Watch Larry’s most recent “Week in Review” video.
The theater darkened and the long-awaited moment had come to unveil the biopic of the “king of rock ‘n’ roll,” Elvis! Young people, millennials, baby boomers – everyone was ready for this family friendly entertainment.
After an AMC promo featuring Nicole Kidman – gracefully strolling into a theater to escape into the realm of movie magic – a trailer appeared. It was pure LGBTQ propaganda.
Upon its conclusion, several yelled out strong disagreement with the trailer’s placement, and that probably captured the sentiment of multitudes of offended patrons. Thank God it was removed the next night.
‘Parading sin like Sodom’
We are living in a time of continuing cultural decline in which people “parade their sin like Sodom” (Isaiah 3:9 EHV). We are bombarded wherever we go with an ongoing avalanche of sinful activity and images that are grievous to a holy God.
The progressives’ progression of evil is simple: accommodate it, then accept it, then adopt it. This is the downward spiral of sin described in Romans 1:24-32 in which people turn from God. Satan and society may “repackage” sinful practices under new names, yet Scripture states it clearly: “I, the Lord, do not change” (Malachi 3.6).
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20).
During gay pride month, during which God’s commands are profaned and His name blasphemed, it behooves us to be discerning. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11 ESV).
Compassion and conviction
One of my heroes, Martin Luther King Jr., was named after the towering figure who ignited the Reformation that changed world history. He followed Martin Luther and his conviction to uphold the Word of God. So must we in these “perilous times” (2 Timothy 3:1) when we tell people compassionately like Jesus, “Neither do I condemn thee, but go and sin no more” (John 8:11).
Martin Luther famously said: “Unless I am convinced by the scripture and plain reason, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience would be neither right nor safe. God help me. Here I stand, I can do no other.”
As obedient followers of Jesus Christ, we, too, can do no other in uncompromisingly rejecting that which grieves God, who created us to glorify Him by enjoying Him forever!
Four areas in which to stand strong
When I yielded my life to Jesus Christ over 50 years ago I had lots of questions about what I should or should not do as a genuine Christ follower. I am forever grateful for a pastor who answered my questions by directing me to appropriate scriptures explaining God’s commands are for His glory and our ultimate good. “I have spoken these things to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).
“For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, having itching ears, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths. But be self controlled in all things” (2 Timothy 4:3-5).
1. HOMOSEXUALITY
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals … will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, and you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
God determines gender identity as male or female and one man and one woman in covenant matrimony. “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them ‘male and female’, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” (Matthew 19:4-6).
2. IMMORALITY
Fornication (sexual intimacy before marriage or living together and engaging sexually) is sin. It’s lust not “love.”
“You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity. Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God. We’ve warned you about this before. … If you disregard this advice, you’re not offending your neighbors; you’re rejecting God, who is making you a gift of His Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:2-8 The Message).
3. ADULTERY
Hollywood promotes, celebrates and glamorizes “having an affair,” a “fling” or simply a little erotic “fun” with someone other than your spouse. Stop! It is sin.
Two of the 10 commandments underscore fidelity in marriage and faithfulness to marital vows: “You shall not commit adultery” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:14, 17).
“God hates divorce” (Malachi 2:16), but there is one thing He hates more, and that is shattering the marriage covenant through adultery. That is why Jesus allowed divorce if marital unfaithfulness occurs without genuine contrition and repentance (Matthew 5:32).
4. PORNOGRAPHY
During the historic Brownsville revival, Michael Brown, other leaders and I yearly equipped nearly 1,200 students . At the end of a semester in which I taught on moral purity, a young fellow handed me a plaque that I have kept underneath our television screen to this very day.
It says, “I will not put any evil thing before my eyes. I have hated the work of those who turn aside; I will not have it near me. Perverseness of heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil” (Psalm 101:3-4).
“Every Man’s Battle” is the name of a book dealing with the cancer of porn. Porn has destroyed lives, marriages, families, ministries and destinies of once dedicated men and women of God.
In the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever given by the greatest teacher who ever lived, Jesus said the following:
“You have heard that it was said by the ancients, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. For it is profitable that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body be thrown into hell” (Matthew 5:27-9).
Take this seductive sin seriously and get support if this is an area where you struggle.
Here’s the deal: The Bible tells us, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth in order to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully blameless towards him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). If you’ve been convicted and challenged, get equipped to strand strong in these two ways:
1. View the brief and free YouTube videos covering these themes at bullseyechallenge.com.
2. Watch the upcoming “Week in Review” 10-minute video addressing homosexuality (July 4th).
They are my gift to you to help you as we together “run this race with perseverance fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
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