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While God does want us to do good, good works will not gain entrance into heaven, Jesus said in John 14:6,"I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the father but by me." Salvation is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Nancy,

I watched the 60 minutes interview last Sunday, and then later watched Joel Osteen's church service. I believe that Joel Osteen is a sincere man. I don't get the impression he's in it for the money or fame. There were aspects to his personality and persona that I found attractive and touching. I could imagine many people of different faiths even being "touched" by his message. His sermon had to do with "handfuls" of blessing where he drew mostly from the book of Ruth, whereby Ruth, while picking up after the gleaners, was blessed by Boaz ' decision to have folks leave handfuls of grain for Ruth to collect. You know, when a reader hears someone saying that God knows them, loves them, and has blessing waiting for them, then for some the thought of that can be emotionally powerful. There is great emotional and spiritual power in the mere recognition that someone out there knows and is paying attention to us. Osteen did continue to advocate that people be faithful where they were and expect and wait for God's abundance. For those lost in the busyness of our culture, overcome by a sense of alienation, or gnawing hopelessness, I can see this message meeting many people with much power. I kept waiting and waiting for some sort of Christian aspect to the message, but really there wasn't any. And he kept promising, and "praying into" people's lives, the blessing he believed was there's. I really wanted not to have a dismal view of the whole thing, and to be positive. But in the end I have to say I found his message to be filled with naiveté and hubris of the highest order, despite his sincerity. Joel Osteen does not control the universe and does not and cannot know that God is going to bring to the people what he, Joel Osteen, kept asking them to believe, as if mere believing it would make it happen. He should not put himself in the place of God almighty. He spoke of financial miracles, relationship miracles, health miracles, miracles of confidential encounters with just the right people, all the sorts of ways blessing could come to people in the\r course of life. But Osteen cannot and should not promise such a thing. As far as he knows, God may by His providence have a famine in our future, a sickness in the future of one of the families in his audience, a death of a child - Osteen just does not know, I do not know, and God does not promise such things to us now in this life. God does promise that we will be able to participate in the eschatological blessing if we repent and believe and live lives of loyal discipleship. There was nothing whatsoever in his message about the cost and sacrifice of discipleship, about the last being first, about blessed are the poor, about, persecution which may come, about families that may get split up do to loyalty of one or some to Jesus. There was no room for suffering. There was no room for the cast offs, the homeless, the sick. The thought of he message going forth in a third world nation makes me almost sick with shame. There was little about Jesus at all, and less about his death and resurrection. It was, in the end, a shallow feel good semi- spiritual message. It was, sadly, only in the most vague sense of the word Christian at all. I went away sad, not because I am a rich ruler struggling to hold onto my wealth, but because I am or seek to be a follower of the biblical Jesus, and I think Osteen's message would make Him sad.

jg,
excellent commentary. prosperity preachers are a dime a dozen and it's generally your dime they're after. he may be sincere but if he is distorting the Word and feeding it to his sheep then he will certainly answer for it. and those who are satisfied with being bottle fed the Word each sunday and not taking time each day to search the scriptures for themselves, basicaaly get what they deserve. we (believers) ought to be more Berean in our approach to scripture.

If we need inspiration for weightloss and a healthier lifestyle, there are a variety of health plans, walking shoes, books, and fitness centers out there.

If we desire assistance with a financial plan, then we have many choices of financial advisors..

If we need inspiration, Joel Osteen offers an uplifting message to keep us in the "positive" rather than the "negative." (He does not offer Bible study. But he DOES inspire us to be a better person. A self-help physician who believes in God.) Or self-help books can help. Or a psychologist.

If we need a closer walk with God, the Bible is a great resource, along with our churches, working with Urban Ministry, reaching out to others...

I believe all of the above have their place, including Joel Osteen.

joel is a great motivational speaker - as a pastor he is questionable. look at this link http://www.forgottenword.org/osteen.html.

he comes across as wishy washy at best and incompetent at worst. he is the model fence sitter and appears to say what people want to hear. this is in stark contrast to the message Jesus taught. i agree he has a place but imo not in a pulpit.

It's doubtful his message would play well in the Sudan. I read a lot more in the NT about perserverence in the midst of persecution, trials and tribulations than about prosperity.

grace and peace ecuman - i trust all is well with you.
I've been telling my son for some time now that being Christian is not what you call yourself , rather what you are. those who adhere to osteenism will not understand Gods chastisement (when He deemes it warranted) or His call for sacrifice and that sacrifice takes many forms. when we are preached prosperity, prosperity, prosperity i believe we begin to view God as nothing more than a source of continual blessing(s). i completely agree with your comment about perseverance in face difficult times.

Scriptures tells us that many "false" messiahs will happen along. Whether Joel Osteen is one of those, God only knows and that'll only be known when the whips are cracking. Not "all" those who cry "Lord! Lord!" are going to be saved. Many want Christ as their Saviour but not necessarily as their Lord. The Bible is a holistic document...the sum of the whole is worth more than the sum of the parts and you can't just subscribe to the parts that suit you. Those who tell you that they "know" they will inherit the Kingdom of heaven clearly haven't "read" Scriptures. We "all" have the opportunity to reach that Promised Land...but at the end of the section that will depend on our adherence to the Gospel...HUMILITY...RIGHTEOUSNESS...WHOLEHEARTEDNESS and OBEDIENCE. Our God is an Omnipotent God and He "cannot" be fooled.