I agree... the email is nothing but a not so subtle form of guilt manipulation, but even worse, it paints a picture of Christ and Christianity that is both fundamentally mistaken and very superficial.... first, it assumes that the one receiving the email has not yet "received Jesus into their hearts"; second, it seems to say that salvation is based on the sending of emails (accept Jesus into your heart
BY....) which is a gospel of works, which is not another gospel at all, but rather a false gospel, salvation is by grace through faith, period.... further, its arrogant to assume to know what it is that Jesus/God wants to give each and every individual person.... certainly there is (or rather ought to be) a level of joy no matter the circumstances in a Christian's life, but to claim to know that God wants to give every person that receives the email "prosperity" is just silly... we all know or ought to know that Jesus Himself was not prosperous in the way the world defines the term. (
Matthew 8:20) And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
At any rate, God certainly allows suffering of many kinds to happen to His children, its not, as the email seems to imply,. "health, wealth and prosperity" for all of Christ's followers.... God clearly allows suffering and hard times to befall Christians to show we are his children, as the author of Hebrews makes so clear:
(
Hebrews 12:5-11) And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." and etc....
so yes... on so many levels, the email is just wrong...
blessings,
Ken