In His Face

In His Face

A Prophetic Call to Renewed Focus

If rough times have hit you spiritually.
If your struggle to maintain fervency in prayer.
If you have asked God to lift you to a higher spiritual plane.
If you long to know Jesus more intimately.

Then this book is for you.

In a world of compelling demands, one of our greatest challenges is to keep our spiritual focus on the Lord. Through gentle instruction, urgent warning and heartwarming insight, Bob Sorge will rekindle your passion for Jesus. Discover afresh that the pathway to every spiritual release is through being IN HIS FACE.

- Order Bob's Books -

Larger Image Back Cover

Pages: 192

Retail: $12.00

ISBN: 0-9621185-2-4

Endorsements:

"What you can expect from this book is: Blatant honesty . . . painful reality . . .godly perspective . . .biblical solutions. Feel the emotions. Ask your own questions. Apply the simple, straightforward solution. Whatever you do, after reading this book make sure you stay 'In His Face.'"

- FRANK DAMAZIO, From the Foreword

"It is one thing to suffer; it is quite another to suffer profitably. In the midst of his personal trial, Bob shares with his readers how to gain in the midst of apparent loss. This gripping book is a 'must' for all who are currently suffering, and a 'should read' for those whose time of trial is just around the corner.

- DR. JUDSON CORNWALL, Author, International Teacher

"In this book, Bob puts his finger on the diversions and discouragements that dull our passion for God. With penetrating analysis, he ushers us into Gethsemane and summons us to embrace the Father’s pruning. It is a timely book - an urgent call to let God take us to the secret place of abandon where we are graciously emptied of self and absorbed in the wonder of Jesus."

- STEVE FRY, Songwriter, Author, and Founder of "Messenger International"

Here you can read a chapter from Bob Sorge's book, In His Face.

The chapter excerpted below is Chapter Six, "In Hollywood's Face."

Here's an explanation of Chapter Six: This book directs us into a passionate pursuit of the face of Christ. However, many get sidetracked from running that race because of the allurements of the entertainment industry.

Chapter Six - In Hollywood's Face

This chapter is about TV, and you already know what's coming. Some of you are so thrilled you probably turned to this chapter first. Others don't even want to read another TV-bashing article. But don't set the book down now -- after all, what else is there to do? Watch TV?

The Narrow Gate

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24).

Some of you reading this book will end up in the eternal fire of hell. You say, “Not me, I’m a Christian.” Yes, you. For “many...will seek to enter and will not be able.” Friends, I cannot remember being so shaken by any word of Scripture in a long time.

Jesus is talking about Christians in this verse. There are many people sitting in our churches who want to be Christians, and who want badly to go to heaven. But Jesus said they will not be able. O pastor, tremble and weep for your flock. They just can't get Sodom out of their heart.

Imagine a very narrow passageway. You wish to go through, but find that you must turn sideways and pull in your tummy in order to move through the narrow opening. Can you see yourself? This is you, trying to enter heaven.

Now notice the things in your arms that you’re trying to take with you: golf clubs, skiis, fishing rod, rifle, exercise bicycle, bowling ball, and your TV & VCR. Does the image seem ridiculous to you? It is to God too. You want to get into heaven, but you love the world and the things of the world.

There's only one way to get to heaven, and that is to strive to enter. Make it the focus of your best passions and energies to enter the narrow gate.

Deny the curiosity of your flesh to tour hell on your way to heaven. Should you decide to take a sleigh ride past hell, the closer you get the harder it is to hold on. Some of you will fall right off your slippery sled as you careen past hell. You can't smell like hell and still get to heaven.

"But I'm trusting in God's grace." The grace of God will keep you only as you strive to enter the narrow gate. Make it your foremost occupation. Fix your gaze upon that narrow gate and strive to enter with all your heart and soul and body.

A Poem

I received this verse one day while in the Spirit. It applies not only to TV, but to any worldly distraction.

You watch TV instead of praying because you do not hunger and thirst after righteousness.

You watch TV instead of praying because you are fat and well fed.

You watch TV instead of praying because you like the melodies of Babylon.

You watch TV instead of praying because your eyes are dark and your heart is cold.

You watch TV instead of praying because you have a religion that is talk but has no power.

You watch TV instead of praying because you enjoy food offered up to idols.

You watch TV instead of praying because you do not understand the lateness of the hour.

You watch TV instead of praying because you have come to justify your indulgence of the flesh.

You watch TV instead of praying because you have fallen asleep while the bridegroom tarries.

Therefore, in my mercy says the Lord, I will come to you and unsettle you and make you lean and hungry and thirsty.

Let me explain the line, "You watch TV instead of praying because you enjoy food offered up to idols." The world practices and portrays its idolatry on TV. You would never do the things they do on TV, because you don't serve their idols. But when you watch them do it, you are eating the food they offer to their idols.

Applause Applause

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep" (Luke 6:25). We live in a laughter-crazed society. Turn on the TV and hear the laughter. Sitcoms. Talk shows. Late night hosts. Comedies get some of the highest ratings because Americans are dying to laugh. Never in the history of our planet have so many tormented people laughed so much.

Hear the judgment of Jesus against the TV industry: “Woe to you who laugh now." The world is laughing when it should be wailing. Worldly Christian, why do you laugh so?

