A minister of God has a right to live off the gospel but the apostle Paul chose to work at a secular job and earn his living

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ... 

 

I Corinthians 9  (Paul says)

 

1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

 

2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

 

3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

 

4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?

 

5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

 

6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

 

7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

 

8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

 

9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

 

10 Or saith HE it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

 

11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

 

12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

 

13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

 

14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

 

15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

 

Paul earned his living as a tentmaker.

 

Acts 18

 

After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

 

2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

 

3 And because he was of the same craft, he (Paul) abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

 

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When I closed my secular business in American Indian Arts to go into the ministry July 31, 1979, I lived off the money from the merchandise that sold as I closed the business, $22,000.

 

For the next 6 months, I remained at my apartment in Dallas and paid for my needs with some of that money, while I waited for God to show me what I was to do in the ministry.

 

On January 10, 1980, as I waited, I was asleep in the night when a very loud trumpet like voice spoke three words into my ear:  "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"

 

By this God put me on radio to exhort the church.

 

Stories of miracles on this Podcast, as God led me in the early years of ministry.

 

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