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Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
He’s Always There
"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6
Toddlers love to launch out on walks by themselves. They walk ahead of their parent without looking back — except when they do look back. Without fail a toddler will glance backward or even stop and turn around as if to say, “Are you still with me?” Once assured of the parent’s presence, they forge ahead.
We are like toddlers in that we need to be assured of God’s presence, especially during difficult times. We can’t turn around and see Him, but we can read the promises of His presence in Scripture. When the Israelites were about to invade the Promised Land, Moses assured them that God would be with them (Deuteronomy 31:6).
The psalmist David wrote that God was with him even in “the valley of the shadow of death” where “goodness and mercy” were always following him (Psalm 23:4, 6). And Jesus said, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).
You are never alone if you belong to Christ. He is there to share your burdens and guide your steps.
"I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.” ~ Mary G. Brainard
_________________
~ by David Jeremiah (https://www.davidjeremiah.org)
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For anyone that knows me....you know that theres nothing negative or pessimistic about me...im a very positive and optimistic person...my glass is not half empty...my glass is not half full ...my glass is full to the rim...my saucer runneth over! I can truly say that i have such joy...peace...contentment in my life and from that the by-product of happiness runs thru my heart...mind and soul daily. I dont stress about things nor do i worry...i truly can say that im "living the dream"...and i often do say that...and by that im not talking financially or materialistically...im talking about being filled from the tips of my toes to the top of my head by the awesome love of God. Now...i know it might sound like im bragging a little...but hey...so be it...im a child of the living God....King Jesus... and He just happens to love me that much! And how much does He love me...so much that He is living in me thru the Holy Spirit! So i never have to wait for Him...look for Him...He walks every step of every day with me! You ask me how i know He lives...He lives within my heart! So im outside this morning...listening to the many birds rejoicing...singing praise to God for this another beautiful day that He has given us...so...ive got to ask you....Where is your heart...mind and soul this morning? Embrace the light of the Son and give Him the praise He deserves! We are nothing without Him!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
“In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:4
"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time for my departure is close. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved His appearing."
2 Timothy 4:6-8
"Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows."
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5
Discovering God’s Path
~ The Lord wants to show you His will — do you want to know what it is?
Scripture Reading:
"Make Your ways known to me, Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I wait for You all day long.” ~ Psalm 25:4-5
• Perhaps you have wondered, Does God have a specific plan for my life?
• And if He does, is it possible to know what the plan is?
These are questions many Christians have grappled with at some point. And there’s good news — the answer to both is a resounding yes! God has a plan for each believer’s life. Moreover, He wants us to know and walk the path He has for us.
Sometimes we make the idea of finding the Lord’s will more complicated than it needs to be. He’s not playing hide and seek with His will.
There are three simple things we can do to discover His best path for our life:
1. We must have a sincere desire for God’s guidance, trusting that He will direct us in His perfect timing.
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears [from God, the Father]. He will also declare to you what is to come.” ~ John 16:13
2. We should seek the Lord through His Word. After all, the Bible is one of the primary tools He uses to make His will and His ways apparent to us.
“All Scripture is inspired by God [breathed out] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man and woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17
3. We are to pray continually, fully expecting that our Father has something to say to us, His beloved children.
“Pray constantly.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17
As we seek the Lord in these ways, we’ll be able to perceive His direction for our life. Then, we can live with the confident hope that we are walking in His will.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/discovering-god-s-path
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A Prayer For the Enemy
The first statement Jesus made from the cross was, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). Maybe we would have understood it more if He had said, "Father, condemn them," or "Father, judge them." But the first thing Jesus said from the cross was a prayer for His enemies: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Jesus was practicing what He preached. Remember, in the Sermon on the Mount He said, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).
And Jesus also was fulfilling a Messianic prophesy. Isaiah 53, written hundreds of years before Christ died, said that the Messiah would make intercession for the transgressors. And that is exactly what Jesus was doing. He was interceding for all the people who played a role in His death.
Pilate himself knew Jesus was innocent. He said, "I find no fault in this Man" (Luke 23:4). But because he was so concerned about his career and position, he would not pardon Jesus and let Him go. The religious rulers knew that no legitimate charge could be brought against Christ. Even the Roman centurion at the cross said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" (Mark 15:39). Judas Iscariot knew he had done wrong, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4).
So Jesus was essentially saying, "Father, forgive them. They don't realize how bad this is. Forgive them, because they need forgiveness so desperately. Forgive them, for they have committed a sin that is beyond all comprehension. Forgive them, for they have done something that is beyond bad. Father, forgive them."
When was the last time you prayed for your enemies?
_________________
~ by Greg Laurie
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In the Interest of Others
~ When we put the welfare of others before our own, we are loving like Jesus.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:3-4
We live in a world where taking care of yourself first is often top priority. But in his letter to the Philippians, Paul suggested that Christians are to operate differently. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,” he wrote, “but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves” (2:3).
Today, it might be easy to miss how radical this statement was in the first century. Let’s look at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount for a moment (Matthew 5:1-48). In order to get to the gospel’s higher standard for humility, the Lord pushed beyond what His followers might have expected. Treating others as well as you treat yourself is a start, but go further and you will see how radical Jesus’ humility was (Philippians 2:5-8).
Cultivating this kind of humility requires more than simply acting humble. That’s what Paul means when he says we should “do nothing from … empty conceit” (Philippians 2:3). Anyone can feign humility if it suits or benefits them. As believers, our call is to truly consider others first and to look out for their interests before our own.
Imagine how our communities would be transformed if everyone put others before themselves.
What’s one step you can take to make that happen?
