Oprah's Spirituality Segemt

My friend called me yesterday and said Oprah was going to have a show on spirituality. We agreed to both tune in but normally we don't watch Oprah. But the topic of the show peeked our interest.

My 10-year old daughter wanted to watch too, but I said no, because I don't always agree with the things that happen on Oprah. Well, I'm glad I did because soon after one of the guest panelist, an Episcopalian Rector from California, told a young, gay man that 'being gay is a gift from God'.

I couldn't turn the TV off fast enough, but I did hear even Oprah say 'That's the first time I ever heard that being gay was a gift from God". I think she too may have been shocked by that statement.

We shouldn't be surprised though. That's the direction our culture is fulling embracing. A culture of 'if you can conceive of it then it must be good' or 'If it exists it must be from God'. Well, God clearly states in His Word that homosexual behavior is not acceptable.

As God would will, my husband happened to be reading in Romans Chapter 1 last night before bed. Verses 24 -27 speak to this exact topic. His reference bible than points him to Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13. You can go and read them for yourself, but God describes these acts first in Romans through the Apostle Paul as . . .

1. degrading
2. exchanging the truth of God for a lie
3. worshipping and serving created things rather than the Creator
4. shameful lusts
5. abandoning natural relations for unnatural relations
6. indecent acts
7. perversion
and then in Leviticus as. . .
1. detestable

My husband found it amazing that these topics had to be addressed way back in biblical times, but it shows this is not just a culture thing today. Man's depravities have been an issue since the fall of man in the garden. God has not been silent on this either, so there should be no ambiguity about what God's stance is.

Now, don't get me wrong. I believe every PERSON is a creation of God and every one's life is sacred and precious. I believe we all receive gifts, talents, characteristic, and imperfections from God. I believe we should love everyone just as God loves us.

But, I also believe we are all sinners! Sin is not from God! Murder is not from God. Lying is not from God and neither is the desire to have sexual relations in any context other than how God ordained it to happen, between a married man and woman.

We are exchanging God's Truth for Satan's lie if we believe anything different. Satan's lie is that we don't need a Savior because we are 'good' and we cannot do 'evil'. So, he gets in our head and tells us it's OK to give ourselves over to our hearts desire because we are 'good' and we 'deserve' to be happy. We take action on a lie and fool ourselves into thinking it is truth.

The truth is God created us, and He created us with purpose and structure. Although God does want to bless us, our purpose in life is not to be happy, but rather to serve Him, the Living God. We serve Him by being obedient to His Word and putting Him above all else in our life, including our heart's desires.

Sadly, many people watching Oprah yesterday do not have a biblical view of God and man, and will be left with the impression that it is God's desire for homosexuality to be present in the world. Many people will base future decisions and actions on that belief and we will continue down a path of destruction and disobedience.

My question to Oprah is this. Are you prepared to stand before God some day and claim your responsibility in the influencing of this nation away from God's principles without the cover of Christ blood?

Lord, I pray for all of us, myself included, for all the ways we have been disobedient and traded your Truth for Satan's lie. I pray that Oprah will come to know you and repent, and begin to influence for you just as the Apostle Paul was able to switch sides. I pray for America and your hand in bringing about revival in our hearts. Amen