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Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv is tackling popular “words of wisdom” that pop culture and some Christians regularly tout, but that he believes God never actually said in his new “God Never Said That” sermon series.
Some of these statements, which Groeschel believes can mislead people about God’s nature and relationship with mankind, are: “God wants you happy,” “It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you don’t hurt anyone,” and “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere,” among others, according to the Christian Post.
Dealing with the first of these sentiments in a sermon delivered February 8, Groeschel said that, while he believes God rejoices in the joyfulness of his creation, happiness, itself, isn’t a primary goal.
“God does not want you to pursue happiness. God wants you to pursue him,” he said during the sermon. “God does not want you to pursue him in the name of happiness. God is the end, God is the goal — his presence is the goal, his will is the goal.”
Groeschel added, “God does not want you happy when it causes you to do something sinful or stupid.”
If one assumes that happiness is God’s primary goal for one’s life, Groeschel said that people might start to assume that whatever makes them happy must be right and that whatever makes them unhappy must be wrong.
That said, the preacher does believe that God “delights” in peoples’ happiness “just as any parent is delighted when a child has joy or happiness,” according to the Christian Post.
Watch Groeschel’s sermon below:
Some of these statements, which Groeschel believes can mislead people about God’s nature and relationship with mankind, are: “God wants you happy,” “It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you don’t hurt anyone,” and “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you are sincere,” among others, according to the Christian Post.
Dealing with the first of these sentiments in a sermon delivered February 8, Groeschel said that, while he believes God rejoices in the joyfulness of his creation, happiness, itself, isn’t a primary goal.
“God does not want you to pursue happiness. God wants you to pursue him,” he said during the sermon. “God does not want you to pursue him in the name of happiness. God is the end, God is the goal — his presence is the goal, his will is the goal.”
Groeschel added, “God does not want you happy when it causes you to do something sinful or stupid.”
If one assumes that happiness is God’s primary goal for one’s life, Groeschel said that people might start to assume that whatever makes them happy must be right and that whatever makes them unhappy must be wrong.
That said, the preacher does believe that God “delights” in peoples’ happiness “just as any parent is delighted when a child has joy or happiness,” according to the Christian Post.
Watch Groeschel’s sermon below:
