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Joel Osteen, Gosh . . .
Patheos.com ^ | December 17, 2014 | David Mills

Posted on 12/17/2014 4:32:23 PM PST by Gamecock

Not a shock: megachurch celebrity tv star preacher Joel Osteen doesn’t know the Bible, reports the clever and energetic Tristyn Bloom of The Daily Caller. (The story’s several weeks old but I just saw it so pass it on for those of you who hadn’t.)

In a Monday post to his verified Facebook page, Joel Osteen ministries, read: “God said in Numbers 11:23, ‘Moses, is there any limit to My power?’ He was saying, ‘Moses, you saw Me part the Red Sea, stop the sun for Joshua, keep three Hebrew teenagers safe in a fiery furnace, don’t you realize that I can bring water without rain?’ There’s no limit to God’s power.”

As of Friday afternoon, the post had over 317,000 likes and 52,000 shares.

One normally hesitates to criticize ministers from another tradition, but Joel Osteen perverts Christianity in a way that will keep people from Christ. He preaches a Christianity without a cross. As one commenter put it:

Joel Osteen is a motivational speaker who pretends to be Christian in order to make money. He and his wife live in a multimillion dollar mansion, and in return sell a gospel of false promises, bad theology, and gross consumerism. It is unsurprising that he fails to quote Scripture accurately, because adherence to Scripture has never been a priority of his.

What is truly unfortunate about him and his operation is that through their false teaching they mislead millions. I hope and pray for his repentance, before his final judgment and damnation.

I don’t know about “pretends.” I have no idea what Osteen thinks he’s doing. He does not speak as a Christian preacher but as a motivational speaker who exploits Christian language and Christianity’s continuing cultural authority to bring people (and their donations) in. There’s nothing like the message to the rich young ruler in his preaching, no take up your cross, not even a watch with me.

The Christian life is a constant struggle to move closer to Christ, against the flow of our natures. We’re swimming upstream. With God’s help, making progress, but only because He helps us keep pushing against the current. Osteen offers a pleasant ride on a warm spring day down a wide slow-moving river lying on a well-stocked raft. He presents this as if it were grace and not the easy choice of our fallen natures. “God wants you to do what you want to do” is not the Gospel.


TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS: familybusiness; houston; joelosteen; osteen; televangelist; ybpdln
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To: Kackikat

I am sitting up in bed as I usually do when I get tired. I have a Bible beside the bed and just read Malachi Chapter 3.

I have no idea what message you think we should gain from it but is about giving to God, not a man.


41 posted on 12/17/2014 5:27:43 PM PST by yarddog (Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded.)
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To: Gamecock
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Pretty apt description.

42 posted on 12/17/2014 5:28:40 PM PST by CAluvdubya (<------- has now left CA for NV, where God and guns have not been outlawed! Molon Labe)
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To: bobby.223
How does this guy Osteen fool so many otherwise intelligent people?

Because a lot of people are looking for a gospel that does not talk about the problem of sin and judgement. A gospel that does not talk about Jesus and His sacrifice.

Talking about Jesus reminds people of their own shortcomings.

43 posted on 12/17/2014 5:29:58 PM PST by Moorings
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To: Moleman

“WORTH REPEATING! Know idea why all the haters of Osteen on here.”

Probably because:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”


44 posted on 12/17/2014 5:30:04 PM PST by Pelham (Treason, not just for Democrats anymore)
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To: Moorings
Because a lot of people are looking for a gospel that does not talk about the problem of sin and judgement. A gospel that does not talk about Jesus and His sacrifice.

Then there ain't a Gospel.

45 posted on 12/17/2014 5:31:50 PM PST by Gamecock (Joel Osteen is a preacher of the Gospel like Colonel Sanders is an Army officer.)
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To: Sasparilla

God did not say that to Moses, because Joshua’s conquests did not come until somewhat after Moses had died, and the three teenagers came until about 900 years later. God might be saying that to us, who can look back, but he didn’t say it to Moses.


46 posted on 12/17/2014 5:33:52 PM PST by Chaguito
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To: Kackikat; Gamecock
How would you know anything about Jesus the way you crucify people?

Is there a different way to crucify people, that would help us know more about Jesus?

47 posted on 12/17/2014 5:38:30 PM PST by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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To: Moorings
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.\Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB)
48 posted on 12/17/2014 5:38:51 PM PST by Moorings
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To: yarddog

What’s wrong with him living in a mansion? Does the bible say pastors should not have wealth or live in certain type of house?


49 posted on 12/17/2014 5:44:22 PM PST by RginTN
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To: yarddog

When you give to the Church, who supports the poor and sends the gospel message around the world, then you are giving to God, period.

When you give and test God, as God requires, then he will throw open the floodgates and there will be a blessing, in which you will not have room to receive it..(paraphrased)

Actually, that is the message. Joel Osteen is an ‘encourager’ in the Bible. It’s a gift to uplift the Body of Christ. Every Pastor or Reverend and all Evangelists have a message from God that is the basis of their ministry...’because the hand is not the eye, etc’ shows all Christians are not to be the same.


50 posted on 12/17/2014 5:51:16 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: Gamecock

I think you are a false teacher, who rails against God’s word in a sanctimonious way, and who actually thinks he is doing God a service...NOT.


51 posted on 12/17/2014 5:53:00 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: RginTN

I don’t remember the Bible saying anything about the exact type house one should live in but it says a lot about people who put wealth ahead of service.

Do you remember about the wealthy young man who wanted to serve Christ? Do you know what Christ told him?


52 posted on 12/17/2014 5:53:13 PM PST by yarddog (Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded.)
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To: Alex Murphy

Before you can understand Jesus, there is a lesson to be learned about the Israelites, so you understand God/Yahweh. And how he sees your murmuring and complaining about others.

http://www.eliyah.com/talmidim/murmur.html

NT: James 5:8


53 posted on 12/17/2014 5:58:57 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: yarddog

http://www.eliyah.com/talmidim/murmur.html

NT: James 5:8


54 posted on 12/17/2014 5:59:33 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: Kackikat

http://www.eliyah.com/talmidim/murmur.html

NT: James 5:8


55 posted on 12/17/2014 6:00:00 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: bobby.223

It’s easy to fool people when you just tell them what they want to hear. That’s the basis of every successful con game, to turn the mark’s ambitions against him.


56 posted on 12/17/2014 6:00:48 PM PST by Boogieman
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To: montag813
All true, and I wish those stupid Osteen “Devotionals” were banned from FR.

Sure. Right after all the Catholic threads are banned.

57 posted on 12/17/2014 6:01:26 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: Kackikat

How is it evil to denounce false teachers who pervert the Gospel?


58 posted on 12/17/2014 6:02:21 PM PST by Boogieman
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To: Boogieman

NT James 5:8


59 posted on 12/17/2014 6:02:52 PM PST by Kackikat
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To: Gamecock

I saw that interview and there are some things there that did not makes sense, since Osteen has a moment at the end of every service for people to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, maybe some weird editing, since Larry King show is secular.


60 posted on 12/17/2014 6:04:37 PM PST by Kackikat
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