God works in strange ways, doesn't he. During her service, millions of people saw the strong faith, true hope, and complete trust in Jesus she had and those who spoke still have. T D Jakes stressed that, very often in our lives, it "..only looks like (in our adversities) death has won....but it hasn't."
Whitney's bodyguard told us that he called her Bible "Raggedy" because it was so tattered from use, so marked up, so ...raggedy. He said she'd take out a blouse from her suitcase if she couldn't fit the Bible in. She was a strong believer and her life showed that even strong believers will suffer (not 'can suffer', but will suffer). It showed that even strong believers who suffer still believe in their Lord and Savior, like Whitney and all of those people at the service do.
Marvin Winans preached what every pastor should preach this Sunday, or every Sunday. He talked about how what the Devil ("Yes, I said the Devil," he interjected, because we don't hear about him too much in churches today) wants to use our circumstances against us when things go bad for us....he wants us to trust in our own abilities to make things happen and not rely on Jesus. He talked about how every life has significance and God has a purpose for us. He talked mostly about PRIORITIES....how we must prioritize and make decisions based on our faith. He said God cannot leave us if we put Him first.
He prayed at the end of his eulogy, "...We will not leave here feeling bitter or upset...God has spoken and the church says AMEN."
What a wonderful tribute to Whitney's faith and our faith. What a wonderful sermon. Let her life teach us all that God comes first, and even then we'll have problems but He'll get us through and bring us home.
Have a good Sunday. Please pray for her family.
z
16 comments:
Yesterday's ceremony for Whitney Houston was evangelical in nature.
Good.
So many who admired Whitney Houston watched and heard.
Ugh.
I didn't watch CNN's coverage.
Singing about and acknowledging God is always a good thing, but why are these churches and preachers recognizing Sunday as the Sabbath day? Does anyone read their Bibles? Beware of the Roman Catholic Church and her many daughter that have changed God’s times and laws.
AOW, your link is 404.
I was at a client's house; she had the TV on and HLN was droning on and on and trotting out has-been stars. Disgusting!
("Yes, I said the Devil," he interjected, because we don't hear about him too much in churches today)
Isn't that the truth? People are responsible for their own actions, but it seems that Houston couldn't resist the Devil's temptations.
I was impressed with the stories about her faith, and the faith of those around her.
Marvin Winans preached a pretty good sermon, but I thought he got off the tracks when he jumped into his "Prosperity Theology".
We have one of those "prosperity" preachers here in Atlanta named, Creflo Dollar (for real!). Before you can join his church you have to give them your W2's and 1040's.
Yep, that's prosperity theology for you.
Interesting funeral, though.
I didn't see the funeral, but it sounds like some good preaching, which we all need.
It's too easy to dismiss it all as hypocrisy. We are all sinners, and the battle never ends while we still walk this earth.
Z: When I did my Sunday post of Whitney's faith, I was thinking about your Sunday Faith Blogs. In this case I decided to steal the idea. It makes so much sense, and we all need to think about these things.
Faith is a good thing to have but there is an important thing missed here perhaps. "By their works(deeds),you shall know(those who have faith) them.
Fortunately there is the thing called grace and that is or was the missing factor in most of the "preaching". For it is by GRACE, through FAITH , that we are redeemed(saved).
Whitney evidently understood grace.
I felt exactly as u did Z..RIP lovely Whitney..The Lord is with her now.
AOW..very evangelical. This was NOT a funeral, that's for sure...
but, boy, for 'not a funeral', I know you and I both cried buckets at the site of her coffin leaving the church to her singing I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. no wonder there seemed to be a nurse there attending to her mother.
Stopthepresses....Trust me, plenty of us read the Bible and we are sure that God loves that we worship him EVERY DAY not just whatever sabbath we choose....it's about HIM not the day, but thanks for coming by.
There are admonitions about making sure one eats meat in the Bible, too...by the way.
Brooke, I thought the whole thing was beautiful and loved the performers and the speakers.Alicia Keyes is a pretty new 'star' and she rocked.
No, Whitney liked being strung out, it seems.. She loved the Lord but she was led by devils here on earth.