_______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/in-the-interest-of-others
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Father in Heaven!? Please continue to bless with peace and abundance for Your glory, anyone that reads this board??? 💖 Thank You! In Jesus name. Amen
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Remember...this is coming from a person...me...that lived a life of addiction for 25 years...so...not only have i been there done that...ive pretty much seen it all! So with that said...has that couple of beers or shots of whiskey on the weekend became a nightly thing? You know...just to take the edge off the day. Do you know that nobody wakes up one morning and says i think ill become an alcoholic? Has smoking a joint on the weekend or maybe a couple lines of cocaine turned into several nights a week to help you cope with the craziness, stress and hectic schedule of your life, work and the world? Do you know that nobody wakes up one morning and says i think ill become a drug addict? Do you read this and say...its cool..i can handle it...theres no way that i could ever be addicted...im just releasing stress and having a good time!...No big deal! Thats what millions of people have said in the beginning and sometimes it can take many years before a person wakes one morning and says...what happened to me? Ok, lets travel another road. Those pain pills the doctor gave you...those nerve pills you have been prescribed...how many are you doing a day and are you doing them now to help with a problem or have they become the problem. You know...your taking them now because they make you feel good...the definition of "feel good" is they give you a buzz. Now before you nail me to a cross...i know there is a time for prescribed medication...however...look at the statistics of drug abuse and addiction stemming from prescribed drugs...its right up there with any other drug abuse! Ok...lets look at it in another light. Lets say the light of Jesus! If we say that we have been born-again then the Holy Spirit of God lives in us...so...what are we saying? What are the reasons that we are using alcohol and drugs? Stress, problems, burdens, relax after a hard day? Could it be that Jesus would prefer that we depend on Him for peace and comfort of those things? I mean...the very spirit of God is living in us...Right? And when we are with folks that are unsaved and we are drinking and / or using a little pot and coke...what are those unsaved people saying about us...are they seeing Jesus...or...are they seeing the world in us behaving just like them. What does that do to our witness and testimony? We are told several times in scripture to not be drunk with wine and In Ephesians 5:18 we are told..."And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit". Is not a "buzz" in any form...from any drink, drug and marijuana...all the same thing? And if you are not saved...i can assure you of this. The high you will get from Jesus Christ...if you will give your life to Him...is a high and hope and blessed assurance that alcohol and drugs will and can NEVER give you. One is a band-aide...the other...Jesus...is everlasting! Think about it!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Isaiah 41:13
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalm 34:19
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Isaiah 40:28-29
Hallelujah! The Lord is my Shepherd
Issues Of Trust
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13
Choice is the great power and the great responsibility of each person. The most vital choice we make is about where we place our faith: the landing pad for our trust. There are a thousand choices we make every day that inform and reflect that vital decision.
When we choose to trust God, it is like knocking over the first domino. We can then move through the world, one foot in front of the other, one decision at a time, with effective purpose.
When, instead, we choose to trust our circumstances, it is like wrapping ourselves in a straitjacket. We are forfeiting our ability to choose. The circumstances choose for us. We cast ourselves as the victim and can’t seem to get the dominoes to line up right.
God is trustworthy. He remains faithful. He invented faithfulness. His patience guides and directs us, catching us when we fall. He protects us from being tempted beyond our ability.
Trusting in God prevents our hearts from drifting into oblivion. It frees us from the shackles of bondage, most often self-imposed. It gives us confidence to face whatever lies ahead.
Trust is a decision. And it allows us to decide.
The only way to break free of the straitjacket of trusting circumstances is to perceive God for who He is, put our trust in Him, and perceive our circumstances for what they are worth – the arena for continued choices.
_______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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The Daily Article — June 13, 2024
~ Yahya Sinwar’s “brutal calculation”: Civilian bloodshed in Gaza helps Hamas.
When a group gathered in New York City this week to honor those slain by Hamas at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, anti-Israel protesters descended on the event. One of them shouted, “I wish Hitler was still here, he would’ve wiped all you out.”
Imagine a scenario where terrorists massacre any other group in the world and the world sides with the terrorists. But that is what is happening to the Jews:
• There has been a “steep” jump in antisemitic attacks following October 7.
• Online antisemitism has increased five-fold since the invasion.
• Antisemitism has “skyrocketed” in the US.
• Antisemitic incidents on college campuses have increased 700 percent.
• Antisemitic attacks in the UK are at an all-time high.
Much of this is fueled by outrage over Palestinian casualties resulting from the IDF’s attempts to eradicate Hamas in Gaza to keep the terrorists from staging another attack on Israeli civilians, something the group promises to do if it can.
• But here’s what those who hate Israel don’t understand: Hamas’s leader wants Palestinians to die.
Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s military leader in Gaza, told Hamas officials recently, “We have the Israelis right where we want them.” He calls civilian deaths “necessary sacrifices.” He has said of such deaths, “We make the headlines only with blood,” adding, “No blood, no news.”
Intelligence analysts believe Sinwar is primarily motivated by a desire to take revenge on Israel and to weaken it. The well-being of the Palestinian people or the establishment of a Palestinian state is secondary.
In his strategy, Palestinian casualties will mobilize the global community against Israel, pressuring them to stop the war without eradicating Hamas. According to the Wall Street Journal, “his ultimate goal appears to be to win a permanent cease-fire that allows Hamas to declare a historic victory by outlasting Israel and claim leadership of the Palestinian national cause.” The article calls this strategy Sinwar’s “brutal calculation.”
I would never suggest that Israel, a nation and army comprised of fallible humans, has made no mistakes in this war. And I would hasten to add that every Palestinian casualty resulting from this conflict is a tragedy to God and should be to us.
Nonetheless, Jewish people the world over are facing this tragic and contradictory scenario:
• Israel is doing all it can to minimize Palestinian casualties, both because it recognizes the calculus we’re discussing today and because its worldview emphasizes the sanctity of every life.
• Yahya Sinwar is doing all he can to maximize such casualties for his personal advancement and that of Hamas.
The world blames the former for the sins of the latter.
_______________
Now let’s take this discussion up a spiritual level.
According to Jesus, Satan “comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). Consequently, when we see stealing and killing and destroying, we know that our spiritual enemy is at work.
Here’s a subtle and often-overlooked part of his nefarious strategy: leading us to blame ourselves for his work in our lives and world.
In this sense, Yahya Sinwar is doing what those who serve Satan’s purposes have done for millennia. Just as Satan has convinced Sinwar that the deaths of innocent Palestinians serve the cause of Palestine, so he convinced the religious authorities of Jesus’ day that executing Him was in the best interest of the Jewish nation they purportedly served (John 11:50–52). He likewise convinced the Judaizers who opposed the conversion of Gentiles that they were protecting the purity of God’s people (Acts 15:1–5).
How is Satan similarly seeking to deceive Christians today?
He tempts us to sin and then wants us to blame ourselves for being tempted. He temps us to pride so that if we resist him, we’ll be proud of our humility. He brings persecution against us, hoping that we will then consider ourselves morally superior to those who persecute us rather than loving and praying for them as Jesus taught us (Matthew 5:44–47).
I have found this strategy to be especially problematic: Satan seeks to convince Christians living in our transactional, materialistic culture that our worth to God is based on our works for Him. In this way, we focus not on the Source of our worth and works but on the works themselves. Then, when we inevitably fail, we focus on our failures rather than our Lord and distance ourselves even further from His empowering love and transforming grace.
