Comments on: Joel Osteen Answers His Critics
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- opinion48, You've hit the nail right on the head so to speak, but truth be told God/Jesus are not looking at how 'good' we think we are, nor is God a 'gimme, gimme' one either. Why is it considered 'hate' when we ask why Joel seems to refuse to preach the 'whole Word of God', when the Bible says itself that's what we're supposed to be doing? God never ever said we'd have 'the best' or even a 'good life' while we live on this earth, mainly because this earth 'isn't our home'. Lifting people's spirits when they're down is a good thing, but the Word of God is much more than that. Where is the message about what Christ gave up for ALL of us, if he loves those people as much as he says he does, what's the harm in saying we need to repent of the sins in our lives, ask Christ to wipe them away by turning from those sins and relying on Him to help us to that? Stargazer_77, do 'you' know for certain that satan is at the heart of 'all' the comments that side with the Word of God? What would you do if when you had to stand before a Holy, Righteous, and 'Just' God who said to you "it's not what Joel had to say to you, but what did I and my Word say to you"? Meaning well but doing what's right via the Bible are two totally different things. Newsreader 07, that's the 'whole point here', because my Archbishop says the same thing, "whatever that minister is saying to you, if it doesn't follow the scriptures, you're being dangerously lead down the wrong path, and if he/she doesn't change their position via the Word, then you ought to find a church that does preach the whole Gospel". Call people who follow Christ and want the best for their leaders anything you choose, but I'd rather follow Jesus then be lead to hell by someone who doesn't follow Christ as well. I hope that Joel will get to know the "real Christ of the Bible, and not the one that he's made for himself". I will keep him, his family, and those who go to Lake Wood in my prayers.
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- "I don?t know what can be so dangerous about giving people hope," Osteen says.
I had to laugh at this because the people that "hate" Joel Osteen are really saying: Lets
not give people "hope" lets tearing them down. Jesus held people spellbound for 3 days
were they did not even think about food and I don't think he was tearing them down.
Paul writes:
Philippians 1:15-18 "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." - Reply to this comment
- The whole point here is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If people aren't told about the consequences of sin, how do they know what to repent from? We Christians have to preach and teach a balanced Gospel. There are people in this world who are nice and who have a good life, a good job, who go to church or to a motivational seminar. And people say "oh they are so nice and they have it all together. Yet, some of these people have "murdered, stolen from others, abused children, cheated, gotten in trouble with the law", etc. Then the people who said how nice they were now say "but they were so nice, so together, I can't believe they could do such a thing". Get my point?
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- the perversion of moral teachings is at the heart of all the crooks emanating from texas and the bible belt. teaching a permutation of "greed is good" gives the healthsouth''s, dynergy''s, enron''s of the world the "blessing" to screw california out of 30B (to which they will be indebted for the next 20 years). or, is it that olstein''s change from the overly pessimistic "the meek shall inherit the earth" or too much self sacrifice, to one of necessity to compete with other religion preaching greed and superiority?
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- Secondly, I am quite proud of how Rev. Osteen handled himself for the interview. Watching it I perceived a critical tone from the interviewer, and no wonder. The past couple of decades have had their infamous ministers in the spotlight as well as other happenings from Christianity that have not reflected well on our Lord and Savior. However, there is a breed of people who are living life correctly in order to further the cause of Christ. I sincerely believe that Joel Osteen and his wife are such people.
When Rev. Osteen was asked about money I had to applaud his open and truthful reply. No matter where people go to church, it costs money to keep the lights on, roof from leaking, and the children''s programs running.
I have been in and around church most of my life. Yet sometimes you need to hear an uplifting word of encouragement from places you didn''t think possible, like a ''tv preacher''. I was just scanning the channels a year or so ago and came across Joel Osteen''s telecast. %u201CI don%u2019t watch tv preachers%u201D I told myself, but I had heard from my pastor that Rev. Osteen was pretty good. The message that Rev. Osteen delivered that day helped me regain the right perspective on life at that time.
Thank you, Joel, for letting the Lord use you touch someone as far away as Clinton, Indiana. - Reply to this comment
- Some say Joel Osteen doesn''t preach the whole message, but inspires people to live better for God. Mother Teresa simply helped the dying in Calcutta. Billy Graham preaches about salvation, but isn''t really known for much else. Perhaps God uses some people to do the part that He has gifted them for. Ephesians 4:11-12 (KJV), "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"
To denounce people for using their God-given gift is to denounce the God that equipped them with the gift. When will Chritianity stop picking on others in their ranks whom God uses because they are used differently?
There will be different gifts, different ways those gifts are used, but it is all for one purpose. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (KJV) says, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all."
The Apostle Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 (KJV), "...I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."
So there you have it. God gives different gifts to people, and they may use them in different ways but all for God''s purposes. Joel Osteen''s gift seems to be to uplift people and help them. - Reply to this comment
- There is nothing wrong with having goals or working on self-improvement. We just have to understand that this is not what the Bible teaches us.
A Biblical message that preaches only "God wants you to be a better you" will certainly be attractive to the masses, but it does not follow scripture.
Jesus said "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Read your Bibles. Study them. Compare what God''s word says against what anyone says (Osteen or others), and learn to discern the truth.
Jesus spoke the truth, and the whole truth. Read the Gospels and judge the words of others against His truth. - Reply to this comment
- Joel Osteen is in good company. Jesus was also ridiculed. Especially by the "religious leaders" of his day. Yeah that means you Horton.
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- There you go again with your Christian bashing and left wing rantings. We dare you to do the same hit piece on Black Liberation Theology of which Obama has followed for 20 years!
You people at CBS have no shame. - Reply to this comment
- Despite all the negative and hateful comments, God will continue to exalt Joel Osteen, his family and ministries! God Bless you Joel, you know that Satan is at the heart of all those negative comments. Do not let anyone wilt your spirit! Your congregation is lively and even through television one can see that your services are filled with the holy spirit. If only all of the churches across the world could be like yours!
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