Prosperity theology (sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel, the health and wealth gospel, or the gospel of success)[A] is a religious belief among some Christians, who hold that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth.

In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite—God uses the believer. Word of Faith or prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit enables the believer to do God's will. I have often heard such preachers in Nigeria and beyond saying they cannot be sick, they cannot be poor and all that contradicting the words of Jesus when he told his followers to take up their cross and follow him and to expect suffering and trials. The Prosperity Gospel believes that temporal, material blessings are God's will for those who have enough faith and who give enough money to God the bank accounts of the preachers.

As Paul points out quite plainly, there is a heavy, heavy cost in following Jesus...

"Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches." (2 Cor 11:24-28)

To make heaven is very very very difficult. Jesus died so we may have eternal life. He didn’t die so that we may just become rich. To live a holy and righteous life in Nigeria of today is not easy. It goes beyond altar calls and pastors saying if you are not absolutely sure you will make heaven stand up and let me pray for you, it’s more than that. It’s an arduous journey filled with challenges. It’s good to hear messages that ginger us and sweeten our spirit, the ride on pastor kind of messages. However such messages should be mixed with messages on Sin, righteousness and Holiness which sometimes is lacking in such churches as it may cause sinners in the church to be sober and not come again.
The truth of it all is that the only thing that the devil cannot give is the promise of eternal life as found in John 3:16. I have once heard a Nigerian pastor say that he prayed to God for a church where if people see the car park, they will give their life to Christ. Ladies and Gentlemen, even the car park of Ogboni Cult probably has a better car park. We also have a lot of very wealthy Atheist and Agnostics and Mystics. Today's celebrated testimonies are those that confer some form of financial or material blessings.

Today's pulpits compete with corporate seminar podiums in disseminating an egocentric gospel that elevates human virtues and ability; but is largely silent on the character issues upon which civilisations have foundered. You hear things like I had nothing when I started with this church but now I am rich. Wealth is not true prosperity. True Prosperity is when we finish our journey on earth and take our seat in heaven by living a righteous and holy life. Satan can give riches and all the Glory of this world but cannot give salvation.

Satan knows the bible and knows the needs of men. I refer you to the third temptation of Jesus (Matthew 4:8-10): Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’

My people satan was not bluffing. Had Jesus worshipped Satan, All the Kingdoms of the world and their Glory would have been given to him. That’s the reason why this particular temptation was the third attempt not the first. It was like the last joker. So many prosperity preachers have accepted this offer that Jesus rejected thus they are confined to the glory of the world.
I refer you again to an Interview granted by the only child of Pa Elton (a white missionary who lived and died in Ilesha,Osun State and groomed so many of Nigeria’s foremost Pentecostal leaders).


http://www.desireofnationsmission.org.ng/?page_id=82

Can you tell us some of your father’s legacy?

Mama Elton: Daddy had so many legacies, but the most spectacular was towards the end of his life. He began to perceive where the trend would lead to, so his message began to confuse a lot of people. He began to limit the number of invitation he honored and turned down many. He would prefer to preach in a little gathering under a small shed than to honor a major conference that had his name written bodily on the handbill. He began to warn about the spirit of Babylon pervading the church. He emphatically warned against the taking of titles and building of empires. He declared that this would usher in seasons of apostasy for the church, and men would begin to commercialize the gospel. He decried what the American Christianity was turning into, he discouraged the Nigerian church from patterning after it.

I pray the secret things are revealed but I leave you with this; Light and Darkness can never mix. Kenneth Copeland, Mike Murdork, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes and the late Kenneth Hagin, Look them up and pray and let the Holy Spirit tell you who they are. Whatever your prayer and findings tell you, look for Nigerian churches that are associated with such preachers and have invited them at one point or the other and you can then make your own conclusions. May God bless us and bless his church.

May God help us all.

Cc OAM4J

Happy Sunday

Happy Sunday . OAM4J

Take control of our churches Lord

Sensible post

God bless you, Lyoncrescent.

Lalasticlala, Happy Sunday to you, boss.

Lyoncrescent:
Take control of our churches Lord

We need God back in the hearts of Christians. The love of money has taken over their love for God. That is what happens when Christians refuse to search for the truth themselves.

BluntBoy:
God bless you, Lyoncrescent.

Amen

BluntBoy:


We need God back in the hearts of Christians. The love of money has taken over their love for God. That is what happens when Christians refuse to search for the truth themselves.

They store up wealth that moths eat instead of seeking the Kingdom of God! Guess they haven't a clue what the Kingdom is.

budaatum:

They store up wealth that moths eat instead of seeking the Kingdom of God! Guess they haven't a clue what the Kingdom is.

No, they don't. The fact that Christians have become even more materialistic than the "people of the world" is enough to believe that Satan has conquered the world. We need God urgently.

BluntBoy:


No, they don't. The fact that Christians have become even more materialistic than the "people of the world" is enough to believe that Satan has conquered the world. We need God urgently.

Therein lays the problem.

What is 'God'?

m

In other news, I played PS2 with two neighbors last night. This particular game, I was given two red cards by kazikito. My neighbor was more prolific in goal and the game had ended 1:1 as at first half.

knowing that the rule was loser out but in the face of a draw, the person with the highest possession wins, I played the remaining of second half with his player not touching the ball. This earned me an unlikely victory with 58% possession.

Lesson learnt?
Victory takes many routes, Open your mind

You are prosperous once you have enough money to take care of your family and yourself

The measure of prosperity is relative.


A friend of mine's measure of prosperity is in his ability to change girlfriends, invite them to his room and parlour apartment then flaunt photos of him eating cereals and milk.

Lovely piece...alot of churches today are very guilty of this. I have said it times without number that Our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to the world to give us wealth cause before He came rich men already dwealth in the world but came to give us what no man had- ETERNAL LIFE.

True

BluntBoy:


We need God back in the hearts of Christians. The love of money has taken over their love for God. That is what happens when Christians refuse to search for the truth themselves.

Pastor Blunt in the building

]Really?

I pray the secret things are revealed but I leave you with this; Light and Darkness can never mix. Kenneth Copeland, Mike Murdork, Benny Hinn, T.D. Jakes and the late Kenneth Hagin, Look them up and pray and let the Holy Spirit tell you who they are. Whatever your prayer and findings tell you, look for Nigerian churches that are associated with such preachers and have invited them at one point or the other and you can then make your own conclusions. May God bless us and bless his church.

@OP, can you please shed more light on this?

.

So anyone can reply Christian topic but on islamic topic una put handcuff... Well done. Why is this their talk so long, brevity drives points home faster

Word
#teampositivethinkers#

Those who killed god(Jesus).. Will they enter paradise or hell ? Any christain to answer this

Oyindidi:
Pastor Blunt in the building

Beautiful Oyin
I hope you are fine? Happy Sunday.

BluntBoy:


Beautiful Oyin

I hope you are fine? Happy Sunday.

Yes man of God. Hope you prayed for me?

Oyindidi:
Yes man of God. Hope you prayed for me?

I always do God bless you.