Your thought on prosperity preachers

[Nonkululeko]

I personally have no problem with prosperity preaching, so long as they do not "add to the word of God, or subtract from it" as long as they preach the truth. I believe God never intended for anyone to be condemned, or to suffer, I don't believe in coercive preachings, they result in rebellion.I believe in letting people know the goodness and love of our God and once they know him, they will never think of sinning against him, they will actively seek him and his ways.  There  is a hell, but I won't promote it's existence more than the power of my God. Just my opinion, what's yours?

Edited June 19, 2019 by Nonkululeko

[Who me]

20 minutes ago, Nonkululeko said:

I personally have no problem with prosperity preaching, so long as they do not "add to the word of God, or subtract from it" as long as they preach the truth.

I believe God never intended for anyone to be condemned, or to suffer,

I don't believe in coercive preachings, they result in rebellion.I believe in letting people know the goodness and love of our God and once they know him, they will never think of sinning against him, they will actively seek him and his ways.  There  is a hell, but I won't promote it's existence more than the power of my God. Just my opinion, what's yours?

Except they do say that what they falsly teach is the word of God. No where in the bible does it say if you give in the collection to God, a 100, then God will give you back 100+.

As for people being condemned.

Jesus said those who do not believe in him are already condemned.  Your belief is false as God chose those who would follow Jesus before he created the universe. So it follows that he also chose those who would not follow Jesus.

 

 

[Jostler]

"prosperity" is a blessing God intends His people to experience.  IMO the  problem comes when the message gets unbalanced and focuses on money and worldly  wealth exclusively, and begins going so far as teaching principles for obtaining the promise that are nothing more than witchcraft disguised in christian trappings. 

Prosperity of all kinds, health, mental stability, emotional peace and joy, and yes, even worldly goods we NEED, to either live ourselves or to carry  out the  work He has called each of us to do are all a part of it.  I can promise you if I needed a billion dollars tomorrow in order to obey His  will for my life He would have  it in my hands before morning.  Fact is, I don't.    It'll be there if I ever do need it...and it's not something I focus on. 

I am better provided  for than 90% of the people on this earth and so grateful for it.  I have food, clothing and shelter from the elements and even a bit  to  give to others  to relieve some of the suffering  i see.  That is what  I NEED at this moment and it's coming, faithfully, at a level I am mature  enough to handle without provoking my own temptations to misuse the blessing for myself that He  intends me to distribute  in His Name.  

Prosperity is commensurate  with, and grows with, the degree our SOUL  is prospering.  And the prosperity of my (our) soul is SOLELY found IN HIM.  To the degree I am focusing on Him, growing in the knowledge of Him, spending time with  Him, beholding Him  and being transformed into what  I choose to behold (His likeness) is the same degree I will experience His  promised prosperity...in all  realms.  I don't need to focus  on money and material things, He already knows what I need.  I need to focus on Him, and if I  do, I assure you  I  will have more than enough, of everything.  Obviously that assumes I am obeying what He shows me when I focus on Him   Forget obedience and be certain He  won't be focusing on anything else until He gets that from us...willingly

Quote

3Jo 1:2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

 

 

Hell is real, and we need not ignore it.  It's real and a horrific result of rejecting Jesus and we need not be shy about saying so....BUT:

Quote

Rom 2:4 (NKJV)

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

 

Many other versions translate that Greek word "goodness" as "kindness" (both are accurate), so I agree, though  we need to be firm in teaching the whole counsel of the Word (including the lake of fire) you don't scare people into the Kingdom.  The good news is nobody  needs to  go there because His kindness has made a way of escape.

 

 

 

[Neighbor]

Prosperity as in Positive Thinking  of Norman Vincent Peale and  the Possibility Thinking of Robert Schuller tends to lead to a grand failure that is devastating to those that get caught up in it. But, a lesson leaned is a good thing too.

I did miss my own opportunity to buy one or both of the last two panes of glass for the Crystal Cathedral of Robert Schuller at $100,000 US each. Got to see which pane it was to be that would be dedicated in my name too. A pittance for the gain in possibility thinking  I might have obtained.

Of course today all the panes of glass and the whole facade is owned by the  Orange County California diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. seems Bob and the gang bellied up  went bankrupt, much as others like Tim and Tammy  Bakker did. Seems they can't handle their gain at all.

Last thing I heard from the lips of Tammy was,  normally I don't recommend using your credit card to buy property, but these condos are just such a super deal you can't lose, call buy today use your credit card for the down payment.

Sorry Tammy I already maxed out my cards for green prayer hankies, but the money will roll in soon and I will buy the Christian retreat condo unit yes I will I will.

 I have a Possibility Thinkers Bible, just picked it up and looked at it yesterday, it is a good reminder that all that sounds good-ly is not necessarily so. Poor Bob started  out preaching at  a drive in movie facility and just hit a hot button of the people of the time and place, 1960's Orange County Ca. People driven to find a better life in the sun. He got so caught up in himself that he passed God on by, and he fell hard. 

