Sunday, July 31, 2011

THINK ON THESE THINGS - SUNDAY MESSAGE

DON'T DENY THE GIFTS OF GOD!
Are you a FULL BELIEVER or a limited "Cessationist"?
A lot of Christians demand "signs" and "wonders" before they would/could believe in the Power of Christ or EVEN GOD HIMSELF. Here is what Jesus says about such people in Matthew 12:39 (ESV) "But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah".


The Bible does say in Romans 1:16 that the GOSPEL - literally the Good News of Christ found in the Bible - is the "Power of God" unto Salvation.  The Bible also says in 1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." So Scripture explains scripture!


So we don't need any signs and wonders to be saved - all we need is the word (the Gospel) which talks about the Word Who became Flesh - the Lord Jesus Christ! Anybody who preaches otherwise is wrong. This Truth cannot be denied.


SOVEREIGNTY
That being said, this Same Jesus about Whom the Bible speaks, never limited Himself to the thoughts and theologies of mortal man! 


There is a view out there, called the Cessationist View, which is completely self-righteous - and false! I can name its proponents, who are both well known and whose preaching comes across as extremely harsh. I will NOT name them, so as to keep the Focus on Jesus only. Personally, I know of the acts, deeds and ministries of some of these men. Some actually do good work in the community among the lost, while others are separatist and do not help the poor in the community. Most of these are people who believe in the same Protestant Reformation as I do - the Five Solas and the depravity of Man - but left out the part where the Bible says "Faith without Works is dead"!


Several times in the Bible, the LORD says this about Himself "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear"...Isaiah 59:1 (NASB) Isaiah 50:2; Numbers 11:23... The God Who says, explicitly, that He is not a weak and limited God, is all Powerful, Almighty and Sovereign.


He, Who, laid into Job in Chapters 38-42, will do the same to us, if we continue believing like these Cessationists  that ALL Miracles, Signs and Wonders ceased not just when Jesus died but with the Twelve Original Apostles. They deny the Gifts of the Spirit still exist because "all of this stopped once God closed the New Testament".


There is no empirical or otherwise written evidence that is Biblical at all.  While some in the charismatic movements have taken the Gifts of the Spirit to extremes and have corrupted it for personal gain and glory (the Toronto Blessing, Todd Bentley, Patricia King and others in that strain), this does not take away from the validity and existence - for almost 2000 years now - of the Gifts of the Spirit!


GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT:
These gifts are best described here:
The gift of wisdom.
The gift of knowledge. 
The gift of faith.
The gift of healing. 
The gift of miracles. 
The gift of prophecy.  
The gift of discerning spirits. 
The gift of tongues. 
The gift of interpreting tongues.
The gift of administration. 
The gift of helps. 


No Christian has ALL of these gifts. Some have varying degrees. Some may not speak or interpret the language of Tongues. Some may have the gift of administration while others are just suited for hospitality and ministering in grief counseling, visitation or providing food to a mom of a new baby,


We all have the gift of Knowledge, wisdom and Faith....and most have the gift of Healing - if only we will just activate it and let the Holy Spirit do its work. Healing is a completely different topic, which has to be examined by itself, as it is too powerful to give just a brief mention!


In the final analysis, think about the reasons we pray.  


Do we pray to a God Who stopped speaking after the Book of Revelation? If He did, why pray since He will not listen. The Bible is closed, for sure, but it was written to show us how to have an ongoing relationship with Jesus...and that means until we go to be with the Lord (those who are saved only)! Why even pray for mom or pop or little Johnny to get healed from this or that disease?!!!!!!!!!!!


All Christians praise and glorify God. This is not the issue. The question is, do we believe the Great Physician (Jehovah Rapha - God Who heals) or not....among one of the many gifts of the Spirit. 


Do not use the extreme position of some, to deny the Gifts of Holy Spirit, because this is not just putting God into your own little man-made compartment, but denying the POWER behind His Spirit. 


