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False Prophets & Teachers - Part 2 - Heretical Teachings - The Word of Faith Movement and the "Prosperity Gospel"

In my first post on this subject, I covered the biblical backgrounds to false prophets and false teachers, specifically addressing questions concerning Heaven is for Real and Jesus Calling.  This post covers the Word of Faith movement and the "prosperity gospel."  My third post will cover the teachings of Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen.

Part 1 - Understanding Biblical Truths Today: Heaven is for Real and Jesus Calling
Part 2 - Heretical Teachings: The Word of Faith Movement & "Prosperity Gospel"
Part 3 - Heretical Teachings: Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer

What is the Word of Faith movement and “prosperity gospel”?  Why is it a problem?  The Word of Faith movement and “prosperity gospel” teaches several false doctrines such as (quotes of summary issues from http://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/wordfaithprofile.pdf ,p.2-4):
·         “There are ‘anointed’ apostles and prophets today.”
·         “God speaks words of faith with his mouth.”
·         “Human beings were created to be gods.”
·         “Jesus Christ is God incarnate – and so are we.”
·         “Jesus died spiritually and was born again.”
·         “We should speak words of faith like God does”
·         “God wants us to be healthy and wealthy now”

Why are these wrong?  Here some short summary corrective statements:
·         “Modern revelations should be viewed with skepticism”
·         “God does not need to speak ‘words of faith.’”
·         “Human beings were never gods and never will be gods.”
·         “Jesus is uniquely God incarnate.”
·         “Jesus did not die spiritually and was not born again.”
·         “Faith means trusting in God for the future, not claiming rights for the present.”
·         “Christ’s redemption assures us of perfect health and wealth – in the resurrection.”

From www.gotquestions.org 



What are some examples of Scriptures that are commonly misinterpreted and misapplied by the Word of Faith movement and “prosperity gospel”? References below are from: Health, Wealth, & Happiness: Has the Prosperity Gospel Overshadowed the Gospel of Christ? By David Jones and Russell Woodbridge

HEALTH-FOCUSED
·        3 John 2 – “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” – “Prosperity teachers interpret this verse to mean that God wants all believers to ‘prosper in all things.’…John’s purpose in writing 3 John 2 was not to teach doctrine; rather, he was simply opening his letter with a greeting. …the Greek term translated ‘prosperity,’ which is only used four times in Scripture, does not connote prosperity in terms of gaining material possessions.  Rather, the word means ‘to grant a prosperous expedition and expeditious journey’ or ‘to lead by a direct and easy way.’” (Jones & Woodbridge, 99-100).
·         Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Prosperity preachers will reference the later part of verse 5, “with his wounds we are healed” and will focus on God’s atonement (sacrifice on the cross) being focused on our physical healing. “First Peter 2:24 further clarifies the meaning of Isaiah 53:4-5. Peter writes, ‘He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may die to sin and live to righteousness.  By his wounds you have been healed. …the context of Isaiah 53:5 indicates that the healing cited by the prophet is spiritual in nature – that is, the remission of sin.” (Jones & Woodbridge, 91).

WEALTH-FOCUSED
·         Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”  “One of the most prominent characteristics of prosperity theologians is their seeming fixation with the act of giving…often promot[ing] a give-to-get mentality.  All believers need to do is sow a seed of faith – that is, donate money to the ministry- and God will bless their marriages, finances, or whatever help is desired.  Within the prosperity system, the goal in giving is ultimately to serve oneself instead of others.” (Jones and Woodbridge, 100-101).  Prosperity teachers misunderstanding of prayers to God for provision shows itself when they emphasize greedy wants instead of basic needs (“give us each day our daily bread” in Luke 11:3, “if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” in 1 Timothy 6:8, & “no more need” in Malachi 3:10).
·         Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Prosperity gospel preachers emphasizing “sowing” in order to “reap” using this verse, missing the context that this passage is about reaping eternal life verses reaping corruption, not about reaping temporal/earthly rewards.
·         2 Corinthians 9:6 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”  The greater context of this passage (v.6-15) is that what we reap is spiritual fruit for the purpose of meeting one another’s needs (not greed…see 2 Corinthians 9:11-12, ‘the needs of the saints’).  Prosperity gospel preachers will often redefine their wants/desires as “needs.”

PROSPERITY-FOCUSED
·         John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Life that is abundant is synonymous with “eternal life” or “the life to come” which is ultimately focused on God and heavenly things, not on earthly/temporary things.  Prosperity theologians like to emphasize “abundant living” here and now, redefining it as material and worldly success, ignoring the warnings of Scripture such as 1 John 2:15-16 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”  Abundant life is all about an eternity with Jesus, not an accumulation of material possessions.
·         Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”  Prosperity gospel preachers will point to God’s desire to satisfy us here and now with his “riches,” ignoring the countless Scriptures warning against wealth, embracing a right understanding of suffering and perseverance, and overlooking the fact that our “rich” inheritance is found only in Christ.
·         2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”  “Paul is not teaching that Christ died on the cross for the purpose of increasing one’s material net worth.  In fact, he is actually teaching the exact opposite.  Contextually, it is clear that Paul was teaching the Corinthians that since Christ accomplished so much for them through the atonement, they ought to empty themselves of their riches in service of the Savior.  This is why just five verses later Paul urges the Corinthians to give their wealth to their needy brothers, writing “your abundance at the present time should supply their need…that there might be fairness.’ (2 Corinthians 8:14).” (Jones and Woodbridge, 90).

WORDS OF FAITH
·         Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” “Prosperity gospel teachers stress that there is power in our words. In support of their claim they quote verses such as Proverbs 18:21. …Yet, a look at the full context of this verse [including v.20] sheds more light on its meaning…Old Testament scholar Duane Garrett writes, “The purpose of these verses is to warn against being too much in love with one’s own words.’ …this verse does not suggest that words have creative power, but rather that words can have both positive and negative effects upon people.  As the Bible exhorts elsewhere, then, use your tongue wisely (see James 3:1-12).” (Jones & Woodbridge, 96)
·         Romans 4:17 “as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” This passage is often used to explain that Christians have “creative power” as “little gods” with their “faith-filled” words.  The context of the passage shows that it is God who “calls into existence the things that do not exist” and that it is not a power that has been given to people.  Unfortunately prosperity preachers use this passage to encourage people to pray self-focused prayers.
·         James 4:2 “You do not have, because you do not ask.” – “Prosperity gospel preachers often note that we ‘have not because we ask not’ (see James 4:2).  They encourage believers to pray for personal success in all areas of life. …but the prosperity gospel’s overemphasis on people turns prayer into a tool that believers can use to obtain their desires from God.  Within prosperity theology, people - rather than God – become the focal point of prayer.  Curiously prosperity gospel preachers often ignore the second half of James’ teaching on prayer, which reads, ‘You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your own passions.’ (James 4:3).  God does not answer selfish requests that do not honor His name.” (Jones and Woodbridge, 96-97)
·        Philippians 4:6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  We are called to make all of our requests known to God…but these are requests, not demands, not “claimed promises,” and not “declarations.”  The problem is that the “prosperity gospel focuses so much on people’s desires that it can lead us to pray selfish, shallow, superficial prayers that do not bring God glory …when coupled with the prosperity doctrine of faith, the teaching about prayer encourages people to try manipulating God to get what they want – indeed a futile task.  This is far removed from praying to God to see His will accomplished.” (Jones and Woodbridge, 99).
Many more Scriptures are twisted for the sake of health and wealth.  Here is a great resource to understanding more: www.watchman.org/articles/other-religious-topics/how-the-health-and-wealth-gospel-twists-scripture/
Who are people associated with the Word of Faith movement? Some of the most commonly known Word of Faith movement and prosperity gospel leaders are:  Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, TD Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, Kenneth Hagin, & many more.  Some may deny their connections to WOF & the PG, but their teachings demonstrate their connection and justify such labeling.

What is “positive profession,” “name-it claim-it,” and declarative/claiming prayers and why is it a problem?  Positive thinking/profession/confession was popularized by Norman Vincent Peale in 1952 through his book The Power of Positive Thinking (publisher of Guideposts and an endorser of many New Age, Mormon, and Occultic teachings, writers, and leaders).  Some of the leading teachers and authors on the subject are: Joel Osteen (I Declare:31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life, Your Best Life Now, Become a Better You), Joyce Meyer (Power Thoughts, Change Your Words, Change Your Life, The Power of Being Positive). A modern day summary of the “positive confession” movement is “the belief that if a believer speaks ‘spiritual’ or ‘faith-filled’ words then he can have what he says (Watchman.org on ”Positive Confession”).  A good Christian response is found in understanding that truth is the focus and sometimes it is negatively focused (confronting us in our sin, putting off our old self, negative confessions in the Psalms) and at other times positively focused (practicing righteousness, putting on our old self).  Positive confessions often devolve into declaring/claiming/telling God what to do instead of saying “thy will be done” (Matthew 6:10, 26:42) and asking “according to His will” (1 John 5:14).

