Posted on 11/15/2009 11:06:27 AM PST by OneVike
Christians need to realize that being a true Christian does not mean you are to be proud and boastful. It does not mean that you will be blessed with money and riches as the prosperity pimps like T.D. Jakes, Kenneth Hagin, Joyce Meyer, Paul Crouch and others preach. No, true Christianity is a call to be imitators of Christ, not seekers of worldly goods. After all, what did Christ do? Did he go around town riding in style? No. Did he have tons of money? No. What did He do? He gave his own life to Save ours. Yet so many Christians walk around not helping others, not acknowledging others hardships or pain. All they do is show off their possessions and status in society while telling you, "I'll pray for you". The teachings of Christ call us to a life of action, not self-interest and Christian passivity.
I am by no means attempting to say that Christians should be poor and destitute. God says that He will bless those whom He chooses to bless, and history is full of good Christians who were well off. However, if a Christian's goal in life is that of luxury and ease, then I question that Christians true faith. Our goal in life as a Christian should be to do as Christ told us to do. Should any Christian wonder what it is Christ tells us to do, I suggest reading the "Sermon on the Mount". I have always taught that the Sermon on the Mount is the constitution of Christianity, given by Jesus Himself. If you learn nothing else from the New Testament, I suggest you study and learn what it was Jesus said on that hill. One thing you will not find in the sermon is how to search for worldly wealth and prosperity.
I oftentimes find myself praying more for those whom the Lord has blessed with abundance than I do for those that have not been so blessed. The Lord said that it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into heaven. Jesus did not make that statement because He thought that rich people were evil. He said it because those who have abundance will find it difficult to keep their focus on Him. Money may be the root cause of many evils, it is not however evil in and of itself. When we strive for wealth, we are focusing on the world and not on His teachings; we are not, imitating Him.
True Christians realize that this world is nothing more than a wayside rest in our journey to the promise land. While at this wayside rest we are to do what Jesus taught us to do. The last lesson Jesus taught in His famous sermon was the lesson of building on a rock. Matthew 7:21-27 Jesus said that whomever hears what He says, and does it, He will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock, as apposed to a foolish man who built his house on sand. If you are not building upon the rock of Christ than you will not hear these sweet words from our Lord and Savior,
"Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." Matthew 25:23
My suggestion to these false teachers offering a "You Name it, You Can Claim it" gospel, to read what Paul told the Galatians about those who would trouble them by wanting to pervert the gospel of Christ. He said that they were anathema, a votive offering if you will. Galatians 1:8-9 A votive offering is a prayer candle, typically white or beeswax yellow. It was originally intended to be burnt as an offering in religious ceremonies, and in the days when Paul was spreading the gospel throughout the empire, he converted many who formerly worshiped pagan gods. In their ceremonies they would burn candles to their gods. Paul is telling those like the wealth and prosperity preachers that they will be burned up like those candles in the final fire when Christ returns and condemns them with the rest of the world.
For my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask that you be a good Barean, and do as John instructs you to do in his first epistle, 1 John 4:1-4 where he writes,
"do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world ......... You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."
Do not follow these wolves in sheep's clothing, who's only desire is for you to follow them not Christ. So I ask you my dear brothers and sisters of Christ, which Jesus do you follow? Which Jesus do you serve? The Jesus of the wealth and prosperity charlatans, or the great I Am?
I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
OneVike
Should anyone desire prayer or like to discuss, on a personal level, your desire to learn more about your salvation and what Christ has to offer, (email me). I promise that all information will be kept in strict confidentiality.
It seems to be the rule: the things man seeks and cherishes are the things God despises, and vise versa.
My Sunday Message about following the truth, not the lie of the evil one's minions.
It seems my computer has contracted a virus. I have done all I could to remove it without success. So, now I must scrub my HD and re-install my OS and all my software programs to bring it back to normal life.
It made me think about us Christians, who realized that one day we were on the wrong path in our lives. We heard about Christ and what He offered us. We accepted Him into our lives, and he has since been scrubbing out hard drive clean of all the viruses we have picked up along the way.
It is a long progress and we need to be patient, remembering what Paul told the Philippians about the work of Christ in our lives,
"Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" Philippians 1:6
You are all in my prayers continually, may the good Lord bless and keep you and yours.
If you want added or removed from my ping list please let me know.
That sure seems to be the way it is. Too bad He just didn’t make things differently.
The world lives its own. Jesus tells Peter, John, James, and Andrew, “You will be hated by all on account of My name.” If you want to get rich, preach and teach a false Christ.
I think that is a very personal and private question. People have too much to say about others and their faiths. Whover they follow is their own private business.
While you may be speaking of greed and/or lust of things .. I’ve never tried feeding whole cities with NO MONEY.
You can’t.
And to preach against having funds to buy the food which feeds the starving is disingenuous at best, and just plain ignorance of God’s Word.
John III verse 2 says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in good health, even as thy soul prospereth”.
The Bible tells us to, “... rightly divide the Word of Truth ...”.
Tell that to God. Jesus seemed to think it was His business, and He told His followers it is our business.
You must know that one-day every knee shall bend and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord.
It is the Great Commission that makes it our business.
What's not so easily seen is the damage these con-artists do to Christianity with the number of people who either get turned off by all the hypocrisy or get sucked in and realize that all these people really want is their money, not their salvation.
Just finished reading an article comparing the "Christian" deism of Lord Shaftesbury with Pauline theology. The author's characterization of Shaftesbury's watered-down version of Christianity reminds me of the "prosperity pimps" you speak of.
How do you know what Joyce Meyers’ bank account is ..?? Who gives you the priviledge to know that information ..??
And further .. since you have (no doubt) never watched her program or read her newsletters, or viewed her teaching, their ministry is feeding, clothing and educating whole villages in Haiti.
And further .. If this is God you won’t be able to stop it .. and if it isn’t .. God is more than capable to shut it down.
My philosophy regarding other ministries is that I don’t listen to their programs and then not support them. If I’m feeding from their information, then I’m required to pay them. However, discernment (not judgement) as to who to listen to and who to support is guided only by God. He is more than capable to tell you - DO NOT SUPPORT THIS MINISTRY. When I hear that from God .. I do not support those people.
I think this back-stabbing against Evengelical ministries is just another red flag for me .. as far as your ministry is concerned.
If you would like help cleaning the system rather than reinstalling everything, message me.
The lamb but I can’t wait to see the lion on the next visit.
I agree with you on all points but this one. In this world, there is NO rest. Christians get into trouble when they try to make this world their place of rest.
Christ said, "In this world you will have many troubles..." That doesn't sound like any 'wayside rest' to me. Christ added, however: "Fear not, for I have overcome the world." Now I ask you: why would our Lord have to overcome a place of rest?
I know that on the surface it may seem I am quibbling with semantics, but understanding what this world is, and our purposes, roles, and functions in it as disciples of Christ, is of the most critical import if we are to live in a manner worthy of our Lord's approval.
Don't be mistaken. This world is not a 'wayside rest.' This world is the foundry in which our faith in Jesus Christ, through the fire of adversity, is forged.
“It seems to be the rule: the things man seeks and cherishes are the things God despises, and vise versa.”
You agree with Jesus Christ, when He said, “that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” - Luke 16:15b
Whomever they follow is THEIR OWN business. Not ours or anyone else’s.
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