A Course in Soul Winning - Part 2

What To Do in Soul Winning

Having seen what NOT to do in soul winning from the example of Paul the apostle, I now wish to show you what Paul DID do in soul winning, taken from I Thessalonians 2.

What Paul DID Do in Soul Winning

1) “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children (verse 7).” The word “gentle” deals with Paul’s spirit. In the previous post, I discussed some things Paul did not do in soul winning. He did not flatter them; he did not deceive them – he gave them the truth. But here, we find that Paul was also GENTLE among them. He was a gentle as a mother handling her infant. I have known a few preachers who take pride in being rough. Now, I believe in telling it like it is, and have done my share of it! However, if you can’t give someone the truth, and do it with a gentle spirit, something is wrong with you! In soul winning, let us give them the unadulterated truth, but let our spirits be gentle. Let us remember that the same Jesus who rebuked the leaders of Jerusalem sharply also wept over Jerusalem.

2) “…we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls (verse 8)…” Paul says here, “I did not give you the gospel only; but I gave you MYSELF.” What words! Soul winning is not always done in one attempt. Sometimes you pour yourself out; you wear yourself out; you pray yourself out; you exhaust yourself out! It is going to cost you to win souls. Winning souls may involve being there for someone in the middle of the night. Winning souls may involve you spending money on someone’s need. Yes, give the truth. Give the gospel. But if you do not give yourself, you will win few souls for Christ.

3) “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail (verse 9)…” Labour and travail! Soul winning is work! Convincing people of anything is hard work, and convincing them that they need a Saviour is no different. There is no easy route to win souls. You must speak to people to whom it is hard to speak. You must go places to which it is hard to go. Jesus gave us the great commission, and never told us that it would be easy! As a matter of fact, He implied that it would be hard! When he told the disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel, He gave them orders to go to Jerusalem and get filled with the Spirit FIRST! The reason we need the Holy Ghost to win souls is because – it is labour and travail! It is hard work!

4) “Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe (verse 10).” Paul backed up his words with a holy life. People may accuse you of wrongdoing, but make sure it is not true! Back up your words with a pure, clean life.

5) “As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children (verse 11).” Three things Paul did in giving the Thessalonians the gospel – he exhorted them; he comforted them; and he charged them! Webster defines “exhort” this way: “To excite or to give strength, spirit or courage.” Paul motivated them! He stirred them up. And we cannot stir up this world if we ourselves are not stirred. If the message of hell does not move you, it will not move your lost family. If the second coming of Christ does not motivate you, do not expect it to motivate your lost neighbors. Paul exhorted them. He comforted them. And before departing, he CHARGED them! He challenged them! He gave them a task! After winning them to Christ, they must be discipled. They must receive the charge to win souls as we received.

A Course in Soul Winning - Part 1

What NOT To Do in Soul Winning

In I Thessalonians, Paul speaks to the Thessalonian people regarding the work of God. In the second chapter, Paul deals with the work that God DID. He expounds upon how he gave them the gospel, and how they received it. From Paul’s experience, we can learn a few principles of good soul winning practices.

What Paul Did NOT Do in Soul Winning

1) “Our exhortation was NOT in deceit (verse 3)…” Noah Webster defines “deceit” this way: “Literally, a catching or ensnaring. Hence, the misleading of a person; the leading of another person to believe what is false.” Paul could say with confidence that he gave the Thessalonians the truth. Successful soul winning hinges on this. We must not TRY to offend people, but we must tell them the truth, even if it offends them.

2) “…nor of uncleanness (verse 3)…” Webster defines “uncleanness” as being “moral impurity, defilement by sin, sinfulness.” Uncleanness is a lifestyle. Nothing hinders soul winning like a filthy soul winner. Don’t just tell someone how salvation can change them; show them with a clean lifestyle that salvation changed you!

3) “…nor in guile (verse 3).” Webster tells us that “guile” is “craft; cunning; artifice; duplicity; deceit; usually in a bad sense.” Guile is cousin to deceit. When Paul said that his exhortation was not in deceit, he was claiming that every word he gave them was TRUE. Now he goes further than that. Not only was his message true, but his methods were just a true. He was not being crafty nor cunning. He was giving the gospel to them in hopes of receiving an offering. He gave them the gospel for one purpose – that they might be saved! There was no underlying motive. Paul’s motives were free from guile.

4) “…not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts (verse 4).” Paul’s cause in soul winning was the commission he received from his Lord. When on the road to Damascus, Paul saw the resurrected Saviour, and received a commission from Him to testify to many people. Because of this, Paul wasn’t worried about whether or not I liked his methods. He was concerned with whether or not you approve of HOW he won souls. He had only One to whom to answer, and was only worried about pleasing Him.

5) “For neither at any time used we flattering words (verse 5)…” Like a reputable physician, Paul’s desire was to diagnose their lost condition that they might accept the remedy and be saved. He did not tell them what they WANTED to hear; he told them what they NEEDED to hear. What would you think of a physician who knew your mother had cancer, but refused to tell her or the family to keep from hurting her feelings? Yet, preachers and Christians and preachers keep the gospel silent and the flatteries foremost to keep from “rocking the boat.” Dear reader, if your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors die lost, you and I will wish we’d spent more time giving them what they needed instead of flattering them! Paul could truthfully say that he never used flattering words with the Thessalonians.

6) “…nor a cloak of covetousness (verse 5)…” Many preachers (especially television preachers) use the precious message of the gospel as a cloak of covetousness. To put it in plain English, there are preachers to use the message of Jesus Christ to gain from it materialistically. The only reason some of them have a ministry is so they can give their address at the end of the broadcast so people can send them money. Not so with Paul! He never gave them the gospel to receive anything!

7) “Nor of men sought we glory (verse 6)…” Paul did not win the Thessalonians to Christ so he could brag about whom he won to Christ. He was not a soul winner in order to gain recognition of men. He wasn’t worried about “getting the credit” for winning souls; he was simply interested in seeing them turn from the path to hell to the path to heaven.

False Teachings of the Charismatic Movement - Part 3

The Charismatics’ Disproportional Power of Words

There is Power in Your Words

There is one fact of which Charismatics are correct – there certainly is power in our words. The Bible teaches this.

Proverbs 18:4 – “The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.”

Proverbs 18:7 – “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”

Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

Mark 11:23 – “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

Romans 10:10 – “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

These scriptures are clear (and the Charismatics love to use them) that there is power in our words. A couple of these scriptures are the targets of scripture-twisting by the Charismatics. I will get to that shortly. However, do not be mistaken – there is power in your words. I have seen this come to pass in the lives of individuals. I have seen older people whose spouse passed away. Some of the surviving spouses said with their mouth that they were not going to give up on life – and they went on to live many years after. I have seen other surviving spouses who said with their mouth that they nothing to live for – and they died shortly after their spouse did. I have witnessed this on several occasions.

In Numbers 13, Moses chose twelve spies, one spy for each tribe, to search out the land that God promised Israel. After forty days of spying out the land, the twelve spies returned to Moses and the nation of Israel to give a report of the land. Ten spies gave their report:

Numbers 13:32 – 14:1 – “And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!”

Ten of the twelve spies said, “Would God that we had died in this wilderness!” And that’s exactly what they did! That generation died in the wilderness, and never entered the promised land.

The remaining two spies had a different report:

Numbers 13:30 – “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

And that’s exactly what they did – they overcame the giants and possessed the land. There most definitely is power in our words!

Where the Charismatics Err

So, if the Charismatics are right in saying that there is power in our words, then where does teaching become error? The error in the teaching of Charismatics occurs when they try to answer the question, “How much power is in our words?” There is no doubt that our words are powerful. Words can wound; words can heal; words can build friendships; words can destroy friendships; words can build a strong home; words can destroy the home. But exactly HOW MUCH power do our words contain? The Charismatics would lead you to believe that our words are ALL-POWERFUL. That is the point at which the scriptures disagree with Charismatic teaching.

Earlier, I stated that I would discuss a couple of scriptures taken out of context by the Charismatics.

Proverbs 18:24 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

This verse is used by Charismatics to show that our words contain power. Charismatics use this verse to show us that if we speak it, we have it! However, in real life (as opposed to Charismatic dogma), there have been some who declared with their lips that they wished to live – but they died. While doing pastoral work in Illinois, there was a lady by the name of Louise who became very ill. Her lungs were gone. Louise had been to the church only a few times. She was not a member of my church. Yet, upon hearing of her illness, I inquired of which hospital she was. She had such a will to live. She was convinced that she would have only a brief hospital stay and then would go home. I visited her at the hospital in her room for two or three consecutive days. Then, one day upon entering her room, Louise was not there. I asked the nurses of her whereabouts. She had been moved to ICU. I visited her in ICU. She was in so much pain. She came up off the bed just to get a single breath, and then she would lie down again. She could not speak. But her face was filled with agony. She knew she was dying, but a few days earlier declared that she would live. After only a couple days in ICU, Louise died.

