Niels Prip – Blog

I have personally seen this kind of thing happening in my lifetime, money being thrown at a famous Christian leader’s feet. Shameful! How many wealthy pastors, evangelists, and TV preachers are there today? There are many! With the world in the condition that it is today, I would have to ask the same question that Elisha asked Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:26 “Is this time to be taking money?”.

What the world and the church is seeing today is totally opposite of what people saw in the Book of Acts.

Acts 4:32-35 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay the money at the apostles’ feet; and they would be distributed to each, as any had need.

What a stark contrast. Today’s rich Christian leaders will justify themselves, and they will also be the ones who claim they really have the Spirit’s power in their meetings. They claim miracles, anointing and power. Today we see them claiming signs and wonders along with their greed.

In Acts they had signs, wonders and power like never seen before, and along with it they had humility. None of the Apostles “claimed that anything belonging to them was their own”. The money laid at their feet was used to meet needs of the saints, all who had need. They did not buy themselves mansions! Behold what manner of outpouring of the Spirit that was! It has never been repeated! Today they want the outpouring without humility, and use it as a channel for power and wealth.

Paul spoke the truth about those who supposed that “godliness was a means of gain”.

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain”.

There is a doctrine that conforms us to Godliness, it makes us more like Jesus. Greed has no place! We should desire to be like Jesus, we should desire to have the Spirit like the Apostles! Today’s leaders want the Apostles power and recognition, but many want to keep the money.

There is a friction between Godly men, and men of depraved mind, deprived of truth. This is the comparison! The men of truth were the Apostles, with the fullness of the Spirit, today’s rich leaders are men of partial truth, deprived, having pride but lacking the fullness of the Spirit. I think of a child that is deprived, one who lacks enough food, causing starvation and at times illness. They create followers who are deficient in Godliness and truth. They bring about partial truth, mixed with hype and emotion, not knowing they are wretched. Well did John speak of them in the Revelation, in the Message to the Church in Laodicea

Revelation 3:17-18 “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.” This message was to a church, they had a form of Godliness but was greatly lacking.

I encourage you all to avoid these men, do not support them, do not watch them.  As it says in 2 Timothy 3:5 “holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these”. What power have they denied? They claim to have great Spiritual power and anointing. But, they have denied the power of humility, the power of the Cross. That is the power that would have conformed them to be like Jesus.