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Don't Follow Jesus Because You Want To Be Rich


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Piper Denounces Prosperity Preachers, Playful Worship in Last Sermon

In his last message as pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church, John Piper condemned prosperity preachers for enticing worshippers into a faith that's not real Christianity.

"If you entice people with wealth, ... ease, health, chipper, bouncy, light-hearted, playful, superficial banter in your worship service posing as joy in Christ, you will attract people, oh yeah, you can grow a huge church that way. But Christ will not be seen in his glory and the Christian life will not be seen as the calvary road that it is," said Piper on Sunday.

After 32 years of preaching at Bethlehem in Minneapolis, Piper handed the baton to Jason Meyer, who will be installed on Jan. 20.

While Sunday's sermon was not likely Piper's final message, it was his last on an official level as pastor for Preaching and Vision. In his last official message, Piper wanted to convey to the congregation "what the world needs from the church."

What it needs, he preached, is "our indomitable, invincible joy in the midst of suffering and sorrow."

He wasn't speaking of a "chipper" or "bouncy" joy that he sees in many church services but true rejoicing in the face of suffering and sorrow.

"I turn with dismay from church services that are treated like radio talk shows where everything sounds chipper and frisky and high-spirited and chattering and designed evidently to make people feel light-hearted and playful and bouncy," he said. "I say, don't you know there are people dying of cancer in this room? Don't you know some are barely making it financially? ... And you're going to create an atmosphere that's bouncy ...? I just don't get it. It's not who we are."

Of course, the world does need to see happy Christians but that happiness has to be a "Christ-bought, God-wrought happiness in pain," Piper stressed. "Otherwise, what we offer them isn't anything they don't already have. They know how to be happy in good times."

"What they need is to see and feel indomitable joy in Jesus in the midst of suffering and sorrow ... This people are not playing games here. They're not using religion as a platform for the same old hyped-up self-help that the world gives them every day. They need the greatness and grandeur of God over them."

So many pastors today try to attract people to Jesus with their lavish houses, cars and clothes, Piper lamented. But that's not the way the Apostle Paul did it as recorded in the New Testament.

"You shouldn't ever attract anybody to Jesus like that because if they get attracted they're not coming to Jesus. They're coming to the stuff and the one who can provide it. Thank you very much Jesus for giving me what my fallen, selfish heart always lived for anyway," he said.

The Apostle Paul made it clear that the Christian life is not without suffering such as beatings, hunger, imprisonment and sleepless nights. But in the midst of those hardships, Paul's spirit was never broken and all he could do was rejoice because he had Jesus.

"We're commending the value of Christ and we're doing it exactly the opposite of the way that prosperity preachers do it," Piper noted, preaching from 2 Corinthians 6.

What Paul does is show that knowing Christ and having eternal life with Christ "is better than all the worldly wealth and prosperity and health that there is."

"We commend our life in ministry by afflictions, ... calamities ... It means that Christ is real to us, more precious than sleep, health, money, life ... Wouldn't you want a Christ that precious?

"If not, Christianity is not for you."

http://www.christianpost.com/news/pi...-sermon-87588/

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the truth, amen!

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"If you entice people with wealth, ... ease, health, chipper, bouncy, light-hearted, playful, superficial banter in your worship service posing as joy in Christ, you will attract people, oh yeah, you can grow a huge church that way. But Christ will not be seen in his glory and the Christian life will not be seen as the calvary road that it is,"

I think this sums up the pathetic shallowness of what has become known as the 'Prosperity Gospel'...I believe one of the

most pernicious doctrines ever to have crept into the Body...perhaps because it was never a threat to mainstream doctrines

including Christology it was not picked up on...but this is truly a case of the 'love of money being a root of evils'.

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good read one of the reasons i will never preach the prosperity Gospel in a third world country such as my wife"s country were i see many struggling and suffering what gets me is how this prosperity Gospel has been accepted by many Christians

Jesus never preached the prosperity Gospel i still go over the new testament just in case i missed something and from what i have picked up to how Jesus spoke to the crowds that gathered to hear him preach not once did he do what these TV evangelist"s are doing know

This is what i am against

1. Christians should expect material wealth to come their way as a seal of God's approval

2. If material wealth does not manifest in one's bank account, it's probably due to a lack of faith

3. If you are going through any suffering or sickness, you are out of the will of God, and most likely are in sin (namely unbelief)

4. Christians should speak positive confessions (i.e. "name it, claim it") until the desired amount of money is acquired (although this is a trap, because all it does is cause one to focus on the temporal, thus the person is never really satisfied or content.)

5. All the wealth in the world will be transferred to the Christians before Christ returns, then we will deliver the kingdom to Him (it's so absurd it's even hard for me to type this, but nevertheless some people believe this).

6. Jesus lived his earthly life as a rich man (I know-it's absurd, but that's what some teach)

I Timothy 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 6:7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows

what gets me its already crept into the Philippines Benny Hinn has preached the prosperity Gospel many that live on just one dollar a day expect that god will get them out off the rut they find them selves in some even say but Benny Hinn said that if we lack faith god will not meet our needs some even expect a big house healthy bank account and so on

i just shake my head at what i hear and then when i see kids begging knowing that a parent is encouraging the child to beg it gets me how these guys can preach this prosperity Gospel and have the nerve to ask the poor to give what they probably have for food to feed them selves and their family

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"If you entice people with wealth, ... ease, health, chipper, bouncy, light-hearted, playful, superficial banter in your worship service posing as joy in Christ, you will attract people, oh yeah, you can grow a huge church that way. But Christ will not be seen in his glory and the Christian life will not be seen as the calvary road that it is,"

I think this sums up the pathetic shallowness of what has become known as the 'Prosperity Gospel'...I believe one of the

most pernicious doctrines ever to have crept into the Body...perhaps because it was never a threat to mainstream doctrines

including Christology it was not picked up on...but this is truly a case of the 'love of money being a root of evils'.

So true. I turn on TBS or DayStar and, half the time, I turn it off within five minutes. It's all about 'give us money if you want to have a good life' or 'give to God and He will give back to you'. When did God ever ask any of us for money in order to bless us? This whole trend makes me sick and I believe these 'pastors' are enriching themselves while preaching this drivel.

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Philippians 4:11-13 NASB 11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Hebrews 13:5-6 NASB Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," 6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"

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Jesus knows our heart.He can not be fooled.

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