Yes, our words are powerful, but not all-powerful. Just because you express willpower to live does not guarantee that you will live – you may die. There was a Charismatic preacher who boasted of never being sick. He was one of those “name it, claim it” preachers. He taught that if you say it, you have it. He died. To keep from dying, why didn’t he just say he was going to live? Though our words are powerful, they are not ALL-POWERFUL, that’s why!

When Proverbs 18:24 states that life and death are in the power of the tongue, it does not mean that you have everything your tongue utters, as the Charismatics falsely teach. Paul put this verse in context in Romans 10:10 when he stated, “Confession is made unto salvation.” Death and life are in the power of the tongue in this manner – those who confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, when it stems from faith in Him, have eternal life. Those who deny Jesus Christ with their mouth will inherit eternal death! Death and life are in the power of the tongue!

Another verse taken out of context by the Charismatics is found in Mark’s gospel:

Mark 11:23 – “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”

The last phrase of this verse is the only phrase that Charismatics care about – “…he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Charismatics love this. However, when you read the entire verse, you find out that what we speak is connected to what we BELIEVE! Look at it, it plainly, “…but shall BELIEVE that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith!” Faith is BELIEVING; not SAYING. Jesus emphasized BELIEVING throughout his whole ministry. Charismatics emphasize SAYING. So, in Mark 11:23, it is not SAYING that gives us what we need; it is BELIEVING! If you do not believe, you can say stuff all day long, and not receive!

Look at Matthew 7:

Matthew 7:21 – “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

What??? “Not every one that SAITH…shall enter into the kingdom of heaven!” Our words are powerful, but not all powerful. Some will claim salvation with their lips – and go straight to hell.

Matthew 7:22, 23 – “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Here is a group standing before God on the Day of Judgment. It sounds like a Charismatic group to me – they’re claiming to have cast out devils; they’re claiming to have prophesied in His name; and they’re claiming to have done many wonderful works. Sounds like the Charismatics to me. But Jesus responds, “I never knew you!” But look at how verse 22 opens – “Many will SAY to me in that day…” Yes, the Charismatics are going to try their “power of words” with the Saviour, and it will miserably fail! They’re going to try to speak their way into heaven – and will end up in hell.

Our words are not all-powerful. Just because you speak it does not mean you will have it!

My Dear Charismatic Friend – You Are Not God!

While sitting in church a couple of years ago, there was an ignorant woman who stood up and made the following statement:

“We need to speak those things are not as though they are.”

This woman is off her rocker! No, we do not need to speak those things that are not as though they are! This woman thinks she is quoting scripture. There is no scripture that says that we need to speak those things that are not as though they are! There is a scripture that has wording similar to this.

Romans 4:17 – “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”

When Romans 4:17 speaks of calling those things which be not as though they were, he is talking about GOD, not you! It is God who said, “Let there be light” when there was no light, resulting in the creation of light. It is God who said, “Let there be a firmament” when there was no firmament, resulting in the existence of a firmament! No, lady, you do not need to speak those things that are not as though they are! You need to sit down, let God be God, and stay in your place!

False Teachings of the Charismatic Movement - Part 2

Unbiblical Demonstrations in the Church Service – Azusa Street and Before

My Thoughts on Azusa Street

Having been in the ministry for a number of years, it has not been uncommon to hear a minister speak of the happenings at Azusa Street. Azusa Street, located in Los Angeles, California, is widely accepted to be the birthplace of Pentecostalism in the United States. Although ministers allude to the events that occurred in 1906 at the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, I found out that most of these ministers do not even know what really happened there. Usually, when a minister talks about Azusa Street in a positive manner, they are NOT referring to souls being saved. They usually emphasize the excitement, emotionalism, and physical demonstrations that occurred there. Most ministers who are proud of the events of Azusa Street can tell you about Rev. Seymour who kept his head in a shoebox to display his humility, but they can’t tell you how many people were saved there.

In light of these observations, I began to study the events of Azusa Street in recent years. Frank Bartleman was a leading minister of that era. He witnessed the events of Azusa Street firsthand. He wrote about those events in great detail in his book, Another Wave of Revival. I read this book thoroughly. I honestly do not think Frank Bartleman, an eyewitness of the Azusa Street events, could tell you how many people got saved during that time. Frankly, I do not think he cared.  In Bartleman’s above-mentioned work, you will find pages upon pages of physical manifestations – people were shouting, falling over chairs, weeping for hours, placing their heads in cardboard boxes, spontaneous testimonies, and other such manifestations; but VERY LITTLE or ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about souls being saved. I’m not being critical; I’m being honest.

