Today is strange. It is almost like Deja Vu. I am sitting in the Montgomery Cancer Center with my wife who is dealing with the same issue that my mother just dealt with. On the tail end of my mom's chemotherapy, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. As my mother walks towards the light at the end of the tunnel, my wife is now only beginning her journey. We are very optimistic and her cancer was detected very early. It is amazing that no matter who you are, life has a way of catching up to you.
Slightly before 8AM at the cancer center, 30 or so patients crowd into a small area waiting for labs etc. to see their oncologist or to have bloodwork done. I thought we were early, but we are in the midst of a very busy day. All of the patients sit and wait, converse about the day and some even express their displeasure with being here. What is striking is the number or people that are here suffering with cancer. And as we sit and wait, the people continue to pour in and there are more patients sitting outside the waiting area because there aren't enough seats to accommodate everyone.
The fallen condition of the world is such that death is constantly at work trying to destroy the creation. Disease, disarray, pain, anguish, despair and sorrow all kick against mankind trying their best to take us out. Romans 8:19-22 says that the WHOLE creation, the WHOLE earth is groaning because of the effects of sin and longs to be delivered from death. The entire creation is longing to be renewed and restored by the appearance of Christ who will in turn "reveal the sons of God". We are in a perilous predicament here on this planet because death never takes a day off.
Outside of Christ, the end result of the outworking of sin is death. Through some physical manifestation, death will have the last say in this physical body if you are an unbeliever. Unfortunately, for the one that dies outside of Christ, death will have a second say- in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).
Thanks be to God that just as death does not take a day off, neither does Jesus! Let us look to the scriptures for confirmation, comfort and restoration. Hebrews 2:14-15 states:
" Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise
partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has
the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all
those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."
Here, the bible says explicitly that Jesus experienced death to destroy the one who has the power of death. Death's power and the one that holds that power have been rendered impotent by Christ's victory over death! That is good news for all that are in Christ. Jesus coming and tasting death for all of us once and for all (Hebrews 2:9). There is no fear of physical death for the one that is in Christ Jesus because he not only defeated death but the one that holds death's power, that is the devil! AND delivers all who were enslaved by the fear of death. So, while death is constantly at work in the world, Christ has already overcome the world and by the same token He has also overcome all of the effects of the world- including death. We all have to endure hardship and suffering but as the apostle Paul so eloquently stated in 2nd Corinthians 4:16 "though the outward man is perishing, the inner man is being renewed every day". Let your inner man be renewed by the power of the Holy Ghost and be of good courage. The physicality of life subjects us to many dangers, toils and snares BUT God's grace has led us safe thus far and God's grace will lead us home. Death is at work, but it is a futile assignment against those that are in Christ. Grace and Peace to you all.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Yesterday, Today & Forever
In an effort to mantain some balance regarding the raging argument concerning gay rights, the President's recent admission of his support for "equality in marriage", the yahoo in North Carolina that wants to put all homosexuals behind a fence and the various pastors and intellectuals that have tried to square the right for a homosexual to get married with the Bible- someone has to find the middle ground and simply tell the truth.
Rev. Welton Gaddy rebuked Pastor Charles Worley for his comments made against homosexuals and their desire to get married. While Worley was harsh and unreasonable, his basic premise was correct, the Bible is truly against homosexuality. Rev. Gaddy's response to Worley is what really troubled me. His premise was that the bible is often taken out of context concerning what it contains with respect to homosexuality and that Christianity is all about love and acceptance. Culture has shifted from long ago and so since things are different, then things that were unacceptable before are now acceptable. Link to the conversation between Rev. Gaddy and Anderson Cooper is here (Worley/Gaddy).
What Gaddy has asserted through his comments is that God has somehow changed with the culture and that what was written down thousands of years ago doesn't still apply today. 2 Tim 3:16-17 says that all scripture is God breathed/inspired which means that whether it's Old Testament or New Testament, God inspired it! A common argument is that Jesus never condemned homosexuality and that the OT is irrelevant when speaking on the issue- but while Jesus never said anything directly regarding homosexuality, he did speak openly about SIN in general, lust, adultery, divorce, etc. There are scriptures in the New Testament, also God inspired, that denounce the practice of homosexuality. Romans 1:26-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 are scriptures that clearly say that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Homosexuality, which is a perversion of what God intended for sex to be, would most definitely fall into the category of sexual immorality- which is condemned by numerous scriptures of the bible (sexual immorality).
Michael Eric Dyson (Dyson/Nelson the Grio) has even gone so far as to say that homosexuality is not even a sin. In a debate with Sophia Nelson, Dyson says: "“The reason you have a faith problem with gay and lesbian people,” Dyson said, “you’re throwing them a bone by saying, ‘look, I believe in civil unions’ and the like, but what you’re not addressing is the fact that our faith fuels the belief that to be gay is to be automatically a sinner. To be gay is to be outside the covenant of God, and I’m arguing that that automatically disqualifies gay and lesbian people to be your equals in the faith.” So,in Dyson's eyes, who I consider to be a great orator, homosexuality is not a sin but only something that Christians perceive as sin. I'm sorry but I don't want to even open that can or worms and start rewriting the bible as it relates to sin. That's dangerous ground, I don't care how well you speak. If you are a Christian, the Bible governs your entire worldview regarding sin and if the bible states explicitly that something is a sin then that settles the matter. The bible also helps us to understand that ALL of us are sinners, we just have different appetites for sin.
Rev. Welton Gaddy rebuked Pastor Charles Worley for his comments made against homosexuals and their desire to get married. While Worley was harsh and unreasonable, his basic premise was correct, the Bible is truly against homosexuality. Rev. Gaddy's response to Worley is what really troubled me. His premise was that the bible is often taken out of context concerning what it contains with respect to homosexuality and that Christianity is all about love and acceptance. Culture has shifted from long ago and so since things are different, then things that were unacceptable before are now acceptable. Link to the conversation between Rev. Gaddy and Anderson Cooper is here (Worley/Gaddy).
What Gaddy has asserted through his comments is that God has somehow changed with the culture and that what was written down thousands of years ago doesn't still apply today. 2 Tim 3:16-17 says that all scripture is God breathed/inspired which means that whether it's Old Testament or New Testament, God inspired it! A common argument is that Jesus never condemned homosexuality and that the OT is irrelevant when speaking on the issue- but while Jesus never said anything directly regarding homosexuality, he did speak openly about SIN in general, lust, adultery, divorce, etc. There are scriptures in the New Testament, also God inspired, that denounce the practice of homosexuality. Romans 1:26-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 are scriptures that clearly say that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Homosexuality, which is a perversion of what God intended for sex to be, would most definitely fall into the category of sexual immorality- which is condemned by numerous scriptures of the bible (sexual immorality).
Michael Eric Dyson (Dyson/Nelson the Grio) has even gone so far as to say that homosexuality is not even a sin. In a debate with Sophia Nelson, Dyson says: "“The reason you have a faith problem with gay and lesbian people,” Dyson said, “you’re throwing them a bone by saying, ‘look, I believe in civil unions’ and the like, but what you’re not addressing is the fact that our faith fuels the belief that to be gay is to be automatically a sinner. To be gay is to be outside the covenant of God, and I’m arguing that that automatically disqualifies gay and lesbian people to be your equals in the faith.” So,in Dyson's eyes, who I consider to be a great orator, homosexuality is not a sin but only something that Christians perceive as sin. I'm sorry but I don't want to even open that can or worms and start rewriting the bible as it relates to sin. That's dangerous ground, I don't care how well you speak. If you are a Christian, the Bible governs your entire worldview regarding sin and if the bible states explicitly that something is a sin then that settles the matter. The bible also helps us to understand that ALL of us are sinners, we just have different appetites for sin.
According to Gaddy, the bible is totally about love and acceptance, and I agree to an extent. The bible is about love and acceptance...of the repentant sinner, not the recalcitrant, stubborn, unrepentant sinner that refuses to renounce sinful ways. Those who resist, refuse to repent- while God still loves them, he does not accept their sinful lifestyles. According to Dyson, homosexuals have nothing to repent of because they are not sinners. Does he not know that EVERYONE is a sinner and not just homosexuals? I would submit that Dyson is dead wrong and Gaddy has somehow adopted a universalist approach that does not require the followers of Jesus to be holy at all.
The one thing that both of these men miss is that although our culture has changed, God has not! His statutes and decrees haven't changed, his demand for holiness has not changed and his requirements for entering the kingdom of God haven't changed. Hebrews 6:18 says that God is immutable or unchangeable. If you read further in Hebrews, Hebrews 13:18 says that Jesus Christ (God the Son) is the same yesterday, today and forever. The bible says in James 1:17 says that God does not change like shifting shadows which indicated that He is consistent! If there is one constant in the universe, it is God. He existed before time began and He was holy then and He is still holy. Having a seminary degree doesn't not qualify you to make statements like these gentlemen have made. What they have done in making these types of statements is perverted the Word of God and the holiness of God. The pastor in North Carolina, Worley, has done the same thing because he's attacking people rather than sin. He's no better than these two.
Paul makes a great statement in Romans 12:2 and it should be memorized by every Christian. "Do not be conformed to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind". This world is falling apart at the seams, why would we want to assimilate? Why would we follow anything that will ultimately lead to death? There is no room in the kingdom for this type of high minded, philosophical foolishness that is going to lead so many astray. Remember, although the world around you is shifting, the way that people think is shifting...but God is still on the throne and he has not changed with the times. That's the furthest thing from the truth, regardless of who said it and what their title is.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Middle
Hebrews 11:1 is a very familiar passage of scripture. It says simply Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Put another way, my hopes rest of the faith that I have in God and I am convinced already about the outcome of whatever situation I am in because He (God) has already shown me the end. I already know that whatever God promised me will be delivered to me because if He promised it to me there is nothing that can thwart his promise.
Faith, according to Hebrews 11 involves 1. understanding WHO God is and 2. understanding His faithfulness to deliver on His Word. Abel and Enoch understood WHO God was and therefore governed themselves accordingly. Every person from Noah forward in the hall of faith , as Hebrews 11 is often referred to, received a promise from God that they had to hold on to until they received it. Some of them did not receive the answer here on earth and yet they still held on. Abraham is a great example- he did not live to see God's promise to him put into effect and yet he trusted God all of his days- even after his mix up/mess up with Hagar/Ishmael. The promise is one thing, knowing the end is one thing- but what about the middle? You know, the part in between the promise and the fulfillment of the promise that you know absolutely nothing about?
The Middle is the part that actually TESTS your faith! Believing God in the initial stages of a promise is easy. What happens when the winds pick up or the fire gets really hot? Paul's experience on his way to Rome is a great example of this (See Acts 22-28). God promised Paul in Acts 23:11 that He would protect him and that He was sending Paul to Rome to witness for Him. What God did not show Paul was that he would be imprisoned (although with some freedom as the bible says), the he would be shipwrecked and caught in a major storm at sea for over two weeks AND that he would be bitten by a poisonous snake when he reached Malta. God also left out the part about him eventually being beheaded by the very same man that he was sent to Rome to speak to...Nero Caesar. But even in the middle of the storm, even in prison, even before angry mobs- Paul was resolute and he stood firm on what God promised and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The fact is simple, God CAN and WILL deliver on whatever promise He makes and the Bible is replete with examples like this.
I consider this part of my life a "middle" type situation. There are several events happening around me simultaneously that are trying to cause me to doubt a promise that God has given me. It's funny because every new thing that comes up, I simply smile and remember that God has already shown me the end of this situation. I laugh when I think about the darts of the enemy thrown in an effort to dislodge me from my faith in God. I want to encourage anyone that is in the "middle" to stand firm on God's word and let His word be enough for you. You don't need to call anyone to validate a promise that God gave you, just remember what He said and that He's faithful! Let your tears be a reminder to you that there will always be a middle but there is also an end. Weeping endures for a night but joy comes in the morning. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength when the middle gets hard to bear. Grace and Peace be upon you.
Faith, according to Hebrews 11 involves 1. understanding WHO God is and 2. understanding His faithfulness to deliver on His Word. Abel and Enoch understood WHO God was and therefore governed themselves accordingly. Every person from Noah forward in the hall of faith , as Hebrews 11 is often referred to, received a promise from God that they had to hold on to until they received it. Some of them did not receive the answer here on earth and yet they still held on. Abraham is a great example- he did not live to see God's promise to him put into effect and yet he trusted God all of his days- even after his mix up/mess up with Hagar/Ishmael. The promise is one thing, knowing the end is one thing- but what about the middle? You know, the part in between the promise and the fulfillment of the promise that you know absolutely nothing about?
The Middle is the part that actually TESTS your faith! Believing God in the initial stages of a promise is easy. What happens when the winds pick up or the fire gets really hot? Paul's experience on his way to Rome is a great example of this (See Acts 22-28). God promised Paul in Acts 23:11 that He would protect him and that He was sending Paul to Rome to witness for Him. What God did not show Paul was that he would be imprisoned (although with some freedom as the bible says), the he would be shipwrecked and caught in a major storm at sea for over two weeks AND that he would be bitten by a poisonous snake when he reached Malta. God also left out the part about him eventually being beheaded by the very same man that he was sent to Rome to speak to...Nero Caesar. But even in the middle of the storm, even in prison, even before angry mobs- Paul was resolute and he stood firm on what God promised and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The fact is simple, God CAN and WILL deliver on whatever promise He makes and the Bible is replete with examples like this.
