I am a coward. You want to know why? Well, I believe God has burned some certain messages upon my heart but because I'm so afraid of offending people. I've kept them quiet. I've kept them to myself. But today I decided enough is enough and I'm going to share with you three Christian scams. Now, before we get started, I want to tell you something. Some of you will be angry at some of the things I'm going to say. So before you write a negative comments, would you do a favor
for me? Would you be willing to listen to this video all the way through? Through and hear the arguments in all of their fullness before you dismiss what I'm about to say. Okay. So the first Christian scam that should be made illegal is the word of faith movement. All the Prosperity Gospel. What is the Prosperity?
Gospel is basically the idea that God wants every single Christian in the whole world to be rich and the more faith you have, the more God will make you rich, the more you donate to these prosperity preachers. The more God will also increase your material. Now, why is this a problem? Well, the Bible says God Will Supply your every need. Not your everyone, not your every loss and I every craving,
not your every desire. Know your every need the Bible also says this and having food and clothing with these we shall be content. May I ask you a very personal question. If you only had clothes on your back food in your stomach, a roof over your head and Jesus Christ. Would that be enough for you constantly? Looking at you constantly? In, for the next thing, more accolades, more money, more success, more popularity. Are you trying to get as much out of this world? But can you?
And I say, like David said, in Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want why? Because Jesus Christ is more than enough for me, but speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus wants said, this woe to you who are rich. So, in other words, Jesus saying it can actually be a curse to be rich. That's not something you hear every day. The So Paul said this, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of Evil's for which song have strayed from the faith in
their greediness. And pierced themselves through with many sorrows. And the truth, is this some of the greatest young people had so much potential for the Lord Jesus Christ, got corrupted by this thing called gold, but hear what you're saying, you're saying, Joe, doesn't it say in the passage. The love of money is the root of all evil. You're right. It is the Love of Money. E, which is the problem, not
having money itself. And if you yourself can earn a heap of money and only take what you need and give the rest away to the poor or to Ministry or praise. God. You're a stronger man than I am. But for the rest of us, never forget this. Quote by Thomas Carlyle for every 100 man that can stand in adversity. There is only one man who can withstand Prosperity. So that all of these vain Ambitions die. Let us be able to say with the psalmist. David the Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want. I just need you. Jesus, you were enough but let's just rewind for a second. Why did the Apostle Paul warned Believers? So strongly about the love of money and how it can actually make you stray from the faith. There's actually a very, very famous example of this Boomer talking about. Well, let's see if you can get the right answer, leave it in the comment box. Who do you think is one person
who let the Love of Money? Bring them away from the Lord Jesus Christ. Does the name Judas, Iscariot ring any bells, Judas was the disciples Treasurer and that's why Church Treasurer's have to be so careful that they don't let the Love of Money, get into their hearts because they are dealing with big sums of money. And so were Judas all this money coming through and he was being trusted to be pure in this area of finances. So, how did the Pharisees
managed to persuade Judas? Iscariot to betray the Lord. Jesus Christ. What was the bait? That they dangled in front of Judas. Money, okay, you ready for this? I'm going to say something very controversial right now. It's not just the prosperity preachers, who have been abusing their listeners and trying to get money out of them. I believe this is now creeped in to the Evangelical Church and traditional Christians who we put on these huge, big paddle. Stools are also trying to get
money out of their listeners. Am I the only one who thinks that we've become far too glamorous expensive suits photo shoots with your favorite. Strong, the front cover. All glossy all clean Conference Centers in five-star hotels with luxurious meals. And then on top of all of that. It seems like churches are being run like businesses with CEOs. And the church, doesn't really look like the church anymore. It's starting to look more and more like the world.
And again, perhaps you disagree with me, but I just think no wonder, no one's getting saved these days because Ministry has become about getting that orange and Going to squeeze every last drop of juice, out of the orange to get everything, we can out of this world. To get all of the money. All of the fame and Ministry has become so much about the man. And so little about the Lord, Jesus Christ, what happened to
the gym? Elliot's of the world, who are willing to go to a dangerous tribe and die and he did die trying to reach the Lost. What happened to the doctor, Helen rows of ears? And she was one night when she tried to reach the Congolese people, but she carried on ministering to that people. What? Put into the David Brain. It's of the world who died in
his thirties. Eating berries, and riding for miles and miles on Horseback trying to reach the American people getting hypothermia and living in a hot were nothing like the old Saints of the past and I just think myself included. We need to look at ourselves and say, has to become about us, or is it about the Lord Jesus Christ. But again, please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying by any means, we can't have nice things. It's nice to go on a holiday.