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh" (Luke 6:21). Ah, the blessing of the Lord is upon those who weep. I will tell you what to mourn: Mourn the things you cannot change. Will you mourn your worldliness? Will you weep over the hardness of your heart? Will you lament the lostness of those around you? Will you mourn our national plight? Jesus is saying, “If you’re hurting, cry; if you’re unhappy with your life, weep; if you’re dissatisfied with your life, be sorrowful.” You position yourself for blessing.

Don’t confuse mourning with morbidity, as though it were a dark oppressive cloud. Mourning is not depression; mourning is the gift of God that enables your soul to express its longings in times of distress.

But we don't like to weep. We want to rejoice. I'm afraid that we've equipped the body of Christ to dance and celebrate, but we have not equipped the church of the '90s to mourn. The Psalms are chock full of songs of mourning, and our songlists are glaringly bare of them. We have judged those who mourn as though they were doing something wrong. If God shows you the true condition of today's Laodicean church, you'll mourn!

Offenses

Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." (Luke 17:1-2)

Our entertainment industry is under a curse of God Almighty. Jesus pronounced a curse upon those who are responsible for causing one of His little ones to stumble, and how many children are being polluted and prepared for hell by our entertainment industry! Videos introducing children to pornography are throwing them into a promiscuous lifestyle at early ages. MTV is inculcating rebellion. Pray for the actors and filmmakers, for they will receive the greater condemnation. Pray for the owners and workers of video arcades, for they will receive the greater condemnation. Pray for the parents who allow HBO and Showtime and Cinemax into their homes, to defile both themselves and their children.

Pray for yourselves, and take heed to yourselves. For you have the affections of the world in your flesh. And you yearn to sit and stare and watch the fruit of corruption. Brothers and sisters, we need to watch TV and rent videos in the fear of God! Because many times, even when there is no vulgar language, no sex, no violence, there is still many times the immoral self-centeredness of the world on display. An evening that could be spent hearing the words of Jesus is frittered and wasted away. Are you honest in saying you want to hear the words of Jesus? “All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.”

Gaining Perspective

Not all TV programs pollute. I am not saying it is sinful, without exception, for a Christian to watch TV. We have had a TV in our home most of our marriage, although at present we have sold the TV and VCR in order to gain some spiritual perspective. We have labored to control our TV viewing, although we've often failed. But there is something at risk here that is of more significance than the potential for defilement, and it is this -- the lost opportunities for communing with the Father.

We come home from work and feel tired and defiled by the world. So what do we do? Collapse in front of the TV! That's like jumping from the pigpen into the dunghill. We squander time that could have been spent washing in the water of the word, being renewed in the Spirit, hearing His voice, and exchanging love.

”If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). As long as you abide in the world, you cannot hear the words of God.

“And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21). Isn't that what you want? For Jesus to manifest Himself to you? Then turn off the TV, and open His word.

And I've got to say something about the commercials. The tentacles of the Beast reach out to entwine you from the commercials. They are forever appealing to the covetousness of your heart. They feed your greed. Their covetousness makes money off your covetousness.

John The Baptist

John The Baptist was a strange guy. He didn't do things normal people do. ”Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey” (Mark 1:6).

There is smoother material than camel's hair. Why not wear wool, John? What's wrong with cotton?

And there are nicer, healthier foods than locusts and wild honey. Can't you imagine someone trying to invite John The Baptist over for a meal?

"John, please come have dinner with us."

"What are you having?"
"Bread and fish."

"No, I can't come."

"Why not?"

"I don't eat fish."

"You don't eat fish? Why not, John? Is there something wrong with fish?"

"Nothing wrong with fish."

"Well, are you afraid of offending someone if you eat fish? Why don't you eat fish?"

"I just don't eat fish."

Folks, that's weird. Even eccentric. There's nothing wrong with eating fish, there's no controversy over eating fish, but John won't eat fish.

John The Baptist ate and dressed as he did because he knew that in order to have spiritual perception, one must distance himself from the sumptuous fare and everyday amenities of ordinary life. He understood that self-denial was necessary if he was to have clear Kingdom vision. It was because of his separation from the world that he was one day able to have the prophetic clarity to point his finger and declare, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!"

That kind of prophetic edge doesn't just happen. It comes with a price tag that few are willing to pay. “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).

Watch!

Several times over Jesus urgently warned His disciples to maintain a posture of watchfulness. "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matthew 25:13). Jesus uttered those words after telling about the virgins who had fallen asleep while waiting for the bridegroom. ”Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:33). “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37). We have a generation of equipped saints, trained for harvest, who are asleep in front of the VCR.

Turn off the TV, put away the golf clubs, and wake up. Cancel cable. Sell your TV, and give the money to the poor (Luke 12:33). Our bridegroom's return is very near. ”Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning” (Luke 12:35).

Get out of Hollywood's face, and into His face.

Contents

Foreword

Prologue

Part One: Pain Management

1.   "Walking Through The Valley”

2.   "Passion, Purity, And Perseverance"

3.   "The Pruning Process"

Part Two: Seeing Jesus

4.   "Hear Him”

5.   "A Softened Heart"

6.   "In Hollywood's Face"

7.   "Take Another Look At Jesus"

Part Three: Expressions of Intimacy

8.   "Holy Emotions"

9.   "Beholding His Beauty"

10. "The Enemy's Design"

11. "Praise Prayers"

12. "The Flavors Of Worship"

Part Four: Into His Image

13. "Adopting A Godly Self-Image"

14. "Spiritual Fatherhood"