Christian Persecution Vs. Subversion

[JoChris]

Do you know about Jabez's prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:10 as one of verses as the basis of prosperity gospel?

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request."

There is no other mention of Jabez again in another passages/scriptures.
So, there is no other context which we could use to interpret that only passage to support our "suffering theology".

I think I had heard of that "prayer of Jabez" teaching years ago. Is it still believed by some?!

If you want to know how bad Word-of-Faith is, here's the exposé from ex-WOFers, including ministers. https://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com
I don't know of a single televangelist that isn't at least WOF - lite (e.g. Joel Osteen).

 

[Mr. Blah]

I think I had heard of that "prayer of Jabez" teaching years ago. Is it still believed by some?!

If you want to know how bad Word-of-Faith is, here's the exposé from ex-WOFers, including ministers. https://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com
I don't know of a single televangelist that isn't at least WOF - lite (e.g. Joel Osteen).

How do you interpret that verse in the light of non-Charismatic theology?

 

[Mr. Blah]

I'm pretty sure that prosperity gospel is a presumptuous interpretation of Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

How should we interpret this passage as?

 

[rainerann]

How should we interpret this passage as?

Well Malachi is giving a message to the Jews about repentance. They are being encouraged to repent because their repentance will bring the blessings back to Israel. Tithing was part of returning to the law given to Moses and an act of repentance.

According to the law the tithe was a tenth of your increase.

" Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. " (Deut. 14:22)

However, what I have seen prosperity gospel preachers do is encourage more a tenth and claim that the verse from Malachi will apply in this situation. They will say things like the more you give the more God will bless you like it says in Malachi. They will tell them that God can put it on their heart to give thousands of dollars when this was never even required in the law and Malachi was never suggesting something like this when he was telling the people to repent and follow the law concerning the tithe. Just a total scam.

However, the people who fall for it are responsible for their own choice to do this, because it is very easy to read the Bible and understand that God was never asking Israel to do something like this. So I have a hard time feeling completely sorry for them either.

 

[Karlysymon]

Afew weeks ago, i felt i was in a deep spiritual rut, out of which i wanted to get, so i prayed to God to 'please do something about it'. As always, the answer was swift and moments later, i actually read this...

"Peter’s compromise and failure began in Gethsemane when, instead of praying, he slept, and
thus wasn’t spiritually ready for what was coming. Had he been
faithful in prayer, he would not have denied his
Lord."

That was a serious poke in the ribs, for me "to stop playing games". I couldn't bear the thought of me doing what Peter did, given that the times are more precarious. All the disciples abandoned Christ but ofcourse had the opportunity to return, which opportunity i don't see us having should persecution, Nero-style, take hold. Its a do or die situation. Are we actually prepared to stand for the truth? Persecution isn't always a marker for truth even though it may be claimed otherwise. But if we are living at the end of the age, there is only two sides in the war, so we should expect those who stand for truth to be persecuted. I would love to live to the very end and see Christ descend, so this verse certainly isn't easy for me to read (Rev 14:12/13:10)

"This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus."

But i believe that everyone who will go through those very difficult times, has some how undergone some training in preparation for it. One will need "a faith that will not faint, though severely tried."