If the Apostle Paul was here I could see a conversation with Joel Osteen going a little something like this…
Joel Osteen:
Hey Paul, it’s your best life now… Romans 4 says to “call the things that are not as though they were.” That simply means that you shouldn’t talk about the way you are. Talk about the way you want to be. By faith you have to say, “I am blessed. I am surrounded by God’s favor.” Declare today: “I Am successful!”
You should really read my book, “The Power of I Am”, I think it will help you to live a better life and to be a better you. Paul, I want you to choose today to RISE to a new LEVEL by focusing on these two words… I AM!
Apostle Paul:
Joel, I wrote Romans 4 by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and you falsely use it for boasting, for selfish gain, and you deceive many with cunning words and twisted scripture… And by the way, if this is your best life now, all you have to look forward to is HELL!
I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that!
But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (2 Corinthians 11:16-30) For it is granted for me to suffer for Christ (Philippians 1:29), and I count it ALL joy when I meet trials of various kinds! (James 1:2)
Joel, this life isn’t about you or me… It’s all about JESUS! It’s not about what we gain, who we are or any of that trash talk… Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8)
Joel, unless you repent from your lies and false teachings you will perish and the just punishment of your deception will be mighty!
And by the way! The book you wrote “The Power of I Am”, is BLASPHAMY! Jesus is the great I AM!