Wise in Their Own Eyes or At The Crossroads

I read with great interest an article demonstrating the stark contrast between Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin and Oprah Winfrey, often called the most influential woman in the world (and richest): http://solvinglight.com/blog/sarah-and-oprah/

By all outward signs (fruits), Sarah is a solid Christian woman. Oprah has declared herself a Christian, but her own statements tell an entirely different story. Oprah appears to have lost her way. I recall several years ago seeing her in an interview when she was being sued by the beef industry and she spoke of how she called on her Jesus to help her through her trial. Now Oprah seems to call on herself. She believes that truth is from within and that God is a feeling: "God is a feeling experience, not a believing experience. If God for you is still about a belief, then it’s not truly God." Interestingly, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Oprah believes there are many paths to "God", although Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Oprah believes truth comes from within because she has awakened and evolved and she "gets it" and no longer misses the point of human existence and can therefore can declare as God, "I am that I am". She has called herself indestructible and immortal. Oprah obviously has to throw out the Bible, the infallible inspired word of God, to believe these things. And whose word does she embrace, but Satan's, as in the garden of Eden when he told Eve she could be as God, know truth, and never die. Oprah embraces her own essence and awareness; her salvation is within herself. It reminds me of the recent blog conversation I have had with a top 1% Mensa genius/atheist. He relies solely on his intellect. I quit arguing with him and refused to even read, much less answer, his last post. He will never understand. He can't. Only with the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, can we know such things. Sadly, he and Oprah both are relying on themselves. They can't see that they are deceived by their father the devil, the father of lies, the murderer, taking as many with him as he can. We who know Jesus, follow Him as Lord, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, can clearly see with the help of the Heavenly Father's Word, the truth of these people who are wise in their own eyes. "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." (Isaiah 5:21) because "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12)

In the instance of Oprah, she is very influential, and can do much harm. When she recommends a book, it becomes a best-seller. She now recommends we vote for Barack Obama as President because he is an evolved leader, "the one". And he does truly appear to be as evolved as she is! He admonishes those of us who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible and says we must embrace more important universal values. He is not willing to allow what he calls "an obscure line in Romans" to define marriage for him. He doesn't want his girls punished with babies and will go as far as denying medical care to a baby born alive after a failed abortion, denying care until the baby DIES. He believes that sin is being out of alignment with his own values. He believes he is the one we've been waiting for and that with him, we'll create a Kingdom right here on Earth. Audaciously wise in his own eyes, if you ask me!

I look at the fruits of Sarah Palin's life as a Christian and the fruits of Obama's and realize we are at quite a crossroads in this country right now. ILiveValues.com is sponsoring a 40 days prayer vigil right now. I encourage all Christians to participate. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." There are two quite different scenarios poised and ready to proceed forth. Which will it be? Lord, let us not be wise in our own eyes, let us look to You! Christian, take heart in knowing not all the country, not all the sinners, have to turn from their wicked ways, but God's own people, the Christians, are the ones He is asking to humble themselves and pray and seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. Let's pray for our country and pray for mercy! Let's pray for those wise in their own eyes who know not what they do or say!

A Tale of Two Celebrities

I read two interesting articles today and have been thinking and comparing and contrasting the two all day long. First was the sad news that the wonderfully gifted and seemingly anointed Christian song-writer and singer, Ray Boltz, has declared that he is a homosexual. He has left his wife of 33 years, with whom he had 4 children, and now declares that God made him this way and he feels closer to God now that he isn't lying to himself and has begun living who he is. I honestly have conflicted feelings. Well, not really. It's sad and I am in prayer for him, that he quickly repents and changes his ways. What I really don't totally understand is the ability to discern when a person is just backsliding and when he has "fallen away". But then it's not my decision; only God knows the heart, and I pray that Ray Boltz's heart and spirit will not rest until he comes to his senses! The flesh and the enemy Satan want to rationalize our behavior in an attempt to make it okay. But Boltz's argument is an obvious lie. God didn't make Ray Boltz homosexual, no more than he makes people alcoholics or pedophiles or arsonists or addicted to pornography, etc. We all are tempted by sinful behavior and that is what homosexuality is - a behavior, an act. While Ray Boltz may feel an attraction to men, he chose to give in to the sinful behavior and now tries to rationalize it.

On the other side of the spectrum, I read an amazing article about former Rolling Stone editor and dark thriller author, Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct), who has had a Damascus Road style Christian conversion. When he had been diagnosed with throat cancer, had 80% of his larynx removed, had to give up drinking and smoking and his wild lifestyle if he wanted to live, he felt he had reached rock-bottom, going crazy, jittery, trembling, irritable, and impatient with everything. He cried out to God and felt an immediate peace and the confidence that he could "defeat himself and win". He had seen the light of Christ and has never wanted to return to the darkness, refusing large offers to write dark movies. He is now writing a book about his spiritual conversion as "a thank you to God" and "to tell the world what He has done for me." It is a remarkable testimony.

I can't help but think of the scriptures in the Bible that tell of a righteous man who turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies in his iniquity, his good deeds not remembered; and of a wicked man who turns from his wickedness and does good and all his wicked deeds are forgotten and he lives. What perfect examples are these two men. Hopefully, it doesn't end here for Ray Boltz. I sincerely hope he has only backslidden and will be miserable until he repents and returns to the light!

Comments on the TRUTH

When I started this blog, I wondered about which comments I should allow. I certainly welcome thoughtful and reasonable comments and insights, even if they are not in agreement with my own. But I just deleted several comments that I found irrational, combative, and generally abusive. If you don't agree about an issue, let's discuss the issue, but to just blast a slew of hateful comments against the Bible and God and social conservatism all in one fell swoop is difficult to rationally discuss. Actually, it's rather stupid to even try. A person like that cannot and will not be able to see the truth. It's casting your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6) to use another pig analogy as has been used of late! :-) As Matthew 10:14 says, "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet." Jesus spoke in great detail about those who could not hear the truth and that was because they "are of their father the devil, and the lusts of their father they will do."

People don't realize that when they are choosing to not believe in God, they are choosing to believe in another god. It's interesting that they cannot see the truth in this. How can any rational person not see this? How can it be that the person himself is the author of truth for himself? It will always conflict with the "truth" of another, so how can both be true? It can't! Simple as that. There has to be a true author of truth; there has to be a basis for real truth or there is no truth at all. Obviously, a belief there is no truth at all would be chaos. So who is the real author of truth? The One who has been tested and challenged throughout eternity and still prevails. I know where truth comes from because I know this author of truth. I trust Him for all knowledge and wisdom. I trust Him with everything. I can tell you how to beat the blues. I can tell you how to be rid of money troubles. I can tell you how to be joyful in the midst of a troubled world. It's not about a secret formula; it's about a special relationship with the Lord of your life. And only someone who has experienced it will be able to understand, but it's as true as gravity - perhaps hard to explain but just as true. So to the person who made all the comments I just deleted, just because you can't see or believe in gravity, it's still true!