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INSPIRED! Not for Sale
By Ian Oliver

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There's money to be made! for sure,

Within the Christian setting:

But are our motives really pure,

With all this gain were getting.

 

Let's take a look deep down within,

Our hearts and motive see;

Could be were clouded in with sin,

When the gain obtained should be free.

 

We quickly claim what was given "Inspired"

Or given us by God's Spirit...

But make a fortune in passing it on,

As if by our own merit.

 

We get so much gain from what was given,

To us from our Lord so free.

So when ministry by money is clearly driven,

Then corrupt it surely must be.

 

Jesus told us how we should go,

"No script" or "purse" said He;

So writing and charging was not His way,

For the gospel message to be.

 

Now making money is not a sin,

From business, work or our lands;

But to take what's freely given by God,

And charge for ? As if by our hands!

 

If you say "It's inspired by God" as you do,

Whether sermon, song, poem or book,

How dare you charge an exorbitant price,

That others must pay just to look.

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The cost of it's making can be seen,

As a legitimate price one must spend,

But when charging much more for profit galore,

The Scriptures we clearly must bend.

 

I once heard a preacher on the radio tell,

Of another who met his disdain,

For an MLM he was involved in now

His livelihood trying to maintain.

 

The radio preacher was insistent you see.

To make money this way must be wrong.

It's okay to make a bundle of money;

Through a sermon or poem or song.

 

More proper it seems to make gain from our schemes,

If they're not wicked, corrupt or evil.

But what's given by God there should not be a charge;

As this would give place to the Devil.​

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You see them on TV saying "send me some money"

And "God's word will I forward to you"

But these prophets of gain, are servants of Baal.

Though quoting the scriptures they do.

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The Devil himself quoted scripture,

to try to corrupt the Lord Jesus as well

It's an old tactic friend, you pay in the end,

For the corrupted words that they sell.

 

Much gain there is to be had

From a ministry, pure from above.

When the flow of God's Spirit is continually in it.

Then souls will be won in His love.

 

So if making great gain from the ministry gift

That God has entrusted to you

Your reward will be... Exactly your fee

Don't look for a blessing from above.

 

Now "How do I live?" I can hear you say.

"If I don't charge, for what I do in my name"

It's plain to see, you must be admired

So admit it is you and not "it's inspired"

 

If it's money you want from the things that you do,

Then don't "spiritualize" it, just be plain and true.

Say "This is the way I make my living"

" I can't live by faith and trust to your giving".

 

Now remember it's not wrong to cover your cost,

When inspired by God to reach to the lost.

But if moneys your goal in the thing that you do,

And the saints are your target God is warning you.

 

If you're making great gain from the things He inspired

I'm telling you friend, The Lord's getting tired

Of corrupting His message for profit and gain

So, repent and give freely, 

what is done in His name.

 

The labourer is truly worthy of his hire

But that's not the case for what HE inspires

Though we are fellow labourers with HIM

To charge for HIS gift is surely a sin.

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