spiritual discernment and through examining what they teach against the word of truth. It is not enough to tell people that God loves them. We must tell them the truth of what that love did for us and what it truly means to have faith in Jesus Christ, for when they know (experientially) the truth, it will set them free!
I understand what your saying. I have learned though, as Jesus told his disciples, those that are not against us are for us on our part.
And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because
he followeth not us. But Jesus said,
Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.
(Mar 9:38-40)
He follows not us. Is those following something else speaking evil of Jesus?
Does my not agreeing with what they teach, make them not a minister for the Lord? What do I know?
I do my best to stick with scripture only. No scripture, no go for me. However, I fully understand I have crummy doctrine of men still in my somewhere. I only know in part.
One thing we are told by James is not to be many teachers. More than once I'll send someone to hear somebody else or talk to somebody else. I don't have a patch all teaching ability, and not everyone needs to hear me.
Talking about Joel Osteen, I can say that man has the most gentle spirit I have seen. He won't say a bad thing about anyone. My Pastor knew his father. He is doing what he is suppose to do. No man gets blessed by disobedience. His message is simple for those that need the love of God.
We know them by their fruit, not doctrine. Joel says some Word of faith things that could be worded a whole lot better. However, we all could word things to be more accurate, not just Joel.
Joel preaches prosperity, and people get upset but there is nothing in the Word that is not designed to prosper us. God gave Abraham why to much. Guess God did not notice it was spilling out everywhere. We are blessed with the same blessing that was on Abraham.
Now take a man like Benny Hinn. I have nothing against his Doctrine, though I don't listen to him. I am glad he has money, praise God I'll rejoice with him.
What I don't like and I believe we have a right to question is when Benny says one thing but does something else. We know them by their fruit. He had the nerve to preach against Joel Osteen for his Larry King interview, even saying He would punch Joel in the face.
Seriously Benny? All the fun people make of you, and you go and say that about someone else?
When the Lord gave me the Pastor Position of a small church for Sunday Morning, I made notes, studied but never ended up using them. My people were drunks, broken marriages and just a mess. I always preached the Love of God. I wanted to get into some other things, but could not. One week you think someone is fine, the next they have a brand new set of issues from some odd reason. One girl had to be picked up for church because she was afraid of squirrels. How the heck are you afraid of Squirrels? They look at me she said and show their teeth.
Sue, we can't be everything to everyone. We are not going to agree with everyone, and we don't have the revelation that everyone has.
Reading Brother Copelands book about the blessing he said something that made me think. Where is that scripture? He just quoted an arminsim belief. Something he assumes to be true, without questioning it. One of my own church people teaching healing school made a comment...... Jesus, the second person in the Godhead. Where is that scripture?
We all know in Part Sue, Paul knew in Part. The best we can do is compare scriptures, and try to understand where the other person is coming from.