Cessationists are saved, for the most part, but they will never experience the Fullness of Christ, like the Apostle Paul did! He lived and operated and longed to die and go be with Jesus. Paul was the best example of the spiritfilled Christian, who Jesus wants us to be like!
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Saturday, July 30, 2011

THINK ON THESE THINGS - SATURDAY

PART 3 OF OUR WALK THROUGH ROMANS 14
Let not him who eats look down on or despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains criticize and pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted and welcomed him...Romans 14:3 (AMP)
We all eat too much. To make it worse, if we work in an office, somebody is bringing in donuts almost daily! Then it's your turn. You don't want to as you already eat two or three this week, but...you know...peer pressure.


These last two verses seem to concentrate a lot on food...and our crazy American diet! But looking at it from the angle of Jesus,  we have to be very careful how we approach or criticize others who do not eat they way we do, or wish we did! Unless a co-worker, sister, brother, friend or SPOUSE gives you specific permission to speak truth about their diet, into their lives - do as this verse says - SAY NOTHING!


It is better to pray for the person who is over-eating, in this age of American dietary mismanagement, than to have hurt feelings and destroy all manner of future fellowship, in Jesus Name, with that person!! AMEN?!!! Amen!! 


Also, if you like to fast, do as Jesus says, and don't walk around boasting about it like the Pharisees did.  If someone offers you some food on a fasting day, politely decline and only mention Fasting if they persist. This is a great verse to encourage us to love and reach out, with Biblical eyes...and a discerning mind!!  AMEN!
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Friday, July 29, 2011

JESUS TAKES THE WHEEL - FULL SPEED AHEAD @ iWORSHIP CTR!

TRANSFORMATION 2011 - FIVE FOLD MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE,  DAY 1
Do your desires of your own already-redeemed heart sometimes work at cross purposes with the Heart of Father? 
Does your current conduct in the service of God, family and country contradict each other?
Do you walk in the Path of Jesus, or do you look away, look away, look away in lala land....then find yourself close to sinning, while claiming Jesus?


The answers to all three of these questions....and there are more...are YES, YES and YES! It IS possible to do Biblically correct things - in a sinful way!


Here is what JAMES 4:1 (NLT) says "What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you?"


Sometimes we are our own worse enemy...and this is why sometimes, most young people (who call themselves Christians) do not have the same fire and spiritual energy of a 50 year old or older. This was the windup message of today's Annual Five Fold International Conference at the largest and most missions minded church in Central Illinois - iWorship Center!  The fired up son of an Argentine Preacher and our dear friend - Sergio Scataglini, not only exposed a sin in ALL of today's churches, but he laid the foundation for scores and scores of people to be delivered from this cultural American- specific carnal christian attitude!


TRANSFORMATION - the name of this year's conference - is every bit as advertised! Almost every Bible conference here or anywhere else (mostly found in Bible and other conservative churches) are technically correct and beautifully done. However, they are totally devoid of the Holy Spirit sealing the Word in hearts and any sort of Spirit-filled, Life-altering transformation which leads missions to end of the earth or the new folks down the street!  This is tremendous and am looking forward to the rest of this weekend's move of the Holy Ghost!


ontroversial!)
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THINK ON THESE THINGS - FRIDAY

PULLED PORK OR VEGGIE SANDWICH?
One [man's faith permits him to] believe he may eat anything, while a weaker one [limits his] eating to vegetables...Romans 14:2 AMP (as we continue in our Daily Look at each verse in Romans 14)


We have all heard the anecdotes about some of our Jewish brethren, who upon receiving a saving "heart knowledge" of the Lord Jesus, desire to eat ham sandwiches to show they are no longer under the Law! This was the Old Testament regulation to Jews to have nothing to do with eating any pork products!


God Almighty Himself changed His own regulation as He exhibited in the Book of Acts 10: 10-16 when He showed Peter a wide range of animals, which he, Peter, could/should use as food! Having grown up under strict Jewish Kosher Dietary Laws, Peter naturally declined. The LORD told him to never call unclean, that which God has ordained.


Therefore, while we Bible Believing Christians have the right to eat, wear and drink or partake of any activity we like, we must be discerning. If our eating a ham sandwich or a huge tasty summer barbecue pulled pork sandwich will offend a new Christian or a brother/sister in the Faith - DO NOT DO IT!

If you going into a Hooters will cause a 23 year old immature christian to stumble, because you think you "like their chicken wings" - DO NOT DO IT!!



