The Wolf says Bah (pt2)

With this second installment of Cris Putnam's testing the Spirits I do have this to say. There is nothing wrong with having money or being wealthy. Quite the contrary, if I have an abundance I am able to bless and care for others. The problem is when the riches and the wealth and increase become our focus. That is the dangerous trap we can fall into, wanting the blessings, increase, and the rewards more than our Father in Heaven who gives them to us. We must not lose focus on Christ. Forget not your first love.

Matthew 6:25-33
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
²⁶ Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
²⁷ Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
²⁸ And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
²⁹ And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
³⁰ Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
³¹ Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
³² (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

So we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We must remain focused on what really matters in this life, and that is Jesus Christ. 

Cris Putnam Testing the Spirits pt 2
Continuing the series Testing the Spirits, we now turn to the second test in 1 John 4: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.” (1 Jn 4:4-5)

The second test is:

2) Test their regeneration. Are they worldly?
Are they manifesting evidences of being children of God, or are they just parroting the motivational success and wealth messages from the world? The Gospel is an offense to the world system. Does the world find them offensive or are they welcomed by the world. Jesus said, ““Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” (Lk 6:26) False prophets are well spoken of and they draw huge crowds by prophesying what people want to hear. This is a warning against seeking the approval of the world rather than being faithful to God.
By way of example let us examine Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church, which according to Church Growth Today is America’s largest and fastest growing church. On July 16, 2005 after completing $95 million dollars in renovations, Joel moved Lakewood Church into the former Compaq Center. It is the largest worship center in the United States with more than 38,000 attendees each week.

Osteen says “Your ‘lot in life’ is to continually increase.”[1]
John the Baptist remarked of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way…” (Jn 3:30-31)
Jesus told the rich young ruler, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”(Lk 18:22)
Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23)

Osteen says “Your lot in life is to be an overcomer, to live prosperously in every area.”[2]
Paul wrote, “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.” (1 Ti 6:9) Furthermore, if you live in America this next verse certainly applies to you even if you consider yourself in lower economic strata (you are rich compared to 90% of the rest of the world): “As for the rich in this present age (you), charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” (1 Ti 6:17)
James is a little more direct, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.” (Jas 5:1-2)
Osteen says, “Quit eating the cheese and crackers and step into the banquet hall!” [3]
John wrote a prophetic word to the church in Laodicea that applies well today, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Re 3:17)

  I believe it is safe to say that Osteen fails test two, even though his Christology is correct. That is why the Bible gives us more than one test for determining false prophets. In the next installment, we will look at the third criterion.

[1] Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: Seven Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, Success Book Summaries, http://elgme.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Your-Best-Life-Now-Summarypdf.pdf

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid