THE MESSAGE NOW
Vol 1, No. 14 – Monday 10th October, 2016
(1Tim.6:10, Acts.5:1-11, 2Kings.5:20-27, Gen.37:12-28, Num.22:7-21, Lk.22:5, Mat.26:14-15)
What evil is left in the hands and hearts of men that the love of money is yet to help them commit?
The Maker of heaven and earth is perfect in knowledge in all things. Sometimes, in His perfect knowledge, He makes all the children born into a family star-children alike. Other times, He makes out only one star-child out of the family for the purpose of that star-child rising up tomorrow to lift up the others. Very sad oftentimes is however the case when such a star-child is a companion of truants, one with a penchant for helping others excluding his sibblings or when he is a companion of destiny-wasters all in the name of money and fame.
Such was the case with a star-child whom God mightily raised up out of dungeon and dust in North-Central Nigeria. He rose to prominence and stardom in his political career but then forgot God who was the secret behind his success. Having proved to be a reliable star-child, he financed his younger sister’s education until she became an accountant. Dearly beloved, stop and pray now (say), Father, my blood shall not become the catalyst for another’s elevation. Every power and person enriching himself with my glory and star crash and rise no more in the name of Jesus. My tomorrow shall not be sacrificed on the altar of the wicked. In the name of Jesus, the stranger or the wicked shall not inherit my portion from God.
This star-child forgot that it is the greatest error to partner with the devil. For one, if the devil gives man a cap; be rest assured that in return, he will require that man’s head from him. In 1999, when the wind of democracy began to blow across the national equator of Nigeria, as God had destined, he was selected to be the governor of one of the North-Central states of Nigeria. Rather than seek the Lord for success in the election, he consulted the devil. Of course, the devil gave him his own demand too.
Consumed by the unpardonable predilection for money and the unquenchable lust for fame, he did not refuse the devil’s demand. The cult he joined demanded for the blood of anyone whom he loved the most. That evil demand fell right on his younger sister whom he trained to become an accountant. Thus her blood became his satanic stepping-stone to becoming the Governor for eight years. Hmmm! Another evil propelled by the love of money. Perhaps you are of the opinion that that’s so gruesome of such a brother! Before you and I begin to judge him for his wickedness, can we too bring ourselves before the search light of the Almighty? Are you an eater of tithes and offerings? Do you envy, berate or even feel inferior to others because they appear richer than you? Then the love of money resident in you is greater than the fear of God dwelling on the inside of you.
It further means that you are in the same category with that murderer of his own sister (See James.2:10). Whether you claim to be different or not from that murderer, one infallible truth is obvious and certain. Your general attitude and/or your spontaneous reaction towards things concerning money tells God and man who you truly are.
Speaking more explicitly about our attitude towards money; I dare ask, are you a good manager of your money? I congratulate you. But can you please take a moment to check up that good management through the lens of the Spirit? Because, whilst you think you are a good manager of your money, it may just be that you are a good miser. Unfortunately, the flipside of your miserliness is that you are perfectly in-love with money. Watch it dearly beloved.
As to our reaction towards money: whether explicitly or implicitly,consider your seen and unseen responses to money-related matters.
Do you lose your innate joy simply because there is no money in your pocket even when you don’t need it? When a large amount of money is being counted in the bank or elsewhere in your presence; what runs through your mind at such sight? Are you a pastor or desiring to be one because of your interest in building a financial empire for yourself? What are your wishes concerning money?
Do you feel insecure and even lose your inner peace for want of money? Mr pastor, all you know is to receive from your church/ministry members, nothing ever descends from you to them. Pastor! Have you forgotten so soon the lesson from Melchizedek (priest of the Most High) in Genesis chapter 14? Abraham brought a tenth of all that God gave him as a result of the victory he got in the battle. The priest of the Most High, Melchizedek himself gave Abraham bread and wine.
All the edifices (including tangible and intangible properties) of your ministry/church are all in your name, Pastor. None is in the name of the ministry or church. And none can challenge you because you are answerable to God alone. That same God is asking me to let you know that He will visit you soon. Why are you interested in giving that rich brother a positive answer dear spinster?
Dear Mr husband, do you love your money more than your wife? Is the worth of your wife quantifiable in parri passu with money? If your wife, dear husband, is lesser than even your mother in your life, then you are not qualified to be a husband; you are but a mother’s boy.
Hello, sister wife, has your husband now become a talk-punching-bag because of money? So long as he has always been a good man to you; the tide of God’s favourable change will soon turn in his direction. And what then would be your song? A song of praise to him again? Sister!
Watch and deal with that love of money. Dearly beloved,understand the harshness of the message coming to you today. The reasons are not far fetched. The issue of holiness and heaven follows after a strict and unwavering standard. Unfortunately, except a man opens up himself to serious spiritual check, the love of money is so subtle that discerning it sometimes is too deeply problematic. In sum, to everyone, the Lord is sending out an invitation today for a quick spiritual examination and possible spiritual surgery if any. The matter of the love of money is so serious that if we have fallen short in any way, if we have to declare days of fasting just to get back on track with God and out of mammons way, then let’s do it dearly beloved.
I give us today by the help of the Most High four antidotes to curtailing the love of money.
(1) Pursue money only because it is needed for anything of genuine purpose(s).
(2) Pursue money because you genuinely hate poverty. I plead with all by the mercies of God; please hate poverty with your whole soul. It can take your salvation. The Bible is not foolish when it says ‘money is a defence’, and ‘money answereth all things’. The Lord died partly for the purpose of replacing our poverty with His riches (see 2 Corinthians.8:9). So, pray hard to the ever good Lord to be financially buoyant. Albeit, pray it with a pure heart filled with good intentions.
(3) Pursue money because of the interests of God and godliness, love of others believers or unbelievers (see Galatians 6:9-10). (4) Let your pursuit be guided always by conscience and the Spirit’s conviction or confirmation.
I prophesy to all, none of us will miss heaven, our earthly and our eternal rewards because of the love of money. My dear brother, my dear sister, that problem that wants you to condescend to sin of any kind due to little or no access to funds shall soon die. I see rain falling heavily in front of me. Dearly beloved, great rain of God’s unstoppable blessings shall fall upon you and your family. I cut off lack from every life and family reading this magazine. Hold firm to the garments of Christ. The splendor and treasures of the gentiles shall soon be brought to you by effortless ease. Stay blessed.
Pray now:
Father, forgive me for my panting after money and not after you.
I detach my life from every entanglement or enslavery to money.
O God my father, remove from me every aorta of love of money.
Deut.8:18, today father release to me the power to be wealthy.
Father, prosper me and my household financially and materially, and I vow that your kingdom shall never suffer as long as I live
Pastor Mike