Why did you pick the Word of Faith movement and “prosperity gospel” as false teachings to highlight?  Although many Christian cults could have been highlighted for their false teachings, the Word of Faith movement and “prosperity gospel” is a problem within my church congregation and friends.  As a loving friend and pastor, it is my responsibility to rebuke false teachings in order to shepherd my flock and lead friends away from dangerous teachings.


Why are you so concerned with TBN (the Trinity Broadcasting Network)? Although TBN is a Christian station seeking to reach the world with the gospel, its messages are not always consistent.  On one given Sunday (12/9/13) there were at least four faithful sermon broadcasts on TBN (James Merritt, Ed Young Sr., Adrian Rogers, Michael Youssef), but there were many more heretical, unfaithful broadcasts (Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, TD Jakes, Joyce Meyer, Joseph Prince, Kenneth Hagin, & many more...).  The vast majority of broadcasts were from the Word of Faith movement.  My concern is that a Christian may tune in to a faithful sermon and then continue to watch while unfaithful messengers “teach a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Timothy 6:3).

As I hope you have seen, the Word of Faith movement and the "prosperity gospel" resort to twisting scripture to justify their false teachings.  My next post will specifically cover the teachings of Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer who represent the spectrum of the Word of Faith movement and "prosperity gospel" teachers.

Part 1 - Understanding Biblical Truths Today: Heaven is for Real and Jesus Calling
Part 2 - Heretical Teachings: The Word of Faith Movement & "Prosperity Gospel"
Part 3 - Heretical Teachings: Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer

False Prophets & Teachers - Part 1 - Understanding Biblical Truths Today: Heaven is for Real and Jesus Calling

This post begins a series of three posts on the importance of understanding what the Bible teaches about false prophets and teachers and some examples of false teachings today.  This may seem like an issue more relevant to scriptural times and the end times, but as you consider these posts I hope that you see the increasing and influential presence of false prophets and teachers today.

(2 Peter 2:1-3, ESV) But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Part 1 - Understanding Biblical Truths Today: Heaven is for Real and Jesus Calling
Part 2 - Heretical Teachings: The Word of Faith Movement & "Prosperity Gospel"
Part 3 - Heretical Teachings: Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer

"Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that,
unless we love the truth, we cannot know it." Blaise Pascal

"A false interpretation of Scripture causes that the gospel of the Lord
becomes the gospel of man, or, which is worse, of the devil." Jerome

What is a prophet? How can I recognize a true prophet from a false prophet?  A prophet is a messenger of God who carries a message directly and personally related and is held to 100% consistency with Scripture and 100% fulfillment of any predictive statements. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, 18:15-22)


What is the difference between a prophet and a teacher?  Both roles include the element of teaching, but a prophet claims a direct encounter with God (dream, vision, meeting, voice, event, etc.) where God revealed or spoke a particular message to him.

How can I recognize a true teacher from a bad teacher? A bad teacher from a false teacher?  A bad teacher may misunderstand issues in Scripture or just do a poor job at instructing and exhorting people.  A false teacher teaches “a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy 6:3) and goes against “sound doctrines” (Titus 1:9) specifically with an understanding towards who God is, what salvation is, and what the Scriptures say.

Isn’t it wrong to publicly call out preachers, teachers, Christians, etc.?  The issue of “opinions” between Christian brothers is different from the issue of “false teachings.”  Paul warns “not to quarrel over opinions” (v.1) in Romans 14, pointing out the dangers of “passing judgment” on a brother in Christ and how it can “destroy the work of God” (v.20).  

However, God commands us to “judge” those inside the church when their lifestyles (1 Corinthians 5:9-13) do not line up with God’s Word.  God also commands us to watch out for and confront false teachers who “teach a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Timothy 6:3).  Pastors are specifically tasked by God in Titus 1:9 to (1) "hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught" (2) "give instruction in sound doctrine" and (3) "rebuke those who contradict it."  The role of pastor includes the responsibility of specifically teaching truth and confronting error.

