I was confused, if not offended, when I say Pastor Joseph Prince preach at Lakewood Church, when I saw and heard Pastor Joseph Prince honor Pastor Joel Olsteen.
I have a diminished and diminishing respect for the pastor of Lakewood Church. His preaching is just too man-centered, not God-centered, and certainly not Jesus-centered.
I do not want to hear about "staying in faith", I want to know about Jesus, whose faith sustains me.
Yet now more than I never, I know and believe that it is the love of God through His Son that brings us to repentance.
The Word of God is crystal clear about the Good and the Goodness that is God, regardless of who is speaking, sharing, or preaching it.
Jimmy Swaggart committed some open sins during his early ministry, and he even went so far as to cry out his apologies, only to go on and sin again.
Yet God's grace is greater than our wagging tongues. God is greater than the mere men who preach His great word.
Consider what Paul the apostle had to share:
"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of
wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God." (1 Corinthians 2: 1)
Then Paul writes:
"For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him
crucified." (1 Corinthians 2: 2)
About those who use the Gospel to private, even perverse gain, Paul wrote:
"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16The one preach
Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17But the other of
love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18What then?
notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is
preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. 19For I know that
this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the
Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20According to my
earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but
that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be
magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death." (Philippians 1: 15-20)
It's all about Jesus Christ, no matter what happens, no matter who preaches the Word of God.
When Joel Olsteen Preaches the Word of God, when Pastor Prince preaches the Word of God, when anyone proclaims the Gospel, whether for good or for gain or for neither, or for both -- Jesus Christ is getting glorified.
Nothing can stop His good news:
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound" (Romans 5: 20)
Jesus Christ is glorified! It makes no difference who speaks -- as long as Jesus Christ is properly promoted.
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