SOURCE: I’ve never understood the concept of a tofu burger. It’s not actually meat – it can be made to look like meat, it can even taste like meat. But the whole point of a tofu burger is so you won’t realize that what you’re swallowing is completely different than what you’re actually digesting. No matter how you dress it up and present it, it’s still just an imitation.

We’re surrounded by Christianity-imitating tofu. Best-selling authors, talk-show hosts and internationally broadcasted, stadium-filled conference speakers make up much of America’s religious media. And many of these popular and published personalities are dynamic and inspiring women. Unfortunately, while they may sound like they’re teaching genuine Christianity and look like true followers of Jesus, the main entrée they’re serving is tofu. It’s called the Prosperity Gospel, and before you and I swallow everything we hear in mainstream Christian media, we need to be aware of its ingredients.

A Self-Exalting Recipe

The low view of Jesus and the high view of humanity are common themes among many of TV’s top female preachers.  One woman taught that the Bible calls us, “little Elohims…it says that you are ‘little gods’…your spirit is God.” Here it is another way: “Jesus is not the only begotten Son of God – I am a son of God!”  Like most incorrect teaching, it has a grain of truth – Jesus was the firstborn of the resurrection (Col. 1:18) and we are adopted as God’s children and made co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). But unlike you and I, who are adopted and born into God’s family (Eph. 1:5, John 1:13), Jesus is the only begotten Son who was born as a human being but always existed in Eternity Past – because Jesus is God (John 1:1-3, 14). And while you and I have been made “partakers of the divine nature,” (2 Pt. 1:3), we’re still God’s creation – redeemed creation but still creation. While we are being made like God, we’re not “little gods.” It might sound subtle on the outside – it might even have some Bible verses attached to it – but its substance is made up of completely different ingredients than the message of Scripture.

As John MacArthur writes in his book, Hard to Believe, “in this new reformation of self-esteem, the first thing required is to pull God down from His supremely elevated place so you can then lift yourself up, replacing God-exalting theology with man-exalting self-esteem psychology.” Combine the stringing together of verses that are out of context with a low estimation of our own sinfulness and a cheapening of Jesus’ deity and you’ve got a recipe for ruin!

The Gluttony of Earthly Ease

Another common ingredient in this “imitation-Christianity” is that it’s always God’s will that we are physically and financially prosperous. If we’re sick, then ultimately we’re to blame. If we’re having troubles, it’s because we weren’t speaking positive things into our lives. For instance, one popular author said that Job brought all of his troubles upon himself because of his negative self-talk. We may lack faith, have some secret sin, need to give more money or, possibly, just not even be saved.

Here’s what one woman told her listeners to do: “If there’s anything in your body that’s not working right…put your hand on the part of your body…whatever it is…and I’m going to speak to it in the name of Jesus…In Jesus name, I command you to be healed from the top of your head to the soles of your feet!” The Gospels give story after story of how Jesus physically healed people and He continues to do medical miracles today. But as the account of the paralytic man in Luke 5 shows, Jesus did physical miracles to demonstrate his spiritual authority to forgive sins (Luke 5:23).  Physical healing is because of God’s grace, not His obligation.

This view also claims that Jesus’ work on the cross overcame “the curse of poverty,” not the curse of our sin and judgment (Gal. 3:1-14). Sounds like a different recipe for success than Paul’s perspective: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Tim. 6:7-10) The belief that God’s will is for us to be healthy and wealthy is little more than the gluttony for earthly ease. It’s tofu masquerading as meat.

The Distorted Diet of a Greedy Gospel

By far the most damaging and deceptive aspect of the tofu-talk in popular Christian media is that it peddles a false gospel. No matter how many books she writes, TV shows she produces or conferences she hosts, you’re not likely to hear a woman preach a prosperity gospel along with the biblical meaning of the cross of Christ. Why did Jesus have to die? And what are we saved from? Here’s how one female Prosperity Preacher would answer it: “It’s a wholeness package – it means your relationships are going to be fully functioning…your finances are going to be whole…your body is going to be full of health.” Total. Tofu.

What’s the real reason Jesus came to die? To reconcile sinners to God: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith.” (Rom. 3:23-25) Here it is again: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1). And just in case it wasn’t clearer, here it is again: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

While God still heals people of physical problems and promises to provide for our needs, Jesus didn’t die on the cross to make us rich or pain-free. He died to be our substitute for God’s rightful wrath against our sin, the Righteous King for Unrighteous Us (Rom. 5:9, Col. 1:15-20, 1 Peter 3:18). God rescued us in Christ from the consequences of His own justice that we deserved. The false gospel of greed is a distorted diet of half-truths and empty hopes.

Feeding on the Truth

No matter how it’s dressed up and presented, the Prosperity Gospel is an imitation to true Christianity. 2 Peter 2:1-3 warns us, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words…” Not only do you and I need to have discerning ears, we also have to see to it that no one takes us captive by philosophy and empty deceit (Col 2:18). None of us are above veering away from the faith. “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed,” (Gal. 1:8). Turn off the Christian tofu-talk and dig into the meat of God’s Word.

Katie McCoy is the editor of BiblicalWoman.com and is pursuing a PhD in Systematic Theology at Southwestern Seminary. When she’s not reading for her classes (a rare occasion!), she loves hanging out with friends, eating sushi, learning new words and shopping with her mom. Connect with Katie on Facebook or Follow her Twitter!

http://www.biblicalwoman.org/voices/index.php/2013/04/15/the-prosperity-gospel-is-a-tofu-burger/?

1. The Bible warns us to be careful about what doctrines we believe and teach.

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Tim. 4:16)

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 1:13)

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Cor. 13:6)

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. (Hebrews 13:9)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)

I hate and abhor falsehood
but I love your law. (Psalm 119:163)

The righteous hate what is false (Prov. 13:5)

2. The Bible teaches that church leaders (including teachers) must be held to very high standards.

[The LORD said,] “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)

Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless–not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:7-9)

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48)

…Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Gal. 1:6-9)

3. God repeatedly warns His people that some who claim to speak for Him are actually false teachers:

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matt. 7:15)

Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.” (Jeremiah 14:14)

This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD… Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the LORD. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:16,32)

Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, “The LORD declares,” when the LORD has not sent them” (Ezekiel 13:6)

“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30)

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. (1 Tim. 6:3-5)

Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. (2 Cor. 2:17)

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned…By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. (Rom. 16:17-18)

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Tim. 4:2-4)

4. The Bible teaches that false doctrines can be dangerous:

A. False Doctrine can confuse immature Christians.

Then [when we become spiritually mature] we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. (Eph. 4:14)

B. False Doctrine can destroy people’s faith.

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (1 Tim. 4:1-2)

Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. (2 Tim. 2:17-18)

…there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies… (2 Peter 2:1)

They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach–and that for the sake of dishonest gain. (Titus 1:11)

C. False Teachers can ruin the credibility of Christianity

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

5. The Bible teaches that we must test every teacher, correct their errors, and even rebuke them if necessary:

Test everything. Hold on to the good. (1 Thess. 5:21)

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from among you.’” (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. (Revelation 2:2)

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Tim. 4:2-4)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work–which is by faith. (1 Tim. 1:3-4)

He [an overseer] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:9)

For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach–and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith… (Titus 1:10-13)

These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. (Titus 2:15)

[It is sometimes necessary to point out false teachers publicly by name]: Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. (2 Tim. 2:16-18)

6. We are to humbly love and respect our leaders and teachers. We must never judge them self-righteously, hypocritically, or with sinful motives.

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (1 Tim. 5:17)

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. (1 Thess. 5:12)

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…Love is patient, love is kind…it is not proud. It is not rude… (1 Cor. 13:1-7)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)

There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

…correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Tim. 4:2-4)

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Phil. 2:3)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Col. 3:12)

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. (Titus 3:1-2)

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Eph. 4:2)

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)

Conclusion
The Bible is full of warnings against false teachings. Just because someone quotes the Bible doesn’t necessarily mean they are teaching the truth. Even the Devil quoted Scripture when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Mattheew 4:1-7). The devil does not feed us poison outright; he hides it in the meat.

It is important that we seek hard after the truth and study out Bibles carefully. But we must do so with a pure and humble heart. Our goal should never be to attack, mock, or ridicule, but to humbly defend the truth with love, conviction, and humility.

Remember, truth is truth and error is error, regardless of our motives.

http://www.cedricstudio.com/personal/doctrine.html

“This is a tremendous little book. Gordon Fee is a world-class New Testament scholar and a Pentecostal. He discusses the “theology” of the health and wealth teachers and preachers and how they take Scripture out of context. With all the imbalances and biblical distortions going on in the Pentecostal/charismatic scene today, Dr. Fee’s book is refreshing and much-needed. Don’t miss this one!”
______________________

Gordon D. Fee (b. 1934) is a New Testament scholar and Professor Emeritus at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. He received BA and MA degrees from Seattle Pacific University and was ordained in the Assemblies of God church in 1959. Fee earned his doctorate from the University of Southern California in 1966.

Publications

• Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God. ISBN 1565631706. Hendrickson, 1996.
• How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (co-authored with Douglas K. Stuart) ISBN 0310246040. 3rd Ed. Zondervan, 2003.
• New Testament Exegesis : A Handbook for Students and Pastors. ISBN 0664233635. 4th Ed. Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.
• How to Read the Bible Book by Book. ISBN 0310211182. Zondervan, 2002.
• 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, New Intl. Biblical Commentary, with W. Ward Gasque ISBN 0943575109
• New International Commentary on the New Testament (editor)
• First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Commentary on the New Testament ISBN 0802825117
• Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, New International Commentary on the New Testament. ISBN 0802825117. Eerdmans, 1995.
• Philippians, IVP New Testament Commentary ISBN 0830818111
• The act of Bible Reading : A Multidisciplinary Approach to Biblical Interpretation (co-authored with Eugene Peterson, J. I. Packer, Craig M. Gay & James Houston) ISBN 0830816232
• Discovering Biblical Equality : Complementarily without Hierarchy (co-editor) ISBN 0830828346
• God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul ISBN 094357594X. Hendrickson Publishers, 1994.

Richard Hays writes, ‘Fee’s book is the most comprehensive treatment available of Paul’s understanding of the Holy Spirit, a topic that has rarely received sufficient attention in studies of Pauline theology… Fee emphasizes insistently that the Holy Spirit must be experienced as a living presence within the church. That message is both faithful to Paul and urgent for the community of faith in our time.’ – Listening to the Spirit in the Text ISBN 0802847579 – Getting the Word Across: Speech Communication for Pastors and Lay Leaders (co-authored with G. Robert Jacks) ISBN 080284152X – Studies in the Theory and Method of New Testament Textual Criticism ISBN 0802824307 – Power, Holiness, and Evangelism Rediscovering God’s Purity, Power, and Passion for the Lost ISBN 1560433450 – Gospel & Spirit ISBN 0943575788 – To What End Exegesis – Essays ISBN 0802849253 – The Disease of the Health and Wealth Gospels. ISBN 1573830666. Regent College Publishing, 1985.

THE LINKS TO: AUDIO 1 – AUDIO 2

Having a Google Alert for Joel Osteen I have followed the so called “JOEL OSTEEN LEFT CHRISTIANITY HOAX” since I got this first post about it from Yahoo Answers. I was very glad the creator, of what he now calls a “Media Campaign” came out and said he did it to open up a discussion and I was very happy he agreed to be interviewed by myself and to answer some questions that I think the readers of our groupblog might want to ask him.

His name is Justin Tribble and he is Freelance writer from Minnesota who said to Mr. Osteen directly in a message to Joel on Tuesday April 9th.

A message to Joel, from the so-called “hoaxer”

“I am the person who created the Joel Osteen “resigns” hoax that resulted in dozens of media stories, TV segments, a million hits in one day on the hoaxed sites alone, 500 frantic phone calls to the Lakewood Church and managed to cause Joel to smile even bigger than usual.

I did it because I wanted to get this guy’s attention and get him to wake up. “Wake up? Wake up to what?” you say? Allow me to explain…

I have to ask, What would Christ want? Bibles… or Joel Osteen’s fifteen books?

What would Christ want? A pastor who takes risks, or instead molds his message in such a way so as to justify his lavish lifestyle?

It’s time to get real, Joel. It’s time to put the “feel good”, “prosperity gospel” message and all the platitudes and cliches aside for a second and get serious about real issues.

You should be held to a higher standard — but nobody is holding you to that standard.

I am begging of you, start talking about the *real* issues in this world and take a good look at yourself in the mirror. Get serious. Take some risks. Get out of the insulated Lakewood social circle full of sycophants who agree with you on everything.

I’m not seeing you do much of anything other than flash that big, fat grin on TV.

I don’t see you taking risks or talking about real, pressing issues of the day — whether it be Monsanto and their GMO poisons, Obama’s traitorous signing of the NDAA and support of drones, the toxic fluoride in our water, the materialistic, consumer based culture we live in that is so dysfunctional it’s placed the U.S. number one in the world in mental illness rates.

We’ve got the highest rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes in the world, and not a single person is asking, “Why?” Why aren’t *you* asking why, Joel?

I thought you were supposed to be a “teacher”? As far as I’m concerned, you’re the “McDonald’s” version of preachers — feels good to down a big soda, until the heartburn sets in. Telling people what they want to hear isn’t helping anyone, but it’s sure getting *you* rich.

This is a viral campaign designed to get the attention of a man who is incredibly powerful and wouldn’t otherwise likely even listen to me. I hope, hope, hope he wakes up a little and starts informing his flock about what’s really going on in the world and delves into some deeper issues. That’s his job, his duty, as a messenger of the Lord”.

http://christianitynewstexas.blogspot.com/2013/04/megachurch-pastor-joel-osten-annouces.html

Here is also a video of Justin’s interview.

With that I start the interview.

Hi Justin, Thanks so much for agreeing to do this interview. I guess the first question I would like to ask of you is one of a motive question.

Thanks so much for answering these questions for us Justin. As mentioned above this post will have open comments and I’m sure we can have more discussion on this over the next days of you wish.  I sure hope you answering these questions will help us all as we have some conversation about Joel and his teaching. We sure hope you accomplish your goals in this. Thanks allot Justin.

THE COMMENT SECTION IS OPEN.

Here are more post on this blog about Joel Osteen

I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE AREN’T AFRAID TO NAME NAMES

“Faulty Doctrine” by Timothy Brindle feat. Shai Linne

If you want to listen to the full podcast just subscribe to the Fighting For The Faith Podcast in iTunes. The name of this episode is h Is the Joel Osteen’s I AM Teaching on Oprah Life Class’s Whicwas originally broadcast on 30/11/2012 – Friday November 30th 2012.

SOURCE: [First Segment – 00:10:57 – 00:12:04]

Chris Rosebrough, “We are going to be listening to Joel Osteen’s first appearance on Oprah’s Life Class. They are talking about I AM, which is really kind of a blasphemous topic. The way they are handling it, but we are not going to review the entire thing. I have pulled out some segments that I think will help make the point. Now I have had the audio for this segment of Joel Osteen appears on Oprah’s Life Class. I have had the audio of that since they recorded it, a few weeks back, actually more like a month back. But I have not decided to respond until the day it airs. But the same thing with Rick Warren’s appearance on Oprah’s Life Class, will not be responding about it formally until it airs in January. So if you are thinking well Chris we saw you tweeting about it. We saw you. You know listen you don’t want to critique something that hasn’t officially broadcast yet, even though you might have an advanced copy. That is just all I am so saying so we are going to be listening to Joel Osteen today.”

[Second Segment – 00:49:04 – 01:20:02]

Chris Rosebrough, “We have a Joel Osteen update that requires us to play this.”

[plays audio music]

 When I’m feeling lonely

Sad as I can be
All by myself on an uncharted island
In an endless sea

What makes me happy
Fills me up with glee
Those bones in my jaw!
That don’t have a flaw

My shiny teeth and me

My shiny teeth that twinkle
Just like the stars in space
My shiny teeth that sparkle
Adding beauty to my face

My shiny teeth that glisten
Just like a Christmas tree
You know they walk a mile just to see me smile
Woo!
My shiny teeth and me
(shiny teeth shiny teeth)

Chris Rosebrough, “Yeah that is our Joel Osteen update music, alright so Joel Osteen has appeared on Oprah’s Life Class and the name of the Life Class that we will be referring to today, well the topic is I AM. You are thinking I AM. Yeah I AM. You see this is some dangerous stuff. Here is the reason why in Exodus 3 remember God the Lord appears to Moses in a burning bush. Okay, Moses asks the Lord, “What is your name?” Okay so that I can you know I can tell people. What is your name? And the Lord gives His name as I AM eh yeh אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה. Okay this is the name that God gives Himself from the burning bush. Now Jesus Himself picks up that same phraseology several places in the book of John.

This is the you know the disciple John, the apostle John writes about this. For instance okay Jesus has this long running battle with the Pharisees and the Jews in his day in Luke 8 and he makes some wild statements in there that have got to be listened to and heeded. Because what Jesus is saying here is super important. In fact this divine name I AM. Jesus applies it to Himself and He does so, so that you won’t mistake who He is. Okay in fact let me read to you a passage from The Gospel of John chapter eight. If you have your Bible go ahead and flip on over, we are going to be looking at John 8 starting at v21. I am going to just do a couple of highlights here.

John 8 v 21-24 (ESV – English Standard Version)

²¹ So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. ²⁴ I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Okay now the Greek construct there could not be clear. It is strange construct, because normally it is a you know. It is a emphatic sense here because Jesus says, “egō eimi ἐγώ εἰμι.” I unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. Jesus is not saying unless you believe that He exists that you are going to die in your sins. Here he is invoking the divine name from Exodus 3 and basically applying it to Himself. Okay but we continue. I am going to fast forward a little bit in this exchange that Jesus has.

John 8 v 48 (ESV – English Standard Version)

⁴⁸ The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Oh yeah this conversation is going really well yeah right. This is put your big boy pants on here. This is a politically incorrect confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees. This would not be tolerated by the way today. Jesus would arrested for upsetting the Pharisees and breaking politically correct rules. Okay just so you know how this would go down today. So that’s anyway.

John 8 v 48-51 (ESV – English Standard Version)

⁴⁸ “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. ⁵⁰ Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. ⁵¹ Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Again He keeps His Word, He basically is equating His Word with the Word of God right.

John 8 v 52-53 (ESV – English Standard Version)

⁵² The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ ⁵³ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”

Okay great question.

John 8 v 54-59 (ESV – English Standard Version)

⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ ⁵⁵ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. ⁵⁶ Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day.

Now Jesus here is giving some information regarding Abraham that ain’t recorded in The Torah. It is as if He knows Abraham right. So He says

 John 8 v 56 (ESV – English Standard Version)

⁵⁶ Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. So apparently Abraham knows Jesus right?

John 8 v 56 (ESV – English Standard Version)

⁵⁶ He saw it and was glad.” ⁵⁷ So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Okay so here you know you take a passage like Exodus 3. You take this passage from John 8 and there is a couple more passages you could look to and you have got to understand what we are dealing with here. When we start talking about I am language we are talking about the very name of God. One of the revealed names of God and one of the names that Jesus applies to Himself, to demonstrate and prove that He is God. That is who Jesus is making Himself out to be. Jesus isn’t some fly by night angel. Jesus isn’t some self appointed human. Jesus is none other than God in human flesh and He is the reason why He is using this I am language is to demonstrate that point.

Okay so now we come to the Oprah Life Class that aired last night on The Oprah Network and she had Joel Osteen on to discuss the topic of I am. Now I happen to have the recording of when was this was being taped, not when it aired and I think that is going to be instructive to help you figure out what is going on here. So who is Oprah with? Well none other than America’s most favourite pastor Joel Osteen who is not a Christian pastor in any sense of the word. He is an ear tickler extraordinaire and I will explain to you a little bit about you know how to identify a false teacher in just a minute. But you have got understand what is going on here is that this is a blasphemous programme because of the topic itself as it was billed as The I am Life Class. But here is Oprah and Joel Osteen from part way through the basically the opening of the programme to discuss their topic and Joel is going to talk to somebody who has called in. You are going to hear Oprah give some advice. This segment is going to run a little bit long. We have got about eight minutes that I want to cover here. But here is Oprah and Joel Osteen.

Oprah Winfrey, “We are talking about the power of two simple words I am. Saul from Miami Lakes Florida is in our audience. Stand up Saul. What is your question for pastor Joel Osteen?

Saul, “Well it is an honour to be here with you guys. My question was when I was eleven years old.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Okay I have got to back up. Already see I will assume that I can tell that this is going to be a long segment, work with me. Okay listen again to Oprah.”

Oprah Winfrey, “We are talking about the power of two simple words I am.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Biblically there is no power in these words. The power is the fact that these words reveal who Jesus is none other than God in human flesh. It is not as if the words I am have any special magical power to make anything happen in our life. In the Bible the words I am, the significance is they point us to the one true God Jesus Christ. We continue.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Saul from Miami Lakes Florida is in our audience. Stand up Saul. What is your question for pastor Joel Osteen?”

Saul, “Well it is an honour to be here with you guys. My question was when I was eleven years old my father passed away. He committed suicide. He left my mother to these four kids on her own. I developed this inability to trust people that I looked up to authority figures, people I respected. Because I felt that if I trusted them that they would fail me and as an adult I find that this is blocking me. I find that my inability to trust people is keeping me from fulfilling my full potential. So my question for you is how I can I heal this inability to trust in order to fulfil my full potential?”

Joel Osteen, “Yeah Saul our heart goes out to you. You know I think the starting point….”

Chris Rosebrough, “Notice the complete narcissistic focus.”

Joel Osteen, “You know I think the starting point is Saul you have got to realise you know that nothing that has happened to you is a surprise to God. You know as hard as that is and our hearts break for you but God knew everything you would go through. So he has already equipped you and empowered you with everything you need. So I think every day you have to remind yourself. You know what I had some hardships, but I am well able to live a victorious life and you know it is just, it comes to a part where you say, “God you know I didn’t have a father. But I am going to let you be my father. You trust in Him and God will give you that. You know because it goes back Saul.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Now this has got an applause line. My question trust in God for what….to reach my full potential? We are just going to skip right over the cross. So now we are just going to utilise God so that I can achieve my full potential using the words I am.”

Joel Osteen, “I think it goes back to this because it is hard when you have been hurt. Because you have got to say I am not going to try to get my approval from people. I am going to get my approval from God. Because you know people as good as they are. They will disappoint us and what a disappointment, what a hurt to have a father like that. But you have got to say, “you know God it is not a surprise to you. I know I am a person of destiny. You breathed your life into me so I am going to….”

Chris Rosebrough, “I know I am a…..oh man seriously. I mean okay now I want to point something out to you. Now those of you who are familiar with Joel Osteen or you know have people that are friends or family who think he is just the bees knees, you know one of the things, “Oh he is just the nicest man. He is just. He is so positive and he is so uplifting.” As if somehow that exonerates him and doesn’t make him a false teacher. I would like to read to you a little red passage of scripture Romans 16. I will start at v17 warning us about false teachers. Okay here is what the apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says.

Romans 16 v 17-18 (ESV – English Standard Version) 

He says, ¹⁷ “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites,”

Now listen to the description.

Romans 16 v 18-19 (ESV – English Standard Version)

¹⁸ and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Joel Osteen bless his heart he is just as nice as chocolate milk right. How does the apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit describe those who teach false doctrine? As those who by smooth talk and flattery deceive the hearts of the naïve. Listen again okay this is smooth talk and flattery.”

Joel Osteen, “I am going to get my approval from God. Because you know people as good as they are. They will disappoint us and what a disappointment, what a hurt to have a father like that. But you have got to say, “you know what God it is not a surprise to you. I know I am a person of destiny. You breathed your life into me so I am going to dig my heels in. I know I am equipped and empowered. I am well able.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Smooth talk and flattery. He is a false teacher. This is exactly who the Holy Spirit was warning you about in Romans 16.”

Joel Osteen, “It just that attitude of moving forward and you know again I said it earlier but the Bible talks about God pays you back for the wrongs that have been done to you. So you keep moving forward and I believe the rest of your life this may sound odd but it will be better than if your father had been with you the whole time.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Smooth talk and flattery.”

Joel Osteen, “God has a way of making it up to you. So that is our prayer.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Exactly that is all a part of the plan for your life. Nothing is happening out of order with the divine order of your life and so the truth is that wherever you are in any given moment that is where you are supposed to be and again we are talking earlier about faith. True faith is knowing that no matter what you are going to be okay. So…..”

Chris Rosebrough, “Woah true faith in who for what? Listen whenever you hear the word faith, okay understand that the Greek word underlying that New Testament word that you read in your New Testament where it says faith okay. If it is the noun it is the word pistis πίστις (Strong’s Concordance 4099). If it is the verb form you know faith it is pisteuo πιστεύω (Strong’s Concordance 4102) and what it means is a firm and certain belief and trust. Now understand this trust always has an object.

Now here Oprah is saying that faith is believing that things are going to work out well for you, that is different than New Testament biblical faith. Because New Testament biblical faith is faith and trust and certainty in Jesus Christ, the virgin born Son of God for the forgiveness of sins. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Okay that you know announcing to the world that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting men’s trespasses against them. Right but that Christ became sin for us, so we can become the righteousness of God. That is what is going on, on the cross. So we have a very specific person whom we trust in and we trust in Him for the forgiveness of our sins and right standing before God and the good news that we have been redeemed, purchased of the slavery brock, that we that God’s wrath has been propitiated and that we are, we stand justified and reconciled before God as a result of what Christ has done for us. We are not hearing that here. By the way therefore the biblical call, the call to everybody is to repent of their sin and believe in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. That is the call of biblical faith. That is New Testament faith, what she is describing is something very different and with that so add to this blasphemous attempt at mishandling the I am concept. But now we have got Oprah saying things like this…..”

Oprah Winfrey, “That is where you are supposed to be and again we are talking earlier about faith. True faith is knowing that no matter what you are going to be okay. So what are I am’s you have told yourself?”

Saul, “I think that….”

Chris Rosebrough, “What a weird question. What the I am’s you have told yourself? As if so the solution is you have to say these I am’s to yourself. You are going through a bad time, well you have got to say some I am’s. We are going to hear Joel Osteen lead Oprah’s Life Class in some I am’s, phew man talk about smooth talk and flattery. Joel Osteen excels in that. You see that is why the Holy Spirit warned us. False teachers they are the nicest people in the whole world. They build you up. They are very positive. They excel in smooth talk and flattery and the thing about flattery is it points you to you, not to Christ. Christ’s messengers call sinners to repent and to be forgiven. Big difference.”

Saul, “I think that some of the I guess, one of the primary I am’s I repeat is that I am afraid to trust. I am unable to trust because I feel that.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Okay I would say to you and I have, I am no pastor at all. But I would say to you can….”

Chris Rosebrough, “I would say amen to that, that is why you shouldn’t listen to her.”

Oprah Winfrey, “I would say to you, can you trust yourself? Would you say that?”

Chris Rosebrough, “Okay I have got to back that up. Listen to this. Biblical New Testament faith is faith and trust in Christ. We are trusting Him for the forgiveness of our sins. Listen to who she just said we should trust in.”

Saul, “I am unable to trust because I feel that.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Okay I would say to you and I have, I am no pastor at all. But I would say to you can you trust yourself? Would you say that too pastor?”

Joel Osteen, “Absolutely!”

Oprah Winfrey, “Can you trust yourself?”

Chris Rosebrough, “And there is Joel, “absolutely yeah, just trust yourself.” If I was sitting there I would say are you out of your mind? You are the problem. I am the problem. We don’t trust ourselves, we trust in Christ. We had to be rescued, redeemed and saved by God’s mighty hand. You telling people to trust in themselves, really?”

Oprah Winfrey, “Can you trust yourself? I mean you maybe afraid of what somebody else is going to do. But can you trust yourself? Do you trust yourself enough to know that if somebody harms you, if somebody is not going to be advantageous to you, then you can make a decision to move out of that relationship, can you trust yourself enough to do that?”

Saul, “I think so.”

Oprah Winfrey, “You think so, alright I love that.”

Joel Osteen, “That is good. I think that is perfect. Right, well I think…..”

Chris Rosebrough, “Now does anyone find it shocking that Joel Osteen is having no problem with her bad theology whatsoever? Of course you shouldn’t have, you shouldn’t be shocked. He teaches the same nonsense that she teaches.”

Oprah Winfrey, “What I am’s can he start today. What I am’s can he start?”

Joel Osteen, “I am not fearful.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Uh huh okay so now so the solution to your problem is you say these I am’s. I am not fearful. I am whatever. This is blasphemous and it points us away from the real I am and that is Jesus Christ.”

Joel Osteen, “I am confident. I am excited about my future. I think Saul you have to realise that you know God will bring the right people across your path, part of that healing is being open to say, “Okay God I was hurt before and I couldn’t trust, but God I am going to be open enough, vulnerable enough to trust that you are bringing the right people across my path and like Oprah said you will feel that His Spirit in here the still small voice when something is not right. But you have got to know God has right people in your future and…..”

Chris Rosebrough, “So rather than pointing Him to God’s Word – The Bible, now we are pointing him to a still small voice, which is a complete mishandling of that text. The Bible does not teach and promise you that God is going to speak to you in a still small voice.”

Joel Osteen, “You know don’t let one bad break ruin the rest of your life. It doesn’t have to you, you can move forward.”

Oprah Winfrey, “I am excited about my future. That is what you are going to say every morning when you wake up. Okay I am excited about what the day is going to bring. I am excited about the people God is going to bring into my life and watch things change. I am going to get this book signed just for you Saul, and you are going to do this? Thirty one days straight then we will hear from you okay. We will be right back. We are sold. I am going to run out of books Steve.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Alright what you are going to hear next is was not broadcast last night because this was recorded when they recorded this live. You are going to hear Oprah addressing the crowd who showed up for her Life Class, you are going to hear her addressing them during the commercial break and what you are going to hear you need to hear. So listen carefully to this little clip that was that Oprah said during the commercial break.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Because this one has my notes in it okay. Saul I will get you another book.”

Staff, “Security needs to do a little bit of work.”

Oprah, Winfrey, “Okay.”

Staff, “Hey pastor this time I know we have all the information here for you.”

Oprah Winfrey, “This is the thing I say about faith.”

Staff, “If you want to go to that guy on Skype.”

Oprah Winfrey, “You know everybody goes to church and do the big service and then they go home and they worry about everything. What kind of God is that? You go to church, you praise and then you go home and you worry.”

Chris Rosebrough, “What kind of God is that? Well I don’t think the issue is God, don’t you I think the issue is the people who don’t trust Him and believe that they have a loving and caring God and Father. Why because they haven’t had their sins forgiven and they don’t understand the implications, the full implications of the gospel and what the forgiveness of sins really truly means. We truly understand God only through the cross of Christ and if that was really being driven home then you would have people trusting Him even through the difficult times in life. But listen to her snarky-ness, what kind of God is that? We continue.”

Oprah Winfrey, “I am excited about my future. I am excited about Saul’s future. I wasn’t trying put you on the spot. But the question is do you, can you trust yourself?”

Saul, “I do actually.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Well that is all you need.”

Chris Rosebrough, “That is all you need. I mean, “What kind of God is that now? Do you trust yourself that is all you need.” This was during the commercial break. Yeah no I don’t trust myself, in fact trusting myself would be foolish. I know that I am a sinner and I am really in serious and dire need of a Saviour. If Christ has died for me and risen from the grave, I have no hope and neither do you.”

Oprah Winfrey, “That is all you need.”

Saul, “I do trust myself. I think….”

Oprah Winfrey, “That is all you need.”

Saul, “Yeah.”

Oprah Winfrey, “You don’t have to worry about trusting other people, because you can trust yourself. You trust your discernment and if you are listening to the still small voice as this pastor was talking about.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Yeah not listening to God’s Word. Listening to the still small voice.”

Oprah Winfrey, “It always lets you know.”

Saul, “Yeah it does.”

Oprah Winfrey, “If you can trust that, that is all you need.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Yeah just trust the still small voice. Don’t trust God, don’t trust His Word, just trust yourself and the still small voice.”

Oprah Winfrey, “That is God speaking through you.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Yeah the still small voice. That is God.”

Oprah Winfrey, “That is all you have to trust.”

Saul, “Thank you.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Guarantee it.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Yeah and I guarantee you are wrong Oprah. What you have is just given is absolutely Satanic and deadly advice here.”

Oprah Winfrey, “And you do this, you are healed. [laughs] I do declare, what?”

Chris Rosebrough, “Now I am going to fast forward here to them coming out of the break a little later on and listen in as we continue with this I am segment with Joel Osteen and Oprah and this very deadly poisonous heretical false teaching that throws you back on yourself. It doesn’t you to trust in Christ, God and His Word, to trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins and all things. But no trust in yourself in a still small voice, we continue….”

Oprah Winfrey, “You have still got to sign I Declare for us all and you know I declare that if you were to do the declarations for thirty one days your life would change. That is what you did it for right.”

Joel Osteen, “That is exactly right. One day a month and you know you can continue to do them. But it is a great start.”

Oprah Winfrey, “You can watch pastor Joel’s entire I am sermon, we have it on oprah.com, also you know do the……”

Chris Rosebrough, “Yeah don’t worry. I will get to it and probably review part of it.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Do the I declare’s, because I am I do declare, in stores now. Final thoughts from you pastor Joel.”

Joel Osteen, “Well I think it is just so important to never speak negative words about yourself, your family, it may come to your mind. But don’t give your words life by speaking them out. Don’t ever say anything negative.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Now this is just flat out witchcraft and superstition. The Bible doesn’t teach this.”

Joel Osteen, “Don’t ever say anything negative about yourself. You may feel it. But just you know zip it up and make those positive declarations.”

