What do you do when your finely tuned approach to Christianity and your faith is rocked? For sure it wipes out the whole idea that following Jesus is a walk in the park. “Biblical faith involves not just your mind; it also requires a commitment of our heart that radically changes the way you think.” (Everyday Gospel Devotional-Tripp-p. 114) What a shocking wake up call when one finds out the Christian life is not one of ease, but one filled with difficulty, experiences that rattle your cage. I will admit that I get upset when I hear of those shysters who simply want to take advantage of people to line their own pockets.
A recent incident/teaching has got me a little riled up. The teaching is by prosperity teacher (I refuse to call her a pastor) Paula White. It is called Paula White’s Passover Promises. Here it is in a nutshell:
Paula White, televangelist and spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump, has suggested to donors who give at least $1,000 to her ministry between April 12 and 20 that God will release seven supernatural blessings upon them. “[W]hen you honor God on Passover…you can receive these seven supernatural blessings, for you and your house, according to Exodus 23.”
The blessings she claims donors can release from God with their gift include:
- An angel assigned to them;
- God being an enemy to their enemies;
- Prosperity;
- Sickness removed from them;
- Long life;
- Increase and inheritance; and
- A special year of blessing.
She ties these blessings to a passage from Exodus 23 where God commands the Israelites to celebrate the Passover (verse 15).
Question: Can I throw up now or later?
I spent some time at the local hospital on Saturday, Sunday and Monday visiting a man who has really struggled with diabetes and an infection they say they can’t find. This is not the first time he has been in for the same thing. I went to the hospital yesterday (Tuesday) after receiving a text from his wife that he had passed away. He had gone from only moaning on Saturday, to sleeping (finally) on Sunday, to being fairly alert and able to take dialysis on Monday, to having a very talkative morning only to pass away just moments later. They were both godly people and had raised 6 children to love Jesus. So…please tell me Mrs White-Cain, where your spiel comes in at? Oh yeah, that’s right! They didn’t send you a $1000.
People, be on the lookout for hucksters and shysters like her and others of her ilk. Fortunately for Tim, his salvation was not determined by works, or giving money to shysters, or “naming it and claiming it.” He is now dancing on streets of gold (he had a leg removed to his knee due to complications with diabetes). And he is singing his country gospel at the top of his lungs-on key.
I’m grateful God is not tied to hucksters and shysters but is simply full of love and grace. (And yes I know this post is a bit snarky).
