Divine Correction: The Prosperity Gospel

[Arron Cook]

Divine Correction: The Prosperity Gospel

Numbers 12

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, he said,

"Listen to my words:

"When a prophet of the LORD is among you,

I reveal myself to him in visions,

I speak to him in dreams.

But this is not true of my servant Moses;

he is faithful in all my house.

With him I speak face to face,

clearly and not in riddles;

he sees the form of the LORD.

Why then were you not afraid

to speak against my servant Moses?"

The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam

[ted]

t.

[gypc]

Wow!! Good word

[st. Worm]

I agree totally that the prosperity gospel as preached by false ministers like Creflo Dollar is an abomination but the following statement in your post I must take issue with:

God does not want you rich or abundant or fulfilled in a material sense

[methinkshe]

Wow!! Good word

I'll second that! Would that there were more preachers in our locality who were prepared to give such teaching to the flock. That's just what we need to hear. Thanks for posting, Arron.

In Jesus,

Ruth

[Guest]

Live Long And Prosper

A Quick Peek Into Wonder

Give Up My Self?

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:30

Give Up My Life?

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26-27

Give Up My Place?

And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Luke 9:57-58

Give Up My Treasure?

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Oh No!

I'm So Poor - NOT!

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

Love, Joe

[Arron Cook]

It may be God's will that some of us become rich and prosperous in a material sense. God raises up men in that way to fulfill His purposes. We are not called to give away all our possessions like a group of monks but to be prudent and wise in our financial dealings. We are to use these blessings for good purposes like providing for our families and helping others but in no way are we called to be enablers of poor behavior by giving our money away indiscriminately to slothful people. Material wealth and money are not evil but they can be abused by any of us. That is what Scripture really warns us about. Being poor in a financial sense is not a virtue.

Hi there,

I replied on the other thread but I will here too.

I perfectly agree! I am not saying that being poor is a virtue, nor that Christian must live in some kind of self-imposed poverty. My point is blessing, be it material or spiritual, is utterly God's business. The prosperity teaching I hear tells me that I can somehow make God bless me by doing certain things, as if He is bound by my desires; this is the abberation I oppose. God can bless, and God may bless; but we never have liscense to say "God will bless if I do (insert something here)."

We are DEFINITELY called to be good stewards of our money and our blessings and I do not dispute this; au contraire, I advocate it.

I hope this has cleared it up.

Yours in Love,

Arron

[st. Worm]

It may be God's will that some of us become rich and prosperous in a material sense. God raises up men in that way to fulfill His purposes. We are not called to give away all our possessions like a group of monks but to be prudent and wise in our financial dealings. We are to use these blessings for good purposes like providing for our families and helping others but in no way are we called to be enablers of poor behavior by giving our money away indiscriminately to slothful people. Material wealth and money are not evil but they can be abused by any of us. That is what Scripture really warns us about. Being poor in a financial sense is not a virtue.

Hi there,

I replied on the other thread but I will here too.

I perfectly agree! I am not saying that being poor is a virtue, nor that Christian must live in some kind of self-imposed poverty. My point is blessing, be it material or spiritual, is utterly God's business. The prosperity teaching I hear tells me that I can somehow make God bless me by doing certain things, as if He is bound by my desires; this is the abberation I oppose. God can bless, and God may bless; but we never have liscense to say "God will bless if I do (insert something here)."

We are DEFINITELY called to be good stewards of our money and our blessings and I do not dispute this; au contraire, I advocate it.

I hope this has cleared it up.

Yours in Love,

Arron

Thank you for your clarification but I still would disagree with your statement that I captioned in my initial response. I think in some cases God DOES want us rich in a material sense and he indeed allows some of us to obtain wealth for his purposes. Of course how we handle it is the real issue.

blessings,

sw

[Guest]

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:26

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:29-34

Be Blessed Beloved

Love, Joe