[Web-trans] Freely recieved, freely given...from Bill Keller, Liveprayer.com

[prayermanager]

Wednesday October 20, 2004


My Friend,

"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of
prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' "  Matthew 21:13 (NIV)


The merchandising of the Gospel.  I was wondering the other night, how many
books on Jesus and the Christian life Paul had sold.  I wondered how many
tape series, DVDs and videos of his conferences in Ephesus, Philippi,
Corinth, he had sold.  I wondered what kind of  "love gift" he gave each
month to those who supported his ministry.  I wondered if he preached a
message that if you gave to his ministry you would get out of debt, or if
you gave to his ministry your family would be saved.  I wondered how much
money he raised during his semi-annual telethons each year.  I wondered what
kind of vitamins and health products Paul sold to generate revenue for his
ministry.

In wondering these things, I decided I better open up God's Word and see
exactly how Paul did raise the money he needed to operate his ministry, to
take the Gospel to the far corners of the world of his day.  I was amazed at
what I found.  Paul never sold books, tapes, videos and DVDs, I can't see
where he sent people who gave to his ministry love gifts, or that he used
God's Word to make promises that weren't there in return for donations, nor
did it seem he ever stood in the town square for 24 hours with a tote board
taking pledges.

What I read was Paul sharing his needs with those he ministered to, reminded
them of their responsibly to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to
them, and to freely, cheerfully, without shame or guilt, out of a heart of
love and compassion, as an act of worship, give to support the work God was
doing through his life.  I made a commitment over 14 years ago when I
entered into full time ministry, that was how I would deal with the
financial needs of supporting the work God had called me to do.

The fact is, I would never have to ask you to send a dime to support
Liveprayer if I chose to take advantage of what God has created over these
past 5+ years.  Prior to a Board meeting over  year ago, our Board of
Directors
had a study done that showed Liveprayer could generate over $15 million
annually by selling advertising on the website and in the Daily Devotional,
selling a host of products, getting involved in promoting long distance
services,
nutritional supplements, and a wide array of services the people we reach
each
day could take advantage of, having a special place on the website people
would
have to pay for to access the special content that we would provide, not to
mention renting our email list to marketing companies.

But I will never sell the truth of God's Word, get involved in multi-level
business opportunities, become a marketing company for products, or EVER
rent or sell the names of those God has entrusted to us to minister to even
if it brought in $100 million a year!  This is a ministry, NOT a business.
I have been called to share the truth of God's Word and the love and hope of
Jesus Christ with the lost and hurting in this world, not see how much money
I can make selling Jesus!

Listen, what other ministries decide to do to raise their finances is
between them and God.  But rather than ask you for money and build glass
buildings, what I ask you for goes into saving souls.  My office from day
one has been in the back of a used car lot owned by one of my Board Members.
Rather than ask you for money to buy jet planes, what I ask you for goes
into reaching the lost masses that will never go to church.  I'll fly
commercial when I have to travel.  Rather than ask you for money to live
like the ruler of a small country, what I ask you for goes to keep expanding
what God is doing so we can reach even more people for Christ.  My wife and
I are happy with a very modest lifestyle since our treasure is not on earth
but in Heaven.

Paul took the Gospel to the lost and hurting in the world of his day by
faith, trusting that God would provide for the day to day needs of his
ministry.  He looked to those that he ministered to to support his efforts
to take Christ to those who were living without His love in their life.
THEY
MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR PAUL TO DO WHAT GOD HAD CALLED
HIM TO DO!

He reminded them that in their giving, they were not giving to Paul, but
they were giving to God. It was their obedience and faithfulness that God
would credit to their Heavenly account.  Likewise, as you give to
Liveprayer, you are not giving to Bill Keller, but you are giving to God.
It is your obedience and faithfulness that God will credit to your Heavenly
account.  YOU MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO WHAT GOD
HAS CALLED ME TO DO!

As we wind down the last 11 days of this month, we are $16,700 short of
meeting all of our financial obligations for the month of October.  I am
asking you to take a moment, pray, and ask God what He would have you do to
help me today.  I only ask that you are obedient, give according to your
ability to give, and give what God is asking you to give.  If it is $10 or
$20, fine.  If it is $50 or $100, fine.  If it is $500, $1,000, $5,000 or
the entire $16,700, that is fine.  All I ask is that you pray and are
obedient
to give what God is asking you to give today.

You can make a gift to Liveprayer on your major credit card at our website
www.liveprayer.com  under the "Donation" button, or you can give from your
PayPal account by using my email address, address@hidden ,  or you
can mail a gift to:
Liveprayer
6660 46th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33709
All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

Thank you so much for standing with me.  As you are faithful and make your
sacrificial gift to Liveprayer, I want to leave you with the special promise
that Paul left his friends with, "my God will meet all your needs according
to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  What a wonderful promise that as
we are faithful to God, God is faithful to us.

May you be richly blessed today as we labor together for the Gospel!


In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller


---
You are currently subscribed to dailydevotional as: address@hidden

To unsubscribe SEND A BLANK EMAIL TO
address@hidden
The above is NOT a web site address. You must send an email to it.