_______________
Today would have been my father’s one-hundredth birthday. He died at the age of fifty-five when I was a senior in college. Like most sons, I wanted most to please him. His opinion of me mattered on a more powerful and visceral level than that of any other.
Over the years, however, I have begun to learn that I already have the blessing that matters even more — that of my [heavenly] Father. Henri Nouwen wrote in “Adam: God’s Beloved”:
“Each one of us is unique, known by name, and loved by the One who fashioned us.”
He added:
“Unfortunately, there is a very loud, consistent, and powerful message coming to us from our world that leads us to believe that we must prove our belovedness by how we look, what we have, and what we can accomplish. We become preoccupied with “making it” in this life, and we are very slow to grasp the liberating truth of our origins and our finality. We need to hear the message announced and see the message embodied, over and over again. Only then do we find the courage to claim it and live from it.”
Will you find such “courage” today?
_______________
~ published by: Denison Ministries
https://www.denisonforum.org/daily-article/yahya-sinwars-brutal-calculation/
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A Godly Example for Father's Day
Summer was here. For Craig, that meant he'd be going on an annual camping trip with his Grandpa and his cousin Scottie. Craig loved spending the summers at his grandparents' farm. But the annual campout was the highlight of his year. He was all packed - couldn't wait to go.
Craig sat anxiously on the porch swing, waiting for Grandpa to pull up in his beat-up jeep. He noticed a few clouds in the darkening sky. "Looks like rain," he muttered, hoping the clouds would blow over. Then, just as Grandpa pulled into the driveway, it began to pour.
"Looks like this trip is going to be ruined." Craig whined, as he threw his gear into the back of the jeep.
"Well, I don't know about that." replied Grandpa with a wink. "By the time we get to the lake, it's likely this rain will have cleared up. Besides, the best fishin' comes right after a change in the weather."
Craig hopped into the jeep and after a quick stop to pick up Scottie, they were on their way.
As they arrived at the lake, the rain had slowed to a slight drizzle. Setting up the tent was a messy job. Though he had mud splattered everywhere, Grandpa never complained. He was grateful that God had sent a little water to make driving the stakes into the ground a little easier.
Once the tent was set up, it was the boys' job to gather firewood. "This wood's all wet, Grandpa." yelled Craig. But wet wood wasn't enough to discourage Grandpa, either. As Grandpa carefully arranged the wood for a campfire, he told the boys a story from the Bible about Elijah calling down fire from heaven to consume not only wet wood, but an altar also.
After Grandpa got the fire going, the boys had a wiener roast. The mixed smells of the wood burning and the hot dogs roasting just above the flickering flame had the boys mouths watering with hunger. The hot dogs were delicious. Both boys ate heartily. Then Grandpa pulled out a big bag of marshmallows and they roasted them, too.
Scottie's first marshmallow burst into flames so Grandpa showed the boys how to slowly and steadily toast them just above the fire. By this time, it was getting rather late. The boys sat close to Grandpa and watched the stars come out after the clouds had blown away. After a brief lesson in astronomy, the boys gazed into the heavens while listening to the sounds of nature.
"What was that?" asked Craig, hearing an old owl hooting in the nearby woods. "It's just an owl." replied Grandpa, who found himself identifying a number of other sounds to the boys. Together they learned to recognize the sounds of frogs croaking, crickets chirping and even a cougar's scream.
"Grandpa, how'd you get so smart?" Scottie questioned.
"Oh, Scottie, I'm not all that smart." Grandpa replied. "I just happen to know the One who has all the answers."
"Me too, Grandpa." Craig shot back. "And do you know why we say our prayers every night before we go to bed?"
"Why's that, Craig?"
"Because we know God's home when we see His lights come on." came Craig's reply.
And then with a chuckle, Grandpa explained to the boys that God is omniscient. "Now I know that's a mighty big word for you boys to understand, but let me put it this way. God is all knowing. He knows your thoughts before you ever put your prayers into words."
"Wow!" came Scottie's reply. "That's awesome." said Craig.
"Awesome," replied Grandpa. "I can't think of a better word to describe Him."
"And Grandpa," Scottie piped up. "We wouldn't know much about Him, if it hadn't been for you."
The Bible says, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children..." (Proverbs 13:22).
The most important thing you can give your children or grandchildren is a godly example of a life well-lived for Jesus!
_______________
~ published by: The Daily Encourager
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Here in the United States i think i can safely say that we are a nation that has freedoms like no other place on earth. When we stop and think about life here in the United States and the freedoms we have as opposed to what is going on in much of the world around us...we actually have it pretty dad burn cushy...right? Now dont get me wrong...here in the USA it is far from perfect with the daily goings on and at times even here in the USA it can seem pretty chaotic. The thing that we need to remember is this. All the problems and even sometimes madness here in the USA and around the world comes from a little three letter word called "SIN"...and i hate to be the bearer of bad news in case you dont already know...its not going to get any better. Now...why would i say such a thing? My Bible tells me in pretty plain words that this earth and everything on it is going to be destroyed by God one day along with everything in the universe. And at that time every human is either going to spend eternity / forever...in heaven or hell. So you see...all the chaos and calamity happening here on the earth from humans embracing "SIN" and all the natural disasters that are taking place and getting worse...is simply Bible prophecy being fulfilled leading us to the Rapture, Tribulation, Millennium, End Times. Its that plain and simple. Ive heard it said many times that only 10% of the 7.6 billion people that live here on planet earth are followers of Jesus...saved...born-again. So that means that 90% are following satan. Now let me clarify something...if you dont have a personal relationship with Jesus then you are a follower of satan...there is NO middle ground. So...with that thought in mind...does it really surprise us that the world and the USA is in the shape its in...Its called "SIN"!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Mark 7:20-23
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
1 John 3:4
Fellowship in the Spirit
~ Are you experiencing deep connection with other believers and participating in God's work on earth?
Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:1-4
Most churches have a fellowship hall — a space where members gather for all kinds of events other than worship services. Getting out of the pew and interacting with our brothers and sisters in Christ fosters a deep sense of community.
Paul describes this kind of togetherness as “being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Philippians 2:2). Our Bibles usually translate it as “fellowship of the Spirit” (Philippians 2:1).
But today, the word fellowship has lost some of its original impact. To recapture what it was meant to convey, let’s examine the word Paul uses in that verse. The Greek term “koinonia" means what we use the English word fellowship to express — that is, connection and camaraderie with others.
What’s more, koinonia carries a sense of participation in what God is doing. This seems reasonable, given that the church and its members are Christ’s body (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27). Together, we enjoy His life and love in certain ways that we understand — and in others we don’t fully grasp yet.
Remembering our fellowship in the Spirit can help bring about unity in the family of faith. How can you foster this kind of fellowship in your own church and friendships?
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/fellowship-in-the-spirit
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Glory To Glory
“If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.” ~ John 15:7-8
God’s glory is the visible reality of who He is. All around us, this truth is being proclaimed. In nature. Through lives. And through the Spirit within our hearts. Glory is simply the essence of something being observed. God’s glory is something in which we participate.
We participate when we observe and see God. And we participate when we abide in the vine that is Jesus, and thereby show God to others by living in obedience. Abiding is the fruit of our choices, an action verb of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Body of Christ.
When we adopt a true perspective, we experience glory. It surrounds us like a swimmer diving in the ocean and runs through us like the marathoner chugging a drink. He is the living water. The well that never runs dry.
We show others the glory of God as we make decisions that honor the truth of who He is. That in turn shapes who we are. No circumstance can disqualify us from this opportunity. God’s promise shines through every opportunity. Sometimes it is mundane. Sometimes it is just a glimmer. Sometimes it is so brilliant we cannot look directly at it.
God is offering us the glory of His perspective. The refreshing abundance of truth. There is nothing greater in all of creation than the Presence of God. And He has decided to share it with and through us.
________________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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We all know about the many pagan religions of the world...and...even here in the United States...many people have adopted their own religions and call it "christian" but in reality...there is just enough truth of the word of God...mixed with the untruth...to draw people in...and the reason for that is because the true word of God...well...its just a little to strict and hard for them to deal with and live by. You know...the ole mentality that..."Gods word was written way back there when times were different...it really dont apply to todays world...Well...not completely". That is why the new religions / faiths that profess to be "christian" here in the USA have prospered so. There is the Health, Wealth and Prosperity bunch...New Age...Universalism...just to name a few. Thats also the reason the TV has many false prophets that are wolves in sheep clothing masquerading as preachers and they have prospered so well. Because they tell the people what they want to hear to make the so called "Christian" living / life a breeze. You know...as long as we try and be pretty good...as long as we do our little "christian" rituals...do our godly duty best we can...we are OK. Forget that little detail of sin and folks going to hell. In its own way millions of people are going to church to be entertained today...Not to truly worship God! They want to get the warm and fuzzes for an hour and then back to business as usual for the rest of the week! Remember..we can pull the wool over the eyes of much of the world but we aint fooling God ever!...judgement day is coming!
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Timothy 4:3
“'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.'”.
Matthew 15:8-9
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Matthew 7:15
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:1
And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
Mark 7:9
In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
Mark 7:7
Buckets
“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” [which means “Yes”] ascends to God for His glory.” ~ 2 Corinthians 1:20
No circumstance disqualifies us from hearing (and saying) “Yes” to the kingdom of God.
Humans love to compartmentalize. We wade through our days and load up circumstances into the two buckets of what we call “good” and “bad”. We toil through life trying to control the flow of water into the good bucket. In our frazzled efforts, one thing we rarely do is stop to evaluate our perspective on the buckets – what we define as good and bad.
All circumstances are an opportunity. All of them. They are all valuable, all useful. At a minimum, every circumstance is an opportunity to exercise faith, an amazing activity we will only be able to do in this life. No event can be discarded as unimportant. From the mundane to the tragic, everything that happens to us opens an avenue of availability to exercise faith in relationship with God and one another.
God is transcendent over our compartmentalizing. He is there through it all. We might say “no” to God’s promises with our attempts to control or compartmentalize. But God’s promises are always “Yes” anyways. His invitation is there for us to say “Yes” as well. The choice to perceive His truth belong to us. The choice to participate in “Yes” is ours.
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~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net
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What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
~ this is a 31-minute read – alternatively, read the article at the following website link: (https://www.denisonforum.org/resources/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality)
Homosexuality, LGBTQ+ issues, and same-sex marriages are divisive issues in today’s culture, especially within American Christianity. This leads many people to wonder, “What does the Bible say about homosexuality?”
Denison Forum has compiled the following resource to help you know more about God’s Word on this issue.
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Whether it’s the pejoratively named “Don’t Say Gay” bill from a few years ago in Florida or similar stories in the years since, it is difficult to discuss this issue rationally and in a way that leads to fruitful discussion. And the degree to which the conversation has shifted from adults to children is one of the main reasons why. It seems that the acceptance of homosexuality is so widespread that schools are teaching it in sex-ed at younger and younger ages. Some Americans are actively raising and guiding their children toward queer relationships as young as toddlers.
But that leaves the question, how should Christians respond to this issue?
• Although same-sex marriage has been legalized and accepted in American culture, should it stay legal?
• Should practicing homosexuals be ordained into Christian ministry?
• What does the Bible say on this controversial and emotional issue?
• Does the Bible allow for these relationships, and is it even a big deal to God?
On such a controversial and emotional issue, we need to know whose word we are going to trust. We can find scholars who support any of the variety of positions that are advocated on the subject.
It is not my intention to treat fully the multitude of interpretive comments that deal with the biblical texts on the subject. My goal is simply to review what the Bible says about homosexuality, as clearly, succinctly, and practically as possible. And, at the end of the day, champion love first and foremost.
Seek the intended meaning of the Bible:
And so, I must begin with an interpretive word.
When I taught principles of biblical interpretation at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, I often told my students, “The Bible can never mean what it never meant.” We must seek the intended meaning of the text as understood in its original context.
I also said often, “The only word God is obligated to bless is his word.” What matters to us today is not my opinions or yours, but God’s.
Such a position is not held universally on this subject:
For instance, Dr. Walter Wink states in his thoughtful booklet, Homosexuality and the Bible, “Where the Bible mentions homosexual behavior at all, it clearly condemns it. I freely grant that. The issue is precisely whether that Biblical judgment is correct” (p. 12).
Dr. Wink then compares homosexuality to the issue of slavery: he argues that the Bible condones slavery, states that the Bible was wrong on that subject, and concludes that it is equally wrong on the issue before us (pp. 12-13).
I greatly respect Dr. Wink’s enormous contributions to New Testament studies, especially on the subjects of spiritual warfare and nonviolence. But I could not disagree more strongly with his assertion, “The issue is precisely whether that Biblical judgment is correct.”
Without digressing into an extended defense of biblical authority, I wish to state clearly that I believe every word of the Bible to be the word of God. I believe the Scriptures to possess the same authority for our lives today as they possessed for their first hearers and readers.
For my purposes, the only question we’ll seek to answer is: What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
Does “the sin of Sodom” condemn homosexuality?
