TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline”
(II Timothy 1:7, NLT)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
So many people today are living with less than God’s best because they’ve allowed fear to stop them from pursuing their dreams. We have to remember that fear is not from God. It’s a lie from the enemy to paralyze us and steal our power.
Today’s verse tells what God has given us: power, love, and self-discipline or self-control. When you are confident in God’s promises, there’s nothing that can stop you. But when fear creeps in, you hesitate. You’re not as strong as you were before. You feel powerless. Not only that, but it affects your love. Love prompts us to give, and when we are afraid, we tend to clench our fists and act selfishly. Fear also affects our self-discipline or self-control. It makes us panic and do things without thinking.
If you’ve allowed fear to steal from you in any area of life, today you can be free–you can be finished with fear. Conquering fear starts with a choice to believe God’s promises, and then taking a step of faith to act on them. As you step out, God will be with you. He’ll give you power, love, and self-discipline so that you can confidently move forward into the abundant life He has for you!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father God, I come to You today declaring that I am finished with fear. Thank You for giving me power, love, and a sound mind. I choose to stand on Your promises. Fill me with Your peace and joy today as I move forward in victory with You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
Joel Osteen ministries
On Larry King Live, the following very disturbing conversation occurred with Larry King and Joel Osteen:
KING: What if you’re Jewish or Muslim, you don’t accept Christ at all?
OSTEEN: You know, I’m very careful about saying who would and wouldn’t go to heaven. I don’t know …
At this point, even Larry King appears surprised by Osteen’s answer. Then Larry tosses Osteen a “soft-ball” to explain his previous answer. And again Osteen openly denies that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of salvation. [tbc]
[cont] #1
KING: If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re wrong, aren’t they?
OSTEEN: Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a person’s heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I don’t know all about their religion. But I know they love God. And I don’t know. I’ve seen their sincerity. So I don’t know. I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a relationship with Jesus.
Again Osteen denies the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice, he praises the pagan, false-religion of India as “I know they love God.” Unbelievable. . .
[cont] #2
After Larry King opened the phone lines, a concerned Christian asks Joel to clarify his previous statement. Again Osteen could easily clear this up.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. You’re the best, and thank you, Joe — Joel — for your positive messages and your book. I’m wondering, though, why you side-stepped Larry’s earlier question about how we get to heaven? The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and the only way to the father is through him. That’s not really a message of condemnation but of truth. [tbc]
[cont] #3
OSTEEN: Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that. . .
KING: So then a Jew is not going to heaven?
OSTEEN: No. Here’s my thing, Larry, is I can’t judge somebody’s heart. You know? Only God can look at somebody’s heart, and so — I don’t know. To me, it’s not my business to say, you know, this one is or this one isn’t. I just say, here’s what the Bible teaches and I’m going to put my faith in Christ. And I just I think it’s wrong when you go around saying, you’re saying you’re not going, you’re not going, you’re not going, because it’s not exactly my way. I’m just…
[cont] #4
KING: But you believe your way.
OSTEEN: I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.
KING: But for someone who doesn’t share it is wrong, isn’t he?
OSTEEN: Well, yes. Well, I don’t know if I look at it like that. I would present my way, but I’m just going to let God be the judge of that. I don’t know. I don’t know.
KING: So you make no judgment on anyone?
OSTEEN: No. But I…
[cont] #5
KING: What about atheists?
OSTEEN: You know what, I’m going to let someone — I’m going to let God be the judge of who goes to heaven and hell. I just — again, I present the truth, and I say it every week. You know, I believe it’s a relationship with Jesus. But you know what? I’m not going to go around telling everybody else if they don’t want to believe that that’s going to be their choice. God’s got to look at your own heart. God’s got to look at your heart, and only God knows that.
[cont] #6
KING: But you’re not fire and brimstone, right? You’re not pound the decks and hell and damnation?
OSTEEN: No. That’s not me. It’s never been me. I’ve always been an encourager at heart. And when I took over from my father he came from the Southern Baptist background and back 40, 50 years ago there was a lot more of that. But, you know, I just — I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe — maybe it was for a time. But I don’t have it in my heart to condemn people. I’m there to encourage them. I see myself more as a coach, as a motivator to help them experience the life God has for us.
[cont] #7
KING: You believe in the Bible literally?
OSTEEN: I do, I do.
KING: How about issues that the church has feelings about? Abortion? Same-sex marriages?
OSTEEN: Yeah. You know what, Larry? I don’t go there. I just …
KING: You have thoughts, though.
OSTEEN: I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don’t think that a same-sex marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don’t think abortion is the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live your life. But I’m not going to condemn those people. I tell them all the time our church is open for everybody.
[cont] #6
KING: You don’t call them sinners?
OSTEEN: I don’t.
KING: Is that a word you don’t use?
OSTEEN: I don’t use it. I never thought about it. But I probably don’t. But most people already know what they’re doing wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can be a difference in your life. So I don’t go down the road of condemning.
Amen .and amen…..The Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to enternal life. It is not negotiable period. !!!!!!!
May Our Good Lord bless Zambia.Amen
#1 Whats disturbing about the conversation?
#12 nesideas
The teaching professed by Osteen that “. . . God’s got to look at your heart. . .” for salvation is wrong. It is grossly wrong. It is deadly wrong. God has already “looked at you heart.” In Jeremiah 17:9, the Lord says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Proverbs 28:26, says, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool. . .” The Lord Jesus says, in Matthew 15 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:”
#12 nesideas
Osteen’s refusal to confess the sole redemptive salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ sent shock waves among many of Osteen’s followers. Because of the amount of email and letters questioning his statements, Osteen issued an apology on his web site.
an apology for what he believes, talk about hipocrisy. i think mr osteen handled himself well, and was honest enough to articulate his view and take on christianity. now mr. Chapwa, since u r the all righteous, do jews go to heaven? what about catholics n anglicans who dont believe the whole being “born again” dogma? please try not to be to judgemental, of the so called “false pagan religions”, because if u grew up in India u most probably b a practising hindu. it was the spread of the Roman empire that est Christianity n colonialism cemented it in Africa, otherwise u wud still be worshiping ur ancestors. look @ the whole picture n not just @ the smudged edge. be good n let God judge us all.
People be still and know that The Lord, He alone is God. And He alone shall judge.
A lion does not have to roar for you to know that it is a lion. Osteen does not need to explain to Larry King or to Mr. Chapwa who will go to heaven and who wont.
Will the undiscovered tribes of Papua New Guinea and the Amazon basin go to heaven??
#1 How stupid of a question of larry to ask if you are jewish or muslim, do you all not know christ and all his disciples were proud jews?
Please people, do not mess with God. Humble yourselves before the Lord. He is God.
The Lord God created the earth and put man on it. How then can man, the dust speak evil of the Lord.
What is Larry King. The man cannot even add an extra day to his life. Larry King is lost. Unless he gives his life to God, he will forever live his life and spend eternity away from God, in Hell. Larry King should not be proud when it comes to God. he must tremble in his shoes. And this applies to all mankind.
NEVER mess with your creator. People, do not be proud. Humble yourself in the sight of God. Larry King and all who reject God and his Son Jesus will face the wrath of God. It is a terrible thing to fall in the hands of an angry God. Save yourself from the coming wrath.