On a radio promotion
evangelical preacher Joel Osteen promoted his health and wealth gospel, “What
kind of a God wants you to be poor and miserable?” I’m reminded of Jesus telling
the disciples of his pending death, “From that time on Jesus began to explain
to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the
hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be
killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him
aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen
to you!” In my mind both Osteen and Peter are using the same
thought process — that being poor, miserable persecuted and put to death should
never happen to people of God. “Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get
behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the
things of God, but the things of men” (Matt 16:21-23. NIV).
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