Hey fireflies. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I don't see anything wrong with money.
Fair enough, but what Jesus was teaching, and what I've been talking about, is that it goes against the values of the kingdom of heaven to expect payment for our help. The kingdom of heaven does not operate on that basis and if we are representatives of that kingdom here on earth then we should also not operate on that basis. Do you see the connection?
My friend is my pastor and he teaches me Malachi that if I give I will be blessed just like Abraham and be rich.
Yeah there are a lot of people out there teaching that if you just give a little bit of money, God will give you A LOT more! In fact ,they claim, the more you give the more God will give back to you! It's one of the most lucrative money making business opportunities to hit the church scene in all of history and it's called the "prosperity gosple" or in other words, the "good news of money".
It's not longer about wanting to be like the poor man who roamed from village to village and sometimes had no roof over his head. It's about wanting to be filty lucre rich like Abraham or Solomon. Sure, Jesus had some good teachings about salvation, and we're happy to grab that part of what he taught, but when it comes to the disciplines of Jesus, we'd rather be more like those other rich guys in the bible.
Don't be fooled, fireflies. Jesus had a lot to say about money, and it wasn't what your pastor appears to be telling you. Have a look at matthew 6:24-35.
So, how did people live before money was invented? Can you really NOT live without it? Just take a moment to reflect on your attitude towards money and your attitude towards God, and what the point of the question is.
People have a hang up about it that don't have money.
Jesus could have been born as the most powerful, rich and influential king the world had ever seen. But instead, he was born in an animals feeding trough (or whatever it was) and lived in a normal working class family, and yet he had some very powerful things to say against money. Was it just that he had a hangup about it? Or was he getting at something more?
If you are not blessed you are doing something wrong.
That depends on what you mean by "blessed", which I think is what you described above about being filthy rich like Abraham. But, where is the account of Jesus having the wealth of Abraham? Was he doing something wrong? Can you see how this prosperity gospel you've latched on to is NOT creating a good spirit in you, but rather, a harsh spirit towards those who do not have a lot of money like abraham? That is NOT what Jesus taught.
Obviously you aren't tithing to your pastor like I do. Obviously you aren't tithing to your pastor like I do. I give more than 10 percent of my income. I tithe on my gross because that is what my pastor teaches.
Jesus taught that when you give, you should do so secretly. I know it's hard, because we want people to know that we are faithful and generous. When we work hard for money, we don't like to part with it for nothing. If we spend it on something we like to get some kind of value for our money, but that doesnt happen when we give secretly so it's something we don't like doing, but it is precisely because of this desire to buy people's respect (i.e. I give to my church all the time) that Jesus was addressing. He said that your reward is the respect and admiration of people down here on earth who get the feeling that you are a very spiritual person for giving, but you lose any eternal reward and respect from God by doing so.
Ask yourself, why is it that your pastor has apparently taught you everything you need to know about giving to the church (in exchange for god's favor, that is) but has not taught you even these simple commands of Jesus, like praying, fasting, and giving secretly? (all of which can be found in matthew 5, by the way).
Why does it sound like, based on your description, that money takes priority over obedience? Could it be the root of all evil poking it's head out again?
