A Hollywoodized “NOAH”

Controversy about the movie “NOAH” started even before the film hit the theaters.  And not just from fundamental Christians; three Muslim nations banned the film. Not to be thwarted, the movie topped $75 million at the box office.  The problem with “NOAH” is not just that Hollywood writers took creative license to turn the brief Genesis story into a 2-hour feature. They totally debased it: the act of creation is adapted to fit evolution; God is seen as condemning, not redeeming; God’s mercy to save is subverted by His desire to destroy. And rather than a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet 2:5), Noah is a murderous sociopath. 

Of course Hollywood's version is man-centered; the Genesis account, Christ-centered. The flood pictures the need for a Savior; the Ark personifies the Savior. The door points to Jesus, “I am the door; by Me if any one enters in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). And did you know that the door to Noah's Ark remained open, to all, until the very end!?  They say the movie is never as good as the book. Isn't that the truth! (In fact, that is the only true thing you can say about  the movie “NOAH”!)

Ignoring all the Warnings

Is it just part of human nature to ignore warnings? Like traffic lights, speed limits, and laws against texting while driving! Or, is it a sign of the times?

This month in Atlanta, traffic was completely stopped, and travelers were trapped in their cars overnight when a snow storm caught them off guard, even though forecasters warned state and city officials of the storm's severity. Also this month, Congress approved a debit limit extension, ignoring economists' warnings of the long-term effects of living beyond our means.

The Jewish people, from Jeremiah to John the Baptist, had a history of ignoring the prophets who warned them of imminent danger if they didn’t turn around. “They refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing” (Zech. 7:11).  Given mankind's penchant for ignoring warnings, I cannot deduce if it is a sign of increased lawlessness, or just a recurring pattern of sinful nature. Either way, it doesn’t bode well for our future. And that is a sign of the times.

Where are the Watchmen of our times?

Did you know 2010 was the worst year for natural disasters in 100 years: heat waves, floods, volcanoes, typhoons, blizzards, landslides, droughts, and earthquakes (remember Haiti? 250,000 killed). Then the year 2011 was the worst for tornadoes in 100 years (remember Joplin, Mo.). And Japan suffered the worst earthquake/tsunami in its recorded history. And 2012 will be known as the year of droughts, floods and fires, and Sandy, who finished off the hurricane season with an unparalleled wallop on the North Atlantic.

These natural disasters are often referred to by the media as the fury of “Mother Nature.” Insurance companies, who are a bit more sophisticated, label them ‘Acts of God.’ Yet, no intelligent earthling would actually see them as divine events. Should we? Is God trying to get our attention?

Because of modern technology, FEMA can warn people to get ready (except earthquakes).  Is God warning us to get ready for end times? Are our church leaders warning us to get ready? Ezekiel spoke of watchman who saw the sword coming, but did not blow the trumpet so that the people would be warned, and the sword came and took them away (33:6). Where are the watchmen of our times? “You must keep watch, and be on the alert, for you do not know the day or hour of My return” (Matt 25:13).

More Nones than Nuns?

The group called “Nones” (Americans without religious identity) is now the 2nd largest after Catholics [Pew Forum]. Officially, then, there are almost as many “nones” as nuns. In fact, Pope Benedict, who is dedicated to combating secularism in Europe, has convened a 3-week assembly of Bishops to strategize how to get Catholics to come back to church. On the Protestant side, Albert Mohler of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, says “this is a wake-up call.” What exactly is it we should wake up to?

In a word: deception. Jesus warned of increased deception before His return—we are all at risk. “Warn each other every day... so that NONES [emphasis added] will be deceived by sin and hardened against God” (Heb. 3:13). (Yes, that is  a play on words.)  Many of these "nones" were once part of us.

At one time in my life, I was one of the “nones.” In my confusion and hurt, I was easy prey for Satan’s schemes. I was (as are today’s “nones”) a casualty of Satan’s war against the Church. Paul says we should be gentle with these “nones”—that they will come to their senses and escape from the devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants (2 Tim. 2:26). Significantly, an antonym to the word “none” is SOME.  Let us remember “and such were SOME of you” (1 Cor. 6:11).

Billy Graham’s Call to Repentance

In an open letter this week, Billy Graham wrote: “The farther we get from God, the more the world spirals out of control. My heart aches for America and its deceived people. The wonderful news is that our Lord is a God of mercy, and He responds to repentance. In Jonah’s day, Nineveh was the lone world superpower—wealthy, unconcerned, and self-centered. When Jonah proclaimed God’s warning, people heard and repented.”

As I reflected on Billy Graham's words, the thought came to me that the Bible says judgment will begin with the house of God—the Church (1 Peter 4:17). Of what might the Church in America need to repent?  Many Christian leaders are concerned that the American Church is trying so hard not to offend the world she has forgotten to be other-worldly.  God is looking for a new generation of non-conformists (Rom 12:2) who will reject the world’s influence and everything that undermines His Holiness.

Billy Graham is 'right on' that deception is at an all time high.  The American Church is at risk!  David's ancient prayer seems quite relevant for the 21st century Church: “Search us, O God, and know our hearts; test us, and point out anything we're doing that offends you” (Psalm 139:23-24).

Is God Warning Us?

After Friday’s midnight movie massacre in Aurora, Colorado, it’s hard to ignore that something terrible is happening in America. With Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, and Fort Hood already etched into our collective memory, this latest tragedy feeds the public’s sense of helplessness, further aggravated by an unprecedented heat wave, drought, wildfires, floods, tornadoes—all of which threaten to further destabilize a weak economy that no one knows how to control.

Does it seem to you too that catastrophic events used to happen every once in a while, but are now happening in rapid fire (pun intended) succession?—each one overlapping the prior. Is it possible these things are a harbinger of things to come? I doubt that most Americans consider they might be God’s warnings. But do we? Should we?

Social psychologists tell us that successive crises can dull the senses—self-defensive indifference. That’s what happened to Israel. God kept warning—they kept ignoring. While our non-believing neighbors may be in denial, we ought to guard our hearts from what Tozer called “the twin sins of indifference and apathy.” Paul’s warning is very relevant for today: “If the people of Israel did not escape when they refused him who warned from earth, how much less will we if we ignore Him who is warning us from heaven?” (Heb. 12:25). It seems to me the warning for us is very personal: to remain sensitive, to stay alert, to listen, and to pay attention: God is speaking!

Is that a Lie in Your Right Hand?

Jesus said “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” (Mat. 5:30). Jesus speaks metaphorically, not literally, to illustrate an essential truth—arguably one of the most important of His teachings.

These words form part of the “Sermon on the Mount” where Jesus calls His followers to a higher order of obedience. While the Mosaic Law certainly required compliance, Jesus required obedience from heart. He was warning us of the cost of such obedience—always accompanied by sacrifice. “Cutting off your right hand” means giving up who we think we are, how we define ourselves, in exchange for what Christ teaches us we can be in relationship to him. We must be willing to throw away our old ways that keep us from doing so—and there is no compromise. Speaking as a counselor, I know that this kind of obedience is as psychologically painful as losing an arm or a leg, or “your right hand.”

Some years ago, William Backus wrote a book “Misbelief Therapy: Telling Yourself the Truth.” I didn’t care much for the book, but I loved the title! In Isaiah 44, the prophet describes how idols are made from a block of wood you can hold in your hand, and he asks the rhetorical question: “is there not a lie in your right hand?” We must ask ourselves ‘what are we holding on to?’