     I think it is clear from this and other early Christian documents and practices that one of our modern preachers who demands to take up his own offering and promises untold riches to the givers in return, would have been judged by the Early Church leaders to be a false prophet, rebuked, and promptly told to repent or leave their city.

     I'm not saying that any minister should be kept poor, or that those he ministers to should not be a blessing to him financially in return.  I'm just pointing out that our currrent practices and excesses in financial prosperity preaching have no basis in either scripture or in early Church practice.

     Let us turn from these self-enriching kinds of high-pressure offerings, and give to support the poor, the local church, and yes, to guest ministers.

Was Jesus a Pauper or a Billionaire?

     Christians, particularly Pentecostal Christians of the 1940's and 1950's had a poverty mentality.  The Devil had talked them in to expecting poverty.  My Mother tells of attending a Foursquare Church in a small Kansas town in the early 1950's.  The summer was brutally hot.   Air conditioning was very rare.  The pastor of the church told Mom that he had a window air conditioner sitting out in his garage.  She asked why he didn't install it and use it to cool his house.  He told her that if he dared to do that, his church wouldn't stand for it.  Such was the poverty mentality, the have-nothing mentality of Pentecostals of that era.

     When Brother Hagin and the Healing Evangelists came along in the 1940's and 1950's they had their work cut out for them in teaching the Church to prosper.  In such situations, preachers can over-emphasize a truth in the hopes of counter-acting decades or centuries of wrong teaching.  But after that truth is firmly re-established in the Body of Christ, there comes a time in which the over-emphasis needs to be corrected, and things must be brought back into a scriptural perspective.  One such extreme is the teaching of Christ walking in eye-popping financial abundance for all of his life.

     On the one hand, I see no evidence that Jesus lived a life of poverty. He evidently took care of the financial needs of the twelve apostles, and his own needs, through approximately three years of itinerating in public ministry.  We read no accounts of any of them having to beg on the streets, or needing to avoid bill collectors, so evidently the needs were met.

     On the other hand, one of the extremes that are taught or implied today is that Jesus was always abundantly supplied, had the best of the best at all times, and never knew want or financial challenge of any kind.   Such can not possibly be the case, for the scriptures say of Christ:

     “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Heb. 4:15.

     ”All points” means in every way.  Christ was tempted with everything and faced everything that you and I face.  This happened so that, among other things, he can be a faithful High Priest between us and God:

     “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Heb. 2:18.

     How could Christ possibly succour--comfort--someone experiencing financial lack, if he himself never knew a single moment of lack in his entire life?   How could he be ”in all points tempted like as we are . . .” if he never experienced financial pressure or temptation?

     If Christ always walked in absolute overflowing abundance, as many preachers teach or imply, then several scriptural incidents are turned into a charade.

     If he had an inexaustible abundance of finances at all times, then multiplying the loaves and fishes was a farce.

     Christ and the Apostles were in the wilderness with over 5,000 people.  There was no food to feed them.  He and they “lacked” food.  If Christ walked in all of the inexhaustible abundance that some preachers claim that he did, he would have had plenty of money to buy them all food.  Or he could have had a traveling entourage of cooks, bakers, and servants to gather, cook, and serve mounds of food on a moment's notice to whatever crowds he ministered to, no matter where they were.  This incident in the wilderness of having no food, were Christ always abundantly supplied, would have been no temptation whatever.  If what they say is true, then this was not a challenge to faith.  It was a farce.  But the Bible makes it clear that there was no way to feed all these people except through a miracle.

     The miraculous feeding of a crowd occurred not once, but twice.

     Preachers point to the fact that the Roman soldiers gambled for the clothes of Christ, indicating that his garment was of substantial value.  And I believe their interpretation of this event is supported by scripture and common sense.  However, they do not notice what Christ himself said of clothing.  Look closely at Christ's comment in referring to John the Baptist:

     “And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken with the wind?  But what went ye out for to see?  A man clothed in soft raiment?  behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” Mat. 11:7,8.

     Some preachers make it sound as though Christ lived every moment of his life in the highest standard of living that was possible at the time.  This would include him wearing the finest clothes humans can buy.  But it is clear from this statement that there existed a level of fine clothing that Christ did not wear.  Such fine clothes were worn only by men in palaces.  Had he been wearing such soft clothing and elaborate finery as he preached this, surely one of his critics would have pointed it out to try to discredit him before the people.  No one said anything.

     Preachers point out that Judas was the Treasurer of Jesus' ministry. John 12:6 and 13:29.  This is correct.  Judas handled the money.  But if Christ continually walked in half the prosperity these preachers claim, Judas would have needed to supervise a fleet of accountants just to keep track of it all.   Judas--alone--handled the money.

     They also point out that Christ appears to have owned the home in which he resided in Capernaum.  Possibly.  But it was a home.  Nowhere is it referred to as a mansion or a palace.  No mention is made of servants, housekeepers, and gardeners being employed to keep the place up.

     Another scriptural incident that was a charade, not a temptation of any sort, if Christ walked in limitless financial abundance, was the incident recorded in Mat. 17:24-27.  Collectors came to collect the tax from Christ.  The Lord told Peter to go fish and the first fish that came up would have a piece of money in his mouth.  Peter was to take that piece of money and go pay the Lord's taxes and his.  If Christ's life was one of unending abundance, then this incident was no threat.  Christ could have just had Judas reach into the bag and pay it without any effort at all.

     Kenneth Hagin writes, "I have carefully explained to you why I believe Jesus was prosperous.  However, His prosperity was not measured by the accumulation of great wealth and worldly possessions.  He did not live in a palace with rooms full of gold, looking out over fields of cattle and sheep.  His lifestyle was not lavish or extravagant, and He was not driven by possessions and greed."  From, "The Midas Touch," page 67.

     Christ was no pauper.  Nor was he a billionaire with conspicuous wealth and luxury popping up every where he went.  He was something in between.

     He was a man who knew BOTH abundance and lack.  He was someone who knew hunger AND plenty.  He was a man with no visible means of support, yet he carried the needs of himself and his twelve disciples through three years of traveling ministry, and all the needs were met.  He was not known as the “rich man from Nazareth.”  He was known as the Carpenter from Nazareth.

     And because he worked as a carpenter, and lived within the limits of human experience, knowing both lack and plenty, and believing God for financial needs to be met, he understands financial pressure and all the other financial temptations and challenges you and I face.  Therefore, he can comfort us, and understand us, and minister to us in our financial lives.

     Can anyone say amen?

Promiscuous Public Promises of Prosperity

     Too many preachers promise abundant prosperity to anyone and everyone who sits under the sound of their voice. 

     Jesus Christ did not do that. 

     For instance, look closely at the scripture in which Christ speaks of the hundredfold return:

     "And when he was gone forth into the way . . .Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 

     And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 

     But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."  Mark 10:17-30.

     The Scriptures make it clear.  The Lord did not gather a crowd and promise a 100-fold return to them on everything they gave into his ministry.  The passage says, "And when he was gone forth into the way. . . "  The Amplified Bible translates it this way:  "And as He was setting out on His journey . . ."   In other words, the Lord was walking along with his disciples, and he made this promise to them, not to thousands of people in a public meeting.  

     And even to his own disciples, Christ did not promise them that they would be abundantly wealthy.  Concerning the 100-fold return, Christ promised that if in order to follow him, you had to give up a house, lands, or a loved one, you would receive a 100-fold return on whatever you gave up for the sake of the Gospel.

     I have never received a 100-fold return on any offering.  Christ never promised that I would.  But in order to follow Jesus Christ and the ministry he has called me to, it has been necessary for me to give up fellowship with certain relatives.  They simply do not want me around.  They have made it clear, they do not want the God I serve, or as they call it, "your interpretation of the Bible."  So, we have little fellowship.  I never preached at them.  I never forced my views on them.  I don't condemn them.  I don't even bring up the scriptures unless they specifically ask  me something.  Yet, they have told me that when I'm around they find it hard to drink their beer and smoke their cigarettes around me.  So, they would just as soon I don't come.  And I have not been invited to a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner in many years now.

