“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”-John 10:27-30
Becoming a "better ewe" is not about realizing your potentiality, fulfilling your dreams, developing a postitive attitude, or trying to live stress-free while facing life's issues. It is not even about financial prosperity, sculpting a better body, or connecting with your inner "ewe."
For the genuine Christian it is really about one thing: becoming more like the Lord Jesus Christ everyday (Roms. 8:28-31). Here are seven keys that brother (italics mine) Joel Osteen unwittingly left out of his most recent book, "Become A Better You". I humbly submit they should have been included and are foundational for living the Christian life. Seven Truths to Living Faithfully (for the 'flock of God'):
1. Apply the gospel to yourself daily by denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Him; counting the loss of things rubbish in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus the Lord (Matt. 16:24-26; Phil. 3:7-11).
2. Have a continual life of confession of and repentance from sin (Psalm 66:18; Psalm 32:1-5; Psalm 51; 1 John 2:28-3:9).
3. Read and study your Bible every day (Psalm 119; John 17:17; Jude 3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Psalm 19:7-11; Eph. 4:11-16).
4. Developing an effective, fervent daily prayer life in the Holy Spirit (Eph. 6:18-21; James 5:16f; Luke 18:1; Col. 1:9-14).
5. Proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and make disciples of all the nations (1 Peter 3:15f; Roms. 1:16f; 1 Cor. 9:1-18; Matt. 28:19f; Luke 24:44-49).
6. Live sacrifically by serving others as a committed member under the accountability of the local church (Eph. 5:21; Phil. 2:1-4; 1 Tim. 6:1-6; John 13; Phil. 4:10ff; Acts 2:40ff).
7. Do all things to the glory of God - living "out loud" the two great commandments (1 Cor. 10:31; Matt. 5-7; Luke 10:27).
"If you do not seek God because you believe Him to be supremely valuable,then you are a hypocrite. To seek God for any reason other than His own glory as Creator, Lord and Savior is to be a hypocrite. It is the reason that the health and wealth gospel is not simply a deficient view of the gospel,but actually "another gospel" and will lead people to hell." -Pastor John Swanson,River Hills Community Church
