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Lee Strobel's book, The Case for Christ, easily dispels your crackpot opinion-asserted-as-fact.
lol, read my post in response to this.
Lee Strobel's book, The Case for Christ, easily dispels your crackpot opinion-asserted-as-fact.
This is what comes before the verse you quoted. Read it in context.
Most of what you have quoted is about spiritual rewards."Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.
But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit (is) that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
The notion that wealth signifies one is living according to God's plan is a large part of what Jesus refuted. The treasures one is to ac ulate are the heavenly variety, not the worldly ones.
Wow, this thread has reached 4 pages! Who'da thunk it?
Two reasons.
1. It has Jesus in the le
B. It has nothing to do with the Trailblazers, though that is not an issue.
in the bibile how come it never says what jesus family and 12 disciples did for a living to get by day-to-day
wait jesus had a hax ability that turns stuff into something.....
nicely done.
I don't mean that everyone is out to make millions of dollars. You are right that not everyone ( myself included) considers money to be the number one indicator of a prosperous life. When I said wealth, I should have said prosperous- meaning that everyone wants to live a full, happy, profitable life.
For example, you might seek wealth in that you own more than just the bare necessities.
Consider: You could physically survive without a personal computer and internet. You could physically survive without going to see the Raptors play. Yet you enjoy those things in your life and I believe that God wants you to.
God is a father who takes delight in bringing joy to His children, just as human men want to give non necessity good things to theirs- things like cars, Christmas presents, vacations to Disneyworld, etc.
The Bible says that all the world is God's. ( Psalm 50:12) and that every good and perfect gift is from God. ( James 1;17)
God is an extravagant, all powerful, all loving God.
This is the same God who paved the streets of Heaven with gold and made its gates out of jewels.
And so why should it surprise people that God would generously give to His people enough for them to live in prosperity even as they help their neighbors?
And why would it shock you that God takes pleasure in giving His children their dream car, college scholarships, and fulfilling the dreams in their hearts?
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11
"God takes pleasure"
Ah, you're one of the numerous conceited ones who claims to know the mind of God?
I firmly believe that as Christians we are called to minister and to give generously both financially and in love to those around us.
And as firmly as I believe that, I also believe that we should also joyfully expect God to give good gifts to us who ask because He promised to.
"God takes pleasure"
Ah, you're one of the numerous conceited ones who claims to know the mind of God?
It is not conceit at all.
It is confidence because through Christ I have a personal relationship with God and can testify to you, from a lifetime of personal experince, of the great goodness of God.
God clearly proved His heart to give to the world by sending us His son Jesus.
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32
I don't agree with the prosperity doctrine but I do believe that it's not wrong to live comfortably. I think there is a certain line that shouldn't be crossed but just because a preacher drives a Benz or a Cadillac so what? I just don't agree with the preachers who say that if you are not wealthy or making x amount of dollars you are in sin.
Psalms 35:27"God takes pleasure"
Ah, you're one of the numerous conceited ones who claims to know the mind of God?
"Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication;
And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified,
Who delights in the prosperity of His servant."
I think the danger with the so-called "prosperity gospel" is that it could encourage followers to live beyond their means.
I agree. People would start wanting to keep up with the Jones' in church. Wanting to prove they are just as holy.
That is a good point.
Just like it says in Matthew 25:21, after we are faithful with a little, then comes the increase.
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "
I really appreciate how my pastor always instructs us to not give out of emotionalism or any sort of pressure because my pastor never wants us to wake up Monday morning and regret what we put in the offering plate on Sunday.
My pastor is always so encouraging- always preaches the Word and gives godly practical advice. I am very blessed.
Must...resist...urge...to...debate............
Solid D crushed this thread out of the yard.
For a lot of televangelsists and pastors of the megachurches, the monetary prosperity they seek is for themselves. Churches aren't required to file a federal tax return and don't have to disclose how much of the congregation's money goes to the pastor and his key disciples. The amount of money some of these guys personally pull out of their churches is shocking. But as long as the sheep keep filling the basket every Sunday it's all good. And maybe they're worth it...who knows. If you go to church on Sunday to be entertained, wouldn't the star of the show deserve most of the gate? That's essentially what you get with these megachurches, a good show. So if a church brings in $20M per year in revenue, I guess a 25% cut to the featured entertainer isn't too extreme.
I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show
Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands
Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show
Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show
lol @ songs
It's one of my favorites.
The posts on this thread are for the most part very civil and thought out for a religious thread, which is pretty surprising. If only the NBA forum could be follow suit.
Angel_luv, I agree with you to a degree, but I kind of feel like you miss the point a bit with all of this. Yes, money can be a useful tool and Christians shouldn’t burn a stack of money that they happen to receive. No, it shouldn’t be a requirement for Christians to take a vow of poverty and the enjoyment of certain commodities is fine. I understand that it’s impossible to clearly draw the line of where excessiveness begins.
Ultimately it comes down to what one’s priorities are. Success and prosperity are fine, but if these things are one’s primary goal, then there is a serious problem, and these preachers are very much guilty. They’re not only helping their congregations to rationalize out their selfish behavior; they’re also protecting their own selfish interests.
This at ude is not what the Bible teaches. At all.
True, Stump.
My points are only worthwhile if the person seeks Jesus first. Matthew 6:33.
I'm wealthy and rich but not in monetary terms.
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