     But you know what?  Although their homes are closed to me, many other homes of Christians have opened to me.  I'm not welcome with most of the few family members I have left, but I have been welcomed into countless other homes.  The sweet fellowship I used to have with some family members is long gone, but it has been replaced by sweet fellowship with countless fellow believers.  I have received a 100-fold return, just as Christ promised I would.  Praise the Lord.

     Prosperity preachers promise unlimited financial prosperity to everyone who gives them an offering.  Jesus Christ did not make public promises of prosperity to everyone in return for their "largest gift possible."  

      Is it God's will for us to prosper?  Yes.  Should we preach financial prosperity and encourage believers to believe for it?  Absolutely!  But we should also preach the whole counsel of God by teaching people the major principles of financial prosperity given in the bible.  Instead, we have fallen into promising limitless prosperity to everyone in return for offerings.  If Christ did not guarantee that, how can we?

Giving While The Anointing Is Hot

     On countless Christian TV programs anymore, viewers are encouraged to "give while the anointing is hot," or to "give while the anointing is stirring." 

     What is this?

      It is an old high-pressure sales technique.  It is identical to the infomercial that tells you, "And if you call in the next 15 minutes, you get this free set of steak knives!"  Why do they tack on that time-limited offer?  In order to get you to order their junk before you have time to think about it.  Christian TV programs that pull this stunt are doing so because they want you to give in a high emotional state before you have time to think about what you are doing.

     This practice is disgraceful, and unbiblical.  The Bible gives not one single example of such high-pressure giving.

The Ministry of Giving

     There is indeed a ministry of giving.  (Romans 12:8).  However, we have twisted its meaning.  If a person is called to a ministry of giving, the primary way it is to be fulfilled is by that person receiving wisdom from God, using that wisdom to make money in the world, and then sowing financially into the local church and other ministries.  We have perverted this ministry, turning it into the ministry of receiving.  A preacher who claims to have the ministry of giving will go from church to church, TV program to TV program, teaching that believers should give to him so that their finances can be "multiplied back."  This is not what the Bible teaches.  Frankly, it is a deceitful shake-down scheme.

Auctioning The Anointing

     This is where some "anointed" minister will stand in a service and claim that God has told him to lay hands on, and bless, only those who will give $100, $1,000 or whatever.  He is prostituting his anointing--if indeed he actually has an anointing--for money.  He will give an account to God some day.

Giving To Receive An Anointing

     More nonesense.  A proponent of this will claim that if you give into his ministry, a portion of his anointing will become active in your life.  If he is a prophet, and you give to him, you will begin prophesying.  If he is a healing evangelist, you will begin praying for the sick with miraculous results.  There is no bible basis for this.

     Truthfully, I do not believe that anointings are transferred from one person to another.  Now it is true that God took some of Moses' anointing and put it on the 70 Elders, and He took Elijah's anointing and put it on Elisha, but it was God who chose who would receive what anointing.  It was not bought with money.  For example, the 70 did not sow financially into Moses' ministry until his anointing came on them.

     Offerings taken up to receive an anointing are pointless.  There is zero chance of receiving an anointing that way.  You would do better to take that money and go buy lottery tickets with it.  At least with lottery tickets, one in a million chance of getting something.  

Conclusion:

     In Samuel's day and in ours, offerings have been mishandled so badly that men have begun to "abhor the offerings of God,"  which is a "great sin" in the eyes of the Lord.  In response, the Lord has withdrawn the Glory.  For the Glory to return, we must cease these disgraceful practices which He abhors.  Then shall we have the Glory again.

     In the next article in this series, we will examine the next sin we noted in the list above.  Namely, the sin of strife.  To access this article, please click on the title in the left column, or click:

"Article V: The Sin of Strife" 

Copyright 2007 Mel C. Montgomery All Rights Reserved.  This article may be copied and shared with others as long as it is done so without charge, in entirety, and if attribution is given.