“My holy Name I will make known in the midst of My people Israel. I will not let My holy Name be profaned anymore, and the Gentiles will know that I am Yahweh, the Holy One in Israel.”

Ezekiel 39: 7

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Health + Wealth ≠ Salvation

Several years ago, when I finished writing His Name is Yahweh, I did what I had always done as a university professor writing books. I approached Christian publishing houses. Without exception, I was told, “You need a literary agent. We don’t consider unsolicited manuscripts that are submitted by authors.”

Acquisitions used to be the responsibility of publishing houses. Authors could approach publishers directly or they could hire a literary agent to do it for them. Rarely do university professors use literary agents.

Downsizing

During the downsizing craze in the 1990s, book publishers started farming out the first step in the acquisition process to literary agents to save money. Literary agents were supposed to act like a sieve screening out manuscripts that were not up to par.

I can appreciate what publishers were trying to accomplish, but in the process, they introduced a serious problem. They delegated to third parties publishing decisions that had always been the purview of editors and publishers. Suddenly, the whims and predilections of literary agents became very important.

Money, Money, Money

More than anything else, literary agents are trying to make a lot of money. They are looking for potential big sellers, hopefully bestsellers. If they think a book will sell big, they jump on it. Otherwise, they don’t. Money has become a god.

“I am Yahweh your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20: 2-3)

Sales are based on fads. After a few weeks, months, or years, a new fad takes over, and everything changes. That’s why books that do well in a particular genre inspire copies immediately. Another fad always comes along and sucks up all the oxygen.

The same is true in movies. If a movie becomes a blockbuster, movie producers plan sequels, sometimes many sequels. For example, that’s why you see The Fast and the Furious (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Fast & Furious (2009), Fast Five (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Furious 7 (2015), The Fate of the Furious (2017), Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), and Fast & Furious 9 (2020).

It’s called a “franchise”. Everyone tries to make a lot of money as fast as they can before the fad ends. Movie producers and book publishers have learned to milk fads until they run dry. Then, they move on to the next fad. It’s all about money.

The Love of Money is a No-No

In Christian publishing, money matters too much. I think you can make a strong argument that money in Christian publishing is the tail that wags the dog.

Literary agents in the Christian publishing genre are looking for people with “platforms” they can use to sell their products. Stated simply, literary agents and Christian publishers want to latch onto people who are drawing huge crowds, because large crowds translate into money.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6: 33)

I think Kenneth Copeland is one of those people. He has a platform. It was developed over time, carefully and methodically. I’m not picking on him, but he is a good example of the kind of person I am talking about. To me, Kenneth Copeland looks like a huckster selling a product.

Copeland isn’t the only one. Most of the television evangelists I’ve seen make me want to turn the channel as fast as I can. They make me feel dirty.

Kenneth Copeland is a franchise. His so-called “ministry” is a business. Copeland has developed a keen awareness of what sells, and he sells to the hilt.

Below is an incomplete list of books Copeland has written. It tells an interesting story:

The Laws of Prosperity
The Blessing of the Lord: Makes Rich and He Adds No Sorrow with It
Healing Promises
Your 10-Day Spiritual Action Plan for Overcoming Stress, Anxiety and Depression : LifeLine Kit
Your 10-Day Spiritual Action Plan for Complete Financial Breakthrough
Healing and Wellness: Your 10-Day Spiritual Action Plan
How to Get Your Prayers Answered: Your 10-Day Spiritual Action Plan
Prosperity Promises

I counted about 100 books that Copeland has written. Nothing he has written so far will be seen as having moved the needle. Copeland is using his platform and cashing in.

Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.

A large percentage of Copeland’s books are about getting rich and being healed physically the quick and easy 10-Step way or something like that. Copeland is a “prosperity preacher”. I’m not disparaging wealth and health, but Yahweh’s message to the world is about faith and obedience, not about raking in the dough.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23: 25)

Yahweh owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Money doesn’t impress Him. To Yahweh, money is a tool and nothing more.

“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6: 10)

Wealth and health sell better than faith and obedience. I think Kenneth Copeland knows that, and he produces products that sell.

I am not Copeland’s Judge, but I do have a discerning spirit. Watch the videos below. What does your spirit tell you about Kenneth Copeland?

Kenneth Copeland would do well to think about what the Messiah said:

“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18: 6)

Going Against the Grain

His Name is Yahweh encountered resistance from Christian publishers because it challenges many Christian traditions and goes against the grain. Challenging traditions is not the road to riches. The Messiah is proof of that. He challenged Jewish traditions. He said,

“The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9:58)

The Messiah is Yahweh. Most people who call themselves Christians have never heard Yahweh’s Name in church. Telling churchgoers that Yahweh is our Savior doesn’t resonate. They’ve been taught that Jesus is our Savior. The Name Yahweh goes against the grain.

But Yahweh said, “I, even I, am Yahweh. There is no savior besides Me.” (Isaiah 43: 11)

He also said, “Everyone who calls on the Name of Yahweh will be saved.” (Joel 2: 32)

Peter and Paul said the same thing, but because of translation errors, most Bibles read this way, “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” (Acts 2: 21 and Roman 10: 13)

Peter and Paul got it right. Bible translators and Bible publishers got it wrong.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of Yahweh’s Name. His Name is Yahweh proves that point.

The Messiah’s Name was Never Jesus

The Messiah’s Name was never Jesus. At birth, He was given the Name Yeshua. When He was born, Yeshua was one of the three most common names for boys in Israel. It was like Bill or Bob or Mike today. There were Yeshuas everywhere. That name did not set Him apart, but the Name Yahweh does.

In a nutshell, this is Yahweh’s message to the world: Humans are sinners who need a Savior/Redeemer. Yahweh is the only Person who is qualified to do that job. He had to take on human form and die for our sins. He did it. He is the only Savior/Redeemer. Faith in Him and obedience to the leading of His Spirit are required.

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will not see life. The wrath of Elohim abides on him.” (John 3: 36)

People like Kenneth Copeland and Bible publishers who are trying to cash in on Yahweh should read these words and take them to heart:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7: 21-23)

Thank Yahweh for the Internet

After trying to publish His Name is Yahweh the traditional way and failing, Yahweh showed me how to get the message out in a non-traditional way. I published the book myself, created a website carrying the message of the book, and made the manuscript for the book available for free online in PDF format.

To see the His Name is Yahweh website, click here.

Well over a million people have downloaded the book online and thousands are downloading the book every month.

Many of the people who have downloaded the book have made copies to share with those they love.

In poor countries, His Name is Yahweh is being printed and shared with church groups. People read it and pass it on.

I have no idea how many millions of people have read the book, but it’s a very large number.

Yahweh Doesn’t Do Things the Usual Way

Yahweh doesn’t do things the usual way. I know that, but I have to keep reminding myself every day that Yahweh’s ways are not our ways:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares Yahweh. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 8-9)

There is no substitute for getting in sync with Yahweh, i.e., being led by His Spirit. He knows the way, and He will show us the way if we will let Him.

Health + Wealth ≠ Salvation

Health and wealth are wonderful things, but salvation is better. If you had to choose one of them, which one would it be?

I fear for people who are using Yahweh to get rich. Yahweh can and will use anyone to lead people to Him, but many of the messengers are in serious trouble.

Yahweh doesn’t have a problem with health and wealth. Abraham was a very rich man, but first and foremost, he was an obedient servant of Yahweh.

About health, I’ll tell you something that every child of Yahweh needs to understand. Everybody dies. Don’t fear death. Fear Yahweh.

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10: 28)

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“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17: 22-24)

See “His Name is Yahweh”.