“Many earnest persons who are to-day advocating more or less of the industrial principles of Socialism are at the same time holding on (nominally at least) to the main doctrines of Christianity. But it will be readily seen that these persons as Christians are apathetic, while as Socialists they are full of propagating zeal. The converts they make are converts to Socialism, not to Christ; and the places of these propagandists, when vacant, will be acceptably filled, and all they are now doing will be just as well done, by others who make no profession at all of Christianity. It is quite compatible with much of what is taught in the churches to-day to do homage to Man himself as his own deliverer.” This quote is taken from ‘The Number of Man’ by Philip Mauro, written in 1908. Do not think for one minute that it does not apply to our generation, for our generation is seeing the completion of what began well over a hundred years ago.
This week I learned of a widely promoted upcoming event; Town Hall of Hope – Dave Ramsey. It’s all over the internet. If you are a member of one of the mega-churches, or their satellites, you no doubt have received the DVD or other information inviting you to attend and participate in this latest attempt by man to save himself.
There are two separate links in the title. The town hall of hope takes you to the internet invitation, while Dave Ramsey is a link to a wikipedia search of the man.
Here are a few things that Philip Mauro said in 1908 regarding ‘MONEY:’
“Money is also a god to those who put their trust in it; and many seek it, not for the sake of procuring supplies to meet their bodily needs and desires, but for the power and influence it confers upon its possessors.
Furthermore, money is a god in that it bestows honors, dignities, and rank upon those who serve it best. The aristocracy of to-day is not so much that of rank, or of brains, or of culture, as that of wealth. What separates humanity into distinct classes is the fact of their having or not having money. Small wonder is it then that we see the multitudes zealously and fervently engaged in the service of Mammon, the financial interest taking the foremost place in the affairs of the world, and the nomenclature of money becoming that part of human language which is most in use. There are probably no two substantives that are more frequently used in the conversations of the day than "money" and "business."
This idolatry has infected the Lord's people, who have been often seduced to set their hearts upon, and put their trust in, uncertain riches rather than in the living God. When anything is to be done, the first thought often is, not "Is this the Lord's mind?" though He will surely supply the need of all His own work, but, "How much money will it take?" In many ways, of which it is not necessary to multiply instances, the thought is expressed that, if only there were enough money, this or that result could be accomplished for God.
But the need of the Lord is not for money. His need is rather for willing hearts and fully consecrated lives. It is for the lack of these that His work lags, and the gospel is not carried into "the regions beyond." God is not straitened in His finances, but in the hearts of His people. Oh, that they, who have received His unspeakable gift, might realize that they are debtors "both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise" (Rom. 1:14), and might diligently seek opportunity to discharge that debt by communicating to those, on whose behalf they have received the Gospel in trust, the knowledge of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus!
The service of mammon is utterly incompatible with the service of God, for the Lord has said, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon" (Matt. 6:24); and none have greater need to understand this than they who justify in their own eyes the pursuit and love of money by the vain thought of using it in the Lord's work. It is to His own people that Christ addresses this warning.” [end quote]
“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence….Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” John 18:36-37.
Just whose voice are we seeking to hear? Whose wisdom can save us? Whose ‘truth’ are we willing to follow? Has man’s way suddenly become superior to God’s way? Is preserving our worldly wealth; maintaining the ‘lifestyle’ to which we have become accustomed a higher priority than that we be found “pleasing in his sight”…. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” 1 John 3:22. Have we fallen for the lie that there is ‘another way?’ “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
Do we now believe that we can follow the teachings of men, and still somehow hope to meet the requirements of a Holy God? Are we now so full of ourselves, that we can proclaim, “I refuse to participate in this recession?”… and actually believe that makes any kind of difference? Maybe you would like to proclaim, “I’m not going to ever look any older than I do right now,” or how about “I will myself to grow 3 more inches, since I always wanted to be taller?” Good luck with that!
