Posts

Showing posts from February, 2011

Laughing Together

Image
One of my favorite preachers is Jesse Duplantis. Pastor John Hagee once introduced this evangelist from Louisiana as “the Apostle of Joy.” A few weeks ago I purchased a download of “A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a Medicine, Volume 3”, a video that contains 16 of Jesse’s funniest stories. I bought this video specifically to hear Jesse imitating a monkey while poking fun at evolutionary theory, something I’ve seen him do live a couple of times before. Last night I started watching the video again in my bedroom but then decided to share it with the men I’m staying with. As the four of us watched the “Ragin' Cajun” while relaxing in the living room, I noticed I laughed a lot more than when I watched it the first time by myself. As I pondered why this happened, two Scriptures came to my mind. Jesus said in Matthew 18:19, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” It also says in Psalm 16:11, “In Your presence is fullness of

Truths About Tithing

Image
Some Christians don’t like to talk about money even though there are numerous Scriptures on the subject. One area in particular that has split a few hairs amongst believers is tithing. According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, a tithe is defined as, “The tenth part of any thing; but appropriately, the tenth part of the increase annually arising from the profits of land and stock, allotted to the clergy for their support.”   Whenever I meet Christians who complain of financial problems, I often ask if they have been tithing. Many times their answer is “no.” I don’t believe this is a mere coincidence. Malachi 3:8-9 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.” The next two verses in Malachi talk about the blessings that result from tithing… “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house,

Born This Way?

Image
Since I’ve worked as a disc jockey and keyboard salesman plus owned my own recording studio, I still have an interest in what’s going on with the secular music industry. During last night’s Grammy Awards, Lady Gaga hatched out of a giant egg as she performed her new release, “Born This Way.” The song’s lyrics (inspired by the old Whitney Houston hit “Greatest Love of All”) promote a message of loving one self. Sorry to say, “Born This Way” also endorses homosexuality and people who live a “transgendered life.” Surely God wants everyone to have a positive sense of worth and not live in condemnation. But apart from the lordship of Jesus Christ, self-esteem can take people down a destructive path. 2 Timothy 3 says that in the last days “…men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Psalm 139:14 does say that we are all “…fearfully and wonderfully made.” However, we live in a fallen world resulting in some individuals