REVIEW: I Declare by Joel Osteen
Buy It, Heather Kelley, Inspirational, Reviews, Self-Help October 22, 2012 One Comment
I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life
By Joel Osteen
Review by Heather Kelley******** this review is not mine, but Ms Kelley...............
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Broken into thirty-one segments, this book defines the most powerful blessings in Scripture and encourages readers to declare one each day for a month. The declarations will affirm God’s blessings in the area of health, family legacy, decisions, finances, thoughts, outlook, and overcoming obstacles.
Is prayer just meditation with a deity involved? As I read Joel Osteen’s latest book, I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life, that is the thought that kept reoccurring to me.
I have to confess to harboring a mild fascination with Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church, the nation’s largest church. Each week, Lakewood receives approximately 45,000 adult attendees with millions more tuning in on television. I have watched a couple of times and tuned in to his recent Oprah Winfrey interview. Each time I heard him speak, I was waiting to find fault with his message. Over the years, I have come to realize that I practice my own brand of Christianity, and it doesn’t have much to do with a vengeful God or the guilt experienced by so many who attend services each week. Those things don’t seem to resonate with Osteen, either. He preaches about working hard, living your best life, helping others, and lifting each other up.
I can get on board with all of that.
What I found helpful about this book was that Osteen talked about the relationship between God and the individual as one that requires commitment on both sides to ensure that the individual achieves all that he or she can in this life. Osteen states that God has already made that commitment to us (“Ask of Me and I will give you the nations.” – Psalms 2:8) and that He is looking for us to make it back. That’s not a new idea, of course, but one that I had always approached from a narrow viewpoint. In Sunday School, I always interpreted it to mean that we should be penitent and humble and that we should follow the ten commandments. In other words, keep your nose clean, and do what you are told. It never occurred to me that it would please God if I charted my own course and asked for His assistance to make my personal dreams come true.
It seems odd to write that now, but before reading this book, I never (for example) prayed for God to help me find my way as a writer. I never asked Him to help my husband and I move ourselves to greater financial freedom. I prayed for the health and well-being of my kids and my other loved ones. I asked for forgiveness for my sins. I asked for strength and guidance to be a good person. I asked that He help my husband and I make good decisions. It’s like the mom who is so busy Christmas shopping for everyone else that she forgets to ask for something for herself. I didn’t think it was okay to ask for myself.
Osteen writes that “God is the one who put the dream in your heart” and that “It’s not wrong to ask. It’s not selfish to ask. God expects us to ask.” He compares God to the parents who enjoy seeing their child’s face light up when they are able to do something good for them. Further, he quoted the book of James 4:2, “You have not because you ask not.”
As noted in the description, this book is presented in 31 segments. Osteen provides daily declarations paired with an examination of scripture to guide your prayers and the words that you tell yourself and others. These declarations read to me exactly like a meditation guide.
“I declare that I will use my words to bless people…”
“I declare it’s not too late to accomplish everything God has placed in my heart…”
I personally find these practices very helpful. They allow me to focus my thoughts and my intentions on what I truly wish to accomplish in my life or just with my day, whether that means not losing my temper with my children or trying to complete a writing project. I also pray each day. For some reason, though, I never linked these two activities together. . . at least when it came to material things. I think it did feel selfish.
However, Osteen maintains that it isn’t. In his interview with Oprah Winfrey, he addressed the criticism he has received about his family’s wealth. Since he does not take a salary from the church, the point may be moot. He did answer his critics, though, saying that he doesn’t believe God wants us to be poor and unhappy. Those who want to contend that you shouldn’t want or need material things will undoubtedly find continued fault with Osteen and with this book.
There are some legitimate concerns about I Declare, but I don’t think they should center around the financial status of the author. In one passage, Osteen writes, “Every set back means you’re one step closer to seeing the dream come to pass.” Phrases like that remind me of sales pitches you hear in multi-level marketing companies. Phrases like that make me trust him a little less.
Ultimately, though, this book is a series of tools. Some of them may be helpful to you. Some of them probably won’t be. I found more helpful tools than ones that don’t apply to me, so it was a worthwhile investment. To be honest, some of it is just common sense. But sometimes common sense is more obvious when it’s spelled out for you.
I appreciate Osteen’s philosophies and I will probably turn back to this book over time. Now, if he could just get past the antiquated idea that homosexuality is a sin, we’ll have no disagreements between us.
Buy It: This is a book written for Christians who want a better relationship with God and themselves. If that’s you, buy it.
I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life : My words( I am not promoting this book, but I find it a good read for everyday living and self help---Skyraider ) If you want a book like this one, you can order it online or go to your favorite bookstore........If you want one.....
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