I consider this part of my life a "middle" type situation. There are several events happening around me simultaneously that are trying to cause me to doubt a promise that God has given me. It's funny because every new thing that comes up, I simply smile and remember that God has already shown me the end of this situation. I laugh when I think about the darts of the enemy thrown in an effort to dislodge me from my faith in God. I want to encourage anyone that is in the "middle" to stand firm on God's word and let His word be enough for you. You don't need to call anyone to validate a promise that God gave you, just remember what He said and that He's faithful! Let your tears be a reminder to you that there will always be a middle but there is also an end. Weeping endures for a night but joy comes in the morning. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength when the middle gets hard to bear. Grace and Peace be upon you.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Losing Your Soul
Politics is a game of wins and losses. The idea behind any politician is to constantly rack up wins. Wins come is different forms. It may come in the form of a kickback, it may come as a yes or no vote in exchange for loyalty on a hot button issue. It may even come as an amendment attached to a bill as a concession for some favor at some point and time. In 2012, politics has become more and more about spectacle and less and less about principle. The Republican candidates running for President are a great example of this. They've cut each other up for the better part of six months and each one that has bowed out of the race has come back and endorsed the same man, Romney, that they have taken turns ripping to shreds. The political process has become so polarized by the "issues" that candidates will do anything to curry favor with certain groups that they feel have political sway.
President Barack Obama came into Washington to get away from "politics as usual" and to change the culture inside the Beltway. He came in as a fresh and young replacement for one of the worst presidents in recent history, G.W. Bush. He didn't seem like the type to play political games but more of a pitbull that would challenge the establishment. His mantra was "hope and change" and boy, did he deliver change with his latest "policy" move. This is actually more of his own personal opinion but you can bet that this will influence policy for the duration of his administration.
President Obama recently came out in favor of gay marriage on ABC News. His exact comments were " “I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.” Politico has a nice article with all of his quotes on this subject here Obama on Gay Marriage. It is my personal opinion that he has buckled to the political pressure of the Progressive movement and the ultra-left gay rights movement. Reports are coming out that the President's fund raising is through the roof now with most of the proceeds coming from his strong gay contingent of voters ($$ way up from the President's gay supporters).
In my estimation, this is nothing more than a shrewd political move. Obama is looking forward to the 2012 election and with the sway that gay rights activists have in this country, I mean they DID get a history book rewritten in California Public Schools to include accomplishments of gay men and women, he caved in to their demands for him to take a stand on this issue. What he may have unwittingly done though is lost a huge block of Christian voters like myself who admire him as a President, support his social policies but cannot bring themselves to reconcile with this decision. He also may have done something even worse. Not only has he lost any credibility as a Christian in the eyes of many, he's also placed the black faith community in a conundrum. Anyone that says that gay folks should be able to get married is either not a real Christian or they have been totally consumed by this world system and it's satanic worldview.
There is a scripture that speaks directly to this. Mark 8:36 says "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" Yes, the dollars might be up and the gays are galvanizing behind the President but what does that profit him when he's in essence rejected God and the Bible by taking this stance? How could this be? Is this the same man that sat under Jeremiah Wright's teachings or has he been coerced by the ultra left into this stance? We may never know.
This scripture, in its context (verse 34-36) has Jesus teaching on the sacrifice and discipline required to follow Him. He lets his disciples and the crowd with them know, in light of his looming crucifixion, that they too must be crucified (not literally but figuratively). He says that if anyone desires (present tense) to follow they must 1. deny themselves 2. pick up their OWN (emphasis added) cross and 3. follow Me. All three commands are imperative with the denying of self occurring as a result of the follower doing so in his/her own best interest. Jesus says further that the one who does not do these things, is one who seeks to save his life or preserve it and he/she does so at the expense of his/her eternal security with Christ. In other words, the one more concerned about "winning" here will "lose" in eternity. The one concerned about gains, be they political, social or other- will "lose" in eternity. The one concerned about currying favor with man will lose favor with God!
There is a fitting end to this passage and I will repeat it here- what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Why risk losing your soul for momentary successes? What profit is there in selling out to the world system when it is clear that the system is bent on self-destruction? Romans 1:28 gives a vivid description on what happens to those bent on gaining the world at their own peril. This is a really bad moment in the Obama presidency. Various media outlets are praising this decision but I will not. This is a poor policy move that will further destabilize an already eroding, morally bankrupt culture. He may have gained a huge and energetic following but he's denied Christ through this endorsement and Jesus says, in this very same scripture that if you are ashamed of Me before men I will be ashamed of you before my Father in heaven. I'm sorry but I would much rather be on the wrong side of this particular debate and stand firm on what the Bible clearly teaches. I may not gain a whole lot of new friends, but I won't lose my soul either.
