Speak the Truth in Love

NOTE: Upon hearing the second installment of the eulogy delivered by Pastor Winans, I have some new comments which are all highlighted with blue text.  I stand by my comments regarding Ms. Houston, however, I have to adjust my comments about Pastor Winans sermon in light of new information (2/24/12).

I've been cruising the internet and I keep seeing the same thing in regards to Marvin Winans' "eulogy" of the late Whitney Houston.  Every blog, commenter and person keeps saying that Pastor Winans did a poor job.  I've even seen his message classified as "horrible".  I read one blog in particular that made me raise an eyebrow (Uppity Negro Network) as it related to the sermon.  Jesus said many times as it related to His parables and those that were listening "he who has an ear, let him hear". 

I didn't want to take someone else's word for it, I wanted to listen to the sermon myself so I went to YouTube and I listened to the video while I was driving.  I have to say that I disagree that pastor Winans was totally off that day.  I actually think that he was on point at the beginning of his message.  What I discovered is that I had only watched part 1 of a two part video. While he didn't drop three points, his treatment of the scripture was on point in that he captured the essence of what the scripture says. In the second half of the message, brother Winans lost me totally.  He should have stopped preaching at 15 minutes and he would have made a huge impact.  His prosperity gospel tirade was uncalled for and he should have used that time to preach the cross to those that were listening.  He should have stopped at the Bible being the "owner's manual" and those of us that THINK we have it figured out need to refer to the owner's manual in order to understand "where to drive the car and who to allow into the car."  I did not hear the portion of the sermon where pastor Winans spoke of the prosperity gospel on yesterday and I am not a proponent of the prosperity gospel.  Any reference to a false gospel should be left out of any sermon and this alone almost nullifies his entire message.  But Paul says to test everything and hold fast to that which is good.  I also know that Winans is a TBN stalwart and this fact was not lost on me as I listened to his message.  However, there were some things that I gleaned from the sermon that had application- especially the first half of the sermon.  (updated 2/24/12)

What I heard him say- were several cogent subtle points.  He was preaching to the congregation.  He was not preaching to or about Ms. Houston as she was cold and inside of a coffin.  I think we forget that ANYTIME a preacher gets up to preach, he MUST preach Jesus above all else.  He started out doing that, especially when he spoke about the Christian life being misunderstood as boring and that the devil deludes many into thinking that.  That is what happened to Ms. Houston...she got deluded into thinking that she needed something more than what God was offering.  The enemy stole from her and eventually destroyed her.  Could he have sprinkled in a few more references about Ms. Houston, surely.  He probably could have done that rather than making references to his "amen corner".  But his message, "Prioritize" was very timely and relevant to the crowd that was there.  Upper crust, affluent and "successful" musicians, entertainers and the like.  The blog said that there was no practical application that could be taken away from the sermon- I disagree.  Where is did fall short is preaching salvation to those that were listening, but then again, I wasn't there so I don't know how his message ended. 

The first thing that I picked up on from his message was this...live in such a way that people know Who you worship!  He said explicitly that in order to really survive this life, we MUST know Christ/God.  Who can disagree with that?  Did Ms. Houston know God?  Did she live a life that displayed that she knew God?  Unless you've been living under a rock for the last ten years, the answer to the former question would be a maybe and the answer to the last question would be a definite NO.

The second thing that I picked up from his message, again directly tuned in to his audience, was to NEVER put anything above God.  Not money, not fame, not success, not career...not anything.  Can we answer affirmatively that Ms. Houston did this?  Again, I would have to say no.  She may have started in the church, but she used her God given talent to enrich herself, not to glorify the giver of the talent.  One thing that we confuse is that a talent is not a spiritual gift.  Spiritual gifts are used to edify the body of Christ (1 Cor 12, 1 Cor 14) and singing is not a spiritual gift (unless maybe we consider it "a" gift of exhortation, see Romans 12:8) Singing is a talent.  Spiritual gifts cannot necessarily be improved with "practice" as they are given solely at the discretion of the Holy Spirit and are exercised by the power of the Holy Spirit.  The blog article from the Uppity Negro Network said "The talents that are given to us and those gifts that we pick up on our journey are not for our own self-aggrandizement but for the betterment of our own sisters and brothers whom we encounter daily.

"Given the confines he had to work with, Matthew chapter six, verse 25, Winans had an opportunity to raise the level of consciousness beyond our earthly lives and to prioritize the things in life that matter. That is to say, we should leave a legacy, as Whitney did, through her talents."  When I read this statement, I was literally incensed.  Winans did exactly that- he told his audience to KEEP their priorities ordered in such a way that Christ is always first.  He just happened to do so while taking a very circuituous path, one that I would have avoided, personally.  I was not incensed by the comment on the sermon, I was incensed by the fact that the "legacy" of Ms. Houston is seemingly celebrated as if all she left behind was music and that she left no other wreckage in the wake of her death. Why is it that we celebrate dysfunction in this country?  The legacy that Ms. Houston leaves behind, unfortunately is one of parental neglect, bad decision making and heartache.  Her daughter is now battling the same addictions that she battled because they openly used drugs and alcohol in Bobbi Christina's presence.  Her decision to choose drugs over God was the worst one that she ever made.  The heartache that she caused her mother is something I never want to experience.  I can't imagine what her mother is feeling.  She has long supported Ms. Houston through her numerous addictions and she was always right there for her. 

I for one am not going to allow the image that we were sold by Arista Records to cloud my vision as it relates to the truth.  We were sold an image of a clean-cut, golden voiced, humble little girl that just "wanted to dance with somebody who loved her".  What was actually in the package was something totally different.  I can only think back in horror as I watched the 20/20 interview with Ms. Houston and her husband, with dried cocaine on his nose, as she arrogantly stated that she did not smoke crack because it was for poor people or her colloquially referring to drug use "partying".  Ms. Houston leaves behind a legacy that is hardly worth celebrating.  Her music may have been wonderful, but her life outside of music left a lot to be desired and bore the marks of a life walking on the razor's edge that separates the kingdom of God from the kingdom of the air.  That may sound harsh and I mean no disrespect for the dead, but at this point as we begin to rewrite history, a moment of clarity is needed.

What Marvin Winans did, in no uncertain terms a very subtle way, was let his audience know that there is NOTHING higher than Christ, that nothing can ever replace Him and when you live your life the way that the deceased did, you are also headed down the same path.  He preached that in a way that the family would not be offended and he would not have to lie.  I know that feeling because I have preached funerals for folks that left a lot to be desired here on earth.  I preached my brother's funeral and he left a legacy that was not very good with the people who knew him the best.  To those that saw his image, they were sold that he was A1.  He was anything but, however, towards the end of his life, he turned his life over to Christ.  I made that clear in my eulogy that he was not fit to die when he first discovered that he had congestive heart failure-- but God showed him mercy and gave him time to get himself together.  The thing that you must do in that situation is not make much over the person in the coffin but make much over Christ who is available to whoever seeks Him.  I feel that Pastor Winans did what the Lord led him to do.  He didn't get up and preach about Whitney Houston, he preached about the one that is the Greatest, the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah and the Savior of all mankind (for most of his sermon). 

Marvin Winans spoke the truth in love, as Paul says in Ephesians 4.  He told the truth without offending Cissy Houston, Bobby Brown, Bobbi Christina or any other family members that were present.  Ms. Houston's life was a wreck because her priorities were out of order.  Her untimely demise was a direct result of her priorities being out of order.  Pastor Winans was simply saying to those that were present or listening that in order to avoid this route, get your priorities in order!  As we go through this life, we MUST prioritize and remember what's really important.  Number 1 records are not what's important, reality TV shows are not what's important, large sums of money are not either- it is a relationship with God through Christ that matters the most.  He made that point very early in his sermon and he preached Christ throughout his message. God first, all else second.   He went off on this strange tangent concerning the prosperity gospel but he eventually came back the text and admonished his listeners to prioritize.  He did violate the number one rule of preaching, in my opinion, which is he got a away from the text.  It is always advisable to "STICK TO THE TEXT" and the text will preach itself.  What he failed to do was to go to the Cross and really make it plain to the listeners that their priorities would REMAIN messed up without Christ as the head of their lives.  He also failed to illustrate how the Blood of Jesus was shed for all sinners, even the ones sitting in the church coked up, drunk, pilled up or whatever.  That's where I would have done something differently.  He could have used that time he spent talking about "prosperity" to show that God, in his mercy, allowed Ms. Houston to escape the pain that she undoubtedly dealt with, quietly and peacefully and that it was GOD that ended her bout with drugs and alcohol.  I don't know if Jakes dealt with any of this, but I know that I would have done things differently.  Having said that, someone with listening ears could get the essence of the message if they got past the cassock and the call and response (which is not always a bad thing).

I am not going to join the celebration of dysfunction that many have heartily promoted.  She left here with a lot of loose ends untied.  I thank God that there is some indication that she was saved.  I don't know what her eternal destination is nor will I speculate.  If the thief on the cross next to Jesus was with Him in paradise, and he had been a thief all of his natural life, then I cannot say that Ms. Houston is not present with the Lord.  We don't know what words her last breaths were able to piece together.  We don't know if she called out to the Lord to save her soul, but I certainly hope that she did.  Her mother is the one to be commended for being a MOTHER to her daughter.  Ms. Houston had a great role model in Cissy Houston and she did not take advantage of it and raise her daughter like she should have.  She had everything and did not know what to do with it.  My prayers go out to those left to sift through the wreckage and to her mother and daughter.  May God's grace allow a second tragedy to be averted.

The Bad Theology of the "Oh God" Movies

The "Oh, God" movies were made very polular in the late 70's and the early 80's.  These movies were pretty funny, especially to a young impressionable kid such as myself.  I thought it was cute to see "God" cracking jokes and making light of serious situations.  I watched the movie, "Oh, God! You Devil" this weekend and it was the first time I had watched one of these movies since the 3rd grade or so.  It was a great plot.  A man makes a deal with the devil and becomes a rock star.  He later wants his life back but the devil refuses to release him from his deal- so he starts looking for God.  He asks "religious" people how to find God and none of them pointed to Christ.  Eventually, following the advice of a street preacher dressed like Moses, he finds "God" in...Las Vegas, of all places.  

In Las Vegas is where the movie took a turn for the worse, theologically.  First of all, the movie paints God and the devil as equal.  That's the furthest thing from the truth.  Satan was created by God, and is not God's equal.  God has no equal.  Isaiah ays plainly that there was no God formed before the LORD and none will come after him.

The doomed rock star gets in touch with God by calling the hotel's front desk and telling to page "the Lord".  They did, and George Burns picks up the phone and begins having a conversation with the man who was trying to become normal again.  "God" used a rainbow and lightning to prove who he was.  This was not too bad as the bible says that God attested to Jesus with signs and wonders.  The problem came when the man tried to manipulate God by saying, "I'll do anything, just help me".  God cannot be manipulated, he assists us and helps us based solely on his grace, not because of anything that we can do for him.  His grace was lavished on us in the form of Christ Jesus, of whom, there was NO MENTION in the film.

The final straw came in the climax of the film.  The rock star took pills to committ suicide and while his life was hanging in the balance, the devil and "God" (both played by Burns) had a card game to see who would win the battle for this man's soul.  "God" bargained with the devil at the card table and eventually won the card game, thus sparing the man's life.  God does not bargain with Satan, Satan takes his orders from God.  If God does not allow it, Satan cannot do it- point blank.  Job is an excellent example of the restraints that God places on Satan.  Luke 22:31 says that although Satan desired to sift Peter as wheat, Jesus prayed for him that his faith would not fail. 

The movie ends with the man walking out of the auditorium with "God" and looking him square in the face.  Moses couldn't even do that.  The bible says that no man can look upon the face of God and live (Exodus 33:23).  God reprimands the man and tells him, if you get into trouble again, I won't bail you out.  Now, the God of mercy, grace and love is not going to tell us, "If you get into trouble again, I won't bail you out next time."  That's contrary to His grace and contrary to our nature!  We are sinners by nature and we are working towards perfection- but perfection does not come until the perfect comes (1 Cor 13:10), then the partial will be done away with.

This movie is full of bad theology although being quite humorous.  Bruce Almighty is the same way, just an updated version.  We like the idea of an old grandfather God that winks at sin and that we can manipulate to do our bidding.  This is NOT the God of the Bible.  The God of the Bible is holy, true, just, merciful and wrathful, slow to anger/abounding in love, righteous and a spirit (in nature).  He's not an old man with a fishing hat on cracking jokes and smoking cigars.  It was funny when I was a child but now that I am a man, I've put away childish things.    

Better to Reign in Hell than to Serve in Heaven

"It is better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven..." is a line from the epic poem by John Milton, "Paradise Lost".  In evangelical circles, Paradise Lost has a significant impact on how the theology of God and the devil is understood.  While it is a poem, it has shaped the thoughts of men and women of God for years.  As a general rule, it is unwise to subscribe to extra-biblical accounts to shape theology- theology should be shaped by the bible, not the other way around.  Nevertheless, Milton's poem gives us an illustration of the pride of Satan, the fall of man and the fall of everything not God, hence the title, Paradise Lost.  In Book 1, line 260 of the 10 books of Paradise Lost, this is Satan's famous line in a speech that he was giving to fallen angels that rebelled with him.  Satan says that in hell, they would reign secure- because God had not built there.  His idea is that he and his cohorts would be "free" in hell to do as they pleased.  The bible says of Satan in Isaiah 14:14 (see also 2 Thess 2:4) that in his loftiness and his pride, he said to himself, "I shall ascend above the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High."  Satan is an ambitious fellow if there ever was one.  His desire to usurp the power of God and refusal to bow to God ultimately led to his demise and his dismissal from "heaven" [I placed heaven in quotes because the bible clearly states in Ephesians 6 that spiritual wickedness exists in high places; the bible also states in the book of Revelation that Satan and his angels are not cast down until the final battle, which takes place near the coming of Christ].  A better way to state the previous would be to state that Satan was dismissed from the presence of God.  What we get from this description is a clear picture that Satan is so deceptive that he has even deceived himself to think that he can be equal to God.  How can the created be equal to the Creator?  He is a being, created just like we are created- only not flesh and blood, but spirit.

This brings me to the purpose of this post.  I went to see "Safehouse" with Denzel Washington this weekend.  It was a very good movie.  I think that the part was written for Morgan Freeman because that's who Denzel Washington looked like at the beginning of the movie, before he converted to  his more polished, clean shaven look towards the end.  Freeman wouldn't sell tickets like Washington, so the producers probably said to Denzel, "we're going for a Morgan Freeman type look..."  Washington even donned the signature hoop earring that Morgan Freeman sports off camera. 

Anyway, the lead song on the movie soundtrack is a song by Jay Z and Kanye West ("Watch the Throne" album) featuring singer Frank Ocean and produced by 88 Keys.  The song, admittedly, has a very spellbinding sample of a guitar riff simply repeated and a very alluring drum track which makes for an almost hypnotic sound.  I was nodding my head as the end credits rolled until I started listening to the lyrics.  The lyrics have been thoroughly analyzed by James W. McCarty III (Theology of No Church in the Wild  see also Rap Genius Explanation).  While  I enjoyed reading Mr. McCarty's synopsis and I think that his blog post was brilliantly written, I believe he gives WAY too much credit to Jay Z and to Kanye West for the depth of their lyrical content.  He's exegeting Jay Z's lyrics as if they were scripture and in my opinion he read more into the lyrics than the lyrics actually said.  What got me was the hook of the song, which I do give great credit to McCarty for analyzing and I am in agreement with.  The hook is as follows:

Human beings in a mob
What's a mob to a king? What's a king to a God?
What's a God to a non-believer who don't believe in anything?
Will he make it out alive? Alright, alright, no church in the wild

If you look at the hook, there is a progression of insignificance from a human being in a mob, a mob to a king, a king to a God and finally, a God to a non-believer that doesn't believe anything.  This is a fairly bold statement meant to totally diminish God.  In the eyes of a non-believer, i.e. one that does not even acknowledge that God exists, the lyric is quite true, God is nothing to them.  This is not only a blasphemous statement, it is one that says loudly, I'd rather reign in hell than serve in heaven.  Sure, a non-believer probably does not believe in heaven or hell, but that doesn't mean that they don't exist.  To a BELIEVER like myself, this type of brashness and bravado is trademark of Jay Z.  He is constantly equating himself with God.  He has also subtly stated that he does not believe in God.  I guess he just likes playing with the name of God or taking it in vain, which he does often by calling himself JayHova- a play of the name Jehovah.  Mr. Carter may very well be a "god" to someone, but he is no God.  Ezekiel 28:2 says explicitly:

“Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,
“Because your heart is lifted up
And you have said, ‘I am a god,
I sit in the seat of gods
In the heart of the seas’;
Yet you are a man and not God,
Although you make your heart like the heart of God—

In other words, come down off the high horse Shawn.  You can become the first trillionaire and NEVER be God.  Truth is, money doesn't make you God.  It may make you think that you are a god.  God is invincible, He is the first and the last, there was NONE before Him and there is NONE beside Him.  Whenever you come off of the 5% trip that man is God and sole controller and develop a real conception of the God of the universe that spoke galaxies into existence, you will realize how insignificant we are as human beings.

Without going into a full blown analysis of the song, let me just say that if Mr. Carter and Mr. West think that this is the "wild", if they experience the hell that awaits "non-believers", that will be, to quote my mother, "sho-nuff, wild!"  There is a true concept of "wild" in that in the absence of God, and the absence of the love of God, EVERYTHING goes wild.  I understand the song to be a dig at organized religion.  I can understand the beef with "organized religion" and that the history of the church is not good in the eyes of many.  Religion has been used to surpress, to kill, to manipulate and to brainwash people for centuries.  However, religion is simply man's attempt at explaining God- what is more important is that each man develop his own personal relationship with Christ.  When men "act bad" in the name of religion, moreover, in the name of Christianity, it places a stain on all Christians but it does not define the movement.  It defines the actions of those particularly depraved individuals.  My suggestion to these gentlemen is to seek God for yoursleves instead of subscribing to a narrow, myopic view of what you perceive as religion.  The preface to the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan makes a very astute observation in that if the church acted the way it was supposed to act, non believers could no longer use it as a scapegoat and would finally have to admit that it's not "organized religion" that they don't subscribe to, but the God that "organized religion" i.e. Christianity worships.  The One that is greater than our grandiose delusions of ourselves.

With that being said, I don't see the song as groundbreaking or awe-inspiring.  Yes, it has some controversial words in it.  Sure,  it has brought the conspiracy theorists out in droves to analyze the lyrics and make some sort of connection between Mr. Carter and Mr. West and the illuminatti.  My feeling is that the devil is real and whether he works through some shadowy organization or not, he's a real being with real power and he can only be defeated through Christ Jesus.  What I see from this particular song is two men that have made the decision to reign in hell rather than serve in heaven.  Their choice to denounce "religion" is actually their choice to denounce Christ.  Making themselves out as the Trinity with Carter "flows the Holy Ghost",  Christ as simply the carpenter and West laying down the beats is absolutely astonishing.  The blasphemous and hedonistic messages in the song point to two lost souls whose minds are blinded by the god of this world, Satan.  10 years ago, you couldn't pay me to say anything like this about anything hip-hop; but time, wisdom, discernment and a true relationship with Christ allows me to see things now that I didn't see as a younger man.  These men are downright foolish.  But men that do not fear the Almighty do foolish things.  Proverbs 26:12 says that there is more hope for a fool that there is for a man that is wise in his own estimation.

I don't know if either of these guys sold their soul.  I think that is an ironic statement in itself because your soul belongs to God and you cannot sell what does not belong to you.  What IS possible is to live your life in such a way that your allegiance is to Satan.  Here is the problem with that.  Whatever Satan promises will eventually crumble.  He promised Jesus kingdoms in exchange for worship- Jesus has riches and a kingdom in glory that is eternal, why would he accept brick and mortar?  Any promise from Satan could never be fulfilled simply because he cannot tell the truth.  If he promised you that you would reign in hell with him, that's not possible because hell represents the END of Satan's reign on earth, the END of sin, the END of Hades and the END of death (Revelation 20).  Not only will you not reign with him, you will suffer the same fiery fate that he does.  Jesus says that he is a murderer and a liar and the truth is not in him (John 8:44).  Anyone presumptuous enough to accept Satan's fool's gold has a serious problem.   According to Mr. Carter, "Jesus can't save you and life begins when the church ends..."  Again, he's confusing the "church" with the "Church".  The building versus the Body of Christ- two different things.  One, the building, you can go into on Sunday morning and leave and have nothing change about you.  The other, the Body, causes us to change through a transformative relationship with Christ, and as such, become a functioning part of His body to carry out His work and will in the earth.

