I have heard this by direct statement/indirect statement. People say that God loves everyone, as he does, and uses this as an argument for homosexuality. These are the very people that do not read scripture and don't speak with God and I'm going to prove it. Actually God is going to prove it and has proven it by His very word. I'm not going to say too much as I want God's word to speak the truth.
Leviticus 18:28, "DO NOT lie with a man as one lies with a woman, that is DETESTABLE."
Leviticus 20:13, "If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is DETESTABLE..." (for those who know I have not finished this scripture there is a reason. God tells us that the one who does not have the Spirit will not understand His Word, as the Spirit is the one who gives understanding. But I think this gets the point across)
Romans 1:24-27, "24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator---who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for UNNATURAL ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed INDECENT acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."
You didn't think I was going to leave out Sodom and Gomorrah did you? This is one example in the bible that many people throw to the wayside because they always say homosexuality wasn't THE reason or wasn't the ONLY reason God destroyed these towns. Again, these are the people that don't STUDY God's holy word or choose to not believe it. God is going to tell us otherwise.
Genesis 19:4-7, "4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom---both young and old---surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.' 6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, 'No, my friends. Don't do this WICKED thing.'"
Genesis 19:23-25, "23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 The the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah ---from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, including all those living in the cities --- and also the vegetation in the land."
Jude 7, "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."
There is, of course, Hope.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11, "9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (This means they stopped living these lives, repented, believed in Jesus Christ, and now live in the Holy Spirit.)
This is Paul speaking. He is referring to when he was known as Saul.
1 Timothy 1:13-16, "13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners --- of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life."
If Jesus will redeem even him, as he puts it, then Jesus will redeem anyone. But first, you must realize that homosexuality is a sin and those living in it will NOT inherit the kingdom of God.
Lord, God almighty. You are absolutely amazing, powerful, and full of grace. You are the creator of this world and everything good in it. I pray that Christians will stop listening to the world and be deceived by their lies. Homosexuality is, indeed, a sin, BUT it is forgivable like so many others. The only unforgivable sin is rejecting you and denying that Jesus is the Messiah. I pray that Christians will study your Word and build a more intimate relationship with you through prayer. Without you we can do nothing. I also pray that Christians will stop being afraid to vocalize your love and truth on things like social media; in places like work, school, shopping centers, sporting events, parks, and even churches. I want to thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that we will have hope of being with you for eternity. We love you and give you all of our praise. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Be More Tolerant!
Tolerance. What is tolerance, why does the world want the Church to be more tolerant, and how does God view tolerance? I've heard this more and more each day from non-believers and "believers" (yes, the quotations are purposeful). The world wants Christians and religious sects to be more tolerant of everyone and every belief. They ask, "Why are you so narrow minded? Why can't you be more tolerant? You need to be more tolerant like Jesus (Yes, these are non-believers telling believers to be more tolerant LIKE Jesus). So, what is tolerance?
Tolerance, according to Merriam-Webster, is: 1) willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own; 2) the ability to accept, experience, or survive something harmful or unpleasant; 3) (this one I am changing one thing, "as a drug" to "as God") the capacity of the body to endure or become LESS RESPONSIVE to a substance (as God) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure.
The world wants us to be more tolerant. Why? The world believes there are many paths to Heaven, salvation, God, or doesn't believe in Heaven, salvation, or God. The world wants to do what they see as right, what will benefit them here on earth, what will give them the most fun. The world believes that abortion is right and reading the Bible in public is wrong. The world tells us that we are intolerant, when they are intolerant of the Bible. Can a Christian read their Bible in school or pray in school? No, because of the intolerance of the world. Christians are intolerant of homosexual relationships, yet the world condemns a Christian when they are truly showing love to homosexuals by telling them about Jesus and not wanting them to continue in sin. The first thing we have to understand is that "sin" is a four-letter word to the world. They don't want to hear that they are sinners, just like Christians don't like being pointed out that they have sinned. It refers to anyone being bad, a certain action being bad, or a certain thought being bad. This is hard for the world because many people believe that humans are born good (these are the people that either don't have kids, didn't parent their kids, or aren't school teachers). It shouldn't stop us from pointing it out to them because otherwise we are being tolerant of their sin and are allowing them to go to hell by not speaking the truth. So, how can we be more tolerant like Jesus? Was Jesus tolerant?
