No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. - Genesis 17: 5 (NIV)
At this point in time Abraham was NOT a father of many nations yet God refers to this eventuality as a current fact. THAT is how reliable the Word of God is! To then take this glorious attribute of God and apply it to depraved man is patently ridiculous and a severe abuse of His Word. This is what happens however when you abandon solid hermeneutics for the sake of a pre-conceived theology that cares not for proper context and what God is actually saying. Please keep in mind that this is just one devotional from Prince. It is less than 400 words yet contains so many things that are wrong within the hyper-grace and prosperity movements, as well as the purpose driven and seeker-friendly models of church growth. Anything that takes to focus off God and place it onto man leads to this. Here is the conclusion from Prince:
Today, we are talking about the haves and have-nots in the church. If you believe that it is yours, you will have it. You will see yourself possessing it and enjoying it, and more will be given to you. But if you say, "Well, I don't feel it and I'm not sure if it will come," in essence, you are saying that you don't have it when you actually do. Then, even what you have will be taken away. So say you have it today!
The haves and have nots in church??? What exactly is that supposed to mean? Has Prince reduced everything down to money and earthly prosperity? I will tell you the true nature of the haves and have nots in church today. There are those that truly have Jesus, whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and who are living the eternal life now as pilgrims and sojourners through this world. Then there are those who are churched but have not Jesus. As such they do not have eternal life, are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and when they stand before Christ will be told to depart for He knew them not. As such, they chase after doctrines which tickle their itching ears. They chase doctrines of devils which sell worldly prosperity instead of the riches found in Christ Jesus. They chase the words of charlatans such as Joseph Prince because it is pleasing to the ear to hear that we just have to speak into existence everything we want in our lives. It is pleasing to our flesh to hear that we can magically speak into existence that which is not. Of course God never said these things - only Joseph Prince has. Choose to whom you will believe and place your faith in today very carefully.
I chose the key verses today because it fit so well. It should serve as a reminder to those that will bring the Word of God. That we do so not from a place of error, impurity or any attempt to deceive. We have been entrusted with the Gospel. Do we understand that? The God of the entire universe has entrusted us with His Gospel! As such, we must always strive to please God - not man. We must seek out what God is saying, not what might support our predilections. God tests our hearts! So if you see a gospel being preached that flatters you by saying that you can do things the Bible says only God can do - run! If you see a gospel being preached that divides the body of Christ into financial haves and have nots as a pretext for a doctrine of greed - run! God is witness beloved. God is always witness.
Reverend Anthony Wade - September 12, 2013
