The Exaltation Of Whitney Houston

As another big name in the world unexpectedly dies I couldn't help but notice the publics need to deify celebrities. Heather small from the 80s band the M People said on the Jeremy Vine show "Whitney was the Messiah." Kevin Costner co-star in the film The Bodyguard said in his funeral address that she was being taken to heaven by hundreds of angels. It reminds me of the words of Jesus in Matthew 26:53 "Do you think I cannot call on my Father and he will at once put at my disposal 12 legions of angels?" So Whitney gets hundreds coming to her side just like Jesus! Sarcasm aside it is clear when looking at Whitney's life she was a troubled human being. She was a recognised drug addict from her late teens. A newspaper heading reads "Just another dead drug addict.'' Sad but true. What unsettled me greatly was the 'performance' at her 'going home' party. I say performance because 'God fearing' funeral service it was not. If Whitney was trusting in Christ then she was not a good advert for Christianity or the power of the cross. Can a drug addict become a Christian? A resounding yes! But they wont be able to stay that way. If they do they are denying the power of the cross and the shed blood of Christ to overcome the power of sin. It my well be that Whitney began as a gospel singer in her church choir but we know that going into a bakery does not make you a baker neither does attending 'church' make you a Christian. What we heard from the leaders of the church she once attended was nothing less than good old fashioned 'rhetoric.' It sounded good but was lacking any real biblical substance of truth.

Salvation is a free gift which is found through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. It cannot be won by good works which includes singing in a church choir. A friend told me about the time she attended a funeral service for a known 'Spiritualist' in a Anglican church (Yes you read correctly). She said she expected the deceased to jump up from the coffin at any moment because of the pure fancy of the things being said. I wonder if Whitney would have felt the same?

Win Some Loose Some

Yesterday was a day of interest for all UK Christians. My friend Michael Overd was found not guilty of causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress to two homosexual passers-by as he preached from 1Corinthians 6:9-10. I was there when it turned nasty and was a witness for the defence. Stephen Green from Christian Voice came to support and has a very good article about the case on his web-site. Michaels defence lawyer Paul Diamond was a pleasure to watch. In his closing comments he talked about free speech and the right of every Christian to proselytize all people groups including homosexuals. The truth of the matter is the two homosexuals who made the complaint did not like what the Bible said about them and wished to silence Mike Overd and mistakingly thought they could use the law to do it. On the back of this two guesthouse owners lost their appeal against a ruling and fine for only letting married couples rent a double room and Bideford Town Council were told in another hearing that holding prayers before a meeting was in fact illegal. The next round will be David Camerons attempt to redifine marriage and allow homosexuals to marry in church. Out of the three cases heard yesterday I believe God was showing his priority and his continued blessing for the preaching of the gospel in the UK. God is interested in the salvation of souls. It is the sacrificial death of Christ upon the cross for the redeeming of lost sinners which is the greatest message for mankind. This is what God wants Christians to proclaim and concentrate on. When we do, His Son is gloryfied and so is He, and His righteousness shines forth. Perhaps if the established Church had not lossed this focus the other two cases would never have arisen.