Recently on the Golden Globe awards Ricky Gervais made a statement at closing in thanking God for making him an Atheist. This statement has brought him further national attention which has allowed his own lack of understanding to misguide the American public. One of the first things I found interesting in his original statement was that he thanked God which tells me that he recognizes there is a God. Is this not a contradicting statement within a single sentence? I was under the impression that an Atheist did not believe in God but I guess Ricky has now shown me that there are different religions within atheist as there are under Christianity. Actually, this closing statement of Ricky’s only confirms the message of God further. For we learn in Acts 19 that the spiritual darkness of Satan recognizes those that are filled with the light of Jesus Christ.

 This statement of Ricky’s thanking God on the Golden Globes has led him into a recent interview with Piers Morgan on CNN that aired on January 20, 2011. I found this interview very interesting for several different reasons due to pointing out the monopoly within the church and his further acknowledgement of the spirit of God. Sadly, Ricky Gervais was correct in his mentioning of the control or monopoly within the church that has taken place over the years due to the lack of true love being displayed within the overall Christian body and the lack of proper teaching in the Word of God. This has allowed the modern day Pharisees to rise again because they simply fail to recognize how we will naturally obey God’s commands in our love for thy Father in Heaven. For why would we want to hurt thy Father if we truly love thy Father? 

 Ricky mentioned that he loved people and this claimed the second most important commandment in the Word of God, loving thy neighbor as thyself. This is where many Christians have gone wrong in trying to force their ways upon others and condemning those that do not believe in the eternal Way through the blood of Jesus Christ. In Luke 6 and in Romans 12 we are taught in the Word of God to love thy enemy and this is displayed throughout the Old Testament as well through men and women of God who learned that the Lord is the one who is in control. For love is not directed but it is received in our freewill.

 Due to the wrong examples being displayed within a majority of the Christian body many individuals have failed to understand how to love the sinner but hate the sin. This lack of proper witness has allowed a spirit of judgment into the body and a spirit of disbelief in the Power of God that can change individuals from who they once were into someone completely new.  Due to the disobedience within many Christians and the lack of understanding of how to love as Jesus teaches this has caused many individuals like Ricky Gervais and many others to drift even further away from the Truth in the Word of God.

  In the interview with Piers Morgan Ricky mentioned that he was not offended when someone mentioned God and I respect him as a creation under God for making this statement. Neither atheist nor Christians should be offended when someone shares their belief in a respectful way without trying to force their belief upon another. This relates to Muslims as well, for why does someone become offended unless something is simply not right within them self? Now, here is the question that should have been asked by Piers to Ricky verses his acknowledgement of God, “Does it offend you if someone thanks Jesus or bother you to speak His name?” 

 Have you ever noticed how individuals can speak of God but they cringe when they speak or hear the name of Jesus the Son of God? Shouldn’t we as Christians receive the same respect back in return if someone can say they are an Atheist or a Muslim then can’t we mention our faith in Jesus Christ? Why is it that every other belief can mention their gods’ but we as Christians can not mention ours? What is wrong with this picture in equal rights and freedom of religion here in the United States of America? I believe Martin Luther King Jr. would say this is discrimination just as it was in telling others where to sit on the bus.

 Many Christians have fallen weak in this area because they have found that mentioning God brings less persecution than mentioning the name of Jesus. In Matthew 10 Jesus tells us, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”  Throughout history man has believed in higher powers and in many different false gods’. As a true Christian we believe that there is one living God that sent His only begotten Son to teach us how to live and to break the spiritual chains that can hold us back from the eternal Kingdom of God.     

 Another interesting segment of Ricky’s interview with Piers Morgan was his recognition of the spirit within him when he looked upon the mountains and visited with family and friends. He did not go into detail with what he felt nor did Ricky have words to explain this sense of love and awe when looking upon God’s creation. In Ephesians 6 of the Holy Bible we learn that this life is far beyond what we see in the physical and throughout God’s Word He plainly teaches us how to discern between the spirits of good and evil. In fact this statement of Ricky’s stating the sense of awe within his spirit when looking upon the mountains this reminds me of what God’s Word say’s when He looked upon His creation in Genesis 1,”And He saw that His creation was good.”

 It is amazing to me how individuals can look from the Heavens to the earth and state that they do not believe in God and think that this all just happened with no explanation nor purpose. To this day with all the education man still cannot explain the human brain or much less the miracles in life. Everything in God’s creation works with such unity and harmony except for the human race that disrupts the natural course of events due to our sinful nature and false thinking that we are the ones in control. Unfortunately, over the years in our drift away from the Word of God within our homes and within our nation this has opened the door spiritually to Satan to deceive many children that are lost and cause others to lose hope because they have fallen weak in faith. 

 Let’s pray that God will raise up a new generation in the love of Jesus Christ that will seek the Truth and learn to stand on the principles of God to maintain what He has given for our countries future. Dear Lord I pray for a spiritual awakening that will open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the def with a spirit of power that will ignite a fire within the believers that will shine throughout this dark world. May leaders learn to stand in faith proclaiming your name Lord Jesus as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords while acting in your love to show others the Way back to your Kingdom. For this life is only a training ground to see which direction we will go and I thank you Father in Heaven for sending your only Son in your mercy and grace to prepare our eternal place in Heaven above. Forgive us Father for all the national sin and I pray that you will bless us once again. Lord if it be in your will, we pray as your children in Christ that you will open Ricky’s eyes to your truth and spare his soul from the eternal damnation….Amen

 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us that “True Love is patient and kind; True Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong doing, but rejoices with the truth. True Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. True Love never ends!!!”

James A.Harrison

http://balancedlifeministry.org

http://specialdeliverybook.com