Wanting a Lesser Prize

Indeed, what happened in church today swept me off my feet today. I was taken aback by where the church is heading. I shall not recount anything more than the sermon preached today: heresy. What shocked me further was the response of the congregation: they responded.

The church invited a speaker today, and it was beyond doubt that he was preaching Prosperity Gospel. My spirit stirred and was disturbed in me, I couldn't move as an interpreter.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 

2 Timothy 4:3-4

The modern church is so concerned with our lesser earthly pursuits, we are so blind to see the far greater promise and reward of God through Christ: that is, Christ Himself and an eternity spent with Him. The church fails to see the beauty of God and resorts to see our spirituality manifests in wealth and health, which are earthly and has no values. It was disturbing to see followers of Christ want to see God's miracles manifest in forms of money, possessions and earthly victories. They all claim to worship God, but they worship themselves and riches.

Truth is, they want the blessings of God, not God Himself. That is why you can always hear from these heretics that there is something you can do or think to make the blessings come. They say that you can enter into a covenant with God and then expect God to fulfill His side of the covenant, often in forms of prosperity and blessing in business or financial reward. They speak as if they can manipulate God to do as they will. To put it simply, they think they can put God on a leash.

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 is a Person who enables the believer to do God's will. 

http://www.gotquestions.org/prosperity-gospel.html#ixzz3DIzDLN27

Who are we? A frail human thinking we could manipulate God, that we can put Him on a leash and make Him our slave? That's blasphemy and heresy! You don't put God on a leash and enter with Him a covenant He did not make. You don't make God perform a miracle that does not glorify Him.

There is no generation more arrogant than ours, that we think we can make slave and a fool out of God. Even the Pharisees come into the presence of God with trembling and fear, and the priests draw lots to pick the unlucky one to meet God in the Tent of Meeting. O how arrogant we are, thinking we are gods!

Itching to the gospel of Prosperity, they have selectively overlooked this warning:

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 Timothy 6:9-10

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Beyond my anger, there is fear. A fear that I manifested in anger. It is frightening because as the day goes by, it becomes harder to find a church that teaches sounding Biblical truth. What frightens me even further is that people runs after these heresies. I have seen some of my beloved friends falling for these traps with nothing to persuade them but the ways of God. It's also frightening because my children are going to live in such an age.

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to guard yourselves, by arming yourself with the full armor of God:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 

Ephesians 6:10-18

Do not naively think that you are not in such situation. Examine the Word of God for yourselves. Critically tests the words of your preachers. Scrutinize the practices of your church. And do your utmost best, young men and women of God, to defend the Gospel which is entrusted to us by the apostles, until the Coming of Christ.

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching....As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 

2 Timothy 4:1-2,5