God and money by Crown Financial Ministries

God says that if we pray for anything in His will, believing, it will be given to us. However, God's will and His ways do not always coincide with ours. So, when we turn our finances over to God, we also must be willing to accept His direction.

Too often we impatiently seek our own way without any clear direction from Him, sometimes even borrowing money to do His work. We forget that God says He will not frustrate His work for the lack of money (see Luke 22:35).

There is nothing wrong with asking God's direction, but it is wrong to go our own way without waiting for God's answer.

In order for us to recognize God's directives, it may be necessary first to understand God's view of money and how He uses it to enhance our relationship with Him.

How and for what purpose God uses money
Money is neither good nor bad: it is merely a medium of exchange. It is the misuse and abuse of money that cause the problems.

Because God is so good, He uses money for our benefit in several different ways.

1. God uses money to strengthen our trust in Him. It is often through money that God can clearly and objectively show us that He is in total control, if we will trust Him and accept our positions as stewards and managers of His possessions (see Matthew 6:32-33).
2. God uses money to develop our trustworthiness. This principle is important because our lives generally revolve around making, spending, saving, and using money. If He can trust us with money, He can trust us with greater responsibilities and His true riches (see Luke 16:11).
3. God uses money to prove His love. Scripture tells us that God assumes the responsibility of providing the basic necessities for everyone who trusts in Him (see Matthew 7:11). By transferring all money to Him, He often uses money to meet those necessities of life.
4. God uses money to demonstrate His faithfulness. Moses reminded Israel that it was God who would give them the power to make wealth. Our security is in God, not in our bank accounts. Discovering His faithfulness though financial needs encourages reliance on Him.
5. God uses money to unite Christians in blessings. God will use the abundance of one Christian to supply the needs of another. Surplus money in our lives has been given by God for the purpose of helping those who are in need.
6. God uses money to provide direction. There is probably no way God can direct our lives more meticulously than through the abundance or lack of money. Too often we believe God directs our lives through the abundance of money, but He also will lead us down His directed path by withholding money.
7. God uses money to cultivate self-control. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control, a key aspect of successful money management.
8. God uses money to clarify spiritual maturity. Many temptations clamor for Christians' attention. A great deal can be learned about our personal character and spiritual maturity by noticing how we handle money and determine financial priorities.

Areas in which God does not use money
Just like there are several ways in which God uses money for our benefit, there are several areas in which God never uses money to influence our lives.

1. God never uses money to worry us. If Christians are worried, frustrated, and upset about money, God is not in control. God said that wealth without worry is His plan for our lives. In addition, He promises to meet the needs of those who trust in Him (see Matthew 6:25).
2. God never uses money to corrupt us. Many Christians have fallen into Satan's trap and are being corrupted. Christians whose financial life is characterized by greed, ego, deceit, and other worldly snares are at enmity with God and His plan.
3. God never uses money to build egos. Frequently, Christians are trapped by financial ego in that they use money in an attempt to build self-worth and ego. However, in Christ all are financially equal because all wealth will pass away. What will remain will be those things that have been laid up in heaven—the true wealth.
4. God never allows money to satisfy our personal whims or desires. God does not expect His people to live in poverty; however, He also does not endorse lavishness. Surplus is provided so that God's work can be funded and those in need can be helped. If the surplus is hoarded or wasted on lavishness rather than used for His plan and purpose, chances are the surplus will be removed.

Conclusion
God offers countless financial principles, intended to make our lives meaningful, because He's interested in us and how we earn and spend money.

Once we understand how God uses money and why He chooses to use it in a particular way, we generally become more familiar with His plans and purposes for our lives and are able to recognize and comprehend His directives.

This article was taken from Crown Financial Ministries : God and Money

Financial Stewardship

Shalom Brethren,

I used to think that once I have given my tithe and offering to the local church I have done my part and hence I am no longer responsible nor accountable for how the church spend that money.

I believe that most believers have been taught this "doctrine"

However, the truth of the matter is that all of us  shall one day stand before our Lord to give account of how we have utilized our resources, including those resources that we think we have “given unto the Lord”

Romans 14:12 

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

  

      1 Corinthians 4:2 

      Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

I have been reading Calvary today and Berita Calvary and strongly encourage you to publish it  in one of your blogs as I believe  that this would be illuminating to a lot of our brethren.

God bless, have a great day and let me know if you would publish this  article in one of your blogs

Note:

I have also attached a word copy for reference

David K, 

Success Is HAVING What You WANT.

Happiness is WANTING What You HAVE

Health Is NOT Valued Till Sickness Comes

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This is a letter we received from a brother today highlighting to us the article, “How Pastors Get Rich” by Cultwatch Director Mark Vrankovich. 

Unknown to him, we have written to the Cultwatch Team two days ago seeking permission to place this article here. We have been advised to place a link to their website “because Google will downgrade the rank of our article's page, if it finds duplicates on the web. Therefore to ensure more people can find it when they search for it a link would be best.”

Please do spend some time to read the full article. Click on the Title. 

How Pastors Get Rich

An article by Cultwatch Director Mark Vrankovich

 This article exposes the secret methods certain pastors use to get rich off God's people. Have you ever wondered how some pastors start a church and then become wealthy living in flash houses and driving luxury cars? Well this article exposes how they do it, extracting money from their congregations to fund their lifestyles. Here are the secrets they definitely do not want you to know.

 Important Note:

As you read please remember that very few pastors use the techniques you are about to discover. The great majority of Christian pastors do not earn much money even though they work hard at their jobs. Most Christian pastors would find these techniques repugnant.

Please do not make the mistake of tarring the many good pastors with the brush reserved for the spiritually corrupt few.

You will discover the secret techniques that certain pastors use to transfer money out of your pocket and into theirs.

You will understand the overall pattern behind their tricks.

You will learn enough to protect your friends and family.

You could gain thousands of dollars (or pounds or euros), literally. Reading this article can set you free. Free to keep more of the money that you have worked hard for. Money you can take and invest in genuine works of God, or in toys for your kids, or perhaps something shiny for your spouse.

 Finally, reading this article can help you please God more, since you will no longer be investing in ungodly works.

Please continue to read the full article here : How Pastors Get Rich

calvarytoday2.blogspot.com

Introducing Calvary Today 2
We will not be posting articles pertaining to Calvary Church Crisis Updates in this blog. Please read the lastest update in either :

Login to CT : calvarytoday.blogspot.com

Login to CT 2 :  calvarytoday2.blogspot.com

The contents of both CT & CT2 are the same. 

We thank God for wisdom upon our administrators. As we have dedicated the entire month of May to concentrate on Praying together with Christians across our nation for Malaysia, God is faithful and He has given us the wisdom and His favour for us to be able to put together this Mirror site on this first day of June. We have learned that God is never early and He is never late. He is always JUST ON TIME.

We will continue to be in existence until we hear from God to cease.

God Bless and continue to Rejoice in the Lord Always.

CT Administrators

ESDA - A Ministry to the Poor and Special People in Taiping

Today is exactly 7 days after the massive gathering of thousands of Christians at the Global Day of Prayer Rally. It is time we put hands and legs to our prayer. Quite timely, this e-mail was sent to us by a regular reader of BC, highlighting to us a special ministry to the poor in our very own home country, in the town of Taiping. If you wish to extend help to Bro Stephen Chow Chee Kheong, please contact him directly from details given in their newly launched website.

Dear Blessed Saints,



By His grace and compassion, I highly recommend your support for the ministry of by Bro Chow Chee Kheong (ESDA), who himself is a disabled person but has been used by God in a tremendous way to help the people with mental or physical disability within the community of Taiping.

In 1999, Bro Chow responded to the Lord's call to serve Him in this ministry, however, it was not with unbelief because of his own disabled condition. Bro Chow who couldn't speak in a normal speech, told me, he couldn't understand why God would chose a person like him instead of another person who has a perfect physical condition? He said, the first few years the labour was very tough. The needs of the people were overwhelming and the lacked of financial support from the churches have been discouraging. In his experience, he has learned that to meet the senior pastors of a church were more difficult than to meet the Government Ministers.


