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By James Strong But dont let even a hint of greed exist among you, as is proper for saints? (Ephesians 5:3) Recently, I searched the AOL Black Voices website and came across an article by Angela Bronner titled The Gospel of Prosperity: Does Wealth Mean Youre Blessed? It explored the debate raging in the Christian community over whether God wants Christians to be materially wealthy, or at least financially well off. Bonner quoted a Blender magazine statement by wealthy hip-hop soul singer Mary J. Blige: My God is a God who wants me to have things. He wants me to bling. He wants me to be the hottest thing on the block. Bonner says Blige is a born-again Christian. Bonner also quotes black televangelist Creflo Dollar, whose famous sound bite is To be broke means you lack. She lists a few of Dollars exorbitantly rich credentials: His World Changers megachurch, founded in Atlanta in 1986, now has over 25,000 members with an annual operating budget of over $80 million, she writes. Dollar, who has a multi-million dollar mansion in Atlanta and two Rolls Royces, flies on his private jet every Saturday to New York City, where in October 2004, he started a congregation. He owns a $2.5 million Manhattan apartment in the exclusive Time Warner Center, and collects over $345,000 a month for the New York church. Dollar is a proponent of prosperity theology. (Im not sure about Blige, but I do get the feeling shes a fan of some kind of prosperity gospel.) Prosperity theology advocates believe that God wants his people to financially and materially prosper and that a Christian who is not prosperous lacks the favor of God. Other promoters of prosperity theology include popular black televangelist Frederick K. C. Price, pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles, and Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, which according to some surveys is the largest church in the United States. Some critics denounce prosperity theology as an unbiblical, mean-spirited, diabolical menace, a costume worn by the greedy to camouflage their greed. But to be fair, some prosperity theology proponents insist that their belief includes moral and spiritual prosperity as well, which is in line with Psalm 1:3 where prospers seems to encompass the material and immaterial. But there is a facet of the system which makes that claim seem menial at best. Prosperity theology emphasizes that if you are rich youre blessed; but that if you are poor youre cursed or youre not as blessed as fully as one whos rich. In other words, for Christians, Gods blessing on the rich sings the melody of favoritism, while the curse on the poor scripts a melodrama of sadness. From prosperity theologys perspective, moving a Christian from poverty to wealth is one of the reasons for the corporation of heavens existence. Through tithing, obedience and other means, God ensures the poor of eventual financial and material wealth at least thats what prosperity theology advocates assure us. A balanced view of scripture writes a memorandum with a different outlook. Scripture teaches that if Christians are rich they might be blessed by God, but if they are poor they may also be blessed by God. Thats why a few days or weeks after Christs resurrection There was no one in the group who was in need. Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, bring the money received from the sale, and turn it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed according to the needs of the people. (Acts 4:34-35) What a rich instance of rich Christians loving poor Christians! What an indictment against prosperity theology! Prosperity theology, however, ignores such noble deeds, claiming they are no longer charitable or economic models, because they are socialistic or apply only to biblical times. Prosperity theology has, in essence, turned scripture against scripture. Verses now fight each other ruthlessly. They wrestle for influence over innocent minds. But the fighters are not evenly matched. Prosperity theology verses are superheavyweights, while non-prosperity theology verses are lightweights. That is, prosperity theology is fat and overweight with verses that emphasize prosperity, while the slimmer, more agile non-prosperity theology verses must move delicately to avoid being pinned. Moreover, prosperity theology hires greed and materialism to manage and train his fighters. He changes greeds name to Blessing and materialisms to No Shame. He gives his fighters the nickname Gods Wealth. But balance is the key. To adore and abhor the same truths, to grin and frown at the same facts, to both love and hate material wealth is the heart of true Christianity. Hence, though Proverbs says Be generous and you will be prosperous. (Proverbs 11:25), were also warned not to love the world or the things in the world. (I John 2:15). And though were told King Solomon was richer than any other king. (I Kings 10:23), Christ warns us not to store up riches for [ourselves] here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19). Prosperity is deadly when it is ungodly. Happy are those who carry it in their hip pocket. Thus, if you yearn for wealth, you stand between an earthquake and a volcano. To keep the earthquake from hitting and the volcano from erupting, rise to the atmosphere of humility. If God gives you wealth, give as much as is reasonable away. If you dont have wealth, be thankful for the wealth you already have. The gospel of wealth is not the Gospel of Christ; the gospel of prosperity theology is not the Gospel of true Christianity. Scripture is no more the dog of prosperity theology than prosperity theology is the daughter of scripture. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Copyright 2007 by James Strong. Send correspondence to africhristian@yahoo.com. James Strong is a columnist whose “AfriChristian Commentary” column is written from a black non-conservative Christian perspective. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Strong http://EzineArticles.com/?AfriChristian-Commentary:-Oh-God—Gimme-Da-Money&id=471608 i need a payday loan immediately fast payday loancolumbus ohio no credit check homes in atascocita texas how to calculate taxes on paycheck

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Stanhop]Ruth Stanhop Taking a Home Equity Loan means a smart use of your property. If you have been staying in your house for a few years then it may have some equity available in it. A home equity loan will help you to release the equity available in your house which otherwise remains unused. After releasing the equity in your house through home equity loans you can use it for your important personal needs. A [http://www.chance4finance.co.uk/home-equity-loans.html]Home Equity Loans are secured against some asset. So, the lender has the assurance to get his money back in case you fail to pay off the loan. That is why he offers the loan in favourable terms. First of all you will have a low rate of interest for a home equity loan. You can also take big amount through this loan. Though the amount you can borrow will depend upon the equity available in your house yet you can qualify for a hefty amount because of the secured nature of the home equity loans. You will also be provided with smaller monthly repayment and a longer repayment period. Above all the term and condition of the home equity loans will be flexible. You can avail a home equity loan even with your bad credit record. Various factors like the loan being secured, the competitive market and the changed attitude of the lenders towards poor credit history will enable you to get a home equity loan which suits your requirements. Finally, to get home equity loan in a simple and hassle free manner you can apply through the online lenders. About The Author The author Ruth Stanhop is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Chance4finance as a finance specialist. For more information please visit http://www.chance4finance.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Stanhop http://EzineArticles.com/?Home-Equity-Loan-to-Release-and-Use-the-Equity-in-Your-House&id=192081 payday loans for bad credit with no checking account texas car loan for people with bad credit bad credit auto loan application bad credit car loan lake elsinore

By Michael Russell Water filters. Pretty simple concept, right? Turn on your tap, let the dirty water run through the filter and into your glass goes some nice clean contaminant free water. And in theory it is a simple process. Unfortunately picking a water filter is not so simple as their are many different ways to filter your water and many different types of filters to filter your water with. So which ones are best? The answer to that question is probably eternally elusive but at least in this article we’re going to review some of the different types of filters that there are so you can make an informed decision. Probably the most common water filters are charcoal. The charcoal is actually gotten from coconut husk. The charcoal absorbs the impurities out of the water. Charcoal water filters make up about 95% of all the water filters in use. The reason is because they are simple to install, relatively cheap and remove most of the toxins found in the water. An average charcoal filter will last between 6 and 9 months before it has to be replaced. Some charcoal filters are enhanced by the use of silver which gives you extra antibacterial protection. Charcoal filters are probably the best buy for the money. Not quite as common are what are called reverse osmosis water filters. These filters use a fine membrane to filter the water through an osmotic process. These filters, unlike charcoal filters, take everything out of the water, leaving them totally pure. These filters are installed under your sink and require a serviceman to come out every few months to install a new membrane. There is some debate as to how beneficial these filters really are since they also take all the good minerals out of the water as well. Another type of water filter is the distiller water filter. These filters use electricity to heat the water to its boiling point. The impurities are left in the boiling container and then the purified condensed water drains back into a clean container. These filters require an enormous amount of power and don’t give an immediate supply because the boiling process must be completed first. There are reports that claim that distilled water is not good to drink long term because it actually takes nutrients from your body because of the unnaturalness of the water. Then there are ionized water filters. Ionized water is water that has been electronically altered by being run over by positive and negative electrodes. The water then becomes ionized by separating the water and the minerals in it into alkaline and acidic water. You end up with 70% alkaline water and 30% acidic water. Both waters have excellent properties. The alkaline ionized water is used for drinking and is a great antitoxin for the body. Acidic ionized water is used primarily for bathing and is supposed to be very good for killing bacteria. In our next article we’ll go over some additional types of water filter and treatment systems. ——————————————————- Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Water Filters ——————————————————- Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell http://EzineArticles.com/?Water-Filters—Part-I&id=119145 car loans online loans against tax money project payday review payday advance loan

By Janice Wee I started making facial masks after reading several books on natural cosmetics. Common ingredients used in home made facials are eggs, lemon, milk, honey, cucumber, tomato, essential oils and lots more fruits, herbs and other ingredients. The assumption I had was that home made cosmetics, being all natural and preservative free were much safer than the commercial masks you found in stores. A wrong assumption. You know the saying. Never assume anything. It makes an ASS of U and ME. Did you know some of the deadliest poisons on earth are 100% natural? There are complaints about preservatives irritating the skin and all that. That may be true especially for a person with very sensitive skin. But preservatives actually make cosmetics safe to use. Preservatives kill or at very least, inhibit the bacteria, mold, viruses and nasty things that would otherwise thrive in the cosmetics we use. Commercial preparations usually contain some preservative or other to make these products safe for use. Some of the very high end cosmetic formulations are packed in sterile capsules to do away with or at least, minimimize, the need for preservatives. If you make your own skin care for use later in the week, chances are, unless you are anal about sterilizing everything and freezing every batch once it has cooled, thawing it only when you are going to use it, and keeping your cosmetics away from the raw meat in the freezer, eventually, you could find yourself using contaminated home made cosmetics, which could lead to a skin irritation. I used to make my own skin care but found all the precautions I had to take such a hassle, now I buy mine off the shelves. Even if you make your facial products for immediate use, you have to be careful about using only the freshest ingredients. A mouldy fruit or anything that is spoilt can lead to disastrous results on your skin. Then there is the safety of the ingredients used in your skincare products. I once told a pharmacist about the lemon remedy I was using on my pimples. She was horrified. Lemons are highly acidic. Lemon juice is pH 2. Sulphuric acid is pH 1. Lemons can cause a nasty acid burn if you are not careful. We had a discussion about this. She told me about a customer who showed up with an acid burn. Turns out, she had a sunburn. Back in Australia, she would soothe that sunburn by rubbing cut cucumber over her skin. The juices would ease the sunburn. This time around, she was unlucky. The cucumber she used was more acidic than the ones she was used to and she ended up with a really nasty acid burn. Though cucumber is soothing, cucumber contains Alpha Hydroxy Acids as do most fruit and some of the other ingredients used in homemade beauty recipes. You see, in home made skin care, the exact chemical makeup of the ingredients you use may vary, leading to unpleasant results if you are unfortunate. That is why, everytime you make any facial mask, test it on the inside of your wrist first, before you let that mask touch your face. I was lucky. The lemon facial I did helped clear my skin by killing the bacteria, without burning my skin. The pharmacist said I was fool hardy. As did my cousin who has been making her own beauty products for years already. Lemon can thin the skin. It is so acidic. The pharmacist thought the other things, like the almond meal I mixed with the lemon juice helped neutralize the extreme acidity. Also, when I used freshly squeezed lemon juice directly on my face, I would dilute it with water first. Yet the books I read with home made beauty recipes often include lemon in their recipes. After all, lemon has lightening properties. Lemon juice is often used to lighten freckles. Lemon was even recommended in a book by a former model, for use as a toner. Not all