Gonna Make You Stronger

When the waves are taking you under
Hold on just a little bit longer
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger
The pain ain't gonna last forever
And things can only get better
Believe me
This is gonna make you stronger
Gonna make you stronger, stronger, stronger
Believe me, this is gonna make you ...

Those are the words of a song from Mandisa, who is actually encouraging fans to contact “The Biggest Loser” TV show in order for that song to perhaps be sung on the finale of this season.   Find out more at mandisaofficial.com.   She, in fact, has gone public on some of her struggles with weight, and so, obviously there would be a compatibility there, you would think.   She’s lost 100 pounds since Simon Cowell told her on American Idol that they were going to have to get a bigger stage for her.

And, her song, “Stronger” really reflects a Biblical perspectives on the struggles that we face.

A Christian who is an actor – in Hollywood – is echoing that same message these days.  In fact in 1997, Kevin Sorbo suffered an aneurysm followed by three strokes. He almost lost his arm, and the battle was far from over. Sorbo's balance and vision were severely impaired and there was a constant hum in his head -- and it took many years until his health improved.  His life-changing health scare is recounted in the new book "True Strength," a gripping account of Sarbo's illness and gradual recovery.

In fact, he was able to share his faith perspective in, of all places, the Huffington Post.

Did you find solace in religion?

I've always been a religious guy, but not overly religious. I've always believed in God and Jesus. I pray. But at the time, I went through stages that most people go through when this happens. The "Why me?" Then I got mad at God…I was getting geared up to be the next action man in Hollywood." It certainly hurt my career, which I wasn’t happy about, but with God I finally got to a point where I was told by a couple of people that I had to look at it as a gift. It was hard for me to do.

How do you look at three strokes as a gift?

It didn't kill me. It certainly made me stronger. It pushed me to become a bigger and stronger man -- physically and mentally.

As Sorbo said in the interview, everyone has a story, and he said he is able to identify more with people who have physical challenges.   So, what’s your story?   What difficulty are your facing – has it become something so overwhelming that you are paralyzed by it?    In the midst of it all, we can turn to the Lord, gain His perspective, and allow Him to teach us and ultimately strengthen us.

Faith & Frivolity in Vegas

There has been much commentary over the latest contest in the fall's favorite spectator sport, next to college football.   It was another Republican Presidential debate in Las Vegas, about which Newt Gingrich said was a great place to have a convention - apparently, this was a swipe at President Obama, who had called on organizations to not visit Vegas.   Here are few bullet points from my observations and comments from various experts:

A so-so night for Herman Cain - other candidates dissed his 9-9-9 plan, and he seemed a bit light on countering the claims, preferring to direct people to his website.   He needs to develop some talking points to quickly defend a complex plan that is attracting quite a bit of attention.    He stumbled on his response to a reference to a converation he had with CNN's Wolf Blitzer earlier about a hypothetical scenario regarding whether or not he would release the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for an American POW.  He said that he would need to know a great deal of information in order to make that decision, as he was confident that Netanyahu did.

Romney once again was fairly cool and Presidential, even when facing criticism from Santorum and Gingrich about the health care plan he pushed through in Mass.   He was taken aback when Governor Perry chided him for hiring illegal immigrants - he said that he hired a company to do lawn work and was not aware they had hired illegals.   He and Perry did get into a bit of heated conversation.    Perry was complimented by some for having more energy in this debate than his previous 2 outings.   Way too much discussion of the immigration issue, in my opinion.    Romney kept accusing Perry and Santorum of interrupting him and not allowing him to have his say.   Santorum nails the values issues, speaks very well, but seems to be stressed out that he is not getting the attention he thinks he should.    Ron Paul was, well Ron Paul, the contrarian with libertarian tendencies.   Michele Bachmann speaks well, but really did not get a lot of screen time - I think that she made a weak attempt toward the end to remind listeners that the Republican race was ultimately about defeating Obama.

Gingrich played the part of the wise, seasoned sage - in fact, he has appeared on TV and radio to analyze the debate that he participated in.   He almost seems about the fray.  Sarah Palin & Eric Erickson thought he won; he is obviously a big idea person, but does he have too much baggage?   

One of the more interesting discourses had to do with the faith issue, which has risen to the top since 1st Baptist Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress' comments at the Values Voter Summit regarding Romney's Mormonism and his view that it was a cult.    Here are some excerpts from by Christianity Today on the discussion:

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who are both Roman Catholic, argued that faith says a lot about a candidate.