If wearing a certain T Shirt or mentioning a particular music group to a group of teens could cause one of them to go astray, out of curiousity about something you said - DO NOT SAY IT!!!

Use some common sense! This is all this verse is saying. If a new Christian is so overwhelmed with joy that he wants to share a cheese or veggie pizza with you, what's wrong with that??!!! Go and fellowship and share Jesus! The body is MORE than food and drink. Just because you think if you don't get pepperoni and sausage, you will surely perish - you won't!!  How much meat do you think the Disciples ate with Jesus - not much! They were fortunate most of the time to have plain flatbread or some fruit.



So be like Paul, who wrote the book of Romans here. He became all things to all people, that some may be saved...while at the same time - DO NOT SIN!
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

10 REASONS PASTORS CALL ON THEIR CHURCH MEMBERS


It seems as if house calls have become a thing of the past.  Pastors on the other hand tend to view it as a requirement of the job. Listed below you will find ten reasons pastors call on their church members.
  1. Prayer requests. When a member of a congregation is in need of someone to stand with them in prayer for any reason, the one person they think of asking first is usually their pastor. Pastors tend to be the ones we think of with the most experience, when it comes to prayer and are generally trusted by their church members, if it is a personal matter that they wish not to make public during an open prayer request time.
  2. Church duties. Sometimes the needs of the church property are not being met, and pastors need to reach out to the members for help. Whether it is repairs and general upkeep, mowing the lawn, or decorating church, members are usually the first to get called upon when help is needed.
  3. Funeral arrangements. The one topic no one wants to get called upon for, but funeral arrangements are another top reason that pastors call upon their church members. It is usually for helping out with food after the service, but can also be to pray for the grieving and just be there in general for them if needed.
  4. Special announcements. Sometimes things come up that are unexpected and a call out to church members may be required. Maybe a last minute party is being planned for a baby shower or graduation and the pastor wants to make sure everyone is aware and prepared.
  5. Healing. When someone is hospitalized or very sick the pastor is one of the first people that are called. Pastors will make trips out to their church members’ homes or to the hospital when someone is ailing and in need of healing prayer.
  6. Making the rounds. Some pastors make it a practice to get out and visit with each of their church members on a regular basis. This is a great practice and can help the congregation to feel more personable with their pastor if they can get one on one time with them away from the church.
  7. Crisis of Faith. Unfortunately, a crisis of faith can happen when someone is having doubts about their faith or feel like they are slipping spiritually. When a pastor is aware of this situation they will go and visit with this church member to minister to them.
  8. Personal Struggle. This can be for many reasons; marriage problems, financial problems, drug or alcohol problems, but when a pastor hears that a member of their congregation is struggling, a visit with them can be beneficial. They can provide counseling, prayer and even just an ear to listen.
  9. Shelter for travelers. Many churches have from time to time a guest speaker come in to minister to the church. When this occurs accommodations are usually provided for them by the church. However, not all churches have hotel stays in their budget so sometimes they will call upon their church members to provide a place for the guest to stay.
  10. To grow the church. Now this may sound intrusive to some, but one of the objectives of Pastor’s is to grow the church, not their church, but God’s. Some churches have cards for new attendee’s to fill out when they first come to the church that includes a spot for them to put their address. Pastor’s will then go out and visit with those folks to see if they can be of assistance in any way. Sometimes the new attendee just moved to the area and is looking for a church home. Other times they have never been to church before and have questions.
In this day and age with the advancement of technology, face-to-face communication is becoming a thing of the past. One way pastors can keep the personal connection they need with their congregation is to make home visits. Whether it is visiting the sick or stopping by to catch up, the main goal for these visits is to minister to their church members.

THINK ON THESE THINGS - WEDNESDAY

EVERYDAY ISSUES - TODAY: OUTREACH

TODAY, I BEGIN A DAILY LOOK AT EACH VERSE IN ROMANS 14
This is a wonderful chapter for us, as it addresses several issues where the Bible is NOT clear about how we should conduct ourselves. IT IS ACCURATE...but because of Paul's superior intellect, several have misinterpreted these verses in the pass and caused confusion in the Body of Christ!