Oprah Winfrey, “It takes time though because from the time I heard the I am sermon, I mean when it did it and I am hoping this is what is going to happen for all of you, who are watching, who are here. Is that you start catching yourself. Because you know if you are however old, you have the habit of feeding the negative tapes to yourself. I do too and so when you first catch yourself doing it, you switch it just as we have been doing here today. You switch the I am and it takes practice. That is why the I declare the declarations help you get into the practice of it.”

Joel Osteen, “Absolutely and it is not something you have to go out and do in public. You get up in the morning. You are in the shower or you are driving to work saying, “You know it thank you Lord I am strong. I make good decisions. I am healthy. Just simple things like that. It is just….”

Oprah Winfrey, “I am looking forward to my future.”

Joel Osteen, “Yes oh perfect.”

Oprah Winfrey, “I am looking forward to my future. Could you lead us in a few I am’s. ”

Joel Osteen, “Can we all stand?”

Oprah Winfrey, “Can we all stand?”

Joel Osteen, “Alright let’s stand.”

Oprah Winfrey, “Alright.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Okay so now they are now going to stand and be led in a bunch of I am’s and they haven’t heard about the I am, that is Jesus Christ, God in human flesh. So now everyone is going to stand up and they are going to declare their I am’s.”

Joel Osteen, “Alright just repeat after me. I am strong. I am healthy. I am confident. I am confident. I am secure. I am talented. I am creative. I am disciplined. I am focused. I am valuable. I am beautiful. I am blessed. I am excited about my future. I am victorious. Alright how about amen.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Yes blasphemous, I would like you to compare what you just heard all of those I am’s statements to a story, recorded in The Gospel of Luke.

v9 Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and they treated others with contempt.

Luke 18 v 10-14 (ESV – English Standard Version)

¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayedthus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Joel Osteen, “Just repeat after me. I am strong. I am healthy. I am confident. I am confident. I am secure. I am talented. I am creative. I am disciplined. I am focused. I am valuable. I am beautiful. I am blessed. I am excited about my future. I am victorious. Alright how about amen.”

Chris Rosebrough, “Uh hmm….yet they were not taught to pray, “I am a sinner. God have mercy on me.” Instead they have exalted themselves. Therefore I fear of  Christ’s words will come true, that they will be humbled on the last day, when He comes again in glory to judge both the living and the dead. Because they have exalted themselves and trust in themselves, rather than trust in Christ like the tax collector did and asked for merciful God, asked that God be propitious and merciful to Him and he was. You see the difference between the true gospel and the false gospel? One throws you on yourself and teaches you to trust in yourself, to exalt yourself. The other it is you on your face confessing what you truly are, a sinner in need of a Saviour and in Christ Jesus we do have a Saviour. God is merciful and He is kind and He is forgiving, so forgiving that He will even forgive self-exalting sinners like you and like me. Pray that those who have been deceived by this false teaching will be brought to repentance and faith and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and believe the true gospel and reject this false smooth talk and flattery that teaches you to exalt yourself, rather than humble yourself in the sight of the Lord.”

http://craigbrownsreformedtheology.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/fighting-for-the-faith-with-chris-rosebrough-joel-osteens-i-am-teaching-on-oprahs-life-class/

This article from Nehanda Radio (Zimbabwe News and Internet Radio Station) is kinda llengthy but a really really great read. Very Insightful and said with much passion. You can tell this guy has had much first hand experience with the Word of Faith Movements Prosperity Gospel.

SOURCE: The Case against the Gospel of Prosperity by Learnmore Zuze

A story is told of a dog that died. The owner loved his dog so dearly that he went to his pastor and said, “Pastor, my dog has died this morning. I have one request which, if you grant, I would be grateful forever. Please, could there be a service for the poor creature?”

The Pastor replied, “No, we can’t have service for animals in the church. The church is for human beings and not for pets. However, there is one of the new churches mushrooming down the road, try them, maybe they will accept such a request.”

The dejected man rose from the chair and shook his head as he headed for the door on his way out. Just as he was about to leave he enquired, “Pastor, but do you think at that church they will accept a donation of  three thousand dollars for personal use by their pastor in return for the burial service?”

The Pastor shouted, “Blood of Jesus! Come back! Why didn’t you tell me all along that the dog was a Christian? Let’s have the service right way. Where is the dog?” The story may sound funny but contained therein is a deadly and Satan-induced cancer that is eating the unsuspecting church of today.

Whereas the shepherd and follower of Christ of the past focused on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and repentance, today’s follower has been schooled to believe that the focus of the Christian is the acquisition of worldly wealth.

The prosperity Gospel teaches that God wants Christians to be prosperous financially, physically and spiritually. This Gospel has taken centre stage influencing millions of people and has had startling success because of what it promises the believer.

Marketers of this gospel have touched the hearts of millions of eager listeners seeking to escape from the jaws of poverty. This gospel is premised on the idea that God wants you to be rich and to have excess in your life and that your physical possessions indicate your spiritual worthy.

Below I quoted live recorded statements by prosperity preachers.

·          “Today’s service is on Seven steps to prosperity …”

·          “If you are still a lodger then you need to understand that poverty is not from God.”

·          “Receive your house, receive your miracle…”

·          “The very moment you stepped in this church, poverty and sickness have departed from your family.” 

It’s undeniable that the Bible has many scriptures which tell of God’s blessings. However, the tragedy of those who peddle the gospel of prosperity is their myopic focus on these scriptures and reluctance to understand the core objective of the Gospel.

Did Jesus impliedly or explicitly teach that His Gospel would also be a tool for earthly prosperity? Is the prosperity gospel the urgent message that the world needs in these last days? Suppose there is a father who has a family to feed and one day brings a bar of chocolate to the excitement of his family.

The next day the man brings two more bars of chocolate and again the family is happy. The father increases the chocolate bars he takes home in the next few days much to the delight of his family.

Meanwhile, his home has run out of the basic food like mealie-meal and oil yet surprisingly, the man of the house continues to bring more chocolate. Consequently the family reaches a point where all that is left for food is chocolate.

The adamant man continues to hoard more boxes of chocolate out rightly ignoring the basic food critical for the survival of his family. Eventually, the children get wasted and emaciated from undernourishment but the father does not relent. What do you make of such a man?

Personally, I do not see anything wrong with a father bringing goodies for his family. The problem arises when all that a father brings is chocolate. Bringing chocolate becomes wrong if not evil because it now threatens the very survival of the family.

Chocolate becomes detrimental to the children if they are lacking basic food which nourishes. That illustration aptly prescribes why the prosperity gospel has become dangerous.

The prosperity gospel, just like the chocolate, has become a detrimental force used by the devil to distract Christians from feeding on the life-giving message of salvation and repentance from sin.

Prosperity is the chocolate in the life of a Christian and salvation knowledge is the basic food critical for the survival of the Christian. I maintain that the gospel of prosperity has since become an evil because it’s the only thing that Christians are bombarded with ahead of the priceless message of salvation today.

Chances are nine against one that the sermon on your TV right now is teaching you about prosperity. Ministers have become so intoxicated with preaching wealth with the effect that the poor feel out of place in today’s churches.

A theme study of the Bible demands that we do not focus on isolated verses but search for what Jesus said about wealth in general. It is the work of the devil to single out one or two scriptures and then twist them to deceive millions of people.

The evidence against the gospel of prosperity is simply overwhelming. Jesus Christ spoke against the gospel of prosperity in many ways as follows:

• Do not build for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and   rust can destroy (Matt 6:19,20) 

• ·             Foxes and birds have some where to lay their heads but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Matt 8:20) 

• ·             But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort (Luke6;24) 

•  It is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 19;24) 

•  …You cannot serve God and money (Matt 6; 24). 

• ·             How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.( Luke 18:12 ) 

The Prosperity gospel teaches that you need material prosperity in your life. It doesn’t teach that primarily you need prosperity in your ‘spiritual’ life, which the Bible teaches. It is my strong conviction that the emergence and popularity of the gospel of prosperity today is by no means an accident.

Remember, the Bible tells us that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and forces of darkness (Ephesians 6; 12). The prosperity gospel was designed to serve a real practical purpose. The real purpose of this gospel is to remove focus from the real matter of this world.

It is designed to overshadow the message of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The prominence given to it relegates the Second Coming of Christ to the peripheries. When was the last time you heard a speaker preach of the return of Christ?

The real message which the world needs urgently is the repentance and salvation of mankind. The wealth gospel is earthly-focused and makes the return of Christ a non event. Satan obviously has a field day to see Christians who are mindful of earthly riches, which Christ rejected.

