Couldn’t have said it better myself! This ridiculous show has boldly proclaimed to be about idolatry and has definitely followed it up! The church ought to take a note from them and get bolder about who we are and what we are going to do. Other than the obvious choice of lesbian Ellen Degenerate for a new place on the judges panel (coming this new season) there is something that has greatly offended my spirit and grieved the Holy Spirit in our nation. The open display of Adam Lambert’s homosexual kissing and other insinuations (that I will not even mention, Paul said not to even speak of what the wicked do Eph. 5:12) on national television. Upon being asked about his open display of abominable wickedness he stated, “It’s time for America to quit being so homophobic and get over it!”
Im going to say right here and now that i will NEVER get over it! There will never be point where i accept men kissing men or women kissing each other. I didn’t accept it when Madonna and Brittany Spears did it and there will never be a tolerant bone in my body for the sin that angers God the most. Yes, the most! He hates murder but He is pushed to rage and violent destruction over sodomy (just look for the town and see how God felt). I think it is prophetic that Sodom is buried under the Dead Sea where no life can exist because those who persist in homosexuality without repentance will end up buried by God’s eternal wrath and will never see the light of His glory.
Today is a day of mourning and grief for me to see the state of our nation as it makes great strides to degradation and the exaltation of wickedness. For you young people reading this (the audience i am writing to) please know that no matter how cool, funny, or “gay” the media and Hollywood would try to make homosexuality it is abominable! God despises it. Read Gen. 19 and see the wickedness of the men of Sodom toward the angels of God. There was total disrespect of all divine authority and the result was the total judgment of all involved.
Many of you who read this blog would definitely agree with me but the sad thing is that many of the “men of God” today are so busy trying to kiss up to everyone in order to get a bigger ministry or church that they refuse to speak out on this most dangerous sin in our nation. Any man of God who refuses to stand up for righteousness and even kowtows to the forces of darkness for sake of relevance and tolerance should be completely ignored and disregarded as sent by God (even if they say, “its not my ministry or its not my place to judge”). It is our place to judge sin as sin according to the Word of God. It is ultimately a sign of the pagan agenda the enemy has been sowing in the minds of our youth since 1967. I reject it! I refute it! I stand on the Word of God and boldly declare that as long as there is breath in this body I will oppose the spirit of sodomy and any other spirit of the enemy that would try and destroy the Church of Jesus Christ. Oh, and preachers, don’t think that the gay agenda will stop with rights. Once they get their way with their so-called rights they will turn their full attention to destroying anyone and everyone who opposes their lifestyle. They do not want tolerance! They want approval and applause and will stop at nothing to get it. They know God despises their lifestyle so they demand the approval of man.
I close this blog by saying that every prophet in the OT had one message, RETURN to GOD! This is my heart today. We cannot just point out the bad but must continue to preach the message of Jesus, REPENT, for the Kingdom of God is at hand! Mark 1:15
Hosea 9:8 The prophet is a watchmen over Israel for my God, yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes. He faces hostility even in the house of God.
Beautifully stated and awesome convitctions behind it…AMEN!!
AWESOME WORD!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! This has been on my mind ever since this event aired over the TV. I agree 100% Pastor Joel! Awesome WORD…there is nothing else to say but keep on preaching the Word with boldness! I thank God every day that I have a man of God to look up too. You truly bless me every time I read your blog!
Brad Barker––Pensacola, FL
GREAT WORD!!!! I AGREE 100% WITH WHAT YOU SAID OR WHAT GOD SAID!!!
Wow I had to read it twice!I agree with you a 100% Pastor Joel…Amen!!
