Monday, May 26, 2014
GodsView : 5 Truths About Same-Sex Attraction!
GodsView : 5 Truths About Same-Sex Attraction!: Is there something wrong with you if you have same-sex attractions? Does it mean you are in sin or under God’s judgment? Or could it be, as...
5 Truths About Same-Sex Attraction!
Is there something wrong with you if you have same-sex attractions? Does
it mean you are in sin or under God’s judgment? Or could it be, as some
are claiming today, that God has blessed you with these attractions?
Here are five simple truths about same-sex attractions:
1. Your attractions do not define you. Despite the fact that much is made today of “being gay” or having a gay identity, the reality is that your romantic attractions and sexual desires do not define who you are as a person. More importantly, if you have surrendered your life to the Lord and are living in obedience to Him, your primary identity is found in being a son or daughter of God. Many believers struggle when they put gay before Christian in terms of their identity rather than putting Christian (or child of God) first.
2. It is not a sin to be same-sex attracted. While it is true that there really are former homosexuals (meaning, people who went from homosexual to heterosexual through divine intervention or counseling or discipleship—I hear from them on a regular basis, and I know some of them personally), it is also true that there are believers who have renounced homosexual practice but who are still same-sex attracted, and they are living holy, blessed lives.As a former lesbian once pointed out, God never said, “Be thou heterosexual because I the Lord thy God am heterosexual.” He said, “Be thou holy, because I the Lord thy God am holy.”In helping those struggling with unwanted same-sex attractions, we need to remind them that holiness, not heterosexuality, is the first and primary goal, encouraging them to renounce sinful practices and relationships and to reject sinful thoughts while recognizing that temptation can still be a real possibility.
3. Having same-sex attractions does not mean your moral character is bad. Just as it is misguided to define yourself based on your attractions and desires, it is also misguided to define your essential moral character based on your attractions and desires. Put another way, people with same-sex attractions might be some of the nicest, kindest, most morally upright people you know.We are often imprecise in our terminology, saying that “Homosexuality is sinful” (as opposed to the correct statement, namely that “Homosexual practice is sinful”), because of which it is easy for us to jump to the wrong conclusion that anyone with same-sex attractions is especially sinful.The fact is that your moral character is not measured by whether your attractions are same-sex or opposite-sex. Rather, your moral character is measured by how you live your life before God and your fellow human beings, which includes how you deal with your attractions and desires.Do you cultivate and act on things that are wrong in God’s sight, or do you say yes to Him and no to those things? Do you genuinely seek to love your neighbor as yourself, produce the fruit of the Spirit and live in purity that is what measures your morality.
4. If you are same-sex attracted, you are still created in the image of God. The reality is that every human being is created in the image of God, regardless of who they are, and every human being is fallen and in need of redemption.The whole human race is broken in God’s sight, the whole human race is in a state of rebellion against God (outside of His gracious intervention to save us and transform us), and so the whole human race suffers from fatal, damnable flaws.As fallen human beings, we are proud, greedy, lustful, selfish, dishonest, covetous, duplicitous—just to name a few of our carnal characteristics. That’s why we need a Savior to forgive us and to transform us.At the same time, as God’s creation and the expression of His image on the earth, we have many noble qualities, but they are flawed because of the fall.Same-sex attractions, while clearly contrary to God’s design for the human race and while certainly not a gift from Him, are just another aspect of our fallen, broken state, one of a thousand different aspects of our weak, human condition, putting all of us in the same boat in one way or another.We are all created in His image, we are fallen and broken (in part through our biology and in part through our upbringing and choices—which is not to say people are “born gay”), and we are all loved by Him and offered new life in Jesus.
5. Jesus shed the same blood for every human being, whether same-sex or opposite-sex attracted. There is no discrimination or favoritism at the foot of the cross. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sins if we put our trust in Him, regardless of what sins we have committed.
In the same way, His call to all of us is the same: “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24, HCSB).
As I recently told a same-sex attracted person, “Put your entire emphasis on getting into right relationship with the Lord, knowing His love and walking in obedience to Him, rather than wondering if you’ll have to be celibate for the rest of your life. You will find Him to be more than enough and to be there to guide you step by step, one day at a time.”
Here are five simple truths about same-sex attractions:
1. Your attractions do not define you. Despite the fact that much is made today of “being gay” or having a gay identity, the reality is that your romantic attractions and sexual desires do not define who you are as a person. More importantly, if you have surrendered your life to the Lord and are living in obedience to Him, your primary identity is found in being a son or daughter of God. Many believers struggle when they put gay before Christian in terms of their identity rather than putting Christian (or child of God) first.
2. It is not a sin to be same-sex attracted. While it is true that there really are former homosexuals (meaning, people who went from homosexual to heterosexual through divine intervention or counseling or discipleship—I hear from them on a regular basis, and I know some of them personally), it is also true that there are believers who have renounced homosexual practice but who are still same-sex attracted, and they are living holy, blessed lives.As a former lesbian once pointed out, God never said, “Be thou heterosexual because I the Lord thy God am heterosexual.” He said, “Be thou holy, because I the Lord thy God am holy.”In helping those struggling with unwanted same-sex attractions, we need to remind them that holiness, not heterosexuality, is the first and primary goal, encouraging them to renounce sinful practices and relationships and to reject sinful thoughts while recognizing that temptation can still be a real possibility.
3. Having same-sex attractions does not mean your moral character is bad. Just as it is misguided to define yourself based on your attractions and desires, it is also misguided to define your essential moral character based on your attractions and desires. Put another way, people with same-sex attractions might be some of the nicest, kindest, most morally upright people you know.We are often imprecise in our terminology, saying that “Homosexuality is sinful” (as opposed to the correct statement, namely that “Homosexual practice is sinful”), because of which it is easy for us to jump to the wrong conclusion that anyone with same-sex attractions is especially sinful.The fact is that your moral character is not measured by whether your attractions are same-sex or opposite-sex. Rather, your moral character is measured by how you live your life before God and your fellow human beings, which includes how you deal with your attractions and desires.Do you cultivate and act on things that are wrong in God’s sight, or do you say yes to Him and no to those things? Do you genuinely seek to love your neighbor as yourself, produce the fruit of the Spirit and live in purity that is what measures your morality.
4. If you are same-sex attracted, you are still created in the image of God. The reality is that every human being is created in the image of God, regardless of who they are, and every human being is fallen and in need of redemption.The whole human race is broken in God’s sight, the whole human race is in a state of rebellion against God (outside of His gracious intervention to save us and transform us), and so the whole human race suffers from fatal, damnable flaws.As fallen human beings, we are proud, greedy, lustful, selfish, dishonest, covetous, duplicitous—just to name a few of our carnal characteristics. That’s why we need a Savior to forgive us and to transform us.At the same time, as God’s creation and the expression of His image on the earth, we have many noble qualities, but they are flawed because of the fall.Same-sex attractions, while clearly contrary to God’s design for the human race and while certainly not a gift from Him, are just another aspect of our fallen, broken state, one of a thousand different aspects of our weak, human condition, putting all of us in the same boat in one way or another.We are all created in His image, we are fallen and broken (in part through our biology and in part through our upbringing and choices—which is not to say people are “born gay”), and we are all loved by Him and offered new life in Jesus.
5. Jesus shed the same blood for every human being, whether same-sex or opposite-sex attracted. There is no discrimination or favoritism at the foot of the cross. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sins if we put our trust in Him, regardless of what sins we have committed.
In the same way, His call to all of us is the same: “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it” (Luke 9:23-24, HCSB).
As I recently told a same-sex attracted person, “Put your entire emphasis on getting into right relationship with the Lord, knowing His love and walking in obedience to Him, rather than wondering if you’ll have to be celibate for the rest of your life. You will find Him to be more than enough and to be there to guide you step by step, one day at a time.”
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
GodsView : How Do I Choose a Spouse?
GodsView : How Do I Choose a Spouse?: Give me some practical suggestions for the selection of a husband. I sure want to get it right and don't think I should depend just on...
How Do I Choose a Spouse?
Give me some practical suggestions for the selection of a
husband. I sure want to get it right and don't think I should depend
just on looks or personality. What are the factors I should consider
before saying "I do"?
Let me list a few things that you might want to consider:
Let me list a few things that you might want to consider:
- A Sunday school teacher gave me some advice when I was thirteen years of age that I never forgot. He said, "Don't marry the person you think you can live with. Marry the one you can't live without." There's great truth in this advice. Marriage can be difficult even when two people are passionately in love with one another. It is murder when they don't have that foundation to build on.
