Daily Devotional for Wednesday October 29, 2008
Fired for Too Much Bible and Too Much Jesus
(Luke 19:40; Romans 10:14)
Fired for too much Bible and too much Jesus! Robert Schuller announced last weekend that he was firing his son from preaching on the "Hour of Power" TV program, just 3 years after he stepped down from the weekly service that originates from his Crystal Cathedral in Southern California. The elder Schuller is part of the Masonic cult and a protege of another Masonic cult member, Norman Vincent Peale, who was an absolute heretic and taught philosophies in complete rebellion to the Truth of the Bible. Schuller preached his "you can do it, positive mental attitude philosophies with a few Bible verses sprinkled in to a national audience weekly for the past 4 decades. His program highlighted many high profile Christians, as well as many of the modern New Age gurus whose books he proudly sells in his church's bookstore.
Over the past several years, viewership of the weekly "Hour of Power" program has been down, which means their donations have been down, causing them to cut the program from it original hour to a half hour in many markets. Schuller, Jr. preached a much more Biblically based message than his father, staying away from much of the ear tickling New Age rhetoric his father delivered for so many years. Schuller, Jr. actually said Jesus often in his messages, something his father rarely did. In the end, it wasn't about God's Truth but ratings and dollars. Schuller, Jr. learned the cold hard lesson that the Truth doesn't sell as well as the lie does and his father is more interested in money than in bringing God's Truth into people's lives.
It is now being reported that neither Schuller will preach on their TV broadcast, but that they are going to bring in outside preachers. I was not surprised that the two names mentioned were Bill Hybles of Willow Creek in suburban Chicago and Rev. Kirbyjohn Caldwell who pastors the largest United Methodist Church in the nation located in Houston, Texas. Hybels is one of the founders of the seeker church movement, meaning he will preach some watered down message designed not to offend anyone. Caldwell is a very prominent supporter of Barack Hussein Obama, so no doubt he will preach a typical religious left social message.
So rather than using this weekly vehicle to bring the Truth of God's Word into people's lives, call sin what it is and allow the Holy Spirit to bring people under conviction, the program will deteriorate into a weekly showcase of gutless preachers who will never look into the cameras and preach the Truth of the Bible, nor will they look into the cameras and tell people that without Jesus they will die and go to hell, and than give them an opportunity to accept the Lord as their Savior by faith. As a side note, I won't be waiting by my phone for a call from the Crystal Cathedral to come preach on their TV broadcast. If Schuller, Sr. fired his son, I can't imagine what he would do to me!
I love the interaction in Luke 19 with Jesus and the Pharisees as they were complaining to Jesus about His disciples who were declaring for all to hear His miracles and without shame praising His name! We are His disciples and that is what we should be doing. Telling others how Jesus has changed our lives and praising Him before this lost world we live in. Jesus told the Pharisees that even if all His disciples were silent, the very rocks would cry out!!! My word for you today is simply this. Tell others what Jesus has done for you and boldly declare to this lost world that Jesus Christ is our only hope and our only answer.
Some may ask why we have been commanded to tell others about our faith in Jesus. The answer to that question is found in the book or Romans, in Chapter 10 verse 14 where God's Word says, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" How can we expect someone to get saved if they have never been told how? How are they suppose to be told how to get saved unless some person tells them? God's Word is clear that all of those who know Jesus as their Savior have been called to tell others about His love. This is not just the job of the pastor or evangelist, but ALL who call Christ Lord!
My friend, listen to me carefully. The only message we have is JESUS. Let me say that again. The ONLY message we have is Jesus. Robert Schuller, Sr. is just another world-pleasing motivational speaker unless he tells people about Jesus. Robert Schuller, Jr. is just another guy who can talk unless he tells people about Jesus. The pastor of your local church is no better than the drunk at the local bar unless he tells people about Jesus. Bill Keller has NOTHING to tell over 2.4 million world wide every day via email unless he tells people about Jesus. YOU have nothing but empty words for people unless you tell them about Jesus. We have no message other than the message of Jesus!!!
I love you and care about you so much. Pray for the Schuller family. This decision had to cause some strain on their relationship as a father and son. Pray also that God will bring Schuller, Sr. under conviction to leave the Masonic cult and use whatever time he has left to preach the unadulterated Truth of the Bible and lead people to faith in Jesus. Pray for his son that he will not be deterred by these events in his service to the Lord, and that he will never compromise the Truth of the Bible just to please men, even his father
I want to challenge you and encourage you today to become BOLD in declaring Christ to those God has put into your life. Your family, friends, neighbors, those you work with or go to school with, people you recreate with, in addition to the people you simply meet in the course of your daily life ARE THE VERY PEOPLE GOD HAS ALLOWED TO CROSS YOUR PATH, NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT TO TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS!
Telling others is not an option, it is a commandment for all of those who know the Lord as their Savior. How can we expect someone to get saved unless they are told how. You are the one God has put in their life to tell them how. I pray today that you will hear these words, take this challenge, and begin to make it a priority in your life each day to tell others about Jesus. We have no message other than Jesus, and if we won't declare His goodness and grace, if we won't praise His name, the very rocks will cry out!!!
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller