Real Courage

For years I’ve enjoyed watching NFL games on TV especially when the Minnesota Vikings are playing well. This fall I will be watching fewer (if any) games if a particular player makes it through training camp and continues receiving massive publicity. Last weekend, a University of Missouri defensive end named Michael Sam was drafted in the seventh round by the St. Louis Rams. A homosexual who “came out” this past February, Michael reacted to the news of being drafted by kissing his boyfriend. That incident was broadcast all over national TV and the Internet. 

Not everyone in the NFL was pleased with Michael Sam’s kiss. Miami Dolphins strong safety Don Jones tweeted “OMG” and “horrible” but later deleted those politically incorrect words and offered an apology. Nevertheless, the Dolphins fined and suspended Jones who is now required to attend “sensitivity training.” This kind of training actually desensitizes people of sinful behavior.

It’s ridiculous for Michael Sam’s entry into the NFL to be compared with Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball’s color line in 1947. For one thing, someone’s sexual preference is exactly that...a preference. A man or woman can choose to obey God’s standards regarding sex. For the liberals reading this who want to label me a “bigot” or a “hater”, let me clarify that I don’t hate Michael Sam as a person but I hate the sin of homosexuality. God didn’t create man to have sexual relationships with another of the same gender (see Romans 1:26-27).

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stated, “Discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation is not consistent with our values and is unacceptable in the National Football League.” I will now be more discriminative of the games I watch including the Vikings who happen to play against the Rams during their regular season opener on September 7th. Harassment from gay activists has now invaded my favorite sport. I find this unacceptable.

While the media went nuts over the "bravery" of Michael Sam’s kiss, little was said about the Philadelphia Eagles signing Alejandro Villanueva (pictured above), an Army Ranger who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan plus received a Bronze Star for rescuing wounded men on the battlefield while under enemy fire. Yet two days before he got drafted, Michael Sam won this year’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award. If Michael were to get saved and then publicly renounce his homosexuality, that would certainly be more courageous than him coming out of the closet.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people took courageous stands for righteousness even when it went against the law. The Book of Daniel has two memorable examples. In chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast into a fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a large golden idol. Later in chapter 6, Daniel himself was cast into the lion’s den for a similar violation. God supernaturally protected His men in both instances.

At the time I finished writing this article, I exchanged emails with a Facebook friend facing a dilemma. His sister is a lesbian getting married next month. My friend asked for advice since he planned to attend the same-sex wedding ceremony despite his sister insisting he remain quiet when the minister says, “If anyone feels this couple should not be united in Holy Matrimony...speak now...or forever hold your peace.”

Ephesians 5:11 says to “...have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” It's another thing to go to an ungodly environment for the purpose of reaching out to sinners with the gospel. I once heard a street preacher testify of walking into gay bars to evangelize. I advised my friend not to attend his sister's wedding ceremony but show up at the reception with the intent to minister. 

Real courage is speaking the truth in love.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”  - Matthew 10:28

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Gospel Soul Winning Script

Image
During my early days with evangelism, I developed an approach called the Survey Technique . By asking short direct questions, you can maintain control of the conversation and find out quickly what a person’s spiritual beliefs are. Although the Survey Technique has helped me lead thousands to the Lord, I’m still open to utilizing new methods in reaching people with the gospel. Rodney Howard-Browne 's ministry uses a tool called the Gospel Soul-Winning Script , which originated during their Good News New York campaign in 1999. I became familiar with it a few years later during evangelism outreaches with Rodney’s church in Tampa, Florida. At first, I resisted using the script. I found it restrictive and thought sinners wouldn’t be receptive to me reading the whole thing to them. Then while taking part in a 2009 outreach with Rodney’s ministry in Washington, D.C., my team leader asked me to “stick with the script.” Wanting to maintain unity, I complied with his request. Initially it fe
Read more

Toking the Ghost Revisited

Image
Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.”   He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.”   He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.”   I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it. Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota.   I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend.   During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also. Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.”   This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together.   I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  
Read more

Is That Gold Dust Real?

Image
Twenty years ago I made my first visit to Calvary Campground in Ashland, Virginia. One of the speakers for their Winter Campmeeting was a Brazilian named Silvania Machado. After standing on the platform for about twenty minutes during praise and worship, Sister Silvania brushed gold dust out of her short blonde hair plus had oil flow from her hands. I didn’t dismiss these signs but questioned the purpose of them. A few people in the congregation later testified of being healed. I’ve seen gold manifestations at other places. The year before during a church service in Oklahoma, the fillings in my mouth changed from black to a whitish-gold color. Other people supernaturally received gold teeth (I later met a man in Germany who received four of them). I’ve also seen gold dust appear on ministers such as Joshua Mills while they are preaching. Although I don’t seek after signs like this, gold dust has shown up on my face and in my Bible. One time with the latter, I found some w
Read more