Joel Osteen says his mission is to help people forgive and to have "right thoughts". Those thousands of individuals that you see in the video need to know they they can be forgiven by the perfect and Holy God by the sacrifice of the Perfect and Holy Son, Jesus Christ. They need to understand that some of their thoughts that are not "right" are sinful and they need a savior. They need forgiveness while learning to forgive others.
If he was a motivational speaker, there would not be such a problem with his "mission". However, he purports to be a minister of the Word of God. Consequently, he should be held to a higher standard. We should be in prayer for him and those that follow him.
America's New Religion at the Church of Oprah
The folks at today's Oprah program were in rapture over all the new stuff America's Priestess of all things Spiritual (and material) was handing out.
Are there Different Paths to God?
There are multiple paths to the same God. This is the standard answer I get from others when discussing other religions. Consequently, the Hindu and the Mormon, the Muslim and the Spiritualist, they will all get there along with the Christian, but just on different paths.
But, let us not answer that question. Let’s answer a different question.
Are there different paths that Christians take to God? Does the Christian God allow various Christians to “find” Him in different ways? Some believe that we find God in various ways. Others believe that God finds us in specific ways. However, how do the folks in sacred scripture come to believe?
God chose Israel as His people.
Jesus chose Paul on the road to Damascus where he was going to persecute the church and kill Christians.
Jesus chose each one of his disciples. Judas, the son of perdition, was even chosen to betray Him.
God chose David to be king of Israel.
If God did indeed choose these individuals to Himself, how then do the rest of us come to God? If we choose God and the individuals such as Paul were chosen by God, then there must be at least two different ways to come to God: 1) God chooses some, and 2) others choose God.
If it is both, then God is inconsistent in the “paths” to God. If we choose God, then one must ask what good is there in us prior to our conversion that chooses God? Considering this is the greatest choice, or the greatest good, anyone can do in this life, where does this good come from considering we are dead in our sins, sinful since birth? The only clear answer is that God chooses us even while were were sinners. He transforms our will that was formally at enmity against Him and makes us born again, new creatures in Christ, who can now choose to do good. Our wills are changed so much, we can even believe that we did the choosing in the first place. The only response to this is unhindered praise and thanks to God through Christ Jesus who, due to nothing found in ourselves, chose us to be with Him. Praise God it was not left up to us!
But, let us not answer that question. Let’s answer a different question.
Are there different paths that Christians take to God? Does the Christian God allow various Christians to “find” Him in different ways? Some believe that we find God in various ways. Others believe that God finds us in specific ways. However, how do the folks in sacred scripture come to believe?
God chose Israel as His people.
Jesus chose Paul on the road to Damascus where he was going to persecute the church and kill Christians.
Jesus chose each one of his disciples. Judas, the son of perdition, was even chosen to betray Him.
God chose David to be king of Israel.
If God did indeed choose these individuals to Himself, how then do the rest of us come to God? If we choose God and the individuals such as Paul were chosen by God, then there must be at least two different ways to come to God: 1) God chooses some, and 2) others choose God.
If it is both, then God is inconsistent in the “paths” to God. If we choose God, then one must ask what good is there in us prior to our conversion that chooses God? Considering this is the greatest choice, or the greatest good, anyone can do in this life, where does this good come from considering we are dead in our sins, sinful since birth? The only clear answer is that God chooses us even while were were sinners. He transforms our will that was formally at enmity against Him and makes us born again, new creatures in Christ, who can now choose to do good. Our wills are changed so much, we can even believe that we did the choosing in the first place. The only response to this is unhindered praise and thanks to God through Christ Jesus who, due to nothing found in ourselves, chose us to be with Him. Praise God it was not left up to us!
General Motors IPO and Industrial Smoothing
Our economy is in the poor position that it is in because our imports are more than our exports. See my post about our trade deficit with China here. Also see my other postings on the Economy. There you will see that the solution to our economic problems is to "make more stuff" and stop importing from our enemies. Pretty simple, but obviously hard to do for some.
A couple of years ago, I bought $2,000 worth of "old" GM stock. It was around $5/share, a pretty good buy at the time since "GM could never go bankrupt". Well, that was then. Now I have about $200 worth of Motors Liquidation Company, the government and the union own GM, and the "new" GM is issuing their new stock. I think I will take a pass.
Here's a good video as a supplement to my post regarding QE2 (printing more money). Looks like we are our own worst enemy when it comes to doing what is best for our country.
A couple of years ago, I bought $2,000 worth of "old" GM stock. It was around $5/share, a pretty good buy at the time since "GM could never go bankrupt". Well, that was then. Now I have about $200 worth of Motors Liquidation Company, the government and the union own GM, and the "new" GM is issuing their new stock. I think I will take a pass.
Here's a good video as a supplement to my post regarding QE2 (printing more money). Looks like we are our own worst enemy when it comes to doing what is best for our country.
Islam Will Dominate-VIDEO
This video shows how Islam will shortly be the dominate people group in the Western world. Very interesting. It is difficult to see how it can be reversed. Even if the numbers are not completely accurate (they may be), personal observation indicates a marked increase of the Islamic culture in Western countries.
Payments by Mobile Phone and Revelation 13:16
In 1995, I wrote about how the growing use of debit cards and credit cards were setting the infrastructure in place for the "mark of the beast" as found in Revelation 13:16. While many believe what the bible says is true, many do not take too seriously the predictions that some have had since most have been inaccurate and many downright hokey. I have tried to take a more reasoned view of events. Consequently, not every headline is filled with signs of the end times. However, one must carefully view technological progress from an objective point of view. Because we are familiar with technology does not make it off limits to scrutiny.
One of the primary hurdles of implementing such a "mark" is the person-to-person transactions that will be required. We have been able to make electronic purchases from retail outlets for years. However, we have not been able to transfer funds from one person to another easily. This cell phone news is big in this regard. Many if not most have cell phones. It is only one small step from using them at a retail store to using them between individuals.
One of the primary hurdles of implementing such a "mark" is the person-to-person transactions that will be required. We have been able to make electronic purchases from retail outlets for years. However, we have not been able to transfer funds from one person to another easily. This cell phone news is big in this regard. Many if not most have cell phones. It is only one small step from using them at a retail store to using them between individuals.
Wall Street Journal - AT&T, Verizon Unveil Mobile Payment Venture
By ROGER CHENG And SCOTT MORRISON
Three major U.S. wireless carriers announced a joint venture to allow their customers to pay for goods and services with their cellphones.
Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA are participating in the venture, dubbed Isis, which will compete with credit card companies. It will use near-field communications technology that allows a person to wave their phone in front of a scanner to pay for purchases.
NFC is already found in cards, and can be accepted at drugstore chains and gas stations. NFC chips transmit signals short distances and are considered to be a key emerging technology that will enable consumers to use their phones to make payments at brick-and mortar locations.
Quoted in part. November 16, 2010
Mathew 16:3b Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
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