Frank Bartleman despised any type of leadership in the church. According to him, the church as a whole should merely come together, pray until the Spirit moves, and no man should take any type of charge whatsoever. Bartleman did not even promote the preaching of the word of God! Look at Frank Bartleman’s own words:

“There was no program, and hardly s chance for even necessary announcements. No attempt was made to preach (Bartleman, Frank. Another Wave of Revival. Whitaker House. Springdale, PA. ©1982. p. 76).”

“The Spirit allows little human interference in the meetings…To draw attention to them brings a spirit of fear on the saints, and they stop seeking. The Spirit is hindered from working. He moves them out of the way (Bartleman, p. 77).”

Dr. W.C. Dumble of Toronto visited Frank Bartleman’s congregation, a branch that sprang from the Azusa Street Mission. Dumble wrote of what he witnessed:

“Jesus is proclaimed the Head, and the Holy Spirit His executive. Hence, there is no preaching, no choir, no organ, no collection, except what is voluntarily placed on the table or put in the box on the wall (Bartleman, pp. 97, 98).”

“NO PREACHING!” That was the testimony of an eyewitness of the Azusa Street days! No preaching! And the Bible says that God chose preaching! The desire of those at Azusa Street was “no human interference.” God, however, gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11)!

The Azusa Street “revival” focused on physical manifestations rather than souls being saved; on “the Spirit” controlling everything instead of teaching or preaching. While this sounds spiritual to some, it is a great degree of ignorance, and the Azusa Street “revival” proves it! Look at what Frank Bartleman said concerning how long this “move of God” lasted:

“The truth must be told. Azusa began to fail the Lord also early in her history. God showed me one day that they were going to organize, though not a word had been said in my hearing about it…From that time the trouble and division began. It was no longer a free spirit for all as it had been (Bartleman, pp. 73, 74).”

Frank Bartleman was sincere. He truly believed that what the church needed was no human governments (when the Bible plainly teaches that God gives governments, helps, and administrations; I Corinthians 12). He truly believed that omitting preaching and teaching from the services would build a strong church. However, Bartleman was forced to admit that this kind of church starved to death in its infancy.

Let me be clear – as a pastor, I am not supposed to gather my church people to do nothing but have prayer meetings. I am commanded to be “apt to teach.” I have a divine order to “feed the sheep.” I want my church to be built on prayer, but not apart from the word of God! You may be impressed with Azusa Street, but it lasted about as long as a drop of water on a pot-belly stove!

The Charismatic movement is characterized by some of the same manifestations as the events of the Azusa Street “revival.” The Charismatic movement today is characterized by physical manifestations rather than soul-winning, and little or no emphasis on the word of God.

Before Azusa Street

Although the events of Azusa Street mark the beginning of Pentecostalism in the United States for some, scholars are swift to point out that people were speaking in tongues before Azusa Street. So, I studied Pentecostal history in the United States prior to Azusa Street in 1906. In 1801, there was a “revival” at Cane-Ridge in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Vinson Synan tells about this revival, stating that there was such occurrences as falling, jerking, falling into trances, barking like dogs, “holy laugh,” and other such manifestations (Synan, Vinson. The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the United States. William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company. Grand Rapids, MI. ©1971. p. 24). Barking like dogs? Really? Holy laugh? Where’s that in the Bible? I don’t care if Grandma practiced “laughing in the Spirit” or not; there is no such form of worship in the Bible!

Just like these manifestations in early holiness meetings, you will find them in the Charismatic movement today. Charismatics still laugh “in the Spirit.” There were reports just a few years ago in Pensacola, Florida of Charismatic groups who were telling jokes in tongues, barking like dogs, and laughing hysterically “in the Spirit.” If you’re trying to prove that Pentecostalism has roots in the United States prior to Azusa Street, I wouldn’t use the Cane-Ridge revival as evidence. The Cane-Ridge revival is nothing of which to boast!

Just as there were unbiblical manifestations at Azusa Street, and unbiblical junk such as laughing in the Spirit at Cane-Ridge, these characteristics still classify Charismatics today!

False Teachings of the Charismatic Movement - Part 1

The Prosperity Gospel – A False Gospel

Galatians 1:8, 9 – “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

I Timothy 6:3-6 – “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

II Peter 2:1-3 – “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who…through covetousness shall they with feigned words MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

In the above passages, the prosperity gospel is spelled out for us very clearly. As a matter of fact, the verses above describe the prosperity gospel so clearly that it is as though the writers lived in the twenty-first century. Let us examine each of the above passages briefly to see what God says concerning the prosperity gospel.

