from The Orlando Sentinel:

A struggle for control of New Destiny Christian Church erupted today with the appointment by the church’s directors of Paula White to succeed Zachery Tims as the new pastor and a lawsuit filed by Riva Tims challenging the church leaders’ authority to do so.

In a press conference announcing her lawsuit, Tims compared the conflict over spiritual ownership of the church to the biblical story of the baby claimed by two mothers.

“I am here today to declare that as founder of New Destiny Christian Center that I am the real mother,” said Tims, who co-founded the church with Zachery in 1996.

Tims claims that, according to church by-laws, she is the rightful heir to the church following Zachery Tims’ death in August. The cause of his death at 42 has not be released.

The lawsuit was filed in Orange County Circuit Court shortly before the church announced White was taking over as senior pastor.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction against New Destiny, prohibiting it from naming White as pastor. The suit also alleges that members of the board of directors and White engaged in a conspiracy to “control, monopolize and manipulate” the selection of a new pastor to the exclusion of Riva Tims.

It claims White was $26 million in debt in 2006, and thus unfit and incompetent to run New Destiny, which has more than $4 million in assets.

Riva Tims contends she was wrongfully dismissed from the church following her divorce from Zachery in 2008, but remains favored by the congregation to succeed her ex-husband.

The church says the lawsuit is without merit.

“In the wake of her divorce from Pastor Zachary Tims in 2009, Pastor Riva willingly signed legal documents releasing all claims over New Destiny Christian Center and left our church to begin her own ministry, literally just a few miles away,” said a statement released by the church. “So we are surprised to hear her now say, three years later, that she should become Senior Pastor of New Destiny Christian Center.”

Regardless of the lawsuit, New Destiny said White, 45, will assume her duties as senior pastor during the church’s New Year’s Eve services on Saturday.

“We believe Pastor Paula will continue to make New Destiny a church for all people, reaching out to the hurting and the lost by touching lives and helping individuals overcome the disabling challenges of life,” said Board Member Elder Marguerite Esannason in a statement released by the church.

White, senior pastor of Without Walls International in Tampa, identifies herself as Zachery Tims’ “spiritual mother.” She preached the first sermon in the church after his death, again at his funeral, and served on an advisory board during the search for his successor.

Members of New Destiny said they have nothing against White, but object to the exclusion of both Riva Tims and the congregation in deciding who is best to lead the church after Zachery.

“The people need to be respected,” said Demetrise Begic, 46, who joined New Destiny eight years ago. “We’re the tithers.”

This above quotation from the December 1st newsletter released by Ron McGatllin, whose own apostolic network is working alongside C. Peter Wagner’s New Apostolic Reformation, who takes a classic Dominionist position that Satan’s deception in the Garden of Eden was a matter of keeping the church from ruling the world – thereby thwarting the church’s divine destiny and purpose. The Dominionist strategy is to re-take the world via any vehicle upon which they can hitch a ride – community and civic involvement, peace promotion, political and social action, cultural and worldview change, societal engineering, corporate and philanthropic endeavors, partnerships and collaborations with global entities, etc. These methods for achieving Dominion are often called “spiritual warfare.” Additionally, various forms of esoteric, hyper-spiritual altered-state-of-consciousness activities, are practiced within the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR/IHOP) Dominionist camp under the term “spiritual warfare.”

In his most recent newsletter McGatlin, like an increasing number of New Age/NAR/IHOP and evangelical leaders, is giving credence to the significance of the year 2012. Under his brand of eschatology, the “Bride of Christ” is to “manifest the presence of God” and “eventually plant the kingdom of God” on earth. In this worldview, spiritual warfare it something that is waged against external threats to the church. Lip service may be given to traditional understandings about resisting sin, but the over-riding Dominionist principle of spiritual warfare is based on the heretical premise that enemies of the Lord (however this is defined by various groups) must be conquered and ruled over, including ultimately sin and death. This, of course, negates the necessity of Christ’s salvation, His shed blood for our sins on the cross. Dominion becomes a method of reversing the effects of the curse. . . . . . .

read the full article here.

