Wow! Maybe Lady Gaga is right....

For all that know me I'm sure that's the last thing you would ever expect to hear from me. "Lady Gaga is right".

This dawned on me yesterday morning as I was walking dogs in the rain. I have been contemplating her song "Born this Way" for almost a month now. I knew there was a blog associated with it, but didn't know what.

But then I was considering where my friends are this weekend. I have some in North Carolina at the Exodus Freedom Conference. Then I have other's at PrideFest in Milwaukee.

Now, back to Lady Gaga. For those of you unaware she has a song called "Born this Way". It promotes the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) ideology. She herself is a 'self proclaimed bisexual'. I will post some of the lyrics here but not a link to the music video. I had the unfortunate opportunity to stumble across it on TV one night. Regular free, over the air TV that all kids can see. It's like a soft porn orgy set to music. It's one of those things I would have been better to have never seen. But it did give me some added perspective in life.

The lyrics disturb me every time I hear them. Which isn't that often since I'm usually listening to my iPod or the Christian radio station. BUT... since it's a wildly popular song you can't avoid it. It seems every teenager can quote it and hum it. It's a strong statement on how popular culture is shifting from the Biblical foundations this country was founded on. Basically there is no such thing as sin and anything goes is the message. At first glance you could completely write off the message. Especially since she claims to be on the "right track". But I keep coming back to the title "born this way". Romans 5:8 tells us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Psalm 51:5 reminds us that we were sinful at the time our mother conceived us. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, Ephesians 2:1-3 puts it this way, “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts” . These are just a few verses from countless others.

So let’s look at Lady Gaga’s lyrics....

Give yourself prudence

And love your friends

Subway kid, rejoice your truth

In the religion of the insecure

I must be my self, respect my youth

A different lover is not a sin

Believe capital H-I-M (Hey hey hey)

I love my life I love this record and

Mi amore vole fe yah (Love needs faith)

I'm beautiful in my way

'Cause God makes no mistakes

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you're set

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born this way

Oh there ain't no other way

Baby I was born this way

Baby I was born this way

Oh there ain't no other way

Baby I was born-

I'm on the right track, baby

I was born this way

Don't be a drag, just be a queen

Whether you're broke or evergreen

You're black, white, beige, chola descent

You're Lebanese, you're orient

Whether life's disabilities

Left you outcast, bullied, or teased

Rejoice and love yourself today

'cause baby you were born this way

No matter gay, straight, or bi,

lesbian, transgendered life,

I'm on the right track baby,

I was born to survive.

No matter black, white or beige

Chola or orient made,

I'm on the right track baby,

I was born to be brave.

She is right. God doesn't make mistakes and she was born that way, a sinner. But then she goes terribly wrong. The Bible verse that pops in to my head every time I hear this is Romans 1:18-32.

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

Very thought provoking.

One of my Facebook friends who is also a speaker at this year's Exodus conference, Kathy Koch, posted on her FB status: Today and tonight, yesterday and last night --- absolutely fabulous encounters with the living and one, true God. God-glorifying worship, insightful instruction, and God meeting needs. Passionate, humble, open, ready, available, joyful, free, trusting people, ... Exodus conventions are the closest to heaven I'm sure I'll be until I get there with the one, true, righteous King. So very grateful!

Then I look at the comments from Pridefest. It's about being wild, the party, peace, acceptance, flesh... I just get exhausted reading about it. Go, go, go.... where is the rest?

Then I read about the protestors…. at both events.

In North Carolina:

“It is ironic that Exodus International takes its name from that book of the Bible that famously warns against bearing false witness,” James Dye, coordinator of the No Exodus Project said in a release. “The group is predicated on distortion and misdirection; it shows contempt for science, and its theology is of the militantly unexamined variety. And the injury it does is real, both to society and to the individual.”

"Contempt for science". I would like to know where it is scientifically proven that there is a ‘gay-gene’. In 2009 the American Psychological Association revised its statement on this topic. A news article explained it this way:

The attempt to prove that homosexuality is determined biologically has been dealt a knockout punch. An American Psychological Association publication includes an admission that there's no homosexual "gene" -- meaning it's not likely that homosexuals are born that way.

For decades, the APA has not considered homosexuality a psychological disorder, while other professionals in the field consider it to be a "gender-identity" problem. But the new statement, which appears in a brochure called "Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality," states the following:

"There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles...."

That contrasts with the APA's statement in 1998: "There is considerable recent evidence to suggest that biology, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors, play a significant role in a person's sexuality."

Back to the protestors. So far I haven’t found a news article on the protestors in Milwaukee this year. BUT it looks like in years past there has been a Neo-Nazi group making the news with their protests. Though I’m sure most people are aware of Fred Phelps and his faithful few. They travel around the country screaming condemnation and hate. Their target audience isn’t strictly limited to homosexuals but also they have made their name by protesting at military funerals.

“The Reality of Grace”- That is the theme of the Exodus conference this year.

There is no theme for PrideFest, rather a slogan of “Filling the streets with Pride”.

So what is Grace?? What is Pride???

The Dictionary’s definition of Pride is as follows.

–noun

1. a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.

2. the state or feeling of being proud.

3. a becoming or dignified sense of what is due to oneself or one's position or character; self-respect; self-esteem.

4. pleasure or satisfaction taken in something done by or belonging to oneself or believed to reflect credit upon oneself: civic pride.

Verb: : to indulge or plume (oneself) in a feeling of pride

The listed synonyms are : 1. Pride, conceit, self-esteem, egotism, vanity, vainglory imply an unduly favorable idea of one's own appearance, advantages, achievements, etc., and often apply to offensive characteristics. Pride is a lofty and often arrogant assumption of superiority in some respect

WOWOWOWOW. Think about it. What does the Bible say about Pride??

Proverbs 29:23 says “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.”.

James 4:6 puts it very well “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” That is echoed again in I Peter 5:5 and many more places.

When I think about the LGBT community I think of a group of people constantly worried about their looks, social status, body image and anything else to make their flesh attractive in an open market. They are constantly striving and longing for a place of being, acceptance and commitment in a movement that seems to promote it but finds it nearly unattainable (see my previous blog).

So, back to that verse in James. See that word??? Grace. So what is the definition of Grace??

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.

3. favor or good will.

4.a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was onlythrough the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school.

5. mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

6. favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

8. Theology .

a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of god.

b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans toregenerate or strengthen them.

c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.

d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God'sfavor or one of the elect.

And the synonyms of Grace?? 1. attractiveness, charm, gracefulness, comeliness, ease. 4. kindness, kindliness, love, benignity; condescension. 5. lenity,leniency. 14. embellish, beautify, deck, decorate, ornament;enhance, honor.

So what is God’s Grace? Ephesians 2:8-9 comes to mind. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Or Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

I think of the protestor’s screaming in Milwaukee. Unfortunately they are showing ANYTHING BUT God’s grace. God has been redeeming people for thousands of years. I Corinthians 6:9-11 is the Bible verse that opened my eyes to this. “Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever.”- Psalm 118:1

God gives us His grace because of His love for us. Think about a gift you had given to you that you might have felt you didn’t deserve. That was obviously a gift given to you out of love.

Grace is God showing His love to us even though we don't deserve it. We can't earn it and we don’t deserve to be saved from sin and to have eternal life. But God showed His grace by saving us from sin's punishment when we trust in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. God also shows His grace by giving strength and guidance, and by taking care of us each day. His love is a depth of love that our own earthly experiences may try to taint. Our skepticism built out of hurts from our own experiences. But when we trust God He WILL prove that He will never us nor forsake us!! (Hebrews 13:5)

Back to Lady Gaga

What about her one line “I was born to survive.”

I don’t know about you, but I want to more than just survive. John 10:10 explains it well:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” -Jesus

So are you living life to the full?? Have you experienced God’s love and grace? Or are you still surviving, depending on your own pride and arrogance?