“It's a legitimate thing to look at as to what the tenets and teachings of that faith are with respect to how you live your life and how you would govern this country,” Santorum said. “With respect to what is the road to salvation, that's a whole different story. That's not applicable to what the role is of being the president or a senator or any other job.”

Gingrich offered a similar view. “None of us should rush in judgment of others in the way in which they approach God,” Gingrich said. “But I think all of us would also agree that there's a very central part of your faith in how you approach public life. And I, frankly, would be really worried if somebody assured me that nothing in their faith would affect their judgments, because then I'd wonder, where's your judgment -- how can you have judgment if you have no faith? And how can I trust you with power if you don't pray?”

Texas Gov. Rick Perry simply said his faith is ingrained. "I can no more remove my faith than I can that I'm the son of a tenant farmer," he said.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, as a Mormon, faced public resistance to his religion during his 2008 run for the nomination. The issue has only recently haunted his candidacy this cycle, highlighted again with comments made by a Southern Baptist pastor--and Perry supporter--Robert Jeffress’ that ignited a controversy at a summit hosted by the Family Research Council.

"I don't suggest you distance yourself from your faith any more than I would,” Romney told Perry. “[But] the founders of this country went to great length to make sure -- and even put it in the Constitution -- that we would not choose people who represent us in government based upon their religion, that this would be a nation that recognized and respected other faiths, where there's a plurality of faiths, where there was tolerance for other people and faiths.”

Romney took advantage of the topic to criticize “the concept that we select people based on the church or the synagogue they go to,” which he called “very dangerous and an enormous departure from the principles of our Constitution.”

Romney added, “With regards to the disparaging comments about my faith, I've heard worse, so I'm not going to lose sleep over that.”

In an op-ed for the Washington Post published Tuesday, Jeffress said critics were attempting to eliminate a discussion about religion from political discourse, arguing that “our religious beliefs define the very essence of who we are.”

World Series Wonders

Two of the most dominating athletes in all of Major League Baseball AND two of the most outspoken Christians in the sport will be taking the field tonight in St. Louis.

For the home team, the Cardinals, it's Albert Pujols...he writes:

"Over the last decade my life has radically changed. I went from being a kid with a dream in the Dominican Republic, to playing professional baseball, Rookie of the Year, National League MVP, and winning a Gold Glove and World Championship!


What has not changed is my love for Jesus Christ. In the spring of 1998, my soon to be wife, Deidre, began sharing with me the love of Jesus. My most exciting moment came when I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life. If it weren't for Jesus, I would not be where I am today and my life would be without purpose. I've heard kids say they want to be just like me when they grow up. They should know I want to be just like Jesus."

According to CBN:  He feels it’s his duty to share his heart with others around the world.


“If they don’t know the Lord, I encourage them to search for and open their hearts and their eyes. If something happens to me tomorrow, I’m going to go to heaven and that’s for sure because God’s promised to us in the Bible. I want to make sure that those people out there feel the same. At the end of the day as long as I glorify him and those 45,000 people know who I represent out there every time I step out on the field, that’s what it’s about. It’s about representing God.”

And for the Texas Rangers, Josh Hamilton:
Josh accepted Christ during his teen years, but began experimenting with drugs and alcohol following a car accident that almost took his life.  His addictions led to his being suspended from baseball, but his wife, Katie, held on to hope that one day, Josh would play the game again.

According to CBN.com:
"I was watching Katie and her relationship with God strengthen so much -- her leaning on Him and depending on Him when I was doing that to her," he says. "That started sinking in a month or two after I started getting back together and going back to church again."


Josh and Katie reconciled, and with God’s help gave up drugs and alcohol. Then, Josh was baptized.

"Just watching the transformation that God has made in Josh’s life .. I mean it’s just been so awesome and such a gift from the Lord to see what He’s done in him," says Katie.

After three years away from baseball, the league reinstated Josh Hamilton. In spring training 2007, a shock to the baseball world, the Cincinnati Reds added Josh to their roster. A year later, he was traded to the Rangers, and his career took off.

And these days, he won’t even touch alcohol.  He relapsed for one well-publicized night in Phoenix in 2009, which caused him to realize that it was a temptation he did not need to play with.  In fact, he stays away from champagne celebrations to mark the Rangers' success.

"People think there are coincidences in life. There are no coincidences when God’s got a plan. It’s nothing I did except try to make the right choices and let God take over from there. There’s one solid and permanent way out of it, and that’s finding the Lord Jesus Christ and accepting Him."

