Though Joel Osteen is a minister, you will find little about Christ in this book. He references some bible passages, but if you take the time to look up the passage in the bible, you'll find yourself thinking, "How in the world did he make THAT illogical leap?" He hasn't gone to seminary, and his understand about Christ isn't that deep. He has a good personal feel-good relationship with God, but does not have the background and depth that can convey to others much about Christ other than that Christ is a swell guy. Seminaries exist for a reason! However, Mr. Osteen is a great motivational speaker.

If Joel Osteen had just written a motivational self-help book, I'm sure it would have been fine. However, if you aren't a Christian, you'll find his biblical references annoying. If you are a Christian, you'll find his biblical references irrelevant.

If you are interested in a peace and prosperity message you will really like this book. If you are trying to draw near to Christ, don't bother. You won't find Christ here.

He has found a niche market and is exploiting it for all its worth.

The premise of this book is that if you follow Christ, you will be rewarded - with bling. Joel interprets that to being rewarded with the a good job, nice cars, and a good bank account. It's easy to make the assumption that if you are unemployed or sick, it's your fault for not believing in Christ. Or if you are poor and you do believe in Christ, suck it up because that's what God wants for you, but pray harder and you'll get what you want.

Obtain a book that has more of a Christian message, or get a true self-help book. If you just need a pep talk with no depth, this is the book for you.

A babe in Christ will respond to this book's type of simplistic optimism. It is fine when you first become a Christian. But when you grow in Maturity, you will start to notice a few things about life.

"Take up your cross and follow me," said Jesus. Does this fit in with Osteen's full gospel? Or how about when Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people persecute you and say all kinds of mean things about you. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven."

Osteen demonstrates that pop optimism sells. He leads the largest church. But "wide is the path that leads to destruction, and narrow is the way that leads to life," says our Lord.

Am I saying that Osteen is leading people to hell? No, I am not. But he is presenting a baby christian gospel, that does not understand that life on earth is meant to be a time of happy pessimism.

Yes, you can be a jovial pessimist. You can be a crotchety old wheezing geezer, who laughs at his latest misfortune, and prays that Jesus will come quickly. The people who seek happiness are the very ones who never find it. Because the pop optimist will experience severe setbacks every so often, and every time that happens, their phony money-grubbing "faith" will lessen.

The mature Christian will agree with the Old Testament patriarch known as Job. Because as Job says, "The Lord Gives, and the Lord takes away, BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD."

Job knew that if the Lord gives you nice things, or if the Lord takes away those nice things, in EVERY circumstance you must bless God and praise him. If you get cancer, all your kids die, and your spouse spits in your face, you must say, BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.

You must lose your life to save it, said Jesus. If you want to get the true gospel, then rejoice in your sufferings, as he told us. Don't remain too long as a baby christian who is trying for a big job, big house, and is serving the false god known as Mammon. You might still be saved if you pursue that materialistic life... but you will live your whole life as a weakling, wimpy Christian, not a KNIGHT OF FAITH.

Name it and claim theology is disgusting.
The prosperity gospel is just a lie.

This is another heresy for money.

Do not contribute to another
Gucci suit. Do not waste your time.

Pastor Joel Osteen will open your eyes to what is already in front of you. Your life now! This is a great book. Even if you are a positive person like I am, you will realize that you could and should be more positive. After reading this book no one should have any excuses to live below standards in any fashion, form, or way.
This is a must read book!

I can not understand those of us who have written such negative things about Joel's book. If you read the Old Testament, yes God was very harsh. However, wasn't that the whole purpose of God giving us His only begotten Son? If you read the New Testament, Jesus, just like Joel, related stories of encouragement, hope, and love. Of course, Joel is not Jesus, but at the very foundation of this entire book, Joel preaches about the love of our Lord and Savior. In the Book of James, it says that "Faith without works is dead." Joel's book is one that simply says if one has faith and serves the Lord (works) then he will be blessed. Joel never says that there will not be hard times, but what he does say is that if we just hold on and keep the faith, God will give us the desires of our hearts. Please note that "desires of [our] hearts" is found within the pages of the Bible. Maybe the person who is blessed with that parking space has that in his / her heart. Maybe Joel had a desire to have such an expensive home in his heart. Futhermore, why put some one else's blessing down simply because it happens to be manifested in the form of something material. I am a college student and my heart's desire is to get good grades. Guess what, I have held down a 4.0 GPA and have been further blessed, for I have been offered a fellowship / scholarship to pay for post graduate studies. And guess what?? This was one of the desires of my heart. However, if I didn't first and foremost love God and does as His word requires about treating each other right and living with a spirt of joy (it's in the Bible too), then I would not have been blessed.

Blessings are manifested in different ways for different people. Some blessings come to fruition in the form of material things and others are found in school, work, good health; etc.

I encourage anyone who needs to be uplifted and motivated to first of all pray. Then pick up your Bible and read it, but also read Joel's book. It brings about a sense of happiness and joy which is what the Bible is founded on--- LOVE!!! Know God for yourself and know your desires. What God has for me is for me. If you seek Him, you will get whatever it is that He has for you. Maybe it is a million dollar home or maybe it is a 4.0 average, or perhaps good health or just peace but regardless, it will be yours.

Stop hating Joel. He is one of the good guys.