Daily Devotional for Thursday April 25, 2013

Don't Let Hollywood Fool You

(John 3:16 )

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, can you please explain why every pope from Pope Pius to our present day Pope has had a priority goal of establishing a one-world government?

ANSWER: I don't totally agree with that statement. I am well aware many in the world of prophecy say the RC Church will be the anti-Christ, since that will be one of the goals of the anti-Christ. However, the RC Church has much greater issues to deal with just operating their own denomination, as do all denominations, to have much time for any legitimate planning it would take to establish something on the scale of a one-world government.

Don't let Hollywood fool you! Probably one of the greatest examples of the lack of discernment within the church today, a byproduct of 40 years of watered-down and gutless preaching, is how so many Christians are so happy about the "faith-based" films and projects Hollywood is putting out. If nothing else, it personifies how much filth and garbage the entertainment industry has been producing these past 4 decades...AND CONTINUES TO DO SO!

In the end, Hollywood and the entertainment industry has been about one thing and one thing only...MONEY! They will give the people whatever they want to make a buck. Over the last few years, they have discovered that at least 40% of this nation still holds to traditional values, a portion of that what would be called Biblical values, and have been wise enough to try and tap into that market.

Let me say right up front. I am ecstatic that the entertainment industry is now producing projects that have a "faith-based" message. That is GREAT. However, never forget that virtually all of the same organizations producing projects to reach people with a moral message, are also still involved in producing hours and hours of the most vile filth and garbage you can begin to imagine!

Just to give you some perspective, in the 40s, 50s, and to some extent the early 60s, Hollywood produced tons of films and TV programs that not only had an overtly Christian message, but in many you would actually hear a clear presentation of the Gospel! While those films and programs would NEVER be made today, most were FAR more Christian and Gospel oriented than anything that is currently being produced.

A HUGE reason for Hollywood's current trend to producing more faith-based project has been the tireless efforts for decades by a dear friend of mine Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide. Ted is sold out for the Lord and has been doing all he can to bring more Christian content to film and TV projects.

My concern and biggest issue with the new faith-based projects in Hollywood is their accuracy to the Bible, and most important, the total LACK of a clear and true Gospel message! Are these projects better than the sex and blood filled projects being churned out by Hollywood en masse each week? Of course, but that is not my point. My point is, if you are going to do it, DO IT RIGHT!

Today's Hollywood faith-based projects are like the modern day man-made marketing strategies like seeker/purpose driven/emerging church/prosperity gospel designed to put warm bodies into seats, money in the coffers, but NOT CONVERTS TO THE FAITH!!! The flaw in these marketing strategies is that they attract people with slick marketing, which is fine, but they feel to keep them, they have to water down the message, don't talk about sin, and NEVER mention hell and damnation!

Let me know the next time you hear Osteen look into a camera and tell someone that homosexuality is a sin, that if you die without Jesus you will die and burn in hell. Won't happen because it would hurt his "business!"

Only God will know the number of people who have been in these "churches" and will die and go to hell since once there, they were never given the simple invitation to know Jesus. What good is it to attract people to church and never give a clear presentation of the Gospel? What good is it to attract people to an entertainment project and NEVER GIVE A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL???

As an evangelist for over 2 decades, having personally led thousands to faith in Christ and through Liveprayer over 700,000 we know of since we started, people need to not only be told that they need a Savior, but given a chance to make a decision for Jesus in their own life! It is like a salesman who tells a prospective buyer all of the benefits of why he should buy what he is selling..than walks away without giving the person a chance to make a decision to buy!!!

I love and care about you so much. Nobody is happier than I am that the entertainment industry is at least producing projects with a positive message. Be warned however, while they want your money, they still don't want to give you a REAL MESSAGE of Biblical Truth or the Gospel. We still have ZERO true Christian characters on TV, but try to find any prime-time network series without an openly gay character!

I also would love to see Hollywood created projects to tell the Truth about a cult like Mormonism, Kabbalah, Scientology, false religions like Islam, that are telling people lies that will lead their souls to hell! Projects that tell the truth about, instead of glorifying sins like homosexuality and abortion!

However, in the meantime, pray with me for men of God who create entertainment projects that will give a true Biblical message and most critical, a clear presentation of the Gospel and invitation to know Jesus as Savior by faith!

While the recent mini-series "The Bible" refused to deal with the FACT homosexuality is what brought down the wrath of God on Sodom and Gomorrah, while they took some liberties all throughout with Biblical Truth, the greatest failure was to give a clear presentation of the Gospel. It is like going to a great church service where they take you to the very point of making a decision for Jesus, and than turn out the lights. Sadly, this is what the VAST majority of churches do every Sunday and so far, what these faith-based projects in Hollywood are doing.

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller