That was the theme of Robert Schuller‘s message on The Hour of Power this morning.  NOTE: I DO NOT BELIEVE THE DOCTRINE AND TEACHING OF ROBERT SCHULLER!!! I have to say that this rates up there on “worst Schuller sermons” yet.  There were six bullets he had for the sermon:

1.  God blesses us without consulting us first
2.  God blesses us without our approval
3.  God blesses us where we need it most
4.  God blesses us by not giving us what we want, but what we need
5.  God blesses us where we need it most when the timing is right
6.  God blesses us with “good luck” coming out of what we thought was “bad luck”

Now if you read the sermon (which I encourage you to do) or know anything about Schuller, he’s all about the power of positive thinking.  That’s fine and dandy, but the power of positive thinking won’t earn you salvation.  Here’s one little snippet from the sermon.

You have to make the good things in life happen. You have to be responsive and responsible. You have to have courage, faith and determination. I’ve lived possibility thinking. It works.

Now readers (if there are any), where do you see Jesus in that statement?  Where do you see the cross?  That’s right, there is no Jesus and there is no cross.  Instead, you are left with you! But now here comes a problem.  What happens if you are responsive and responsible, have courage, faith and determination, yet nothing “positive” happens in your life?  Maybe it’s because you were thinking positive enough.  Maybe it’s because you’re not good enough.  Let me tell you something friends, you AREN’T good enough and what’s worse, YOU NEVER WILL BE! Paul tells us in Romans (3:23), “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We will continue to fall short of the glory of God, regardless of how positive our thinking might be.

If Schuller would have changed a few things with regards to points 4 & 5, he almost might have been Lutheran.  The good Lutheran way to put that would have been to quote the words of the prophet Isaiah (55:8), “For my thoughts arenot your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” In that aspect, Schuller is right.  God does indeed bless us with those things which we need, not those things which we want (First Article; Lord’s Prayer, Fourth Petition).  I doubt Schuller would agree with this since he tends to deny much of what Lutheran’s believe(Issues, Etc. interview with Schuller).

I’m sure I could go on more about this sermon (and I might), but for now, I need to finish things up and pack, get myself to bed and get ready for a 6:00 am flight.