ingredients are that dangerous though. Oats is an excellent ingredient for use in soothing facials. That was recommended to me by a doctor. For my toddler’s rash. Cooked oats in a bag in the bath water is a home remedy to soothe itchy skin. Here is a facial that uses oats and rose water. http://www.womanht.com/facials/RoseOatsFacial.htm A home made face mask can be as simple as putting some mash fruit your face. Fruity facials tried and tested outlines such experiments with fruit. Different skin types require different ingredients. Dry skin can use richer, nourishing ingredients. Really dry skin would love the moisturizing effect of sweet almond oil or olive oil. Oily skin, on the other hand would break out in pimples if you try massaging these oils on your face. What works for your best friend may be disastrous on you. The easiest thing to do nowadays is to simply buy a great mask for your skin type off the shelf for your home facial. I use commercial masks these days after some disastrous experiments trying to find new ingredients for new home made facial masks for my site. The successful facials were published with at http://www.womanht.com/facials/. The writer is the writer of the articles in Home Made Facials. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Wee http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Truth-About-Home-Made-Facials&id=67407 best rates for personal loans in canada can a real estate agent receive commission on a personal fha loan personal secured loan finance e-z payday loans in tucson

By Svetlana Polyakova Cellulite. The word evokes dread and fear in people, especially women around the world. It is a result of the breakdown of microcirculation under the skin. The growing fat under the skin changes the skins appearance to look dimpled and rippled. The fat cells are held together by fibers, which trap the fat till it turns thick. Thinner skin and estrogen have been two major factors that have led to women having more Cellulite than men! Down through the years people have been looking for a quick-fix remedy to get rid of Cellulite. The bad news is that there isnt one. It takes time, energy and dedication to get back on track again. Liposuction, Tri-Active Laser Dermology, Lymphatic Drainage Massage, Electric Muscle Stimulation, Vibratory Endermatic System and Jet Therapy are just a couple of remedies that are available today. However, prevention is the best cure. Eat healthy (lots of fresh fruit and vegetables), watch your weight, drink a lot of water, exercise regularly, stop smoking and you will not need to worry about Cellulite. There are two steps to banishing Cellulite. The first being to reduce the fat cells and the second being to regenerate collagen. Estrogen- Like we mentioned earlier, women have a higher tendency to have Cellulite. Why? Estrogen is the culprit. Women who take birth control pills have even a greater chance of having Cellulite because the hormone increases the tissues ability to store fat. The answer lies in switching to a low-estrogen pill. Brushing- If you do have Cellulite try brushing your skin twice a day. It will rejuvenate your tissues and strengthen the dermis, which lies within. While brushing remember to move in a circular pattern first and then upwards towards the colon. Apart from this working wonder on your skin, it also feels great! Burn that fat- Exercise. You need to increase blood and lymph circulation. This can only be achieved through regular and consistent exercise. Get yourself to link up with other victims and start your own Cellulite free club! This should be encouragement enough to keep you running on the road. Body wraps- This is definitely not a substitute to healthy living or exercise, body wraps can provide a certain amount Cellulite reduction. Minerals and herbs contained within the wrap absorb toxins. Massages- This could involve lymphatic massage and endermology. Massages also help in reducing toxins in the skin. This relaxed method can be slightly expensive so ensure that it is done by a professional. Today there are several home massage kits that are available to fight Cellulite. Cider vinegar, coconut oil, alfalfa, borage oil, bromelain and green tea are a couple of supplement that reduces Cellulite. Whatever remedy you resort to, be consistent and dont lose heart. Cellulite is not a disease. It just involves damage control and recovery. Although, there are several commercial products that offer instant solutions, it is wise to follow tried and tested methods. Your fight for a Cellulite free life could be a reality with perseverance and dedication. Virginia Beauty and Fashion consultant, Svetlana Polyakova from SecretstoImpress.com specializes in teaching men and women the fine techniques of how to meet to meet that special person, dress to impress, and beauty & Fashion tips and etiquette. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Svetlana_Polyakova http://EzineArticles.com/?Natural-Home-Treatment-for-Cellulite&id=252290 think cash loans sainsburys personal loan easy to get personal loans payday loans for bad credit with no checking account