Daily Devotional for Sunday March 1, 2009
Ray Boltz Christian Musician Divorced his Wife of 33 Years to Live a Homosexual Lifestyle
(Genesis 18:16-19, 28)
Recently, word came that Ray Boltz, one of the Christian music's long time stars and well known for his widely acclaimed songs "Thank You" and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb," had divorced his wife of 33 years to live a homosexual lifestyle. Boltz, the father of four, stated, "If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I'm going to live...I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself." The fact is, God never made men to have sex with men, that is a sinful CHOICE people make. The sad fact is that this only gives encouragement to others who have made this sinful choice and helps to further legitimize and make this sin acceptable to society.
The purpose of this Devotional today is to warn those who are not aware to what extent the pro-homosexual agenda is being fulfilled and to hopefully wake up the bloated, weak, and apathetic church that has to bear much of the responsibility for the moral decay of our culture. The goal of those who have chosen the homosexual lifestyle is to justify their sinful choice that is inherently destructive both to society and themselves. They are trying to force society to validate legally and ethically their choice of sexual behavior and relationships, and to enact laws that allow them to promote this sinful choice to our children as normal, even desirable behavior.
Let me say right up front, sin is sin in God's eyes. No sin is greater than another. The sin of homosexuality is no more, or no less a sin than murder, adultery, stealing, lying, gossiping, or gluttony. THE REASON THIS SIN IS BEING SINGLED OUT AND ADDRESSED IS BECAUSE THOSE WHO COMMIT IT, ARE PROUD OF THEIR SIN AND PROMOTE IT AS AN ACCEPTABLE LIFESTYLE!
People who commit adultery do NOT have parades to celebrate their sin. People who commit murder do NOT have political action committees to make murder legal and socially acceptable. People who steal do not have high school clubs and try to teach children that stealing is acceptable behavior. Homosexuality is a SIN in the eyes of God and is something to be ashamed of, NOT proud of.
Theologically this is not even a debatable issue. All through the Bible, from the Old Testament through the New, homosexuality is defined by God as a sin, PERIOD. God calls it an ABOMINATION! I have heard the tortured theological arguments homosexuals have made, but there is absolutely NO WAY to change the fact this act is a sin. Just because there is now a homosexual version of the Bible where they have literally changed the passages that call this act a sin, that does NOT change God's inspired, inerrant Word. Just because there is a fast growing homosexual denomination, the Metropolitan Community of Churches, that does NOT change the fact God calls this act a sin. I can guarantee you if I started a church that taught adultery was acceptable and wonderful behavior, I could fill stadiums on Sunday morning! THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN CHANGE THE FACT GOD CALLS HOMOSEXUALITY A SIN!!!
The two greatest lies the pro-homosexual community has put out are that 1) homosexuality is something that you are "born with," 2) 10% or more in our society are homosexual. First, modern science has CLEARLY rejected and been unable to prove that ANYONE is "born gay." IT IS A CHOICE!!!! GOD DID NOT MAKE ANYONE "GAY!" PEOPLE CHOOSE TO ENGAGE IN HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR!!!! LIKE ALL SIN, ONCE YOU DO IT LONG ENOUGH, IT MAY SEEM 'NATURAL', BUT IT IS STILL A CHOICE THAT YOU MAKE. The "struggle" people who choose this sin speak of is the same "struggle" we all have, to obey God or to sin! Also, all legitimate studies done by the non-homosexual community clearly show that less then 1% of the population EVER engage in this type of sexual sin.
A foolish arguments from those who choose this sin is that "why would anyone choose something that brought them ridicule, condemnation, and the hatred of so many?" People make that choice every day! I deal daily with men and women who CHOOSE to commit adultery and destroy their marriage, lose the love and respect of their children, in many cases ruin their career. People who choose sin choose to deal with the consequences of their sin.