The devil laughs with satisfaction to hear messages of earthly prosperity reverberating from Christian pulpits.

The spiritually enlightening story of the rich young ruler (Matt 19:22) was not accidentally put in the Bible. That story is well meant and sums up the case against the wealth gospel.

Christ knew human nature too well that once the pursuit of wealth becomes our goal in life then the devil has got us in his net just like the young ruler. Wealth is a god on its own. Christ would not have told the rich young man that it was impossible to serve God and money if money were not a master in its own right.

For example, if someone were to say, “A football player cannot register with both Arsenal and Chelsea.” That statement automatically tells you that both Arsenal and Chelsea are soccer teams. Christ wouldn’t have made the comparison between God and money if one of them where not a god.

Money is a master which demands to be served just like God. The rich young ruler had faithfully kept the Commandments but his heart was embedded on his wealth. He valued his wealth so much that he was willing to lose Christ for it. The point which Christ was making is this; you cannot serve God and money.

You will love one and hate the other. Prosperity preachers and seekers likewise are striving after material things of the world instead of God. The wealth gospel stands in stark contrast with Christ’s advice, “…a man’s life does not consist in his earthly possessions.”(Luke 12; 15)

Sadly, the peddlers of the gospel of prosperity remain headstrong urging millions of people into rejecting Christ’s counsel and courting destruction. They continue to teach that affluence is an indicator of godliness.

On the contrary, Christ was an embodiment of humility and he identified with the poor. He even had to make the point by being born of a poor carpenter yet he was God.

The most misleading and most mischievous belief to come out of the gospel of prosperity is the promise that being born again spells an end to poverty, pain, and suffering. Ever seen notices in the local press where people give testimonies that they were always sick and poor before they turned to Christ?

This belief is definitely not from God; at least not the God of the Bible. God never promised man that once they convert to Christianity they become immune to the sufferings of the present world. To the contrary, Paul’s conversion to Christianity marked the beginning of untold suffering for him.

Paul had enjoyed fame and belonged to the elite group which persecuted and prosecuted Christians. The very moment Paul turned to Christianity he was dogged by countless tragedies.

Reading through his horrible experiences in his letters, you will learn that: he was flogged countless times, fought wild beasts at Ephesus on his mission to spread the Word and endured inhuman jail conditions all because of Christ.

Paul is believed to have died in prison yet he stands as an iconic figure in Christianity. In fact, concerning those who flock to stadiums to preach and seek prosperity Paul left a message in one of his letters.

He wrote; “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.”(1Timothy 6:9)

Any man who sets his eyes on the cross and commits to follow Christ will square with temptation and hardship. Christ admonished His disciples that“…If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first (John 15; 18).”

The false impression given by the prosperity gospel that this sinful world is our home where we ought to build mansions and drive obscenely expensive cars is an outright lie straight from the pit of hell.  Jesus Christ himself endured excruciating pain in this world.

He had to endure the betrayal of friends and those he healed. If there was any Man who could have amassed wealth by use of miracles and attain earthly prosperity beyond measure that Man was none other than Jesus Christ. He could have led the way and enriched Himself as an example for His followers.

With an average of five thousand people following Him, He could have easily wrecked in thousands of dollars daily in offerings and buy all the gold of this world but did He? Today’s Christian ought to realize that there is a battle for the control of his mind   that is going on.

This is the last hour. Take heed that no one deceives you.

Learnmore Zuze is a Zimbabwean author and writes in his own capacity.

http://nehandaradio.com/2013/04/05/the-case-against-the-gospel-of-prosperity/

SOURCE: I am not against anyone prospering and so isn’t God. In fact there are undoubtedly many clear cut scriptures showing the will of God regarding the prosperity of his people. The problem is with the position prosperity is given in the gospel by us humans. That is where all the issues with prosperity are arising from. What it has promoted is greed and the pursuit of wealth much more than the pursuit of God. God is the source of wealth but wealth will not bring anyone close to God. Even the definition of prosperity has been limited to wealth or largely wealth. While they defend themselves saying they know prosperity is beyond just money their sermons say something else. Let them preach what they claim to believe. True prosperity must be taught closely with the obedience of God. Not just the obedience involving finances but living a holy life through out.

Jesus gave the blue print and showed how all this should work.

Mat 6:19-34 RV  “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth consume, and where thieves break through and steal:  (20)  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  (21)  for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.  (22)  The lamp of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  (23)  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness!  (24)  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  (25)  Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?  (26)  Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?  (27)  And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto his stature?  (28)  And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  (29)  yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  (30)  But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  (31)  Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (32)  For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  (33)  But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  (34)  Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Emphasis mine).

Compare that with the situation we have on our hands today. What we have is prosperity taking up the largest part of sermons even when the sermon is on a different subject. We have prosperity taking up the largest number of sermons preached year in year out. It’s so easy to hear prosperity being mentioned in any sermon but not the sinful state of church and society that certainly needs attention. God calls different people for different specific missions and calls and gives them the anointing to accomplish that particular call. There are people God has called to help the church deal with finances and prosper just like there are those called into deliverance etc. There are people gifted in medicine, engineering, teaching, IT etc. it’s okay when those called to finances major in finances but they should not shy away from preaching a holistic gospel even while doing what they do best. There however is a problem somewhere when money sweeps over the church and everyone is preaching it for the most time and the more important doctrines are swept aside.

There are plenty of ways to invest in heaven, like using your finances specifically for godly purposes. Jesus was clear on the order. The kingdom and righteousness first, then “all these things” shall be added to us.  Jesus said the gentiles (unbelievers) are the ones who seek such things. It’s certain these are the major concerns of gentiles. It shouldn’t be the same for us. Jesus said we should be different. How? Go after God, he will give you the rest. We have changed the order. There is denial about this but what’s being done proves it. “Things” are sought in the place of God. Like when people get to know every verse about prospering yet few or none are known on the subject of holiness etc. All day what do you think of most? Is it Prosperity or God? That’s a result of too much prosperity sermons that are not holistic. God knows well for man to focus on anything that’s not Him will cause trouble, where your treasure is is where your heart will be. Jesus commands us to store treasure in heaven, to invest in heaven not earth.  That doesn’t mean not having any investment or anything on earth. That interpretation contradicts a lot of scriptures. He says to not lay up treasures on earth for “YOURSELVES”. That is a selfish me me mentality. If you seek God first storing treasure in heaven will be automatic because He will always be your first love and not earthly treasures. If you invest in heaven your heart will continue to be there. If you lay up for yourselves treasure on earth you will be earth minded thus carnally minded.

READ MORE HERE

SOURCE: “Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection?”

Answer: There is a great deal of confusion in regards to this question. This concept comes primarily from the Apostles’ Creed, which states, “He descended into hell.” There are also a few Scriptures which, depending on how they are translated, describe Jesus going to “hell.” In studying this issue, it is important to first understand what the Bible teaches about the realm of the dead.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means the “place of the dead” or the “place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek word that is used for hell is “hades,” which also refers to “the place of the dead.” Other Scriptures in the New Testament indicate that sheol/hades is a temporary place, where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection and judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 gives a clear distinction between the two. Hell (the lake of fire) is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Hades is a temporary place. So, no, Jesus did not go to hell because hell is a future realm, only put into effect after the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

Sheol/hades is a realm with two divisions (Matthew 11:23, 16:18; Luke 10:15, 16:23; Acts 2:27-31), the abodes of the saved and the lost. The abode of the saved was called “paradise” and “Abraham’s bosom.” The abodes of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” (Luke 16:26). When Jesus ascended to heaven, He took the occupants of paradise (believers) with Him (Ephesians 4:8-10). The lost side of sheol/hades has remained unchanged. All unbelieving dead go there awaiting their final judgment in the future. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes, according to Ephesians 4:8-10 and 1 Peter 3:18-20.

Some of the confusion has arisen from such passages as Psalm 16:10-11 as translated in the King James Version, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption….Thou wilt show me the path of life.” “Hell” is not a correct translation of this verse. A correct reading would be “the grave” or “sheol.” Jesus said to the thief beside Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to the “paradise” side of sheol/hades. He then removed all the righteous dead from paradise and took them with Him to heaven. Unfortunately, in many translations of the Bible, translators are not consistent, or correct, in how they translate the Hebrew and Greek words for “sheol,” “hades,” and “hell.”

Some have the viewpoint that Jesus went to “hell” or the suffering side of sheol/hades in order to further be punished for our sins. This idea is completely unbiblical. It was the death of Jesus on the cross and His suffering in our place that sufficiently provided for our redemption. It was His shed blood that effected our own cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7-9). As He hung there on the cross, He took the sin burden of the whole human race upon Himself. He became sin for us: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This imputation of sin helps us understand Christ’s struggle in the garden of Gethsemane with the cup of sin which would be poured out upon Him on the cross.

When Jesus cried upon the cross, “Oh, Father, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), it was then that He was separated from the Father because of the sin poured out upon Him. As He gave up His spirit, He said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). His suffering in our place was completed. His soul/spirit went to the paradise side of hades. Jesus did not go to hell. Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died. The payment for sin was paid. He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to glory in His ascension. Did Jesus go to hell? No. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.

Fresh out of college, I was ready to take on life’s unexpected adventures, but just not this one. Persistent pain was an anti-adventure, an unwelcome companion that kept me sidelined at home while the rest of my friends hiked mountains and salsa danced. My faith, which had sustained me up until now through a rocky family life and a bout of depression in college, now wore thin. God’s promises of life abundant and a hope-filled future seemed distant and stale, as if a stranger other than me used to believe them. Life stretched before me in a tunnel of unrelenting pain.

At the root of my angst were several questions that wedged into the once-stable core of my existence, leaving me un-moored. I questioned my body, by which I felt betrayed. Why wasn’t it able to heal properly? How could these limbs on which I had prided myself for being so strong, trim, and supple suddenly turn fragile and diseased?

I questioned society and the health care system along with the mentality of efficiency and scientific mastery of the body which pervades both. Why did doctors seem not to care about my pain? How could the medical industry go on blithely selling pharmaceuticals that often do more harm than good?

I questioned God and his wisdom in allowing the world to be the way it was. The problem of evil, which was abstract before, became glaringly personal. Children dying of hunger, mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers coming down with cancer, and all manner of disease, disability and pain cascaded into my own pain to form one gigantic glowing question mark that blinded me every time I tried to look to God.

Finally, I questioned the messages of the church and of my fellow Christians. I had digested many implicit forms of the health and wealth gospel. The more explicit ones I rejected outright as false gospels, but others were more subtle and plausible. Sometimes, I honestly didn’t know whether the truth lay. If it was true that God intended his children to be healthy and whole, where did my chronic pain, of which I prayed constantly to be healed, fit in? Why was it that sometimes miraculous healings occurred, and sometimes they didn’t? Could I, as one prayer minister suggested to me, be “harboring unforgiveness” or some other sin, such that it was blocking God’s healing power?

In the end, I just couldn’t fully reconcile the fact that some faithful followers of Jesus could suffer horrible, interminable diseases, pain and silence from God with the images of glowing physical and spiritual health that I had associated with being a Christian. As a young adult just beginning to realize the depth of despair and darkness that is part and parcel of living in a broken world, it was too much. Disease, dying, decay…how did these realities make sense together with the healing, restoration and rebirth that Christians speak of as signs of God’s presence among us?

Today, it’s been nearly three years since my ankle pain started, and while I still experience some pain, I am grateful to say things have improved tremendously. I’m not sure why. Was I healed? Was it time? Was it the physical therapy? Was my body finally able to recover once I released my viselike anxiety over it? All of the above? While I don’t have definitive answers to any of my questions, I do feel more at peace about them.

I’ve realized there isn’t a direct, one-to-one connection between spiritual and physical health. Just because we have a good relationship with God doesn’t mean he is obligated to heal our physical ailments, although he does delight in doing so. Likewise, if we don’t receive the physical healing we long for, even though we persistently ask God, this doesn’t necessarily indicate spiritual blockage or shortcoming.

When we preach and internalize the message that spiritual and physical wellbeing go hand in hand, this is more a sign of our continued reliance on works than a sign of faith. It is much easier and tidier to believe that if our bodies aren’t well, it is because we aren’t committed or surrendered enough, rather than live with the uneasy truth that no matter how hard we discipline and groom our bodies and devote them in trust to God, they can still fall prey to disease and pain.

In Born Again Bodies: Flesh and Spirit in American Christianity, anthropologist R. Marie Griffith documents the way many American Protestants have taken the easier route in trying to resolve the tension between the body’s deterioration and the hope of healing. Citing books like Charlie Shedd’s Pray Your Weight Away (1957) and Joan Cavanaugh’s More of Jesus, Less of Me (1976), Griffith shows that American Protestant diet culture was strongly influenced by earlier New Thought principles which set forth that disciplined control of one’s body, including strict regimens of fasting and limited food intake, could eventually eradicate bodily impurities and lead to perfect health, even including the escape of death. Griffith writes, “For the obese, ‘out of tune’ with God, the Holy Spirit’s knocking on their hearts could not be heard through layers of fat. Once these layers were peeled away and the Spirit could enter into the body, the results were confidence, direction, energy, and love, all of which created a new dynamism, radiance, and true health.”

These beliefs which causally link physical vitality with spiritual vitality, or vice versa, are the unfortunate legacies we live with as contemporary Christians. Believing that the victorious Christian life is transcendence over pain, infirmity and fat, we are at a loss when our efforts to work our way to wellbeing fail and we face uncooperative bodies, ailing cells and flabby flesh. We would rather ignore these unsettling instances or chalk them up to not trying hard enough.

Is there another way to live in the tension between life and death, renewal and decay, in the Christian life? Can we come to a more gracious and faithful understanding of bodily imperfection? Theologian Deborah Beth Creamer’s “limits model” in Disability and Christian Theology clears some new ground in this direction. As Creamer understands it, disability, illness and pain can teach us important lessons about God and ourselves. They reveal the limitedness and dependency of all human beings, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. In Creamer’s model, she asserts that limits are 1) unsurprising characteristics of humanity, 2) an intrinsic aspect of the human experience, and 3) good, not evil.

Seen from the “limits” perspective, disability, illness and pain are not “abnormal” deviations from an otherwise healthy existence, but a normal part of life. The experiences themselves may not be good, but the fact that we have limits, that our bodies are sensitive and react to negative inputs, and that we cannot push our bodies to do everything we wish they could is definitely good. All of these things are part of being human. They do not signal faithlessness or disobedience. That it took me a personal experience with chronic pain and months of wringing despair to come to such a realization is a reflection of just how deeply yet subtly the health and wealth gospel is ingrained in my corner of the Christian subculture.

I have since learned to see good and welcome God’s redemption through pain. My body’s brokenness and fragility force me to depend on the help of others and relinquish any illusions of control I harbor. When I encounter the suffering of others, I am reminded of the raw pain and bleeding despair I have also felt. I still question, though, and I still get confused. In this season of Eastertide, when we celebrate Christ’s descent into the very pit of pain, death and decay and his ascent in a resurrected body, I pray that his church might come to a fuller and deeper understanding of what it means for death and life to exists side by side until his second coming. All the while, every cell in my own trembling body cries out, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”

https://www.catapultmagazine.com/health-and-wealth-gospel/feature/living-in-the-tension

SOURCE HERE: “See to it no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

On “Word of Faith” or “Believing Prayer” Movements

I’ve picked on the occult, media, Messianic Judaism, Harry Potter, and Beth Moore. I’ve picked on “spiritual disciplines”, tithing, and missionaries, “Purpose-Driven”/Emerging churches, pragmatism, Biblical authority, ecumenism, and a variety of Christian-living topics.

But until now I haven’t picked on the one topic that can make me mad as a hornet, quicker than anything (which surprises me, actually). I am usually passionate, though diplomatic about topics, even more so when speaking to non-Christians.

I enjoy the mutual exchanging of questions and learning about other people (but I do not like accusations). This subject however, brings a lot of personal emotions to the surface because I lived this worldview for a brief and very painful time.

Putting my faith in sincere and well-intentioned spiritual elders, my spouse and I bought into this worldview hook, line, and sinker at the start of our young marriage, and especially when our first-born was diagnosed with a fatal heart anomaly in utero.

We were promised that “if we had faith” (if we believed hard enough) God would have to heal her. We read in proponents’ books, about certain “spiritual laws” that God was bound by (ha!). We were told that only certain people must be told about the baby’s condition; those discerning few who really knew how to pray “correctly” for her; to “pray believing”.

Here is an example (from CBN’s website) on how to pray believing for “your personal” miracle (though they give themselves an out by not guaranteeing your desired outcome). http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/CBNTeachingSheets/Can_I_Be_Healed.aspx

To my eternal regret, we hurt and deceived a lot of people by essentially lying about the baby’s condition, because if you admitted there was a problem, even allowed yourself the tiniest thought there might be a problem, you wouldn’t get your miracle (in New Age circles this idea is called “positive thinking” to an extreme, and obviously unhealthy end).

In my naiveté and desperate hope, I clung to the belief my baby would live even after she lay dead in my husband’s arms. I firmly believed God would bring her back from the dead (and I know now how crazy this all sounds) and awe all the nay-saying doctors.

It wasn’t until her graveside funeral a week later, when we pulled up to the outdoor awning and I saw her casket, that reality finally hit me. It hit me so hard I refused to get out of the car. I didn’t want that reality; that was not what I had worked and prayed and vainly hoped and “believed in faith” so hard for.

But the death of my Elizabeth Ann nearly nine years ago, has spurred me to look before I leap, and research and study my Bible harder than ever. I can now say unequivocally that the Word of Faith movement doesn’t work based on my experience, and it is very un-Biblical.

The most hurtful thing after Elizabeth’s death was the lack of apology on the part of those who had pushed their beliefs so hard. Rather than admitting the obvious (this system failed), they pulled away from my husband and I and grew distant and remained quiet. Worst of all, they continue to believe in and promote this garbage.

That is when I become very angry. The same people who convinced me of their beliefs and themselves held my dead baby or attended or spoke at the funeral, refuse to admit their mistake and seem intent on dragging other people through the hell that I went through.

It may just be my perception, but it appears this movement is growing. Take note however: this movement is merely witchcraft* in disguise. The idea of having to say prayer in a particular (i.e. ritualistic, formulaic, or prescribed) manner is a key occult practice; they call it incantation or spell-casting.
The idea that God must abide by/is bound by certain rules He laid out in His creation seems blasphemous-we can never be God’s puppeteers. But this is also a key occult practice; trying to bend the natural or supernatural world and its residents to a “knowledgeable” (i.e. magician) human will.

A third underlying idea is that of keeping secrets, or being made to feel elite in the secret mysteries and understandings of God. The word “occult” literally means “hidden”, and there have always been a plethora of secret societies and mystery religions.

But Christianity is not one of them. The Bible is a collection of historical accounts on all the ways the God of the Bible has revealed Himself to people (not just the Israelites) throughout the ages. Daniel 2:47 says God is a “revealer of mysteries”. As God He could be mysterious, but He desires to be known by us and has revealed Himself for our benefit (http://www.gci.org/god/is2).

Other occult aspects that a particular Word of Faith group may or may not be involved in include divination (reading “signs from God” in tea leaves, hair, wood, screen doors, bird migration patterns, bones, entrails, etc.); protective amulets and talismans including lucky charms, blessed cross necklaces and the like (see: http://www.amuletgifts.com/Christian-Amulets/); astrology (reading the stars to determine God’s path for your life, like horoscopes); “special” prayers, blessings, or adjurations (words against demons) to bring health, wealth, children, etc. (like this: http://www.thejabezprayer.com/); music, scents (candles, oils, or incense-also known as aromatherapy), gems, or herbs with purported (i.e. not scientifically backed) properties/powers/abilities, especially in the area of healing or cleansing the spirit (see: http://www.tbnwebstore.org/product.asp?sku=0793573777690 or http://www.abbaoil.com/c-9-anointing-oil.aspx); rituals or formulaic practices for better communion with God, protection, healing, cleansing, etc. (labyrinths, special prayer routines, meditation/contemplative practices, spiritual disciplines, extreme positive thinking, being in God’s presence**, etc. etc.)

(A few examples: http://www.christianbook.com/soul-detox-clean-living-contaminated-world/craig-groeschel/9780310333685/pd/333685?event=1010SG|1154706|1010

http://www.christianbook.com/one-thousand-gifts/ann-voskamp/9780310321910/pd/321910?item_code=WW&netp_id=830957&event=1010|1154706|1010|1154706|1010&view=details

or http://www.christianbook.com/calling-deluxe-edition-enjoying-peace-presence/sarah-young/9781404187825/pd/187825?item_code=WW&netp_id=749896&event=1010|1154706|1010|1154706|1010&view=details).

Understand those who practice these things generally have a scripture or two or three that appear to back their position. After having studied my Bible a bit better, I have come to the realization that God did not fail my family, false prophets did.

It is so vital to not just read a passage in context of its sentence, but in some cases whole sections and even several chapters are needed to understand it in full (this is where many devotional books and Bible studies fail).

If you want to get to know God better, simple prayer and Bible reading is the only way to do it. It is not glamorous and will not usually involve an experience. It will not cater to our human nature to act on or do something. And the Bible does not promise health, wealth, protection, or mysteries to unravel. The only way to “spiritually detox” is through repentance, forgiveness, and the grace of the cross.

*It is rather ironic that practitioners of this movement like to define rebellion as synonymous with “witchcraft”, based on the misunderstanding of 1 Sam. 15:23 (here is an example of this misunderstanding turned “ministry”: http://www.mcleanministries.com/custom.html).

**Being “in God’s presence” or inviting the Holy Spirit “to come” is a nice, super-Christian thought. But if we are Christians, the Bible says we have the Holy Spirit (which is God) living in us, Romans 8:11, Acts 2:4, John 3:34, and John 20:22.

Therefore, we cannot invite the Holy Spirit to come more, nor can we purposefully cultivate a sense of God’s presence. These are merely emotional or supernatural highs that we can easily become addicted to. Remember also the Bible also describes a deceptive Satan and demons, as well as God and His angels.

Below are a host of other sources for your researching pleasure, but as always please do balanced research and always read your Bible in context. (Note: the last link is to a book I was given to read and be “inspired” by for my “faith”)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_of_Faith

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cultsandcharismatic.html

http://www.peaglej.com/blog1/

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/word-faith.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/Word-Faith.html

http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=36562

http://myfathershouse.squarespace.com/journal/2010/11/29/on-spiritual-manifestations.html

http://myfathershouse.squarespace.com/journal/2012/6/5/elitism.html

http://myfathershouse.squarespace.com/journal/2010/9/23/a-response-to-the-name-it-and-claim-it-trend.html

http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Generals-They-Succeeded Some/dp/0883689448

VISIT OUR EX-WoF

To the article I’d like to add this one that shows Mark Burnett and Roma Downey telling of the importance they thought it was to have New Age Prayer Circles during the Miniseries production. This article does a great job of detail critiquing the first episode. That one and this one both say that some of the artistic license that was taken in the MiniSeries was talk about “changing the world”.

And here is Todd Friel of WretchedRadio doing a great job of summing up the issue.

The Bible Miniseries: Hollywood Heresy

SNIPPET: With much critical acclaim and fanfare, History Channel’s “The Bible” miniseries debuted as the highest rated program in the network’s history. A 10-hour mini-series that covers popular Bible stories from Genesis to Revelation, has been a commercial success. The Christian Post online news site proclaimed: “This Time, Hollywood Got It Right.” Christiancinema.com wrote in its review: “This 10 part mini-series is a must-see epic of Biblical proportion. It is a wonderful testament to the enduring power of the Holy Bible, and the importance it plays in the history and eternal destiny of mankind.”

Yet watching the mini-series with a Bible-based perspective, it becomes obvious that this mini-series is full of unbiblical heresies, changes a great deal of the Bible’s details and ignores the message of salvation and forgiveness of sin in Jesus Christ that is the main purpose of the entire Bible itself. And what is even more dangerous is that many churches have adopted this series for teaching and sharing the Word of God in their services, continuing the fall of many Christian churches into spiritual apostasy.

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The latest interview, in 2012, with Oprah Winfrey exposes the true nature of Joel’s counterfeit “gospel”. Joel’s “smiling preacher” demeanor and flattering words entice many to follow him instead of the true gospel of Christ! Joel Osteen’s disarming charm makes it difficult to expose the error of his teachings; because people are so enamored with his personality and comely appearance.

Joel Osteen studied under his father (John Osteen) for seventeen years after graduating college. Joel Osteen holds NO ministerial degree or training that anyone knows of; he majored in TV production in college. Joel served under his father as a communications specialist and fine tuned the TV production and in the process he developed his “smiling” methods. Pay special attention to how much he closes his eyes while speaking (and smiling)! This is Joel’s Pharisaical tactic to appear more “Holy” and good!

Also pay special attention to the MAKEUP he wears for the camera! If this video hurts Joel’s feelings, oh well, surely he will cry all the way to the bank and/or back to his $10 MILLION home in Houston. It is a small thing to offend men; but a great thing to offend God, which Joel Osteen does habitually by preaching JOEL’S “gospel” instead of Christ’s gospel!

The reason behind making this video was two-fold:
1. To educate and edify the true Christians.
2. and hopefully to wake-up and draw away sincere (albeit immature) Christians currently caught up in the deception of Joel Osteen, Lakewood “Church” and Joel’s pantheist/universalist false prosperity gospel!