The writer believes there is nothing wrong with what Dr. Mensa Otabil did
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (John 12:5).
Once upon a time, Jesus had finished preaching and walked through town and His feet were almost dusty I perceived because He does most of his preaching and ministrations on foots and at weird times uses the boast if he has to cross the coast. And the bible said whiles seated a certain woman poured oil which was monetarily worth 12 month's salary on Jesus' feet.
That means she worked for 12 months and bought oil with the salary and poured it upon the feet of Jesus, as though Jesus wouldn't walk again. Is that a waste?
Another time, a sticking scenario happened in first Kings chapter seventeen: a genuine prophet walked into a widows house and then demanded to be fed by the widow, the widow pleaded' man of God, what I have is for me and my son to eat and die, please what happened to your spiritual eyes? Can’t you see I am a widow and I am broke', the prophet said before anything feed me first.
Is that wickedness? The woman obeyed, what was the outcome? The widow who was expecting to die became a supplier of oil in her town. She became too rich that it was impossible for her to be ignored by society.
Why the above scenarios?
Last week a group of prophets storm this country with mantles and tokens to be released on the land, most of us were at the program. The program was organized by one of the most organized and well-planned churches in Africa. After the first session, the man of God quoted some ranges of financial demands and placed it a corresponding reaction to it, for instance- if you can give $ 5,000 walk here and God will put you in the millionaire’s class and whatsoever and so on.
After this incidence social media was flooded with a lot of castigations and malignant concern. For the first time, I saw the church and the world speaking the same language as though we don't know scriptures.
Scandal, gimmicks, unbiblical acts and pastoral tricks were the vocabularies upon the tongues of both the world and the church. So I decided to talk about it since no one is ready to defend the course of this faith.
There was nothing wrong with what the man of God did.
Because he made a request not a demand. If you read through the Bible, you will identify one consistent mantra that Jesus uses and that is: according to your faith. If the man of God quoted $5,000 dollars and your faith tells you to go, you are free to go, God will confirm His words concerning that word, why? Because of the office.
If you go through the screen and you didn't see your capacity, what you do is not to insult and curse the man of God like most witches in Africa do, but to pray on your seed and go and sow it anyway. Haven't you read in scriptures that many rich people want to give and an elderly woman gave some coins yet Jesus said among all those rich men that gave, this elderly woman's money supersedes theirs all, why? According to your faith.
Let me put this right before I forget: the world can never and ever understand the paradigm of the church. The church is also not permitted to follow the patterns of the world. In the world, we loot, create, kill and share but in the church apart from work, the bible said He gives seed to the sower. In the
In the world, we save and invest, in the church after investments and savings you pay your tithes and offerings. In the world, you can be married and sleep with a lot of women but in the church, you are to be committed to one woman. In the world, sin is pampered but in the church sin is judged. Why? Because the world and the church are two different entities. The church is established in this world but this world is not permitted to be established in the church.
When the money was mentioned people went with gladness and rejoicing, you think they have been charmed? No. The Bible said man's possession is for his redemption, that means your money and properties is to be used to deliver yourself from future recurring troubles. Won't you rather sow a seed of GH 200 and save yourself of spending $ 10,000 on dialysis? What we must pray for is a good and right man of God who is a good field and is worthy of the seed and be sure that this is from God.
So I want to urge those arguing with the folks from the other side to halt all arguments because this is a conflict between two worlds. I have programmed my mind to see every fund raising program as an opportunity for me to be blessed. You are free to choose your way out of poverty but as for me and my house: after the prayer, fasting, work and investment we will sow the seeds for a bumper harvest.
We have been saving from birth and refused to sow yet we can't marry, neither have we bought a land or make any fat investments, even if we have, why do we still ran away from family responsibilities? It’s because it’s not enough. So if savings (and not giving to God) is the answer why are we not where we want to be? There is a missing link, let's search it out.
Let me end this quote with a saying from the senior Apostle Paul: Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. If what was in your heart falls within the range, below the range or above the range- Stand up and go and give. Heaven will not be closed on you. Thank you and your comments are welcome