Rich in the name of JESUS

Much is out there as being from God but is not. "In Jesus' name I command, I do, I say ..." so many fraudsters advocate of the Almighty. In the Old Testament that was denounced by God as His holy name was being used to endorse things that had not ordered: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I sent them not, nor gave them orders and they never said anything. His views are lies, and their guesses are worth nothing "(Jeremiah 14:14). Days ago I received an invitation to participate in a pyramid of money, with an interesting name: Christian MLM. Sending two real to the person within 90 days receive 300 thousand dollars coming from a network of people. This dream would not call attention lottery if they were words of encouragement to enter the pyramid "is a new way to raise funds for your ministry. Have you ever stopped to think that this program can be God's answer to their prayers? So think about it. When I received this invitation I had the same doubts as you. But I had faith in God, I accepted this challenge that has been proposed. And I've been blessed. I am also sure that you will be. "

In the name of God has much promise fraudulently deceiving so many people taking advantage of the weakest people - money. The two actual pyramid, or that offered "to God's promise to win the double is the same thing in relation to that played the lottery, gambling, bingo, horse racing, etc.. It is not just a money systematically thrown out and that would yield good savings. But above all is a sin fueled by greed. Both games of chance (and even bad luck) as the promises of the false prophets of prosperity, is present this old sin of greed, one of the most condemned by God because it brings so much injustice, corruption, selfishness, crime, obsession, and many other ills of society. The most serious, however, is this misuse of God's name. The Apostle Peter warned against this kind of people to write: "... false teachers will appear among you. They teach false doctrines and destructive ... In his greed for money, these false teachers will exploit you, telling stories invented "(2 Peter 2.1,3).

It is no wonder that Jesus taught in the first petition of the Our Father: "Hallowed be thy name." Martin Luther, explaining the petition, says that sanctify God's name "when the word of God is taught clearly and purely, and we as children of God, we also live a holy life in accordance with it." The Christian life is the signature, the hallmark of God in the world where you live, along with what you preach and witness. But this propaganda of God, Christians need to know what God said in His word for "not being more like a child dragged by the waves and pushed by every wind of teaching people false" (Ephesians 4:14).

It also warned the young pastor Timothy against false doctrine, the apostle recommends: "It is clear that religion is a means of enriching, but only to the person who is content with what you have ... If we have food and clothing, be content with that . However, those who want to get rich fall into sin to be tempted, and get stuck in the trap of many foolish desires, which are bad and cause people to sink into misery and destruction "(1 Timothy 6.6,8,9).

Pastor Mark Schmidt
e-mail: marsch@terra.com.br
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil
Pelotas (RS), August 20, 2002

Author: Pastor Mark Schmidt