Of course, anyone that dares to speak up on this issue is labeled as "intolerant" and a "homophobe." I find it amusing that Dr. Laura, who correctly pointed out that homosexuality is a deviant lifestyle, had her television program targeted and eventually taken off the air by the homosexual community. So this group that calls for tolerance by others, is very INTOLERANT when someone opposes their views. They also use the word "homophobe" to intimidate people from speaking out against their sexual choice.
Since I started Liveprayer just over 9 years ago, I receive an average of 5-6 death threats a month. By far, the largest number of those threats over the years have been after running a Devotional on this issue. The other night on my television program I dealt with this issue. I immediately received 2 death threats, was sent some of the most hateful, nasty, vile emails that I have ever seen. But I can promise you one thing, I WILL NOT BE SILENT!
It upset the pro-homosexual community in Tampa where the TV program aired for 4 1/2 years since the program had no commercial sponsors that they could boycott, and I BOUGHT THE TIME from the CBS Network, specifically so nobody could tell me what I could and couldn't say. So they had no way to silence me, except thru trying to intimidate me. I CANNOT BE SILENT ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY A BONDAGE MANY MEN AND WOMEN NEED TO BE SET FREE FROM, BUT IT IS HELPING TO DESTROY THE FAMILY!
*That is why I am fighting so hard right now to get the TV program back on nationwide. Even 99% of the TV preachers, preaching to the choir on Christian TV, don't have the guts to call this sin what it is. I have no problem being on secular TV, speaking to those who live outside the four walls of the church, and declaring that this is not only a sin, but that God loves those in bondage to this sin and can set them free!!!
THE GREATEST PROBLEM IN OUR NATION TODAY IS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FAMILY. God's definition of "family" is a man and woman that are married and their children. We have literally watched the family become perverted and destroyed over the past 40 years. The destruction of the family will be the ultimate destruction of our society. THAT is why this issue is so critical, because it destroys the family as God intended it to be!
The church better wake up and realize that while they have been building great buildings and getting fat, satan has been busy using the sin of homosexuality to destroy the family. As much of an abomination as homosexual churches are, equally as abominable to God are regular churches that accept homosexuality as a normal lifestyle!
Parents, you better wake up and be aware that your daughters are being taught at school that it is "cool" to have sex with other girls, it is called "lesbian chic." You also better be aware that your sons are being taught having a boyfriend is the "in thing." Lastly, you better be VERY AWARE of what is on television, in music, and out in the culture that is constantly sending the message to your children that homosexuality is a normal and acceptable CHOICE!
I love you and care about you so much. Pray for Ray Boltz to turn from this sin and back to the Lord. Pray for his wife and children as they heal from his choice to openly sin. We live in a free society. If people who have chosen to engage in homosexual activity want to have their own schools, their own churches, their own television network, they have every right to. It is about time the church wakes up and realizes that those who promote this sin are bold and are stopping at NOTHING to get their message out to the masses.
THAT is why I am always talking about how the church, those who know Christ as their Savior, have got to quit preaching to the choir and start taking the hope and love of Christ to the world at large. As those who follow Christ, we also have a responsibility to pray for those who are in this bondage, for God to open their hearts to the truth of His Word, and to turn from their sin. Only God can change hearts, and for those who are in bondage to the sin of homosexuality, we must pray for them to open their hearts and turn from their sin.
Until Jesus returns, we will always have those who choose a perverted form of sex with those of their own gender, just like we will always have those who choose to pervert sex by having it outside of the bonds of marriage. While we can never accept their choice since it is clearly against God's Word, we must pray for them, just like we must pray for everyone who is battling sin in their life.
For those reading this who are currently fighting homosexuality, let me tell you that God has never stopped loving you, and is simply waiting for you to turn from your sin and come back to Him. We serve a God of deliverance from sin, a God of forgiveness, and a God of restoration. Millions have turned from the sin of homosexuality and found complete restoration and fulfillment in living a life according to God's plan. What He did for someone else, He can do for you! I pray today that you hear these words, and choose to find freedom from your sin today. That freedom is only a prayer away!
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller