Posted on 01/01/2015 2:07:17 PM PST by Vision
Today's Scripture
“Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.” (I Chronicles 28:20, ESV)
Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Fear not. That is the message David had for his son, Solomon. For many years, David wanted to build a temple for the Lord. But God told Him that specific job belonged to his son, Solomon. Solomon was young and inexperienced, and even though he knew he had a mandate from God, he was intimidated by the prospect of building a great house of worship, one that would be a dwelling place for the Most High. You can probably understand his apprehension.
But his father David had some good advice for him. He told his son, “Forget your fear. God is bigger than your problems. He is bigger than the temple you are going to build. He is bigger than any adversity that you might face. So just get busy and do your part and God will do the rest.”
Perhaps as this new year approaches, you have some changes that need to be made. Maybe you need a renovation in your marriage, finances, health, or emotions. Whatever your individual needs may be, notice the words of David, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Fear not, be not dismayed, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.”
A Prayer for Today
God, I’m excited to see what You have planned for me this year. Whatever I face, I will not be intimidated. I will begin this year by seeing myself as You do — happy, healthy, and prosperous. Thank you for the gift of another year. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’
They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’
And osteen said: “obama is a Christian my easily fooled sheep, send me more money!! Obama is doing a good job my easily duped sheeple, send me more money!” And the sheeple said: “But, but, but master....obama is a Christian? obama is doing a good job? How can that be? Obama is a Kenyan born muslim Marxist bent on the complete distruction of our beloved Country!...........Well, okay if you say so master. Send in more money you say?......Okay, we are sending in all of our money left over from our donations to your fellow frauds Baker and Swaggertt”. We will send it all to you next month!” Amen.
It is now a moot point, with Vison going MIA and all.
Well, it appears FR has sided with the Pharisees on this one.
Hanging around with heretics like Osteen will end badly for you, for all eternity.
Pouting is more likely.....
The physical/material world teaches us to rationalize and, good or bad, a human can rationalize any want, desire, belief or act, and does so by selectively ignoring and applying whatever necessary to support the "rightness" of that want, desire, belief or act.
This trait makes us easy pickin's for the one being who knows how to play us better than any other and has been doing so since our first parents fell to his charming sales pitch.
He'll help you feel lucky or perfect and soon you'll ignore Mathew 7:2 and Luke 6:37 and pick up those stones and get busy passing judgment. (Look out! It's a trap!!!)
So, the best thing to do is to pray for all, especially those who persecute you and others.
Truly, they know not what they do, no matter how they may rationalize it in the moment or after the fact. If they did, they wouldn't.
The funny/odd thing (to me) is that those who most often call for sermons that preach about sin are the ones who most need to hear sermons about love. Not sure why that is, but it is.
osteen’s sheep do not think that way though. They consider all of the money they get suckered into sending their fraud as an insurance so to speak. Same with the idiots who swallowed Baker and Swaggertt’s garbage. Really sad and pathetic huh?
Actually, if this is their best life now, then it tells where they’re going to spend eternity.....
It's not a matter of any one or two or three of the devotionals. It's the totality of Osteen's preaching, devotionals, books, etc.
This seems to be devotional to me, except for the fact that, given the totality that I mentioned above, I perceive it to be more a tool for Osteen to manage the appearance and perception of his ministry. Osteen comes from the same branch of Christianity as Jim and Tammy Fay Baker. Osteen just appears to have a bit more class and patience. The greed is there, though.
Well, at least you seem to be a bit more reasonable than some of these “Joel Bashers” around here.
Everybody has “greed.” Who doesn’t? Why do Christians feel the need to judge their fellow Christians by whatever standards they themselves don’t keep?
“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whosoever you are that judges: for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the same things” (Rom 2:1).
I find that those who condemn and attack other Christians and their ministries usually have not idea about who they are criticizing. For instance, I doubt these people even read his devotionals or listen to his sermons or watch/participate in the Lakewood Sunday morning worship services which are wonderful, glorious times of praise and glory to the Lord.
The Pharisees are alive and well and doing exactly what they have done for several millennia.
Even Osteen says himself he's a motivational speaker....so it's not like people are dumping on him...he knows what he's selling.
The fact his stuff would warrant the title of “Devotional” simply doesn't apply for what he teaches/sells.
This is a man who openly has stated that Jesus is NOT the only way to God....as well as other interviews where he refuses to take take a stand for Christ when HE consistently claims he won't Judge....when in fact we are called to refute false teachers just as Jesus did with the Pharisees....
So people are simply calling a spade a spade here....which pleases God.
...”There may be some false teaching from Osteen; but I’d call his ‘ministry’ highly LOPSIDED in it’s approach.......(Does he ever call out SIN???)”.......
His typical response to anything which would require a stand for Christian Principles and Beliefs about Jesus is “Im not going to judge, I’m not getting into that”.
I believe if he has one foot on each side in order to maintain his following.
Those than drink snake oil are alive and well on FR!
But [on the other hand], the one who prophesies [who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching] speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation (1 Corinthians 14:3 (Amplified Version)).
You say he openly has stated that Jesus is NOT the only way to God
False accusation. I've seen all the videos and interviews these accusers try to use. This is simply a false accusation as are many others.
He’s never appealed to me at all...it’s really not difficult Imo to see quickly where he’s coming from. But then we live in a time where “itching ears” will hear what they desire to hear rather than what they need to hear.
....”You say he openly has stated that Jesus is NOT the only way to God....False accusation. I’ve seen all the videos and interviews these accusers try to use. This is simply a false accusation as are many others”.....
I do not take anothers “word” for what a speaker says...I take him at his own word. So we will disagree on Osteens comments regarding this issue.
As I’ve said in other posts...he does speak out of both sides of his mouth and for that can easily be seen as a man refusing to stand for Christ and Christ alone as the only way to God. He canot have it both ways...though he attempts to appease all.
He has openly said that. The transcript has been posted here to you on many occasions.
He is leading people down the path of destruction.
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