Romans 14:1 AMP says "AS FOR the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussions."


If a four year old child asks us to read Dr. Suess "The Cat in the Hat" to her, would we get upset that she doesn't get it and pull out Marvin Rosenthal's explanation on the Pre-Wrath Tribulation? If you think this is crazy, you're right! However this is the attitude many of us have towards new and growing believers in the church, who we think should just as smart as we think we are....or even smarter!


Because clear and constant mentoring and discipleship are not a staple in most churches these days, it is up to each of us as individuals, to come alongside a new brother or sister...or even a long time friend, who just has the roughest time getting it. Many people are so wrapped up in the struggles of our demanding lifestyles and the rat race, they don't make time or have it to spare to really "THINK ON THESE THINGS" which God has called us to.


Therefore, if you or I know such an individual, this Wednesday night or next Sunday....or today in the office or construction site...walk over, offer them a cold Coca Cola and say "how are things going today! Is there anything I can pray about or with you for today?" If this is too forward....ask the Lord to give you the right words to say! He will!! I know He will! He give them to me all the time!


Who knows, they may even be open to you asking them what their favorite book in the Bible is...or verse...Then, tell them you're thinking about sharing some really good books you have on Answered Prayers, or Walking with Christ....anything good! This is positive outreach! Try it! It may be the easiest thing you ever did!


Amen

Images Courtesy Google Images
TOMORROW: ROMANS 14:2 AMP
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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

THINK ON THESE THINGS - TUESDAY



The story of the very Old Testament Prophet For Hire - Balaam - would have remained just another old bible story except for two things - both Jesus and Peter mentioned him prominently towards the end of the New Testament? Why? Why would a guy, better known for riding a Talking Donkey, be mentioned in such a prominent way, almost 2000 years after he made an appearance on the plains of Midian?


(The story of Balaam is told here in Numbers Chapters 22-24 when God used Balaam's Donkey to speak to the false prophet and rebuke him, after Balaam would not listen to the Lord).


Peter used this same For-Profit Prophet as an example of many of those false teachers (and now TV preachers) we see who live carnally in the flesh and were never really saved. Read 2 Peter 2 for the full context, but here is a relevant portion from verses 13-14 which shows the current carnal state of Christianity these days!  Peter said "They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed."


Even more striking is the Lord Jesus who slammed the church at Pergamum for holding to the teachings of this same Balaam character in Revelation 2:14.


This man with the Talking Donkey is worthy of our study of a Biblical example of false teaching, divination, monetary greed, adultery and sexual sin in the name of Religion.  All of this survives today within the realms of certain aspects of modern celebrity religion....where this person follows that pastor.....or that author or this singer. He is also a warning to us to be really careful of what we believe or read or condone!


Therefore, meditate on the following scripture, to avoid being tagged by the Lord for discipline for following a False Faith! Study this to make yourself more approved to be called a true and wonderful servant of the Living God through Christ the King!


1 John 4 (NLT)
 1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet[a] acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

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Sunday, July 24, 2011

OUR CULTURE OF DEATH

CULT OF CELEBRITY = ETERNAL SEPARATION FROM GOD

Hollywood’s a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, and 50 cents for your soul!”….Marilyn Monroe

The corrupt Celebrity Culture has unfortunately just claimed its latest victim and the question remains – “How many more, before it’s all over?”

English musician Amy Winehouse’s passing on into an eternity of judgment is just the latest in a long line of senseless youthful celebrity deaths from cult/actor James Dean in 1955 (age 24)…. to Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison and Cobain (all age 27)…. to the unfortunate Brittany Murphy in 2009 to “JACKASS” star Ryan Dunn last month….and now Amy Winehouse (also age 27).   They all had one thing in common – they died worshipping their own idols (themselves) and not the God of Heaven Who gave them life on earth.

Yet, with the increasing amount of tragic deaths like Winehouse and Murphy, there is no attempt being made by some of those left behind, to correct the downward slide into perdition on which they have embarked! Whenever one of these live-fast/die-young “beautiful” young actors or musicians die, the inquiries into their troubled lives always focus on the wrong thing – maybe their childhood, or too much money too soon etc. The focus is never on the real cause of all this past, present and future mayhem.

