Daily Devotional for Thursday December 28, 2006

The Influence of Howard Stern

(1 John 4:17; Acts 9:29; Acts 19:8)

Stern, the self proclaimed "king of all media," is a genius at using the media to pollute our culture with his views on life and God-hating form of "entertainment." The reality is, Stern has found a HUGE audience of people who are looking for "something" in life, living their lives void of God and Biblical Truth, and have gravitated to a voice like Stern's. Stern will be paid $500 million by Sirius Radio to bring his program to that subscription radio service. They are not paying him that kind of money because they like his brand of humor or agree with his views on life, they are paying him that kind of money because he is bringing them an audience!!! Whether you like it or not, Howard Stern has an influence on our culture and the lives of millions of people!

I'm not here today to bash Howard Stern. Actually, I pity the man. On a recent interview he stated he was in therapy 4 days a week. His personal life is in shambles and all of who he is, is tied up in his public persona. Howard is betting all his chips on these few years of life and is not only going to lose that eternal bet, but is losing during this life as well. Having dealt for over 16 years with men like Stern, I will assure you that privately he would trade in the homes, the money, the fame, for just a few days of true peace and joy. Sadly, he keeps looking for that peace and joy in the things of this temporal world, when they only come from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Pray for Howard. Jesus died for his sins just like He died for your sins and mine. Without Christ, Howard will spend eternity in hell, forever separated from God his Creator. I am asking you today to please take a few minutes and pray that Howard Stern will come to a place in his life where he will acknowledge the Lord's love for him, repent of his sins, and ask Jesus Christ into his heart and life by faith. Paul got saved, why can't Howard Stern?

Part of what drives me each day to do what God has called me to do, is someone like Howard Stern. Stern has simply tapped into the power of the media to espouse his sick humor and views on life, and found an audience in those who are living their lives void of God and any Biblical Truth. His loyal following is made up of people who are looking for "something" in their life. Well, we know the "something" they are looking for isn't found in the sick mind of Howard Stern but in the Truth of God's Word and the love of Jesus Christ!

Listen to me carefully my friend. Stern is simply proof of what I have been sharing with you for nearly 8 years now. The masses are out there. Hurting. Looking for answers. Looking for hope. We, those who know Christ as our Savior have the answers they are looking for and have the hope they desperately want. It is our job to take those answers and that hope TO THE LOST AND HURTING MASSES! Now more than ever this world needs the Truth found in God's Word and the love of Christ. As those who possess that Truth and love, it is our responsibility to bring it to them!

If you had a bag of food and you saw someone who was starving, what would you do? Of course, you would give them some food! If you had a bottle of water and saw someone who was dying of thirst, what would you do? Of course, you would give them some water! A guy like Stern who can generate the kind of following he does is living proof that there are millions of people out there hurting, looking for answers, and needing hope. We have what can heal their hurts, answer their questions, and give them hope for this life and for all eternity. It is up to us to reach them!!!

Every day, literally 24/7/365, Liveprayer is reaching these masses through the internet and on secular TV. I am reaching every day the same people Howard Stern is! Every day we see people turning from the lies of people like Stern and this world and to the Truth of God. I don't have the greedy secular media giants willing to partner with me to take Christ to the masses like they will partner with a guy like Stern to reach the masses with his garbage. However, out of their greed they will let me use their stations for a price. So instead of these media companies paying me to reach people for Christ the way they pay people like Stern to pollute the airwaves, I have to pay them to use their stations to access the masses. But that is OK because this way they can't dictate what I can and can't say!

So for 46 months now on the Viacom owned UPN in Tampa, for12 months on ABC in Miami, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, the WB in Ft. Myers, PAX in Orlando, and for 10 weeks on the "i" Network reaching the entire nation, Liveprayer has been seen "live" for an hour every Monday thru Friday. We are reaching millions of people annually (90% of whom don't go to church) with the Truth of God's Word and the hope and love of Jesus Christ, seeing lives transformed by the power of God, and having people make the decision to turn from their sins and to Jesus! My friend, the masses are out there, waiting for someone to inspire and guide them. That someone can be Howard Stern with his Godless views on life or it can be Bill Keller with the hope of Jesus Christ!!!

I love you and care about you so much. Howard Stern is a perfect example of someone who is using the secular media to reach the masses each day with a message. Sadly, Stern's message is one that is anti-God, anti-Bible, and of false hope. Even sadder, people who are hurt, lost, without hope, gravitate to a message like Stern's since they live their lives void of God and Biblical Truth. Most of them aren't evil people, they don't even hate God. They are simply lost, don't know God, and are searching for answers in life. Stern is just bold enough to tell them he is their answer.

Why are men who live their lives in rebellion to God like Stern so bold with a lie, when men who know Christ and follow Him are so timid with the Truth? I refuse to sit back and let Howard Stern or anyone like him broadcast his filth and anti-God views on life without competition! That is what drives me each day to get up, face all of the obstacles I do, deal with the incredible pressures and attacks that only God knows about, to bring His voice into the marketplace and the lives of the lost and hurting masses.

I pray today that more will rise up and refuse to sit back and be silent while the Howard Sterns of the world lead people into everlasting darkness. May you rise up where God has placed you, in your neighborhood, on your job, in your school, to share His Truth and hope with those you meet along your journey. God has called us to be His salt and light in this world. Don't just sit back and silently let someone like Stern lie to people. Rise up and be the salt and light God has called you to be. You don't have to have a radio program, but can do it right where you live your life each day to those God allows to cross your path. THEY ARE NOT THERE BY ACCIDENT!