Joel Osteen is a fool. He’s not the only fool. Not by a long shot. But he’s one of the biggest. Because he’s in charge of one of the biggest churches in America. And he’s telling (translate that to selling) lies. And one of the biggest lies is found in the title of his “bestselling book,” Your Best Life Now.
Breaking News! You do NOT have your best life now!
Well, maybe I should quantify/qualify that assertion.
If you choose to reject Jesus (and it IS your choice), then you might be having your best life now. Because it’s the best you’re ever gonna experience. Throughout eternity. But the rest of your eternity…the really, really, really, really, really long part…will not even be good. Far from it. As far as the East is from the West.
So, do you insist that a Christian can enjoy their best life here on Earth?
Then, I wonder if you’ve actually read Paul’s letters in the Bible.
Because if anyone should have ever had an awesome life, as a Christian, it was Paul. Read his letters. You’ll discover a man more transformed than maybe any other. And you’ll see how he went from persecuting those who would dare follow Jesus, to being the Lord’s most devoted servant.
That’s why, several years ago, I shared his description of living for the Lord. The subhead in The New King James version of the Bible calls this passage Marks of the Ministry. See if they sound like a best life now:
1. in much patience
2. in tribulations
3. in needs
4. in distresses
5. in stripes
6. in imprisonments
7. in tumults
8. in labors
9. in sleeplessness
10. in fastings
11. by purity
12. by knowledge
13. by longsuffering
14. by kindness
15. by the Holy Spirit
16. by sincere love
17. by the word of truth
18. by the power of God
19. by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left
20. by honor and dishonor
21. by evil report and good report
22. as deceivers, and yet true
23. as unknown, and yet well known
24. as dying, and behold we live
25. as chastened, and yet not killed
26. as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing
27. as poor, yet making many rich
28. as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Paul had all 28. And possibly more.
Yet, he had so much love and assurance for his Savior that he could still sing joyful songs in the midst of it all.
What about you? Are you able to think up a song of joy to sing or whistle or hum when things don’t go well? Do you point your eyes upward, keeping them on the Prize?
Say yes, please.
Or do you let your circumstances dictate your actions? And is your joy based on you and your physical possessions and your bank account?
Say no, please.
You have a Creator who loves you so much He made a way for you to live forever with Him. But He didn’t make “many ways”. Jesus is the all-inclusive One Way to eternal life. He is also the “stumbling block” to anyone who believes they can make their own way to Heaven.
So, if you truly wanna have the best possible life, the one that lasts forever, you’ve got a choice to make.
Choose LIFE.
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