Am I wasting my time, I think everyone needs to study the bible more and be less concerned about work and money, you don't need to work full time to serve God, and you don't have to give a lot to charity or am I misunderstanding.

[Heleadethme]

3 hours ago, discipler777 said:

.

History in fact says otherwise, eg White US Christians enslaved and persecuted the Blacks from the 17th to 19th century, European Christians colonized and persecuted many Third World people from the 15th to 20th century, etc.

Paul and Peter suffered horrible persecution and martyrdom as prophesied by Jesus Christ. So, their writings might have been a bit slanted or have a persecution-complex.

Have all Christians recently been beaten, stoned/lynched by mobs, jailed or executed, especially those in the West.? Have you.?

If anyone believes the writings of the apostles were slanted in any way, then they must not believe them to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

[other one]

1 hour ago, maryjayne said:

Persecution can take many forms. We tend to focus on extreme physical persecution.

There are many Christian Muslims who have lost their entire families due to standing up for their faith, and become outcasts. As have ex Jehovah's Witnesses, and others. 

There are those who have trouble at work, or trouble finding work, homes, educational opportunities, due to their Christians beliefs.

There are those who are mocked, bullied, verbally abused, have 'tricks' played on them in low key ways day after day.

There are those who keep their family ties, but have to face negativity constantly.

In the UK, there are also Christians who fall foul of the new Hate Speech laws, and are harassed and reviled even when they have done nothing wrong, just because they are Christian. So much so, that there is a dedicated Christian legal charity to defend them.

the above is from here: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecuting

Even though I do understand what you are getting at to be kind of technical, there is no such thing as a Christian Muslim....  a Muslim is a follower of the teachings of Mohammad....      which no Christian would do

[discipler777]

46 minutes ago, Heleadethme said:

4 hours ago, discipler777 said:

.

History in fact says otherwise, eg White US Christians enslaved and persecuted the Blacks from the 17th to 19th century, European Christians colonized and persecuted many Third World people from the 15th to 20th century, etc.

Paul and Peter suffered horrible persecution and martyrdom as prophesied by Jesus Christ. So, their writings might have been a bit slanted or have a persecution-complex.

Have all Christians recently been beaten, stoned/lynched by mobs, jailed or executed, especially those in the West.? Have you.?

If anyone believes the writings of the apostles were slanted in any way, then they must not believe them to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

.

Was the inspired Book of Jonah to teach us that it is OK for us to be angry at God.?

Was inspired Paul right in calling James the Just(GALATIANS.1:19) and Barnabas(ACTS.14:14) as apostles.? Were there more than 12 Apostles of Christ.?

Remember, inspired Scripture was also given by God to us for correction from the false to the truth,(2TIMOTHY.3:16-17) eg be not like Judas Iscariot, the lost son of perdition/hell.

[UnprofitableServantJames]

It seems your question boils down to faith. Do people have the faith to not work for money, and still believe that they can effectively preach the gospel, or is God relying on people to work full-time for money, in order for us to get preach the gospel effectively. Interesting question to ponder... does Jesus say anything on this subject in the four gospels?

In peace

[LadyKay]

1 hour ago, UnprofitableServantJames said:

It seems your question boils down to faith. Do people have the faith to not work for money, and still believe that they can effectively preach the gospel, or is God relying on people to work full-time for money, in order for us to get preach the gospel effectively. Interesting question to ponder... does Jesus say anything on this subject in the four gospels?

In peace

I don't think God calls everyone to be the same and to do the same. For some he may call them to stop working their full time job and devote themselves to the ministry. To someone else, God my instruct them to  work a job outside of the ministry.  One needs to seek God in this matter and ask God to lead them to the path that he wants them to take.  

[UnprofitableServantJames]

55 minutes ago, LadyKay said:

I don't think God calls everyone to be the same and to do the same. For some he may call them to stop working their full time job and devote themselves to the ministry. To someone else, God my instruct them to  work a job outside of the ministry.  One needs to seek God in this matter and ask God to lead them to the path that he wants them to take.  

Interesting thought. As I asked in my last response: What does Jesus say on this subject?

[The_Patriot21]

You dont "need" to work full time to serve God...but it does help put food on the table especially for those of us who have families.

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

Believers have been commanded to share materially with the one who brought them the Gospel......If all the Believers did as they were told , the debate on whether preachers should work to sustain themselves would be moot.

I heard a preacher make the point that if preachers were delivering a Gospel from God that saved their listeners from an eternity in Hell—— they should be the highest paid people on the planet.Made sense to me—- anybody agree or disagree ?

[john1]

On 12/20/2018 at 12:58 AM, George said:

So why does God want his servants to give?  The reality is that generosity and giving are dealing with 2 main issues in the human heart.  First, it's dealing with the issue of selfishness

I don't give to Christian charity's no one over sees them to see if their trustworth, give.org checks on non Christian charity's, I give to people who ask me, I don't have a lot I can give, I'm on welfare, and have studied the the bible 36 years, I would be a pastor, but theirs  to many people with false teaching, and their believed.

When I had read the bible about 30 or 40 times I felt right at home in church, I remember a pastor did a sermon against gay people, I almost applauded, but now that I've read the bible over 200 times I know he was in the wrong.

 

And I agree with you we should give and not be selfish, but I don't have enough to give to charity's.

1 Peter chapter 4 verse 10 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

 I can't share much of my knowledge of the bible with people they won't accept it, unless you agree with what they've heard in church, and I don't agree with much of it.

 

But I do use my skill with a harmonica playing hymns on the street, I don't try to get money, if I was greedy I could join a band, or move to a tourist area and play hymns and support myself, and give a lot more, but I like where I'm at.

 

Isaiah chapter 57 verse 17

 

I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways.       2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.       Sorry I didn't answer sooner, I was visiting relatives.

[Michael37]

On ‎12‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 7:30 AM, Blood Bought 1953 said:

I heard a preacher make the point that if preachers were delivering a Gospel from God that saved their listeners from an eternity in Hell—— they should be the highest paid people on the planet.Made sense to me—- anybody agree or disagree ?

The kingdom of heaven has a different currency than the world. No amount of earthly currency can purchase salvation, but then it doesn't have to since Jesus has already paid for it with His death.