The horrible thing is not just these celebrities self-destruction, but the effect it has on wider society and the impressionable young minds in our homes, schools and communities! In the 1920’s, a lot of men wanted to be like silent screen Romeo/gigolo Rudolf Valentino aka The Sheik.

He seemed to “have it going on”, but according to some reports, doctors at the hospital were “afraid to touch this idol’s body to cut it” – presumably for life saving surgery, because he was such a movie icon! The result was he died of a perforated ulcer at age 31! His obscene funeral in New York attracted over 100,000 people, shutting down city blocks as Americans worshipped their idols.

THE GODS OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA!
Just a few years later, in May 1929, the movie industry instituted the First Annual Academy Awards. Since then, every single mainstream movie is geared towards winning that little golden idol – their god, which validates their empty lives and systems of (non) belief. Oh, a few of them even thank God, on stage. The issue is “which God”? It almost never is the God of the Bible, because the Lord Jesus’ Name is forbidden in those circles if one wishes to work.

QUOTES ON RELIGION FROM HOLLYWOOD TYPES:

Here are what some of the most famous, whom the Culture idolizes have to say about God, in general:
-       
           "Not only is there no God, but try getting a plumber on weekends." ( Woody Allen, "My Philosophy" in the The New Yorker)
-         "I intend to make Scientology as accessible to as many people as I can."
(Jenna Elfman
ABCNews.com Star of Dharma and Greg)
-         "I'm an atheist, and that's it. I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for people"  (Katharine Hepburn, Ladies' Home Journal, October 1991)
-         "There doesn't need to be a God for me. There's something in people that's spiritual, that's godlike. I don't feel like doing things just because people say things, but I also don't really know if it's better to just not believe in anything, either." (Angelina JolieAV Club, September 6, 2000)
-         "But I would never steal anyone's boyfriend. It's bad karma, and I'm a big believer in karma—hence the fact that I've studied kabbalah. I'm very true to the "Treat people the way you want to be treated" sort of thing."  ( Lindsay Lohan, Elle, September 2006)
-         "Were it not for Scientology, I would either be completely insane or dead by now."  (Lisa Marie PresleyABCNews.com)
-         "I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think that if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do. The Unitarian believes that God is good, and believes that God believes that man is good. Inherently. The Unitarian God is not a God of vengeance. And that is something I can appreciate."
(Christopher Reeve, Reader's Digest, October 2004)

Here are some more quotes, some from musicians and others who are well loved by a US media elite, which is just as completely lost as they are:

*Jazz is really a wonderful example of the great characteristics of Buddhism and great characteristics of the human spirit. Because in jazz we share, we listen to each other, we respect each other; we are creating in the momentHerbie Hancock, jazz musician.
*God is in my head, but the devil is in my pants….Jonathan Winters, comedian.
*I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun isDonald Trump!

*People go through challenging moments of losing people and of having their life threatened from illness and real grief. But they get through it. And that's the testament to the human spirit and it's -- we are fragile, but we also are divine….Sheryl Crow, singer/former Missouri school teacher.

MILEY CYRUS:

There is no need to keep quoting more of these people, but one of them especially needs to be put out front as someone to keep your young children AWAY FROM! It is the daughter of one of the biggest examples of poor fatherhood in America – Billy Ray Cyrus.

Not only did he allow his tween daughter Miley to go to Hollywood as another Disney star, he went WITH her. Having learned nothing from what happened to other Disney girls from Brittney Spears to Lindsay Lohan to Vanessa Hudgens, Achy Breaky Cyrus justified his involvement all the way.

Something happened on the way to fame and fortune.  Billy Ray somehow bought into the lure of Hollywood and allowed his young daughter to move to California from their idyllic home in Tennessee to become the loud, almost obnoxious (some say, cute) Hannah Montana!  Miley (whose real name is Destiny Hope Cyrus) became an instant megastar at the tender age of 14. Then old Achy Breaky himself joined the cast to get into the Disney money machine.