I do feel for those that so desperately want the rewards  of this world that they will try to use God to get  it from others. Bob and the group were teaching how to get rich in California real estate. An okay thing , but when it is the cause of Christ Jesus I think they exceed their gift of teacher and become false teahers  to be avoided less one get caught up in it and sheared by the shepherd's of evil.

These preachers of prosperity know hell, they may not find it profitable to teach of it and of the kingdom of God, for that takes time away from the close they wish to make by deceiving as many as possible that do have some money already, and to simply con them out of it. I do think each  of them started out on a good path with righteous goals, but they each  got full of themselves, decided they could sell God by selling  prosperity and also get rich themselves. Soon they were much  like Gideon in chapter 8 of Judges, having forgot God, and instead are found gathering gold for the making of an idol  a golden idol of one's self- God just doesn't long tolerate that.

Anyway  that is what I think. There is Hell and there is hell on earth, so to speak, too. Kinda works out best if one can avoid being so poor as to resent God, and not be so rich as to perceive having  no need of God. Share sacrificially with widows and orphans give, as Paul said for the oppressed church at Jerusalem, and be kind to one another sharing in all that are needs.

[Nonkululeko]

3 hours ago, Who me said:

Except they do say that what they falsly teach is the word of God. No where in the bible does it say if you give in the collection to God, a 100, then God will give you back 100+.

As for people being condemned.

Jesus said those who do not believe in him are already condemned.  Your belief is false as God chose those who would follow Jesus before he created the universe. So it follows that he also chose those who would not follow Jesus.

 

 

Why are we quick to judge, the point of this forum, is it not to learn more about our faith, thank you for your view, but I disagree with your statement that says my faith is false "I am a born again Christian,  redeemed and saved in the name of Jesus Christ" 

[BibleStudent100]

Prosperity evangelism, the new iteration of Television Evangelism, continues to be exposed for fleecing its members out of money.  Likely this sad state of affairs will continue, as noted in Revelation 18:1-3:  "After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. 2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks! 3 For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”

What should we do?  Follow the sage advice of verse 4: "Get out of her my people!"
 

 

 

[jsimms615]

5 hours ago, Nonkululeko said:

I personally have no problem with prosperity preaching, so long as they do not "add to the word of God, or subtract from it" as long as they preach the truth. I believe God never intended for anyone to be condemned, or to suffer, I don't believe in coercive preachings, they result in rebellion.I believe in letting people know the goodness and love of our God and once they know him, they will never think of sinning against him, they will actively seek him and his ways.  There  is a hell, but I won't promote it's existence more than the power of my God. Just my opinion, what's yours?

God doesn't promise us that life will be free from suffering.  Most of the apostles were martyred for their faith and suffered a lot more than any of us.  So did most christians throughout history for their faith.  Prosperity preachers do take away from the Bible by sugar coating how easy life will be if they follow Christ.  Christ didn't promise that.  He told us to take up our cross, die to self and follow Him

[Nonkululeko]

I think this "prosperity preaching" is more than I thought it was. I thought it was just preachings that encouraged people , I didn't know it meant lying or robbing poor people of their tithes and offerings, in promise of wealth. I just thought it was seeing A in pain and letting them know "greater is he who is with you than the one in the world" and giving hope to the hopeless. Thank you all for sharing your opinion and view on the topic.

[Jostler]

3 hours ago, jsimms615 said:

God doesn't promise us that life will be free from suffering.  Most of the apostles were martyred for their faith and suffered a lot more than any of us.  So did most christians throughout history for their faith.  Prosperity preachers do take away from the Bible by sugar coating how easy life will be if they follow Christ.  Christ didn't promise that.  He told us to take up our cross, die to self and follow Him

I agree...in fact it promises following Him WILL mean suffering.... no suffering, no glory.  I think it's mincing words to say  He wills it though...He doesn't, but it IS a natural consequence of following Him in a fallen world and letting Him use us to shine a light into the darkness....it's unavoidable to anyone who desires to go where He is at work and be about the Father's business.

 

2 hours ago, Nonkululeko said:

I think this "prosperity preaching" is more than I thought it was. I thought it was just preachings that encouraged people , I didn't know it meant lying or robbing poor people of their tithes and offerings, in promise of wealth. I just thought it was seeing A in pain and letting them know "greater is he who is with you than the one in the world" and giving hope to the hopeless. Thank you all for sharing your opinion and view on the topic.

Being from South Africa y0u might  not be aware  of just how far overboard some "prosperity" preaching has gone here in the US.  It truly  has become a very unbalanced and frankly  ungodly focus here in my opinion.

It's idolizing mammon with "christianized" excuses for many who have been caught up in it.  I spent a lot of time personally involved with the Word of Faith movement and had  to be corrected by  Him on a good bit of the theology I picked up there.  I don't mean to disparage the movement entirely  because I also learned a lot while involved there.  But at least  some corners of the movement have really gone off the deep end with imbalance and done a lot of damage.

Edited June 19, 2019 by Jostler

[Scott Free]

Explained in one word, selfishness. The "get rich quick scheme" they have going for themselves is in direct opposition the principles of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. We are to seek to give away our possessions not hoard them to us. We should have the desire to empty our purse to the needy, not collect our silver and live in decadence. The Kingdom of God has nothing to do with these wealthy pastors.