In these past few days, there has been a dramatization of a miracle for money falling from somewhere by some religious leaders. First, it was people waving with their phone lights to pray for a miracle for KES .300,000 M-PESA cash into their accounts.
Then at the National prayers on Valentine’s Day, it was prophesied that Hustlers will turn into millionaires by the turn of 2023. They will hustle no more!
For those quick to throw stones, I must declare I absolutely believe in the power of the Word and Prayer. Those who follow me keenly will already know my strong faith in this.
The problem starts when we start dramatizing prayer and teachings that insinuate God will work outside His established order. It is the same God who has given us a superior mind than other wild animals; has promised to bless the work of our hands; and warned us of the emergence of false teachers in His name in these later days.
I would love to hear an honest testimony of anybody who received an M-PESA of the said amount to this date. I said here before if prayers from the ‘man or woman’ of God were all that was required to make money in this country or anywhere else, Kenya will be full of billionaires –leave alone millionaires.
These miracles have been claimed across the country on a daily basis. Thousands of Kenyans throng into crusades every other day for this kind of teaching. Just why are they not millionaires or billionaires? Why is it only those asking for people to ‘plant a seed for the miracle’ are millionaires?
The major difference here is that while you say Amen to your miracle –you give actual cash to the ‘man or woman’ of God in exchange for the prayers. They always ask for a seed in form of actual cash –Kenya money or if the dollar the better. That explains why they are growing into cash millionaires and not you.
The question is: Do we intend to imply God is selective in showering His blessings on His Children?
Far from it, God is not limited in His ways to bless. Here are important points to ponder about:
- You cannot fail to work diligently and expect manna to fall from heaven –while God provided manna for the Children of Israel in the wilderness; the condition was they only pick enough for a day. Anyone who took more than that found it spoiled the following day. Once they entered the Promised Land, they had to work their lands and herd their livestock for wealth. God’s order for wealth does not, therefore, originate from freebies or manna falling from heaven –it is based on honest work that He blesses in return to multiply;
- The word of God cannot be read selectively – the point here is if the Bible promises God’s generosity and ability to bless and you believe it; you must also believe the warning of false teachers and prophets. You cannot choose to believe one and not the other. That is why the Scripture itself asks us to Pray for a spirit of discernment between true and false teachings. When given a choice to ask for whatever he desired, King Solomon asked for a spirit of discernment –not money, wealth, long life, or good health. But all these others were added to him by God. Why would God do such –tafakari!
- While we wait to go to heaven, we must live ordinary lives under the sun – we have been promised a glorious life after, but in the meanwhile, we have to survive here under the heavens. Here there are real economies and finances that make the world go round. We are under the governments of men until we are called home. God has instructed us to work and obey the authority of the earthly governments. In these earthly kingdoms, money comes from engaging in productive economic activities to earn, saving and investing, seeking out opportunities, and paying taxes to the governments of men. That’s it!
- God’s blessings come from things that appear normal –it is unfortunate when certain teachings imply God will go out of His way to bring money to your phone or bank account. Instead, God blesses whoever He chooses to bless through ordinary daily activities or through ordinary people. Jesus used ordinary things like water, bread, and fish to do miracles. Believing to the contrary is to tempt God.
- It is not for us to choose, but letting the will of God –it is for God to choose where to rain His blessings. You cannot force God into your way –in fact, He showers rain on all as He pleases. None of us is qualified to question God’s magnanimous deeds. If he comes by your way, shukuru; if He doesn’t ‘shukuru’ and keep praying and trusting that at His own timing, He will do as He pleases.
As a concluding thought, Africa has seen all manner of drama in places of worship –yet it remains the poorest continent in the world. We cannot screw –up the economy, elect lords of corruption, refuse to use the good brains God has blessed us with, and flock into places of worship to pray our mediocrity away.
At least from the way I read and understand the Word –that is not the order of God!