DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT – WEDNESDAY WARRIOR! #4.

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Luke 12:33.

It is interesting to compare the lives of two well known preachers; Benny Hinn and John Wesley, and to see the different attitudes towards ministry, also the humility of Wesley, and the non-existent humility of Hinn.

Hinn sees God’s people as a commodity to use for the building of his empire, whilst Wesley on the other hand asked for nothing to minister to God’s people, and he was totally dependent on God’s provision, which saw his ministry wonderfully blessed, whereas Hinn will have to face his maker on the evidence of his ministry.

Below is an extract from a letter that Hinn sent out to his supporters…

Dear Partner,
We have recently taken delivery on our Gulfstream G4SP plane, which we call Dove One. I have enclosed a beautiful photo-filled brochure to explain more about this incredible ministry tool that will increase the scope of our abilities to preach the Gospel around the globe. Now we must pay the remainder of the down payment, and I am asking the Lord Jesus to speak to 6,000 of my precious partners to sow a seed of $1,000 in the next ninety days. And I am praying, even as I write this letter, that you will be one of them!

I know that as you obey the Lord, He will open heaven wide and cause a mighty harvest of blessings to descend upon your life and all that you do! This next step is absolutely vital to everything we are called to do, and it is the only way I can continue to do all God is directing me to do during these prophetic days. There is simply no other possible way for me to keep up with my schedule.

Your seed of $1,000 or more toward Dove One will reap a harvest for years. The G4SP is built to fly for decades. Imagine the harvest during all those years, and you will be a vital part of that long-term harvest! Open your heart to what God would have you do. For your gift of $1,000 or more, you will receive these thank-you gifts to show my appreciation:

You will receive a beautiful art-quality model of Dove One for your desk or mantle as a constant reminder that you are a vital part of this last-days harvest for souls. Your name will be placed prominently in a special area of Dove One where I study and pray during my travels, where I will also pray for you and your family as I go around the world preaching the Gospel. Everywhere I fly, your name will travel with me, millions of miles and for years to come, reminding me that you have made it possible for me to go and preach as God has called me to do.

In Isaiah 6:8 the Lord asks, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Long ago I said, "I will go, Lord. Send me!" But I cannot do it without you, nor can I do all our wonderful Lord has called me to do without Dove One!

Dear Partner, I am counting on you. Will you help me take the Gospel to the nations with your Dove One gift of $1,000 or more?

For souls,
Benny Hinn

According to Kim Riddleberger, Hinn’s salary is somewhere between $500K and a million dollars per year and he has a $10 million seaside mansion, a private jet with annual operating costs of about $1.5 million (this is what is being replaced by Dove One), and a Mercedes SUV and convertible, valued at about $80,000 each.

On his evangelical “healing” trips, Hinn has had “layovers” between crusades piling up hotel bills ranging from $900 per night to royal suites that cost almost $3,000 for one night’s stay in lovely places such as: Hawaii, Cancun, London, and Milan.

Contrast this to the humble ministry of John Wesley…

Wesley traveled constantly, generally on horseback, preaching twice or three times a day, seven day a week. On many occasions he was stoned or thrown out of towns and villages. He suffered serious sickness's of which the Lord healed him. He wrote over 600 books, tracts, and articles. Compiled 23 collections of hymns, edited a monthly magazine, translated Greek, Latin, and Hebrew works, and edited, under the title The Christian's Pattern, Kempis's Imitation of Christ.

When he died aged 88, he had two silver spoons as his only possessions, besides his books and the legacy of his ministry,Wesley’s death did not bring an end to Methodism.

Instead, it heralded a golden age of rising membership and increased self-confidence. Between 1791 and 1850 the number of Methodists in the British Isles increased from 72,500 to over 500,000, with millions more overseas. Although membership in Britain has declined since that high-water mark, Methodism remains one of the largest growing Protestant denominations in the world. For example, between 1956 and 1996 the number of Methodists in Africa rose from one million to nearly six million and in Asia from 1,230,000 to nearly 10,000,000.

Worldwide: There are now Methodist churches in nearly every country in the world, and it is calculated that the whole Methodist family numbers some 70 million people. Over the last 40 years major areas of growth have been in Latin America (783%), Asia (690%) and Africa (450%)

John Wesley’s reputation kept pace with this expansion. He was seen as the man whose genius and faith had laid the foundations for one of the great success stories of the post-Reformation Church. Despite cultural differences and the passing of more than 200 years, Methodists continued to look to their founder as the model evangelical and a focus for unity. - The Wesleyan Legacy.
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Being much concerned about the rise of denominations in the church, John Wesley tells of a dream he had. In the dream, he was ushered to the gates of Hell. There he asked, "Are there any Presbyterians here?" "Yes!", came the answer. Then he asked, "Are there any Baptists? Any Episcopalians? Any Methodists?" The answer was Yes! each time. Much distressed, Wesley was then ushered to the gates of Heaven. There he asked the same question, and the answer was No! "No?" To this, Wesley asked, "Who then is inside?" The answer came back, "There are only Christians here." – Source Unknown.
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I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field. - John Wesley.
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John Wesley preached his last sermon of Feb 17, 1791, in Lambeth on the text "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near" (Isa 55:6). The following day, a very sick man, he was put to bed in his home on City Road. During the days of his illness, he often repeated the words from one of his brother's hymns: I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me! His last words were, "The best of all is, God is with us!" He died March 2, 1791, aged 88. - W. Wiersbe.
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Although George Whitefield disagreed with John Wesley on some theological matters, he was careful not to create problems in public that could be used to hinder the preaching of the gospel. When someone asked Whitefield if he thought he would see Wesley in heaven, Whitefield replied, "I fear not, for he will be so near the eternal throne and we at such a distance, we shall hardly get sight of him." - W. Wiersbe.

John Wesley did all this with a horse! I will leave you to consider which of these men were called to minister by the Lord.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to hunger and thirst after you, and to understand that you, and you alone are my provider. Help me Lord to remember John Wesley, and others like him, who loved you so much, and worked solidly for the extension of your Kingdom. I ask this in the wonderful Name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY