03.28.14 GOD’S NOT DEAD – THE MOVIE!!

Roy and I just came from the movies were we saw “God’s Not Dead”.  It was so amazing I just have to share with ya’ll about it! I’m doing my happy dance right now, loved it, loved it!

The movie is based on Rice Broocks’ book, God’s Not Dead: Evidence of God In An Age of Uncertainty, which was written to equip believers with a real and credible faith–and the ability to defend its most basic beliefs.

The movie centers around freshman college student Josh Wheaton. In Josh’s first day of Philosophy 150, the atheist professor condescendingly demands that the students write “God Is Dead” on a sheet of paper and turn it in to be assured of  a passing grade. The professor advises the class that a unanimous vote to “dispense with the God myth” and move on to higher level thinking will be in everyone’s best interest. Every student in the class, except Josh, gives in and turns in a sheet declaring that God Is Dead. Indignant that Josh refuses, the professor tells him that in order to pass the class, he must prove God’s existence. The audience that Josh must convince? His fellow classmates–all of whom have already declared that”God Is Dead.”

Josh is one of several characters in the movie whose beliefs about God are put to the test. Each character, although in varying circumstances, faces a choice–not only to believe or not to believe, but to follow, or not to follow. This movie paints a dramatic portrait of each character and gives viewers not only stellar entertainment, but a call to examine their own beliefs and level of commitment to those beliefs.

How far would you go…to defend your belief in God?

I’d like to think I would be able to do what the young man, Josh Wheaton, in this movie did but in reality I don’t know.  I lack the confidence to know I could recite scripture and make enough sense to go up against a college professor.  I can however tell you here that God is very much alive and that everything Josh said is true.

If  you’ve ever wondered why Christians have the beliefs we do and why we have so much faith in God I urge you to go see this movie.  It will answer many of your questions.  God seemed dead to the college professor in the movie because his mother believed in God, but she died of cancer when he was 12.  He believed there couldn’t be a God (and if there is a God that He was Dead) since he believed that God allowed his mother to die of such a horrible disease.

This story is one that many people can relate to, wondering why should we believe in God that “allows” bad things to happen to good people.  My simple belief is that God does not cause bad things to happen to believers, it is the world we live in that causes these things.

However, without God there is no hope. God is always there for believers to get us through good and bad times.  If a non-believer goes through a crisis and doesn’t have the Holy Spirit living in their life they do not have the comforting arms of God surrounding them during those desperately low times Christians and non-Christians endure.  They also don’t have the reassurance that their eternal life (and everyone has one) will be spent in Heaven with God as opposed to spending eternity in Hell.  As a believer, when my mama was dying and died , and at all low times in my life, I felt God’s loving arms around me every step of the way.   When I’ve had many high times in my life he’s been there jumping up and down with joy with me.  My God is very much alive and I’m thrilled that there is a movie now that so many can see to learn about this!

Having attended a University and witnessed the frighteningly atheistic beliefs of some of the professors I believe that what happened in this movie’s plot is absolutely happening to various degrees and in different scenarios in higher education throughout our country.  As parents, when we send our young people out into the world of higher education, we must send them with the full armor of God, knowing that their faith will be challenged.

This movie is a powerful reminder that those who follow Christ must be prepared to defend their faith in an increasingly godless society.  And when we take that stand, we may never know the ripple effect and the lives impacted by those who are watching. The movie shows this clearly.

When the church pastor points out to Josh that if he accepts the challenge to debate his professor, this might be the only time his classmates have any “meaningful exposure” to God and Jesus,  that made what he did very real to me.  Are our lives displaying Christ, do people that know me know undoubtedly that I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  I hope you know that now!  I’m always happy to share what God’s done in my life, so if interested, please ask!

Following are the lyrics for the song “God’s Not Dead” sung by the Newsboys and is featured in the movie!  There is a link at the bottom to actually hear the song on You Tube!

Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold to see a revolution somehow
Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold to bring a revolution somehow

Now I’m lost in Your freedom
And this world I’ll overcome

(Chorus)
My God is not dead
He’s surely alive
He’s living on the inside
Roaring like a lion

Let hope arise and make the darkness hide
My faith is dead
I need a resurrection somehow

Now I’m lost in Your freedom
And this world I’ll overcome

Chorus

Let Heaven roar and fire fall
Come shake the ground
With the sound of revival

COME ON CHRISTIANS!  LET’S SHAKE THE GROUND WITH THE SOUND OF REVIVAL!

We’re heading out from Hammond towards Texas right now so FINALLY, we’re back on the road again!!!!

Ya’ll come back now ya’ hear!