President Barack Obama came into Washington to get away from "politics as usual" and to change the culture inside the Beltway. He came in as a fresh and young replacement for one of the worst presidents in recent history, G.W. Bush. He didn't seem like the type to play political games but more of a pitbull that would challenge the establishment. His mantra was "hope and change" and boy, did he deliver change with his latest "policy" move. This is actually more of his own personal opinion but you can bet that this will influence policy for the duration of his administration.
President Obama recently came out in favor of gay marriage on ABC News. His exact comments were " “I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.” Politico has a nice article with all of his quotes on this subject here Obama on Gay Marriage. It is my personal opinion that he has buckled to the political pressure of the Progressive movement and the ultra-left gay rights movement. Reports are coming out that the President's fund raising is through the roof now with most of the proceeds coming from his strong gay contingent of voters ($$ way up from the President's gay supporters).
In my estimation, this is nothing more than a shrewd political move. Obama is looking forward to the 2012 election and with the sway that gay rights activists have in this country, I mean they DID get a history book rewritten in California Public Schools to include accomplishments of gay men and women, he caved in to their demands for him to take a stand on this issue. What he may have unwittingly done though is lost a huge block of Christian voters like myself who admire him as a President, support his social policies but cannot bring themselves to reconcile with this decision. He also may have done something even worse. Not only has he lost any credibility as a Christian in the eyes of many, he's also placed the black faith community in a conundrum. Anyone that says that gay folks should be able to get married is either not a real Christian or they have been totally consumed by this world system and it's satanic worldview.
There is a scripture that speaks directly to this. Mark 8:36 says "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" Yes, the dollars might be up and the gays are galvanizing behind the President but what does that profit him when he's in essence rejected God and the Bible by taking this stance? How could this be? Is this the same man that sat under Jeremiah Wright's teachings or has he been coerced by the ultra left into this stance? We may never know.
This scripture, in its context (verse 34-36) has Jesus teaching on the sacrifice and discipline required to follow Him. He lets his disciples and the crowd with them know, in light of his looming crucifixion, that they too must be crucified (not literally but figuratively). He says that if anyone desires (present tense) to follow they must 1. deny themselves 2. pick up their OWN (emphasis added) cross and 3. follow Me. All three commands are imperative with the denying of self occurring as a result of the follower doing so in his/her own best interest. Jesus says further that the one who does not do these things, is one who seeks to save his life or preserve it and he/she does so at the expense of his/her eternal security with Christ. In other words, the one more concerned about "winning" here will "lose" in eternity. The one concerned about gains, be they political, social or other- will "lose" in eternity. The one concerned about currying favor with man will lose favor with God!
There is a fitting end to this passage and I will repeat it here- what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Why risk losing your soul for momentary successes? What profit is there in selling out to the world system when it is clear that the system is bent on self-destruction? Romans 1:28 gives a vivid description on what happens to those bent on gaining the world at their own peril. This is a really bad moment in the Obama presidency. Various media outlets are praising this decision but I will not. This is a poor policy move that will further destabilize an already eroding, morally bankrupt culture. He may have gained a huge and energetic following but he's denied Christ through this endorsement and Jesus says, in this very same scripture that if you are ashamed of Me before men I will be ashamed of you before my Father in heaven. I'm sorry but I would much rather be on the wrong side of this particular debate and stand firm on what the Bible clearly teaches. I may not gain a whole lot of new friends, but I won't lose my soul either.
The Wrong Advocate
I was listening to a radio program today and the topic was, of course, gay marriage. Rob Redding played a clip today from Roland Martin's (Bryant on Roland Martin's Show) show and low and behold- who's speaking out against President Obama's stance on gay marriage...Jamal Harrison Bryant!
Two points to make my point abundantly clear- First, I am totally against gay marriage, civil unions, homosexuality of any form and sin in general. Read any of my blog posts on this subject to be clear. Secondly, every preacher in America that calls themselves Christian should have the exact same stance when it comes to sin. It should not be tolerated, period. I don't nor will I ever hate anyone that is gay- but the gay lifestyle is detestable to me and it is antithetical to my Christian beliefs and worldview.
