Knowing And Believing!

Recently on Ophra's Network she has been going around and interviewing different people. Last night she was on talking to Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria. I clearly do not support either parties for obvious reasons both in character and doctrine, but I was interested what questions were going to be asked and how they would responded to. As I was sitting there listening and watching I was so moved and convicted between feelings of sadness and immense gratefulness. As I was listening to this man who is so confidant, well spoken and loved by millions. A man who is being used by the Devil to lead people astray with his audience catered and performance like church service. To not once mention sin and the justifying side of God but only focusing on the love of God and His goodness, he was saying that it is the believers fault if they are poor or suffering or not living with the fullest blessings possible. Pastor Joel stands in front of his congregation and on national TV weekly preaching that God just wants to bless and make all people wealthy, healthy, and well off in all aspects of life if we just believe and trust in the Lord. He stands and tells his audience that as a Christian if you pray enough and have a right relationship with the Lord that you will never have to suffer, go through a trial and can have anything that you want in this life. I was so saddened by this as I was listening to him telling the world that the Word of God is not important in its whole, that you don't need to read Scripture in context that you can throw out the Word as long as you can take a verse at a time and make it applicable to life. 

I cannot help but question how it is possible that as a man who claims to follow the Lord can be so blessed and successful in his ministry as he clouds the Word and who Christ really is. It really made me think how extremely important it is to so sooo careful in our study and interpretation of the Word of God and how we display Christ to this hurting and desperate world. Yes God is loving, yes God is gracious, yes God is full of mercy and faithfulness, but God is also a God who cannot tolerate sin and wickedness. He is a God who demands justice, who demands our worship, dedication, our repentance and our servant hood. Yes we are messed up humans but there hope and forgiveness in the person, work and blood of the Lamb. Christ died and completely gave His life for so that we can live for eternity and live a life on this earth to bring glory and praise to His name and His name alone. It is so true that we are loved that God desires to bless His children for their obedience to Him but there is also consequences for our disobedience and unfaithfulness. Trials and hardships, those places that God places us all have a purpose and reason and are used for our good as we are told in Romans. The Christian life is not an easy one it is not one full of flowers and rainbows, it has its share of rain, wind and thunder, but at the end of it all it is so rewarding. In the midst of trial we have the greatest joy and hope to hold onto because we live in the palm of Christ hand if we are children of the King. 

Praise God for His saving grace, for opening my eyes to the truth of His Word and character and for continuing to teach and grow me. Let us not become discouraged but be praying for those who twist the Word and who are not living and walking according to Scripture and the way Christ desires for us to.