Before you attack anything, be sure that you understand it.  Mr. Carter and Mr. West have attacked religion (man-made) in a feeble attempt to call God on the carpet.  Religion doesn't equate to God- it's that simple.  God is to be worshipped, not religion.  God alone sits on the throne, not any rapper or rappers with overblown egos.  Get a clear understanding of who God IS and there will be no confusion between God and religion.  The true and living God transcends religion.  It is my prayer that both of these brothers see the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ before it is too late. 

Just like Satan lied to Eve in the garden of Eden and told her that she would become "like God", he has lied to this New Age generation and has them believing that they can be "like God".  He lured Eve into sin and he has lured the prideful brood of vipers known as post-modern man into the same sin.  The good news is that no matter how deep in sin one is, there is a way out.  That same carpenter referenced in the song, died on a cross to save us from the penalty of sin and to bring us back into fellowship with the Father.  There is even a way out for the atheist and the hedonist, if they are willing to accept it.  If we are willing to forego our presuppositions about God and are willing to admit that we are sinful and are willing to repent of sin, Christ is right there to say to you, as the father of the prodigal son said to him, welcome home, my son or my daughter...you were dead and now you are alive.  You can be made alive in Christ today and serve in heaven in eternity- there is no shame in that.  I'd rather serve in heaven than to reign in hell.

Photo Credit: Satan, as drawn by Gustave Dore, in John Milton's Paradise Lost.

Hidden Reefs

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one."

In the book of 1st Corinthians, Paul admonishes the church at Corinth about mingling with and accepting immoral people.  Paul makes it very clear that there is a distinction between the people that he is talking about.  He said to them that he did not mean ALL immoral people because to avoid association with them would mean that believers would have to go out of the world.  Paul was specifically talking about recalcitrant, immoral people within the church.  The immorality that he was referencing was sexual immorality- he gave an example of a man sleeping with his own mother at the beginning of this particular chapter.  He is referencing folks in the church that are patently unrepentant and yet stay around because the church is a comfortable place.

Paul says that so-called brothers should be expelled.  He went on to discuss other behaviors that are in the same vein as immorality such as covetousness, idolatry, drunkenness, swindling, reviling.  Let me be clear, ALL of us are struggling with something.  However, some of us are actually struggling whereas others are not struggling, but basking in the glow of sinfulness- and not thinking twice about it.  These should be expelled!

When immoral, recalcitrant, unrepentant people stay around people that are seeking holiness, they cause problems.  They cause people to look at God as their BFF and as a God that does not expect holiness out of His people.  What this does is water down the cause of God!  How can we preach holiness and salvation to the world if the people that make up the body of Christ look the same as the people that are outside the body?  If there is no change, no regeneration, no inward purge of the old nature, no crucifying of the flesh-- then the outside world sees the power of God as ineffective.  Paul says also that he turns such a one over to Satan so that their flesh can be "destroyed".  This statement is not as shocking when we read the entire scripture.  The B-clause of the same scripture in verse 5 says this, "so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."  Paul's decision to "turn such a one over to Satan" is a decision to give that person that refuses to repent of sin exactly what they want.  If they are choosing to live an unrepentant life, don't do it under the cover of church- do it outside of the church.  "Turning them over" is done such that once Satan finishes with them, they will understand the protection, the peace and the grace that God provides to us and come back to the church, but with different intentions!  It is our acceptable sacrifice to live lives that are pleasing to God in return to the grace that He has bestowed upon us!

The problem is that these types of "church people" are just like the men that Jude refers to as "hidden reefs" (Jude 12). Jude speaks of false prophets in his text and the analogy that he used was quite vivid. If you have ever flown over tropical waters and looked out the window of the plane, you can actually see reefs in the ocean. You can see them very well if the water is clear. What's the significance of this? Hidden reefs cause shipwreck. If a ship is sailing and strikes a reef, that ship is going to sink!  There are hidden reefs in every Christian church and yet Christians stand idly by and allow them to continue to sink ships. 

I wrote this after reading about a "pastor", Darrell Gilyard, that has been released from jail for sexual crimes against minors (my good friend Lynn from Hicktownpress has blogged about this).  He's promptly been placed in a pastoral position after being accused of the same thing at numerous locations.  He's also now a registered sex offender.  The church, in their silliness, rather than expelling the immoral brother, decided to make the kids in the church meet in a separate building on the property so that the "pastor" could preach without violating the terms of his probation.  How stupid is that?  How desperate are these people for a pastor?  Do these people not realize that they are sailing in waters with hidden reefs and that they are doomed for shipwreck?  Do they not see that this man is a shark waiting to devour them?  Or are they so desperate to excuse their own indiscretions that they appoint a man in worse shape than them to watch over their souls?  Having a pastor of ill repute is totally unbiblical.  It's not that the pastor must be perfect, but he must be above reproach (Titus 1:5-9) and must live a blameless life.  It's very simple.  Sit this man down or expel him from your midst because he will eventually cause shipwreck within the body- and evidently he already has.  He's a hidden reef that should be avoided by those in the already turbulent seas of life.

The LGBTQ Community Strikes Again

I wrote a post about a month ago (Enough is Enough Already) addressing the audacity  LGBTQ community to force the California school system to include the sexuality of historical figures within the historical narrative in school books.  I was angry then and I am more angry now.  Not angry, let me say...I'm outdone. 

I will go on record and say that I admire Roland Martin.  I think he's a fine journalist and a great example for African Americans to look to.  He's smart, candid and real.  I have always liked the guy.  He's a wonderful addition to CNN and now, he's a suspended addition.  Martin was recently suspended by CNN for some "offensive" tweets that he sent out during the Super Bowl (Roland Martin suspended).  His tweets said something the the effect of "if a guy likes the David Beckham underwear ads, smack him..."    I'm paraphrasing but what he said is what EVERY heterosexual man watching the Super Bowl would say!  He's not advocating violence against gay men, he's BEING a man.  Men are not supposed to be turned on by other men, it's that simple.  I'm sure that he was cracking up laughing as he tweeted this. He says that he was saying it in relation to soccer, but I would say it in relation to men checking for David Beckham.

So, GLADD spoke out and demanded that Roland Martin be let go at CNN.  Why is it that gay people are SO insecure?  How could such an innocuous and NORMAL post be seen as advocating violence against gay people?  Roland Martin was not at work when this tweet was posted.  He was relaxing, watching the game.  These people organizations like GLADD irk me to no end.  They are so sensitive about everything.  Making snap judgments at every comment and being offended by every single thing that someone says is usually a sign of insecurity and guilt.  I'll give you a perfect example.  If you have a job and the boss starts talking about lowered productivity and sloth in the workplace- and you know you have been slacking- you are probably going to get offended.  I had a job once and I was calling a girlfriend long distance during my shift.  Word came down from the manager that the long distance had been cut off.  The manager never came to me directly and my supervisor told me that he "heard" that someone had been calling long distance.  I denied that it was me, but I knew that it was me.  I was as guilty as sin- but when the word went out, I acted like it wasn't me and was even offended when someone asked me about it.  How's that for insecurity?

Once again, I have nothing against the men and women of the LGBTQ community.  Do whatever you like, but don't expect me or other normal people to accept it.  That's your life and your business.  Why is it that everyone else sees the dysfunction of that type of relationship except for the ones that are in them?  Men and women are meant to reproduce- that's why men have sperm and women have eggs.  Any relationship in violation of that natural order is unnatural.  That's a very simple illustration to drive home a powerful point- you guys are wrong- but I respect your right to be wrong.  Do what you do, but don't expect everyone to walk on eggshells because of your own guilt and insecurity.  I'm sorry and I don't mean to be rude but Roland Martin should not have lost his job because of his HETEROSEXUALITY.  What offends me is some dude sashaying past me as if he could ever be a woman...but you don't see me trying to get him fired, do you?