Perry’s “The Response” is over and now some pro-family and evangelical leaders that were involved in this unbiblical rally are trying to convince Christians that those who warned against the event were wrong. If I was wrong then the Bible is wrong and I can promise you the Bible is not wrong!

The New Apostolic Reformation, International House of Prayer, and Word of Faith false teachers were involved in the event and that is what made the entire event unbiblical.(2 Corinthians 6:14, 2 John 9-11). People can claim Jesus was exalted but Jesus is never exalted when people disobey His Word and give credibility to false teachers.

Even if John MacArthur, Alistair Begg, Jimmy DeYoung, Erwin Lutzer, and other great Bible teachers were speaking at The Response, it would have still been an unbiblical event. The reason respected Bible teachers were NOT in attendance is because I believe they understood that uniting with and giving credibility to false teachers is a clear violation of Scripture. Romans 16:17-18: 

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 

I believe many of our pro-family and “evangelical” leaders are indeed simpletons and were deceived by the “smooth words and flattering speech” of the New Apostolic Reformation and Word of Faith leaders.

The little word simple of the Hebrew language is real concrete, not abstract like Greek. Simple comes from a root word that means an open door. And a simple-minded person was somebody whose mind was always open… the simpleton was the person who had not enough discernment or discrimination or knowledge or understanding or wisdom to know what to accept and what to reject. And the Word of God will teach you how to close the door. It will teach you how to be wise. Wise is chakam in Hebrew, it means skilled in all aspects of living. 

On my radio program, I have been pointing out the “Emergence of the New Religious Right”. I call it the “emergence” because many of the Emergent Church ideas have come into the New Religious Right (NRR) and many in the New Religious Right are working openly with members of the Emergent Church, New Apostolic Reformation and Word of Faith movement. . . . . .

I also call this new generation of pro-family leaders the “New Religious Right” because I do not believe that many of the now deceased leaders of the religious right from the 1970s and 1980s would agree with the theological and doctrinal compromise of many of the leaders of today’s “New Religious Right”

In fact, on my radio program on August 3, 2011, Dr. Tommy Ice revealed how the religious right was formed during the presidency of Jimmy Carter with leaders like Jerry Falwell, Adrian Rogers, and Dr. D. James Kennedy. Tommy also revealed that his friend Jerry Falwell preached a sermon one month before his death on the dangers of the Emergent Church. On my radio program, Dr. Ice stated that at the conclusion of Falwell’s sermon he approached Falwell to thank him for his sermon. Dr. Ice reported that Falwell told him, and Mrs. Ice, that he was going to break ties with Pastor Rick Warren as he believed that Warren was embracing many of the ideas of the Emergent Church.

For this and other reasons, I believe that if Dr. D. James Kennedy, Jerry Falwell and Dr. Adrian Rogers were alive today, they would not enter into spiritual enterprises with members of the Emergent Church, the Word of Faith and the New Apostolic Reformation.

Even the secular media is noticing this emergence of the New Religious Right. On July 21, 2011, Business Insider reported

As mainstream evangelical influence wanes, however, the New Apostolic Reformation is gaining broader acceptance among conservative Christians. The Response, whose endorsers also include more mainstream fundamentalists, is evidence of the New Apostles’ emerging influence – and of its leaders growing appetite for political power. Here’s what you need to know about the fastest-growing religious movement you’ve never heard of.

I have many examples of the converging that is occurring between the religious right, the New Apostolic Reformation, the Word of Faith and the Emergent Church leaders that has resulted in the emergence of a New Religious Right. However, for this article, I am going to focus on one example of this convergence.

On the website of Governor Perry’s The Response, one of the honorary chairmen listed was Samuel Rodriquez. According to the website of “Come Let us Reason”, Rodriquez was part of the “Third Way’s” efforts to bring “evangelicals and progressives” together through the drafting of “Come Let us Reason Together: A Fresh Look at Shared Cultural Values Between Evangelicals and Progressives”.

 Where does the idea of “third way” originate? This idea derives from the belief system of philosophers such as Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and finds its contemporary manifestation in the “Third Way” movement of today’s progressives.  In the Third Way, capitalism, socialism, and communism merge to form a misanthropic combination of the three. This blending is now represented in the terms “the New World Order” and “the new enlightenment.”

 I doubt the leadership of the New Religious Right has even heard of the Hegelian Dialectic Process. Do you think they know that as far back as 1953, it was revealed in U.S. Congressional hearings that the socialists had infiltrated the churches and religious organizations in order to transform America from within? This tactic was also expressed by Saul “the red” Alinsky.  . . . . . .

read the full article here.

Matthew 24:24:

For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.

Joel Osteen considers Mormons & Jehovah’s Witnesses fellow christians because they believe in a “christ”

from “Study your Bible Online”:

My fellow residents of the Nashville area have probably seen the billboards around town.  If not, maybe you have noticed the Facebook ads, or caught the recent Tennessean article.  All of these are advertising “A Night of Hope.”  The speaker for this event is Joel Osteen.

Joel Osteen is a well-known “preacher.”  He has a best selling book and is the “pastor” at one of the largest churches in America. Joel Osteen is a Word of Faith preacher, or commonly called a “Health and Wealth” preacher.  His sermons combine pop psychology with a sprinkling of Scripture.  The message is positive claiming that God desires for Christians to be wealthy and healthy and the key to unlocking these blessings from God is to empower your faith.

I could write a whole series about the problems with the word of faith movement (and I think I will at some point), but I want to focus on the idea of hope in this post.  Joel Osteen is supposed to have an evening of hope.  Hope is something people are looking for in all times, but more so during tough times.  I have no doubt Joel will have a large group buying tickets for this event.

I am saddened though because if the event is anything like the other material I’ve heard and read from Joel, what is being offered is false hope.  False hope to people struggling with money, that if they would use their faith (as if faith is some magical force) that God would make them rich.  False hope that they could be healed if they just read the right verses and declared God’s promises for them.  Preying on individuals during tough times, or anytime, is despicable.  The truth of the matter is Christians get sick and die.  Christians lose their jobs.  Putting hope in these things is false hope.

The true hope that all Christians have, and all people need is the hope offered in the gospel.  The hope that our sins are forgiven and that we have peace with God and joy no matter our circumstances.  This hope allow us to endure anything this life has to offer.  It is the hope, that Paul states in Philippians, allow us to be joyful both when he have more than enough, and when he have less than is needed.  It is the hope that even if we die of sickness that God will raise us from the dead to a land without sickness.  It is the hope that there is a better life awaiting us all.

True hope is in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That God became flesh, lived a perfect life, died, was buried, and was raised on our behalf.   Don’t buy this false hope.

from ZONICA:

His words took me by surprise. They were all at once a kind compliment and a stunning rebuke. He walked up to our booth at the conference and said, “Wes, I really enjoyed your session this afternoon. You know, of all the seminars I’ve attended at this conference, you’re the only who actually taught out of the Bible.”

Yes, you read that right. It was a Christian conference in the Midwest. There were probably a thousand people there and a hundred or more breakout sessions over the two day event.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened to me. A few months ago I had a similar situation at another Christian conference. Again, I did several breakouts over the three day event. After my last session, which was the last speaking event of the conference, a man walked up to me and said, “That was the best talk of the entire conference. You actually quoted the Bible.”

A Devastating Trend

Across much of evangelical Christianity in America the Bible has become a secondary or non-existent source of teaching. In many places, it isn’t even referenced at all on Sunday morning. In others, a verse may be quoted to start the message, but then the rest of the time is filled with a solid dose of the pastor’s “wisdom,” either from his vast “experience” or his scholarly “learning” at some quasi-pagan seminary.

Still other churches, who claim to be “Bible-based,” avoid many of the major teachings of Scripture for fear they will offend our oh-so-sensitive culture. They’re playing the marketing game, and the total teachings of Scripture just don’t fill the seats.

And then you have those who take the Bible and distort it to accomplish their own ends, namely, building self-help clinics for personal profit.

Across the nation, the Bible is becoming less and less a part of the life of the Christian church. We are quick to rail against the Catholics, Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses for using another authority for their teaching (that is, a source of teaching other than the Bible itself), but we so conveniently overlook the fact that we do the same every day.

American Christians don’t know the Bible. They know what they’ve heard on Sunday morning for years or what they think the Bible says based on their own reasoning or ideas. But the true teachings of Scripture are far from their minds and lips. Let me give you another example.

A couple of times a year a new book will sweep through the church and create a great stir. Everybody will be talking about it, and many churches will quickly put their congregations through it. “This will revive your church!” they say. “This will revolutionize your ministry!” they proudly claim. But invariably, when I pick up the book myself, I’m often left thinking, “What’s so new and revolutionary about this book? This is taught all over Scripture. Our people should already know this!”

The content of the books we rave about is content we should have learned a long time ago. And not from some new release by Zondervan or Nelson, but from the Bible itself! What we need to revive our churches and revolutionize our ministries is not another book by some clever Christian pundit, but the Word of Almighty God Himself.

One of the Major Problems for the American Church

Our churches are a mess; we’re full of sin, self-centeredness, compromise, and conflict. Most churches are failing, and most of our youth are leaving. We’re in deep trouble to say the least. However, the main cause of our troubles is not the atheists, the ACLU, the Supreme Court, or the administration in Washington (as we so like to believe); the main cause is our shallow knowledge of the Word of God.

As we face our difficulties—like overcoming sin, standing against compromise, and finding victory in conflict—we no longer have the wisdom of God to guide and instruct us. We’re left with our own wisdom, and it always fails us.

But there’s another terrible consequence of marginalizing the Bible in the life and teaching of the church: Over time we become idolaters.

In biblical times, and in fact in many places around the world today, idols were formed by taking something from creation (a tree, a rock, a bar of iron), shaping it into an image, and then ascribing to that image the characteristics of the god desired.

But today, in modern American Christianity, we have put a new twist on creating idols. We take the God of the Bible, the true God, pull Him down from heaven, and remake Him into the god both we and our politically correct culture will accept.

The god of the average American church is not the God of the Bible. This god has an over-inflated and distorted sense of love, does not bring harsh judgments upon sinners, is never offensive to anyone regardless of their teachings or lifestyle, openly accepts sin, and is offended by the idea that he is sovereign over creation. He wants you to have a better marriage, a better job, a bigger car, and above all, he wants you to think he’s cool. . . . .

read the full article here.

A Lake Mary book publisher is suing televangelist and faith healer Benny Hinn, saying he violated a morality clause in their contract when he began an “inappropriate relationship” with another evangelist, and thus, must pay $250,000.

In August, Hinn admitted to a friendship with evangelist Paula White after The National Enquirer published photos of them in Rome, holding hands.

Hinn was married at the time. His wife, Suzanne, had filed for divorce a few months earlier.

Three years earlier, Hinn had signed a three-book deal with Strang Communications Co. of Lake Mary. He was paid a $300,000 advance on the first one, “Blood in the Sand,” according to the suit.

Hinn acknowledged to his publisher “his inappropriate relationship” with White in August, according to the suit, and agreed that the publisher should get back its money, but he has yet to pay up.

Hinn’s lawyer, Miles Archer Woodlief of Mill Valley, Calif., did not return a phone call Thursday.

In a letter attached to the suit, Strang also accused Hinn of violated the contract by failing to work hard enough to market “Blood in the Sand”.

He failed to make television appearances to promote it, including several on “700 Club”, wrote Strang attorney Chris Vlahos.

The suit was filed Tuesday in state circuit court.

Hinn lives in suburban Los Angeles. He moved there in 1999 after building a national audience at his faith-healing center, World Outreach Center on Forest City Road in Orlando, where he preached for 14 years.

In a move that could have a major impact on the tax status of churches and pastors nationwide, an independent national commission of religious and financial experts will review several church-related tax issues — such as the limitations of the pastoral housing allowance and the IRS’ power to investigate churches — and issue its recommendations to U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.

The commission, formed by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) at the request of Grassley, will examine church-related tax issues in the wake of a mostly unsuccessful Grassley investigation into the financial records of six television ministries, most of whom have ties to what is known as the “health and wealth gospel.” At least some of them have been accused of using donor money to live luxurious lifestyles.

Because they label themselves as churches, the ministries are tax-exempt and not required to submit detailed financial information to the Internal Revenue Service. Grassley, who began his probe in 2007, maintained from the start that his probe had nothing to do with doctrine but instead focused on whether donor money was being used for “legitimate, non-profit purposes.”

Grassley, R.-Iowa, released the results of his investigation Jan. 6, a day after he sent a letter to the ECFA asking it to provide input “on how to address these issues” and “to help facilitate discussion on whether these issues can be addressed without legislation.” “Self-correction,” he said, would be best. The ranking GOP member of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley said in a separate statement that “legislation should be the last resort.”

Two of the ministries — those of Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn — complied with Grassley’s staff and “have undertaken significant internal governance reforms,” Grassley said. Four ministries either didn’t comply at all or supplied incomplete information: the ministries of Randy and Paula White, Eddie Long, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, and Creflo and Taffi Dollar.

Even though much of the Christian community views the health and wealth gospel as unbiblical, the ministries’ alleged abuses could impact every church in the country. The health and wealth teaching asserts that the Bible promises physical and financial blessings to followers of Christ. Critics say such teachings wrongly equate God’s promises of blessing with temporal, materialistic success.

Grassley’s staff wrote in a summary memo that the four ministries have “multiple for-profit and non-profit entities related to each church” and that the use of “private airports and aircraft leasing companies … raises concerns about the use of the church’s tax-exempt status to avoid taxation.

“However, given the four churches’ refusal to provide tax information, we are unable to determine whether and the extent to which they are reporting and paying taxes on income earned in those entities.”

ECFA President Dan Busby said that “based on a career of working with non-profit organizations” he is “convinced the reported practices are not pervasive.” Formed in 1979, ECFA is an organization comprised of ministries that pledge to follow established standards for financial accountability, fundraising and board governance. Of the six ministries, only Joyce Meyer’s ministry is a member.

The commission will be known as the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations and will be led by Michael Batts, a CPA and an ECFA board member. It will receive no government money.

“One of the very challenging issues that’s going to come to a head … is the fact that there are indeed a number of religious groups throughout the country who espouse a religious doctrine that, among other things, hold that their leaders should be blessed materially,” Batts said during a Jan. 14 webcast. The question is, he said, “whether the government should have a role in telling churches and religious groups that sincerely hold a doctrinal position of that type, what their compensation for their leaders should be.”

In its 61-page memo, Grassley’s staff raised a number of issues that the commission will study and that could have major implications for churches. Among them:

– Whether the income tax exclusion for pastoral housing allowances should be limited. The “size of the housing allowance” is at issue, Batts said.

“The stated concern is that the housing allowance is being used in ways that perhaps Congress may not have originally intended – perhaps in terms of the amounts that are being granted as housing allowances to fund the cost of expensive homes,” Batts said.

Meanwhile, Grassley’s staff also raised the possibility that legislation may be necessary to protect the housing allowance rule against lawsuits. There are federal cases that could lead to the housing allowance being overturned.

– Whether churches should be required to file the highly detailed IRS Form 990 that other nonprofits must file. The ECFA historically has opposed forcing churches to file the form, arguing it would lead to an “excessive entanglement” between the church and state.

Busby said many small churches — if forced to complete the form — “would probably have to engage professional assistance and pay several thousands of dollars.”

– Whether the current IRS audit protection for church leaders should be repealed.

“The specific question raised by [Grassley's] staff relates to whether the IRS should have more freedom to examine individuals who are church leaders if it is believed that those individuals engaged in transactions with the church that represent excess benefit transactions,” Batts said.

– Whether legislation is needed to make clear that “love offerings” — paid by church attendees to ministers — are taxable.

“There are some who look at those transactions and say that the substance of that arrangement is a gift,” Batts said. “In other words, these are individual gifts made by individuals to the minister and they’re not compensation for services rendered…. There are others who would look at that and say the substance of those transactions is no different than any other form of compensation, and it’s the same as if these individuals had given to the church and the church turned around and paid a salary to the minister, and therefore they’re taxable.”