I agree with everything said here. We should be so in love with God and so in tune with His word that we “hate every wrong path” (Psalm 119:104). The only thing I tend to think about is: what is the Biblical way to ‘act’ around gay people? As in, how does our hatred of sin get translated into our daily witness and our daily walk? You know, I’ve always heard that we should not expect unsaved people to act like saved people, and that’s true, and I know that’s where repentance & faith comes into play…but I still ask that question sometimes. Essentially, what would Jesus do? Should we be angered by the sin but torn with compassion for the person? a compassion that causes us to earnestly pray for their salvation and tell them the Good News about Jesus Christ? But then again, maybe I’m answering my own question… (lol)
Amen to that Pastor Joel! The Gospel must not be compromised, the Cross will not be lowered, Jesus shall not be put to shame – rather the Gospel will prevail, the Cross will be lifted, and Jesus will be brought much glory.
This is good! It’s easy to think about speaking out against homosexuality but at times not as easy to speak out about it. Let the body of Christ never shrink back in fear and intimidation and shame!
That’s right Pastor Joel! I got to the point where I don’t even watch TV because it is filled with soi much junk! I agree with you a hundred percent!
love thy neighbor—always
do not judge heavily, for it isn’t up to you
your uncomprimising leadership is amazing! thank you pastor joel.
Pastor Joel, I completely agree with you on this. The one thing that homosexuals want is us to approve their lifestyle, because they know that their own conscience condemns it. So maybe if other people tell me I am doing ok, then it is fine. It is a sin, no if, ands, or buts about it.
I’m so glad that you wrote this blog. Thankfully I don’t really watch much tv anymore and I NEVER watch those award shows. I wasn’t watching at the time A Lambert disgraced God on live tv. I actually am a fan of American idol, and when I heard that Ellen was is to be the new judge I questioned whether I would be able to continue to watch the show. I thought I would watch it once(dip my toe in the water) and see if I would be able to. I have heard your cry and I am taking a stand, and will not compromise my convictions by watching such filth that will inevitably cause jealousy to rise up in me and who knows what else. Again thank you for being bold and swimming up stream when everyone else is taking it easy in the “lazy” pool.
Pastor Joel,
Here is one pastor who says you are “right one” with your remarks. I am appauled with the way our nation has turned its back against God and His Word. I don’t care if they want to call it “politically correct” or not. If God says it’s wrong, we’d better say “amen!” and proclaim it. From Genesis right on through Revelation, what they call “an alternate lifestyle” is CONDEMNED!!! – Always has been; always will be!
Even a recent set of commentaries edited and published by a well-known Bible translation company now has a set of commentaries out in which the Book of Leviticus author says we should “tolerate” the homosexual lifestyle and “love those folks” just as if they were not committing sin. Yes, I say, we should love them, but still hate the sin and not tolerate it – as God does!
They can through me in jail if they wish, but this pastor will still keep preaching that homosexuality is a sin and so are all things that suggest such disgraceful attitudes such as you’ve mentioned in your blog. Keep up the good work, brother!
It could not have been said better!!! We must stand up for righteousness and holiness! There is absolutely nothing worse in my opinion than relevant Christians. We must live pure lives and be the salt and light of this world.
Totally 100% in agreement. The compromise of the nation is in large part because of the compromise in the church. The church has become scared to declare sin as sin and boldly proclaim the word of God to the world. We are more concerned with our churches being “seeker friendly” than we are making it “Holy Spirit friendly”… Speak it Pastor Joel…
I am so disgusted by what I heard happened during that guy’s performance. Secondly, I have never watched American Idol, mostly based on the name. If that is shallow, oh well! Now that Ellen is going to be on there, you can be sure I never will. More minister’s need not be ashamed about what the Bible says about sin, and be aware that you can share the love of Jesus and still mention sin… kind of like Jesus did.
If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. Ezekiel 33:8
The Lord has been dealing with me often on this subject over the last month or so in my daily devotional readings. When I first got saved, He let me keep the veil of compromise for awhile as I adjusted to a changing heart. At some point, when I was harshly confronted with identifying homosexuality as a demonic spirit, He revealed to me the many times when that spirit approached me. By grace I hadn’t opened that door in my heart, so I was not enticed by it, but, lacking a fear of God, I was not threatened by it either. I had been on asthma medication most of my childhood though, so that gateway was wide open, & I plunged right through it. Even in the midst of that, there were at least 3 phases where the spirit of homosexuality again danced before me. I was an easy target for addiction, but for those who aren’t, Satan will try anything he can to rip them out of God’s favor, & especially if there is a foothold of any type of sin or rebellion, he will not desist.
It breaks my heart now to hear the term homophobic thrown around so much. The love I have for people I know who willingly live in sin didn’t stop when I found Jesus. I certainly never forget that I too am a sinner, but I fight against it constantly and Jesus taught us to correct one another and to bring each other into alignment with God’s will. The Lord said: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.” Leviticus 18:22-23 “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.” Ezekiel 16:49-50
We like to think of our lives as our own creating a country of our own. But God will not appreciate our haughtiness after He sent His Son to die for us any more than He appreciated it when bulls were sacrificed in repentence for sin. “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!” Hebrews 12:25
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort those who turn to Him. Jesus didn’t endure the lashings & the crown or climb onto the cross so we could defy our Father. He came to do the will of His Father: “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” John 4:34
So praise Jesus for pastors who unapologetically preach the Old & New Testaments especially where ambivalent youth are concerned. I admire your passion & respect your ministry.
What is the answer for those afflicted? I can only offer my own testimony – “In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.” Psalm 118:5
So where (besides Sodom and Gomorrah) that God calls homosexuality the worst sin that a nation can commit that will bring fierce judgment? It appears that you lack any real training in proper Biblical hermeneutics and exegesis. God does hate the sin of homosexuality along with other vile national sins that each nation will give an account of. But to target homosexuality is just plain careless for you or any other public minister to target. I think that those who use to pulpit to deceive people in giving money to secure multiplied blessing is heresy and there is more Biblical evidence to support that this kind of foolishness robs the church of its power and makes it look stupid. When are oyu going to rant over that.
This was your best blog yet, it has opened my eyes to really be bold and speak out on the subject and not be afraid to tell people they are WRONG for their lifestyle. And I learned scripture to back it up:)
Pastor Joel, thought you might want to know this, as well: the guy who actually won American Idol, Kris Allen, is a Christian and he had to room with Adam Lambert all during the season! Makes me wonder!
Amen, Pastor I totally agree. With this brought to my attention I feel the need to pray more about this, because like you, I refuse to let this lifestyle ever be ok or accepted.
It’s funny you talk about Ellen Degeners. I worked in the nursery for a number of years and the kids were playing “Finding Nemo” many times. If you don’t know, Ellen is the voice of Dory. My friends and I used to think it was hilarious the movie of choice had Ellen in it.
I am astonished at what our church has become in the past 15 years. We are living in very difficult times with “ministers” not defending the faith and standing firm during a time of complete moral decay in our nation. One thing that I have seen is how our culture has embraces these types of shows over the past few years with more and more show that promote demonic activity and worthless programming. It’s show like these that advance the gay agenda and other homosexual initiatives. If they can condition the church and society to accept gays as normal people they can win the majority. This MUST stop and real ministers who stand in the face of this demon is our most powerful weapon.
Right on Pastor Joel,
Thank you for once again spreading the truth…
Keep at it!
I know, “pastors” like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren will never speak out against sin. They never even mention sin!
I agree Joel that “pastors” want to grow their church, so they do not offend people by speaking the truth of God.
The way to change things you don’t like on TV is easy …… Stop watching. Ratings mean everything. I don’t really do much TV except for History and Nat. Geo. If I didn’t watch Fox News I would never have known about the guy kissing the other guy. I don’t even know these people.
Why waste time with TV, when we can go online to the Bethany archives and watch good teaching and preaching on the computer … you know filling our minds with good report! We live in a great tech. age. There is so much teaching and preaching by so many anointed men and women of God, with just the click of a mouse. I can remember in the 80′s, when we were signing petitions and begging the cable company to put on a christian station.
Thanks for keeping it real!
Love this blog!
You are so right and I could not have said it any better. God Bless!!
Thank You !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Somebody has to say it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Definetely a needed word for today!
The word of the Lord for me today, was to speak the TRUTH in love! There you go, doing exactly what God showed me today. Most of the comments and the people you target have no way of knowing this, but in our early years of our Christian walk, there was a prophetic word that went forward stating exactly what we are witnessing today: open, rapid, moral decay. Yet in our early years, (30 years ago) of salavation, our minds told us, there could be no way these things could truly transpire, (they seemed too outlandish, too brazen, too sinful to really ever happen). Lo and behold, while raising our own children and even now we have watched and fought against the suttle deception of satan into our culture. The prophetic word has come to pass and for sure God’s Word does not lie. Thanks Joel, for speaking to all of God’s people, young and old to not lay down your weapons of warefare. I never forgot that word warning us to pay attention. I pray with this blog, people will remember where they are as they read what you are saying, and better yet they will stay vigilante in the authority Jesus gave to us. Love…never fails!
Thank you Pastor Joel for never being afraid to speak the truth!
Amen! Won’t put up, or shut up! It’s time we push back, Devil you can’t have our nation! Amen, Pastor Joel. Great word and insight.
I agree fully Pastor Joel! We stand on the Word of God and nothing else. Keep it up! 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
If the church does not take a stand who will? I am always blessed to see you speaking with clarity on the tough issues…Keep up the good work Pastor Joel.
Very well put the display is sickenig it is amazing how people believe the God of the old testament is dead HE is the same today yeterday and forever. It is time that we stand up and quit being the nice guys
I’m so proud to be apart of 220 with a wonderful pastor who speaks the truth and stands on the Word no matter how this abominable world view him! Pastor Joel, this blog was awesome!! So glad you spoke up about this once more.
Thanks P Joel for being convicted and fearless. I am sick of some churches who are pc and not about JC. God bless your ministry in these last days of the Church shining more in the greater darkness
So if God hates homosexuality MORE than murder…what about murdering gay people? Surly the sin of murder would be offset by the good deed of ridding the world of an evil gay person. What about the sin of suicide? Maybe if someone strapped a bomb to themselves and then blew themselves up at a gay pride rally…surly God would be pleased by that….right?
Pastor Joel, you have the power to influence so many young people. Maybe you should think before you blog. Many gay people have been murdered because of this very terrible religious mindset that you are promoting.
Also, if this does get posted, anyone reading this should know that I am NOT promoting voilence against gay people…simply making a point.
Amazing!!! I totally agree!
“So where (besides Sodom and Gomorrah) that God calls homosexuality the worst sin that a nation can commit that will bring fierce judgment? It appears that you lack any real training in proper Biblical hermeneutics and exegesis. God does hate the sin of homosexuality along with other vile national sins that each nation will give an account of. But to target homosexuality is just plain careless for you or any other public minister to target. I think that those who use to pulpit to deceive people in giving money to secure multiplied blessing is heresy and there is more Biblical evidence to support that this kind of foolishness robs the church of its power and makes it look stupid. When are oyu going to rant over that.”
Dude, since when does God have to say or do something more than once for it to be legitimate? Sodom and Gomorrah was enough, His point was made, loud and CLEAR! If God felt that strongly about homosexuality then, you can believe He still feels that way now. “The same yesterday, today, and forever.” Look it up. CLEARLY, you’re not studying the same Bible we are.
Amen Pastor Joel, thank you!
Sam,
If you like a more intelligent debate/blog on religious issues, visit OnFaith, hosted by the Washington Post. http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/ I read it every week and I love the breath of fresh air it brings. No one’s fawning over a poster and they have detailed discussions of the Bible.
I am so glad that some of you are responding to Sam’s comments because they are totally off base. Besides Sodom and Gomorrah, the New Testament is full of references to the sin of homosexuality and the need to repent of it. For example, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, Jude v.7and 1 Timothy 1 – not to mention all the times we are instructed to get rid of all sexual immorality. The greek word used for “sexual immorality” includes homosexuality and lesbianism. I recently compiled a rather long list of these scriptures to share with someone close to me who claims to be a lesbian and a christian. How sad, and yet infuriating, that some churches have the gall to say that homosexuality is not a sin and God is okay with it. As expected, this person just got angry with me even though the only thing I shared were the scriptures. Funny how someone who claims to be a believer refuses to believe the very word of God.