RUN!!!

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is not somewhere that people should be right now.  Eddie Long,  won't call him a bishop, needs to sit down some where.  This whole charade with the "Jewish" Rabbi Messer (wow, does that name fit or what...messy is what it should be) is utterly ridiculous!  Please New Birth congregants, RUN!  I watched the video- I won't put in a link to it, but I will put in a link to an article that debunks the entire thing here (Huffington Post Article Debunks Eddie Long kingship) where a very astute professor poked holes all in this thing. 

This situation reminds me of the biblical account of Jeroboam in 1 Kings 13.  Read it when you get some study time because the story is actually pretty deep.  2 Chronicles Chapters 10-12 will provide a great backdrop.  To summarize, Solomon's sin caused God to split the kingdom of Israel in two.  His son, Rehoboam, who took over when Solomon died,  caused the people to revolt with Jeroboam (formerly a trusted military advisor to Solomon turned enemy of the state that was exiled to Egypt) leading and taking 10 tribes to be king over.  Two tribes remained, Judah and Benjamin, and the kingdom was officially split with the North becoming Israel (capitol, Samaria) and the South becoming Judah (capitol, Jerusalem). 

Where it gets interesting at is when Jeroboam wanted to keep the people from going to Jerusalem to worship.  He was a control freak that was desirous of keeping the kingdom from "belonging to David".  He erected two shrines, one in Bethel and one in Dan, and in each of them he placed  a gold bull that the people foolishly worshipped.   He then called his own priests to minister in the temples.  God anoints those that he chooses, not man.  God specified in Numbers 1:47 and Numbers 3:10 that ALL priests were to come from the tribe of Levi and that any layman that came near was to be put to death.  Jeroboam was so adamant about setting his own thing up that he even devised phony feasts that happened on the same days that the real feasts were occurring in Jerusalem.  This man wanted something that God did not give him and he operated totally outside of the will of God and totally disregarded the WORD of God.  He created his own little fantasy and he eventually paid the price for it. 

Parishioners of New Birth, can you see the parallels here?  Long has deluded you into believing that you are really worshipping  God.  You are actually worshipping at a temple with a golden bull in it.   Watching this "crowning king" video and listening to the adulation of the audience (I won't gratify them by calling them a congregation) was astonishing to say the least.  I sat with my mouth open as shouts of "hallelujah" rained down from the crowd.  As this fallen man  was lifted up and proclaimed to "no longer be a commoner".  Jesus was a commoner!  To top it off, here was a so-called Rabbi that was so far out of touch with Jewish tradition until he was almost comical.  Can you see it New Birth?  Long has created a fantasy in which sin is acceptable, repentance is optional and itching ears are the norm!  When men allow themselves to be carried around the stage as a king, when they usurp God's glory for themselves, when the make up their own rules...there is only one thing to do...RUN!  Brothers and Sisters, you cannot continue to sit under that foolishness and expect God to bless you!  Your king is turning your hearts away from God and towards himself- and if you've ever took time to read your bible, you would know that God is a jealous God.

Please RUN people.  Long is not God's anointed, he is not God's prophet or God's mouthpiece.  Real preachers talk it AND walk it.  This brother needs to step down and get his life together.  He is in shambles and is totally blind to the fact that he is inviting God's judgment upon himself.  In the story referenced above, God sent a prophet to deal with Jeroboam.  Who or what God will send to deal with Eddie Long is God's prerogative.  What I don't understand is this, why would anyone continue to sit under a preacher that is a known pervert and hypocrite?  Have you seen Centino Kemp?  Wow...that's about all I can say in the most reprehensible way possible.  RUN New Birth, RUN and don't look back.  Get out of Sodom and Gomorrah before God levels it and turns it into ashes.  Don't be like Lot's wife and look back, get to steppin'!  I'm praying that you all would see Long for the charlatan that he is.  I am also praying that he will come to know the error in his ways.  That smug look he had on his face in the video and the roar of the crowd let's me know that Long will continue to be the "king" of New Birth for a while.  I wouldn't want to be there when it all comes crumbling down.