- Don't marry someone who has characteristics that you feel are
intolerable. You may plan to change him or her in the future, but that
probably won't happen. Behavior runs in deep channels that were cut
during early childhood, and it is very difficult to alter them. In order
to change a deeply ingrained pattern, you have to build a sturdy dam,
dig another canal, and reroute the river in the new direction. That
effort is rarely successful over the long haul.
Therefore, if you can't live with a characteristic that shows up
during courtship, it may plague you for the rest of your life. For
example, a person who drinks every night is not likely to give up that
habit after the honeymoon. If he or she is foolish with money or is
basically unclean or tends to get violent when irritated or is extremely
selfish, these are red flags you should not ignore. What you see is
what you get.
Of course, we all have flaws, and I'm not suggesting that a person has to be perfect to be a candidate for marriage. Rather, my point is that you have to decide if you can tolerate a quirky behavior for the rest of your life-- because that's how long you may have to deal with it. If you can't, don't bank on deprogramming the partner after you've said "I do." I advise you to keep your eyes wide open before marriage and then half-closed thereafter.
- Do not marry impulsively! I can think of no better way to mess up your life than to leap into this critical decision without careful thought and prayer. It takes time to get acquainted and to walk through the early stages of the bonding process. Remember that the dating relationship is designed to conceal information, not reveal it. Both partners put on their best faces for the one they seek to attract. They guard the secrets that might be a turnoff. Therefore, many newlyweds get a big surprise during the first year of married life. I suggest that you take at least a year to get beyond the facade and into the inner character of the person.
- If you are a deeply committed Christian, do not allow yourself to become "unequally yoked" with an unbeliever. You may expect to win your spouse to the Lord at some future date, and that does happen on occasion. But to count on it is risky at best, foolhardy at worst. Again, this is the question that must be answered: "Just how critical is it that my husband (or wife) shares my faith?" If it is essential and nonnegotiable, as the Scriptures tell us it should be for believers, then that matter should be given the highest priority in one's decision to marry.
- Do not move in with a person before marriage. To do so is a bad idea for many reasons:
- First, it is immoral and a violation of God's law.
- Second, it undermines a relationship and often leads to divorce. Studies show that couples who live together before marriage have a 50 percent greater chance of divorce than those who don't, based on fifty years of data.1 Those who cohabit also have less satisfying and more unstable marriages. Why? The researchers found that those who had lived together later regretted having "violated their moral standards," and "felt a loss of personal freedom to exit out the back door."
- Furthermore, and in keeping with the theme of marital bonding, they have "stolen" a level of intimacy that is not warranted at that point, nor has it been validated by the degree of commitment to one another. As it turns out, God's way is not only the right way--it is the healthiest for everyone concerned.
- Don't get married too young. Those who wed between the ages of fourteen and seventeen are twice as likely to divorce as couples who wait until their twenties. Making it as a family requires some characteristics that come with maturity, such as selflessness, stability, and self-control. It's best to wait for their arrival.
- Finally, I'll conclude with the ultimate secret of lifelong love. Simply put, the stability of marriage is a by-product of an iron-willed determination to make it work. If you choose to marry, enter into that covenant with the resolve to remain committed to each other for life. Never threaten during angry moments to leave your mate. Don't allow yourself to consider even the possibility of divorce. Calling it quits must not become an option for those who want to go the distance!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
GodsView : The Golden Key to the Book of Revelation!
GodsView : The Golden Key to the Book of Revelation!: World events are so disturbing, many are asking, “Could the Second Coming of Christ be close at hand?” A few who call themselves ministers ...
The Golden Key to the Book of Revelation!
World events are so disturbing, many are asking, “Could the Second
Coming of Christ be close at hand?” A few who call themselves ministers
are predicting the actual year and day of “the end” — in direct
violation of the statements of Christ Himself! (Matthew 24:36, 25:13; Mark 13:32)
The book of Revelation is often hard to understand. And many details won’t become clear until these events begin to unfold, but God is not trying to conceal; He’s is trying to reveal.
In Dr. Rogers’ first message from the book of Revelation, he explained that there is a key to help you unlock and understand this book. It’s hanging on the front door, in the first chapter, verse 19, within the Lord’s commission to John to write this book:
“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” Rev. 1:19
Our Lord’s statement to John shows that the book of Revelation is divided into 3 sections. Let’s look at each of them:
“Things you have seen.”
- Jesus has come; He is the living, risen, resurrected Savior.
What had John seen? A vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Write it,” and John wrote it. We could call this “past things.” This division is small — only chapter one.
“Things which are.”
- He is here now. Jesus is shown in the midst of the churches (chapters two and three). “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
“The things which are” refers to “the Church Age,” from Pentecost to the present. This division is also relatively small (only two chapters) and contains messages to seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. While they were literal churches in Asia Minor back then, they also represent churches through the ages since. Right now we’re living in “the things which are.” We could call this “present things.”
“Things which shall be hereafter.”
- He is coming again. The remaining 19 chapters (the third division, Revelation 4-22) are prophecy, “things which shall be hereafter.”
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice I heard…said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.” (Revelation 4:1)
Only God knows the future. The devil doesn’t. Nor do today’s soothsayers, prophets, and prognosticators. Understanding these 3 divisions is our golden key to Revelation, and with it on our hands we will be better equipped to understand.
On both television and radio, Love Worth Finding will devote the next two months to an in-depth study of the seven major events of Revelation.
#1 — The Rapture of the Church/Departue of the Saints. Notice that from Revelation 4:1 on, the word “church” drops out. Why? Because the church is going to be raptured. We who know Christ are not here on earth; we’re in Heaven, experiencing the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage of the Lamb. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) When will the rapture take place? At any moment. No sign or prophecy must yet be fulfilled before Jesus can come for His church.
#2 — The Rise of the Beast/The Devil's Deceptions. When the church is taken out, the man of sin, the antichrist, will be revealed (Revelation 13:1-3).
#3 — The Great Tribulation/Devastation of the Earth. For seven years the antichrist will hold sway, deceiving the nations, and God will pour out His wrath (Revelation 16-19).
#4 — Armageddon/Defeat of the Beast and His Armies. (Revelation 19:17-21)
#5 — The Millenial Reign/Peace and Dominion of Jesus. The lamb and lion will lie down together and Jesus will reign. (Revelation 20:1-6)
#6 — The Final Judgment/Doom of the Lost. “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it….” (Revelation 20:11-15)
#7 — The Final State/Destiny of Mankind. “And He said unto me, it is done.” (Revelation 21:1-22:17)
Where Will You Be?
When God created you, He made you in His image, a living soul. Endless, timeless, dateless, measureless, your soul will be in existence somewhere. God is making new heavens and a new earth. When these things are going on, where will your soul be? You have a life to live, a death to die, a judgment to face, and an eternity to endure, either in heaven or in hell.
The wisest thing you could ever do would be to give your heart to Jesus Christ. The last words in the Bible are an invitation: “And whosoever is athirst, let him come and take of the water of life freely.” And its last prayer is, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
The book of Revelation is often hard to understand. And many details won’t become clear until these events begin to unfold, but God is not trying to conceal; He’s is trying to reveal.
In Dr. Rogers’ first message from the book of Revelation, he explained that there is a key to help you unlock and understand this book. It’s hanging on the front door, in the first chapter, verse 19, within the Lord’s commission to John to write this book:
“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” Rev. 1:19
Our Lord’s statement to John shows that the book of Revelation is divided into 3 sections. Let’s look at each of them:
“Things you have seen.”
- Jesus has come; He is the living, risen, resurrected Savior.
What had John seen? A vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “Write it,” and John wrote it. We could call this “past things.” This division is small — only chapter one.
“Things which are.”
- He is here now. Jesus is shown in the midst of the churches (chapters two and three). “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
“The things which are” refers to “the Church Age,” from Pentecost to the present. This division is also relatively small (only two chapters) and contains messages to seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. While they were literal churches in Asia Minor back then, they also represent churches through the ages since. Right now we’re living in “the things which are.” We could call this “present things.”
“Things which shall be hereafter.”
- He is coming again. The remaining 19 chapters (the third division, Revelation 4-22) are prophecy, “things which shall be hereafter.”
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice I heard…said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.” (Revelation 4:1)
Only God knows the future. The devil doesn’t. Nor do today’s soothsayers, prophets, and prognosticators. Understanding these 3 divisions is our golden key to Revelation, and with it on our hands we will be better equipped to understand.
On both television and radio, Love Worth Finding will devote the next two months to an in-depth study of the seven major events of Revelation.
#1 — The Rapture of the Church/Departue of the Saints. Notice that from Revelation 4:1 on, the word “church” drops out. Why? Because the church is going to be raptured. We who know Christ are not here on earth; we’re in Heaven, experiencing the judgment seat of Christ and the marriage of the Lamb. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) When will the rapture take place? At any moment. No sign or prophecy must yet be fulfilled before Jesus can come for His church.
#2 — The Rise of the Beast/The Devil's Deceptions. When the church is taken out, the man of sin, the antichrist, will be revealed (Revelation 13:1-3).
#3 — The Great Tribulation/Devastation of the Earth. For seven years the antichrist will hold sway, deceiving the nations, and God will pour out His wrath (Revelation 16-19).
#4 — Armageddon/Defeat of the Beast and His Armies. (Revelation 19:17-21)
#5 — The Millenial Reign/Peace and Dominion of Jesus. The lamb and lion will lie down together and Jesus will reign. (Revelation 20:1-6)
#6 — The Final Judgment/Doom of the Lost. “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it….” (Revelation 20:11-15)
#7 — The Final State/Destiny of Mankind. “And He said unto me, it is done.” (Revelation 21:1-22:17)
Where Will You Be?
When God created you, He made you in His image, a living soul. Endless, timeless, dateless, measureless, your soul will be in existence somewhere. God is making new heavens and a new earth. When these things are going on, where will your soul be? You have a life to live, a death to die, a judgment to face, and an eternity to endure, either in heaven or in hell.
The wisest thing you could ever do would be to give your heart to Jesus Christ. The last words in the Bible are an invitation: “And whosoever is athirst, let him come and take of the water of life freely.” And its last prayer is, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
Monday, May 5, 2014
GodsView : Redefining the Family!
GodsView : Redefining the Family!: I read recently that the definition of the family needed to be revised in light of cultural changes. The writer said a family should be th...
Redefining the Family!
I read recently that the definition of the family needed to be
revised in light of cultural changes. The writer said a family should be
thought of as "a circle of love," including any individuals who were
deeply attached to each other. Somehow I know this is wrong but can't
articulate why. How do you see it?
I am familiar with the effort to redefine the family. It is motivated by homosexual activists and others who see this institution as a barrier to the social engineering they hope to accomplish. But what is the traditional definition of the family? It is a group of individuals who are related to one another by marriage, birth, or adoption-- nothing more, nothing else. The family was divinely instituted and sanctioned in the beginning, when God created one man and one woman, brought them together, and commanded them to "be fruitful and multiply." This is where we begin, and this is where we must stand.
By contrast, if the term family refers to any group of people who love each other, then the term ceases to have meaning. In that case, five homosexual men can be a "family" until one feels unloved, and then there are four. Under such a definition, one man and six women could be regarded as a legal entity, reintroducing the debate over polygamy. We thought we settled that issue in the last century.
It would also be possible for parents who dislike a rebellious teenager to opt him out of the "circle of love," thus depriving him of any legal identity with the family. With such amorphous terms, wives would have no greater legal protection than female acquaintances with whom men become infatuated. We end up with an unstable social structure rife with potential for disaster.
There is good reason, then, to defend the narrow legal definition of the family as understood over the centuries. After all, the family as I have characterized it is not merely human in origin. It is God's marvelous creation. And He has not included casual social relationships--even the most loving ones--within that bond of kinship. Nor should we.
I am familiar with the effort to redefine the family. It is motivated by homosexual activists and others who see this institution as a barrier to the social engineering they hope to accomplish. But what is the traditional definition of the family? It is a group of individuals who are related to one another by marriage, birth, or adoption-- nothing more, nothing else. The family was divinely instituted and sanctioned in the beginning, when God created one man and one woman, brought them together, and commanded them to "be fruitful and multiply." This is where we begin, and this is where we must stand.
By contrast, if the term family refers to any group of people who love each other, then the term ceases to have meaning. In that case, five homosexual men can be a "family" until one feels unloved, and then there are four. Under such a definition, one man and six women could be regarded as a legal entity, reintroducing the debate over polygamy. We thought we settled that issue in the last century.
It would also be possible for parents who dislike a rebellious teenager to opt him out of the "circle of love," thus depriving him of any legal identity with the family. With such amorphous terms, wives would have no greater legal protection than female acquaintances with whom men become infatuated. We end up with an unstable social structure rife with potential for disaster.
There is good reason, then, to defend the narrow legal definition of the family as understood over the centuries. After all, the family as I have characterized it is not merely human in origin. It is God's marvelous creation. And He has not included casual social relationships--even the most loving ones--within that bond of kinship. Nor should we.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)