In case you are misled, I am not a fan of Joel Osteen. I do not wish to promote any of his books. My only purpose for the above picture is to compare it with the one below.
















Notice any similarities? If not, maybe a couple of more observations will help. What do you notice about Jesus? Yes, that's right! He isn't real, he is plastic. Now, watch the video below.




If you haven't made the connection by now, go back and read the title. Enough disapproval has been blogged about Joel Osteen that I almost feel like posting this is pointless. Notice I said almost. I have been looking for a good way to use my Jesus action figure picture for a while, and this seemed like a really good opportunity.

I was reading this hymn this morning and I was illuminated. I've either read or sang this hymn before, but until now I never 'saw' what I was reading. The last verse of this hymn sums up our whole worldview. The keyword here is 'sums'. There are so many implications and applications from having a cross centered view, or rather a God-centered view, of all of life. Here is the last verse of the precious hymn.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that thro' all time abide.