Two very different people who call themselves Christians have gotten a lot of media time recently.
One is Victoria Osteen, wife of Joel, who recently told her audience, “when we obey God, we’re not doing it for God…we’re doing it for ourselves. Do good for your own self. Do it because God wants you to be happy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, you’re not doing it for God, really–you’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy.”
And then there’s Rick Sacra.
I’ve known Rick and Debbie Sacra since the 80’s, while I was growing up on the ELWA compound in Liberia. Debbie Sacra was my sixth grade English and History teacher.
They’ve been committed to Liberia ever since then, even through 15 years of devastating civil war and the war-torn country that limped back to life afterwards.
Dr. Sacra had planned to return to Liberia at the end of August. When he found out that Dr. Brantly had contracted Ebola, he did not cancel his trip.
He did not even postpone his trip.
He actually moved up his departure date to get to Liberia sooner.
He knowingly and consciously made the decision to walk into a situation where well over 50% of people are dying from a horrible virus.
So Victoria Osteen, what do you have to say about that?
That Dr. Sacra is obeying God for himself? That contracting a deadly disease and possibly leaving his wife a widow and his children fatherless would make him happy? That he literally and completely chose to lay down his very life….for himself???
As Bill Cosby says, That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life! Totally agree.
Of course, when you go home to a 10 million dollar mansion, instead of a war-torn, poverty stricken country with a deadly epidemic raging through it, it’s difficult to understand what “obedience” she is even talking about.
The experts say that this epidemic is getting worse, not better, and that over 20,000 people will probably be infected before it’s over. All of Africa is on high alert. ReachGlobal’s All-Africa conference in Tanzania was recently cancelled–even though there’s no Ebola here…..yet. This is serious stuff, folks.
And we are forced to ask ourselves The Question. What do we do if it comes here?
I don’t know the answer to that question. But I do know that I want to follow Rick Sacra’s example, not Victoria Osteen’s. God has called me to deny myself, pick up my cross, and follow Him.
Deny myself. Not “do it for myself.”
Does God want me to be happy? He wants me to be holy. And He knows, and has taught me, that happiness is found at the very moment when I put myself aside, and fix my eyes on Him.
Unfortunately, the Osteen’s toxic brand of “Christianity” has been exported to Africa, where it is found everywhere.
We need a whole lot less of them out here, and a whole lot more Rick Sacras.
Herding Grasshoppers
It just galls me, the horrible things we "export" from America. Though I've never been a missionary, I spent a year abroad as an exchange student. Hollywood, unfortunately, is our most well-known "ambassador". It's terrible. Shameful.
Praise God for the unsung heroes, the quietly faithful who lay down their lives day after day after day.
Julie
Anthony
Ironically, American is really the one with the deadly virus.
Anonymous
AMEN! Thanks Amy for proclaiming the truth even though it is not the norm of this lost world.
secan
If you really want to hear commentary from the horse's mouth as it were, then watch this video recording of Conrad Mbewe at the Strange Fire Conference last year. As a South African, i find that is the element of TBN that is so much worse than Hollywood. At least the latter does not profess to come in the "name of the Lord". But the health and wealth 'gospel' from such as Hinn, Hyer, Copeland, Howard-Brown et al is the real poison, duping the poor into believing that by giving to these hucksters their own situations will improve al a Benz, luxury home, Gucci etc.
You know the story.
But to you real gospel people in America, thanks for the invaluable teaching you share with us on the other side of the globe.
Shalom
john coombes
http://www.gty.org/video/Pulpit/V82TM13-13?Term=strange%20fire
Amy Medina
Thank you, John. Really appreciate your words. I am familiar with Strange Fire because we are from Southern California and attended The Master's College. I will certainly check out the link.
Shelley
Well said lady … well said! My sentiments exactly!
Anonymous
I think a lot has been taken out of context here. If christians stopped attacking each other, exolting themselves on every good deed they partake and waste time judging people…maybe there would be less hurting out there…we speak in jargons only "our kinds" can understand. Not the language of love, but of judgement. We want people to approve what we say, we feed on approval.We feed on praises, and self gratification. We crave for identity outside of Christ without even knowing. Self righteousness is poison…and thats whats wrong with the Church today. We think we are better than everyone else,including our fellow christians. Our "good" deeds are tied on our foreheads to mark us as holy and whole …yet we are the most broken people on earth and go around breaking others every chance we get.
Amy Medina
I absolutely agree with you. Except that Scripture also makes it clear to call out false prophets when we see them.