The Supreme Court made history on June 27, 2003, when it struck down the “sodomy laws” of the state of Texas. In a 6-3 decision, the justices reversed course from a ruling seventeen years ago that states could punish homosexuals for private consensual sex. Such activity is typically called “sodomy” because of the text we’ll study today.
In a survey of passages typically cited on the divisive issue of homosexuality, Genesis 19 and the sin of Sodom is usually listed first. Lot entertained two angels who came to the city to investigate its sins. These angels appeared as men. Before they went to bed, “all the men from every part of the city of Sodom — both young and old — surrounded the house. 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’” (vv. 4-5 NIV). For such sin, “the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah” (v. 24), destroying them.
Is this text a condemnation of homosexuality?
Dr. Walter Wink believes not: “That was a case of ostensibly heterosexual males intent on humiliating strangers by treating them ‘like women,’ thus demasculinizing them” (p. 1). However, Dr. Wink offers no textual evidence that the men were “ostensibly heterosexual.” His view is only conjectural and stands against the vast majority of interpretation across the centuries.
Dr. Peter Gomes, the minister at Harvard’s Memorial Church and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard College, offers a different approach. He has written an extremely erudite introduction to the Bible and its message, The Good Book. Dr. Gomes, himself a homosexual (p. 164), treats this passage as an attempted homosexual rape and argues that it does not condemn homosexuality per se (pp. 150-52).
A third approach is suggested by D. Sherwin Bailey in his influential book, Homosexuality and the Western Christian Tradition. Dr. Bailey argues that the Hebrew word for “know,” translated “have sex” by the New International Version, relates not to sexual activity but to hospitality. The word appears more than 943 times in the Old Testament and only twelve times in the context of sexual activity.
However, ten of these twelve times are in the book of Genesis, the context for our text. Lot’s response to the crowd, offering his daughters so they can “do what you like with them,” makes clear that he interpreted their desires as sexual (v. 8). Everett Fox’s excellent translation of Genesis includes the note, “the meaning is unmistakably sexual” (p. 80). And Jude 7 settles the question as to whether sexual activity is meant by our text: “Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.”
It is also the case that Jewish and later Christian interpretation of the passage has historically and commonly seen the sin in Sodom as homosexuality itself, not just attempted rape. While this fact does not settle the interpretative question, it is worth noting as we proceed.
What about Leviticus 18:22?
The next text typically cited on our subject is Leviticus 18:22, and it is far less ambiguous: “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.” The Hebrew is as clear as the English translation.
The obvious sense of the command seems to be: homosexual sexual relations are forbidden by Scripture. This is the way the text has typically been understood by Jewish and Christian interpreters across the centuries. It is the way most read the text still today.
But those who advocate homosexuality as an acceptable biblical lifestyle have found ways to dissent. Dr. Walter Wink admits that this text “unequivocally condemns same-sex sexual behavior.” But he theorizes that the ancient Hebrews saw any sexual activity which could not lead to the creation of life as a form of abortion or murder. He adds that the Jews would have seen homosexuality as “alien behavior, representing yet one more incursion of pagan civilization into Jewish life.”
He then cites the penalty for homosexual behavior: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads” (Leviticus 20:13). In his reasoning, if we see this punishment for homosexuality as obsolete today, we should see its prohibition of this behavior as equally outdated. He concludes his argument against making Leviticus 18:22 normative for sexual ethics today by citing a list of other biblical ethics he considers to be obsolete or in need of reinterpretation, e.g., intercourse during menstruation, polygamy, concubinage, and slavery among them.
And that’s not all. Other critics see the Levitical laws as expressive of worship codes, not universal moral standards. And they argue that all such laws were intended only for their day and time, such as kosher dietary laws and harvest regulations.
Is there an objective way to respond to these assertions?
First, let’s consider the claim that this Old Testament law has no relevance for New Testament believers but should be classified with kosher laws and such:
A basic rule of biblical interpretation is that any Old Testament teaching repeated in the New Testament carries the weight of command to the Christian church and faith. And the prohibition against homosexual activity is most certainly present there (see Romans 1:26-27, a passage we will consider in due time).
Even those Old Testament statements that are not repeated in the New Testament carry the force of principle. For instance, kosher laws tell us, at the least, that God cares about our bodies and health.
Second, it is claimed that the Leviticus passage expresses a worship code, not a moral standard:
The logic is that Leviticus is written with regard to the Levitical priests and their duties of worship preparation and leadership and does not apply as such to the larger family of faith. However, the chapter in question begins, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them . . . .’” (18:1).
Nothing in the chapter limits its application or significance to the Levites. Rather, the chapter exhorts all Israel to “keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them” (v. 4). It proceeds to forbid incestuous relationships, child sacrifice, and bestiality — standards I presume critics of Leviticus 18:22 would consider universal.
Third, it has been argued that the Leviticus prohibition of homosexuality is to be classed with other biblical statements that can be considered obsolete, such as the apparent biblical endorsement of slavery. This claim is cited frequently, so much so that we need to consider it next.
Slavery and the Scriptures:
My move to Atlanta in 1994 gave me my first exposure to the remarkable colonial history of the East Coast. When people living in South Carolina speak of “the War,” they could mean the Civil War (though they’ll say “there was nothing civil about it”) or the Revolutionary War.
It is a fascinating region. With one exception:
While traveling in Charleston one day, my wife, Janet, and I came upon the “slave trading warehouse,” the place where slaves were brought to America on ships and sold at market. I can still remember the building and my revulsion upon seeing it.
I believe that racism is the greatest sin in America, the failure that keeps us from addressing our other failures. Racism makes crime in south Dallas a “black” problem and drug abuse in north Dallas a “white” problem — when they’re all our problems.
Given our tragic history with racism, treating the subject of slavery in the Bible is a bit repugnant for us. However, a very common assertion regarding the topic of homosexuality and the word of God is that the biblical injunctions against this lifestyle are outdated, as is its acceptance of slavery. If we can prove that the Bible was wrong on the latter, we can believe that it is wrong on the former.
The issue of slavery in the Bible is a large and comprehensive subject, far more wide-ranging than we will consider in this article. I’ll try to limit our study to the barest of essentials so we can relate it to the larger question that brings it to our attention.
Slavery was an accepted part of life in Old Testament times. We know of no culture or ancient literature that questioned its existence or necessity. Persons became slaves in a variety of ways:
• They were born to enslaved parents (Genesis 17:23).
• They were purchased (Genesis 37:28).
• They sold themselves to pay a debt (Leviticus 25:39-55).
• Breaking into a home was punished by enslavement (Exodus 22:3).
• Prisoners of war were commonly enslaved (Joel 3:6).
• And the children of Israel enslaved the Canaanites they had conquered in the Promised Land (Judges 1:28).
Slaves in Israel were considered to be property and could be bought and sold (Exodus 21:32). They were granted protection against murder, permanent injury, or undue physical labor (Exodus 21:20, 26; 23:12). Hebrew household slaves were circumcised (Genesis 17:12) and included at religious meals (Exodus 12:44).
Why did the Old Testament not decry slavery in general and move to free all those enslaved?
In many ways, it did.
There were several ways a Hebrew slave could be freed (a process called “manumission”):
• An individual could be purchased and set free (Exodus 21:8).
• A slave permanently injured by his master was to be set free (Exodus 21:26).
• Hebrews were to be held as slaves for no longer than six years (Deuteronomy 15:12).
• And the Jubilee Year, which occurred every forty-nine years, was to free all Israelite slaves (Leviticus 25:50).
But still we ask: Why did the Old Testament sanction this practice at all?
In fact, it simply recognized a fact of all ancient civilization. And its rules minimized this evil, protected its victims more fully than did any other society, and provided means for their eventual freedom. But the New Testament would bring God’s word on the subject to much fuller expression.
In the Old Testament era, the primary way persons were enslaved was through capture in war. But in the first century AD, the breeding of slaves swelled their numbers enormously. And large numbers of people sold themselves into slavery as a means of improving their quality of life. Owning and using people as slaves was so commonplace in the Roman Empire that not a single ancient writer is known to have condemned the practice. But all that would begin to change with the advent of the Christian movement.
What was the New Testament attitude toward slavery?
And how does this stance affect our study of the issue of homosexuality?
Slavery in the Roman era was dramatically different from the despicable practice as we know it in American history. If you had been walking through any first-century Roman city, you would not have been able to distinguish between slaves and free. Patterns of work, relationships, or faith were no different between the two. Slaves served not only to do manual labor but also as doctors, nurses, household managers, and intellectuals. They administered funds and cities. They were typically given an excellent education at the expense of their owners so that philosophers and tutors were typically slaves.
Even more amazing to us, it was common for people to sell themselves into slavery to secure such privileges. A person who desired citizenship in the Empire could achieve it by enslaving himself to a citizen, then purchasing his freedom. Slavery was more a process than a condition.
While there is no doubt that many slaves were abused physically, sexually, and socially, it is also true that at least as many were part of the more privileged strata of society. And the total dependence of the Roman economy upon the labor of slaves made it impossible for the Empire to conceive of abolishing this institution. If an economist were to propose that we refuse all goods and services imported from outside America, we’d be equally surprised.
Does the New Testament then argue for slavery? Absolutely not.
In summary, what is the New Testament’s view of slavery?
No writer attempted to lead his readers to end the institution per se, as this was not possible in the Roman Empire. Those initiating such an uprising would have been quickly annihilated as rebels and threats to Caesar. But several other facts should be noted as well.
First, Paul abolished even the possibility of racial or social discrimination for followers of Jesus:
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” ~ Galatians 3:26-28
Every believer is our sister or brother. The ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Second, wherever the apostolic church spoke to this issue, it did so with a view to freedom and equality:
Paul appealed to Philemon to see his slave, Onesimus, “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother” (v. 16).
Clement, a friend of Paul, wrote in his letter to the Corinthians (ca. AD 90), “We know many among ourselves who have given themselves up to bonds, in order that they might ransom others. Many, too, have surrendered themselves to slavery, that with the price which they received for themselves, they might provide food for others”.
And Ignatius (died AD 107) wrote to Polycarp: “Do not despise either male or female slaves, yet neither let them be puffed up with conceit, but rather let them submit themselves the more, for the glory of God, that they may obtain from God a better liberty.”
Third, the New Testament church gave those who were enslaved a family and a home:
This was one reason why so many of the earliest believers were slaves. Pastors and congregational leaders were drawn from the ranks both of slaves and free. Christians made no distinction between the two, for their Father welcomed all as His children.
Last, not a single New Testament leader owned slaves or condoned such, even though many had the means to purchase them:
Examples: Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, or Barnabas. Their example inspired William Wilberforce and countless other Christians to do all they could to abolish slavery, and we thank God that they were successful.
It is therefore an extremely unfair accusation to claim that the Bible was “wrong” or “outdated” on the issue of slavery and thus on the subject of homosexuality.
The Bible and the punishment of homosexuals:
One objection to the Leviticus statement remains. Dr. Walter Wink and others point out its punishment for homosexuality: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads” (Leviticus 20:13).
If we no longer execute those who practice homosexuality, are we justified in ignoring the prohibition against such activity entirely?
Those who argue that homosexuality is a biblical lifestyle point to this “outdated” penalty as reason to consider the prohibition to be equally irrelevant to society today.
No one I know would argue that homosexual practice should result in the death penalty today. But let’s consider two facts.
First, the Levitical code was given to Israel at a crucial time in her early formation:
The nation had no functional law process or court system. Her moral character was not yet formed. And so, the Lord gave the nation clear and enforceable standards that would help solidify and preserve her spiritual future. The spirit of the Levitical prohibition is clear: homosexuality is not to be practiced or accepted by the nation.
Second, a reinterpretation of the penalty prescribed by a law does not justify the decision to ignore the law itself:
Leviticus also prescribes the death penalty for child sacrifice (20:2), adultery (v. 10), and bestiality (vv. 15-16). I presume we would not accept these practices as moral and lawful today on the basis that their prescribed punishments are not prosecuted by our society.
And so, we have surveyed arguments for ignoring the Levitical prohibitions against homosexual practice and have concluded that these laws are indeed timeless in import, expressive of moral standard, relevant to our culture, and a valid basis for moral standards today. An objective reading of the Levitical prohibitions leads to the clear conclusion that this part of God’s word considers homosexual practice to be wrong.
A survey of the biblical materials relating to this issue would also include Deuteronomy 23:17-18, which outlaws prostitution, whether male or female. But interpreters are divided as to whether the passage relates to homosexuality in general.
What does the New Testament say about homosexuality?
Turning to the New Testament, three passages are typically cited.
1. Homosexuality in the New Testament: Romans 1:26-27
The first is Romans 1:26-27: “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 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.”
At first reading, Paul seems clearly to consider homosexual activity to be unbiblical. But there is another way to interpret the passage, suggested by those who support homosexuality as a biblical lifestyle.