Now, we are about to look at scripture. We will answer if Jesus is tolerant and if the world practices what they preach. First, was Jesus tolerant? One example the world uses is the adulterous woman that the pharisees brought in to the temple. Jesus eventually let the woman go and did not condemn her. This, to the world, is tolerance. If I didn't know scripture and God hadn't revealed his truth to me then this would be a compelling argument. The scripture is from John 8:1-11. The reason I begin at verse 1 is because it's important to know where Jesus is located and what time of day it is. It is dawn and he is in the temple. The pharisees brought the woman in at dawn, which means they kept her all night and waited to condemn her. The pharisees refer to the law about stoning adulterers "such as this woman." What they "forgot" to do as well was bring the man in, for the law states that both the man and woman shall be stoned. The Temple is a holy place and the pharisees are ready to stone this woman in the holy place. We all know the story, but what we tend to forget, and the world just conveniently forgets to mention, is that Jesus did not simply let her go. Jesus told the woman to "Go, and from now on do not sin anymore." Jesus did not tolerate her sin, He told her not to sin anymore. This was a command to the woman for the rest of her life. How much did Jesus tolerate the Pharisees and Sadducees? Not at all. John 2:13-16 refers to Jesus driving all the people from the temple courts because they were selling sacrifices in the temple courts. John 3:1-21 speaks of Jesus telling the pharisee, Nicodemus, how to enter heaven. John 14:6 refers to Jesus saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Whoa, this is the tolerance the world wants us to exemplify? Yep, they just don't know it. Matthew 7:13-14 refers to the wide and narrow gate. Matthew 8:18-22 refers to 2 men telling Jesus they will follow him. Matthew 19:16-22 refers to a rich man asking Jesus what "good" thing must he do to get eternal life. Jesus' answer is not even close to tolerance. However, Jesus was, in fact, tolerant. Let's look at this. Jesus was arrested by the chief PRIESTS and elders (I put priests in all caps because I want to emphasize that titleship means nothing to God). Jesus was innocent of all charges, but the priests made up lies and told the people lies to accomplish their agenda. Jesus accepted his fate, he knew there was no other way for humans to be saved from their sin except by his death on the cross. He went through trials, torture (to the point where he was almost unrecognizable), slander, and then death. Yes, Jesus was very tolerant in this manner and THIS is the way we are to be tolerant like Jesus. This also answers the question of "Is the world tolerant?". So, does the world practice what they preach? Nope. They have removed the Bible from schools, prayer from schools, the ten commandments from schools and government buildings. They want to get rid of any mention of God or the name of Jesus from any public place because they don't believe in Him. Tolerance? Really?
The third meaning of tolerance is one that requires us to get so accustomed to the world that we don't even feel the power of the Holy Spirit. It has happened for the most part because I see and hear more so called christians speaking out for the world instead of God. These next two analogies come from Billy Graham's website on tolerance (I highly suggest clicking on the link on the second analogy and read this article). If someone were to ask a man how to get to New York city and he replied, "take any road you wish, they all lead to New York", you would think him to be crazy. This is a liberal way of thinking. Does every road lead us to New York? No, some lead us to Tampa Bay, Nashville, Chicago, etc. Why do we accept the lie that all roads lead to Heaven? Next analogy. The popular, tolerant attitude toward the Gospel of Christ is like a person going to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves play a baseball game and rooting for both sides. Baseball fans are very intolerant. If you were to cheer for both sides in Los Angeles or in Atlanta, someone would yell, “Hey, you, make up your mind who you’re rooting for.” Doesn't this make sense? You can't be for both teams. You can't love God and love satan at the same time.
How does God view tolerance? Psalm 101:5. Habakkuk also wondered if God was tolerant, chapters 1 and 2. Revelations 2:1-5, 2:18-29. Acts 4:32-37 and Acts 5:1-11, they were not tolerant of this sin. Numbers 20:7-12, God did not let Moses or Aaron enter into the land He promised to the Israelites...Moses!!! 1 Samuel 13:1-14, Saul was the king God appointed, no tolerance. And, of course, Genesis chapter 3, nope, no tolerance for disobedience. God wants us to obey him and if we sin, he wants us to repent and acknowledge that we did wrong. He doesn't want us to make excuses and tolerate the sin of others, either, just because they don't believe in God. God commands us to speak the truth and obey all He has commanded us, Matthew 28:19-20.
Lord, God Almighty, you are worthy of all our praise. Let all glory be to you. You are the Great "I AM" and I don't want to take that lightly. Please help us to remember that your Word is inerrant. The only way we can gain understanding is by studying and praying scripture to you and asking for wisdom and understanding. Help us to endure the hardships that we, as Christians, will face because of our beliefs in and obedience to you. Let us not allow the world to tell us what we should and should not do or believe in. I pray you will give us a heart of compassion and not one of tolerance. Help us realize that speaking the truth with compassion is different than yelling at people in condemnation. Jesus was not sent to condemn the world, but to save it. Let us mirror your Son's ministry and likeness. Help us to reflect your light by our actions and to speak out with confidence that you are the only true God. I thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die for our sins and saving us from eternal separation from you. I pray that this reality, of complete separation, will also help and motivate us to speak the truth and show no tolerance of disbelief in Jesus. Amen.
Tolerance, according to Merriam-Webster, is: 1) willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own; 2) the ability to accept, experience, or survive something harmful or unpleasant; 3) (this one I am changing one thing, "as a drug" to "as God") the capacity of the body to endure or become LESS RESPONSIVE to a substance (as God) or a physiological insult especially with repeated use or exposure.
The world wants us to be more tolerant. Why? The world believes there are many paths to Heaven, salvation, God, or doesn't believe in Heaven, salvation, or God. The world wants to do what they see as right, what will benefit them here on earth, what will give them the most fun. The world believes that abortion is right and reading the Bible in public is wrong. The world tells us that we are intolerant, when they are intolerant of the Bible. Can a Christian read their Bible in school or pray in school? No, because of the intolerance of the world. Christians are intolerant of homosexual relationships, yet the world condemns a Christian when they are truly showing love to homosexuals by telling them about Jesus and not wanting them to continue in sin. The first thing we have to understand is that "sin" is a four-letter word to the world. They don't want to hear that they are sinners, just like Christians don't like being pointed out that they have sinned. It refers to anyone being bad, a certain action being bad, or a certain thought being bad. This is hard for the world because many people believe that humans are born good (these are the people that either don't have kids, didn't parent their kids, or aren't school teachers). It shouldn't stop us from pointing it out to them because otherwise we are being tolerant of their sin and are allowing them to go to hell by not speaking the truth. So, how can we be more tolerant like Jesus? Was Jesus tolerant?
