October 27 2017 – Click here to listen
It’s been interesting to watch the many Hollywood women coming out and declaring that Harvey Weinstein and others in that industry sexually assaulted them in one manner or another. News media powerhouses suffered the same fate with Roger Aisles, Bill O’Reilly, Eric Bolling and David Halperin being among the more famous. Professional Athletes and coaches have long been accused of it and there are literally too many to list here. The same is true with professional musicians who want to make it big. Successful radio hosts routinely trade sex in exchange for giving airtime to wannabe music artists that want to make it to the big time.
Business is no stranger to the practice of exchanging sex for a promising career and many have fallen because of it. Politics is ripe for it as well. How can we forget political leaders like Anthony Weiner who have been in this category for years and now three women have accused former President George H. Bush of grabbing their rear ends and telling off-color jokes from his wheelchair.
Good grief!
Lest you think this is limited to the abuse of women check out actor Corey Feldman who maintains his life is in danger because he wants to expose a pedophile ring that abused him, He has charged he is being targeted for death by a pedophile ring in Hollywood that abused him as a child. Feldman has long said that he and ‘80s pal Corey Haim were victims of sexual abuse in Hollywood when they were children – now he’s determined to expose the powerful Hollywood pedophiles he says attacked them and out at least six current ringleaders in this trade.
Sex, power, and money sure has its hold on the world. What would Satan do without them?
Jesus said in John 12:35 – So Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light.”
When we walk in darkness we fail to see the dangerous stumbling blocks that lie in our paths. We experience a kind of judicial blindness: unaware of the pits and snares that lie in the way, or of the dark valleys on our path to destruction and misery. James, half-brother to Jesus, remarked in James 1:14: But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death . . .
Satan is wise. In Genesis 3:6 he used his darkness deceit for the first time on humankind: When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.
Satan just wanted her to see the lovely fruit and not the rottenness of indulging in it. Little thought was given to the consequence of death that God had warned them of and they ignored the light and indulged in eating of the forbidden fruit with reckless abandon. Just look where we are now compared to then. Humankind went from walking with God in the cool of the evening in paradise to what we are seeing today. It didn’t stop there of course and has ravaged generations ever since.
So how does God who loves us, see our sin. He hates sin and cannot tolerate it, but interestingly, despite the sins of his mother and father, David and Bathsheba, God allowed their son, King Solomon, to build the Temple, and Mary the mother of Jesus Christ to descend from their lineage.
Why would God permit this? I’m sure some of our condemning and judgmental brothers and sisters are scratching their heads over that one, but it indicates that God loves us despite sin and God will forgive sin, because Jesus underwent righteous punishment for every last one of them. When God looks upon us He sees the blood of Christ covering our sins Hebrews 4:12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” BUT, and herein lies the rub, its consequences will still be realized. David was never the same after his adulterous foray and murder of his lover Bathsheba’s husband. Solomon was a good ruler at first, but sinned greatly as he was tempted in his life of luxury and ended up leading a frustrating life of folly. In the book of Ecclesiastes, he recapped much of it by listing how he squandered his opportunity to walk in the light of God.
In the end he realized what he had done and ended that book with the verse that follows. Read it and listen to the Spirit of God this morning. Glory be to God for the fact that He forgives sin and we will get to heaven in spite of our black sins, but consequences realized on this planet cannot be stopped. It’s just like throwing a rock at a window. You might regret it the moment it leaves your hand, but it will still shatter the glass. Walk in the light and don’t pick up the rock – Avoid a shattered life. Satan lied to Eve about the consequences and convinced her to focus on that ever-so-tempting fruit that God so lovingly warned them about. It’s in our DNA to follow suite unless we walk in the light.
Eccl. 12:13
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!