# Blessings/Warning about Stormie Omartian?



## a

My wife's coworker loaned my wife a book to read:

&quot;The Power of Praying: Help for a Woman's Journey Through Life&quot;


I haven't had much of a chance to read over the book, and though I am probably wrong - i am skeptical of this book... my first impression is that it's too much &quot;me-centric&quot; - claiming and understand God's promises for &quot;me&quot;, etc...

I thought i'd ask you fine folk if you know any more about this author, or even this book...

please advise. Thanks!


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## a

i just found her website, too:

http://www.stormieomartian.com/


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## LadyFlynt

Actually, her book &quot;Power of a Praying Woman&quot; lead to more &quot;Power of a Praying...&quot; books (wife, husband, parent, nation, and prayer) as well as bible study guides with the books and prayer journals.

I have gone through one of the books and it is good. However I have to admit I haven't critiqued her whole series. I don't think it is me centred...actually I found that it points to how God is sovereign and He gets glory from our prayers and from answering our prayers (whether neg or pos).:book:


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## Ianterrell

The stuff on the website sounds like your suspicions are right: 

&quot;Stormie's life goal is to help people find a way out of their pain, lack of fulfillment, or frustration and become all God created them to be. She inspires others to depend on God to establish and preserve strong family bonds and see themselves, their families, their marriages, and their relationships transformed. Her message is one of hope as she shares with men and women how to walk successfully with God through the challenging and difficult times, and to move into all God has for them.&quot;

Christianity first of all is not a self-help program to ensure freedom from &quot;pain&quot;, &quot;lack of fulfillment&quot;, &quot;frustration&quot;. Pain and frustration are part of the normal faithful Christian life. Furthermore nothing that Ms. Stormie is setting out to accomplish sounds different from what the average pop-psychologist is out to do. The fact is Americans are the most unhappy people on the planet. They don't need more success plans, and roads to &quot;inspiration&quot; they need more of Jesus. They need to see Christ glorified!


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## Ianterrell

Her Pastor being Jack Hayford should send the alarms off!!!

Jack Hayford is also the elder over such stellar saints as Paul and Jan Crouch (leaders of TBN). Yucky!


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## SmokingFlax

About 10 years ago, when I first became a Christian, I would frequent a Christian bookstore that had this huge life-size cardboard cutout of this lady (for some kind of a work-out book). Just by looking at her I was totally put off about anything she might have had to say...the visual didn't say anything about Christ to me, it seemed to shout ME! ME! ME!

speaking of visual cues: Has anyone ever noticed that Kenneth Copeland actually LOOKS like a serpent?


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## LadyFlynt

Well, thanks ya'll...you've educated me!

I had no idea who her pastor was and wouldn't have recognized the name if I had (I stay away from TBN!)

:grad:


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## Scot

I have one of her books. I think it's called &quot;Greater Health God's Way&quot;. The diet/health advice is good but her theology is definately flawed. She has those charismatic ideas. I'd recommend the book to people who are looking to get healthier if she didn't have her goofy theology sprinkled through it.

I'd probably recommend it to someone that I knew was discerning.


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## SmokingFlax

Whoa!

I didn't know Hayford was Paul and Jan's Pastor/Elder! I feel totally vindicated.

A while ago a friend of mine recommended to me that I should listen to Hayford (on the radio) and I remarked &quot;I've tried to listen to the guy a few times but...frankly, I think he sounds like a complete spineless wimp...I just can't even tolerate the sound of his voice.&quot; I never could even hear what kind of theology he was laying down because I simply couldn't get past his completely annoying voice! My friend kind of looked at me strange -I think he was put off by my assertion that he was a wimp and that I didn't want any part of that spirit. 

I've had a similar thing happen with Joyce Meyer. For the longest time every time I heard her on the radio I literally thought it was a dude! I always thought to myself &quot;man, this dude sounds really annoying -kind of effeminate&quot;... Then one day I caught the beginning of her broadcast and found out that he was a she!!! I never listened again...that was 9 or 10 years ago. 

Man! What is up? It seems like all of these folks are in this great big grotesque merry-go-round that is tied together by TBN. It's a small world.

Hey Scot...what do you think of Rev. Malkmus' health books?


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## Ianterrell

Chris,

Hayford suprisingly actually entertains a shred of Calvinistic thought, but he is a poor elder in my opinion. His soft spoken preaching betrays his heart. Any man that KNOWINGLY has Paul and Jan Crouch in their congregation and isn't laying the smack down on them is not fit for the eldership.


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## Scot

[quote:fe4c9808e6]
Hey Scot...what do you think of Rev. Malkmus' health books? 
[/quote:fe4c9808e6]

Rev. Malkmus cured himself of cancer through diet. For someone with cancer, I'd definately recommend his type of diet. The only problem with him is that it's like you're sinning if you eat meat. There's no doubt that you can acheive excellent health if you eat the way he recommends. 

If someone is going to eat the way that he says for health reasons, I'd say go for it. If they're going to eat that way because they think they're sinning by eating meat, I'd say they're dead wrong. Jesus ate fish! (of course is wasn't toxic like what we have today).

I'd basically say the same thing about him as Stormie Omartian. You can read them for the health advice but ignore their theological ideas. 

In Christ,
Scot


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## a

i want to thank all of your for your input... though i do not put any &quot;weight&quot; in my feelings, it appears that my suspicion and seeking of counsel proved beneficial...

i'll have a look at the book before or with my wife to help us learn how NOT to pray... hehehe


thanks brothers &amp; sisses!


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## a

*a follow up*

i guess some of the stuff in this book is fine... but there is an overall &quot;self-improvement&quot; attitude found in here...

and at the end of sections, there is a page that has several &quot;good&quot; reasons to do something... i wanted to quote two of these pages to get your opinions...



page 20: Ten good reasons to obey God
1 We get our prayers heard (Psalm 66:18-19)
2 We enjoy a deeper sense of the Lord's presence (John 14:23)
3 We gain wisdom (Proverbs 2:7)
4 We have God's friendship (John 15:14)
5 We can live safely (Leviticus 25:18)
6 We are perfected (1 John 2:5)
7 We are blessed (Deut 11:26-27)
8 We find happiness (Proverbs 29:18)
9 We have peace (Psalm 37:37)
10 We have a long life (Proverbs 3:1-2)



page 116: Twenty good reasons to worship God
1 He forgives my iniquities
2 He heals all my diseases
3 He redeems my life from destruction
4 He crowns me with lovingkindness
5 He satisfies my mouth with good things
6 He executes righteousness and justice for the oppressed
7 He makes His ways known
8 He is merciful
9 He is gracious
10 He is slow to anger
11 He will not strive with us
12 He will not keep His anger forever
13 He does not punish us according to our iniquities
14 He shows great mercy to those who fear Him
15 He removes our transgressions from us
16 He has pity on us
17 He remembers we are dust
18 His mercy is everlasting
19 He blesses our children and grandchildren who obey Him
20 He rules over all and His throne is established



I am fearful that, if my prideful heart fed on these things, it would indeed expect the blessings of God... please pray that I never expect or hold God obliged to bless me, for now I know that His grace is sufficient... and I thank Him forever for His unconditional Grace!


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## smhbbag

^agreed.


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