Now, we are about to look at scripture. We will answer if Jesus is tolerant and if the world practices what they preach. First, was Jesus tolerant? One example the world uses is the adulterous woman that the pharisees brought in to the temple. Jesus eventually let the woman go and did not condemn her. This, to the world, is tolerance. If I didn't know scripture and God hadn't revealed his truth to me then this would be a compelling argument. The scripture is from John 8:1-11. The reason I begin at verse 1 is because it's important to know where Jesus is located and what time of day it is. It is dawn and he is in the temple. The pharisees brought the woman in at dawn, which means they kept her all night and waited to condemn her. The pharisees refer to the law about stoning adulterers "such as this woman." What they "forgot" to do as well was bring the man in, for the law states that both the man and woman shall be stoned. The Temple is a holy place and the pharisees are ready to stone this woman in the holy place. We all know the story, but what we tend to forget, and the world just conveniently forgets to mention, is that Jesus did not simply let her go. Jesus told the woman to "Go, and from now on do not sin anymore." Jesus did not tolerate her sin, He told her not to sin anymore. This was a command to the woman for the rest of her life. How much did Jesus tolerate the Pharisees and Sadducees? Not at all. John 2:13-16 refers to Jesus driving all the people from the temple courts because they were selling sacrifices in the temple courts. John 3:1-21 speaks of Jesus telling the pharisee, Nicodemus, how to enter heaven. John 14:6 refers to Jesus saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Whoa, this is the tolerance the world wants us to exemplify? Yep, they just don't know it. Matthew 7:13-14 refers to the wide and narrow gate. Matthew 8:18-22 refers to 2 men telling Jesus they will follow him. Matthew 19:16-22 refers to a rich man asking Jesus what "good" thing must he do to get eternal life. Jesus' answer is not even close to tolerance. However, Jesus was, in fact, tolerant. Let's look at this. Jesus was arrested by the chief PRIESTS and elders (I put priests in all caps because I want to emphasize that titleship means nothing to God). Jesus was innocent of all charges, but the priests made up lies and told the people lies to accomplish their agenda. Jesus accepted his fate, he knew there was no other way for humans to be saved from their sin except by his death on the cross. He went through trials, torture (to the point where he was almost unrecognizable), slander, and then death. Yes, Jesus was very tolerant in this manner and THIS is the way we are to be tolerant like Jesus. This also answers the question of "Is the world tolerant?". So, does the world practice what they preach? Nope. They have removed the Bible from schools, prayer from schools, the ten commandments from schools and government buildings. They want to get rid of any mention of God or the name of Jesus from any public place because they don't believe in Him. Tolerance? Really?
The third meaning of tolerance is one that requires us to get so accustomed to the world that we don't even feel the power of the Holy Spirit. It has happened for the most part because I see and hear more so called christians speaking out for the world instead of God. These next two analogies come from Billy Graham's website on tolerance (I highly suggest clicking on the link on the second analogy and read this article). If someone were to ask a man how to get to New York city and he replied, "take any road you wish, they all lead to New York", you would think him to be crazy. This is a liberal way of thinking. Does every road lead us to New York? No, some lead us to Tampa Bay, Nashville, Chicago, etc. Why do we accept the lie that all roads lead to Heaven? Next analogy. The popular, tolerant attitude toward the Gospel of Christ is like a person going to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves play a baseball game and rooting for both sides. Baseball fans are very intolerant. If you were to cheer for both sides in Los Angeles or in Atlanta, someone would yell, “Hey, you, make up your mind who you’re rooting for.” Doesn't this make sense? You can't be for both teams. You can't love God and love satan at the same time.
How does God view tolerance? Psalm 101:5. Habakkuk also wondered if God was tolerant, chapters 1 and 2. Revelations 2:1-5, 2:18-29. Acts 4:32-37 and Acts 5:1-11, they were not tolerant of this sin. Numbers 20:7-12, God did not let Moses or Aaron enter into the land He promised to the Israelites...Moses!!! 1 Samuel 13:1-14, Saul was the king God appointed, no tolerance. And, of course, Genesis chapter 3, nope, no tolerance for disobedience. God wants us to obey him and if we sin, he wants us to repent and acknowledge that we did wrong. He doesn't want us to make excuses and tolerate the sin of others, either, just because they don't believe in God. God commands us to speak the truth and obey all He has commanded us, Matthew 28:19-20.
Lord, God Almighty, you are worthy of all our praise. Let all glory be to you. You are the Great "I AM" and I don't want to take that lightly. Please help us to remember that your Word is inerrant. The only way we can gain understanding is by studying and praying scripture to you and asking for wisdom and understanding. Help us to endure the hardships that we, as Christians, will face because of our beliefs in and obedience to you. Let us not allow the world to tell us what we should and should not do or believe in. I pray you will give us a heart of compassion and not one of tolerance. Help us realize that speaking the truth with compassion is different than yelling at people in condemnation. Jesus was not sent to condemn the world, but to save it. Let us mirror your Son's ministry and likeness. Help us to reflect your light by our actions and to speak out with confidence that you are the only true God. I thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die for our sins and saving us from eternal separation from you. I pray that this reality, of complete separation, will also help and motivate us to speak the truth and show no tolerance of disbelief in Jesus. Amen.
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