Tithing part three

Most leadership want the people following and obeying them, after all, they're the ones appointed by God to lead everyone else - honestly, Moses had to die in order for the people to enter into their "promised land". A new generation with new leadership would never have arisen if Moses continued on. You must personally learn how to lead, how to shepherd your own soul...you cannot always depend on your pastor to do it nor should you. There comes a time in every church's destiny when the pastor must step aside but too few pastors spend anytime at all grooming a Joshua or an Elisha to take over - though it's a perfectly natural thing for a parent to do.
When the Holy Spirit is absent from our leadership - then he is absent from the people. In his absence, the will of the pastor becomes supreme - not God's. Of course they'll tell the people that everything they say and teach is of God because, they'll constantly remind us, they are the ones chosen by God to lead, therefore they must be right all the time.
They will beg and cajole the people into giving their money each week to them. They don't require your life, only a few hours of your time each week and your money but if you want to serve God, you must do it by serving them. They must authorize your service and approve of it in the framework of their ministry. The focus of your Christianity is on them, the leadership in your local church. They twist scriptures to suit their purpose, often taking scriptures which are not about money at all and making them into money lessons. For instance Luke 6:38 - this scripture could be referring to love, not money - "Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over shall men give unto your bosom, for with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again". I've always been taught this scripture refers to money - haven't you? Think about this - God's kingdom does not need money, it runs on love. Jesus sent forth his disciples with "no money in their purse" and as we see in Luke 22:36 "they lacked nothing", though they went forth with nothing! How? God himself provided for them through his people, who allowed God to shed his love abroad in their hearts (Rom:5:5). They fed and clothed and sheltered his disciples who went forth in obedience to his command and they still do it today. I know from personal experience because this is exactly what happened to my family when we moved to Ireland by faith.
Jesus taught them for awhile, every day, not once or twice a week for a few hours. We too must meet with Jesus every day, not just at church. Then he sent them - he did not take over a synagogue somewhere, collect everyone's money then build a bigger synagogue. He did not require his disciples to remain there under his tutelage forever, no, he sent them when he deemed them ready, with the Holy Spirit as their guide, amen.
PART FOUR SOON...