Now, Bryant gets on Martin's show and he says that any preacher that doesn't oppose the president should be sat down. He also said ""I absolutely, vehemently disagree with the president," Bryant told Martin. "I agree with his presidency, but with this policy, I do not agree. Marriage is the original institution of the church."
OK. While Bryant and I can agree that this is a terrible decision by President Obama to endorse homosexual marriage, HE is the one that really needs to sit down. Marriage is indeed the first institution of GOD, not the church and judging from his own indiscretions, he doesn't respect marriage at all either. If you think he does, check the children fathered by him through adulterous relationships and ask his divorced wife if he respects the institution of marriage.
Bryant also said something to the effect that a pastor that doesn't speak out against this decision is not qualified to be a pastor. Another somewhat true statement- no matter how liberal your theology is, gay marriage is flat out anti-biblical. BUT I would add that ANY pastor that is living actively and openly in a sinful lifestyle is also not qualified to be a pastor. Bryant should be the last one to speak of the pastoral qualifications of anyone. Whether it's the bogus Oxford degree, the man-centered gospel preached at Empowerment Temple, the lavish lifestyle, the adulterous relationships or any number of transgressions, this brother needs to be sitting down somewhere getting his mind renewed. He's truly the wrong person to be out in the spotlight saying anything about anyone. His arrogance however, won't let him sit down because he loves attention.
I am not bashing brother Bryant and I pray that he has repented of his deeds- because they are reprehensible for a Christian and doubly for a preacher. He does not need to be the voice of the Black church right now- we need a true advocate for holiness, which is what this issue boils down to. We don't need attacks on the gay community or violence or anything else that would besmirch the Christian cause. We need prayer and sound teaching on the subject of homosexuality. Demonization of gays won't fix the problem because their sin is no worse than yours and mine. The problem is spiritual blindness on the part of those that advocate the gay lifestyle as normal and the ones that are most vocal at making homosexuality mainstream and acceptable. We need prayer as a nation, our President needs prayer as one who calls himself a Christian and we need to be seeking a closer relationship with Christ as we enter into a very dark period of American history. Let us pray that a true advocate will step forward and replace Mr. Bryant- one that the media will not have a field day with picking apart their past and present.
Grace and Peace
Two points to make my point abundantly clear- First, I am totally against gay marriage, civil unions, homosexuality of any form and sin in general. Read any of my blog posts on this subject to be clear. Secondly, every preacher in America that calls themselves Christian should have the exact same stance when it comes to sin. It should not be tolerated, period. I don't nor will I ever hate anyone that is gay- but the gay lifestyle is detestable to me and it is antithetical to my Christian beliefs and worldview.
Now, Bryant gets on Martin's show and he says that any preacher that doesn't oppose the president should be sat down. He also said ""I absolutely, vehemently disagree with the president," Bryant told Martin. "I agree with his presidency, but with this policy, I do not agree. Marriage is the original institution of the church."
OK. While Bryant and I can agree that this is a terrible decision by President Obama to endorse homosexual marriage, HE is the one that really needs to sit down. Marriage is indeed the first institution of GOD, not the church and judging from his own indiscretions, he doesn't respect marriage at all either. If you think he does, check the children fathered by him through adulterous relationships and ask his divorced wife if he respects the institution of marriage.
Bryant also said something to the effect that a pastor that doesn't speak out against this decision is not qualified to be a pastor. Another somewhat true statement- no matter how liberal your theology is, gay marriage is flat out anti-biblical. BUT I would add that ANY pastor that is living actively and openly in a sinful lifestyle is also not qualified to be a pastor. Bryant should be the last one to speak of the pastoral qualifications of anyone. Whether it's the bogus Oxford degree, the man-centered gospel preached at Empowerment Temple, the lavish lifestyle, the adulterous relationships or any number of transgressions, this brother needs to be sitting down somewhere getting his mind renewed. He's truly the wrong person to be out in the spotlight saying anything about anyone. His arrogance however, won't let him sit down because he loves attention.
I am not bashing brother Bryant and I pray that he has repented of his deeds- because they are reprehensible for a Christian and doubly for a preacher. He does not need to be the voice of the Black church right now- we need a true advocate for holiness, which is what this issue boils down to. We don't need attacks on the gay community or violence or anything else that would besmirch the Christian cause. We need prayer and sound teaching on the subject of homosexuality. Demonization of gays won't fix the problem because their sin is no worse than yours and mine. The problem is spiritual blindness on the part of those that advocate the gay lifestyle as normal and the ones that are most vocal at making homosexuality mainstream and acceptable. We need prayer as a nation, our President needs prayer as one who calls himself a Christian and we need to be seeking a closer relationship with Christ as we enter into a very dark period of American history. Let us pray that a true advocate will step forward and replace Mr. Bryant- one that the media will not have a field day with picking apart their past and present.
Grace and Peace
Monday, May 7, 2012
The Age of Enlightenment
2012 has been a year of supreme technological advancement. Cars that give 50 miles to the gallon. Televisions and satellite components that allow you to watch whatever you want whenever you want. The i-phone allows every person to have their own personal secretary. Tablets allow us to watch movies whenever we are ready and even find free WiFi spots so that we don't use up our data plan mega/gigabytes.
As a professor and an avid fan of the human race, I find it quite funny that for all of the technological advancement that we have made, the students that I encounter on a daily basis are less and less intellectually adept. They have a $600 dollar gizmo in one hand, an earbud in one ear and water on the brain. I saw a student this morning totally zoned out while engaged with her telephone. The enlightenment that kids get nowadays is from the glow of their phones and not from the knowledge that is inside of books or even inside of information that is readily accessible through any number of "apps" that are available at their fingertips. The glow from a handheld device may illuminate the exterior but it is doing absolutely nothing to enhance the mental acuity of the average student. Every app is a potential brain drainer and time waster. 30 minutes spent playing angry birds could be spent reading something worthwhile.
Don't let the only enlightenment that you get be the dull glow of a smartphone reflecting off of your face. There is so much to be had and so much to gain by exploring the world and also from getting a great education. With the systematic destruction of the school system as we know it and the dumbing down of America, use the technology before you to push yourself to your highest potential. Or better yet, let the enlightenment that you receive be that of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. His glow is one that never fades and one that is clearly visible to all that encounter you. Peace and Blessings.
As a professor and an avid fan of the human race, I find it quite funny that for all of the technological advancement that we have made, the students that I encounter on a daily basis are less and less intellectually adept. They have a $600 dollar gizmo in one hand, an earbud in one ear and water on the brain. I saw a student this morning totally zoned out while engaged with her telephone. The enlightenment that kids get nowadays is from the glow of their phones and not from the knowledge that is inside of books or even inside of information that is readily accessible through any number of "apps" that are available at their fingertips. The glow from a handheld device may illuminate the exterior but it is doing absolutely nothing to enhance the mental acuity of the average student. Every app is a potential brain drainer and time waster. 30 minutes spent playing angry birds could be spent reading something worthwhile.
Don't let the only enlightenment that you get be the dull glow of a smartphone reflecting off of your face. There is so much to be had and so much to gain by exploring the world and also from getting a great education. With the systematic destruction of the school system as we know it and the dumbing down of America, use the technology before you to push yourself to your highest potential. Or better yet, let the enlightenment that you receive be that of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. His glow is one that never fades and one that is clearly visible to all that encounter you. Peace and Blessings.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Accountability
Accountability is a word we hear all the time. We especially hear it in politics when someone is accusing someone else of not doing what they are supposed to do. But what does it really mean? What does it mean to be accountable? Being accountable is very simply taking responsibility for your own actions. I would venture to say that the first "person" that you are accountable to is...yourself. We are all accountable to God, but we are also accountable to ourselves and we must hold ourselves accountable at all times.
Why do I say this? There is a problem in our society with pride and self-righteousness. We are always looking for someone to put down in order that we might be raised up. We look for flaws in others and for specks in their eyes of others so that we are not so cognizant of our own logs. We have all of the answers for everyone else's problems and yet our own lives are in total disarray. It's funny that Steve Harvey is enriching himself by giving advice that he obviously doesn't follow. Dr. Phil has a solution for every family...except for his own. Jesus gave us the solution to the problem of hypocritical judgment and self righteousness. Thus, Matthew 7:1-5 says:
"“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Here is what I mean by holding yourself accountable. Jesus here is preaching/teaching against HYPOCRITICAL judgment. In other words, don't be guilty of the same infraction that you are calling someone else out on! Nor should you ignore your own flaws in light of calling someone else out for their flaws. Self inspection before inspecting others is of the utmost importance in the Christian walk. I cannot judge myself relative to anyone else because NO ONE else is going to meet God for me but me. I cannot look at the faults of others without first of all understanding my own imperfection. ALL of us are messed up before God and therefore are not worthy to hypocritically judge one another. Therefore, as Paul says in Galatians 6:3, we are deceiving ourselves if we can look at someone else and see their flaws and use that to boost our own self esteem and think that we are "something".
