R.I.P. Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II (a.k.a.) Reverend Ike.

For years I have heard his name. I HEARD he was a scam artist using God as a cash cow. Not being one to always just go by the word of others, I took it upon myself to look upon him with my own eyes. What I found was a man who used his vocation to become wealthy and share his beliefs with others so that they could do the same. It just so happened that his vocation just happened to be preaching the Gospel.

Watch this video clip and tell me where the scam is?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-dXg5fChI

He felt he "deserved the best" and he sought it for himself. Also, he preached and interpreted the Gospel no more or less than any other preacher. What makes him any different from say a Bishop T.D. Jakes, or any other preacher in store-front makeshift church? The money he made and the fact that this man had a couple high end cars in a time when blacks were just getting used to sitting in the front of the bus? Preachers study the scriptures, interpret and pull out various meanings and then express those interpretations to their congregations.

The problem, as I see it, is that for some reason people believe that there is some nobility in being poor. In my opinion, this is because there are more poor people than there are rich people and since no one inherently wants to look down upon themselves; as a collective, poor people believe that they are living "in the right" and those who are wealthy are not.

MIND YOU ... I DO NOT BELIEVE IN ABSOLUTES, so these comments do not apply to ALL of a given type of people discussed here. The funny thing is, the same frame of mind applies for the minority of the world's wealth owners as well. It was Rev. Ike who was known to say, “The LACK of money is the root of all evil.” Something else he always said was, “The best thing you can do for the poor is not to be one of them.” I'll ride with that!

Another mantra he sopke of was “If you want to be rich, feel rich. Don’t ever pass a bank without paying some attention to it. Read the interest that is being offered. Feel rich, learn how to feel money.” Rev. Ike spoke a lot about drawing fortune and prosperity to yourself by believing you deserved it and that it would come to you if you believed strongly enough. This is nothing more than what is popularly known today as "the Law of Attraction" and this man was preaching it over 30-40 years ago!

The majority of the people I've known my whole life - either directly or through observation - are the type of people who don't just want to be told how to be prosperous, they want whatever the successful person has done for him- or herself to be done for them.

Here's an example: Let's say you're a talented singer and your dream is to be a famous recording artist. You go to all the talent showcases & industry networking events where you shop your demo CDs to anyone in the recording industry who's willing to have a conversation with you. After putting in all that hard work and hustle, you get a recording contract and you're on your way to fulfilling your dream. Now along comes a friend of yours, who you get along well with - but they're not necessarily your "ace-boon-coon-busom-buddy" and he or she wants to get into the business as well. He or she wants to have what you have, but they want you to make the connections for them. They want you to just put their demos on the right desks. In other words they want the success that you went out on the grind for to be handed to them through you.

A lot of people respected Rev. Ike, and a lot of people ridiculed him as well. Hypocrisy knows no boundries of race, religion, or economic status. In what little bit I have researched, read, and listened to, I find a great deal of the essence that exists in MY personal messages of success, and should I find something in my studies of his teachings that works for me, best believe I'll incorporate that into my message and teachings - always giving credit where it is due.

Personally, I am still trying to figure out why it is that people will see other people having the things they want for themselves, but not be willing to put in the work to GET those things for themselves. Fear & laziness are the EXCUSES that sit at the top of the list! You might not have to do what those people did. You must do what will work for you; but above all else you must DO SOMETHING.

THIS is what Rev. Ike preached. He talked the talk and he sure enough walked the walk.

Rest In Peace Reverend Ike.