Posted on 08/30/2014 7:00:33 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Victoria Osteen, wife of megachurch preacher and New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen, is now facing withering criticism online for a viral video clip in which she is shown telling congregants at Lakewood Church that obedience, worship and church attendance is not for God but themselves.
"I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we're not doing it for God—I mean, that's one way to look at it—we're doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we're happy," she said in the 36-second clip posted on YouTube, with her husband smiling at her side in approval. "That's the thing that gives Him the greatest joy…"
"So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy," she continued. "When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God really. You're doing it for yourself, because that's what makes God happy. Amen?" the clip ended as congregants cheered.
Erick Erickson, politicly conservative blogger and editor-in-chief of the blog site RedState.com, summed up his reaction to Mrs. Osteen's pronouncement in a quote from the 1995 movie "Billy Madison."
"What you've just said is one of the most insanely, idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent, response, were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. May God have mercy on your soul," it ended.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
True.
Thanks. Mine started one morning when I woke up at 4 with my throat burning like I was breathing fire. Went to dr and he said it was stomach acid which had gotten into my throat and lungs. It is no fun! Went to ER the other night and he said I have severe bronchitis and a kidney infection. Told him I did not understand the connection. : ) I just know I feel awful.
I have a cd by the widow of a minister who stayed with us when I was a kid back in the 50’s. I was listening to it coming home from MS. It made me want to raise my arms in praise but I was on the curvy Natchez Trace and I knew better. I was having my own revival.
That can be a problem when you’re driving.
I’ve gotten some great God time in while on long drives on the road, but it does not allow for a lot of expression in worship.
Of course, doing the will of God is to love God. And the primary reason for doing that is that He deserves it. To love God as He commands is to respond correctly to the objective reality.
And, of course, to do that is to do what is best for yourself.
Mrs. Osteen’s ramblings are nothing to get up in a heaval about, except that I suspect that people, knowing the context—the “prosperity gospel”—believe she is denying the necessity of the Cross, by which I mean the necessity of an individual cross.
TF2009: God wants our obedience.
Gk: Something we cannot give.
Peter: “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that OBEY him.” Acts 5:32
Paul: (to the saints in Rome) “..but ye have OBEYED from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you”. Rms 6:17
That’s just a couple. You should refresh your memory by looking up ‘obedience’, ‘obedient’, ‘obey’, and ‘obeyed’, in your concordance.
And of course, there are verses that are commands to the hearer, that can only be fulfilled by obedience. Such as Peter’s commands in Acts 2:38 (a verse that Calvinists prefer to ignore).
One may say: “I offer the sacrifice of praise to God”; while disregarding obedience to verses such as Acts 2:38.
Samuel said to Saul (who allowed himself to substitute sacrifice in place of total obedience to the Lord): “..Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice”. 1Sam. 15:22
Interesting that Oswald Chamber’s Devotional for Sunday was....
Daily Reflections with Oswald Chambers [August 31, 2014]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3199110/posts
“My Joy . . . Your Joy”
” These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full —John 15:11 “
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
Apparently, heresy is not something that upsets you.
Some Mormons undoubtedly become Christians, and evidently leave the Mormon sect they were members of behind.
(Thanks to delacort for compiling this list)
The leadin for a Calvinism vs Arminianism Labor Day Love Match!
I predict you'll get a 'NO' answer from CAtholics; which will then be followed by plenty of examples from PROTESTants.
A small kerfuffle will ensue; then the topic will be dropped.
ex-Catholics make the best MORMONs.
If you can follow the law you don’t need Jesus.
Almost.
It's because of a LACK of a Berean-like curiousity.
What we 'NEED' to be taught; is found in the book.
I suspect a certain large church's members will now claim we need MORE than is found in the book.
What the book says:
Acts 17:11These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
On the other hand...
What the book does NOT say:
Acts 17:11These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and listened to what the Magisterium taught about whether these things were so.
You must be a youngster!
https://www.google.com/search?q=tammy+faye&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&rlz=1I7ADRA_enUS475&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=SVYEVIrBKcO-ggSiwYFw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=571
Indeed it is!
Ecclesiastes 10:2
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.
I love the smell of POOR catechism early in the morning!
Don't you want to play in the coming furball?
These folks do not like some of the things Paul has written; claiming they go AGAINST what Jesus taught.
NOW you've done it!
We'll get the "Who is a Christian" 'debate' fired up now!
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