No, its being promoted throughout ‘churches,’ under the guise of being ‘spiritual help’… and is nothing more than the carnal ‘wisdom ???’ of fallen man. What relationship does preserving your monetary ‘wealth’ have to do with your relationship to God, and your spiritual prosperity?
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” 1 Peter 3:4.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” 1Co 6:19-20.
Jesus said: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Matthew 6:25.
“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on” Luke 12:22.
This week I learned of a widely promoted upcoming event; Town Hall of Hope – Dave Ramsey. It’s all over the internet. If you are a member of one of the mega-churches, or their satellites, you no doubt have received the DVD or other information inviting you to attend and participate in this latest attempt by man to save himself.
There are two separate links in the title. The town hall of hope takes you to the internet invitation, while Dave Ramsey is a link to a wikipedia search of the man.
Here are a few things that Philip Mauro said in 1908 regarding ‘MONEY:’
“Money is also a god to those who put their trust in it; and many seek it, not for the sake of procuring supplies to meet their bodily needs and desires, but for the power and influence it confers upon its possessors.
Furthermore, money is a god in that it bestows honors, dignities, and rank upon those who serve it best. The aristocracy of to-day is not so much that of rank, or of brains, or of culture, as that of wealth. What separates humanity into distinct classes is the fact of their having or not having money. Small wonder is it then that we see the multitudes zealously and fervently engaged in the service of Mammon, the financial interest taking the foremost place in the affairs of the world, and the nomenclature of money becoming that part of human language which is most in use. There are probably no two substantives that are more frequently used in the conversations of the day than "money" and "business."
This idolatry has infected the Lord's people, who have been often seduced to set their hearts upon, and put their trust in, uncertain riches rather than in the living God. When anything is to be done, the first thought often is, not "Is this the Lord's mind?" though He will surely supply the need of all His own work, but, "How much money will it take?" In many ways, of which it is not necessary to multiply instances, the thought is expressed that, if only there were enough money, this or that result could be accomplished for God.
But the need of the Lord is not for money. His need is rather for willing hearts and fully consecrated lives. It is for the lack of these that His work lags, and the gospel is not carried into "the regions beyond." God is not straitened in His finances, but in the hearts of His people. Oh, that they, who have received His unspeakable gift, might realize that they are debtors "both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise" (Rom. 1:14), and might diligently seek opportunity to discharge that debt by communicating to those, on whose behalf they have received the Gospel in trust, the knowledge of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus!
The service of mammon is utterly incompatible with the service of God, for the Lord has said, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon" (Matt. 6:24); and none have greater need to understand this than they who justify in their own eyes the pursuit and love of money by the vain thought of using it in the Lord's work. It is to His own people that Christ addresses this warning.” [end quote]
“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence….Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice” John 18:36-37.
Just whose voice are we seeking to hear? Whose wisdom can save us? Whose ‘truth’ are we willing to follow? Has man’s way suddenly become superior to God’s way? Is preserving our worldly wealth; maintaining the ‘lifestyle’ to which we have become accustomed a higher priority than that we be found “pleasing in his sight”…. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” 1 John 3:22. Have we fallen for the lie that there is ‘another way?’ “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.
Do we now believe that we can follow the teachings of men, and still somehow hope to meet the requirements of a Holy God? Are we now so full of ourselves, that we can proclaim, “I refuse to participate in this recession?”… and actually believe that makes any kind of difference? Maybe you would like to proclaim, “I’m not going to ever look any older than I do right now,” or how about “I will myself to grow 3 more inches, since I always wanted to be taller?” Good luck with that!
No, its being promoted throughout ‘churches,’ under the guise of being ‘spiritual help’… and is nothing more than the carnal ‘wisdom ???’ of fallen man. What relationship does preserving your monetary ‘wealth’ have to do with your relationship to God, and your spiritual prosperity?
“But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” 1 Peter 3:4.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” 1Co 6:19-20.
Jesus said: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Matthew 6:25.
“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on” Luke 12:22.
Whose disciple are you?
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