Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Ray Boltz..Comes out of the closet...

I was broken hearted when I was sent this article from the Washington Blade.

Ray Boltz, whom has sold 4.5 million records admits openly he is gay.
For those of you that do not know who Ray Boltz, you may remember his songs, "Thank You", "The Anchor Holds", along with many other inspirational songs that many have clung to in worship around the world since the 90's.

As I read this article, I was moved to tears, as I have witnessed so many lately that I love, know and respect fall away from the Lord. And yet..as I trailed through the comments left.. the 2nd from the bottom on that article broke my heart even more. A 16 year old boy thanked Ray Boltz..as he too recently told his family and friends he was gay.

I want to point out one particular paragraph from this article,
This is what it really comes down to,” he says. “If this is the way God made me, then this is the way I’m going to live. It’s not like God made me this way and he’ll send me to hell if I am who he created me to be … I really feel closer to God because I no longer hate myself.”


Yes God made us with a choice to do right or to do wrong, but he has also told us to resist temptation and the devil will FLEE FROM YOU.

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.


If we use the above excuse to all of our sins.. I find it hard to swallow God would see things our way.

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1Co 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
1Co 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
1Co 6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
1Co 6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
1Co 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.


Ray Boltz says he has fought this for all his life, and he can no longer hide this..he opened up to his family long ago..and to the public this month.



But for now..I want to switch the subject around. Honestly I was troubled about this news last night. As we all tend to put those in leadership and in the ministry on somewhat of a pedastal. And yet I have seen through this breaking story that we are watching many fall away. In the last several years we have watched many in the ministry give into the flesh and lead their lives, and yet many of us still go on to support them. Many will say these people show that you can be both.. like them and still a Christian.

The fact is.. being a Christian is being set apart.. one with Christ. When I reconciled my life with Christ, I made changes. Many things I changed did not come to conviction until I grew closer to the Lord and my walk with Christ strengthened. I found things that displeased God and hindered my testimony had to go as well. I found those friendships I treasured actually hindered even my own walk. I had to choose which to actually pull away from, and then I prayed for Godly friends that would hold me up in prayer..my desire is to daily grow into that image that God wants me to be..not the image I want to be.

I know there will be a great falling away before Christ returns for us..
2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
2Th 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.


And yet..My heart aches for those I love that have not surrendered or even come to Christ yet.

And Yet, last night I learned something so very important. Watching people like Ray, making life changing decisions that are not of God really hurts. But, we need to walk by faith and not by sight.
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)


Sin is sin.... and we are all capable of that very sin. God can not look on our sin and why he gave the very life and blood of his son, Jesus Christ to cover our sins. Yet..we need to turn away from that very temptation. Run from it and yet speak boldly against it. How many more will come out of the closet because Ray Boltz did?

How many more will find the very sin justified because Ray thinks this is "HOW GOD MADE HIM."

Fact is.. God speaks out against this sin many times in the Bible.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.


Do not take the word of Ray Boltz over God. Be careful..
Sin does not discriminate.

3 comments:

Phyllis said...

I totally agree. The Bible warns us of this and yet it is still so heart breaking to see God's people fall the way they do. To know the love of Jesus and having him live in your heart and life is the only way to beat the devil. Straddling the fence does not work because so day you are going to be split in half.

I pray every night for our country and that they will listen to the voice of God. I stand in the gap for my family and friends every night. I take God at his word and I believe what he says.

hisway said...

I am so proud of you. The exact verses that came to mind as I started reading this were the ones you used as well. When we take our eyes off of Him for even a moment Satan can convince us of almost anything.

Unknown said...

wow, who will be next?I was so devestated. My husband sings alot of Ray's songs and they are very powerful. It is sad that he allowed the enemy to decieve him in this way.This is not the way that God made him.He said that I will make man in my image and my likness, so is Ray saying that God is gay.I will pray for him,but no longer will he be my bother in the Lord. We need to up lift him and not turn our backs on him. Love him as Jesus loves him and died for him.But this has nothing to do with the God that I serve and what will this do for youg and old people alike because of this will think hey it is ok look at Ray God made him gay so maybe he made me gay...These are the last days, when God said even the very elquite would be decieved. The only way you know God and his ways is to spend time with him..