A Response to Bruce Springsteen’s Call for Unity

Last Sunday, I went to a gathering of friends from church. Most of them weren’t interested in the Super Bowl. I didn’t start watching the game until the second quarter and mostly ignored the commercials plus muted the halftime show. Therefore, I missed seeing the Jeep advertisement featuring Bruce Springsteen. I wasn’t aware of the commercial until three days later when noticing a link to that in an article about The Boss facing a drunk driving charge (which resulted in Jeep pulling the ad off the air).

I’ve never been a fan of Springsteen but appreciated his talents as a singer, songwriter, and musician. During the 1980s, I often played his records while working as a disc jockey. However, I became turned off to Springsteen as he vocalized his political beliefs more. 1994’s “Streets of Philadelphia” was written for a movie that condoned homosexuality. I thought it was one of The Boss’s weakest recordings. Yet “Philadelphia” was a top ten hit that won four Grammy Awards plus an Oscar for Best Original Song.

Five years ago, Springsteen canceled a North Carolina concert because of a proposed state law preventing transgender people from using public bathrooms of their preferred sex. The musician issued a statement saying the bill was “an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress.” There’s a difference between human rights and special rights. Would The Boss feel comfortable seeing his wife, daughter, or possibly a granddaughter share a bathroom with a man claiming to be a woman?

The Jeep ad promoted a “ReUnited States of America.” Yet, Springsteen previously bashed Donald Trump and those who voted for him. The Boss threatened to move to Australia if the president got reelected. Would he have done that commercial had Trump remained in the White House? If not, then I repudiate Bruce’s projected patriotism and his call for unity. Many liberals only tolerate the viewpoints of those who agree with them.

This past week, I watched the old end times movie “The Prodigal Planet.” Ironically, the organization enforcing the Antichrist’s laws is named UNITE. Someday in the not too distant future, everyone will take the mark of the beast if they wish to buy and sell (Revelation 13:17). Mask mandates are already conditioning people to submit to godless politicians. Unity isn’t good when it forces people to violate their conscience and (more specifically) disobey God’s word. Ephesians 4:13 does encourage “unity in the faith.” That only comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The Jeep commercial showed Christian imagery including Springsteen walking into a chapel. In his autobiography Born to Run, he stated, “I have a personal relationship with Jesus. I believe in his power to save, love…but not to damn.” Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” One of His commandments is to “Flee sexual immorality.” (1 Corinthians 6:18) How can one profess to know the Lord but publicly endorse lifestyles that go against what the Bible says?

I remember how Bruce started living with bandmate Patti Scialfa while still married to actress Julianne Phillips. He then fathered his first child out of wedlock. I hope Bruce has repented for all that. Hebrews 13:4 warns, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” All types of sex outside of marriage is sin. That includes homosexual relationships.

Bruce Springsteen will someday stand before the Ultimate Boss. I pray that he fully surrenders his life to Jesus Christ. I don’t want to see him yelling “I’m On Fire” while going down to an eternity in hell. As fellow New Jerseyan Jonathan Cahn recently stated, “How can we have unity and peace in America if we have no unity and peace with God?”

“that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” - Ephesians 1:10

Pigskin Prophet?

Shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC Championship Game two weeks ago, Facebook friends posted a meme about the late Bob Jones who died in 2014. This prophet had (according to Shawn Bolz) predicted revival would come when the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. At first, I was skeptical of this prophecy. I recalled a similar one that surfaced four years earlier regarding the Carolina Panthers. They lost Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos.

Critics may look at all this and dismiss Bob Jones as a false prophet. However, I know of other prophecies given by him that were accurate. During the late 1980s, Bob prophesied: “The black panthers are coming to the lumberyard of Charlotte.” This was years before the Carolina Panthers entered the NFL as an expansion team. Their home stadium was ultimately built on land that used to be a lumberyard. 1 Corinthians 13:9 says, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.” It’s possible for someone to receive a word from the Lord but then have that misinterpreted.

Bob Jones and others have prophesied stadiums built for football would be used for the end time harvest. We’re already seeing this happen. In 2018, I attended a gathering at the Minnesota Vikings’ US Bank Stadium where numerous people made commitments to Christ. Last year at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida (where the Pro Bowl was played last Sunday), The Send attracted close to 60,000 believers to receive an anointing to fulfill the Great Commission. Of course, we cannot forget most of Billy Graham’s crusades took place in sporting venues.

Usually, I root for NFC teams but will be pulling for the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt gave glory to the Lord after his team became AFC Champions. Hunt was quoted as saying, “We want our employees to develop spiritually…My identity is my faith in Christ.” The Chiefs became the first NFL team to provide chapel services for fans prior to noon home games.