Bob...is that a joke about W2's, etc? Tell me you're joking!!
I think most Jewish temples charge for seats on high holy days, but I've never heard of a Christian church or a temple asking for money information!!?
I felt badly years ago when the Pope came to Dodger Stadium and my Catholic dermatologist girlfriend got to sit up close because she gave much more money than those in the back. Anything like that smacks SO against Jesus' message, doesn't it. That's bothered me for a long time. She's a liberal and we parted ways because of my politics; I could listen to her drone but she couldn't listen to me timidly and very carefully (one must be careful in LA, trust me) give my opinions of handing the poor fishing poles instead of fish, so to speak. sad.
SF...it is easy to dismiss it as hypocrisy. But, as you know, we ALL sin and yet we all believe in not sinning...Wasn't it Paul who said he sins even through his preaching NOT to? That's why I think Whitney's message is SO important; it's tough for secularists or baby Christians to get past this...we'll be hearing "Hey, she was singing JESUS LOVE ME" at a party the night before and then she's dead...where was her GOD?" because she did do that and it's on tape.
The pastor made infinitely clear that God was with her all the way...and that one doesn't negate the other....she believed in grace, she knew she was a sinner, she couldn't get out of it...yet she believed and now we can all be pretty much assured that she's the lead soprano in God's choir!
I remember "Jesus wept" for his friend Lazarus' death, but he rose him up.......as He does for us. And did for WHitney as a believer, right?
Ticker, I'm not a big 'works' girl, though I knew what James says. I wouldn't have thought you were, either, but am I right in presuming you mean that she is known for drug use and so she didn't set a good example, but DOES HAVE GRACE? let me know, it's a fascinating subject.
I hope you heard Pastor Winans' sermon; it was PURE GOSPEL and GRACE, believe me.
Woman...He's leading her in the choir :-)
It appears I was wrong about Creflo Dollar wanting your W2. However, my good friend with whom I worked was a member of Dollar's congregation, and I can tell you that that church is all about money. That's no joke.
BOb, that's okay...we all hear things that aren't correct from time to time.
I forgot to mention that I thought the sermon's PROSPERITY THEOLOGY thing was something different than the PROSPERITY THEOLOGY you and I'd be highly sensitive to, the kind of "name it and claim it" bunk some believe in.
He mentioned those exact words (PT) but he went on to say nobody doesn't want to prosper and nobody would volunteer not to prosper and that God wants us to prosper...which I don't think is at all offensive, you know? He seemed to go on and discuss how PROSPERITY is also ETERNAL LIFE...we've prospered in 'getting there' if we believe..no? Or that we prosper and have fuller lives when we put God first...? Less practical and more spiritual..?
Maybe I got it wrong but I listened carefully, especially after hearing that dreaded PT phrase, and thought he rather redeemed himself ...that I was wrong in jumping to conclusions..as to what I thought he meant.
what do you thinK? Did you hear the whole sermon?
Ticker, I'm not a big 'works' girl, though I knew what James says. I wouldn't have thought you were, either, but am I right in presuming you mean that she is known for drug use and so she didn't set a good example, but DOES HAVE GRACE? let me know, it's a fascinating subject.
Works without faith are dead so one can not depend upon works to get them anything or anywhere. That is my understanding of James.
As for Grace;
Romans 5:20
Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.
Romans 6:14-16
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Whitney , may have obtained that measure of Grace( Eph 4: 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift) but she became a slave of unrighteousness and sin which lead to her death.
It is a very deep and interesting subject and I do not feel that I can do it justice here. I will continue at some later date and perhaps by e-mail to you. From there it can be decided if you wish to post or not.
Ticker thanks....the thing is she loved Jesus and 100% BELIEVED...her sin is not an issue as far as eternal life with Him. right?
Z, sin is always an issue with God if it is not then He played a cruel trick on His son Jesus.
Is she forgiven? That is something that only God and Whitney know at this point.
Ticker, I can't argue anybody's salvation but i can sure point out a true believer...I'm glad God doesn't look at my sin and negate my faith in Him.
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