God is not pleased with me today because I am unhappy. At least thats what some very mixed up and messed up theology teaches right now. Its very rare that I criticize people by name publicly. Theres so much of that today among Christians that Im not really interested in joining the online assault team. Id rather invest my time in loving Gods people and loving and reaching those who arent his yet. But when your grandson is in the hospital it makes you think about theology like that of Victoria Osteen. Im not happy with my grandson in the hospital. Now it looks like hes going to be fine but if my grandson is hurting Im hurting. Its just the way it is. No one can change that. Im not happy today. And what about those whose sons and grandsons will not get out of the hospital? I pastor many wonderful people like that. What about those in places like Iraq and Syria whose loved ones have been murdered by demonic Muslim fanatics simply because of their faith in Jesus? I dont imagine that theyre happy today either. So according to Victoria Osteen God is not pleased with any of us today who are unhappy because it is our happiness that gives God pleasure. The problem with this false theology, well one of a whole bunch of problems, Is that happiness is a lousy tool to judge the authenticity of real life with Jesus. Happiness comes and goes. There is a better measure of both Gods pleasure and the state of my life today. That measure is the glory of God. Read Colossians 1 today. It is an amazing chapter about the glory of God. Verse 19 says For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him (Jesus)In Vs 27 Paul rejoices in the incredible thought of Christ in you the hope of glory. Because all of God is in Jesus and all of Jesus fills us Paul rejoices even in suffering because the glory of God shines all around him. (Vs 24) and Paul concludes in Vs 28 by saying He is the one we proclaim. It wasnt about Paul. Its not about us. Its about the glory of God shining in us and through us and for him no matter what is happening around us this day. So I am unhappy today. You may be as well. Heres the incredible news of the Gospel. God is still God! And He is near to us in our Unhappiness. He is IN us! His glory is not diminished by my unhappiness. I will likely be happy again soon. That wont affect his glory either. I can live on the roller coaster of my own happiness or I can live in the incredible mysterious wonder of a life centered on the glory of God. Today I choose that life. I hope you will too. In our church we have been looking carefully at Micah 6:8. According to that wonderful verse, good life for me today, real life with Jesus for me today, doesnt have all that much to do with happiness. But it has a lot to do with the choice I can make to glorify God today. So in my unhappiness I asked God today, Lord please help me to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you. That life will be enough for me and for you to live a good life today and every day.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 13:28:43 +0000
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