Christians: Regarding Homosexuals...

Over the past few days I have heard a few different stories showing the outspokenness of Christians against the practice of homosexuality, and I wanted to help clear a few things up before we go about accusing people of being a homosexual.

Before we begin, I will say that I am not in any way condoning homosexuality, it is a sin, like any other, and especially being a sexual sin (which the Bible states is even worse to commit 1 Corinthians 6:15-20) it is a sin against your body, which is the temple of God, it needs to be avoided at all costs. If you are practicing any sin, homosexuality, adultery, or other, you need to repent and give your life over to Jesus fully so you may serve Him instead of yourself.

With the recent news of Ted Haggard shocking America, and other similar stories from other churches, many churches decide to take up the arms against this outrageous sin and downright bash anybody who even appears to be a homosexual. With signs saying things such as "God hates gays" and other similar messages, what message are we sending to the world about God?

Being a Christian means that we are Christ-like, or at least trying to be. So where in the Bible did we see Jesus giving any such message? Only to the hypocrites, calling them a brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34 and Matthew 23:33) and sons of satan (John 8:44).

So then, what does Jesus say about homosexuals?

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Yeah, did you hear that homosexuals, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God (AKA going to hell)!!

Oh uhm, wait a second...

I think there are a few more words in that verse...

In the same list we see "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners"

So before you start saying these things about any one group of people, analyze your own life, are you fornicating? Do you currently place anything above God in your life (idolatry)? Do you lust after other people (adulterer)? Have you ever taken anything or coveted anything? I think almost everyone in our nation has fallen into that one lately (I know I have).

Another verse:

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

Ever told a lie?

Before you go jumping on the band wagon to attack a single group of people for their sin you need to look at your life.

Now, am I saying that we should just let someone living in sin be? (be it homosexuality, pornography, coveting, lying, slander, etc) Absolutely not! We all need Christ in our life and we all need to repent. No amount of work on our own part will remove the sin from our life. Only Jesus can do that.

So, what would you say to someone who is involved in sin? Why not just go through the 10 commandments? Ask if the person has lied, stolen anything, taken God's name in vain, or committed adultery.

People who are homosexuals have been so attacked by Christians that they need to hear the full truth. They have sinned against God even if they were never a homosexual! That is just one more of the many sins that the person has committed against God, and needs to be treated in the same way. If someone comes up to you and confesses that they have been falling into pornography would you isolate yourself from them, make fun of them and make a public spectacle out of it? Or would you pray with the person and try to help them on their path to repentance?

Now, to any of you who are sinning, you know you have done it, your conscience confirms that what you have done is wrong and against God. If you were in court and you are found to be guilty, next comes the sentencing, where you have to pay for your crime.

Every person will have to face the judge when we die, and you will be found guilty of breaking God's laws. " For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10) and "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)

But Jesus came to pay the penalty for your sin since you couldn't pay it. Out of His love for you He paid the price, and all you have to do is repent of your sin and confess Jesus and you will be saved. "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

Here is some more scripture for you:

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:5)

He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:30-31)

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Now let's stop acting like the rest of the world, trying to hide our sin and act better than we are, and let's repent of our sins and help the lost do the same, the way Jesus did.

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Now playing: The Katinas - You Are God on Pandora
via FoxyTunes

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A Life Focused on Christ First

For my class "Practical Christian Ministry" at CCBC I have to read a book called "On Being a Servant of God" by Warren W. Wiersbe. The focus of the class is to teach you how to have an effective ministry, and the book by Warren Wiersbe is to give you the advice that he wishes he was given when he first started out.

I'm not very far along in this book yet, but every single chapter so far has been a treasure trove of information. Some things seem like common sense, but still things that we need to be reminded of because of how often we forget. Other points that he brings up are things that I have never thought of before, but every one of them I can see helping someone who is either in charge of, or helping out a ministry.

Some of these things, however, I can see being a huge help in not only a ministry, but in your own personal life too. And as I thought about it, it all made perfect sense. Every one of us has a ministry of our own, we are called to it as Christians and we serve in it if we know it or not. Every Christian is called to carry his cross, spread the gospel to the nations, and to love our neighbors. So this gives me an entirely new outlook on this book, not only can it help someone out in a ministry, but if they apply the same things to their own life then it will make a dramatic impact in your life as well.

I could give an overview of the entire book, but that would take too long, so I want to focus on only one chapter. Chapter seven deals with how our main focus in ministry is to put the Lord first, not people (Col 3:23-24). Here are a few reasons why:

You will be motivated to do your work and not look for excuses.

If you work just for your salary, you will never do your best as long as you feel like you are being underpaid. If you minister just to get recognition you will never do as much when people don't show their appreciation. The only motivation that will take you through the storms and keep you on the job is, "I'm serving Jesus Christ."

You want to do your best.

Most of us would do something for somebody we really love, when we really care about somebody we work hard to give them our best. If you are serving God as number one in your life, then nothing will be too great a sacrifice for you, and you won't even consider it a sacrifice. Look at what Jesus sacrificed for us because He loved us so much, imagine how we can serve God if we show Him the same type of love and devotion.

The burden is light.

Matthew 11:30 Jesus says "For My Yoke is easy and My burden is light." I would rather have Jesus Christ as my master than anybody else. He provides the power I need to serve Him, and the forgiveness when I mess up.

You stop watching other Christians and passing judgment on what they do or what God does with them.

