Just sharing.

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What The Bible Says About Being A Peacemaker


We are called to live in peace with everyone, as much as we can, so what does the Bible say about a peacemaker? What is one and how can we be one?
Making Peace
No one can truly be at peace until they’ve made peace with God, so there’ll be no peace of God until you’re at peace with God. The Apostle Paul writes that “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1), so you must make peace with God through Jesus Christ or you will never have the peace of God and will never be at peace with God, but God highly values peacemakers, and He has a lot to say about them. Even the psalmist wrote, “Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace” (Psalm 37:37), so “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Rom 12:18). This is why we must “pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom 14:9). Not only should we “Turn away from evil and do good, [we should] seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). Besides, it’s in our own best interests to be a peacemaker since “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt 5:9).

The Peace of God
We know that we are at peace with God after repenting and placing our trust in Christ. This allows the peace of God to settle, deep down into our hearts, and in this way, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7), and this peace will allow you to “love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35). The world is anything but peaceful, but the peace we receive from God is not dependent upon circumstances. Jesus told His disciples, who were troubled that He was going away, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). When we have faith, we trust, and when we trust, we have peace…a peace the world doesn’t understand, nor can they have without Christ.

King of Peace
There will be no peace on this earth until the King of Peace comes to reign over us, and that time is coming. Whether that’s soon or not, we don’t know. We do know it will happen. In the meantime, Christians should “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers” (Psalm 122:6-7)! In time, peace will finally be on all the earth and we can say, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (Luke 19:38). Until then, the psalmist writes, “In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more” (Psalm 27:7)! You’ve probably heard Jesus say, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt 5:5), but this is not a new idea because in the Old Testament, the psalmist wrote, “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace” (Psalm 37:11), but for today, there will be no peace; at least in the way the world thinks of it.

Nations may be at peace with one another but war can break out at any moment, however the peace that Jesus gives not only surpasses human understanding, it is a peace that is supernatural. It isn’t like having peace about something. That can come and go, but the peace of God comes and stays, and abides with us forever, so let us “hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly”(Psalm 85:8), and “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11)!

Peacemakers
I think we’ve all probably been peacemakers before without even realizing it. When we try to diffuse an argument between two people, we’re being a peacemaker. When we try to seek a compromise between to fractional parties, we’re being a peacemaker. When we’re trying to break up two children from fighting, we’re being peacemakers. I’ve done that at a few board meetings before without even knowing it. We had an issue at one library board meeting but I quickly decided to not make it personal. I thought, “Let’s present the problem and put it in the middle of the table, and have both sides reach out to compromise on something that they can both agree on.” If we can get them to agree on some things, then maybe we can get them to agree on reaching a middle ground in order to reach a peaceful solution. All sides might not totally agree, but that doesn’t they have to be disagreeable with one another.

It’s one thing to have differing opinions, but it’s another to dig in our heels in and not give an inch. Doing so may lead to an impasse…and that leads to no solution at all. What it will do is create a lot of friction between people, but no solution. There might be lots of heat, but little light. If we can make the issue the central focus and not the parties, we can tackle the problem more easily and rationally. We need to attack the problem and not each other! Peacemakers can often see the middle ground more easily and more objectively than those who are positioning from different sides.

Conclusion
If we have made peace with God through Jesus Christ, we have the peace of God and are now at peace with God, which is why, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Psalm 16:7). This is one of the reasons why Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who seek peace between two or more people who don’t agree on something, and why He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”(Matt 5:9).

God looks favorably upon the peacemakers of the world, and so in honor of that, I hope you’ll seek peace…pursue peace, but most importantly, that you are at peace with God, and that peace only comes through Jesus Christ. There is simply no other way to have the peace of God and to be at peace with God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Peacemakers are indispensable in today’s world. We need as many peacemakers as we can get; at work, in the family, and just about anywhere you go, so we hope you will be a peacemaker. If you are, blessed are you!

 

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Walking in the Light
So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light."

John 12:35-6 NASB

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If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:6-8 NIV

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Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if any one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

John 11:9-10 RSV

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"Thy Word is lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path"

How is your walk today? Are you depending on The Light of the world to keep you and guide you? Is His Word hidden in your heart that you might not sin against Him?

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.”

Genesis 8:9

Wearied out with her wanderings, the dove returns at length to the ark as her only resting place. How heavily she flies — she will drop — she will never reach the ark! But she struggles on. Noah has been looking out for his dove all day long, and is ready to receive her. She has just strength to reach the edge of the ark, she can hardly alight upon it, and is ready to drop, when Noah puts forth his hand and pulls her in unto him.

Mark that: “pulled her in unto him.” She did not fly right in herself, but was too fearful, or too weary to do so. She flew as far as she could, and then he put forth his hand and pulled her in unto him. This act of mercy was shown to the wandering dove, and she was not chidden for her wanderings. Just as she was she was pulled into the ark. So you, seeking sinner, with all your sin, will be received. “Only return” — those are God's two gracious words — “only return.” What! nothing else? No, “only return.”

She had no olive branch in her mouth this time, nothing at all but just herself and her wanderings; but it is “only return,” and she does return, and Noah pulls her in. Fly, thou wanderer; fly thou fainting one, dove as thou art, though thou thinkest thyself to be black as the raven with the mire of sin, back, back to the Saviour. Every moment thou waitest does but increase thy misery; thine attempts to plume thyself and make thyself fit for Jesus are all vanity. Come thou to him just as thou art.

“Return, thou backsliding Israel.” He does not say, “Return, thou repenting Israel” (there is such an invitation doubtless), but “thou backsliding one,” as a backslider with all thy backslidings about thee, Return, return, return! Jesus is waiting for thee! He will stretch forth his hand and “pull thee in” — in to himself, thy heart's true home.

 

[beensetfree]

What The Bible Says About Racism


Does the Bible mention discrimination or bias, and if so, what is the biblical view of racism?

Grace, not Race
Even though the word racism is not in the Bible, the Bible clearly teaches that racism is not part of what God intends. There are far too many Scriptures to support that statement in one article, so there are enough to consider, in both the Old Testament and New Testament. First of all, there is no excuse, most of all Christians, to treat anyone with a different skin color, language, nation, or religion in a way that they would not want to be treated. Like Jacob’s multi-colored coat, God is saving people from every nation and people on the face of the earth.

Worship in heaven will include people from many different backgrounds. After Christ’s return, they sing in heaven, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9). John does not see just one nation or group of people worshiping God in heaven, but in fact people from every nation. He saw “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Rev 7:9).

People from all tribes, peoples, and languages will stand before the throne, and before the Lamb, so God has no greater or lesser regard for any person, nation, language, or tribe. Surely you’ve heard the Apostle Paul’s statement that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28), since, “if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise” (Gal 3:29)

Old Testament Examples
When the nation Israel came out of their Egyptian bondage, there were people who came along that were not of the children of Abraham. God gave the same rights to the Israelites as He did to resident aliens. An example is Deuteronomy 1:16 where Moses wrote, “And I charged your judges at that time, Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.” The Lord’s command, written by the Prophet Jeremiah, says, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place” (22:3).

Ruth, a Moabite, was welcome to dwell with the Israelites as she was welcomed by Boaz, along with her mother-in-law, Naomi, later, marrying Boaz and becoming part of the royal lineage of Jesus Christ. Knowing that she was a Moabite, which was an enemy of Israel, you could tell she was surprised by her acceptance, and why “she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner” (Ruth 2:10).

As long as a foreigner obeyed the laws of God, they were offered the same protection under the laws of God, just as would any natural born Israelite would be. In both the Old Testament and New Testament, we find that God is more interested in receiving worship in spirit and in truth than in who worships Him (John 4:24).There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).

Judging
I think it’s in our nature to look at people and judge them. I don’t mean condemn them, but we can judge people by the way they look because if they look a certain way, it may or may not fit our expectations, but obviously, we’re wrong to do that because we don’t know their heart like God does. We should “not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment”(John 7:24). The word “judge” in this context doesn’t mean condemn but we can easily become judge, jury, and executioner. Every day you hear someone who has done this or has done that, and it’s almost as if they’re guilty till proven innocent.

