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Don’t Believe Everything You Read or Hear

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Late last year, I came across a website alleging a sex scandal involving President Obama. The “story” first came out in 2008 just before the primary. It was shown to be baseless and quickly faded away. Then it resurfaced again in 2010. (The original story was removed by the source after staying online for 4 years.)

Another site purports alleged “proof” that Obama is a Muslim terrorist in disguise. Again, a baseless rumor.

And another alleges that Obama is gay, has sexually harassed males, and abuses drugs. Again, baseless.

Note: I don’t agree with many of Obama’s policies. But these accusations are scurrilous, vicious, outrageous, and just plain slimy. There’s no good evidence to support any of them. That’s why they’ve never gained traction. However, because they are written intelligently, they persuade the uniformed (a characteristic of effective libel).

Earlier this year, Rick Warren was personally attacked, judged, and lied about by professing Christians.

We live in a very dark world where rumors abound. Gossip abounds. Slander abounds. Even in the “Christian” community (so-called), tragically.

Slander is a serious sin, and according to Paul, slanderers will be barred from the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

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The Mark to Hit

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Here’s a mark to hit. When you can say, “You can take it all away from us, and we would still have the Lord Jesus Christ. We know Him internally, and He is all that we need. He is the glue that holds us together.”

The life of any church is determined by whether or not it is pursuing Jesus Christ. Interaction with Christ is the fountain head of our Christian walk as well as our church life.

The church after God’s own heart is a church that’s moving full blast toward a living Person. It’s a church that is tapping into the limitless riches of this glorious Christ that we’ve been given. It’s a church that’s discovering that Christ is an adventuresome Person filled with mystery, wonder, awe, glory and excitement. It’s a church that throbs with a consuming compulsion to know Him intimately. It’s a church that has discovered that the glory and beauty of Jesus is so prevailing that it has conquered each member. It’s a church that has encountered Christ enough to where they possess little power to resist His loveliness. It’s a church where Christ alone has become its magnificent obsession.

Have a meeting where you discuss the place of Jesus Christ in your church. And discuss practical ways of stripping down to Christ alone and making Him the center of all things. In this way, perhaps you will discover the church after God’s own heart.

by Frank Viola, author