You can not serve two masters, you will love one and hate the other.

Live_By_Common_Sense: So basically, praising God and loving money is serving two masters am I correct? So what about all the rich pastors, preachers, and televangelist having wealth and riches able to live in mansions and even have the audacity to use the peoples money for to buy themselves a jet. What kind of hypocrisy is that? Someone explain this dilemma for me please.

suchso: I don't get that either.
I think those prosperity preachers may be loving themselves more than God. They think they are called by God and anointed to preach.

But I wonder who anointed them?

They seem to have a different gospel to Jesus Christ. It is good to give to the poor, but where in the bible does it say to give to the rich!

Live_By_Common_Sense: Yeah, so I am just confused on these rich pastor. I am reluctant to give out money to the church now, since these pastors use money for themselves. If I see them using money for the people that is trying to help themselves and they are down on their luck. Than I would feel the need to give for the offering. But these televangelist, preachers and pastors who use money for their own luxury. I give no hope or pity for them, because they deserve jail time big time.

Zanjan: Suchso: "They think they are called by God and anointed to preach."

Umm.........that's what they want their audience to think. They, themselves, think differently - they're scammers who know where the easy targets are. They're born users and old religion is the best tool for manipulating the vulnerable. You'd think after more than 50 years of televangelism, even the lazy would have learned their lessons.

Let's not forget that many religious members are users too - whatever they can get out of the congregation is far easier to perloin than they could outside of it.

Zanjan: Mammon isn't confined to money - it's the word for 'materialism'.

One desires status, a job, a car, modern conveniences, good physical health, fun, comfort, a long list of friends, rest, attention, a family, safety, happiness etc - nothing wrong with wanting those things; it's what you're willing to do to get and keep them.

Materialism is focusing on the things and worries of the world, rather than on the things of God. Such believe in material solutions, not spiritual solutions.

Listen to what people pray for - most often, it's for body-repair and success, not for personal acquisition of spiritual virtues, courage, wisdom, the right words, and just vision.

suchso: True, they want their audience to believe, but I'm sure some of those preachers really believe they are called by God to preach.
As Secret_Asian said, I don't mind giving to a charity to help those in need.

But in the news recently, the televangelist Jesse Duplantis asked his followers to donate for a 45 million dollar personal jet.
He used to be on television here in Australia. I never found his preaching to be helpful so I wouldn't support him.

Zanjan: If they thought they were called by God to preach, why didn't they stick with a standard church and take care of its congregation? They wanted more for themselves and poverty wasn't it. So much for taking up one's cross and leaving everything behind to follow Jesus.

I heard that jet-setting preacher say "it's what Jesus would have wanted". Then explain why Jesus didn't own transportation - He borrowed a donkey once, but only for a single trip.

As for the supporters, what did they want that God wouldn't give them?

suchso: Yeh, They think they're following God, but they are following the god of this world ie. Self importance and ego. - The preachers and followers alike.

Zanjan: On the bright side, it seems those televangelists are filtering the losers out, drawing the disingenuous away from regular churches and isolating the infection.
The devil has its attractions.

Live_By_Common_Sense: So the devil, works with God?

suchso: As I understand it, the devil works under God's authority. Satan is the tempter and deceiver.
As Jesus said:
Luke 22
31“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
32but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

To sift is to seperate the wheat from the chaff; the good from the worthless.

Live_By_Common_Sense: Yes, even the story of Job shows that satan was called by God to test his faith for Him. So basically satan does work under God's authority.