Somewhere along the line, culture trumped Christ.  Miley’s parents allowed her, a then 15 year old minor, to be photographed topless by a controversial  US photographer, Annie Liebowitz,  for Vanity Fair. After parents of America’s threw a fit, due to the fact that their pre-teen daughters were seeing this trash, Billy Ray issued this weak statement about not being there when the photos were taken! Never mind that he was also in some of the Vanity Fair pictures!

The worst was yet to come! Old “Achy Breaky” stood silently by his then 16 year old “Christian” daughter, Miley,  carried on and cavorted with members of both sexes on stage and was pole dancing during the 2008 Teen Choice Awards! Now that Miley has left “Hannah Montana” and gone solo into her own music career, she has picked up where the corrupted Baptist-turned- Kabbalah disciple Brittany Spears left off!

Last fall, Miley’s latest video would make even Hugh Hefner shake his corrupt head! This followed hot on the heels of the now 17 year old Miley giving Producer Adam Shankman (Last Song) a Lap dance! When they asked Billy Ray for a comment, all he could say was “Miley was just "having fun" and that "it's what people her age do".

“Who owns my Heart” is one of her latest releases and the 17 year old Miley is seen writhing all over her wrinkled sheets in her underwear while singing seductively, in the official song video. It was so inappropriate that the O’Reilly Factor had to issue a Warning to Viewers before showing it, in a piece on the latest anti-Miley outrage expressed by the Parents Council.

What is more important than Cyrus and his out of control teenage daughter is the corruption of young girls under the age of 14 by this family! We saw it when Madonna led her generation of young females astray in the mid 1980’s; when the scantily clad Brittany Spears did it in the 1990’s and now a decade later – Miley Cyrus!

No concern is shown by either DISNEY or so-called family friendly Cyrus, for this generation of young women who are not being brought up in purity either at church, school and unfortunately at home. They are bombarded by filth on iTunes, TV, movies, the internet and more and more by social media (Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace etc.).
In times like these, we look to the grown-ups to lead the way. However, whether we have people like Joe Simpson, the former Baptist minister from Texas, who shamelessly “markets” (to keep it clean here!!!) his daughter Jessica Simpson or Billy Ray helping a corrupt and evil culture further lead young people away from any shred of decency and accountability, it is no wonder parents are getting no help to reign in their teens!

God help us, as fathers and husbands as we try to raise our kids in a corrupt and wicked generation!

All of this is true. However this is social commentary. What is more important is how this affects the Body of Christ. We expect those atheists I quoted above to say and make movies reflecting their lack of Biblical values. What is ten times worse are those masquerading as Christians who are leading millions into hell by their weak theology and bad behavior.

-         Miley Cyrus is typical of ALL of these people – from entertainment people like herself to the preacher who thinks he has to “relate to the culture” in order to so-called “reach them for Christ”.
-         Cyrus is typical of ALL Carnal “Christians”. These are the cafeteria types who pick and choose which law or command of Christ they will follow, or believe.
-         She is also typical of a lost generation where 57% of so- called Evangelicals now believe there are other ways to heaven, than JESUS CHRIST.
-         She is typical of a generation lost to hell, unless someone mature in their own circles grab a hold of them and teach them how to be really saved and be a disciple of Christ.
-         Cyrus is also typical of the rock culture of the modern mega church, where programs, flashing lights and jamming rock music have trumped the Pure Meat of the Literal Powerful Full Counsel of God, found in the Bible.  Read some of her quotes below, as they reflect the carnality of people who are only Christian in title, not in heart. They are from the Parade Magazine interview which caused uproar with the parents across America.

From Parade Magazine (March 31, 2010):

"My job first is to entertain and do what I love, and if you don’t like it, then change the channel. I’m not forcing you to watch me. I’m not forcing you to talk about me."
"I’ve learned I can’t live for what people are going to say. People are so judgmental—especially parents."
“I don’t care what stories are written about me or what other parents think, because I know how close I am with my parents.”
"Hopefully, I can influence people and help them follow the same path I am on"
“I would do that pole dance a thousand times again, because it was right for the song and that performance. But, dude, if you think dancing on top of an ice-cream cart with a pole is bad, then go check what 90% of the high schoolers are really up to. It’s funny. I don’t know if a lot of parents remember what they were like as kids. But I’m like, ‘Dude, as if you were an angel!’”