It's nice to wear nice clothes. It's nice to go out for a meal every now and then but I'm just saying don't let these things dominate your life and make sure that every single one of us is giving away freely to the poor and to other missions and Ministries. So that the work of the Lord might increase. Now the second Christian scam which is going to offend a lot of people is this idea of the
online church. Now, before we go into this, I want you to know this does not apply to anyone who has a serious health issue, who can't leave the house.
This. Apply to anyone who perhaps the government has closed their church right now so they can't meet in fellowship and it doesn't apply to anyone who lives in the middle of the Wilderness and there's nowhere near them where there's a bible-believing church at, they can easily attend but it does apply to all those Christians across the world who no longer think it's necessary to meet with a local body of Believers in the flash. But again, I can hear exactly what you're thinking.
You're saying to me Joe. You and I are part of the church were part of this big church together. Anyone, who's a Christian? It is in the church and you're right, me and you are in the church together, but we mustn't confuse the global church with the local church. The global church is for instance, web says husband's love your wives as Christ loved. The church is talking about all the believes in the world. But then in the Bible, there are also very clear verses about the local church.
Romans 16 verse 16 says all the Churches of Christ greet. You notice how it says churches not just church Acts. Verse 22 says the reports of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem. There was a local church in Jerusalem. 1 Corinthians 16 verse 1 says this. Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I directed the churches of galatia. So you also are to do. So there were local Christians who are supporting the work of the Lord in galatia and Hebrews 10.
Verse 25 says, this not forsaking the Assembly of Ourselves to gather a my friends. It breaks my heart to know that right now. There are believers listening to my voice who are forsaking meeting with other believers together. And Jesus Christ said by this, all will know that you are my disciples. If you have love for one another, to let me ask you this. How can we have love for one another? How can we have love for of a
Christians? If we refused to meet with the body of Christ, if you Used to sing hymns together and Worship the Lord together. How can we lay hands on a discourage believer and pray for them if we just do online Church, how can we show hospitality and open up our home as the Bible commands? If we just decide to hide from all the other believers in the world. Now, look, I really don't want to be insensitive to anyone
listening. I know they'll be people listening to this video right now who have been really hurt by Christians in the past. And because Cuz of it you've hid away and you want nothing to do with them. And looking at you right now is a man who has been her far more by Believers, the non-believers of ever hurt me. But, never forget this, just because you've had one bad meal, doesn't mean you never eat again and I can tell you one thing for
free. There are lots and lots of bible-believing churches out there who love the Lord Jesus Christ. And you want to encourage you as a Believer right now. They might be small. The might only be three people in the whole church. But they are out that if you look hard enough, and some of you need to hear this too, instead of praying on your past, has why not pray for your pastor. I'd be lying to you. If I didn't say it, melts my
heart. When people write in the comment box, Pastor Joel, it really does touch my spirit, and it makes me feel good. But, the truth is this, I'm not your pasta. I'm just an average guy. Your average Joe making videos on the internet and there's nothing worse than when Robin thinks he's Batman. And Sighs. There's nothing worse. Than when a Christian YouTuber tries to take the place of a pasta and some other things. You email me. Some of the things you write to me in the comment box.
I think there's no way I can help you. If this you need a Shepherd in your local area to pray with you, to encourage you and to meet with you, on a regular basis to work you through these issues. I've said this before. It's really good to take Vitamin D. Supplements. It will really bless your life, but never ever forget. You need the main course and that's what Christine YouTube videos. Like that just like supplements.