Those who extended help would come with conditions that the ministry must come under their wings otherwise they would not help. With many tears he had sought the Lord and pleaded with Him to give up but each time the Lord would miraculously sustained him. Over the last eleven years, the ministry has been proven with genuine fruits and good reports . As a result, many poor and needy people and their family members have been blessed through this ministry disregard of their religion and race. I've spoken to one of the staff in the centre who was a teacher who told me this, she says, even though the pay here is much lesser than the other organization but you could see that God is at work here. I believe the testimonies here were suffice to prove that the work here is genuine and of the Lord. It was not initiated out of good intention or man's charity. If it was not then it will not be able to stand under fire. (Please read Bro Chow's personal testimony in the website)


Esda ministry is a faith based Inter-denomination Christian organization who depends on the support of good Samaritans who believe that there faith must be demonstrated through good works as the extended hands of our Lord Jesus to elevate the misery of the poor and the less fortunate in order for them to come to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The monthly operation expenses have to be met by faith even though there are some faithful followers who have been faithfully supported the ministry. However, with your support whether financially or prayer the vision and mission of Esda could be expanded. Therefore, I encourage you to visit the website or the centre (visit to Taiping can be arranged if anyone interested) to witness for yourself the good works that have been accomplished by the Lord through this man and his team mates.


Finally, I urge you to be wise in your giving, only to the genuine works of the Lord. We must learn to discern and support, and give to those ministries that are NOT motivated by man for personal gain or glory but only for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ so that the will of the Father may accomplish through you as part of His team.


May the Lord bless you in return a hundred fold because of your obedience to His words.


For His glory,
A brother in Christ

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ESDA PRAYER LETTER FOR MAY / JUNE 2010

PERSATUAN PERKHIDMATAN KOMUNITI TAIPING PERAK (known as ESDA)

PRAISE, PRAYER & THANKSGIVING

OUR WEBSITE: esda-ppkt.org/wp/

 FOR THE MONTH OF MAY / JUNE  2010

2010 PPKT Theme is “RELY ON THE POWER PRAYER”

PRAISE AND THANK GOD

1. PRAISE GOD for our Charity Fair was very successful, everything went well and able to reached over our target, more than RM 50,000.00. PRAISE GOD  our guest of honor, Dato’ Tan Lian Hoe,  Deputy Minister TIMBALAN MENTERI PERDAGANGAN DALAM NEGERI, KOPERASI DAN PENGGUNA will be help us to get a new 16 seated van.

2. PRAISE GOD for we have our official website: esda-ppkt.org/wp/ and officiate Dato’ Tan Lian Hoe,  Deputy Minister during our Charity Fair.

 3 .PRAISE GOD our Youth Work: Football team had friendly match with Chinese Recreation Centre and draw   2-2.

4. PRAISE GOD for our Pastor Manu help 4 children who didn’t attend school at all but now able to register indifferent  schools and now one of them started schooling.

4.  PRAISE GOD for all that He has done and will be doing for HIS ministry through PPKT.

PRAYER  

1. PRAY for our new staff, sis. Batmavathy.who is serve in our work centre - will be able to quick enough to pick-up the work and most of all, have full of compassion in disabled work as she serve in ESDA

2. PRAY for our latest project:-

= Public Talk on Awareness of Domestic Violence by Ms. Loh Cheng Kooi, Executive Director, Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Penang on 26 June 2010. PRAY also represent Welfare Department and Police Department will join on Dialogue Session, right after the Talk. This project will be joint with Kamunting Rotary Club and sponsor by Taiping Panorama Hotel

3. PRAY for Stephen able to cope and reconstruct and plan for work center for disabled people.

4. PRAY for the other 3 other children who Pastor Manu will be able to attend school soon.

5  PRAY for we able to reach out more children with disability and able to provide therapy to them in effective way.

6. PRAY for our new theme  “RELY ON THE POWER PRAYER”.  PRAY FOR ALL OUR STAFF WILL BE TAKE SERIOUSLY IN THE POWER OF PRAYER.

7. Please continue PRAY for our project at St. George Secondary School– reach-out to high-risk students on every Thursday, start from  April at 12.00pm – 1.00pm. At moment we have 28 students join us in this program

8.Please continue Pray that  the conditions for getting the Government approval will not affect our Christian principles. Pray for the State Government to fully pay for  the major renovation of the new PPKT Centre and issue us a black and white to confirm that the land will be gazetted to us .

9 Please continue PRAY for another project for work centre for disabled people – planting Bougainvillea  and able  to work with Agriculture Department

10. PRAY for our 3^rd Youth Camp at Taiping .  Our target is  50 good and naughty boys to be  held in June.

   PRAY that  we will be able to find a sponsor for  RM 4,000.00 for this camp and all the plans will be effective and  dynamic as  we take this  golden opportunity to reach  out to these boys. PRAY  for God’s wisdom to Malaysian Care team as they are our main facilitators and speakers.

11. Pray for the safety of our center as well as for all the staff and volunteers.

ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE TO OUR LORD AND MASTER JESUS CHRIST!

GDOP 2010 Klang Valley Report

"Even now," declares the Lord, "Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping...' Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity...Gather the people, consecrate the assembly, bring together the elders, gather the children..."

Joel 2: 12-13 & 16

The Prayer Rally started with the return of the last leg runners of the Run For The Nation participants into the Stadium Malawati.

The Global Day of Prayer rally at the Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam last Sunday, 23 May 2010 which was Pentecost Sunday, was a resounding success.

Thousands of Christian of various denominations from the Klang Valley thronged the stadium and almost filled it to the brim. The prayer event was the culmination of 10 days of fasting and praying which began on 13 May 2010.

Similar prayer gatherings were simultaneously held in several venues throughout Malaysia. This global event was also held on the same day in a total of 216 countries with an expected participation of more than 220 million Christians around the world.

The unifying prayer of the thousands of Malaysian Christians for our nation was a sight to behold. Various Christian leaders and Pastors took turns to lead in prayer. The main speakers for the event were three of the most respected Christian leaders in Malaysia currently namely, Pastor Daniel Ho (DUMC), Rev Ong Sek Leang (AOG Malaysia) and Pastor Chew Weng Chee (SIB).

Although the GDOP event was organized by NECF, conspicuously missing from the Sunday prayer rally was the NECF Adviser, Tan Sri Pastor Prince Guneratnam.

Read The Star Online report on the event : Global Day of Prayer celebrated with a bang


Pastor Alvin & team leading the congregation in the time of Worship and Praise.

Pastor Daniel Ho praying for Repentance & Healing.

Pastor Phua Seng Tiong & Pastor Danil Raul praying for the Bumiputras of Sabah & Sarawak. (Left pic). Pastor Devadas Ratnam praying in Tamil (Right pic)

                                                                                                                          

Pastor Tan Tek Seng prayed in Mandarin (left). Pastor Ong Sek Liang shared a testimony on God's act of Kindness upon his church, Metro Tabernacle (right)

Pastor Chew Weng Chee shared an exhortation on Empowerment For Transformation of the Nation and then ended with a call for the congregation to pray for the pastors.

THE BATTLE ESCALATES by Vijay

In the latter days, Calvary Church will be more glorious than the former as Christ takes His place as the true Pastor of Calvary Church.


Calvary Church is still on my mind. However, this time the battle is with powers in high places. I am unable to disclose details here but there are those in Calvary Church that know what my recent battles are.

Until the leaders outside the Calvary Community, i.e. Christian leaders in other churches boldly acknowledge "we are our brothers keepers" and respond to the plight of Calvary Church by voicing openly, the battle continues and we need to speak the truth in love.

There are those from other churches who have advised that I "slow down" and be "less vocal", but I cannot. I think of those confused and suffering. Some who have been in Calvary for years - some even as children and now grown adults. What about them?

When Germany invaded Europe, the people of the USA wanted no part in the war. Theirs was a country of plenty and land of opportunity - why get into a conflict with another country across the Atlantic?

Yes, the USA did offer help in some minor ways and gave moral support but none were willing to openly stand with the suffering Europeans. Little did they know that their isolation policy was eating into their moral and spiritual values.

It is only after they have suffered Pearl Habour were they awakened from their slumber - only then was the "sleeping giant awakened".

The same applies to the Christian community and leaders in general. I praise those Christian leaders who have written in the blog but I wished those who were in prominent place of influence could have shown support openly - even make a public declaration of support.

Has any one stopped to think what the congregation is going thru? Has anyone talked to the silent majority who are in pain but unable to articulate their pain out of fear they may offend another because he/she belongs to a different camp? What about friends that were once inseparable but now not in talking terms because they are in a different camp. What about families that are split, wives and husbands, brothers and sisters. Oh! The pain in seeing a church once so vibrant, now split. A church once so admired and a role model, now avoided.

I FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS OF SOME IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY!

THANK GOD FOR THOSE IN OTHER CHURCHES WHO SUPPORT THE COURSE OR HAVE GIVEN A TEMPORARY HOME.

Nevertheless, praise the Lord, for victory, it will come though it may tarry for awhile. There are many who have absolute faith that Calvary Church will be resurrected and will be one of the leading voice of Christianity in Malaysia.

The Bible says the gates of hell shall not prevail. Yes, satan meant for evil, but the Lord meant for good. Surely the Lord is preparing a new army of Christian warriors through a suffering church.

A church that has gone through the 'dark night of the soul' is a formidable force. The Bible says "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone, BUT IF IT DIES - IT BEARS MUCH FRUITS."

Let us all believe, the latter days of Calvary will be more glorious than the former as Christ takes His place as the true Pastor of Calvary Church.

Vijay 

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Date added : 22 May 2010

This is a new Comment written by Bro Vijay who usually uses the pseudonym "Bamboo Conspiracy" when writing to us here in CT & BC.

NOTICE TO BLOGGERS TO AVOID CONFUSION
To readers of the Calvary Today and Berita Calvary.

I noticed an interesting article was written by "Anonymous said - The Famine & The Ass" and signed "Bro Vijay".

I have received e-mails from friends and even the Blog Administrator to verify whether "Bro Vijay" and I are the same.

We are not!

I trust "Bro Vijay" is another Christian who wish to contribute to the blog. All contributors are welcome as we all share the same purpose to see Calvary Church return to its rightful owner!

Nevertheless, to avoid confusion, please note that I write under the pseudonym "Bamboo Conspiracy" and sign off as "Vijay". I hope this clarifies the confusion.

The reason I took the pseudonym "Bamboo Conspiracy" is because when I first wrote in the blog, the Lord taught me a lesson from the Bamboo plant. He showed me the hidden truth about the Bamboo - The Bamboo Conspiracy!.

We all can learn from the Bamboo. A Japanese Proverb says: "The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.”

Do you know it takes two to three years for the Bamboo plant to establish its root system, during which time very little bamboo growth happens ‘up top’? The Bamboo hides its true nature. But once the root system is in place, the growth is extraordinary – it can shoot up more than 20 meters in less than four months.

Furthermore, watch the bamboo plant in a storm. The plant bend under pressure from the wind but always return gracefully to its upright or original position after the storm had died down.

When I think about the bamboo plant's ability to bounce back or return to it's original position, the word resilience comes to mind.

And I see the same resilience within the members of Calvary Church that wait to see the Body of Christ return gracefully to her true place.

Satan thought by murdering Christ on the cross, he had won. Satan could not see the Lord's hidden agenda ("conspiracy") when God had predetermined that His Son was to die to save the world.

Similarly, once again satan has failed in his discernment! God's has an hidden agenda (a "spiritual conspiracy"!) in Calvary Church! Though satan appears to be in control now, he does not know that God has predetermined to resurrect Calvary Church to a greater glory. And when it happens, His name will be GLORIFIED!

PS. I hope the reader is mature enough to discern the word 'conspiracy' is used within a positive contact in this article!

Vijay