Lent Day 29: Forte

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day: March 22
forte \FORT\ noun. Meaning: 1. something in which one excels : one's strong point; FORT-AY 2. Italian musical term = loud

CP is coming to Seattle. This "inspirational speaker" used to be a fiery evangelical preacher who advised presidents and led a church of 6000. Somewhere along the line he had a "Conversation with God" that convinced him that there is no hell. Next week, it costs only $40 to have him scratch our ears with this exciting news.

"Goings-On in Seattle" announces: "If you like your God as the type who gives everyone a pass to eternal rewards, then attend this. According to the speaker, gays, Muslims, and atheists (and presumably, terrorists, too) make it through the pearly gates." The writer mocks this premise, hinting at an obvious conclusion that there is no god or higher power, so why bother wasting your money on the lecture?

Sadly, speaking at 'forte' and CP's popularity doesn't mean he knows what he's talking about. Paul warned that even if an angel would bring another gospel, the Church must ignore it. I'm saddened because there will be eager listeners in Seattle's culture of "customize-your-own-gods." The writer to the Romans prophecies dire consequences for those who work against God's expectations and applaud others who do the same.

The OT prophets scoffed at pagans who took a piece of wood, carved it into a shape, and then worshiped it. "What kind of god is that?" they mocked. Well, apparently it's one that is again popular in the post-Christian West.

What kind of a God would let his creatures make up their own idea of him? Design their future and the universe in their own image? And remake him into an image of themselves?

Not the God of scripture who declares he is sovereign, beyond knowing, the Origin and Finisher of all things. The Same in the past, present, and future. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

He promised he will reign, in spite of the pitiful blathering of "special revelation" that holds him in contempt. His day of reckoning will be the ultimate forte.

Read more:
*Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One [Jesus foretold]. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me [foretelling the rule of Jesus], “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."

Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

*Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man 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 of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

...Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to 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 are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

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. Romans 1:22-25; 28-32