Another Osteen Rant

Sort of.

I wasn't even trying to watch him. I was just minding my own business, playing Tetris. Then I turned off the video game, and BAM!, there he was, grinning at me.

The graphic at the bottom of the screen said the message was called "Planning to Succeed" (or something like that; it might've been "Making Plans to Succeed").

It was utter crap.

Okay, it was fairly decent life coaching. Set goals for yourself. Measure success. Write down your 5 year, 10 year, and 15 year plans on paper.

None of it is biblical, but it wasn't stupid.

Then he decided to do the thing he himself says is not his gift: explain the Bible.

He quoted Proverbs 16:9, which says that man makes plans but God directs his steps.
Osteen used this to support his encouragement to write out your personal goals for finances, relationships, and weight loss, saying that if you will make your plans, God will direct your steps toward fulfilling those plans.

This, friends, is crap.

Plus, it's just wrong. Osteen puts an "and" in that verse where it actually has a "but." Man makes his plans BUT God directs his steps. The verse doesn't say that IF we will make plans THEN God will help us reach our goals. It really means that EVEN THOUGH we make plans, God is really in control.

Not to mention that as I read the Scriptures, I see more and more that God basically doesn't care about my goals. It's a harsh truth, but the bulk of Osteen's message just isn't something the Bible gives one whit about.

Yet it isn't just Osteen preaching this stuff.

You do this, and then God will be able to do that for you.
That's called magic, not Christianity.

There's not a hint of satisfaction in what Christ has already done for us. And what ungrateful jerks we are to not find endless satisfaction in already having the only thing we actually need.

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