Among other issues, the commission will examine the current IRS prohibition on church involvement in political campaigns. Grassley’s staff said the issue is mostly unrelated to the other issues but that it remains “one of the greatest sources of tension between the IRS and religious organizations” and that advice on the matter would be beneficial.

There is no timetable yet for the completion of the commission’s work.

Part 1: The ATM God

As a result of this message, millions of people have converted to Christianity and swelled the coffers of the TV stations, preachers and churches that preach this. But we must ask a few questions: Are they following the God of the Bible, and are those who teach and believe this message really Christians? How dare we ask such questions? Well, how dare we not!

It all hinges on one question: Is the god of the prosperity message the God of the Bible? That should not be hard to answer. All we need to do is compare the god of the prosperity gospel with the God of the Bible and it becomes clear that they are not the same. The god of the health and wealth message can best be described as the “money god” or the “ATM god.”

One day a rich young man wanted to follow Jesus. The money preacher would have told this young man to give his money to God (meaning the preacher) so that God will give back to him multiplied many more times. But what did Jesus say? “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). Jesus did not promise the young man more money, but spiritual riches in heaven. Neither did Jesus tell him to give the money to God, or the Temple, but to just get rid of it because money had become his god. This Jesus of the Bible is different than the one preached today.

After this, turning to His disciples, Jesus said: “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” To which the disciples responded, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:23-25). If it is hard, in fact impossible, for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, then surely God would be contradicting Himself by making people rich. This is because God also said He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”  (2Peter 3:9). So, if the Lord wants people to be saved, and riches are going to keep them from getting saved, why then will He make them rich?

Jesus also said “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Mammon means money. Clearly serving God and money, greed and materialism, are mutually exclusive: You cannot serve money and God at the same time. Therefore the money god and the God of the Bible are two different gods. Jesus Himself places the two at opposites.

Paul confirms this: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1Timothy 6:9). At the risk of oversimplification: “Everybody who wants to be rich will go to hell!” Is that too strong? No, it is exactly what it says. What else does it mean to drown in destruction and perdition? Clearly, the greed for money sends people to Hell. Who do you think is the master of the preachers who incite people to greed? God does not want any to go to hell, but the Devil does.

Paul continues: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness” (1Timothy 6:10). Yes, I know. it is the love of money and not the money. But what exactly is it that the money preachers are appealing to when they promise people that God will make them rich? It is the love of money. It is not the love of God. If that were the basis of their appeal they would encourage people to just give their money to God and not expect anything back. But they are expressly appealing to, and encouraging, the love of money. So who promotes the love of money? God or the Devil? God’s messengers, or the messengers of Satan?

Just think about it a moment before you reach for the mouse to delete this message. Wait before you sit at the keyboard to fire off a message telling me I am a heretic. Yes, I agree that God blesses His children, meets their needs and teaches them to look to Him for their daily bread. But there is a huge difference between loving God and loving money.

Millions of people have become “Christians” because of the promises of health, wealth and happiness. But I wonder if they would have become Christians if God rather promised persecution, hardship and problems. But wait! What does the Bible promise?: “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Timothy 3:12). “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV). And “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

Not only do we have promises of hardship as Christians, but the record of Scripture confirms that to be the case. Jesus was never rich and had to be buried in a borrowed tomb. Paul had a few seasons of abundance but mostly his life was pretty miserable: “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2Corinthians 11:24-27). Does that sound like the kind of life preachers are offering today?

Look at the wonderful “prosperous” life the heroes of faith lived: “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented– of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:35-38).

There are glaring differences between the promises of the Bible and those of the prosperity preachers. In fact, they are direct opposites.

It is very obvious that the god of the prosperity message is not the God of the Bible, and that those who preach that message are not messengers of God but of Satan. We must then ask whether their followers are really Christians.

If you have been following Jesus for what He can give you, then you need to repent and turn to the real Lord Jesus Christ who died for you on the cross. Ask Him right now to forgive you for following Him for things, when He already gave Himself as a sacrifice for your sins. God loved you so much that He gave His only begotten Son; but you want stuff?

Part 2: The Material Kingdom

Part 3: The Political Kingdom