SOME PASTORS…IVY HILLARD… Richy Rich…

I don’t know maybe it is just me.   No, it is not just me.  But this kind of thing makes me mad.  And not that I did not know that this was what Ivy Hillard’s ministry was all about.  Because I did… since I knew he was clearly into prosperity.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/texas-megachurch-pastor-asks-congregation-to-sow-52-favor-seeds-to-upgrade-helicopter-blades-98331/

The reason why so many people are pulling away from the church or any kind of real Biblical teaching is because you have a lot of people who are frauds.  These people usually have mega-churches… wheel around in expensive lavish cars… eat in the best restaurants… and live in exclusive places or gated communities.  While serving over congregations of people who are barely making it… and wondering why?

Now, I know in whom I believe.  But some people sit in mega-churches following these big time preachers believing that 1 day they too will catch a hold of the wind, and end up living large on some secluded beach front property.  But it never happens.  Least ways not to them.

First of all they are following the wrong thing.  Have you not heard, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God?’

But they seek money… riches of this worlds… and the things these big time preachers flaunt in front of them telling them, ‘You can have it too.’

Yeah, right…

Well, they can.  But not by using tons of people to get it.  Because using people to get over is not how God works.

So, when Bishop  Ivy Hillard went to his congregation… or texted them… or sent out his eblast or whatever… about giving him $50,000 so he could fix his helicopter, more than half of his church congregation should have finally seen the light.  A bright beacon should have suddenly shined into their life if it had not already done so regarding who they were really following.  And I’m talking about the ‘real’ light.

Maybe even lightening should have struck them.  But however it happened or however… it should have hit them and knocked them flat on the ground.

What audacity.

Truthfully, they all should be getting up out of there, and leaving that church and that man with all his bills.   And we would see how long it would take for the auctioneers to start pulling up.

With his fancy suits and bright ties… he is just living too large.  And it has all been on them… his parishioners.

And he has not been ashamed to flaunt it.

Now, I do not get off on seeing people live well.  I like nice things myself.  And as quietly as it kept… I feel I live pretty nicely myself.

But I do not do it on the back of others.

I recall listening to hHillard’s wife speak at a T.D. Jake’s ‘Woman Thou Art Loose Conference,’ a few years ago.  She lead off by telling us about her and her husband’s airplane, how they each have their own helicopters,  or something like that…and I forget whatever else said about their ‘things.’  But I found it all to be less than interesting.  It did not faze me in the least.

I understood what she was trying to do.  She was trying to get all the ‘ooooh’s’ and ‘ahhhh’s‘ persons caught up in what she was saying.  And I guess she did… because the following week she began having her own conference. And I imagine some of those ‘ooooh’ and ‘ahhhh’ people were right there.

But I think it is shameful for a preacher or anyone to milk their people… or try to con or milk people out of money.  Or anything else.  And I really think it is horrible when people of the cloth, in the name of Jesus or God, go about attempting to pollute the good reputation of God and/or Jesus by holding up His or their names in order to con those not smart enough to see through them.

I think I have expressed my feelings now…

Well, God bless…and thank you very much those of you who have ventured out and purchased my book… which can be ordered on-line at any number of websites… just google THE BISHOP’S WIFE by Bernadine Smith… and see for yourself.  And you can also read excerpts from my book on-line as well at Barnes&Nobles Nook, amazon.com etc…

Got to get going promised a friend that I would do something for him.  So, take care and enjoy your evening….

Just 1 more thing before closing…  Let me just say get into the Bible for yourself and learn the Word of the Lord for yourself.  This is not to say ‘do not go to church.’   Because I would never tell you that… and that would be foolish.  But find yourself a good church that truly loves and believes in the Lord.  And whose faith is not founded upon filthy lucre… meaning ‘money.’

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2013

Add a comment June 19, 2013

GOT A TESTIMONY….AIM 2011… Houston

Recently I went on a trip to Houston, TX, to a church convention.  A few days prior to the last day of my trip in Houston I  realized that I was running low on money.

The day before leaving for my trip I had been out buying things here and there … you know another blouse, another light and airy dress, another pair of earrings etc… just stuff that I  figured I might need on my trip.

So, prior to leaving I had already begun to tap into my hotel money.

Then while sitting in the various convention meetings and church services… I was…  Well, I was giving a little here and a little there… again tapping even more into my already dwindling funds.

