Asking the Father in Secret

Never in the history of Christianity [have so many preachers used their sermons to beg] for money. Is God broke? God says “blessed are the poor;” we say in our twisted days “blessed are the rich”. God says “godliness with contentment is great gain!” we say in our materialistic age “godliness is great financial gain!”. As I am writing this article there are 1000s of T.V. preachers begging for money. There are 10,000s of people opening envelopes and emails [from] ministries pleading for financial support. What a travesty that the first impression of the mind of unbelievers in North America is that Christianity is about money.

I admit personally in my life and ministry there were times where I asked for financial support and went against my conscience in that matter. I do believe there is reason and balance and it will vary from ministry to ministry of making some need known. But I do feel the best and most excellent way is to serve God and ask the Father in secret for your needs.

--Greg Gordon (Editor of Old Paths magazine)

[TBC: We would do well to read the life and testimony of George Muller and how the Lord so faithfully sustained him and his work all those years. Mr. Muller was often asked how he managed to build such a strong faith in God, to which he replied that he "endeavored to keep his faith in God strong not only for daily supplies of food for the orphans and money for the missionary work but also for the spiritual concern for the world."

"Let not Satan deceive you," wrote Muller of those days when his faith was tested, "in making you think you could not have the same faith, but that it is only for persons situated as I am. When I lose such a thing as a key, I ask the Lord to direct me to it, and I look for an answer to my prayer; when a person with whom I have an appointment does not come...I ask the Lord to be pleased to hasten him to me, and I look for an answer.... Thus in all my temporal and spiritual concerns I pray to the Lord and expect an answer to my requests; and may not you do the same, dear believing reader?"]