A Book Spreads the Word: Prayer for Prosperity Works

An obscure biblical character, who is said to have reaped heavenly rewards for his prayer, is garnering increased devotion among businesspeople, singles and church leaders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/08/national/08JABE.html

-- Anonymous, May 08, 2001

Answers

without reading the article, it sounds like they are speaking of Jabez. He asked God to do things for him, and He did.

Unfortunatly, in this self-centered world that we live in, people want to ask for things so *they* can consume them on themselves. Jesus addressed this issue directly.

Name it and claim it is....believe it or not....a biblical principal; however, it has been very distorted by false prophets of the mammon god.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Uh-huh, okay.

So there's counterfeit religion. What a news flash.

There's counterfeit money. Does that make real money any less real?

The thing is, that people need to figure out how to tell the counterfeit from the true.

(Another thing is, that counterfeits often tend to resemble the genuine article very closely....else they wouldn't fool anyone)

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

To clarify:

The prayer of Jabez is a part of Holy Scripture, God's literary revelation to man; and as such is wholly and totally good in and of itself:

"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." -- 1 Chronicles 4:9,10.

People can distort and do bad things with this, of course. People can take the best of things, and make them bad.

Television isn't bad in and of itself. Neither is the printing press, or radio, or the internet. These are media, which are entirely neutral.

The Devil himself can twist Scripture to suit his own purpose. (see Luke 4:9-11)

The end result depends on the use people make of these things. Which depends upon intentions and attitudes.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

At least religion has no legal right to confiscate 1/3 of my income.

-- Anonymous, May 15, 2001