Can you hear hell’s demons slappin’ high-fives and shoutin’ “…another one bites the dust?”
Five weeks is all it took for the resolve of a Christian wife and mother to quiver and quake. Five weeks since she publicly stated she would not wear skimpy costumes, participate in hip grinding, and provocative dancing broadcast each week into your living room. Five weeks since she said familiarities were reserved for her husband.
Until this fifth week.
Snippets from rehearsals revealed her partner advising she loosen up and be sexy or else be eliminated from the competition. With tears in her eyes she stated, “I don’t want to go home yet, I’m having too much fun.” And her resolve to be different melted like wax from a burning candle.
The crowd cheered, the judges voiced accolades, and encouraged her to continue loosening up. While her young children sat in the audience, watching, cheering, and soaking up another kind of lesson from mom.
Yes, she was saved to dance again next week. And I wonder what that will look like after seven more days in that atmosphere?
And precious ones, that’s what happens when a child of God plays around the rim of the serpent’s den. They become entangled in “the affairs of Peor” and “rush headlong into the error of Balaam” (Numbers 25:18 and Jude 1:11 NAS).
When we allow ourselves to focus on the glitz and glamour of this world so that we fail to identify the lure as lies, we’ve allowed things to come between our face and God’s face.
Reports have surfaced this week that a renowned Christian publisher is publishing a book by a Christian homosexual man who attempts to validate, through Scripture, his lifestyle is okay with God.
And the publisher explains his company is publishing the book “because [they] believe it offers a thoughtful examination of Scripture on the topic of same-sex relationships from a bold, young, evangelical writer whose first calling is to promote a civil, loving, and biblically based conversation on the subject.” He goes on to say: “We have extensive marketing and publicity campaigns in place, with which we hope to reach the widest possible readership.”
Truth of the matter—every publishing house, Christian or secular, is about money. What a sad commentary for main stream publishing. We know it will be a short road before other Christian publishers follow so they can make a buck too.
Comments have been mixed. Many agree with the publisher, saying we are to “love and accept them into our fellowship just like they are.”
That’s not what my Bible says. Jude says we are to “contend for the faith.” Paul calls homosexuality an abomination. And Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire for that sin.
Yes, we are concerned for their salvation. Yes, we know the answer for their deliverance. But no, we don’t welcome them into the fellowship of believers until they turn away from their sin and rebellion toward God.
Yes, God forgives the sinner when they confess, repent, and turn to walk in obedience. But when we violate the commands of our righteous God, the accumulated consequences don’t vaporize. They remain. Ask Abraham. Isaac. Jacob. David.
And I can testify that my years of playing around the snake’s hole have left consequences that may result in a child and a sibling being separated from God forever. Am I forgiven? Most certainly. But God calls me to be holy—set apart for Him. Not just on Sunday—every day, all day. Everything in my life belongs to Jesus.
History books are filled with accounts of nations. Nations who once honored and worshiped the Sovereign God of the Universe. But little by little they caved. Their resolve melted, and they turned their backs on God’s statutes and commandments. And God judged that nation.
Yes, God is loving and forgiving, merciful and kind. But to experience the benefits of His attributes, we must first repent and turn to walk in obedience to Him. The process is simple:
Repentance + turning + obeying = Forgiveness, mercy, everlasting love.
Because the penalty for your disobedience was paid for with the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For the past fifty years Americans have sown seeds that cannot yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness. And yet we keep on planting more wild seeds, expecting a different harvest. But unless we repent and return we will be yet another nation who bites the dust.
“And the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life’ ” (Genesis 3:14 NAS).
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NAS).
DiAne, thank you for always telling it like it is. Thank you for giving us a healthy nudge in the ribs. And when we turn to ask you “Hey! What’s the deal?!” thank you for explaining to us the things we should have seen for ourselves. Your no-nonsense words get our attention, pull us up short, and send us to our knees to pray for our world. And if our prayers don’t start with “Lord, I’ve sinned,” we’ll be expecting another healthy nudge from you.
LikeLike
Kathleen, that’s the only way any of us can come to Jesus…church member or not…Christian or not. All of us have sinned and still sin, and come short of the glory of God. But the body of Christ is to be holy, set apart to serve and honor the name of Jesus. And when we don’t follow His principles and statutes, we are in a heap of trouble…and that’s why we’re in the mess we’re in.
I’d love to write the fun stuff. But time is short. And our eternity depends on receiving the Truth from the One who is Truth…our Lord Jesus Christ.