The Lord told the Prophet Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). I have heard some very harsh judgmental statements from believers, and I haven’t been innocent either, but I’ve learned to accept people for who they are and where they’re from. I have no excuse now. I understand that God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (Acts 17:26), so we have no right to show partiality because “God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34-35).


In God’s Image
Genesis 1:27 records the fact that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them,” so even in creation, God shows no partiality, and why Paul can write that “God shows no partiality” (Rom 2:11), so we know “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him” (Rom 10:12). If we do show partiality, God’s Word says, we “are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). That’s not a good place to be. Why not leave the judging up to God and assume the best in people. The Bible teachers that love believes all things (1 Cor 13:7), which I believe means we give people the benefit of the doubt and don’t make the worst assumptions about them.

Conclusion
Christians are commanded to love one another and not judge people by the way they look, so I hope we can see just how sinful it is to have regard, lesser or greater, for anyone of a certain color, nationality, language, and so on. There is no room for discrimination in this present world or in the world to come. If God accepts us, then we ought to accept one another, and that includes accepting their differences. Just look at nature; you can see God loves variety, and there are so many differences among the nations that I think it gives our world the look of Joseph’s coat of many colors.

“This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring” (Rom 9:8), and “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (Rom 4:16). It is never about race….it is only about grace.

 

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Seek Him Always...
Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those
who seek the LORD rejoice.

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.

Psalm 105:1-4 NIV

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The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.

And they that know thy name
will put their trust in thee:
for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken
them that seek thee.

Psalm 9:9,10 KJV

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The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.

I will satisfy them with a long life
and give them my salvation."

Psalm 91:14-16 ESV

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He never said all the sailing would be smooth or all the walk would be easy... He did promise never to leave us or forake us... Keep seeking His face!

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“I will take heed to my ways.”

Psalm 39:1

Fellow-pilgrim, say not in your heart, “I will go hither and thither, and I shall not sin;” for you are never so out of danger of sinning as to boast of security. The road is very miry, it will be hard to pick your path so as not to soil your garments. This is a world of pitch; you will need to watch often, if in handling it you are to keep your hands clean. There is a robber at every turn of the road to rob you of your jewels; there is a temptation in every mercy; there is a snare in every joy; and if you ever reach heaven, it will be a miracle of divine grace to be ascribed entirely to your Father's power.

Be on your guard. When a man carries a bomb-shell in his hand, he should mind that he does not go near a candle; and you too must take care that you enter not into temptation. Even your common actions are edged tools; you must mind how you handle them. There is nothing in this world to foster a Christian's piety, but everything to destroy it. How anxious should you be to look up to God, that he may keep you! Your prayer should be, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.”

Having prayed, you must also watch; guarding every thought, word, and action, with holy jealousy. Do not expose yourselves unnecessarily; but if called to exposure, if you are bidden to go where the darts are flying, never venture forth without your shield; for if once the devil finds you without your buckler, he will rejoice that his hour of triumph is come, and will soon make you fall down wounded by his arrows. Though slain you cannot be; wounded you may be. “Be sober; be vigilant, danger may be in an hour when all seemeth securest to thee.” Therefore, take heed to thy ways, and watch unto prayer. No man ever fell into error through being too watchful. May the Holy Spirit guide us in all our ways, so shall they always please the Lord.

 

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Searching for Miracles


Before God spoke the universe into existence He knew my name. Before He created the atmosphere He held me in His heart. Before He created the oceans, the land, the plants and creeping things He chose the color of my hair. Before He created the animals and before He created the first man, He loved me.

He placed within Adam's body all of the DNA of every human being who would ever walk the earth, and within him he placed the color of my eyes. Before He knit me together within my mother's womb he cherished the sound of my laugh. Before I shed my first tear he felt my pain. Before my sin, my sorrow, and my stubborn disobedience, he chose to carry them to the Cross. He hung there His blood pouring out.for me. Why he chose to do this I cannot comprehend. God wanted me to be his own child. How can that be? With all of my flaws and character defects He wanted me to believe in Him, and He gave me the grace to believe in myself. God loves me with a fire that can never be quenched. I am special to him, even if I am not special to anyone else, including myself.

