On a recent trip to Thailand I noticed a sign on the passport control booth stating that any defamatory remarks about Buddha were unacceptable and that it was prohibited to have a tattoo of Buddha or create any item that represented Buddha. This country was standing up for a god made of stone. I asked myself why the western Christian countries didn’t have the same respect for Jesus Christ.
At the same time, by no coincidence, God put a book by David Wilkerson “Set the trumpet to your mouth”, into my hands. God was clearly getting my attention about the compromises in my life.
God first
In Exodus 4 we read the story of Moses being called by God to return to Egypt and confront Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go. In the middle of this passage in verse 24 all of a sudden God says He’s going to kill Moses. I suspect the problem was that Moses had become complacent whilst dwelling in ungodly Midian, had thus listened to the voice of his Midianite wife and compromised the principles of God’s instructions to circumcise their son. So, even though Moses was called and empowered for the task, the task could not be carried out until he first stood up for the principle that was required by the true God, face the ridicule of his family, and be obedient.
Why doesn’t the church have the same respect for the name of Christ as the Buddhists for Buddha?
I think David Wilkerson is right. The problem is TV. In years past, blaspheming the name of Christ was socially unacceptable. Now we don’t squirm at all when we hear God’s name taken in vain and used as a swear word. We don’t squirm when we hear the “F” word. We accept it as normal behaviour. The demonic influence of TV has softened the spirit of Christian resistance and deceived us into believing that it’s love to let people be themselves and say and do what they like.
Supporters of Allah won’t tolerate what we Christians tolerate
The Christian governor of Jakarta was recently voted out of office and jailed for simply making a comment about the Koran. It’s pretty obvious from all the terrorism that’s stalking the western world that supporters of Allah aren’t going to let anyone defile the name of their god. Yet, when the true God is defamed, we frightened and wishy-washy Christians stay silent and make excuses. The truth is, it’s not tolerance, it’s fear. We’re afraid to stand up. We’re worried what the world thinks. The compromises in our own lives have weakened our resolve. We no longer consider the stuff we watch on TV as evil. We’ve accepted it as normal.
Love
Love is not tolerance of other’s sin; it’s intolerance of it … 1 John 5:3
The church is dying
Australia is about to vote on the issue of homosexual equality. The current census revealed that those who regarded themselves as Christian had plummeted from 75% to around 50%. Atheism is the fastest growing religion in Australia. People are giving up on God because He isn’t playing the game the way they want him to. No one is stopping to blame themselves for their disobedience of His principles; it’s God’s fault.
God’s principles
- No other Gods
- Don’t take My Name in vain
- No nudity; no fornication; no adultery; no divorce
- Keep the Sabbath day holy and separate from the world … sport and shopping on Sabbath is not holiness
- No false witness … silently condoning “F” and “Jesus Christ” is a false witness
- No abortions (murder)
- Respect authority … Romans 1:30
- Don’t covet your neighbour’s wife or anything that is your neighbour’s
- No homosexuality … Romans 1
Like Moses, we think we’re walking with God and doing the right thing, but the truth is, by silently condoning these worldly attitudes into our homes via the ungodly spirit of TV, we’re being disobedient to the living God. Combine that with the lie that the we’re dead to the law and can interpret the law based on our own feelings, and you have a recipe for disaster.
You’re only dead to the punishment of the law when your heart honours the law because you love Jesus with all your heart … Matthew 5: 17-19
So, what’s the problem, I think I’m ok?
The problem is, disobedience brings the curse. If you stop and have a look, the western world is no longer the head, but the tail. Family disintegration is the new norm.
Joshua 7:13 … you can’t stand before your enemies until you remove the accursed thing
Deuteronomy 7:26 … don’t bring an abomination into your house
Colossians 3:8 … remove all malice, blasphemy and filthy communication out of your mouth
2 Corinthians 6:16 … God is holy, and you are His temple
Philippians 4:8 … evil pollutes righteous thoughts
It’s our sin, so stop blaming God.
5 Rules to get back on track
If you want to really walk with God, then you have no alternative but to obey these rules. Failure to do so will end in your spirit’s death. TV is designed to appeal to our fleshly appetites and soften our Godly resolves. It will affect your mouth and it will affect your sex-life. Any time a TV program dishonours any one of these rules, that program should be immediately switched off (without hesitation) and never be watched again. This is not a game; you’re up against a powerful enemy. Your spirit will lose its authority unless you comply with God’s principles. The real issue is whose authority do you want to live under, God or Satan.
- No “F” word ever
- No “Jesus Christ” deformation
- No sex acts, nudity, condoning of divorce, condoning of extra-marital relations
- No homosexual condoning
- No macabre violence
‘Condoning’ means implying that it’s ok.
If you can’t comply with these rules then you have no alternative, for your spirit’s sake, but to remove your TV set from your house. You won’t survive the spirit behind it.
Let’s face it, you’ll probably have to give up watching 90% of movies, and you’ll have to screen cinema programs very well or you’ll face the embarrassment of having to walk out. It’s your call, but in your heart of hearts, you know I’m right; the problem is you like its drug.
No Christian will survive this world unless, in his heart, he separates himself from it and from anyone who condones the world.
Love not the world neither anything that is in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world, and the world passes away and the lusts thereof; but he that does the will of the father shall abide forever.
May the Lord give you the courage to stand for righteousness.
Pastor Stephen Paulof
www.e-preacher.org 