Deal Or No Deal

From My Perspective - - -

Howie Mandel has taken a “no-brainer” concept for a Game Show and popularized it to a leading prime-time program. There is currently a daily format as well. The simple idea is to guess which case out of 26 contains one million dollars. The concept is not dissimilar to an earlier program with Monty Hall called Lets Make A Deal. Both programs are based on the gambling instincts of people and/or the greed principle. With one program, guess the case with the Million Dollars; with the other, choose Door Number1, Number 2, or Number 3 for the big prize of day!

As we hear the news headlines of the past several days, the United States Economy is in jeopardy. It is difficult to determine the depths of it because of the prolonged period of Deficit Spending that has gone on for years. Now, the key word is “Bail-Out” companies that have been mismanaged and/or misrepresented the true worth of the particular company. Some name companies that have failed in recent years include Global Crossing, Enron, Adelphia, and Worldcom. Currently, everything from Investment Centers to Banks to Major Corporations with Bankruptcy and/or Closure! Overnight, Bank Regulators closed one of the largest banks in the nation – Washington Mutual – and the assets were taken over by JP Morgan. The Congress of the United States believes the solution is to obligate the nation for 700 billion dollars to bail out Mortgage Holders and other businesses. While the nation is focused on the much bigger picture of the economy, the House of Representatives approved a 25 Billion Dollar for the Automotive Industry (with promise of additional relief next week). There was the $85 Billion for AIG. Pick the case for the Million Dollar Jackpot. Is the Big Deal behind Door Number 1, Number 2, or Number 3?

Receiving little notice are some religious broadcasters who are appealing for funds in a very clever but erroneous way. The erroneous appeal is to SOW SEED (Money). Some ask for the Seed Money of $100.00, although it is usually $1,000.00. In a very convincing but erroneous way, they suggest that you cannot receive your harvest unless you plant your seed (money). The idea is to send your money to those soliciting the seed. The appeal is that if you do so THE BOAZ ANOINTING will be reciprocated in your behalf. An Evangelist named Mike Murdock has popularized this erroneous approach. He explains it as: Anointed Numbers (and a Boaz Anointing)- “The reason I’m praying for 70 is that number is a anointing number under Moses, And God said whoever the 70 people are that respect your mantle, that respect your anointing, Moses every time I bless you I’ll bless them. What I’m asking God to do is every time He blesses Mike Murdock he blesses you, every time he gives me a financial idea he gives you one. Every time he silences the Devil for me, He’ll silence an enemy for you. Every time God heals my son, He heals yours. That’s a Boaz anointing (according to Murdock), the anointing you respect is the anointing that grows in your life.”

However, the story of Boaz and Ruth is a very tender one pertaining to Love and Redemption. Boaz was a very wealthy man who lived in Bethlehem. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem with Ruth, her widowed daughter-in-law, she sent her into the fields of Boaz to glean. Boaz learned that Ruth's deceased husband was a distant relative of his. He acted kindly towards Ruth and instructed his farm workers to leave extra sheaves of barley for her to gather. Ruth had another relative of her late husband who was closer than Boaz. By law, the other relative was obligated to marry her, as stated in Deuteronomy 25:5 through 10. Boaz confronted the other relative with this law, and after the relative refused to marry Ruth, Boaz agreed to marry her, and to buy the estate of her deceased husband. After they were married, Ruth had a son named Obed, who became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David.

Consider these things with me - - - remembering that Redemption and Stewardship – Faith and Focus - are the determining Facts and Principles by which our lives are to be lived. God is faithful and will honor those who honor Him (I Samuel 2:30)! Let’s Plant This Seed and Make This Deal!