It will bless your life, but never forget the main course, which is the local church and fellowship with other believers. Very recently. I heard an English Pastor, a man called David Earnshaw say this in a sermon and it blew my mind. He said in 2020, the small shops couldn't survive, but the big shots just got bigger and bigger. He said, his time went on, even the biggest shops could no longer survive, because everything went online and
likewise the same thing. Thing has happened with the church. At first. The small church is couldn't survive. They've shut down and I know churches the shutdown in the last 12 months, but the big church is got bigger and bigger, but now it's come to the point where even the big churches can't survive. Because everything has gone
online. And as Boris Johnson, the British prime minister said, if you want your local shop to stay open, use it and if you want your local church to stay open, we'll use it. Visit it, encourage it. I'll be part of that Fellowship. Perhaps I'm the only one who is tired of driving past Church buildings, and we know that the church is not the building, its the people but it does break
your heart. When you pass a building that once had a hundred people meeting in and now it's just become a place to sell tables and chairs or it's become another religious Center, because the Christians didn't support it when it was open. Okay, here's how we're going to do this. I'm going to share with you an Eastern Fable, but just to make things. He's a little bit more interesting. I'm going to turn it into a riddle. So let's see which of you out there?
Can guess the correct answer to the riddle. And once you've got it, of course, leave it in the comment box below. One day six. Blind men were told to put their hands on something and describe just what it was. They could feel the first blind, man. Said this I feel something. Large like a big oversized fan. The next blind man. Said this, as I put my hands on it, it feels rock-hard a bit
like a brick wall. Another Man, at the back said, I feel as though I can feel a strong sort of cord like a rope. The two at the front. One of them said this? No. No, it's not a rope. What I feel is a sort of spear, it's sharp, and it's smooth. And the man next to him said really because I feel something quite rugged, like a large sort of snake ready to buy it and then the very very last blind, man said, all of you are wrong. Do you know what? I can feel a large tree trunk?
My dear friends. Have you guessed what it was? The blind men were touching. They had found a big large elephant. Now, why do I tell you that story? There's actually one reason and one reason alone. I believe the culture that you and I live in right now has become just like those six blind man. All around the world. We have men and women laying their hands on God and trying to describe what it is. They feel they come up with their own assumptions. Their own.
Judgments, and they try to bring God down into their own culture. For instance, me get one man. And he says, yeah, I think God just wants us to be happy. It doesn't matter who I'm in a relationship with doesn't matter who I. Marry as long as I'm happy God's happy, another man might stand up. And say, yeah. When I read the Bible, I just, I just don't think that hell is meant to be taken, literally. I don't think God would ever send anyone to Hell. Another person.
A lady. Perhaps says, I don't really think that God would ever Want us to take the resurrection seriously? No, it's more of a metaphor. It's more of a picture that we need to. Just look after one another and care for one another because good always triumphs over evil. And they interpret the Bible. They change it, they mess it up and they're laying their hands boldly on things that they have. No. Right. To touch whatsoever. Perhaps you thinking, Joe. It can't get much worse.
Now. Can it surely will? The answer is? I'm afraid. Yes. It can get a lot worse. So not only now, if we got lecturers professors. Skeptics atheist. The people all around is trying to bend and shape and challenge the Bible. But right now we have the church itself. Jumping onto this same bandwagon and they too. Are questioning the Bible. They too are trying to bend it and Slot it in to this very ungodly culture that we live in. And what do they call themselves?
They call themselves Progressive Christians, if you leave with just one thought ringing in your ears. I want it to be this one. Culture is not King. Jesus is King and I don't know who you follow on Instagram. I don't know who you watch on Tick-Tock who you listen to on YouTube, but I do know. One thing. Does it matter? How beautiful they are. It doesn't matter how talented, how much of a great singer.
They are. If this person does not believe that the word of God is true from Genesis to Revelation that person isn't worth listening to at all. Jesus Christ himself said this woe to you. When everyone speaks well of you for that is how their ancestors. Treated the false prophets. You see in the Old Testament. We read about these false prophets who had big big crowds
around them. The people love what they had to say because they deceive the people, they told the people everything they wanted to hear with their dreams and they'd say thus, saith the Lord. But God himself said they ran those false prophets. They ran, but I did not send them but then the man, the prophet that God did send what happened. Then the crowds turned on him and said, shut up. We don't want to hear you. Will someone get this guy to be quiet?
And sometimes they would even have Stones thrown at them. If you start preaching the truth just like John the Baptist, you might lose your head and as Leonard Ravenhill said, oh how we could do with some men who are willing to lose their heads for Jesus. So in 2021, how do we apply this? Well, if you want a big following, if you want many supporters, if you want to be rich, just tell the people what they want to hear.
