Note:
In Africa, women are ardent clients of the prosperity gospel. Although Prosperity churches in Africa are full of women, women have been adversely robbed and abused by prosperity preachers. However many women fear to stand up against this gospel from the pit of hell.It is very rare to find an African Women who stands for sound doctrine. In this thread I bring you the criticisms of the prosperity gospel and the promotion of sound doctrine by MARSAL WEST . I hope this will inspire African Christian women to rise up against the prosperity gospel from the pit of hell.
WHEN CHRISTIAN WOMEN STAND FOR SOUND DOCTRINE: UNPLUGGING MARSAL WEST’S CRITICISM OF THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL
FIRST READ: TELEVANGELISTS/WORD-FAITH EXPOSED
http://www.emailbrigade.com/306.html
JOYCE MEYER EXPOSED
http://www.safeguardyoursoul.com/html/joyce_meyer.html
Marsal West Archive
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marshaA.htm
GOD'S OPPINION OF YOU LASTS FOREVER
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha195.htm
By Marsha West
May 9, 2010
NewsWithViews.com
A Christian friend of mine is reading one of Joyce Meyer’s books. If you haven’t heard of Meyer, she is a popular health and wealth author/radio & TV teacher/conference speaker who believes God is our sugar daddy. The evangelist has been criticized for her “conspicuously prosperous lifestyle.” According to my friend, Joyce’s books are “uplifting.” She didn’t like hearing that some of her favorite author’s teaching is theological heresy. To my friend’s way of thinking, if a book makes you feel good, doctrine isn’t all that important.
What galls me is that Joyce Meyer’s books are carried by “Christian” book sellers. Worse, her books have sold a gazillion copies thanks largely to Christians. Joyce Meyer is both wealthy and influential. Albeit not as influential and wealthy as Oprah--but give her time.
One of Joyce Meyer's unorthodox beliefs is that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins in hell. The Christian Research Institute's statement on her teaching says this:
The following quote is from her 1991 booklet, The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make, she teaches a hallmark doctrine of Faith theology, namely, that Christ had to suffer in hell to atone for our sins and be born again:
"During that time He entered hell, where you and I deserved to go (legally) because of our sin...He paid the price there.…no plan was too extreme...Jesus paid on the cross and in hell….God rose up from His throne and said to demon powers tormenting the sinless Son of God, “Let Him go.” Then the resurrection power of Almighty God went through hell and filled Jesus...He was resurrected from the dead ¾ the first born-again man."
Traditional orthodox Christianity does not teach that Christ’s work of redemption was completed by suffering in hell and being born again. What it does teach is that Jesus atoned for our sins on the cross. According to John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Orthodox Christianity teaches that Jesus’ shed blood was sufficient for the atonement of our sins. The moment Jesus uttered the words "It is finished" our sin debt was paid in full.
What the Bible says about prosperity and success is far different from what Joyce Meyer teaches. For example, Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Does this mean Christians will be influential and financially secure? No. According to my NIV commentary: “Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must (1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, (2) obey God’s law, and (3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law – God’s Word. To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes – and his opinion lasts forever.”
To “meditate therein day and night” does not mean believers are to go into an altered state of consciousness to draw closer to God. Christian meditation, as opposed to Eastern meditation, entails reading Scripture and stopping to ponder the meaning of a passage. God’s people are not to adopt Medieval mysticism to “draw closer to God.” Far from it. We are told to stay away from paganism. In Deut. 18:6-13 God says to the Israelites, “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord…”
Despite God’s command to stay away from paganism a large number of believers have adopted pagan worship practices. Their inspiration comes from false teachers whose books are sold/promoted through so-called Christian publishers and book sellers. Quite frankly, a lot of books by so-called Christian authors have no business being sold in a Christian market!
Don’t get me wrong. I am not advocating book burnings. What I am advocating is the removal of out-and-out heresy. Proprietors who have a mind to do this might want to start by removing the books/CDs of the “Prosperity Gospel” Word-Faith cult. A cult? you say with steam coming out of your ears. Allow me to explain. The Word-Faith movement is viewed as a cult because it is a “false, unorthodox, extremist” sect of Christianity (dictionary.com). In other words it is counterfeit Christianity. Those who teach Word-Faith theology are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus warned us about them: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Mat 7:15).
SHOULD A CHRISTIAN "JUDGE" OTHERS?
http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha194.htm
By Marsha West
May 2, 2010
NewsWithViews.com
One of the biggest problems in the Church is that some Christians are way too trusting. Jesus warned, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Mat 7:15). Far too many of the sheep do not heed our Lord’s words. Even when believers are cautioned about certain false teachers, they blow off the warning and blindly follow these wolves.
You’ve probably heard this many times: “The Bible says not to judge.” What the Bible actually says is that we are not to judge a person’s heart or motives. “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things,” says Paul, “yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:15-16). According to Paul true followers of Jesus are of the same mind. When you have the mind of Christ you have spiritual discernment.
Christians (who are walking with Christ) have the authority to judge people’s words and actions. How do you know if someone is a false teacher? Go to the scriptures! In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Paul says: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
No doubt some Christians will continue to complain that “judging” is unbiblical and play the Mat. 7:1-3 card: “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
What they fail to understand is that the Spirit of God abides in regenerate Christians. Hence we have the mind of Christ! As for the unbeliever, Scripture clearly teaches that the natural man [unregenerate] “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor 2:14). So the unregenerate person does not?cannot--understand the things of God. Amazingly, a growing number of self-professed Christians think the things of God are foolishness.
Today many Christians are attending churches where their pastors teach outright heresy! They just assume they’re being taught the truth. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. Granted, there are a lot of ministers who preach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Still, there are a growing number of false teachers who can charm an Eskimo into buying a beach umbrella.
The good news is that believers who read and study the Bible are not easily taken in by apostates. But even mature believers can have the wool pulled over their eyes if they stop being Bereans. It was for this very reason that John penned this warning: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).
Christians who have the good fortune to own a Bible must gain a thorough understanding of what God says in His Word. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). Those who truly desire a Christian worldview will look to the Bible for wisdom and guidance.
© 2010 Marsha West - All Rights Reserved
ALSO SEE
Joyce Meyer False Preacher/Teacher
http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.com/2008/10/false-teacher-joyce-meyer-is-coming-to.html