Galatians 1:8, 9 – Any Other Gospel is Accursed
As we begin our study on this prevalent subject, it is essential to note that the first of the above three passages gives us a solemn warning. This warning is that if any being, whether a preacher from earth or an angel from heaven, preaches any other gospel than that which is firmly laid in the scriptures, let that creature be accursed (i.e., go to hell).

The first of the above passages, Galatians 1:8, 9, is the reason I am so adamantly against this false gospel. False gospels lead precious souls to hell by the masses. Dr. Harold Sightler stated it correctly when he said, “Hearing another gospel is as fatal as hearing no gospel.” I hear people say concerning their loved ones who attend liberal churches, “Well, at least they’re in church!” Friend, your loved ones can go to hell from the pew of a liberal church as quickly as they could go from a bar stool! Bro. Lloyd Cheek provided a great analogy. He asked the question, “What if your children came home from school, and they told you that they had learned that 2+2 is 5? What if they told you that they learned that 5-1 is 3? Would you say, ‘Well, at least they’re in school’”? No we wouldn’t! But we say that about our loved ones who go to liberal churches! Friend, it is eternally dangerous to hear another gospel, and this prosperity gospel is as false as it can be!

I Timothy 6:3-6 – Preachers Who Think That Gain is Godliness
In the second of the above passages, I Timothy 6:3-6, Paul writes concerning ministers who have drifted from the truth. He then gives characteristics of these preachers. They are proud; they know nothing; they dote about questions and strifes of words. But in addition to these traits, Paul says that they SUPPOSE THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS. The word “gain” refers to any material thing that is obtained. Money is gain. Property is gain. Wealth, an inheritance, bank accounts, vehicles in one’s possession, houses, lands, boats, and all the rest of it, is GAIN! Paul is writing concerning preachers who preach that gain is godliness! And do we ever have preachers like that today! They preach that if you are spiritual, you will be rich! As a matter of fact, I have heard prosperity preachers preach that if you do not have riches, something is wrong with your walk with God! Simply put, these preachers are liars. Many of them are crooks. They preach that if you give (to their ministry), God will give back in terms of money. And while the poorest of the poor watch these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” on their television and mail them a check, these preachers get rich while the ones supporting them continue to do without! It doesn’t take an Einstein to figure this out!

As for these who preach that gain is godliness, notice what Paul says in I Timothy 6:5 – “…supposing that gain is godliness: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF!” If the preacher on the T.V. screen is preaching that wealth is a symbol of godliness, don’t send that clown a check! Paul said plainly to get as far away from that trash as possible! If your pastor preaches a “give so you can get rich” doctrine, it is time for you do as the Bible says and WITHDRAW YOURSELF! It’s time for you to find another church – a solid, Bible-believing church!

II Peter 2:1-3 – Those Who Make Merchandise of the Saints
Peter, in his second epistle, dedicates the second chapter to false prophets and false teachers. He gives characteristics concerning these false teachers. One leading characteristic is defined this way: “they shall with feigned words MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU.”

The word “minister” means “servant.” This is the true minister. This describes the man of God. God’s man asks, “What can I give?” Satan’s man, the man of whom Peter wrote, asks, “What can I get?” These false teachers MAKE MERCHANDISE of the saints! The false teachers described by Peter are not interested in making saints out of sinners; they are interested in making money out of saints! When a preacher is all about money, BEWARE! When a minister speaks more of money, wealth, and prosperity than he does the cross of Jesus Christ, look out! We have a false teacher on our hands!

Conclusion
The Bible speaks in II Corinthians 8:9 that Christ was made poor that we might be made RICH. John wished above all things in III John 2 that we would be in health and PROSPER, even as our soul PROSPERS. Joshua was promised good SUCCESS in Joshua 1:8. When I read words like “rich,” “prosper,” and “success,” in the Bible, I think of, as John said it, my soul prospering. When a Charismatic reads these verses, he thinks of materialistic prosperity. This is a great revelation of the Charismatic heart. The heart of the true minister of God is on treasures in heaven – souls being saved. Charismatics, on the other hand, are more interested in materialistic prosperity – being rich on the earth.

Matthew 6:19-21 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Certainly, I am not against someone being rich. Abraham was faithful in the eyes of God, and was very rich. Job was among the richest of all the earth. On the other hand, to preach that earthly riches are promised to everyone who serve God is sheer ignorance. No such promise is made in the Bible. Quite frankly, if your heart is right, you do not demand that God give you a new car. If your heart is right with God, you do not need the finest home. A man whose heart is right with God seeks God and His righteousness first and foremost, and he lets the Lord bless as He sees fit.

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”