I have been thinking a lot about this and I want to toss something out there. I am by no means an expert on what I call "health and wealth" or "prosperity" theology and I am also not an expert on "new age" stuff but, while "health and wealth" claims to be more of God than "new age," I really see a lot of similarities between the two. Does anyone else?

As I see it, "prosperity" theology is that God wants me to be comfortable and happy and, if I set my mind right, then God will make me comfortable and happy. New Age stuff, on the other hand, teaches me about the power that exists within myself and even within inanimate objects such as crystals. It says that, if I focus on that power, I will be happy and have anything I want.

Does anyone else see the similarity between these two things? Of course, I suspect that followers of either one would vehemently deny being involved with the other but I don't think anyone can deny the similarities.

They both seem to teach me that, if I make my mind focus on the things I want, I will be happy and all of those things will be mine.

Pardon my French but that seems like a crock of horse radish to me! How many people who get caught up in this stuff are left feeling inferior or inadequate when things don't turn out the way that they hope? How often do they feel like their lot in the life is the cause of a personal lack of spirituality?

Let's think about this. As a Christian, I should have Christ and the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. Do we think that Jesus was never sad, angry, frustrated, scared, or worried? Quite the contrary. The gospels show us that He experienced all of those emotions at different times. And yet I believe He was indeed still perfect and He was a part of His Father.

There are times when I hear people teaching that, if Christ is truly in me, I should be happy and have no worries. And I do agree that my faith gives me assurance that God will provide. But that faith still does not eliminate the human emotions that even Jesus experienced when he was in this shell of an earthly body.

Folks can continue to preach prosperity or new age all they want but I personally am going to be okay with the fact that I have human emotions. God provided us with the Holy Spirit and Christian community to help us through those emotions and tough times. I don't really believe there is a magical switch to turn off those emotions and automatically become the smiling, happy, carefree Christian that folks teach me I should be. We are ultimately human and we are subject to the pains and difficulties of this world. I am not going to get down on myself because I feel the real things of this world. Instead, I am going to rejoice in the comfort, protection, and ultimate provision of a Father who loves me, human though I am.