Here's the song that is played at The Ballpark at Arlington when Josh steps to the plate (Saved the Day - PCD)

Destiny: Doomsday

It was predicted to be a "doomsday" comet, but in the end, it broke up in pieces and skirted Earth by a small margin of 22 million miles.   So, goes the story of Comet Elinin.   It made its flyover on Sunday, and the dire predictions of catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis did not materialize.   Some had even said that the comet was a rogue planet that could slam into earth and usher in the Apocalypse.

So, after a journey through space, including an encounter with solar flares, the debris of Elenin was negligible in the night sky.


There is a great fascination with doomsday, or apocalyptic scenarios - blockbuster movies have attracted viewers by portraying either the imminent threats to earth or the aftermath of the eradication of life as we know it.  And, the prediction of the "end of the world" by a California preacher back in May 21 became a major news story and even - a trending topic on Twitter.   The Mayan calendar ends next year, giving rise to more apocalyptic speculation, especially in light of the projections of some deadly solar flares that threaten the electrical grids of cities across America.  

The Bible has much to say about the future...how about this from the 3rd chapter of 2nd Peter:
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. ¹¹ Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, ¹² looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

So verse 10 gives us that apocalyptic prediction, of which we can be assured, because all that is written in God's Word about the future, including the coming of Jesus the Messiah, has come true.   In light of the future we all face, He gives us specific instructions - living our lives in the Spirit, facing the future expectantly, and sharing the gospel passionately, because he says in verse 9 of the same chapter:
⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Because we can be assured that the future will unfold just as God says it will, we can ask ourselves, "are we ready?"   "Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ and the assurance that you will live with Him forever in heaven?"   And, as Jimmy DeYoung will share with us later in today's program, the signs are lining up, setting the stage for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

Time to Forgive

We are continuing to watch the amazing progress of the movie, "Courageous", which added theaters this past weekend and has now surpassed the $21 million mark.  It was in the top 10 again this week and out of the top 10 films, it was fifth in per-screen average.  If it continues on its current trajectory, it will no doubt pass the previous Sherwood Pictures film, "Fireproof", and could enter the top 5 of Christian films in history, according to Box Office Mojo.   Those 5 are: 5) Nativity Story, at a modest $37 million, then the 3 Narnia films:  Dawn Treader at #4, Caspian at 3, and the Lion, the Witch, and Wardrobe at #2.     The top Christian film of all time, oh yes, remember it: The Passion of the Christ.

And, it's only fitting that the depiction of our Lord's crucifixion and the circumstances leading up to it should be the most-watched.   And, it was inspired and carried out by the most imperfect of characters, who really needs to experience God's forgiveness - but don't we all?   Mel Gibson, who was told he would never work again in Hollywood after making the blatantly religious film, the same Mel Gibson who gained unwanted attention for his anti-Semitic comments while being pulled over for DUI in 2006.    The same Mel who divorced his wife, then entered into a stormy relationship with another woman, who bore his child.

Mel Gibson is working again - he has appeared in a few films, including his latest, The Beaver.   And, he's reportedly making a movie about the life of Jewish hero Judah Maccabee, whose exploits are celebrated at Hanukkah.   Randall Wallace, who directed Mel in Braveheart and We Were Soldiers divulged that he is in the process of making a film with Mel.   And, from an unlikely source, Robert Downey, Jr., at an awards ceremony last week, called on Hollywood to forgive Mel Gibson.

It's pretty amazing to hear that topic brought up in the entertainment realm - glossing over iniquity, yes; forgiveness - well, not so much!    And, it brings to mind that we are all fallen creatures and don't deserve to be forgiven, but by God's grace and Christ's death of the cross, we can know true forgiveness.


And, we are called to forgive others...Mark 11:25 makes it plain:


²⁵ “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”^[g]

I don't know the condition of Mel Gibson's heart, but I do know the content of Mel Gibson's work on The Passion.  As we reflect on what Jesus did for us on the cross so that we might experience forgiveness and freedom from sin, we can experience that freedom to an even greater degree by letting go of bitter and resentful thoughts and emotions and release the incredible power of God's forgiveness to those who have wronged us.  

Occupy Till He Comes

It's troubling and a bit fascinating to see these protesters as they take to the streets in cities large and small in the so-called "Occupy Wall Street" movement - and while there is apparently no central message, it does show the anger and frustration of many people who, for whatever reason, are decrying a perceived lack of justice and fairness in our society.