DiAne
________________________________
LikeLike
I assume the program you mentioned is the one I call ‘Dancing Half-naked.’ I haven’t watched it for many years because of the images in my mind. I have no idea how those very healthy young women keep those skimpy outfits on while doing all those gyrations. It’s getting harder and harder to keep pure these days.
It’s also no fun to live in a country that’s leaving its heritage behind. The Romans called there last days “circus and bread…” Keep the people entertained and fed, that’s what they were concerned with. With all the restaurants I see popping up and the huge contracts for athletes and entertainers I’d say we’re following their example too closely. I think we’d add health care to the list now. Why don’t people see what’s going on right in front of them?
I’m obviously wound up now. I better stop before I blow a gasket.
LikeLike
Wade, like you I stopped watching the program, but this time three of my favorites were on. The two gold medal ice-skating champs and this popular teen TV star. But leopards don’t change their spots do they? We are studying Nehemiah and Malachi in Precept Bible Study and once again, it would seem we are living in the last days of this age.
Thanks for reading and replying. We should all stay pretty wound-up these days. Thank goodness we know God is in control, even though sometimes it looks as though no one is.
DiAne
________________________________
LikeLike
Love your blog. I saw that episode also where she took the bait. The other day I saw an article from a homosexual trying to convince the readers that what was written in the Bible about that lifestyle didn’t really mean that. So I guess that publisher has been bitten by the Mammon bug.
LikeLike
Emma, thanks so much for reading and I’m glad to know I wasn’t the only one seeing this young woman “take the bait”. Sad, very sad. Is it any wonder our teens and young people stray? But we know the one who rules and reigns. And He’s coming soon!
DiAne
________________________________
LikeLike
GREAT summation on a topic that is invading our culture in epic proportions with the help of liberal media, pulpits and “lukewarm” or perhaps “misinformed” Christians …It’s all in the Word (the Bible) …if today’s Believer would take the time to read it, believe it and then walk in it! (My thanks to mutual friend, Barbara Baumann, for passing along your blog post to me – We all need to raise our voices for the cause of Christ – and if not us, then who?) God bless you and thank you!
LikeLike
Jensine, thank you for reading and responding to this blog. We must “contend” for the faith, but realize we’re all subject to the lies and deception of this age and ask God to protect us and keep us focused on the Word, abiding in our Lord Jesus…our sword, our shield, our only hope.
LikeLike
When I was a pagan, I inhaled this junk all the time. As we moved toward life in Christ, we tried “curtailing” it some, but none of it really was worth watching.
We pitched the TV, eons ago, and it solved the whole problem.
The lure is too strong for mere humans, and I doubt that Jesus sits down and watches it with us. I think He weeps for us, instead. O, Jerusalem, Jerusalem…
We must stay far away from this junk and keep our eyes on the Author of our faith, who also is the Finisher. We should not be watching it unless He has given us a special calling to do so.
The prince of the power of the air has his app. in too many homes of “Believers”.
We should wake up.
LikeLike
And Katharine the only think I can add to your comment is Amen and Amen! God has called us to “come apart and be different.”
Again thanks for reading and responding.
LikeLike
At first, I thought your title referred to all the Christians who are caving in on the all genders in the same restroom as okay. I just had a Christian author friend block me on Facebook because I pointed out that pedophiles will use this as a legal excuse to enter restrooms after children in public places. So many are caving I guess to seem hip. I just can’t figure out why.
Another friend and I were pointing out how five of the commandments have basically been thrown out by our society.
We don’t subscribe to cable TV.
My daughter and I have toyed with the idea of starting a modest clothing line for young girls as much of it in the stores is totally inappropriate. Keep on standing up for the truth.
LikeLike
Lisa, this is an old blog I posted sometime last year that Facebook resurrected on their memories page. It was a good blog and is so right on with the times. If you read any of my other blogs you will find I’m pretty out-spoken and adamant about telling God’s truth. I sure do like the idea of a modest clothing line for young girls. We have a college age granddaughter who’s parents see nothing wrong with, and as a matter of fact, step-mom sees she dresses for the times. (Our daughter …her mother…passed away when she was almost five)
I’ve not calmed down enough to sanely write about this bathroom issue…stay tuned. Thanks for reading and commenting. And, if you have time, slip over to Amazon.com and check out my YA novel ROPED”. The second book TWISTED will be released soon.
LikeLike