I have tried to perfect myself, and I have failed. I have tried to believe the world's message, but I have found no answers. I have followed the paths forged by others only to find disaster at every bend in the road. Only God has given me the answers that I have sought. Peace. Love. Fulfillment.

The change in my life is not a complicated one. It's not about how good I am or how I pray or how often I go to church. It's not about money or fame or popularity. I cannot speak for others. They must decide for themselves. I only know that the world has given me no happiness. After searching my entire life, I have only been able to find the answers to my questions, on my knees at the foot of the Cross.

 

[beensetfree]

Kept by His Hand
"Thought I had ahold of the Rock...
but The Rock had ahold of me..."

The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom,
and his tongue talketh of judgment.

The law of his God is in his heart;
none of his steps shall slide.

Psalm 37:30,31 KJV

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You have also given me the shield of Your salvation,
And Your right hand upholds me;
And Your gentleness makes me great.

You enlarge my steps under me,
And my feet have not slipped.

Psalm 18:35,36 NASB

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The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.

When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

Psalm 37:23,24 NASB

__________________

Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“He did it with all his heart and prospered.”

2 Chronicles 31:21

This is no unusual occurrence; it is the general rule of the moral universe that those men prosper who do their work with all their hearts, while those are almost certain to fail who go to their labour leaving half their hearts behind them. God does not give harvests to idle men except harvests of thistles, nor is he pleased to send wealth to those who will not dig in the field to find its hid treasure. It is universally confessed that if a man would prosper, he must be diligent in business.

It is the same in religion as it is in other things. If you would prosper in your work for Jesus, let it be heart work, and let it be done withall your heart. Put as much force, energy, heartiness, and earnestness into religion as ever you do into business, for it deserves far more. The Holy Spirit helps our infirmities, but he does not encourage our idleness; he loves active believers. Who are the most useful men in the Christian church? The men who do what they undertake for God with all their hearts. Who are the most successful Sabbath-school teachers? The most talented? No; the most zealous; the men whose hearts are on fire, those are the men who see their Lord riding forth prosperously in the majesty of his salvation.

Whole-heartedness shows itself in perseverance; there may be failure at first, but the earnest worker will say, “It is the Lord's work, and it must be done; my Lord has bidden me do it, and in his strength I will accomplish it.” Christian, art thou thus “with all thine heart” serving thy Master? Remember the earnestness of Jesus! Think what heart-work was his! He could say, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” When he sweat great drops of blood, it was no light burden he had to carry upon those blessed shoulders; and when he poured out his heart, it was no weak effort he was making for the salvation of his people. Was Jesus in earnest, and are we lukewarm?

 

[beensetfree]

What Does the Bible Say About Same Sex Marriage?

by John Edmiston


God's plan for sexuality "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
-Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

"And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
-Genesis 2:18-25 (NKJV)

The image of God is both male and female and is reflected in a godly union between male and female where the creative power of God, His life-giving, His self-giving and His moral nature are perfectly expressed. This is only possible in a heterosexual union.When God created a partner for Adam He created Eve - not another Adam. This means that perfect partnership requires some level of difference as well as a level of similarity so great that Adam could cry out loudly, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh". Heterosexuality is the normal method of human bonding and the one for which our bodies and emotions are designed.

If God had intended the human race to be fulfilled through both heterosexual and homosexual marriage, He would have designed our bodies to allow reproduction through both means and made both means of sexual intercourse healthy and natural. Homosexual anal intercourse carries a high risk of disease, this is recognized in Scripture where gay men are said to receive in their bodies the due penalty for their error (Romans 1:27).