Even if the Chiefs lose today, a great end time harvest will happen. God’s promises are not confined to the outcome of a football game but He can still use that as a sign.

“Do not despise prophecies.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:20

Memories from a Cautiously Optimistic Vikings Fan

Sports fans in America love rooting for the underdog. Just over a year ago, the Chicago Cubs had many people pulling for them (myself included) as they won their first World Series in 108 years. Now another franchise with a reputation of losing big games has a chance of finally winning it all. It happens to be my favorite football team.

The Minnesota Vikings began playing in 1961 as an NFL expansion team. Eight years later, they appeared in their first Super Bowl but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Three years after that, I started watching Vikings games on TV while growing up in Moorhead, Minnesota. The following season, they reached Super Bowl VIII, which was played on my tenth birthday. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a Super Sunday for me as the Vikings lost to the Miami Dolphins.

Nevertheless, I remained a Minnesota Vikings fan with quarterback Fran Tarkenton as my favorite player. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, I watched almost every Vikings game on TV. They consistently won their division but never went all the way through the playoffs. Among the disappointments I endured seeing were two more Super Bowl losses and the infamous Hail Mary game against the Dallas Cowboys. By the end of the decade, I was watching fewer games and spending more time at the roller rink.

In December 1980, I was home one Sunday afternoon watching the Minnesota Vikings play poorly against the Cleveland Browns. I left the living room just before the game was over. Suddenly, I heard Mom and Dad cheering as Ahmad Rashad caught a winning touchdown with no time left. Since then, my parents jokingly asked me to leave the room whenever the Vikings faced defeat. They often seemed to play better when I wasn’t watching them. Similar incidents happened with come-from-behind playoff wins over the New York Giants in 1997 and last week’s “Minneapolis Miracle” against the New Orleans Saints. I had been watching the latter game from a restaurant but left early thinking the Vikings would let that game slip away.

Dad had talked of us seeing a Minnesota Vikings game as a family but that never happened (he passed away last month). My parents went to a game by themselves in 1984 when the Vikings had one of their worst seasons ever. They barely won that contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

I attended my first Vikings game two years later after moving to Minneapolis. One night I was at a club where the disc jockey announced he had two free Vikings tickets for the first person who could tell him who played keyboards on the Beatles’ song “Get Back.” I knew the answer was Billy Preston and rushed to the DJ booth to claim the tickets. A college classmate went with me the next night to see the Vikings beat the Dolphins in a preseason game.

Due to the high prices plus preferring the comfort and convenience of seeing games on TV, I never sought to buy Vikings tickets. Still, I’ve been to a few other games. In 1999, a friend’s mother had season tickets and offered to let her son and me attend the home opener. The Vikings lost that one to the Oakland Raiders.

Starting in 2013, I’ve spent part of the year living with a Vikings fan who’s also an occasional evangelist. As Mr. Minnesota, my roommate dances around near the stadium in a Mask-like outfit attracting crowds and then hands out specially-designed gospel tracts. In exchange for filming him, Mr. Minnesota bought both of us tickets for that day’s game if he found a pair from a scalper who wasn’t charging too much money. I haven’t been to a winning game with Mr. Minnesota except for one.

Prior to a Vikings game against the Houston Texans in 2016, I approached a homeless man sitting near the stadium displaying a sign asking for help. After offering him a bag of Doritos, this man offered me a ticket someone had given him. Mr. Minnesota later bought one off the street. Both of us got to see the Vikings win 31-13. At that point, they were 5-0 for the season but then slumped to finish with an 8-8 record.

This season I initially shied away from watching NFL games in response to many players not honoring the national anthem. Gradually I relented as the Minnesota Vikings played better than expected and finished the regular season at 13-3. I’m still a bit reluctant to watch today’s NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles. As much as I want to see the Vikings win, I don’t want to get my emotions stirred up and then experience another letdown. The Vikings have lost in their last five NFC Championship appearances including two in overtime. But if they win today, the Vikings will compete in their first Super Bowl in 41 years…and in their home stadium to boot!

Here’s something else worth noting. Back in late 1976, I had a dream of having been in some kind of coma and then asked my mother if the Vikings had won the Super Bowl. She said they did by beating the New England Patriots. In real life, the Vikings eventually lost that season’s Super Bowl to the Raiders who had narrowly beaten the Patriots in an earlier playoff game. However, this dream would become prophetic if both the Vikings and Patriots win their respective games today and then if the Vikings come out victorious in Super Bowl LII.

Regardless, I won’t base my happiness on the outcome of a football game. Some might call me a fair-weather fan but I disagree. The Minnesota Vikings will always be my favorite team. But even former head coach Bud Grant told one interviewer, “Football is entertainment. It’s not life or death.” In response to his being in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Bud stated, “We’re stars. We’re not heroes. We’ve done nothing heroic.”

As Christians, we can always be winners. In fact, Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors. After throwing last week’s winning touchdown pass, Vikings quarterback Case Keenum told a Fox Sports reporter that the most important moment of his life was meeting his Lord and Savior. Go Team Jesus!

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” - Colossians 3:2 (KJV)

Failure Isn’t Final

Originally I didn’t plan on watching last Sunday’s Super Bowl. I wasn’t fond of either team playing and had no interest in seeing Lady Gaga’s halftime show. But after practicing a sermon, I decided to walk over to a nearby church that previously hosted a Super Bowl party. The church itself was closed but some men living in the dormitories were preparing to watch the big game and I got to join them. The channel was changed during halftime to briefly watch the Harlem Globetrotters on ESPN2.

We ended up seeing a historic game. The New England Patriots came back from a 25-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons in the first Super Bowl that went into overtime. The Patriots overcame two costly turnovers to win their fifth Vince Lombardi trophy. The game illustrated that failure isn’t final…or in the famous words of Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

The Bible has accounts of people who made major mistakes but God still used them to advance His kingdom. Moses killed an Egyptian in a premature attempt to free the children of Israel but later presented the Ten Commandments. Paul was also a murderer but still wrote a large portion of the New Testament. King David committed both adultery and murder yet we recite many of his Psalms today plus sing about how he danced before the Lord.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were liars but today are considered fathers of our faith. Hosea’s wife Gomer was a prostitute but God used that marriage to illustrate His faithfulness to us. Peter denied Jesus three times but later preached the gospel on the Day of Pentecost that brought salvation to thousands. 

Noah got drunk. Jonah ran from God. Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal as well as Elijah. Martha was a worrywart. Feel a little better about yourself now?

Regardless if you messed up before or after becoming a Christian, hope is available as long as you’re quick to repent.

“being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:” - Philippians 1:6

Super Sunday

Every year millions of people gather around televisions to watch the Super Bowl. The first time I ever watched it was on my tenth birthday in 1974. I was full of excitement since the Minnesota Vikings was one of the teams playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. That morning at Sunday school, the teacher noticed my zeal for the big game. In front of the whole class he asked me, “Which is more important…church or football?”

Without hesitation I replied, “Football.”

My dad scolded me when he later found out about this. Back then I didn’t see any benefit in going to church. We attended a traditional institution that gave me wrong perceptions of Christianity (it would be another 17 years before I realized how real God is). 

The Vikings ended up losing Super Bowl VIII to the Miami Dolphins. It would be their second of four Super Bowl losses during the 1970s. My favorite team hasn’t returned to the big game in almost 40 years. I would like to see the Vikings win it at least once before the Lord returns.

Meanwhile, the Super Bowl has become like a national holiday in America. While I worked for Billy Graham’s World Wide Pictures during the late 1990s, pastors often picked a Sunday night service to show one of our evangelistic films. I advised them not to do so on Super Bowl Sunday. Most nonbelievers would prefer watching the game instead of going to church to see a movie.

On a related note, it’s interesting to point out the largest crowd ever gathered at the now-defunct Metrodome (where the Vikings used to play) was not for a sporting event but a Billy Graham Crusade. I was one of those in attendance that Sunday night. 

When I do watch the Super Bowl, one thing I don’t care for is all the hype and commercialism surrounding the game. I wish more Christians showed that level of enthusiasm for getting the gospel out. After all, our Savior won the ultimate victory for us on a more important Super Sunday.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57

Miracles on the Gridiron

Last Sunday I watched Super Bowl XLIX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. I rooted for Seattle partially because their quarterback Russell Wilson is an outspoken Christian. Like Kurt Warner of the St. Louis Rams 15 years before, I had hoped to see Russell lead his team to victory and then thank Jesus on national television.

Near the end of the game with the Patriots leading 28-24, it appeared God had His hand on what looked to become a come-from-behind victory for Seattle. Wide receiver Jermaine Kearse juggled and caught a 33-yard pass from Russell at the Patriot's five-yard line. It reminded me of the miraculous helmet catch New York Giants receiver David Tyree (who’s also a Christian) made against the Patriots seven years ago in Super Bowl XLII.

Two plays later, I was stunned and disappointed when a rookie Patriots cornerback named Malcolm Butler made a game-saving interception near the goal line. Later I found out Malcolm is a believer who had a vision of making a big play just before it happened. It’s possible the spirit of seeing and knowing was in operation for Malcolm.

It’s been debated whether God affects the outcome of sporting events. Keep in mind when two teams are playing, you likely have Christians on both sides of the ball. Only one team can win. 

Still, I believe God allows athletes to succeed if they give Him the glory. The late Reggie White (who was also an ordained minister) desired to win a Super Bowl ring after eight frustrating seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. When he became a free agent following the 1992 NFL season, Reggie prayed about which team to play for. The Lord told him to go to Green Bay. Four years later, Reggie helped the Packers win Super Bowl XXXI.

Quarterback Tim Tebow caught the public’s attention during the 2011 season by winning numerous last-minute games with the Denver Broncos and made “Tebowing” (his kneeling down while praying) part of the national lexicon. Then in a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim set an NFL playoff record for yards per completion (31.6). That and his passing yards (316) evoked John 3:16, Tim's favorite Bible verse. The Nielsen ratings for that game happened to peak at 31.6. As a result, John 3:16 was the top search item on Google the next morning.

God can use any means to get His message across. That includes football games.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

Back to the Future

Today millions of people will gather around TV sets to see the Seattle Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Despite the fact I enjoy watching NFL games, I plan to avoid certain parts of the telecast. One of them is Queen Latifah singing “God Bless America” before the kickoff. This is the same woman who at last Sunday’s Grammy Awards officiated a mass wedding that included homosexual couples. The Super Bowl halftime shows also had a couple of profane incidents by their performers. Although the commercials are often clever and entertaining, I’d rather just watch the football game.

Prior to previous Super Bowls, my mom and dad often asked me to make a prediction. Usually, I haven’t come close to the final score but there have been exceptions. Prior to Super Bowl XXXVI, I picked the St. Louis Rams to beat the New England Patriots 20-17. However, I also told my parents that the game could go into overtime with the New England Patriots pulling off an upset. As it turned out, the Patriots won 20-17 on a last-second field goal. That game almost went into overtime.

A similar thing happened seven years later when the Arizona Cardinals faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Wanting to see Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner win another Super Bowl (as he did once before with the Rams), I picked Arizona to win 27-24 but had a feeling they would lose. Sure enough, the Steelers won by an almost identical score of 27-23.

Years ago I used to think it would be cool if one could know in advance the results of major sporting events like the Super Bowl. Some of you might remember the movie “Back to the Future II” in which Marty McFly travels in Doc Brown’s time machine to the year 2015 (which is now only one year away). At an antique store, Marty bought a sports almanac with the intent of bringing it back to 1985 and become rich through gambling. Marty’s plan backfired when his nemesis Biff Tannen temporarily stole the time machine and gave the sports almanac to himself. It resulted in a disastrous change of events that could only be corrected by going further back in time.

In real life, people ruin their lives by attempting to access future information through satanic means such as horoscopes and fortunetellers. The future ultimately belongs in the hands of God. Some people attempt to discern future events through hidden codes in the Bible. These folks should get to know the actual author of the Bible by reading His word. 2 Peter 1:19 (KJV) says that we have “a more sure word of prophecy.”

One of my favorite Bible verses is Joel 2:25, “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.” In her book “The Secret to True Happiness”, Joyce Meyer points out, “With God, ‘plan B’ can be even better than ‘plan A’ would have been.” So even if you made many bad decisions in the past, you don’t need the aid of a time machine to turn your life around. Put your total trust in the Lord.

“Remember the things I have done in the past.  For I alone am God!  I am God, and there is none like me.  Only I can tell you the future before it even happens.  Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” - Isaiah 46:9-10 (NLT)

Green Police

Last night I watched the second half of Super Bowl XLIV on TV. Originally I wasn’t interested in viewing it at all because the Minnesota Vikings (my favorite team) just missed advancing to the big game. But I changed my mind partially because I wanted to watch the Tim Tebow commercials that promoted a pro-life message. I didn’t see the commercials live because they aired during the pregame show and the first quarter. However, another memorable commercial came on near the end of the game. It was an Audi ad featured the “Green Police” (with background music by Cheap Trick which parodies their old song “Dream Police”).

This ad could be a sign of things to come. Laws are constantly being passed to appease environmentalists. Two months ago in Washington, DC, a new law went into effect requiring businesses to charge customers an extra 5 cents for giving out plastic bags. I found out about this just before I stopped into a Subway restaurant in the nation’s capital one day for lunch. I refused to buy a plastic bag for my sandwich and ate it inside.

As stated before in this blog, I agree that man should be a good steward of this planet and its resources. But I’m getting tired of the increasing amount of advertisements urging us to “go green.” Rather than focus on saving the planet, we should be more concerned with saving humans (both the unsaved and the unborn).

“O Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from Me.” – Hosea 14:8