Pastor Joel, I am so happy that you are my pastor because you are not shy in proclaiming the truth. I love that your message is always the same – that we need to repent and turn from all sin.
So Sam, I am not attacking you, but you seem to need more clarity and guidance in your spiritual understanding. If you are a believer, you need to be aware of all the devil’s tricks and lies in order to be prepared to fight in the spirit. If you are not a believer who has put total faith in Christ alone, then I encourage you to continue to read the Bible and embrace the truth you find there.
This is amazing! I liked how you said we can’t be tolerent. This is what is happening to all churches and even my church, back home. We just never want to offend anyone, and like you said in intern class my church is just putting God on the new cart. Were changing the bible for this new generation, and we need to stand on what is true and that the Lord is the same, now, and forever. This really was good, I don’t want to sit around anymore.
If John taught to not speak of what the wicked do then why do you consistently break from this. Contradiction? If there is anybody who embodies the essence of contradiction you may be him Pastor Joel. But really, how can you be expected to not to contradict yourself when your teachings are so sloppily mismanaged. You craftily extort views and opinions of your own from the Bible without proper evidence. Homosexuality is the sin that God hates the most? Where do you see this? I could go on and on but the fact is that you have yet to mature Pastor, you have no credentials, understanding, or maturity. Please grow up soon sir.
Pastor Joel, I could not agree with you more! I believe my bible CLEARLY says that homosexuality is a SIN. Therefore, I wont ever think it is okay for anyone to be a homosexual. It does not matter how many times the media tries to play it over and over to make it acceptable, we will not bow down! I do not understand why some “christians” disagree with this blog. The bible clearly states that homosexuality is a sin and that it angers him. Why do these “christians” want to accept part of the bible and not all of it? Thank you Pastor Joel for your uncompromising faith! For standing for what is truly right no matter what is going on or what people say. It is an honor and a privilege to have you as a Pastor.
tolerance is hatred in disguise. keep fighting against pastor joel on this issue, but it’s not him you’re hurting, it’s the very people you claim to love. hating the sin is the only way to love the sinner.
Just a word of caution to some people that commented on this blog be careful how u speak to men of God! They are God’s authority whether you agree with them or not. If u disagree show us the word of God to back it up.
Amber, dear precious sister, intelligence is what got this nation in trouble in the first place. Our dear pastor only speaks the whispers he hears from the Holy Spirit during his communion with Him. If more bloggers would do that before they spout against a righteous man speaking Truth, we wouldn’t be in the mess that we are today with sin. It was man who wants to “educate” folks. The Bible is simple. Everything contained in it is based on a simple faith. The foolish will confound the wise. And those speaking ugly, negative things, really do be careful. The Lord takes care of what belongs to Him with a jealous love.
Connie, dear precious sister, how did intelligence get this nation in trouble? If you’re talking about the financial crisis, then it was the government allowing large banks operate without any oversight. If you’re talking about the housing crisis, then you’re talking about the housing market giving bad loans to people who didn’t read their contracts and had no business owning the types of houses they had.
And the intelligence I’m talking about is correct grammar, usage and setting up an essay. Christianity Today is a magazine I read daily and love. Their articles are thought provoking and written in an intelligent way. Not in a random rant. It discussed the Manhattan Declaration (ever heard of it) in detail, the massive amounts of Christians killed in Uganda, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and an essay written by a young pastor about preventing congregational decline. It just gets tiring hearing over and over again about homosexuality, tattoos and what Obama has done to America. There are so many other things in the Bible that could be discussed and touched upon; developing relationships, marriages, how to witness, keeping the faith while away from home, answering Biblical questions.
Education.
So you would visit a doctor who wasn’t educated? Or allow your child to attend school? Or a lawyer defend you in a trial?