Wolves in sheep’s clothing
“In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor. Let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised” Ps. 10:2.
There is much to be said about the factories in China… the child labor, the buying and selling of people in exchange for their debts… and my heart bleeds… But what about what happens right here… In our “Christian” church?
There are those among us who “hotly pursue the poor.”
And what is worse is that they do it “In the name of Jesus.”
These so call they-themselves, “christians,” (lower case intended as to not offend our Lord), set up “ministries” in the name of Jesus under the provisions set forth by the American 501c3 Tax code…. To take care of and provide services for…. These poor people.
But the stark reality is: very little “poor” actually get the care they are promised at the hands of your funding, but rather the volunteers that actually come on site and help… A larger portion of the money is alotted to the founders and CEOs of these “ministries” and they make bank… and I mean A LOT of serious, and in some cases, tax-free, American hard-earned, money.
These “so-called” ministries take hundreds of thousands of dollars for “Administrative” costs from donors all across America- usually the hard working middle class, who understand the burdens of the poor and want to help.
The kicker, is that along with the money… these same people writing the check also donate their time, energy, and resources- and that includes medical personnel, airline miles and medical supplies, clothing, and other necessities.
So in many cases we are left wondering, “So what exactly” does our money fund?
Well in this case, their lifestyle. In another county. Using your money, your Doctors, your supplies, your necessities, and your volunteers.
The class act of one man (I’m like totally being facetious), set up his “ministry” after graduating from a Bible college in the US. After establishing the “medical” ministry in a different US state and laying the groundwork… such as establishing volunteers, a pool of donors, medical staff, and the board to actually run the US location, he set up a nice little salary for himself and proceeded to move his family to an Island in the Caribbean. (Amazing what you can do with absolutely NO medical training whatsoever…)
Moving out of the US is like hiding in the dark… but pay close attention to this story- because you can move, you can avoid the US IRS, but you cannot hide from God Almighty.
This family- which now consists of the man and his wife, living next door to his daughter and her 2nd husband, live in “luxury” with a large 3 story home in an upscale neighborhood complete with two maids, private schools, world-wide travel, and a house in the countryside for “conferences” (oh and family reunions)… while those they “help” stand in line behind the bribery of the officials that are also being paid for their “services.”
The staff? They get paid… 3rd world wages… but hey, they get paid right?
Oh, and of course the benefits of the currency exchange, living in a 3rd world country is HUGE! Almost 45 to 1 American dollar… pretty fabulous income opportunity when you get paid from the US, by-pass taxes and then receive 45 times the original value….
Quite the living.
Did I mention that this “christian” family, who runs this “christian” ministry, never, not once, ever, attends a church? Let alone established a church or as much as a Bible study? Well, they do not.
Their children cannot so much as tell you the Gospel message, what salvation is, let alone what it means to be a disciple of Christ.
I know this, because I know them.
Among other things, is tax evasion- although the company is set up under an American 501c3, the CEO, his family and his daughter’s family, the recipients of the money do not pay any American taxes.
Fabulous.
As a matter of fact… there was a time during some dissension within the “ministry” where money intended for the daughter of the CEO – the “Administrator,” deposited funds sent directly to her US bank…. (yes, she had her own “sponsors”).
I didn’t realize you did not have to live in the US to have a checking account… but apparently its fine, because I have come across two so far…
Another remark came during a conversation with a family member of mine that they could never return to live in America, because of the fact that they had never paid taxes.
Great gig – to have dual citizenship, free everything, and no accountability. Right?! All in the name of Jesus…
And before we get really upset, as we watch our money go to fund greed and self-righteous indignation… fortunately there were some good Christian men on that original ministry board and they are now ready and set to take all he owns – via trial by jury.
“Let there be nothing covered, that will not be revealed” (Matt 10:26).
You see, after many years, and lots and lots of donors, volunteers and money…. The Board of Directors, mainly made up of college buddies, had enough of this man and his family and his antics… and they ousted the founder and CEO and now… they are going after every single thing he owns. That is, if he hasn’t protected it with his “new” ministry… (Oh yes, he has a brand new shiny “christian” ministry).
Since the Lord Almighty has made this menace to the Christian faith a part of my life and allowed all of this to come down at this time- which is, I believe, God’s perfect timing… I sit by and prepare to watch every moment of this trial.
And I watch with great expectation and frankly, thankfulness. Because along with the men who now have to recover from the great catastrophe of their former leader (as so many that have gone before him) they have to rebuild this ministry for good, and they will, God is with them, they have already done good by Him to remove the garbage from their midst.
We will however, as a church, once again recover from the arrogance, greed and theft of yet another Judas.
I hate these people. Because they are the worst of the worst. They are the “Wolves in sheep’s clothing” they are the bad seeds, they are the disgrace of the Church and today, in our fight for the right to profess our faith- these “vipers” need to be held accountable by the church and it’s people:
Matthew tells us to speak to them privately.
Done. No change.
Take two or more with you.
Well, the board of directors has now done that, and it has ended in a court battle.
The Bible says they need to be excommunicated from “The Church.”
Yet, they already have a ministry brewing…
So, I watch and I wait….
And I thank God for social media, hopefully there are some “Church” donors listening.
And in case you think I’m just a mean-girl, Here’s what Paul says:
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God. God gave them up to a based mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, and insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:28-32).
But this group of misfits are not alone. They are just in my line of sight…
Too bad for them.
The fact is, they are not alone! There are many, many others out there who are, “in the name of Jesus,” using the “poor” the underprivileged and even the widows and children to get to you, and not unlike the mother in the Mercedes that hides it in the parking lot while her and her little son stand on the corner with a sign pleading for your dollar… they are everywhere.
We have an issue right here in our back yard. We have people who pray to the dead thinking they will be their intercessors, We tell our neighbors that their loved ones are looking down on them (they are not, if they are in heaven- they are not thinking about you, they are with Jesus in glory… really how important do you think you are?). We have people who think angels are pretty little girls or chubby fat kids with wings… or worse yet – dead people!
They are mighty warrior’s people! And they are men… so as far as we can tell~ Gabe and Michael might have more to say on this… but it’ll have to wait for now.
So before you write that next check… let me just say this – What have you done or said, free of charge that might aid in… or plant a seed of… salvation lately? Did assist a homeless person with a bag of necessities? Dental or Eye glass treatments? What have you taken from your “unworn clothing” section of your closet that would clothe a woman who ran from her batterer last night?
And for those of you in “ministry” – like Dave and I, we are held to a higher standard and you cannot move away and hide from God almighty – especially when you are defiling His holy name, His principals, commands and precepts.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked” (Gal 6:7).
Jesus, I pray that all that we do would be for the glory of you. Alone. But for those false prophets and false teachers…. “Workers of lawlessness,” who so arrogantly say: “Lord, Lord didn’t I do many great works in your name,” be cast away (Matt. 7:21-23).
Words of wisdom, from Acts 11-17 Bible Study (Online).
Dallas Willard: “Almost all evil deeds and intents are begun with the thought that they can be hidden by deceit.”
“The murderer rises before it is light that he may kill the poor and needy, and in the night he is like a thief. The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight, saying, ‘No eye will see me’; and he veils his face. In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves up; they do not know the light” (Job 24:14-16).
“Ah, you who hide deep from the Lord your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, “Who sees us? Who knows us?” You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?”’ (Is 29:15, 16).
“… for we have made a lie our refuge, and falsehood our hiding place” (Is. 28:15).
“My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes” (Jer 16:17).
“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful” 1 Cor: 1-2.
In case you missed it: This is our job:
Repent. Teach. Disciple. Serve. Repeat.
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Holly T. Ashley 