They decry corporations, but spread their message using tools manufactured by these large corporations.   They want jobs, but then vilify the job creators.   They generalize and rail against corporate greed, and demonstrate a lack of understanding of a free market system that is designed to reward work and to reinforce responsibility.   Sure there are abuses, but these foundational principles have stood the test of time.

They want fairness, but would like to see the non-productive rewarded to the same degree as the productive.  And, many don't feel the government is doing enough to bring about this utopian, equitable society.   I'm not sure what the endgame is here, because certainly corporations, who are accountable to stockholders, are not necessarily going to change their ways due to groups of people that camp out for days in local parks and in some cases, attempt to defy law enforcement.   

The word, "justice" is used quite often - and that was a theme apparent in yesterday's dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial - King and his followers were addressing issues concerning the worth of the individual and real injustice that was being carried out in our society.   But, I don't think you can relate the principles of Dr. King to what is going on with the Occupy movement - there is no clear message, and certainly no clear injustice that is being addressed.  

I have been thinking lately about the word, "occupy".   In fact, Jesus told a parable in Luke 19:13, where the master called 10 servants together and said, according to some translations, "Occupy till I come".  Each received a unit of money, or a mina - one servant, we're told, used it wisely and earned 10 minas.   Another earned 5, but another servant did not use wisely what he was given, and his mina was given to the one with - 10.    This parable shows the value of work, responsibility, and using the talents and resources that God has given to you.    So, from a Biblical perspective, when we're told to "occupy", it means to develop a Kingdom perspective and to use what the Lord has entrusted to us to bring glory to Him - and I believe that does include issues of social justice, because that reflects the heart of God.   So we can ask the Lord, "What would you have me to do, exercising my stewardship responsibility, to make life better for someone else and to bring honor to Your name?"

The Wizard and I

15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence ; 16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

We can draw strength from this passage of Scripture from 1^st Peter 3, especially when we realize that believers all over the world face the possibility of being silenced for their faith.   And, those who espouse a perspective that is consistent with a Biblical worldview in the halls of academia are facing incredible pressure these days.  And, I don’t want to make it sound as if Christians are victims these days, because as believers in Christ, I believe God calls us to a higher standard – to walk with confidence in Him.

I was reminded of some of the cultural pressures recently as I watched the musical that set a North American box office record last week – the touring version of “Wicked” at the Fabulous Fox in Atlanta generated over $2.4 million dollars in sales during its final week.  And, we paid our fair share!!

If you’re not familiar with it, it’s basically the story of the so-called “Wicked Witch of the West” from the Wizard of Oz story – her name is Elphaba, and she’s not really wicked, but misunderstood, in the eyes of the playwright.   

In one scene, a professor at a college, Dr. Dillamond, faces the threat of being removed from the classroom and silenced, because he is a goat!!   You see, there is a nefarious plot in Oz – the animals are being silenced.   Well, Elphaba, one of the students who’s a bit different herself - she’s green, for one thing, and talented…she has certain, well, skills, that could prove useful to the wonderful wizard of Oz.    She becomes an advocate for the professor and really animals throughout the land, and when she is brought to the wizard, she reports this plot, not realizing that the wizard is behind it.   Because she knows the truth, she becomes a liability to the wizard, and becomes a fugitive, and she is essentially vilified throughout Oz, and as she disappears, the stories about her grow more and more exaggerated.

I had to think about the movie, “Expelled”, portraying instances where professors who don’t exactly tow the company line and question the theory of evolution have faced and are facing termination.   I hear about Christians who speak out about their faith and are facing the threat of losing their jobs, their reputations, their  freedom, even their lives – all because they dare embrace the principles of Christ.   A pastor in Iran is facing death because he spoke out against the teachings of the Koran.  

And, like the not-so-wicked witch Elphaba, advocates who stand with those taking a stand also become vilified.   Those who speak truth are branded as being intolerant, or “haters”.    Those who stand with pre-born children who are being murdered in the womb are branded as intolerant of the rights of women.    A student in Fort Worth faced suspension and was charged with bullying just because he expressed a particular, Biblically-based opinion.    We are called to stand with those who are being oppressed.    And, reading 1^st Peter 3, this is not a new phenomenon – but we have to make sure that we are 1) ready to defend our faith 2) communicate with meekness and reverence, and 3) keep a good conscience, so that we will not be discredited.