There it is folks, our modern day example of a Christian celebrity! Is it any surprise now that teenage girls in our youth groups are getting pregnant? Divorce INSIDE the church is higher than in the greater secular society and on and on….!

These kids don’t even carry or open a Bible anymore. If they do, it is a weak paraphrase version and they have no clue what they are reading. Pastors and church elders are to blame for that, because if the Pastor/Preacher/Teacher is not opening a literal Bible on the pulpit and leading his congregation to search and study the Scriptures, as the inerrant literal Word of God….and if the Pastor is depending on a short Bible passage on a PowerPoint as the only Bible these kids/young people will see all week; these pastors will be judged harshly before the Throne of Christ one day.

The Bible already warns that those who say they are teachers will be held more accountable! Look at what Jesus did to those glittering jewels of heresy known as the Pharisees!

ARE THERE REAL CHRISTIAN “CELEBRITIES”

That’s a good question. They are several well-known actors/actresses who profess belief in “God” or some god, but you never hear the Name of Jesus come from their mouths. Still while they are claiming allegiance to this or that church, at least they are not blaspheming God or leading others astray…..if their personal lives reflect their talk!

Beliefnet.com is a website which is not a Christian site, but accurately (for the most part) examines what all religions believe. They had a list of what they call their top 12 Most Powerful Christians in Hollywood. The problem is that I am having a hard time matching up some of these names to Scripture.

Instead of being negative and saying who is a fake or not, I will supply my own list because, as a consumer and observer,  I have seen their work consistently, during the past 6-8 years.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR CELEBRITY CHRISTIANS, ACCORDING TO BIBLICAL STANDARDS:

GAVIN MACLEOD – He is better known to TV audiences as Captain Stuebbin on THE LOVE BOAT, a 1970’s romantic comedy. His work has been growing in power and message since he starred in THE TIME CHANGER.  Gavin’s work is unashamedly about Jesus Christ and his latest offering – THE SECRETS OF JONATHAN SPERRY – is the best movie on mentoring and discipleship, in order to fulfill the Great Commission that I have ever seen!

STEPHEN BALDWIN – This Baldwin brother is well known to both wear his conversion to Christ on his sleeve and to evangelize youth! He is a mainstay on the Luis Palau mega crusades and his roles in the movies have been cleaned up – big time!

PATRICIA HEATON - She has stood for life and truth, in the face of Hollywood for a long time now. She is best known as Ray Romano’s wife on “Everybody Loves Raymond”

ROBERT DUVALL – His roles changed dramatically when he made “The Apostle” in the late 1990’s.  Since then, Robert has appeared in some blatantly Christian and Christ honoring films like “GET LOW” and the upcoming film (to be released on September 2) called SEVEN DAYS IN UTOPIA.

CHUCK NORRIS – He is a fired up born again believer as he mentioned in his books and every chance he gets on Television! He is also on the board of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, an organization promoting the use of the Bible in public schools. Chuck also supports Prayer in Schools.

Other real Christians are Kathy Ireland; Andy Griffith; Lisa Welschel; Connie Seleca and Kirk Cameron, of course! Kirk was the star of the LEFT BEHIND movie series and is the co-host of the hard hitting street witnessing program run by Evangelist Ray Comfort.

Be careful of websites which say this actor or that gangsta rapper is a Christian or some sleazy R & B singer who struts her stuff half naked across the stage, with raunchy lyrics or some libertarian talk show is following the Bible and Jesus Christ.

But more importantly, be full of discernment of being caught up, just like a lot of people in almost every church, in the culture. We are meant to be salt in light to the world and culture. We are not supposed to bring that ungodly stuff not just into our homes and churches, but into our very bosoms. We are definitely not meant to embrace it.

In the meantime, pray that one of these young musicians, actresses or cultural celebrity will find peace by being saved.

Pray they come to know Christ and Him crucified and not just as a swear word in one of their worthless movies.

Pray one or many of them will come to Faith in Christ and share that good news with their friends. That way, maybe we can avoid what has been happening for most of the last century within the Cult of Celebrity – many going to Eternal Separation from God, in a place filled with weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 Images courtesy Google Images
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