$JESUS$

Praise the LORD!!!

   It is a beautiful day here in the coastal bend of south Texas. Then again, any day I've been blessed with life, is a beautiful day. Life is that which truly needs to be cherished, for we're not promised it, but blessed by GOD with it! Try your best today to reflect upon the fact that GOD has given you life through JESUS CHRIST and do your best to bring glory to HIM for this simple (for HIM) task:))) This, though, isn't the reason I'm writing this article and I debated whether to place it here or at my other blog site. Here is where the LORD led, so here it shall be.

   As you may of noticed, with the title ($JESUS$), this has to do with JESUS and money. Not the worship of money, as some may think, but the selling of JESUS. For not since Judas Iscariot have so many sought to profit from our LORD and SAVIOR as today! Though for differing means. Judas betrayed JESUS for money, yet today many seek to profit by selling anything with HIS name emblazoned upon it or content pertaining to HIM!!! Billions of dollars are profited by people every year, by using this precious name, the ONE who so freely gave HIMself for us. Books, CD's, DVD's and seminars top the list.

   It would be a fair choice to say, that not until the twentieth century had anyone purposely sought to profit for personal gain by selling JESUS. For it was until now that preachers and teachers saw fit to sell that which the LORD blessed them with freely. Yes, that's right, every detail we know about JESUS was given to us freely by the HOLY SPIRIT. Not for profit of the monetary form, but for the purpose of living more like HIM and the leading of others to this same lifestyle!

   Now, I don't know about you, but I find this very distasteful, to say the least! I believe also that the LORD HIMself also does. For in '97' when I was anointed for the ministry, V.C.M., the LORD laid it heavily(very heavily) upon my spirit, that none of it's services were ever to be for sale!!! Sure, I asked "Why" and the answer I received was, "this is a thorn in MY side." Whoa now, the LORD saying something was a "thorn in HIS side," something that HE would endure, though not enjoying it's presence within HIS life. Now I can see that one question asked at the "Great White Throne" will be on this topic. "Why did you find it fitting to profit from that which I taught you freely?"

  


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org

GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries