Joel Olsteen Never Read Mark 10:17-27

Nothing is more insidious today than the so called "prosperity Gospel." And no person is a greater proponent of it than Joel Olsteen. Prosperity Gospel focuses on the goodness of God. You will find no argument from me that God is good and that we should count our blessing and give thanksgiving with gratitude. However if you only take a cursory glance at the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John you will find that Jesus is in no way concerned solely with his followers prosperity and good fortune. He repeatedly states that on "must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23. What could that cross be Joel? A new car, a new job, a new house, the winning lottery ticket? Christ may have died for our sins but we are still out their committing them! Where is repentance and conversion? There is one reason why people flock to ministers like Joel Olsteen - his message is the same message as the secular world: worship material things. The measure of success according to the secular world is how much money, power and control one has. Joel Osteen's message is a false message. So if you have not read Mark 10: 17-27 here it is straight from Jesus:

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,

knelt down before him, and asked him,

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good?

No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments: You shall not kill;

you shall not commit adultery;

you shall not steal;

you shall not bear false witness;

you shall not defraud;

honor your father and your mother.”

He replied and said to him,

“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,

“You are lacking in one thing.

Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor

and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

At that statement, his face fell,

and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,

“How hard it is for those who have wealth

to enter the Kingdom of God!”

The disciples were amazed at his words.

So Jesus again said to them in reply,

“Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle

than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.”

They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,

“Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said,

“For men it is impossible, but not for God.

All things are possible for God.”