People watching is a popular pastime among Christian workers (and just among church goers), but it's a dangerous one. If you keep your eyes of faith on Christ and seek to please Him alone, you won't have either the time or the desire to watch others. Have you complained because God gave others a better deal than He gave you? Perhaps the people don't seem to work as hard as you do, or maybe they haven't' been in Christian service as long as you have; yet God bypassed you and rewarded them abundantly. Satan can use a thing like that to get a foothold in your life, make you bitter, and create problems in your ministry. But if you work for Christ alone, you won't be bothered by what other workers do or what God does for them. Nor will you try to make bargains with God to be sure you get your rightful share. If you do, you'll be the loser because God still gives His best to those who let Him write the contract.

John 21:22b
"what is that to you? You follow Me." It shouldn't matter to us how God treats others, all that matters is that we follow Jesus. With or without reward, with or without suffering, with or without recognition, we need to just follow Jesus.

Ministry isn't easy, but you make it more difficult for yourself if you serve people instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can't please everybody, so don't even try. Just live and work in such a way that your Master will be able to say, "You are My beloved servant in whom I am well pleased."

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First Blog

Well I have finally broken down and gotten a blog. After trying a few other blogging programs for my last website I have decided to stick with this site. It seems pretty well made and easy to use, so here we go.

As a new parent, the first thing that I can think of to write about is my baby boy. I had to work last weekend so we were not able to go to church on Sunday. Instead we tried to go Saturday night after I got off work. Unfortunately we didn't get there in time, so we had to sit in the lobby with the other late arrivals. At our church they don't allow small children in the main sanctuary during services. After sitting in the lobby where they do allow children I can honestly see why they do that. It was so noisy with all the kids, and there were only about 10 or so kids out there. We could hardly hear the pastor at all. I'm proud to say that for the most part Malikai was completely silent. He was enjoying watching the people around us and sliding around the floor on his socks (I was holding him up by his arms). Except for this one time, when everybody else was quiet Malikai let out this really big and loud burp. It was really hard not to laugh at that.


Monday night Danae and I went for a hike in Garden of the Gods. We got there late at night and walked through the park in the dark. It was really nice and peaceful, just enjoying God's creation, the animals we could hear rustling in the bushes, the stars in the sky, knowing how complex the universe is and how everything works together to allow for life on this planet. The entire time we are walking through the path, Malikai is making weird noises, like he is talking the entire time without moving his mouth, just making the same exact noise, the only time the sound changed was when he was bounced from my walking with him. I guess he was enjoying being out in God's creation as well.

Besides that, Malikai is starting to move around a bit on his belly. He loves to scoot towards things, especially my computer or anything else that looks like a wire. Why is it that babies like wires so much? For the most part Malikai moves backwards, but he is starting to move forward more often now. Somehow he keeps getting to my computer and REACHING FOR THE Keyboard. And hitting the caps lock key ...(that was Malikai making it all caps and back to normal, not me). If you are wondering how he reached the keyboard, I'm using my laptop on the floor right now while watching a movie.

That's enough about Malikai for now. Right now I'm reading a book titled "How to Counsel God's Way" by Bob Hoekstra. The focus of the book is showing what counseling should be like according to the Bible. It really is shedding light on the problems with psychology and counseling today, even those that call themselves Christian counselors are more often than not just psychologists that use worldly counseling techniques and occasionally bring in the Bible. This has become even more apparent lately as I attend the counseling sessions with Danae. I can see how instead of focusing on what will help a person, bringing them to Jesus, counselors focus on bringing up the past and what the individual can do to help themselves. Bringing up the past more than likely is going to just make matters worse by rehashing old things that should have been done away with. Sometimes we do need someone to talk to about things that are bothering us, but counselors tend to bring up things in the distant past thinking that if we can somehow alter the effect that each event has had on us then we can become a better person.

Without Christ we cannot change ourselves for the better. It is only through His blood that we can be forgiven of our past, and only through His Spirit in our lives that we can change to be more like what God wants.

Another problem with modern counselors is that it tends to make the person being counseled gossip about others. Let's get the dirt on every person we have interacted with in our lives and see what influence that person has had on us or is having on us. Most of the time this information is not needed, it just gets the person being counseled to vent and gossip about the other.

Another important point to mention is that the goal of modern counselors, even most Christian counselors is to ease a persons suffering and help them cope with what they are going through via their own means. This may be interfering with what God has in mind for that person. A lot of times God uses events to strengthen a person and God wants that person to rely on Him and get closer to Him.

Our main goal through life is to grow closer to God and rely on Him, to deny to ourself and take up our cross. (Matthew 16:24).

I have a praise report to give today. Danae's dad was diagnosed with Diabetes over a month ago. Luckily he did the right thing and changed his diet to combat the diabetes without getting on medication. It was a tough battle to give up some of the food that he loved but he did it, and was able to control the diabetes strictly through diet and exercise. Today he went to the doctor for a checkup and they said that he is doing so well that he is no longer considered a diabetic. Also, because of his diet he no longer has high blood pressure and can get off all of his medication. God has a lot of healing power that He has given us through natural food, if we would just use it more instead of processed foods and high fructose corn syrup with as much sugar as we can get. Also if we would just show some self control in what we eat we could be so much healthier, and this is a great example of that. Something that I need to learn and take to heart.... or stomach... so I can be healthier. :)

Anyway, praise the Lord for healing, if it's natural or supernatural. I guess that is enough for my first blog. Tonight we are going to go back to Garden of the Gods for another hike with Malikai. Only this time hopefully before it gets too dark or too late so I can get plenty of sleep before work tomorrow.

Good night and God bless everyone.

- Jon
http://www.EternalTruthMinistry.com