You are here: Home / Archives for Insights

SHOULD CHRISTIANS SAVE MONEY

by

WISDOM REGARDING MONEY

moneyBy Ken Blue

The Bible may have more to say about money than any other subject. The reason could be because of man’s love for it, and the wickedness perpetrated by many to possess it. The love of money is the root of all evil. We observe this mostly in big business and big government. Wealth and riches should never be the goal of life. Scripture states that many of God’s people have erred from the faith, and brought nothing but sorrow and grief to themselves and those they come in contact with because of their aspiration for money.

On the other hand, God has some positive things to say about the wisdom, the necessity, the value of saving money and how we use it. A good steward will not be greedy for money, nor will he squander it. The believer is a steward of all God gives him and must conduct himself accordingly to be obedient.

I have heard pastors preach against saving money. They tell themselves and their congregation that saving money is a lack of faith and that they should be putting their money in heaven. This teaching and attitude is not scriptural nor is it an act of faith. In fact, it is just the opposite. That teaching is unscriptural and foolish.

Listed below are several proverbs written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived:

  • “In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Proverbs 15:6.
  • A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Proverbs 13:22.
  • Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:19.
  • There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. Proverbs 21:20.
  • Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Proverbs 6:6-11.
  • He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. Proverbs 10:5. 24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces. Proverbs 30:24-28.”

It would take volumes to completely deal with the subject of money, but the wise pastor will prepare financially for his church and for his family. He will also help his church members to do the same. It is not a sin to make all the money you can; if you do it honestly. However, you must also be willing to give away all you can for the cause of Christ and save all you can for the future. There is no conflict between these three.

HOW TO GET ATTENTION IN CHURCH

by

ATTENTION GETTING TRICKS

ATTENTIONBy Ken Blue

For anyone to claim that he or she has not enjoyed the attention of others would be less than telling the truth. But, if you are the sort who craves it, here are a few tips that usually work.

The first is, to loiter in the foyer or stand at the back of the church until after the music or the announcements have started. Then, simply walk in by yourself, and make sure you go all the way to the front two rows of the church. There is absolutely no way this method can fail. People from every location within the building will turn their eyes in your direction and notice you!

Now, just in case this method doesn’t satisfy your craving for attention, you can add heel-taps to your shoes. Each step will say, “Here I am! Look at me!” The only thing that could possibly surpass this tactic would be to come in on roller-skates.

Not every person who arrives late is seeking attention, but when the same people, or the pastor, walk down the aisle after others are seated, and the service has started, you can bet they are attention seekers.

Now you know the secret to getting noticed at church. If you are not among the attention seekers, would you please look our way as we strut in so our efforts will not be in vain?

by

AN AMAZING FISHING STORY
By Ken Blue

fishI saw a news report recently of two men who were fishing in the dark of night. I am not sure if their method was legal or not, or if they kept the fish. They were in a small aluminum boat shining a spotlight around in the water. At times they would tap the side of the boat, and the fish went wild.

You could see fish jumping out of the water by the hundreds; In fact, many of them landed in the boat. As I said before, I have no knowledge if the method was legal; or if they kept any of the fish.

The interesting observation was the nontraditional method used to get the fish into the boat. They did no use a net, a gaff, or a hook. Yet they had more fish in the boat than you could count.

Now, if the method was legal, would you have kept the fish? Or, are you so set in your ways, you would have thrown them back into the water and refuse to keep those not reeled in on your line or taken in a net?

That is the line some preachers are trying to sell to churches. That is, if you did not go to the door of the lost and win them to Christ in the home, or on the street corner, you are in violation of Scripture. This idea that the church building is for the saved only and that sinners should not be in the building is insane. The more sinners you can get in the church building, the more likely you are to have more conversions each Sunday.

Don’t be foolish; there are many ways to catch fish, and if they will jump into your boat, all the better. The above method is novel, but it worked. The two reasons pastors cannot learn new methods of fishing, is they are bound by tradition and they fear the brethren.

See the story on Google Video

https://kenblueministries.com/2009/08/681/

PREACHERS WHO CAN’T LEARN

by

PREACHERS WHO CAN’T LEARN
By Ken Blue

“And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” Numbers 22:12 “And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.” Numbers 22:25.

They say a wasp it largest right after it has hatched, and you will discover that some pastors are most knowledgeable in the first years of their ministry. Regardless of the advice offered, they have already thought of it and cut you off in mid-sentence. Rather than listening, they are thinking of an answer that will upstage you. The reason is pride and a subconscious agenda.

Balaam was just such a preacher. His ambition was for money and fame; and the possible reward outweighed the direct command of God. In spite of the roadblocks God put before him, he was determined to do it his way. You might say of Balaam, that he went through the school of hard knocks. Those who attend this school, walk into life backward, always bumping their head. They refuse to see what you try to show them. God used a dumb ass to crush Balaam’s foot and then to speak to him, but nothing could stop him. He could not learn.

Alexander Pope is credited as saying, “For fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. He also said, “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” The book of Proverbs admonished the young man to listen and learn, to observe and learn, to keep silent, and learn, to be still and learn, and to obey God and learn. The question is, are you teachable, or will you continue to walk into the future backward because of pride?

As a man’s wisdom increases, he becomes honestly aware of just how little he knows. If you can learn, the first thing you discover is how much you need the help and wisdom of others, regardless of how long or how little you have been at your profession.

CLONING

by

CLONING
By Ken Blue

“Cloning: The process of making a clone, a genetically identical copy. Cloning can refer to the technique of producing a genetically identical copy of an organism by replacing the nucleus of an unfertilized ovum with the nucleus of a body cell from the organism. The first adult mammal cloned was Dolly the Sheep in 1997.” Webster’s New World Medical Dictionary.

The cloning process has been going on for many years in fundamentalism. The procedure is simple. The pastor or evangelist attempts to “implant the nucleus” of his own organization or church into other churches. He does this because he believes what he does and the way he does it, is God’s way, and therefore, those who are not identical in every aspect are sick or somewhat deformed.

You can always identify these men. Your music must be identical to theirs. People must dress the same and sport the same haircut as those in their churches. If they have a street preaching ministry or jail ministry, you too must have one, to be right with God. If they shout and yell, you too must shout and yell or be classified cold and dead. Their goal is not to help you be what God wants you to be; they want you to be just like them.

In the cloning process, there are also some things you do that must stop or be removed. Their goal is to create a “look alike” church. This is how they know their cloning efforts have succeeded. As we said before, they are convinced that their “model” is God’s model and you must fit it to be right with God.

These men are convinced that prerecorded background music is wrong. If you project songs, a sermon outline, or a Bible verse on a screen, you are in league with Beelzebub. Why? Because your church is not just like theirs, and they believe their church is God’s model for all churches. Tradition has bound them to the hymnal to the point; they feel awkward or carnal if it is not in their hand.

I feel sorry for young pastors who will discover that they will never be granted the freedom to pastor their own church, as they believe God wants them to, and still maintain a relationship and fellowship with many, so called, Bible believers. You must submit to the cloning process, or be thrown overboard.

Cloning may or may not be evil. It is good to learn what you can that will help your ministry. If you must hold the hymnal, refuse background music; or the screen in your church to feel spiritual, that is fine and acceptable. But, in the name of all that is holy, stop your pious hypocrisy by pretending that you and your company have the Bible model for how a church should look and worship. You don’t know the answer to that; you simply want to clone one more church to look like yours for your own glory. “For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.” Galatians 6:13.