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Book Review: The Midas Touch

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Always in His Presence

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Many people wonder why they are not experiencing the blessings of God as they believe they should be. In this time of affluence and abundance, there is increasing concern among responsible Christian leaders over the alarming increase in confusion, error, and extremism regarding the prosperity message. Kenneth Hagin believes that although there is no Midas touch or magical formula for material success, there are opportunities for those who are willing to be diligent and faithful in the work of their minds and hands and that there are biblical principles concerning prosperity and blessing that God honors according to His Word. This book is an attempt to bring clarity and understanding to those honestly seeking biblical truth concerning money and prosperity, according to Hagin's understanding and interpretation of Scripture. Although his interpretations of Scripture do not always conform to traditionally accepted rules for biblical interpretation, he does make many good points. Written in a pleasantly personable style, The Midas Touch is thought provoking.
Questions addressed include:
Should believers expect a "hundredfold return" on what they give?
Is "supernatural debt cancellation" biblical?
Is the wealth of the wicked laid up for the just?
Are Christians entitled to an "end-time" transfer of wealth?
Is "naming your seed" scriptural?
Should you believe God for the "double portion"?
Is financial prosperity a sign of spirituality?

1. Financial prosperity is not a sign of God’s blessing. Hagin wrote: “If wealth alone were a sign of spirituality, then drug traffickers and crime bosses would be spiritual giants.” Material wealth can be connected to the blessings of God or it can be totally disconnected from the blessings of God.

2. People should never give in order to get. Hagin was critical of those who “try to make the offering plate some kind of heavenly vending machine.” He denounced those who link giving to getting, especially those who give cars to get new cars or who give suits to get new suits. He wrote: “There is no spiritual formula to sow a Ford and reap a Mercedes.”

3. It is not biblical to “name your seed” in an offering. Hagin was horrified by this practice, which was popularized in faith conferences during the 1980s. Faith preachers sometimes tell donors that when they give in an offering they should claim a specific benefit to get a blessing in return. Hagin rejected this idea and said that focusing on what you are going to receive “corrupts the very attitude of our giving nature.”

4. The “hundredfold return” is not a biblical concept. Hagin did the math and figured out that if this bizarre notion were true, “we would have Christians walking around with not billions or trillions of dollars, but quadrillions of dollars!” He rejected the popular teaching that a believer should claim a specific monetary payback rate.

5. Preachers who claim to have a “debt-breaking” anointing should not be trusted. Hagin was perplexed by ministers who promise “supernatural debt cancellation” to those who give in certain offerings. He wrote in The Midas Touch: “There is not one bit of Scripture I know about that validates such a practice. I’m afraid it is simply a scheme to raise money for the preacher, and ultimately it can turn out to be dangerous and destructive for all involved

(Many evangelists who appear on Christian television today use this bogus claim. Usually they insist that the miraculous debt cancellation will occur only if a person “gives right now,” as if the anointing for this miracle suddenly evaporates after the prime time viewing hour. This manipulative claim is more akin to witchcraft than Christian belief.)
Hagin condemned other hairbrained gimmicks designed to trick audiences into emptying their wallets.

Thoughts?
 

ARBITER01

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Nice to see you bringing some correction on this subject Balance. It seems not many wofers really want to try and straighten the path for others on these subjects, and things continue on wrongly unfortunately.
 
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map4

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Heck, I (even I ;)) might order this book.

~Jim



I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you..


Seriously Jim, you might actually like it :)

There will probably be things you don't agree with. But still, it was quite refreshing to read the book and see what he had to say. Especially since he is considered one of the 'fathers' of this movement.

I've read a few of his books. This was the best by far, imo.

I've said this before, but my pastor went to Rhema as did many preachers that visit our church. Every one of them have said that they were not taught what some of the tv preachers are doing. They've gotten 'flaky' and 'out there' in what they do and teach.
I can only go by what these men say as I never attended Rhema and never really heard Hagin preach but a couple of times on tv.
 
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Always in His Presence

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When was this written?

About ten years ago - it was an attempt to correct the prosperity doctrine that was being brought to an extreme. It was the Word of Faith correcting their own, publically.

It is also what was the main reason for the leaders of the prosperity doctrine to leave the Word of Faith.
 
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victoryword

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I read this book back in 2001 and later bought a copy of it for my former pastor. While I did not agree with Hagin 100% (my wife says that she has never found me to agree with anyone 100%) I did find the book to be a breath of fresh air and one that I recommend.

I also did a brief review of it on my web page, though I think Balance did a better one.
 
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SavedByGrace3

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I thing that the "real" wof movement never needed the correction. There was a new group of ministries that were very much money minded who found a home in WoF. Having listened to some of these, my conclusions that they were not WoF as we define it. Their thrust was mostly money, and they found it convenient to call themselves WoF because WoF promotes prosperity howbeit a BIBLICAL version of it.
Anyone can say they are WoF just like anyone can say they are Christan. A closer examination tells the truth. I am more "faith movement" than I am WoF. I go back to the earlier Kenyon and Hagin material. As you all know, there are people, even here at CF, who want to clump everyone who says the word "faith" into the WoF. Most of us who have been in the faith movement can listen to a person 5 minutes and tell if they are true WoFer or not.
 
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