Gay Christian Music September 25, 2008
Posted by Josiah in Culture, Current Events, Life, Music.Tags: American Idol, Bible, Born, Celebrity, Chris Tomlin, Christian, Clay Aiken, Closet, Fresh Fire, Gay, Gene, Genetics, Homosexual, Homosexuality, Love, Michael W Smith, Music, News, People, Ray Boltz, Sin, Todd Bentley
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No, I’m not talking about Michael W. Smith and Chris Tomlin Christian music that I don’t like. Though I am quite opinionated on that topic as well, it will have to wait until another post. In this post I’m talking about Ray Boltz and Clay Aiken, both of whom “came out of the closet” recently.
If you haven’t heard the news already you can find a news story on Clay in People Magazine, and one on Ray in The Washington Blade.
Both Clay and Ray claim that they are still whole-heartedly serving the Lord saying, “God made me this way.” Excuse my French, but that is total baliverne (yes, that’s really French). They have gone from living in sin, to calling sin righteousness. No, Christians should not shun them. Yes, God still loves them. No, they are not somehow sub-human because of their gayness. Yes, homosexuality is sin. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: homosexuality is sin just like any other sin. We are all equally in need of the blood of Jesus.
OK so honestly, we probably could’ve guessed. I mean, Clay has been “Gayken” since his American Idol days, and Ray… well, have you heard the guy talk? So the shocker is not that they’re gay, we’ve known they’re gay. The surprise is the response coming from the media and the church. They’re applauding — even justifying — it.
The Associated Press wrote an article on Clay that is basically a big “good for him”, and The Gospel Music Association said of Ray, “We do not comment on the lifestyle choices of people in our community.” What?! Todd Bentley stepped down from leading Fresh Fire Ministries — the organization that he founded — for having “an inappropriate relationship on an emotional level”, and the blogging community roasted him alive. But two Christian celebrities come out gay and we encourage them to keep doing what they’re doing, and “good for them”?
Sorry guys, you were not born gay. You are choosing to live in sin rather then accepting the free forgiveness we are told about in 1 John 1:9. I’m not claiming to be better than you, I’ve sinned too. But I try to repent as I sin, rather than redefining the Bible to make my sin OK.
-J
Random Personal Update September 18, 2008
Posted by Josiah in Current Events, Life, Prayer Room, The Night Watch.Tags: California, Election, Faith, Fasting, God, Hungry, Jesus, Money, Nightwatch, November, Personal, Prayer, Prayer Room, Random, Righteousness, Sacrifice
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About time for a personal post, dontchya think?
To start with, I’m on five prayer sets a week now. The only days I’m not playing guitar are Monday and Saturday. I’m not leading any teams still, though I’d like to lead again eventually; I haven’t led a team in over a year.
I’m starting to worry about money (again). Though I’ve been doing this full-time prayer thing for almost three months, and God has made a way so far, I still tend to look at the numbers and think, “oh crap, there’s not enough.” I know that I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing, so I just need to have faith.
The Nightwatch has been praying a lot for California, and for the elections in November. This is a major turning point for the nation, and we’ve been crying out to God that He would move on the hearts of His people to stand for righteousness.
As of today, I’ve been water-fasting every Tuesday and Thursday for five weeks (it’s hard to believe it’s been that long already). I still see fasting regularly as a way of life for me, and I don’t intend to stop anytime soon unless God shows me something else I should be doing. Besides being hungry for a few hours at the end of each night, I am actually really enjoying fasting. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in order to be with me, and it makes my heart glad to be able to give my little sacrifice (not eating) back to Him.
There’s my random update on me. Enjoy!
-J
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and Black Holes September 10, 2008
Posted by Josiah in Culture, Current Events.Tags: Atom Smasher, Black Hole, Controversy, Creation, Earth, End of the World, Evolution, Large Hadron Collider, LHC, Physics, Science
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There has been much controversy over the completion of the LHC, and the “black-holes” that it may or may not create when it’s used to it’s full potential. I won’t go into details about the LHC, as plenty of other people have already (Tarun Reflex has a very informative post — with pictures! ). I will, however, offer my two cents.
Silly people! First of all, don’t you think that the geniuses that made the stinkin’ thing know a little more about the subject than you do? Don’t you think that they have thought about the possibility of danger, and taken the proper safety precautions? Stop pretending to know what you’re talking about, leave that to the people paid to do it. :)
Second… They’ve already finished building it! Trying to stop them now is just cruel. You’ve got to let ‘em at least turn it on a few times. Stopping them now would be like giving a sixteen year-old boy a new Ferrari and telling him he can’t turn it on. I can just imagine all those little scientists in their lab-coats sitting there with their big atom-smasher, all depressed because they can’t use it… probably playing cards or something. Then inevitably someone breaks out the scotch, and next thing you know they’re all thinking it’s a good idea to turn the thing on full-blast and then start throwing small animals into it. Better to just let them use the thing as it was built to be used.
You guys are really funny to watch though, so just think of the LHC as a giant reset button on the universe and keep freaking out. And I will laugh at you. :)
-J
Wealth September 8, 2008
Posted by Josiah in Culture, Life.Tags: America, Bible, Blessed, California, God, Kingdom, Matthew, Money, Pain, Peace, Poor, Poverty, Priority, Psalms, Religion, Rich, Righteous, Seek, Suffering, Wealth
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About two weeks ago I was asked by someone that I greatly respect, “Josiah, what do you think about wealth?” I didn’t have a ready answer for him. Don’t you just love open-ended questions? I wrote an outline of this post that night, and it’s been sitting in my drafts folder ever since.
I’ve actually thought about wealth quite a bit over the last few years, mostly because I’ve never been anywhere close to wealthy. Put simply: poverty level in California is around $20,000 a year, and I’ve never made more than $13,000. Yeah, sounds like it sucks, but it’s actually not that bad. I’ve never had to go without anything that I needed. Haha… right about now some of you who have read my testimony are thinking, “How did he stay drunk on $1000 a month?” Yeah… it wasn’t easy… but back to the point.
I have nothing against money, especially since in modern America you kinda can’t live without it. Wealth, however, is different. Wealth is an abundance of money; as in much more than you need. And the Bible is very clear about wealth. I’ll try to sum up the Biblical stand-point on wealth as simply as I can.
Those who live righteously will be blessed with wealth and find peace. Those who seek to gain wealth may or may not find it, and will bring on themselves pain and suffering. Was that clear enough? Here it is even more simply:
God as first priority = Happy with money
Money as first priority = Miserable; maybe with money, maybe not
Here are a few verses saying that the righteous will be blessed with wealth:
Psa 112:3
Isa 60:11, 61:6
Pro 8:18, 15:6
And a few more verses warning not seek out wealth:
1 Cor 10:24
Pro 21:6, 23:4, 28:11
Mat 6:19, 24
Mar 6:8
Luk 12:15-21
1 Ti 6:10
We are to be good stewards of what we have been given (the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 is a good example of that), but God should always be first priority.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
-J
No One is Listening September 4, 2008
Posted by Josiah in Culture, Life.Tags: Activist, America, Bible, California, Christian, Elitist, Gay, Homosexual, Humility, Jesus, Love, Marriage, Protest, Religion, Rights, Sin, State Fair
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I almost went to the California State fair on Monday. I didn’t, which is another story, but I did get to see a group of guys out in front of Cal Expo with signs and handing out fliers. The signs said stuff like, “Honk if you support traditional marriage,” and the fliers they were handing out said, “10 Reasons Why Homosexual “Marriage” is Harmful and Must be Opposed.”
It only took a quick Google search to find who the group was. They are a Catholic organization called The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. If you want to see their “10 Reasons” flier, I found that on their site too, here.
Despite the fact that I think that homosexuality is wrong, I also think that the ASDTFP is totally wrong in their approach of the issue. So I’ve created my own little response to their flier; I call it, “4 Reasons Why No One is Listening.”
1. You Look Like Weirdos
Come on guys, it’s 90 degrees out and you are wearing tweed suits with a funky red sash across the front. That alone makes you look retarded, but add to that the fact that you seem to not know how to smile, and then add to that the fact that every few minutes you chant in unison something that sounds like “America will fall” and you all now appear to be psycho-ward escapees. Then again… that would explain the tweed suits…
2. You Don’t Relate to People
You have your list of reasons, but if anyone you are waving signs at asked you a personal question, would you have an intelligent answer? If someone came up and said, “Hi, I’m gay. Are you telling me I’m harmful to America?” would you actually be able to have a conversation telling them how much Jesus loves them? Or would you just condemn them and give them a flier? I’m guessing that not only do you not have anyone in your group that used to be gay, you probably have never even had any gay friends. You have no idea who you’re talking to.
3. You Have Tall Pony Syndrome
Or in other words: you are a proud and condescending group of religious elitists. Get off your high horse. God isn’t the only one who resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. I agree with the core of what you’re saying and still wouldn’t want anyone to think I was associated with you or anything like you.
4. You Make One Type of Sinner Look Worse Than Another
OK, so homosexuality is wrong; the Bible is pretty clear about that. But so is anger, hate, lying, and a whole slew of others. Everyone is equally in need of redemption through Jesus Christ; whether you are a cannibalistic-homosexual-abortionist-serial-killer, or a “good Christian.”
All four of my reasons really come down to humility and love; being humble enough to see that you need God’s forgiveness just as much as everyone else, and loving the people that Jesus loves enough to actually get to know them. The first step in reaching anyone, on any level, is to establish some kind of trust. They totally skipped that and went right for the self-righteous declaration. Sorry guys, not gonna work.
-J
Why Night and Day? — Part Two September 1, 2008
Posted by Josiah in Prayer Room, The Night Watch.Tags: Acts, Amos, Bible, Blog, David, Day, God, House, Isaiah, James, Jesus, Levite, Night, Nightwatch, Pleasure, Prayer, Prayer Room, Psalms, Roseville, Tabernacle, Worship, Zion
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My first installment in this little double-whammy-post was mostly about the Biblical rationale for having a 24/7 prayer room. In a sentence: we pray night and day to create a place on Earth where God can dwell with us all the time, and to prepare the way for His second coming; fulfilling scriptures in Isaiah, Amos, and Acts, among others.
This post will be more personal; why I pray day and night. If you don’t read my blog on a regular basis (that’s probably most of you), about a month ago I wrote very briefly on the Nightwatch. So, take this post in addition to that one.
Knowing that I am a part of a group that is praying all the time is comforting. When I was at IHOP-KC I was constantly aware of fact that there were people across the parking lot from my apartment praying. All the time. Praying as I slept, praying as I ate, praying as I prayed. Just being a part of that is like nothing I’ve ever done — or felt. The house of prayer here in Roseville is not 24/7 yet, but it will be, and until then I’ll take what I can get.
God’s presence rests in the prayer room. There are times and places when I feel God, and there are those when I don’t; but that doesn’t change the fact that He is here. This is His house (Isaiah 56:7). I want to be here all time — that means night and day — similar to the way David felt in Psalm 27:4.
I can honestly say that worship and prayer is not just my calling; it’s my pleasure. Which is great, because guess what God takes pleasure in? Me, praying and worshiping (Psalm 149). I like it, He likes it, He lives here, I want to stay here… sounds like a recipe for night and day prayer to me. :)
Oh, and let’s not forget my blog’s namesake psalm:
Behold, bless the LORD, all servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the LORD. May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth. — Psalm 134
That verse tells me that there is a unique blessing for those set apart to pray in the night; it’s the Nightwatcher’s Psalm.
-J