That's what Progressive Christianity, does it tells the people what they want to hear it? Basically ripped out pages of the Bible ignores the important bits and doesn't like the bits that hold up the mirror to our sin and show us just how ugly we are. Just how vile we are. And that's why we need a savior Jesus Christ to redeem us because we have no hope in ourselves. There is nothing good from the head to the toe. There is nothing sound that
dwells within our flash. But what does the progressive Christian want to do? He wants to do as many good work. Works. She wants to do as many good works because that's what this world, like social justice, environmentalism all these things, which are good in and of themselves, but that will not save you. It is only the god of the Bible. Jesus Christ, who can save you. The Bible says, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers. So what do they want to do to us?
What do they want to do to Christians? They want us to be quiet. So, you'll find this in your workplace, in your school, in your neighborhood. Everyone will be putting pressure on you to be silent. But you know what, I believe the greatest tragedy of all is we obey and very often Christians are so quiet when we should be.
Speaking up, jumping is interesting that when June comes literally pretty much every town and every city around the world will be filled with thousands and thousands of people marching up and down the streets celebrating pride month. Johnny. It's interesting that the Muslims when they are offended, and when something goes wrong,
Wrong to do with their faith. They go out on the streets and they campaigned for Sharia law, and they really do put their feet down, Julius interest in that the environmentalist, they'll climb or Builders or get arrested. They'll tell the whole world that we want to bring rights for animals. And then what about you? And I you and I have a message of Hope. The only hope that gives a man or woman a hope beyond the grave truth eternal life through Jesus Christ.
And what do we do? We keep it silent. And that's what the world likes us to do. As long as we're just harmless, like the Ned Flanders of the world, people are happy, but we mustn't be silent. And that's really what this video is about today. Now, is not the time to be silent. Now, is the time to obey Jesus Christ. Command to preach the gospel to Every Creature. Now, if it's okay with you, I just like to have a private conversation with anyone who's watching this video.
Now, who is a preacher, whether you've got small platform or a large platform? I'd really like to chat to you right now. A little while ago. I sat down with my pastor and we talked about all kinds of things for about four hours. And one of the questions I asked him, was this, if there was one thing, you regret in the many years you've had in Ministry. What's the one thing you would change? And he said, Joe, if I could change one thing. I wish when I was a younger man.
I preached more of Jesus Christ. You see you and I we could criticize liberal Christians to The cows come home, we can pull holes at their Theology. And boy also need to look at our own Hearts. The Apostle Paul said this for I decided to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified here is this man, the Apostle Paul with this huge intellect and yet he decided to know one thing, the simple Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And my fear really is this.
I'm scared that you and I have also Let's the culture, dictates what we make our message is about. Okay, we're not like the progressive Christian in that, we sort of twist it, and bend it, and make it more suitable to the world. But we've let social media and clicks inform. What we make our message is about. Let me give you an example right now. There is a big trending that is just rushing. Through all of our recommendations on whatever platform you're on and it's
exposing preachers. People are obsessed with Exposing other false teachers. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. The Bible says to Mark and expose, but is it really our emphasis right now that there's an emphasis also on the weird and the wonderful, the most controversial things. We see in the Bible. Lots of messages have been pumped out about that and it's just a question. I'm asking, I'm asking it to my cell to have. We lost our way a bit.
Have we lost our emphasis by keeping the main thing the main thing and that's Jesus. Stand him crucified, whether there's a man or woman, who's never heard the name Jesus before. All those someone who's been a Believer for 80 years, every single one of us needs to soak up the gospel every single day because let's be honest. That's what heaven's going to be about. It's not gonna be about false teachers. It's not going to be about lectures and apologetics.
It's going to be about this, wonderful fact that Jesus Christ died for me, and that's what we need to hear. So just a suggestion for myself and for perhaps You also make sure that your messages are consumed with Christ. Make sure you focus set aside videos every now and then they're just completely all about the Lord. Jesus Christ and him alone. And who knows what the holy spirit will. Do when the gospel gets out to all these people around the world.
I find that very exciting and I'm sure you do too. One more thing before you go. Sometimes people aren't used to me preaching harsh messages like this. Well, if you'd like to hear some of my hard message, Edges on lukewarm Christianity on false teachings. Please do click here. Perhaps you'll find some of them helpful. And if you haven't yet, subscribe to this YouTube Ministry, please do consider subscribing. We'd really love your friendship here off the curb Ministries.