I say all of this because in a relationship with another person, two broken vessels come together and become one. Whether the cracks match up is a different thing but the point is that we are all broken. We are broken by sin and we are irreparably broken outside of a true relationship with Jesus. The relationship with this other person can be the place for healing or further destruction depending on the honesty of the people involved. IF the people involved are transparent and admit their flaws, the relationship can/will survive. IF the people involved refuse to admit their flaws, there will be constant conflict as one will ALWAYS feel a sense of superiority over the other. How do we get to the point of transparency with each other? First and foremost, we must get to the point of transparency with God! The bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that the word of God is living, active, sharper than any two edged sword, has the ability to divide even the closest knit muscles, and is a judge of the heart's intentions. That's what the word does. Then in verse 13 it says plainly- "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." The Word of God is what exposes us (ALL) and reminds us of our condition, reminds us of our need for a savior but it also has the power to heal and renew and transform! If all things are open and laid bare to the one that we must give account to, why do we spend so much time holding every one else accountable except for ourselves? We have to get be exposed by God so that we can have a proper perspective of the world and have the ability to deal with others in love, unity and harmony. Knowledge puffs up but love edifies.
Take some time and conduct a self assessment. Get in the mirror and see if there is anything that you would change. If there is nothing, then you are probably not being honest with yourself. Be honest and transparent and if you don't feel comfortable being honest, ask God to show you- He has no problem at all being honest with us. You have to be willing to take the blame when you are wrong, humble yourself when you are right, apologize when you have wronged someone and forgive when you have been wronged. It is all a part of becoming more like Christ and less like ourselves. It is all a part of holding ourselves accountable.
Why do I say this? There is a problem in our society with pride and self-righteousness. We are always looking for someone to put down in order that we might be raised up. We look for flaws in others and for specks in their eyes of others so that we are not so cognizant of our own logs. We have all of the answers for everyone else's problems and yet our own lives are in total disarray. It's funny that Steve Harvey is enriching himself by giving advice that he obviously doesn't follow. Dr. Phil has a solution for every family...except for his own. Jesus gave us the solution to the problem of hypocritical judgment and self righteousness. Thus, Matthew 7:1-5 says:
"“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?5“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Here is what I mean by holding yourself accountable. Jesus here is preaching/teaching against HYPOCRITICAL judgment. In other words, don't be guilty of the same infraction that you are calling someone else out on! Nor should you ignore your own flaws in light of calling someone else out for their flaws. Self inspection before inspecting others is of the utmost importance in the Christian walk. I cannot judge myself relative to anyone else because NO ONE else is going to meet God for me but me. I cannot look at the faults of others without first of all understanding my own imperfection. ALL of us are messed up before God and therefore are not worthy to hypocritically judge one another. Therefore, as Paul says in Galatians 6:3, we are deceiving ourselves if we can look at someone else and see their flaws and use that to boost our own self esteem and think that we are "something".
I say all of this because in a relationship with another person, two broken vessels come together and become one. Whether the cracks match up is a different thing but the point is that we are all broken. We are broken by sin and we are irreparably broken outside of a true relationship with Jesus. The relationship with this other person can be the place for healing or further destruction depending on the honesty of the people involved. IF the people involved are transparent and admit their flaws, the relationship can/will survive. IF the people involved refuse to admit their flaws, there will be constant conflict as one will ALWAYS feel a sense of superiority over the other. How do we get to the point of transparency with each other? First and foremost, we must get to the point of transparency with God! The bible says in Hebrews 4:12 that the word of God is living, active, sharper than any two edged sword, has the ability to divide even the closest knit muscles, and is a judge of the heart's intentions. That's what the word does. Then in verse 13 it says plainly- "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." The Word of God is what exposes us (ALL) and reminds us of our condition, reminds us of our need for a savior but it also has the power to heal and renew and transform! If all things are open and laid bare to the one that we must give account to, why do we spend so much time holding every one else accountable except for ourselves? We have to get be exposed by God so that we can have a proper perspective of the world and have the ability to deal with others in love, unity and harmony. Knowledge puffs up but love edifies.
Take some time and conduct a self assessment. Get in the mirror and see if there is anything that you would change. If there is nothing, then you are probably not being honest with yourself. Be honest and transparent and if you don't feel comfortable being honest, ask God to show you- He has no problem at all being honest with us. You have to be willing to take the blame when you are wrong, humble yourself when you are right, apologize when you have wronged someone and forgive when you have been wronged. It is all a part of becoming more like Christ and less like ourselves. It is all a part of holding ourselves accountable.
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