February 27 2018 – Click here to listen
A pastor friend of mine in Ghana Africa responded to Words for the Day yesterday and found that he could relate to yesterday’s message. I’ve had many conversations with him regarding the lack of financial support he receives for his ministry. He puts all that he has into his ministry, but just cannot get the financial support he feels that he needs.
So, he wrote to me yesterday and voiced his thoughts. I have shortened and edited it a little for this post.
“The message today answers the ‘why’ questions that many of God’s people sometimes have on their minds, including me. Even though our feet are stacked in the Spirit of God and our tears of wonder stream down from our eyes for not greatly influencing our generation with the truth of the Gospel.
Here in Ghana I often go to a radio station that reaches thousands and thousands of people. When many of them meet me in town, they say, ‘Ah God bless you, you are such a blessing and we are blessed of your messages. These are the kind of messages we need to hear in our day and time. God bless you. Keep it up.’ They remark with joyful smiles.
Well courtesy demands that you must thank them, but when I humbly draw their attention to the fact that, the broadcast is not for free. They look at me and listen,
but reason away what I’m saying, never bothering to offer any financial support to
keep me there.
Eeee!
Many times, I’ve grown so frustrated because of unpaid bills, that I made decisions to stop going to the radio station, but though it is extremely difficult, necessity drives and compels me to keep feeding these hungry and selfish dying souls with the Word.
Many times, I wonder why those who genuinely want to greatly advance the message of the cross to the hopeless and dying world, face such intense disapproval of people’s concern, people not bothering at all to support this most worthy cause.”
This pastor adopted me as his spiritual father several years ago. I would tell my son that he has no right to judge anyone’s motives regarding their giving. That is between the giver and God. Nor should we condemn someone or call them “selfish” because we think they aren’t giving enough. In the first place, only God knows what other avenues of giving they might be taking. And for another, appearances can be deceiving, one might appear to be overflowing with cash, but be heavily indebted.
I would also advise him that he should be genuinely thankful that people on the street thank him for all that he does to get God’s word out, regardless of their giving.
A disingenuous thank you is synonymous with hypocritical behavior and many pastors fall into that trap and it is easily spotted by non-believers and used against us.
I know a billionaire who offered a gushing river of praise to the vision of the Jesus Alliance and to me personally as its leader, but he has yet to give one penny to support us. I admit I was resentful and simmered over the situation for several months until it finally reached a point where it was dominating my thought process.
I snarled that even a tiny contribution from his vast fortune, (that he would never miss,) would make a HUGE difference to our ministry.
Whoa!
Stop!
The key words to reflect on are: “would make a huge difference to OUR MINISTRY.” Isn’t it God’s ministry? Well of course it is! So, if God wants it to grow slower, or not grow at all, what business is it of mine. He is in charge and the ministry is for the benefit of His kingdom, not mine.
God laid it on my heart to let it go. His giving was between him and God Almighty. I don’t know how much he gives or to whom he gives it, and I no longer care. It’s really none of my business. A great burden was lifted that day and I have changed my entire thought process about other people supporting the Jesus Alliance since that day. God moves some to give and others He doesn’t. I get it.
One of my spiritual heroes right up there with Billy Graham was Bill Bright. A reporter interviewed him one time and asked what keeps him up at night. He responded that nothing kept him up at night and he slept like a baby. The reporter wasn’t buying it and kept asking until Bill finally told him that he was just a slave. “Slaves don’t worry,” he said, “that is the Master’s job.”
His wife Vonette told me that sometimes their board would call an emergency meeting about some huge problem, usually money, and Bill would nod off during the discussions. He knew the Lord would come through for him and trusted God with all his heart. Oh, that every person in the ministry could have such faith.
So, I give advice to my African son and anyone else who cares to listen. The Bible tells us to ask that we may receive. If someone responds favorably or not is not our concern. God will bless as He sees fit, BUT He tells us to be persistent.
Hmmm . . . I take Him at His word and petition Him every day over, and over, and over again, for the things I feel HIS ministry needs as well as my personal stuff. He is the Master and He has ordered me to keep pestering Him day and night and that is what I intend to do . . .
Luke 11:6
Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose one of you goes to his friend at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine has come to me on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And the one inside answers, ‘Do not bother me. My door is already shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ . . .
I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I tell you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened . . .