This week, I am taking a particular topic and making it custom fit for my different blogs. The overall topic is 'homosexuality' and its ramifications in the church and society, and why it is this way.
I just got done reading Mel White's book, 'Stranger At The Gate', which is a biography, sort of, of Mel White, a professing Christian, and his pull into freedom of being able to live as a Gay, Christian man. I know, I know, that is an oxymoron. Let me explain why I am posting this first.
We need to always be praying for our country, because there are going to be many attacks to try to destroy our freedoms as a nation. Our forefathers fought hard so we could have freedom and not be in bondage to any government. We see today, threats all around us. America needs a healthy church that is praying vigilantly. The Bible tells us to always be praying. The Bible also describes God, and His relationship to mankind. God created man and woman, and they were designed to live together in a complimentary relationship and procreate. This pattern will continue until the end of the age. God commanded people to 'fill the earth and subdue it'. The family unit is the fabric of society.
The Bible also describes things that are 'unnatural'. One of those things is homosexuality. Man was not intended to lie with another man in the same way he would with a woman. One of the arguments you will get from the Gay community though, is that, if a man lying with another man is forbidden and worthy of punishment, then going to Red Lobster is also worthy of punishment.
I would like to prepare you with all the objections Gay people will give you when you share with them what the Bible says. Mel White has done in-depth studies on six passages that Christians use against homosexuality. I will probably do that on another blog at another time.
Let's say, that you are Gay and want to defend homosexuality using the Bible. Mel White has done that. In fact, those who are Gay use his book 'Stranger At The Gate' like their Bible, or their book of defense. You see, Mel White is a Gay Christian who stayed in the closet for many, many years, and claims to have had a strong, unbreakable pull toward homosexuality. I am grateful for the book, because it helps us see things through the eyes of a Gay person who sees himself as a victim of prejudice. He lumps homosexuality with racial bigotry and slavery. He sees groups of people who are oppressed by other, more powerful groups of people, and is speaking out because of what he perceives as injustice.
Let's go deeper on what Mel White is thinking. I will say that Mr. White is a compassionate man who cringes at any injustice he sees. He is for the underdog. I appreciate his passion for justice. But at the same time, those who have done him, and his people (the Gay community) harm, are those who are speaking out against homosexuality. Because I know that what he writes is bias, and because I haven't heard the other side (Moral Majority) as they spoke out against the sins of homosexuality, I want to be careful to present what I see, as objective as possible.
Mel White was raised in a Fundamentalist home, where no smoking, drinking, playing cards, or dancing were ever allowed. His grandmother was an evangelist who would preach to Mel's friends and have them 'ask Jesus into their hearts'. She also came up with the idea that sex was only used to procreate. I wonder what Mel's grandfather thought about that?
Mel spent a lot of time in church and in Christian circles. But in his book, he never explains what he understands about the Gospel, or his sin, or relationship to God. He was afraid that if he did sin, God would send a lightning bolt to kill him. He was terribly afraid of God, but didn't seem to understand about forgiveness of sins, or the power of God to deliver. His theology caused him to believe that God would 'heal' him of being Gay if he had enough faith. He went to healing services and spent a lot of time praying for God to take the desire away. But the desire for having a sexual relationship with another man just became stronger. He felt like God was punishing him because his prayers were not answered.
At some point down the road, although he knew he had this strong attraction and desire for a man, Mel married his high school sweetheart. She was very supportive of him and loved him sacrificially. They married and had a couple of children. But even through the marriage and family, Mel really wanted to be in the arms of another man. He had hoped that by being married, it would cure him of being Gay.
At this point, no one but Mel knew that he was struggling with homosexuality. Also, he was a ghostwriter for Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Fallwell. As he worked with these men, although he had great respect for them, they began to speak out against homosexuality.
Jerry Falwell started campaigning and raising funds for his organization which would help bring America back to God. But according to Mr. White, Jerry was a Gay basher. So was Pat Robertson and D. James Kennedy. The supposed Gay basher that he struggled with most though, was Beverly LaHaye. What she did appeared to be threatening to the Gay community. (I am not sure what her accomplishments were, but I think I remember that she wrote a book called, 'When Women Pray'.) As these people were going forth with their plans to recover America, Mel White interpreted what they were doing as serious threats to the freedom of Gay people.
I should insert here that Mr. White went to many counselors, doctors, psychologists, etc, because he really was trying to be free from homosexuality. But the turning point came when he went to a woman counselor or psychologist from Fuller Theological Seminary. She basically told Mel that he was a Gay man, and he should accept that fact and go on with his life as a Gay man. At this point, Mel White pushed forward to fulfill this strong passion that he could never get rid of. Go for it Mel! The voices of many who sided with homosexuals encouraged this type of thinking. So Mel and his wife planned on a separation, and eventual divorce, now that Mel was free to pursue a Gay relationship with another man.
Mel claims that homosexuality is in the genes. He believes science proves homosexuality to be valid. He also uses History to prove homosexuality is valid. He points to men throughout History who were Gay (or he thought were Gay) to affirm his claim.
Today, Mel is an activist. He is tired of the 'Religious Right' (Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, D. James Kennedy, James Dobson, Billy Graham) pushing their agenda. He is pouring money into fighting these people and their causes.
There are two points to consider here. One of them is, that, whether Jerry Falwell was really the bad guy Mr. White makes him out to be or not, the church was not there to provide ministry and help to those who were struggling with homosexuality. Many people are struggling with this, but the church doesn't seem prepared to help people see the sin of homosexuality, and the hope that is only in the Cross when we repent. Mr. White didn't have anyone to walk him through while he was struggling. He's not struggling anymore, because he has been told lies by people that are labeled as 'Christians' who were there to counsel him. One lie says that all people have a sexual orientation, and a Gay person is Gay because he has a sexual orientation to be Gay. He also believes that this sexual orientation is permanent. He is unable to do anything about it and needs to resolve that issue by living out his life as a Gay person.
The other point is, we have to be aware, especially because of this book, that the average Gay person greatly misunderstands several things. First of all, God is opposed to immorality, and homosexuality practiced is a form of immorality. God will judge homosexuals. God will judge all sins though, even the ones you and I struggle with. Homosexuality is not a unique sin that has to be dealt with in a different way than other sins. All sin is resolved at the Cross. And the power of the blood of Christ can set people free from homosexuality and any other sin.
We have to understand that the devil has been lying to all of us, and unless we can weed out the words of his voice, we are going to be fighting against other people, and we might not even know what we are fighting about. The Gay people have been lied to. But the church has been lied to as well. Both Gay and Christians have been lied to and are going to fight a war that is over an imaginary god that says that homosexuals are created by God that way, and they will never be able to become heterosexual and they need to build a community of like-minded folk who will fight for the cause of homosexuality. The church is not ready to help these people come out of their bondage, because we have not humbled ourselves and dealt with our own sin issues. We can't pull the wool over the eyes of the world and make them think we are ok but they aren't. They see right through us and that gives them more credibility to keep going in their wayward direction.
The Gay community is not small. There are millions of Gay people waiting to be set free so they can do what they want to do without someone telling them that they are doing wrong. They are becoming politically active and are becoming apologetic in their activities. The church needs to 1). pray for them, 2). become informed on homosexuality (don't just make assumptions on what it is and what it involves) 3). Study what the Bible says on homosexuality. Study what the Bible says on the fallen nature of man, and the attributes of God. 4). Look for homosexuals in your church. Reach out to them. Offer friendship to them. Being a friend to a Gay person does not say that you approve of their being Gay. You are the only hope they have that can bring them to Christ, which is what they need to have. You may be the only 'Bible' they ever read. If you hate Gay people, what does that say about God? You represent God before people. Are you a good representative or a bad one?
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
God Changes Things Through Prayer
I am amazed at things God is doing in our midst. He answers our individual prayers, and sometimes we can see the results! We are encouraged in our praying when we see God working in our midst.
I have been praying for a long time about certain things, and they have not come to pass the way I would have expected or wanted them to. Maybe my time table is different than God's, but I really believe He is all powerful, and we, as a people, really need Him and His intervention right now!
About two years ago, my eyes were opened to a whole new realm of people that exist and who live in this country. I met a person who I will call 'Cathy Jo' and she related to me what it was like to be raised in a family who practiced Satanic Ritual Abuse. I don't want to go into the horrible details of what this is like, but I do want to tell you that there are probably thousands upon thousands of people who live in America today, that are suffering the ramifications of being in a home like this. Many children actually don't survive because the torture is so great. They literally just curl up and die. The ones who do survive, have mental disorders. It is really hard to help these people because their lives are so ingrained with lies. To help these people (if they really want help) you have to find all the lies and take them out individually, by showing the passages of Scriptures that speak truth to their issues.
I have been made aware that there are organized groups that also enslave women into the sex-slave trade. Some girls are kidnapped, and others are actually brought in by family members. Some are brought in by pimps and others come in some other way. Once they are in, they can't get out. Many die. Again, it is one of those situations where the victim is threatened to be killed if they tell.
We have people who are addicted to drinking and drugs. There are many reasons that caused these people to start on alcohol or drugs, but they end up enslaved in their money taking habit. Homes are destroyed and marriages end because of a drinking spouse, so many times. Children are abused, and some even die. What a horrible way to live and die!
Anyway, I want to report a couple of things God is doing right now in our country. I believe it is because people are praying. God is actively at work now.
For so long, people have prayed, and prayed, and prayed. It looked like not much was happening though. Is it too late for our country to receive God's mercy? Well, be encouraged! I have a couple of things I want to post here.
1. I am seeing more and more people coming out of homes where Satanic Ritual Abuse has taken place. I believe this is an answer to our prayers. What do we pray for this? We pray that God would shine His light in the darkness. We pray for sins to be exposed. We pray for the works of darkness to no longer be hidden. We pray for those who are His to be kept safe and find a way of escape.
2. A month or so ago, we saw three young women who were trapped in a home for a decade. They were kidnapped and used by the kidnapper for his own pleasure. He would starve one of the girls for two weeks, then punch her in the stomach to make sure she would abort the baby that he was the father of. He did this 5 times to this woman. How do you think these women felt when they were found and released from this house of torture?
3. Yesterday, we saw the closing down of an abortion clinic. I had been praying for this clinic (as well as others) to close down. I continue to pray that the abortion business goes bankrupt. I pray for Planned Parenthood to crumble.
I recently watched a video of a woman who came from a home where her father was a Satanic High Priest. To the world, no one would have guessed what went on inside the home. I believe it was the father of the girl who made her pregnant, on a regular basis. There were no records reported about the babies that were born, but each one was offered as a sacrifice to the devil.
We can't close our eyes anymore to the power of slavery in our country. There are thousands, right now, that you and I have no idea about, who are in total slavery. Let's pray for God to intervene, and let's pray for the salvation of many who are caught in slavery, as well as the captors. I can see these captors now, someday having an enormous impact for the kingdom of God. I can see books written, and testimonies given that will bring total glory to the God of the Universe. But we need to pray. God moves when we pray.
"I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe" - Mary,Queen of Scots. Qted Bruce Atkinson, Land of Hope and Glory p57.
I have been praying for a long time about certain things, and they have not come to pass the way I would have expected or wanted them to. Maybe my time table is different than God's, but I really believe He is all powerful, and we, as a people, really need Him and His intervention right now!
About two years ago, my eyes were opened to a whole new realm of people that exist and who live in this country. I met a person who I will call 'Cathy Jo' and she related to me what it was like to be raised in a family who practiced Satanic Ritual Abuse. I don't want to go into the horrible details of what this is like, but I do want to tell you that there are probably thousands upon thousands of people who live in America today, that are suffering the ramifications of being in a home like this. Many children actually don't survive because the torture is so great. They literally just curl up and die. The ones who do survive, have mental disorders. It is really hard to help these people because their lives are so ingrained with lies. To help these people (if they really want help) you have to find all the lies and take them out individually, by showing the passages of Scriptures that speak truth to their issues.
I have been made aware that there are organized groups that also enslave women into the sex-slave trade. Some girls are kidnapped, and others are actually brought in by family members. Some are brought in by pimps and others come in some other way. Once they are in, they can't get out. Many die. Again, it is one of those situations where the victim is threatened to be killed if they tell.
We have people who are addicted to drinking and drugs. There are many reasons that caused these people to start on alcohol or drugs, but they end up enslaved in their money taking habit. Homes are destroyed and marriages end because of a drinking spouse, so many times. Children are abused, and some even die. What a horrible way to live and die!
Anyway, I want to report a couple of things God is doing right now in our country. I believe it is because people are praying. God is actively at work now.
For so long, people have prayed, and prayed, and prayed. It looked like not much was happening though. Is it too late for our country to receive God's mercy? Well, be encouraged! I have a couple of things I want to post here.
1. I am seeing more and more people coming out of homes where Satanic Ritual Abuse has taken place. I believe this is an answer to our prayers. What do we pray for this? We pray that God would shine His light in the darkness. We pray for sins to be exposed. We pray for the works of darkness to no longer be hidden. We pray for those who are His to be kept safe and find a way of escape.
2. A month or so ago, we saw three young women who were trapped in a home for a decade. They were kidnapped and used by the kidnapper for his own pleasure. He would starve one of the girls for two weeks, then punch her in the stomach to make sure she would abort the baby that he was the father of. He did this 5 times to this woman. How do you think these women felt when they were found and released from this house of torture?
3. Yesterday, we saw the closing down of an abortion clinic. I had been praying for this clinic (as well as others) to close down. I continue to pray that the abortion business goes bankrupt. I pray for Planned Parenthood to crumble.
I recently watched a video of a woman who came from a home where her father was a Satanic High Priest. To the world, no one would have guessed what went on inside the home. I believe it was the father of the girl who made her pregnant, on a regular basis. There were no records reported about the babies that were born, but each one was offered as a sacrifice to the devil.
We can't close our eyes anymore to the power of slavery in our country. There are thousands, right now, that you and I have no idea about, who are in total slavery. Let's pray for God to intervene, and let's pray for the salvation of many who are caught in slavery, as well as the captors. I can see these captors now, someday having an enormous impact for the kingdom of God. I can see books written, and testimonies given that will bring total glory to the God of the Universe. But we need to pray. God moves when we pray.
"I fear the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe" - Mary,Queen of Scots. Qted Bruce Atkinson, Land of Hope and Glory p57.
Picture courtesy of prca.org
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Children's Show Depicting Cross Dressing is Coming To Our Television Sets
I just learned about this tonight and don't have a whole lot of information on it yet, but I think this is a good time to make this known so that we can be praying that God will intervene on our behalf. We live in a society where people have forgotten the Lord and there is very little fear of God today in our country. So, we have people being the top influences for our country by being in the media, as well as other places, where people who have little or no convictions about issues will follow whatever fad comes their way. I will copy and paste the information here, along with the corresponding web sites.
Can we see that this is just not a funny story. This is serious. The devil would like nothing more than to steal the minds of our children. This is just one reason why we need to 'Pray for the church and pray for the country'.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Children's Network Launches Transsexual Superhero Show
Nothing says “child-appropriate material” quite like gender-bending underage superheroes. At least that’s the theory over at the Hub http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-fi-ct-hub-20130528,0,5722419.story , the network co-owned by Discovery and Hasbro, which is trotting out its latest soon-to-be-dud, SheZow. That show follows the adventures of a 12-year-old boy named Guy who uses a magic ring to transform himself into a crime-fighting girl. Yes, you read that correctly. When Guy says the magic words – “You go girl!” – he becomes SheZow, wearing a purple skirt and cape, as well as pink gloves and white boots.
The chief executive of the Hub, who may or may not have been high (and leftist) when she greenlit this project, is Margaret Loesch. Loesch commented, “When I first heard about the show, my reaction was ‘Are you out of your minds?’ Then I looked at it and I thought, ‘This is just funny.’”
The target audience for the Hub is children aged two to eleven.
Can we see that this is just not a funny story. This is serious. The devil would like nothing more than to steal the minds of our children. This is just one reason why we need to 'Pray for the church and pray for the country'.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Children's Network Launches Transsexual Superhero Show
Nothing says “child-appropriate material” quite like gender-bending underage superheroes. At least that’s the theory over at the Hub http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-fi-ct-hub-20130528,0,5722419.story , the network co-owned by Discovery and Hasbro, which is trotting out its latest soon-to-be-dud, SheZow. That show follows the adventures of a 12-year-old boy named Guy who uses a magic ring to transform himself into a crime-fighting girl. Yes, you read that correctly. When Guy says the magic words – “You go girl!” – he becomes SheZow, wearing a purple skirt and cape, as well as pink gloves and white boots.
The chief executive of the Hub, who may or may not have been high (and leftist) when she greenlit this project, is Margaret Loesch. Loesch commented, “When I first heard about the show, my reaction was ‘Are you out of your minds?’ Then I looked at it and I thought, ‘This is just funny.’”
The target audience for the Hub is children aged two to eleven.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Pray For Oklahoma
This is a time for grieving and mourning the loss of lives of human beings who lived in Oklahoma killed in the tornado yesterday. Many lost homes and cars, but nothing compares to losing a loved one. Furniture and houses can be replaced and repaired, but lives that are lost can never be replaced. Many will suffer in unimaginable grief, and we are touched today because of their losses, but in the months and years to come, we will not remember the tragedy that took the lives of these people. The shock will wear off and our lives will go back to normal soon.
The Bible has a lot to say about remembering. We need to remember God's faithfulness to us. We need to look back on our lives and see the milestones that we placed there as memorials of God's faithfulness to each of us. We also need to remember those who are suffering. Their grief will continue as time goes on. We need to be praying for those who are afflicted and who have been affected by the recent tragedies in our country.
We as human beings are continually trying to come up with an answer that will suffice when it comes to suffering. We get bits and pieces of the puzzle, and sometimes we get answers. But we will never really be satisfied until we are content with Him. God is not distant to those who are suffering. In fact, the Bible says the He is near to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). God weeps with us when we are weeping. The church is to weep with those who are weeping. Can we do that? We can't do the grieving for those who are grief stricken, but we can walk along side them as they grieve, and grieve with them. That is what they need most. They need to know that God loves them and hasn't abandoned them, nor is He punishing them. He isn't on some remote planet, unavailable to us. He is here in our midst. He wants to comfort the grieving.
We can pray for the restoration of the material things that were lost. We can also pray that God will heal their broken hearts and reveal Himself to those who don't know Him yet. We can show mercy and compassion to the hurting. That is what we should do as a body of believers.
The Bible has a lot to say about remembering. We need to remember God's faithfulness to us. We need to look back on our lives and see the milestones that we placed there as memorials of God's faithfulness to each of us. We also need to remember those who are suffering. Their grief will continue as time goes on. We need to be praying for those who are afflicted and who have been affected by the recent tragedies in our country.
We as human beings are continually trying to come up with an answer that will suffice when it comes to suffering. We get bits and pieces of the puzzle, and sometimes we get answers. But we will never really be satisfied until we are content with Him. God is not distant to those who are suffering. In fact, the Bible says the He is near to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). God weeps with us when we are weeping. The church is to weep with those who are weeping. Can we do that? We can't do the grieving for those who are grief stricken, but we can walk along side them as they grieve, and grieve with them. That is what they need most. They need to know that God loves them and hasn't abandoned them, nor is He punishing them. He isn't on some remote planet, unavailable to us. He is here in our midst. He wants to comfort the grieving.
We can pray for the restoration of the material things that were lost. We can also pray that God will heal their broken hearts and reveal Himself to those who don't know Him yet. We can show mercy and compassion to the hurting. That is what we should do as a body of believers.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Why Westboro is Wrong
"These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town." Matthew 10:5-15 ESV.
While the Bible talks about severe punishment upon those who commit immorality of any kind, I never realized that the punishment for the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah would be lighter than the punishment for those who reject the Gospel.
When Jesus was living on earth, He did many wonderful things. He did things that no other person had ever done before His coming, nor after He was resurrected and ascended back up to heaven. People knew there was a difference. In fact, many looked forward to encountering Jesus because they knew He could heal them, or miraculously feed them. It was when Jesus started teaching people that they turned away from Him, and ultimately rejected Him.
All sin is serious before God. In Proverbs 6:16-19, there is a list of things that God hates. They are; 1. a lying tongue, 2. haughty eyes, 3. hands that shed innocent blood (this applies to abortion as well), 4. a heart that devises wicked plans, 5. feet that make haste to do evil, 6. a false witness who breathes out lies, and 7. one who sows discord among brothers. In Revelation 21:8, we read of a list of people who will be thrown in the Lake of Fire for all eternity. They are listed as, the cowardly, the unfaithful, detestable and murders, the sexually immoral, idolators, sorcerers and liars. And finally, although the list is not exhaustive, we can read in 1 Corinthians 6 a list of people who practice certain things that will keep them out of heaven. These things are; immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greediness, swindling, drunkenness, and those who practice reviling (not really sure what that is). So we have some listings of what God hates and will punish. Included, among many other things, is homosexualism. Homosexualism is one form of immorality. Committing adultery, as well as flirting in a sexual, lustful way are acts of immorality as well. In the Old Testament, God also prescribed punishments for certain acts, such as stoning for blasphemy. God is angry with sin and will ultimately punish all sin, One Day.
What does this have to do with Westboro? For those of you who are not familiar with who Westboro is, you have probably seen them on T.V. when the news is on. This group of Primitive Baptists are known for their protests at funerals announcing God's hatred for Gay people, who they refer to as 'fags'.
There are a number of things wrong with what Westboro does. If you look at the Scripture passage at the top of the page from Matthew 10, you will see that Jesus has something interesting to say to the people about God's judgments. He is telling us that God is going to judge people more severely who reject the Gospel, than those who are Gay. I have to wonder why Jesus said that the people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah would have repented in sackcloth and ashes if they had seen the miracles that Jesus did, and heard His message of salvation. Can Gay people really repent and be saved? Jesus seemed to indicate that they could and they would have. Westboro doesn't preach a message of repentance and hope. They only inform people that America is going to be destroyed because of the Gay people who are here. If you were a Gay person, and you heard or watched Westboro's activities, would you feel like there is hope for you to repent and be saved, or would you feel like just throwing in the towel and responding by believing that God hates you because you are Gay?
Another thing wrong with Westboro and their message, is that they fail to represent what God is like. One of God's characteristics is love. Does Westboro's activities manifest God's love? God's love provided the Ultimate Sacrifice that paid completely for our sins. Does Westboro preach that? I haven't heard it yet. All I have seen is their signs indicating that God hates people (I also saw one of their signs that says 'God Hates Islam'). It's true that God hates sin, but if we left it at that, we would have no hope. God loves us and wants us to experience salvation and a new heart. Westboro does not offer that.
Here is something else wrong, seriously wrong; When Jesus confronted the Scribes and Pharisees on their hypocrisy, He had some hard words for them. For one thing, they would receive the greater condemnation. The judgment upon them was going to be greater than on other people in other generations. These people really tried hard to perfectly keep the Law, yet they missed the heart of the matter. We see this too, with Westboro. Westboro focuses on mainly one type of sin, and, because they do not practice that particular type of sin, they think they are off the hook. They don't realize that their sins go even deeper than those of homosexualism. They are the ones who need to repent. In Proverbs 6, as listed above, one of the abominations that God hates is 'haughty eyes'. Haughty eyes are a description of pride. Do a search at http://www.biblegateway.com on the word 'pride'. See what God thinks of that. The opposite of pride is humility. Humility admits that we don't know everything and that we don't have everything perfectly in order in our lives. It makes room for love and servanthood. Pride goes before a fall, and God resists prideful people. We certainly don't see humility in Westboro, but pride. There is no power of God behind them. They act like a cult, and if someone were to leave, they would not make it easy for that to happen.
There were a couple of girls, from families who were the main people heading up this organization called Westboro. These girls, which I believe were cousins, were able to escape. Their families cut them off. This is exactly what cults do when their members try to leave. It is a form of manipulation to get the person to do what the leadership wants them to do. In organizations like Westboro, people do not respond because they are envisioned with what the movement is doing, but because they have been brought in and they will obey the leaders out of being controlled by them, rather than by being loved by them.
Finally, in Matthew 7, the first several verses talk about judging people. At first, Jesus warns not to judge others. He goes on to explain that we will be judged in the same way we judge others. Then He continues to explain that we need to look first at our own hearts and sin, before we can help others to see their own sin. Once we do that, we can judge others, because we will show mercy and compassion, and our motives will be right. Westboro doesn't do that. They would be like the Pharisees and think they do not have any sin to deal with. Our own sins are invisible to us, many times, but others can see them. That is why we need fellowship, relationships, and accountability. These can help us find our sins, and we can serve others effectively in dealing with sin. Westboro doesn't look at their own logs. They are trying to make notice of the splinters in the lives of other people, yet they totally disregard the logs in their own eyes, and think they are doing God's will.
So let's recap. Westboro focuses on one type of sin, and disregards other sins. Westboro doesn't offer repentance to the sinner, but just the announcement of judgment without hope. The main characteristic of Westboro is pride, which God is opposed to. The sin of Westboro, which is similar to the Scribes and Pharisees, is more serious to God, than the sin of Sodomy. Westboro deals with the splinters of the Gay community, without removing the logs in their own eyes. Their sin is invisible to them.
If you are a person who has mistakenly thought that Westboro is a group of Christians doing evangelism, take heart. The story of the Gospel is beautiful. God's love is manifested in the Gospel. Westboro doesn't represent the God who loves and sent His Son to pay the price for sinners, so they don't have to be damned. This group totally misrepresents the true and living God.
If you are Gay, and you have listened to their message, take heart. God doesn't desire for anyone to perish, whether you are Gay, or a murderer, or a liar, adulterer, and so on. Yes, God will punish sin. No one is good enough for heaven. We all deserve to die and go to hell. God has made a way out. We don't have to face His judgment. If you want more information on this, please visit http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com, http://test4gp.wordpress.com, or, http://thecolorfulstory.blogspot.com There is hope for the worst types of sinners in the Gospel bathed in God's love.
While the Bible talks about severe punishment upon those who commit immorality of any kind, I never realized that the punishment for the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah would be lighter than the punishment for those who reject the Gospel.
When Jesus was living on earth, He did many wonderful things. He did things that no other person had ever done before His coming, nor after He was resurrected and ascended back up to heaven. People knew there was a difference. In fact, many looked forward to encountering Jesus because they knew He could heal them, or miraculously feed them. It was when Jesus started teaching people that they turned away from Him, and ultimately rejected Him.
All sin is serious before God. In Proverbs 6:16-19, there is a list of things that God hates. They are; 1. a lying tongue, 2. haughty eyes, 3. hands that shed innocent blood (this applies to abortion as well), 4. a heart that devises wicked plans, 5. feet that make haste to do evil, 6. a false witness who breathes out lies, and 7. one who sows discord among brothers. In Revelation 21:8, we read of a list of people who will be thrown in the Lake of Fire for all eternity. They are listed as, the cowardly, the unfaithful, detestable and murders, the sexually immoral, idolators, sorcerers and liars. And finally, although the list is not exhaustive, we can read in 1 Corinthians 6 a list of people who practice certain things that will keep them out of heaven. These things are; immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, theft, greediness, swindling, drunkenness, and those who practice reviling (not really sure what that is). So we have some listings of what God hates and will punish. Included, among many other things, is homosexualism. Homosexualism is one form of immorality. Committing adultery, as well as flirting in a sexual, lustful way are acts of immorality as well. In the Old Testament, God also prescribed punishments for certain acts, such as stoning for blasphemy. God is angry with sin and will ultimately punish all sin, One Day.
What does this have to do with Westboro? For those of you who are not familiar with who Westboro is, you have probably seen them on T.V. when the news is on. This group of Primitive Baptists are known for their protests at funerals announcing God's hatred for Gay people, who they refer to as 'fags'.
There are a number of things wrong with what Westboro does. If you look at the Scripture passage at the top of the page from Matthew 10, you will see that Jesus has something interesting to say to the people about God's judgments. He is telling us that God is going to judge people more severely who reject the Gospel, than those who are Gay. I have to wonder why Jesus said that the people who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah would have repented in sackcloth and ashes if they had seen the miracles that Jesus did, and heard His message of salvation. Can Gay people really repent and be saved? Jesus seemed to indicate that they could and they would have. Westboro doesn't preach a message of repentance and hope. They only inform people that America is going to be destroyed because of the Gay people who are here. If you were a Gay person, and you heard or watched Westboro's activities, would you feel like there is hope for you to repent and be saved, or would you feel like just throwing in the towel and responding by believing that God hates you because you are Gay?
Another thing wrong with Westboro and their message, is that they fail to represent what God is like. One of God's characteristics is love. Does Westboro's activities manifest God's love? God's love provided the Ultimate Sacrifice that paid completely for our sins. Does Westboro preach that? I haven't heard it yet. All I have seen is their signs indicating that God hates people (I also saw one of their signs that says 'God Hates Islam'). It's true that God hates sin, but if we left it at that, we would have no hope. God loves us and wants us to experience salvation and a new heart. Westboro does not offer that.
Here is something else wrong, seriously wrong; When Jesus confronted the Scribes and Pharisees on their hypocrisy, He had some hard words for them. For one thing, they would receive the greater condemnation. The judgment upon them was going to be greater than on other people in other generations. These people really tried hard to perfectly keep the Law, yet they missed the heart of the matter. We see this too, with Westboro. Westboro focuses on mainly one type of sin, and, because they do not practice that particular type of sin, they think they are off the hook. They don't realize that their sins go even deeper than those of homosexualism. They are the ones who need to repent. In Proverbs 6, as listed above, one of the abominations that God hates is 'haughty eyes'. Haughty eyes are a description of pride. Do a search at http://www.biblegateway.com on the word 'pride'. See what God thinks of that. The opposite of pride is humility. Humility admits that we don't know everything and that we don't have everything perfectly in order in our lives. It makes room for love and servanthood. Pride goes before a fall, and God resists prideful people. We certainly don't see humility in Westboro, but pride. There is no power of God behind them. They act like a cult, and if someone were to leave, they would not make it easy for that to happen.
There were a couple of girls, from families who were the main people heading up this organization called Westboro. These girls, which I believe were cousins, were able to escape. Their families cut them off. This is exactly what cults do when their members try to leave. It is a form of manipulation to get the person to do what the leadership wants them to do. In organizations like Westboro, people do not respond because they are envisioned with what the movement is doing, but because they have been brought in and they will obey the leaders out of being controlled by them, rather than by being loved by them.
Finally, in Matthew 7, the first several verses talk about judging people. At first, Jesus warns not to judge others. He goes on to explain that we will be judged in the same way we judge others. Then He continues to explain that we need to look first at our own hearts and sin, before we can help others to see their own sin. Once we do that, we can judge others, because we will show mercy and compassion, and our motives will be right. Westboro doesn't do that. They would be like the Pharisees and think they do not have any sin to deal with. Our own sins are invisible to us, many times, but others can see them. That is why we need fellowship, relationships, and accountability. These can help us find our sins, and we can serve others effectively in dealing with sin. Westboro doesn't look at their own logs. They are trying to make notice of the splinters in the lives of other people, yet they totally disregard the logs in their own eyes, and think they are doing God's will.
So let's recap. Westboro focuses on one type of sin, and disregards other sins. Westboro doesn't offer repentance to the sinner, but just the announcement of judgment without hope. The main characteristic of Westboro is pride, which God is opposed to. The sin of Westboro, which is similar to the Scribes and Pharisees, is more serious to God, than the sin of Sodomy. Westboro deals with the splinters of the Gay community, without removing the logs in their own eyes. Their sin is invisible to them.
If you are a person who has mistakenly thought that Westboro is a group of Christians doing evangelism, take heart. The story of the Gospel is beautiful. God's love is manifested in the Gospel. Westboro doesn't represent the God who loves and sent His Son to pay the price for sinners, so they don't have to be damned. This group totally misrepresents the true and living God.
If you are Gay, and you have listened to their message, take heart. God doesn't desire for anyone to perish, whether you are Gay, or a murderer, or a liar, adulterer, and so on. Yes, God will punish sin. No one is good enough for heaven. We all deserve to die and go to hell. God has made a way out. We don't have to face His judgment. If you want more information on this, please visit http://thegospelconversation.blogspot.com, http://test4gp.wordpress.com, or, http://thecolorfulstory.blogspot.com There is hope for the worst types of sinners in the Gospel bathed in God's love.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
We Still Need To Pray For The Captives To Be Set Free
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answastinger;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in." Isaiah 58:6-12 ESV
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answastinger;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in." Isaiah 58:6-12 ESV
I wonder if sometimes, we are just a naive people. Perhaps we think people are basically good unless they are put in a bad environment. We fail, so many times, to see that 'every inclination of man is evil'. Being in a civilized society helps us to live, well, civilized. If we weren't civilized, we would probably kill each other. Maybe we wouldn't even have been born because everyone would have killed each other by the time we came along (or would have come along)!
What we don't realize, or maybe we just don't want to believe it, but, child abductions, child abuse, sex trade victims, black market kidnappings, Satanic Ritual Abuse, abortion, rape, spousal abuse, and a host of many other things are rampant in our society. The problem behind all of these things is simply that they remain 'hidden'.
The problem is that society doesn't have the means of detecting child abuse or finding people that are held hostage by a captor. We need to take this subject seriously though, for many, many people are affected by it. Many more down the road will also be affected by these crimes.
One reason why this kind of criminal activity is high, is because it is easy to keep it hidden. Take for example, the three women who were found in a house in Cleveland, Ohio, who were held there as hostages for ten years. No one really knew what was going on. But, when we pray, look what God can do. He can "bring to light those things which are hidden." Think about how grateful these women are today. Did you catch the one who was too ashamed to look at the camera, but as she knew the cameras were on her, she gave a big thumbs up to show her appreciation.
Do you realize how many people walking around us today, are like the man who kidnapped these women? Don't look at appearances. They will fool you. There are probably scores of men, and even women who carry out these kinds of activities. They are beyond being ashamed. They have been so damaged in their lives, by people who have abused them, that they don't even know which end is up anymore (I am not saying that they aren't accountable. They will stand before God and be judged for their sins, as will everyone else). Many of them are perverted because someone who was perverted destroyed them. This cycle will continue to go on, unless God intervenes and breaks it.
God was showing His mercy to these three Cleveland women. I believe those who are His are praying for those held captive. The reason people continue to do this kind of criminal activity, is because there is no fear of God in their eyes. There is no fear of God, partly because they can sin and get away with it. A big reason they get away with it is because we have not been praying for that.
We live in a land of prosperity and God has blessed us with so much, but instead of being faithful with what He has given us, we spend it on ourselves and want (and expect) more. This is what happened with the Israelites throughout History. They pulled away from God. They sinned. They reaped the terrible consequences of their sins. They repented and turned back to God. God blessed them. They prospered. Then they forgot God again. They sinned. They reaped the terrible consequences of their sins again. This cycle happened over and over again. This is what happens when we have too much. It will never be enough and we will always want more. Then we forget God. Then people suffer. We suffer. Terrible crimes are committed and the criminals get away with it. It's all part of the territory of being selfish. We can't have God's blessings and be selfish. Either we will serve God, or we will serve ourselves. We can't do both.
Part of our response to hidden acts of crime, should be to pray and seek God. We should humble ourselves before God, once again. God created us for a relationship with Him. We try everything else, but this one. But what does the Bible say? When we truly turn to God, the chains will be broken. The darkness will be exposed to the light. People will be set free. The power of the Cross will be available to people. People will worship God instead of living for crime. People will see something greater than themselves to give their lives for.
This is why it is time to pray for the church in America. It is time to pray for our country. We need to pray for the hidden works of darkness to be exposed. We need the fear of God restored to our country. Those who are being held captive right now, will thank you one day for praying.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Blending In and Being A Light?
The Bible tells us that we are to 'become all things to all me' that we might win some of them to the Lord. What was Paul trying to do here? He was becoming all things to all men, so that he might win them. But win them to what? He might win some of them, so they could be saved.
In order for us to 'win' people to the Lord, so that they might be saved, we have to become all things to them. People will be able to relate to us, if we can relate to them. The Gospel will be more accessible to them. It will make more sense to them.
But we have to be careful here as well. This verse found in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 is not telling us to sin in order to save sinners. We can become like other people, and we don't have to sin in order to accomplish this.
Other verses give a different perspective on this, and can be confusing to us, if we don't understand them properly. The Bible tells us, "“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:16-18. ESV
Some people think that these verse mean that we have to take ourselves out of the world. After all, God says that we need to be 'separate' from people who are sinners, right? If we take the verses before verses 16-18, they are talking about being involved in relationships that would involve a commitment, such as marriage or perhaps business. It makes a reference to worship. Christians cannot worship and have that level of fellowship with nonbelievers. It just doesn't work. That's why marriages with one person being a believer and the other a non-believer, is extremely hard. We aren't to become involved in marriage relationships with unbelievers if we know the Lord. But people who are not taking those verses in context, mean them to say that we should not even be friends with people who don't know the Lord. But if we aren't friends with people in the world, how can we expect to win them to the Lord? How will they ever feel comfortable coming to us, should they be interested in the things of God? They would see us as 'above' them, although in reality, they will see right through us and we would appear to be hypocrites, because whether we believe it or not, we have our own sins to deal with. We might not see our sin, but be assured, others do. See Matthew 7, the first 5 verses.
So then, how is the church to be a light? It would seem that if we are relatable to people, as Paul recommends, then wouldn't we blend in? Not necessarily. Remember that becoming all things to all people doesn't mean participating in their sin. Jesus was a friend of sinners, but He never participated in their sin. Many who were living in flagrant sin, understood the Gospel, and were changed people during the time Jesus ministered to them.
What would make people in the church appear to the darkened world as a light? There are certain characteristics that mark the true church. One of them is love. 1 Corinthians 13 describes what love is. Bible Gateway - 1 Corinthians 13 . We think of love as something that makes us happy. Love can make us happy, but the kind of love we are familiar with is a selfish love. That is not what the Bible is talking about. We have to be in relationship with one another to express love.
Another noble trait that makes the church shine, is humility. Without humility, you can forget about God being glorified in the church. We either lift up God, or we exalt ourselves. Do we want our church to point to us, and make us look glamorous, or do we want God to be shown for who He is, as we live out our lives together? God's presence isn't even there where there is pride. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Servanthood ties in with humility and love. The Bible tells us to esteem others better than ourselves. There are a multitude of different ways of serving one another. When the Apostles got together, they pulled all their resources together and distributed them as needed. The Bible tells us that there was no needy person among them. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6, to bear one another's burdens. With the grace of God, we can help pull a brother or sister who has been entangled in sin, out of their bondage. We are to put other people before ourselves. Jesus gave the best example of serving by laying down His life for us. We can lay down our lives for one another as we seek to serve them instead of ourselves. One person put it this way; 'We live our lives in order to make others successful.' This, of course, doesn't mean we quit our jobs so others can take our place and be promoted. Success encompasses all areas of life, especially the spiritual. We can help make others spiritually successful by serving them.
We are in the world, but not of it. We have Christian plumbers, as well as unbelievers for our plumbers. We live in neighborhoods with Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Hindus, and an assortment of all kinds of people. We don't go to a remote island to get away from them. We live in their neighborhoods, and God uses those positions in order for us to 'win' them so they might be saved. We don't blend in with a darkened world of sin. The light that is set on a hill is not camouflaged in a world of darkness. In fact, there is a striking difference. The light doesn't go out when we build relationships with people who don't know God. The light will grow dim and disappear, when we go so far as to participate in sin. Participation in sinful activities is not a way of relating to sinners. They need to break free from sin. You might be the only Bible they ever read. We don't identify with other people in their sins. What we do have in common though, is that we are all created in God's image, though marred by sin.
Jesus says that 'By their fruits you will know them.' He also says that He is the true vine, and we are the branches. If we abide in the vine, we will bear fruit. It is the kind of fruit that resembles God. Everyone bears fruit of some sort. It is either bad fruit or good fruit. What kind of fruit are you bearing today?
17
In order for us to 'win' people to the Lord, so that they might be saved, we have to become all things to them. People will be able to relate to us, if we can relate to them. The Gospel will be more accessible to them. It will make more sense to them.
But we have to be careful here as well. This verse found in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 is not telling us to sin in order to save sinners. We can become like other people, and we don't have to sin in order to accomplish this.
Other verses give a different perspective on this, and can be confusing to us, if we don't understand them properly. The Bible tells us, "“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:16-18. ESV
Some people think that these verse mean that we have to take ourselves out of the world. After all, God says that we need to be 'separate' from people who are sinners, right? If we take the verses before verses 16-18, they are talking about being involved in relationships that would involve a commitment, such as marriage or perhaps business. It makes a reference to worship. Christians cannot worship and have that level of fellowship with nonbelievers. It just doesn't work. That's why marriages with one person being a believer and the other a non-believer, is extremely hard. We aren't to become involved in marriage relationships with unbelievers if we know the Lord. But people who are not taking those verses in context, mean them to say that we should not even be friends with people who don't know the Lord. But if we aren't friends with people in the world, how can we expect to win them to the Lord? How will they ever feel comfortable coming to us, should they be interested in the things of God? They would see us as 'above' them, although in reality, they will see right through us and we would appear to be hypocrites, because whether we believe it or not, we have our own sins to deal with. We might not see our sin, but be assured, others do. See Matthew 7, the first 5 verses.
So then, how is the church to be a light? It would seem that if we are relatable to people, as Paul recommends, then wouldn't we blend in? Not necessarily. Remember that becoming all things to all people doesn't mean participating in their sin. Jesus was a friend of sinners, but He never participated in their sin. Many who were living in flagrant sin, understood the Gospel, and were changed people during the time Jesus ministered to them.
What would make people in the church appear to the darkened world as a light? There are certain characteristics that mark the true church. One of them is love. 1 Corinthians 13 describes what love is. Bible Gateway - 1 Corinthians 13 . We think of love as something that makes us happy. Love can make us happy, but the kind of love we are familiar with is a selfish love. That is not what the Bible is talking about. We have to be in relationship with one another to express love.
Another noble trait that makes the church shine, is humility. Without humility, you can forget about God being glorified in the church. We either lift up God, or we exalt ourselves. Do we want our church to point to us, and make us look glamorous, or do we want God to be shown for who He is, as we live out our lives together? God's presence isn't even there where there is pride. He resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Servanthood ties in with humility and love. The Bible tells us to esteem others better than ourselves. There are a multitude of different ways of serving one another. When the Apostles got together, they pulled all their resources together and distributed them as needed. The Bible tells us that there was no needy person among them. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6, to bear one another's burdens. With the grace of God, we can help pull a brother or sister who has been entangled in sin, out of their bondage. We are to put other people before ourselves. Jesus gave the best example of serving by laying down His life for us. We can lay down our lives for one another as we seek to serve them instead of ourselves. One person put it this way; 'We live our lives in order to make others successful.' This, of course, doesn't mean we quit our jobs so others can take our place and be promoted. Success encompasses all areas of life, especially the spiritual. We can help make others spiritually successful by serving them.
We are in the world, but not of it. We have Christian plumbers, as well as unbelievers for our plumbers. We live in neighborhoods with Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Hindus, and an assortment of all kinds of people. We don't go to a remote island to get away from them. We live in their neighborhoods, and God uses those positions in order for us to 'win' them so they might be saved. We don't blend in with a darkened world of sin. The light that is set on a hill is not camouflaged in a world of darkness. In fact, there is a striking difference. The light doesn't go out when we build relationships with people who don't know God. The light will grow dim and disappear, when we go so far as to participate in sin. Participation in sinful activities is not a way of relating to sinners. They need to break free from sin. You might be the only Bible they ever read. We don't identify with other people in their sins. What we do have in common though, is that we are all created in God's image, though marred by sin.
Jesus says that 'By their fruits you will know them.' He also says that He is the true vine, and we are the branches. If we abide in the vine, we will bear fruit. It is the kind of fruit that resembles God. Everyone bears fruit of some sort. It is either bad fruit or good fruit. What kind of fruit are you bearing today?
17
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