Daily Devotional for Monday April 21, 2008
Maher has to Apologize to Catholics
(Luke 3:6; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13; 1 Timothy 2:4; Titus 2:11)
Maher has to apologize to Catholics, but will he apologize to all Christians? I am actually amazed that his bosses at HBO have forced Christian-hater Bill Maher to apolgize for calling Pope Benedict XVI a "Nazi" and "the leader of a pedophile cult," and making other disparaging remarks about Catholics on his weekly HBO program. While I am glad to see Maher forced to apolgize for his remarks about the Pope, I have no expectation that he will be apologizing to all Christians for decades of hate filled rhetoric targeting God's Word, our Lord, and those who have put their faith in Him.
Friday night on his HBO program, Maher issued his "apology." What a joke. In true Maher fashion, it was simply another opportunity for him to state his hatred for the Christian faith in general, while trying to explain his comments about the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church as "comedic in nature." It was Maher in all his Christ-hating defiance at his best. It was NOT an apology, just more of Maher spewing his hatred and disdain for Christians.
Maher, who has spent his entire comedy career bashing Christians, mocking and demeaning Christ and the Bible, will release a "mockumentary" titled "Religulous" this summer that denies God, blasphemes Jesus Christ, and claims the Bible is little more than a book of fables. Maher's film was originally to be released on Easter as Christians worldwide remembered the death of Christ and celebrated His resurrection.
George Carlin and Bill Maher are two of the saddest people who walk this planet today, because they have rejected Jesus Christ. Their TV programs and concerts are very popular despite the fact they mock God, Christ, and the Bible. However, God still loves them, and Jesus died for their sins just like He died for my sins and yours. Throughout history, there have always been people that we could point to who would test God's universal call that "ALL who repent and accept Jesus Christ" will be saved.
According to the Bible, that meant the most sadistic Caesar who was responsible for killing thousands of Christians, if he repented and accepted Jesus would have been saved. That meant Adolph Hitler, if he repented and accepted Christ prior to his death, despite being responsible for killing millions, would have been saved. That means someone like Usama Bin Laden, if he would repent and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, would be saved.
THAT MEANS, A SINNER LIKE YOU AND I, IF WE REPENT AND ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR WILL BE SAVED!!!
You see my friend, you cannot pick and choose who YOU think God should save. God made a universal call that ALL who "repented and believed in His son Jesus" would be saved. Sin is sin to God. We are ALL born in sin. It is our sin that separates us from a holy God. Whether it is only one sin, or thousands, sin is sin in God's eyes and what separates men and women from Him.
The key point that I want you to receive today is that God loves ALL of His children. No matter how bad they may be, no matter how vile they may be, no matter what they may have done, God still loves them. The fact is, if it was only for George Carlin and Bill Maher, Jesus would have STILL died on that cross.
HE DIED FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS EVER WALKED THE FACE OF THIS EARTH, to give everyone the same opportunity to receive everlasting life! That way, nobody can claim that they never had a chance. If someone dies and is eternally separated from God, it is because THEY CHOSE to be eternally separated from their Creator!!!
I love you and care about you so much. Today, pray for George Carlin and Bill Maher. Pray for Usama Bin Laden. The FACT IS, the same Jesus who died for you and me, died for them too!!! We must never forget that God has called all of his people to repentance, and to accept Jesus Christ into their hearts by faith. It is a choice each one has to make in this life, to either accept or reject Jesus.
It is often hard for us to comprehend a God that could love and care for someone who mocks him in such a public way like Bill Maher, but He does! He also loves those people that you know who say they hate God and curse him through their rebellious lives. Pray for them. No matter what they may do in this short time here on earth, the fact is, they have an eternity waiting for them when they leave this life.
Pray that God can break through the hardness of their hearts, help them to see their sin, to know the love of His Son Jesus, and accept His free gift of everlasting life. It is a gift available to ALL who will simply ask God to forgive them of their sins, and accept Jesus Christ into their hearts by faith.
If you have never made that choice to accept Christ as your Savior, the Bible says that TODAY is the day of salvation. Pray and read the words at this link: http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.cfm . They will guide you in the most important choice that you will EVER make in this life, since it will determine your eternal home.