In their reading, Paul is addressing the issue of heterosexual men and women who choose homosexual activity, which is “unnatural” for them. If this is true, Paul’s statement bears no relevance to those who consider themselves homosexual by innate or “natural” orientation.
Is such an interpretation the most objective way to read the text?
No, for two reasons.
First, Paul describes homosexual acts themselves as “shameful lusts” (v. 26), “indecent acts,” and “perversion” (v. 27). To suggest that his descriptions relate only to the (supposed) decision to engage in such activity by heterosexuals is to strain the Greek syntax beyond its meaning.
Second, Paul states that men who engage in homosexual activity “abandoned natural relations with women,” making clear the fact that he considers heterosexuality to be “natural.” Likewise, he describes lesbian activity as “unnatural.”
One can conclude that Paul was wrong, that homosexual orientation can be “natural” and its sexual expression therefore “natural relations.” But one cannot argue on the basis of this text that homosexuality is biblical, for Paul’s scriptural words clearly state the opposite.
2. Homosexuality in the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
The next New Testament text typically included in our topic is 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: “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 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
“Male prostitutes” could refer to men who sold themselves sexually, either in heterosexual or homosexual activity. As translated by the New International Version, the word would not necessarily speak to our subject, as prostitution of any kind is almost universally understood to be immoral.
But the Greek word so translated is more likely a technical term for the passive partner in homosexual activity (Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, 2:56). And so it may well refer to one who engages in homosexuality, without a necessary connection to prostitution. The activity it describes makes it harder to assert that Paul had no concept of homosexual orientation but meant his words only for heterosexuals who practice (for unexplained reasons) homosexual behavior.
The other term germane to our discussion is translated by the NIV as “homosexual offenders.” The Greek word is defined by Fritz Rienecker as “a male who has sexual relations with a male, homosexual.” Here the word has no connection with prostitution. Again, one can claim that Paul was wrong in his understanding of human sexuality. But it seems to me that we cannot read his words in their intended meaning as accepting of homosexual activity.
3. Homosexuality in the New Testament: 1 Timothy 1:8-11
The last passage for our study is part of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. Here is the paragraph in which our verse is found: “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers — and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me” (1 Timothy 1:8-11).
The phrase in question is found in verse 10, translated by the NIV as “adulterers and perverts.” “Adulterers” renders the root Greek word “pornos", from which we get “pornography,” and means one who practices sexual immorality. When accented on the second syllable, it frequently refers to one who operates a brothel. When accented on the first syllable, as in our text, it can refer to homosexual activity.
“Perverts” renders the Greek word “arsenokoites”, typically translated as “homosexual.” We see it in 1 Corinthians 6:9, where it is translated by the NIV as “homosexual offenders.” The word means literally “one who has sexual relations with men.” While some attempt to interpret the word as it is found in 1 Corinthians 6 with reference to prostitution, such a connection is even more difficult to maintain in the present text.
And so, once more, we find Paul addressing the subject at hand with what appears to be the clear position that homosexuality is an unbiblical practice or lifestyle.
Such is the consistent teaching of the New Testament on the subject.
Does the Bible endorse homosexuality?
"I am not gay, have no family members who are, and have no experience with this lifestyle. So, who am I to judge?”
"Why don’t we just let consenting adults do what they wish so long as no one else is hurt?"
Many in our society take this approach to the subject, whatever their own sexual preferences might be. To do otherwise seems to be intolerant and judgmental, two words our postmodern, relativistic society condemns.
On the other hand, believers and those interested in the Christian faith do well to ask what God’s word says to every subject present in our culture. An objective reading of history and Scripture will inform our faith and make it more relevant to our problems and issues. For many paragraphs, we’ve considered such a survey. Now let’s summarize what we’ve found and ask how it all applies to our lives and relationships.
We have surveyed the seven passages typically cited with regard to this issue.
In Genesis 19, we find the attempt by men in Sodom to “have sex” with Lot’s angelic visitors (v. 5) and God’s consequent punishment against the city. While homosexual practice is clearly part of the text, the passage is less clear as to whether God’s judgment is against homosexuality itself or the crowd’s abusive attempt to commit homosexual rape.
Next, we found Leviticus 18:22, with its clear prohibition against homosexual activity, and Leviticus 20:13, with its prescription of the death penalty for such activity.
Since some consider these passages as “outdated” as the Bible’s (supposed) endorsement of slavery, we next took a brief side journey through the latter issue. After noting the biblical abolition of social and racial discrimination (Galatians 3:26-28) and the fact that followers of Jesus were the leaders in abolishing the institution of slavery, we concluded that the Bible is being unfairly interpreted by its critics on this issue.
We briefly considered Deuteronomy 23:17-18, which outlaws all prostitution, whether male or female. And we focused at some length on Romans 1:26-27, with its description of homosexual acts as “unnatural” and “indecent.”
We closed our survey with brief studies of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 1:8-11, passages that are considered by some to refer to homosexual prostitution but which seem more objectively to forbid homosexual practice in any context.
As we have seen, proponents of homosexuality as a biblical lifestyle have arguments by which they attempt to reinterpret these passages. It may be of interest, however, to note that no biblical passage can be cited with confidence as an endorsement of this activity. No biblical leader or ethical model taught by the Scriptures can be effectively construed as practicing this lifestyle.
The Old Testament prohibitions we have discussed in our survey are too unambiguous to ignore, and are renewed in the New Testament. A basic principle of biblical interpretation is that an Old Testament teaching that is renewed or endorsed in the New Testament retains the force of precept and principle for Christians today (see Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart, How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth, 2d ed. [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993] 153).
So, in completing our brief biblical survey of this issue, it seems clear to me that Scripture intends us to see homosexual practice as unbiblical.
Practical questions about homosexuality:
Several questions come immediately to mind.
1. What about the argument that homosexuality is inherited?
If this is true, at least for some, how can such activity be wrong?
“God made me this way” is a typical testimony. A very brief response would be that the connection between genetics and homosexuality is tenuous at best.
Where research has seemed to indicate some physical propensity toward homosexual orientation, others in the field have refuted such a conclusion. It is widely believed that alcoholism can be an inherited genetic propensity, but no one would therefore endorse its practice. While this is a very unfortunate analogy regarding homosexuals, it perhaps illustrates the fact that not every genetic tendency should be endorsed (if homosexuality is, in fact, such).
2. What about environmental conditions?
Studies have been conducted of identical twins who were separated at birth, where one developed a homosexual lifestyle but the other did not. Particular family or circumstantial patterns are sometimes seen in these cases to contribute to sexual orientation. But again, other interpreters disagree with such conclusions.
3. What does all this mean for those who deal with homosexuality on a personal basis?
Those who practice homosexuality seem to fall into two categories:
• Some can remember decisions, choices, and circumstances by which they moved into this lifestyle.
• Others believe this lifestyle to be a sexual orientation which, for them, existed from birth or prior to conscious choice and intention.
It is obviously both impossible and wrong for me (or any other person) to say which category is appropriate to a specific individual.
At the same time, it seems clear to me that homosexuality is an unbiblical lifestyle. So, what practical conclusions can guide those who interpret Scripture as I do as we seek to relate biblically and positively to those who are homosexual?
First, I need to state clearly that homosexuality is not the “unpardonable sin” (Mark 3.29):
The only sin God cannot forgive is that sin that rejects his forgiveness. To be more specific, the Holy Spirit works to convict us of our need for salvation through Christ. If we refuse this offer of saving grace, God cannot forgive us, as we have rejected the only means by which His forgiveness can be given.
As a result, whether homosexuality is a person’s choice or orientation, he or she does not stand outside of the grace and love of God. Such sexual activity is no more unbiblical than many other sins listed in Scripture, including hatred, slander, gossip, and gluttony. We are wrong to reject the person because he or she is practicing a lifestyle we consider unbiblical. In other ways, so are we.
Second, and in contrast to my first statement, we do others no good if we endorse that which is unbiblical or hurtful to them:
There are twin temptations here. One is to refuse any statement that might appear judgmental with regard to homosexuality, lest we appear to be rejecting the individual. The other is to condemn the person rather than the behavior.
Our Father never falls into either mistake. He always exposes that which hurts His children, all the while loving them as His children.
And so we are to maintain that difficult balance that loves the person while opposing that which is unbiblical in his or her life. We want others to do the same for us, don’t we?
How should Christians respond to homosexuals?
I’m writing today with several personal friends especially in mind: a mother of a gay son, a brother of a gay sister, a son whose father is divorcing his wife and announcing his homosexuality, and a close college friend who several years ago declared his homosexuality and is no longer in vocational Christian ministry.
What would I say to these four people if they were reading this essay?
Two comments are easy to make, the other two not as much so:
1. God loves each of us.
He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and faith in his Son (2 Peter 3:9). He so loved the world that he gave his Son for us all (John 3:16). Nothing we do, no matter how unbiblical, can separate us from his love for us.
Your son, sister, father, or friend is loved by our Father in heaven.
2. A homosexual person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
He or she is acting out a lifestyle that many of us understand to be unbiblical — but so are any of us who practice slander, gossip, heterosexual lust, or egotistical pride.
So-called “gay bashing” is always wrong. Any action or attitude that demeans a person or makes them less valuable is the opposite of the grace and unconditional love of Christ.
3. While we wish to offer the dignity and respect of Christian grace to all persons, we cannot truly love them while endorsing that which is unbiblical in their lives.
As intolerant as the next sentence may seem, it is honestly motivated by a sincere desire to speak the truth in love: we can and should pray for those in the homosexual lifestyle to come to repentance and transformation.
After including homosexuality in his list of sins (1 Corinthians 6:9), Paul next told the Corinthians: “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” (v. 11).
I recognize that some will read this paragraph as bigoted prejudice. However, any of us would want to help those we care about to practice a biblical lifestyle that leads to the fullest abundance of Christ’s joy (John 10:10). This is the honest motivation behind my suggestion that such intercession is appropriate for the gay people we know and love.
I must offer one last suggestion, a statement that will engender further resistance from many in the gay community:
4. Those who consider themselves to be homosexual by sexual orientation should practice sexual celibacy.
Many will counter that I have no idea how difficult such a lifestyle decision would be. They’re right.
But given that I understand the Bible to teach clearly that homosexuality is an unbiblical lifestyle, the only conclusion I can draw is that the practice of this lifestyle will lead the person out of the will of God and into harmful behavior.
Abstinence is, by this logic, the option that is in that person’s best personal interest. I can only hope that my heart is clear in offering this suggestion. My desire is not to condemn but to offer biblical truth as I understand it.
This article is offered with the prayer that the Lord of Scripture will use his word to bring healing, hope, and help to hearts and homes troubled by the issue of homosexuality. To the degree that these thoughts have shed more light than heat, my prayer will be answered.
________________
~ published by: Denison Ministries
https://www.denisonforum.org/resources/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality/
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Amen Brother! Have a blessed weekend!
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This morning i would ask you to look around..and you dont have to look far...read the paper...watch the news...can we agree that the world is pretty screwed up? When we look at the vast majority of people can we agree that to some extent to pretty much totally...that morals and values...just a good standard of living has taken a back seat or has flown right out the window. Do you sometimes to often say...it cant get much worse then something happens that leaves you shaking your head in disbelief...like the ole saying goes...just when you think it cant get much worse...Look Out! So lets stop and think on all this because as we know...there is some really bad stuff going on not only in the world...but also here in the United States..where we are suppose to be a nation that is not only held at a higher standard by the world...we are suppose to be a nation under God. So whats the problem..it all comes down to a little three letter word...SIN! Now folks...for those of us that are born-again...we should know this...and of course the unsaved world...im pretty sure they dont have a clue. We have to remember that the world has always been pretty screwed up...i mean...it got so bad at one point...God sent a flood and killed the entire world except for eight people and a ark full of animals. And when you look at history...both of the Bible and secular world...humans have spent massive amounts of time and effort killing each other...all the way back to the beginning of creation when Adam and Eves son Cain killed his brother Abel. So heres the deal...this ole world aint gonna get no better...we can open the good book...the Bible...and it tells us very plain and simply that things are going to get worse just as in those days of Noah...and God is going to this next time...destroy this ole world we are living on...the heavens and the earth...once and for all. But there is hope for everyone...and that is by and thru the person of Jesus Christ. Remember...all of us...yes even us folks that profess to be born-again believers...we all lived in sin before we accepted Jesus into our life. We all use to be part of the problem before our day of salvation...right? And actually we are still part of the problem because we also still sin from time to time...right? So the next time you find yourself shaking your head in disbelief at something that has just happened...remember...its a little three letter word...SIN...and it aint going away until we step foot into the heaven where the saints dwell today or on the new heaven / earth once God creates that...where sin will be no more...thats why heaven is going to be perfect...no more Sin and we will be sinless without pride or ego in our new glorified bodies for all eternity...that be FOREVER!
I Have No Regrets About My Past...My Past Is Who I Am Today...Born Again!
Rick j Sane
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
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