Joel Osteen: "I Can't Be A Big Blessing To People If I'm Poor & Broke"

READ BLOG ON VID: http://townhall.com/tipsheet/greghengler/2012/01/09/r__brokejoel_osteen_i_can...

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• joel
• osteen
• own
• oprah
• prosperity
• gospel

[ericaviolently]

@MrPositiveBrain Except that this idea implies that anyone who spends their life in poverty, or a developing country, is not a real Christian. Joel claims that if you worship God, he will give you "the best parking spot in a crowded lot". What kind of God would do that while leaving millions of faithful, humble, hard-working Christians in poverty?

The idea of prosperity theology is harmful and disrespectful to God.

[MrCoastalcat]

I do not agree, if somebody is poor without money they can still be a blessing to another in many ways- being kind, doing a kind act, having mercy, protecting a victim, doing something special for another in jail or on the street, or sick, or confined to home. Money has little to do with being a blessing to others. Sure you can do it with money, but you don't need it to show Jesus' love. I think this is a little bit dangerous what they are saying. Is Oprah saved by Jesus Christ? Is Osteen?

[lilmoepal]

he said he cant be a blessing to people if he is poor, there wasn't one rich apostle

[KiraKirin]

@MrCoastalcat Then the poor in this context is not poor. He is rich in faith and he is being a blessing. The idea of so called "prosperity" gospel does not mean money only. He himself said that being rich is not just about wealth. Its about peace of mind and other stuff.

There are many man of God in the Bible that are filthy rich. Abraham, Issac, Joseph, Jacob. Do we condemn them? No. Then why condemn a rich a Christian?

[agraffe98]

@ericaviolently No actually it doesnt. The idea that God wants you to be stagnant in life, that he intended you to be poor, suffer and barely get by is demeaning to God. Joseph could have said the same thing, 'What kind of God would cause my own flesh and blood to sell me like I was of no value, what kind of God would allow someone to throw me in prison for something I did not even do, what kind of God would just leave me here in prison for 2 years’.

[suzmicmay]

No Joel, Jesus died so that we might live an ETERNAL life, not an abundant life!

[2nd2LastSamurai]

@xARMANAA God allowed His only son, the King of Kings, to be tortured and crucified after showing man how to live in the way that most pleases God. Where in God’s Word do you see the footnote that excludes you from the difficulties, hardships and persecutions that Christ underwent and actually told us not only to expect, but to welcome as a chance to glorify God? Do not look to this life for your heavenly reward. I strongly urge you to consult God's Word directly in these matters.

[2nd2LastSamurai]

@xARMANAA 1 Peter 2:21 tells us “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps”. This doesn’t entitle us to ANY earthly riches, whether they belong to unbelievers or not. Christ lived a life of humility, modesty, self-deprivation, persecution and self-sacrifice. The Bible instructs us to follow in His footsteps, which means taking up our own crosses and becoming not just fans in the crowd, but followers.

[2nd2LastSamurai]

@xARMANAA Our rewards are heavenly, not earthly. Christ died and told us that He was going to prepare a place for us in Heaven- not a fetching estate in Beverly Hills. God wants to love us and for us to love Him in return- it doesn’t have anything to do with living a life of luxury. We’re taught by Christ that all of the worldly comforts are nothing next to the heavenly riches in store for us in Heaven, and that while we’re in this world, we should strive not to be of it.

[2nd2LastSamurai]

@xARMANAA Although God already knows the depth of our faith, sometimes we experience hardship as a test so that we can prove our faith to ourselves or others. God repeatedly allowed His followers in the Bible to be tested so that they could prove their faith and the power of God’s love to themselves and to others- Abraham, Job, even Jesus himself are great examples of this. The point is that we need to unquestioningly submit to God, and worship him for the right reasons.