Realizing that my funds were way low I decided that I better call my son, and ask him to lend me the money for my hotel… because when I had finally got around  to checking what was in my bank on a computer … it was further down than I had thought.  I was left with only  a hundred and some odd dollars.

I had gotten my hotel at a discount rate… but even at my discount I was way short of what I was going to have to pay when I was to finally check out of it.

My son answered the phone and I told him what I needed.  He got so mad at me.  And he said-

“Why did you go off  somewhere knowing you could not afford it?”

It was a legitimate question… I guess.   But too late for me to sit around thinking about that now, after I had spent 5 days and 6 nights in these people’s hotel.

Beside before I started dipping into my hotel money I could afford my trip… and the whole thing.   But that was before I starting spending…and then started giving in those offerings that I gave in during the convention.

So, as my trip drew closer to the end I began worrying more and more about my finances.  As my son had slammed down the phone  on me, and said he was not going to give me anything.

Now, I was really in bind.

How was I going to pay for my hotel bill?

So, my final night at the hotel I broke down and decided that I better try calling my son again.  But this time he did not answer.

So, that night, needless to say, I hardly slept at all.  I tried to…  but all I could do think about was my hotel bill.

Finally at about 3 o’clock in the morning I got up…and went downstairs to the lobby to look on the computer to see just how much money I was actually short.  All I had was $133….annd my hotel bill was $494,  which included the taxes and everything else they threw in.  Right then and there I sighed and made up in my mind that coming to Houston had been worth it.

I also decided right then and there… that  whether my son gave me the money or not… I was not going to leave the hotel without paying my bill.  Even if it meant I had to go to jail.

Afterall, my hotel had been so great to me.  All the people were nice… and service had been 5 star.  Besides they served hot breakfast free everyday…and after 5 offer free complimentary food… which included the largest and most delicious chocolate chip cookies baked fresh and still warm.  And you could eat or take as much  of whatever you wanted.

No, no way was I going to stick them with the bill… or leave without paying.  Not that I would ever consider such a thing.  It might have been embarrassing and might have taken me a while to go downstairs and tell them.  But I would have rather said that I didn’t have they money… and would have hoped that they would have worked something out with me.

However, about 8:30 AM  I broke down again and tried calling my son again….and this time he answered.  Finally, I got  him to agreed that he was going to give me some money.  But the amount he told me was only $250…AND THAT WAS ALL!

Now I forced to call 1 of my other sisters and beg her for the rest…telling her that I would pay her $200 if she lent me $175.  And she did.

As soon as that money hit my account… which was about 9:10 AM… I paid off my hotel bill.  I did not want to risk anything coming up against that money.

At 12 noon my courtesy driver for the convention picked me up at my hotel and drove me to the airport.  It had been a beautiful trip… my trip to Houston as I glanced out at the beautiful sky with its puffy white clouds… looking as if someone had painted them there.

I had heard some wonderful preaching and teaching at AIM.  And now I was my way back home… and I didn’t end up having to spend the night in jail.

Upon reaching the airport, while waiting on my flight to be called, they made an announcement over the intercom system saying that my flight had been overbooked.   They  said that they needed 2 people who would be willing to take the next flight.  And  for doing so they offered a $400 ticket in return.

They did not have to ask me twice.  I was already standing near the counter so I was the first person to the counter… not that many people rushed to get there.  Just me and another woman.

And guess what?

By the time I flew out of Houston I had earned over $1,200… and it had never even dawned on me until my flight was nearing my home airport.  It  was $1,200 more than I had when I flew into Houston.

During the convention 1 of my brothers got me an $800 editing job for some Bishop.. .and I had also gotten that $400 certificate from the airline, good for a whole year that I could use on any of their flights, or sell it,  or give to whoever I wanted.

Just think of that…at 3 AM on that morning I had woke up restless…because I hadn’t had enough. But by 3 PM I had gained a mighty surplus.

And this is a true story… and the next flight out was only 1 hour later than my original flight.

And between my spending…I was giving until I knew I could no longer afford to put another dime into 1 more offering.  But all the while I sat wanting to.

And also…another twist to this story just prior to my  leaving I had run out of checks.  Tried to get some but didn’t make the bank on time.   So, I had no checks.  If so, I would have wrote some.  But God knew….

He truly does know our hearts.

God truly is good.

Looking for some rain.  It has been soooooo hot here.  And very humid.

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

And let me finish by saying AIM 2011 was off the hook!

Well, God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2011

Add a comment July 21, 2011