How Can So Many Be So Wrong?

I was watching The Beast Network (TBN) the other evening to see how the apostasy is progressing and Joel Osteen and wife were on. This guy is the poster child for everything that's wrong with today's apostianity. On the surface Joel seems to be a very likeable guy. If you listen long enough though, what he really is shows through. For example, Joel is REALLY in love with his "building," also known as the Compaq center, an arena. I was listening to something he said maybe a year ago where he was driving to "church" and along the way the arena came in sight and he leans over to his son, points to the arena and says, someday that will be yours, or something like that. The pride's under the surface. What was the original sin? Also, they refer to something they call the "Lakewood experience." Which is something that I guess you get at "their" church. It's an experience all right, multi-million dollar audio visual entertainment system, plush seating, almost like going to a Vegas show! Only problem is.....Jesus is'nt there. No Holy Spirit, but lots of entertainment! When the cameras pan around the inside of the "arena" that they call a church, I wondered to myself that SO MANY people could be so wrong, so blind. These are the people Jesus said He will spew from his mouth for being "lukewarm."

One of the primary calls I believe Jesus is making to this world today is to REPENT. Repentance is something you'll hear zero about at Lakewood. Why's that? Well because there's nothing wrong with you according to Joel. You just have to say self affirming things, keep your eyes on the positive, and all that "sin" and negativity stuff will just melt away! Unfortunately it all sounds like another, different gospel than the one I read about in the bible. Can a different gospel save a man's soul? I don't think so.

Lakewood Church, Joel and his wife look like the world, speak like the world, are friends with the world, act like the world (except for throwing around alot of churchianity's jargon), so is it such a stretch to say they are of the world? What does Jesus have to say about this?

1John2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Another thing, if you listen to Joel talk you almost NEVER hear the name Jesus. You hear ALOT about "god." God this, and god that. Well, Satan considers himself to be "god." So, which god are we talking about here. This is one of many tipoffs of the kind of wolf we're dealing with here. I think of God as my father, I call Him Lord, Master, Father. Yes, He is God, but I address him as a son, not as an outsider. I think I know why Joel throws around the word "god" so much and not father:

Ga 4:6
Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

2Co 6:18
"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Romans 8:14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.[g] And by him we cry, "Abba,[h] Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

I'm not sure which spirit is leading Joel Osteen, but I HIGHLY doubt it's the Holy Spirit. He speaks of "god" as though he does'nt know god, certainly not as a loving father. Think about it.

Ok, time to clean the house, we are trying to sell, in today's market, you know we need the Lord's help, pray for us please. Grace and Peace