Is the Christian walk always happy?

Funny, my experience has been exactly the opposite. As I've matured I've gained the courage to call out false teachers unapologetically.

What Joel is doing is selling an ideal, but it's a lie. It's just an attempt to influence the audience using his status as a wealthy and successful person.

It's actually a propaganda technique called the beautiful people. This technique typically uses celebrities, wealthy, and/or attractive people to promote a product or gain followers to a certain idea. The idea is that if people see that Joel Osteen is healthy looking, dressed nice, is articulate, has a job, and is happy then they will listen to him/give him their money to get more of what he has.

Notice this isn't what Jesus did. In my opinion, being a disciple of Jesus and doing all he said to do is spiritually rewarding, but difficult. The path of Jesus is not for the faint of heart, there's a cross to carry, and there will be enemies. There is no promise of fame, wealth, or even a guarantee or survival; actually he prepared his disciples for the strong possibility of death and persecution.

Jesus was called the man of sorrows, not the man of happiness, and he had the full range of normal human emotions like joy, anger, disgust, sorrow, compassion, frustration, and much more.

Nice post. I enjoyed and agreed with the video guy. When we go through deep waters, a giggling Osteen is the last thing we want or need. Ted mentions Philippians 4:

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Imagine my chagrin at photoxylography.

Oh, don't get me wrong. It is needed. It's when it dominates one's general behavior that is a sign of immaturity.

Not a fan of the vast majority of television preachers/evangelists.

But I also cannot deny that they are attacked the most from other Believers, the media (which none of us have to face that scrutiny), attacked by politicians, and billions of people in general who deny God.

They really are a punching bag and they're getting smacked from every angle.

So for some to remain positive while enduring what us nobody Christians will ever endure, is actually remarkable.

I have major trials and do my best to remain positive because I have God in my life. But I don't know if I could face what they face and still be that positive.

I am not a fan of them, but I have major respect that they find the strength to continue because if I was in their shoes I would be wanting a lot of revenge.

Not really when you think about the $$$ they're pulling down. If I loved money and had millions I'd probably be smiling too. LOL You don't seriously think it's their love of the gospel that keeps them going do you?

I'm not saying he isn't saved. I'm saying the prosperity gospel he preaches is more motivational self enhancement than true christianity

Joel Osteen inherited his core congregation from his father. Like Richard Roberts from Oral Roberts.

Joel was always going to be well off.

I think he saw his dad's stance like Grace Doctrine vs Fire and Brimstone.

Now preachers like Kenneth Copeland and that line of ILK are about material possessions and false Doctrine like we are little gods and Demonic trash.

And I am not saying Osteen doesn't enjoy the money he sees coming in. I am just saying he was already rich so I don't believe that's his only motivation.

Osteen is no different than Copeland or any of the other Word of Faith prosperity preachers. Even if he has an aww shucks southern style and a big smile, underneath he's no different than any of the rest of 'em. In many respects this makes him worse because he uses his charm to get people to trust him. Personality is irrelevant; what is relevant is whether or not a so-called preacher of the gospel is telling the truth or lying to you.

That could be.

But his older brothers were supposed to take the church over when their dad died and Joel was the only one who actually studied the ministry and had a decent background.

His brothers gave him no choice but to take over.

That doesn't seem power hungry to me but it doesn't mean he didn't become that way after having control.

Is the Christian walk always happy?

That depends upon one's definition of the word happy.

During his time on this earth, Christ wept, got angry, and was grieved, and I doubt that most people would equate things like that with happiness.

Then again, the Bible's definition of happy certainly seems to differ from the world's definition of happy.

1Peter 4:14
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

I see Osteen and Copeland the same as I see Calvin and ultra Grace.

So what's the real point here.

All of them are lying.

I was raised Southern Baptist where the pastor and most of the men would hang black people and burn crosses then preach OSAS.

They're all liars!!

Agreed!

Everyone is that way.

When I was a kid, there was a certain preacher in our town that was always wearing a smile, always upbeat; seemed like he was always on top of the world. I was glad he was happy and all, but after awhile I dreaded to see him coming. I couldn't be real with him because I felt like I didn't measure up. I was sure there was something wrong with me; otherwise I'd be happy and smiling all the time too.

Well I'm independent Baptist and my church is multi cultural. Same with most independent Baptists in my city. So can't tar us all with the same brush.

But I get what you are saying