Should a false teacher be called out by name? If so, when?  When a specific false teaching or teacher is affecting a body of believers (i.e. family, small group, church, denomination, region, nation), that false teaching and teacher must be named and confronted.  Paul does this with both false teachings (1 Timothy 1:3-20 ; 6:2-10, Jude 1, 2 Peter 2, & many more) and with particular names (Alexander, Hymenaeus, & Philetus in 1 Timothy 1:20 and 2 Timothy 2:17)

What are some characteristics of false teachers?  There are many examples of false teachers with common descriptions (Galatians, 2 Peter, 1 & 2 Timothy, 1 & 2 John, Jude) that they may look and sound like Christians but that there teachings and lifestyle are not consistent with Scripture.  Here are some descriptors mostly from 2 Peter 2: False Words – v.3 ; Speaking Ignorantly – v.12 ; Endorse Sin – v.2, 13-15, 18 ; Greedy  v.3, 14 ; Proud w/no accountability – v.10, 18 (Jude 8) ; Make Empty Promises – v.19 ; Rely on Experience/Dreams (Jude 8) ; Speak Flippantly To Satan/Demons (2 Pet 2:10-13; Jude 8-10) Have Some Scriptural Knowledge, But Wander from It – v.20-22


How can you call them false teachers when some of these people have doctrinal statements on their website and do many good things in getting the Bible and gospel into the hands of so many?  Christianity is not a salvation of works and although some apparently “good fruits” may seem exist in these ministries, they only mask the lies.  The ends of a ministry (apparent salvations, missions, good works) usually are self-serving (spreading their message) and do not justify their means (a false gospel).  Jesus warns of false prophets coming who "come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15) and that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" is a true disciple (Matthew 7:21-23).  The overall teachings and writings (fruit) must be considered and compared with their consistency with the scriptures ("the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Timothy 6:3 and "the trustworthy word as taught" Titus 1:9).  God reminds us that "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds." (2 Corinthians 11:14-15, ESV)


When false teachers lead people to Christ, are these converts false believers?  Not necessarily.  If these believers have understood the gospel falsely, then their trust and faith in Jesus may be out of a greater love of Jesus’ gifts rather than Jesus.  If they have become true followers of Jesus (confessing their sin (Romans 3:23), salvation by faith (a free gift) not by works (Romans 6:23), trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross by calling to Him as Lord and Savior and believing in His resurrection (Romans 10:9-10)), they need to study the Word of God, test their teachers, and be extremely cautious before recommending a teacher to someone else (Acts 17:11, Ephesians 4:11-16).

Why are the “prayer rebukes” of Satan and his demons a problem?  Why is this connected with false teachers?  Prayer rebukes can be best described by those who practice naming particular spirits/demons (demon of falsehood, spirit of adultery, etc.) or speak towards the demonic ('I rebuke you' or 'I bind you').  This problem is scripturally seen in Jude 8-10 and 2 Peter 2:10-12.

Is it possible for false teachers to turn to truth and become true teachers?  Yes, until we die, it is possible for anyone who is separated from God to turn to Him in salvation.  Pray for their repentance and turning to the true Gospel of Christ.

If I have been following a false teacher, should I be embarrassed or ashamed?  What does God want me to do in response to realizing that I was following a false teacher?  If you find that you have been following a bad or false teacher, repent of believing the lies that you heard/read and put on God's truths and righteousness.  If you have led or encouraged others towards those teachings/teachers, guide them into the truth.  We must take our growth and maturity as Christians seriously, "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Ephesians 4:14).

Are there any examples of modern day false prophets?  There are many people who make claims of prophecy in very overt and public ways that are easier to recognize (i.e. "God told me," "God appeared to me," "I had a dream," "God gave me a word").  Many claims of prophecy are more subtle, yet influential.  Heaven is for Real by Colton, Todd, & Sonja Burpo and Jesus Calling by Sarah Young as examples of false prophecies?   These are highly influential and popular titles that many Christians do not realize are false claims of prophecy. 

Why is Heaven is for Real by Colton, Todd, & Sonja Burpo an example of a false prophecy? The authors claim that Colton went to heaven and that what is shared within the book is a description of heaven.  Since this is claimed to be a divine experience with God the Father, Son, & Spirit, it must be 100% accurate (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) and consistent with what is already presented in Scripture about heaven (i.e. Isaiah 6, Revelation).  Here are several errors within the books that demonstrate inconsistencies with Scripture, thus making Heaven is for Real an example of false prophecy and its authors false prophets: 
  • Jesus on a rainbow horse (p.63, vs. white horse in Rev 6 & 19)
  • People with wings (p.72, 87, 121 vs. no biblical description that matches, only Seraphim and Cherubim are described with wings)
  • Colton was deceived by his dad when relating his story (p.87 vs. Deut 18:22)
  • Gabriel described sitting next to God's throne (p.101 vs. never being described in the Scriptures)
  • Angels have swords to “keep Satan out of heaven” (p. 133 vs.  Zechariah 3:1-2 - Satan's access to heaven and rebuke by words, not by swords, Job 1 & 2 – Satan's access to heaven, Jude 9 – Satan confronted by Michael with “the Lord rebuke you” and not a sword, 1 Chronicles 21 & Numbers 22 showing angels using swords vs. people not Satan)
  • There are no bodies in Hell  (p.136 vs. Matt 10:28, John 5:29, Luke 16, Daniel 12:2, Mark 9:43-48, Rev 20:13).
John MacArthur helpfully points out:
"For anyone who truly believes the biblical record, it is impossible to resist the conclusion that these modern testimonies—with their relentless self-focus and the relatively scant attention they pay to the glory of God—are simply untrue. They are either figments of the human imagination (dreams, hallucinations, false memories, fantasies, and in the worst cases, deliberate lies), or else they are products of demonic deception."

"We know this with absolute certainty, because Scripture definitively says that people do not go to heaven and come back: "Who has ascended to heaven and come down?" (Proverbs 30:4). Answer: "No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man" (John 3:13, emphasis added). All the accounts of heaven in Scripture are visions, not journeys taken by dead people. And even visions of heaven are very, very rare in Scripture. You can count them all on one hand."


Why is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young an example of a false prophecy? Sarah Young claims in her introduction to have had a personal revelation with Jesus on multiple occasions (ix-xv).  She states that the devotionals within her book have been directly given to her by God.  Even though she claims her writings to not be on the same level of Scripture, she simultaneously claims her book to be divine revelation with God, making it necessary for her writings to be 100% accurate (Deuteronomy 18:20-22).  She says “I have continued to receive personal messages from God as I meditate on Him...so I want to share some of the messages I have received” (xiii-xiv).  She places her experiences and messages ahead of Scripture, weaving Scripture into her devotions as an almost afterthought.  Her writings present an inaccurate and shallow view of Jesus, that is therapeutically focused on peace and comfort while ignoring Christ's commands towards obedience (descriptive rather than prescriptive).  Her theology is also wrongly influenced by Keswick piety (higher/victorious life, second blessing) through Andrew Murray's The Secret of the Abiding Presence (xi).

With these examples and responses I hope that you see the problem of false prophets and prophecies are more common and widespread in modern Christianity than you might have realized.  Please check out parts two and three of this post to see the problems found through TBN, the Word of Faith movement, "prosperity gospel," and the spectrum of teachers such as Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer.

Part 1 - Understanding Biblical Truths Today: Heaven is for Real and Jesus Calling
Part 2 - Heretical Teachings: The Word of Faith Movement & "Prosperity Gospel"
Part 3 - Heretical Teachings: Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer

Top 5 Biblical Principles, Verses, and Quotes on Money and Prosperity

In an age of many false teachings on money and prosperity, we must be rooted in God's truths in order to recognize the deception.  Here are my selections for the top 5 biblical principles, verses, & quotes on money and prosperity!

TOP 5 BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES AND VERSES ON MONEY & PROSPERITY


1. Be Content With What You Have – 1 Timothy 6:6-8 "But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
2. The Love of Money = Roots Of All Kinds of Evil – 1 Timothy 6:9-10 "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. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."
3. Loving & Trusting In Wealth = Impossible to Enter Into God’s Kingdom – Mark 10:17-31 "And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, 'How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!'"
4. Store Up Treasures in Heaven – Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
5. Riches Never Satisfy – Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?"
(two close runners up...Don’t Associate with Greedy People who Claim to be Christians (1 Corinthians 5:11) & An Entitlement Attitude is a Deadly Attitude - Achan (Joshua 7:10-26))
Here's a helpful listing of 50 Principles & Passages on Money & Giving

TOP 5 QUOTES ON MONEY & PROSPERITY

  1. "The most obvious lesson in Christ's teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving." Henry Drummond
  2. "Nothing I am sure has such a tendency to quench the fire of religion as the possession of money." J.C. Ryle
  3. “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.” Randy Alcorn
  4. "It is prosperity that we cannot endure." Martin Luther
  5. "Few are made better by prosperity, whom afflictions make worse." William Gurnall

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