They Sometimes Kill their Wounded

That's quite the title to today's blog, I realize. If I offend, I'm sorry,,, but then again, I'm not.

A few months back, I read on a homeschooling site that Ray Boltz left his wife, and declared he was a homosexual. A person on that homeschooling site responded, "Well, looks like I'll be burning HIS tapes and videos!"

You will never know how grieved in the spirit I was to hear of Ray Boltz' decision. You will never know how much more grieved I was in the spirit to read what that person said regarding throwing away his tapes and cd's. Here is a brother who has created some of the most beautiful songs of the modern Christian world, and we're saying, "Let's burn him."

Don't get me wrong; when I read my Bible, it has specific things to say about homosexuality -- and it sure doesn't match with what the world wants us to believe. I tend to believe the Bible -- lock, stock and barrel.

I really, honestly feel that we as a Christian family should be COMPELLED to pray for a brother or sister who has fallen, or who has stumbled. I know that it also says if they don't turn away from their ways to cut off ties. But then, it also says if they repent, that we are to open our arms to them. Ever since I heard about Ray, I have been praying that he actually see that even if there is temptation, that he has not fallen so far from God's grace that God cannot reach him where he is and restore him.

Then, I read about another brother in Christ -- Willie Aames. He's been known as Bibleman. I had been led to pray for him for awhile, and didn't know why. I read why -- I don't need to air anything, but to only say that he's hit some snags in the road and needs prayer, prayer, and more prayer. His wife and daughter need to be held and embraced by the church. What I'm afraid of is that the same type of people who said they were going to burn Ray Boltz's tapes will have the same attitude towards Willie as they did towards Ray. Willie is not a homosexual; he's just been hit by a different ploy of the enemy.

How many of us have fallen? The difference between the regular Christian and those like Ray Boltz and Willie Aames is that they are actually able to be reported on in the news -- our actions and slip-ups aren't blared in the news for all to see.

How many of us can fervently pray for the restoration of these brothers and sisters in the faith? It's time we as Christians get off of our pity pots when someone falls and bursts our spiritual bubble. No -- this is the time that we must strap on our spiritual armor even tighter, and pray for folks like Ray and Willie. It's when we should be crying out for God's hedge of protection to shield and protect Ray's now ex-wife and his children, as well as Maylo (Willie's wife), their daughter and his son. We should pray for them as though they are members of our own family, because, after all, that is exactly what they ARE -- members of our family through Christ. We must pray for them to come home, instead of spiritually killing them off.