[Editor's Note: Various studies indicate that homosexual behavior makes both men and women more vulnerable to disease and decreases lifespan. See: R.S. Hogg, S.A. Strathdee, KJ Craib, MV O'Shaughnessy, JS Montaner and MT Schechter, "Modelling the impact of HIV disease on mortality in gay and bisexual men," International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 26 (Oxford University, 1997), pp. 657-661. ("If the same pattern of mortality were to continue, we estimate that nearly half of gay and bisexual men currently aged 20 years will not reach their 65th birthday") / Executive Summary, "Health Implications Associated with Homosexuality," Medical Institute of Sexual Health (1999) ("Homosexual men are at significantly increased risk for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, anal cancer, gonorrhea and gastrointestinal infections." "Women who have sex with women are at significantly increased risk of bacterial vaginosis, breast cancer and ovarian cancer than are heterosexual women.") / L.A. Valleroy, D.A. MacKellar, J.M. Daron, et al, "HIV prevalence and associated risks in young men who have sex with men," JAMA, 284 (2000), pp. 198-204. (Discusses the prevalence of HIV infection and high-risk behaviors in study group of 3,492 young men who have sex with men.) / D. Binson, W.J. Woods, L. Pollack, J. Paul, R. Stall, J.A. Catania, "Differential HIV risk in bathhouses and public cruising areas," American Journal of Public Health, 91 (2001), pp. 1482-1486. (demonstrates that high risk behaviors are still quite common among homosexual men).]

What Jesus taught"And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'"
-Matthew 19:4 (NKJV)

"But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.'"
-Mark 10:6 (NKJV)

When Jesus was asked questions about marriage he went straight back to the defining passages in Genesis that say that marriage is between male and female and is meant to be life long. He saw the creation accounts in Genesis as authoritative in His day. And what is authoritative for Jesus is authoritative for Christians also. While Jesus did not specifically teach on homosexuality, His establishment of the Genesis passages as the fundamental passages on marriage (even more fundamental than the Law) leaves no doubt as to the outcome.What else does the Bible say?

"For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due."
-Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)

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

"Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,"
-1 Timothy 1:9-10 (NKJV)

These three references indicate that homosexual passions and acts are unnatural, shameful, contrary to sound doctrine and deny entrance to the Kingdom of God. This being so they cannot be the basis of a Christian marriage sanctioned by God's Church. The Church exists to save people, not to bless the means of their damnation. No marriage can be sanctioned by the Church if the very basis of the marriage involves acts that put the couple outside of eternal salvation. No matter what our society may legislate, the law of God is clear - that a marriage is not a godly marriage if it is a same sex union.Are emotions a sufficient basis for marriage?

Hollywood has propagated the myth that when it comes to marriage "all you need is love." This is simply not true. Marriage is not based on emotion any more than any other partnership in life is. Marriage, like many human activities, involves emotion but it is not constituted by the presence of any particular set of emotions. I do not deny that many homosexuals feel deeply for their partners; however I do assert that no matter how deep the feelings, what they have is not a marriage in God's sight. It is a beautiful deception.

Just because an emotion is deep or powerful does not justify acting upon it. Like drugs, like adultery, like the abuse of alcohol or the love of money, or the power rush of human ego trips, there are emotions which are powerful and addictive and ultimately terribly destructive. Same sex marriages must satisfy criteria other than emotion. A marriage is more than a sexual pleasure center. A marriage is a social unit that is interwoven with dozens of other lives.

Same sex marriages do not last. Less than 5% of gays have ever had a relationship that lasted 3 years or more. Sex is not enough. Passion cannot sustain an inherently unstable social unit.

Society, the Church and same sex marriages

Marriage is a fundamental social institution that does not exist just for the emotional satisfaction of two individuals but for the greater good of the community which stands under the blessing or curse of God. Societies that put emotional fulfillment before right actions and principles will soon give way to a multitude of addictions and deep corruptions and collapse. God will judge any society that institutes same sex marriages.

I also believe that God will judge a society that permits adoption of children or the use of sperm banks by same sex couples. His Word stands over society and when it is deliberately flaunted in the name of progress and enlightenment, then it is not light but deep darkness that results. We cannot bend the principles of God's Word to suit vocal minority groups. While some nations may enact laws permitting these evils, the true church of God must stand resolutely firm and never allow the sanctioning of same sex marriages by Christian clergy. No church that takes the Bible seriously can sanction a union between homosexuals or lesbians.

 

[beensetfree]

Turn aside from self-righteousness
He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.

Job 35:12,13 NIV

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Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit?
There is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 26:12 KJV

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For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

There is no one who calls on Your name,
Who arouses himself to take hold of You;

For You have hidden Your face from us
And have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

Isaiah 64:6,7 NASB

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Story of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else:

"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.'

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored."

Luke 18:9-14 NLT

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church.”

Ephesians 5:25

What a golden example Christ gives to his disciples! Few masters could venture to say, “If you would practise my teaching, imitate my life;” but as the life of Jesus is the exact transcript of perfect virtue, he can point to himself as the paragon of holiness, as well as the teacher of it. The Christian should take nothing short of Christ for his model. Under no circumstances ought we to be content unless we reflect the grace which was in him.

As a husband, the Christian is to look upon the portrait of Christ Jesus, and he is to paint according to that copy. The true Christian is to be such a husband as Christ was to his church. The love of a husband is special. The Lord Jesus cherishes for the church a peculiar affection, which is set upon her above the rest of mankind: “I pray for them, I pray not for the world.” The elect church is the favourite of heaven, the treasure of Christ, the crown of his head, the bracelet of his arm, the breastplate of his heart, the very centre and core of his love.

A husband should love his wife with a constant love, for thus Jesus loves his church. He does not vary in his affection. He may change in his display of affection, but the affection itself is still the same. A husband should love his wife with an enduring love, for nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” A true husband loves his wife with a hearty love, fervent and intense. It is not mere lip-service.

Ah! beloved, what more could Christ have done in proof of his love than he has done? Jesus has a delighted love towards his spouse: He prizes her affection, and delights in her with sweet complacence. Believer, you wonder at Jesus’ love; you admire it—are you imitating it? In your domestic relationships is the rule and measure of your love—“even as Christ loved the church?”

 

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BE A GOOD ONE

Pablo Picasso, the great Spanish painter and sculptor, once said
this about his ability: "My mother said to me, 'If you become a
soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up
as Pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
No lack of confidence here!

But he would have agreed with Abraham Lincoln. "Whatever you
are," said Lincoln, "be a good one." He demonstrated the wisdom
of that advice with his own life. And in this present age, which
often seems to be contented with mediocrity, his words summon a
yearning for improvement and growth.

I think it helps to remember that excellence is not a place at
which we arrive so much as a way of traveling. To do and be our
best is a habit among those who hear and understand Lincoln's
admonition.

Viennese-born composer Frederick Loewe, whom we remember from his
musical scores that include "My Fair Lady," Gigi" and "Camelot,"
was not always famous. He studied piano with the great masters of
Europe and achieved huge success as a musician and composer in
his early years. But when he immigrated to the United States he
failed as a piano virtuoso. For a while he tried other types of
work including prospecting for gold and boxing. But he never gave
up his dream and continued to play piano and write music.

During those lean years, he could not always afford to make
payments on his piano. One day, bent over the keyboard, he
heard nothing but the music which he played with such rare
inspiration. When he finished and looked up, he was startled to
find that he had an audience -- three moving men who were seated
on the floor.

They said nothing and made no movement toward the piano. Instead,
they dug into their pockets, pooled together enough money for the
payment, placed it on the piano and walked out, empty handed.
Moved by the beauty of his music, these men recognized excellence
and responded to it.

Whatever you are, be a good one. If what you do is worth doing,
if you believe that who you are is of value, then you can't
afford to be content with mediocrity. When you choose the
path of excellence through this life, you will bring to it your
best and receive the best it can offer in return. And you will
know what it is to be satisfied.

 

[beensetfree]

Power over our enemies
Give us help from trouble:
for vain is the help of man.

Through God we shall do valiantly:
for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm 60:11,12 KJV

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"Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'

Deuteronomy 20:3,4 NASB

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For in the time of trouble
he shall hide me in his pavilion:
in the secret of his tabernacle
shall he hide me;
he shall set me up upon a rock.

And now shall mine head be lifted up
above mine enemies round about me:
therefore will I offer in his
tabernacle sacrifices of joy;
I will sing, yea,
I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Psalm 27:5,6 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Luke 19:40

But could the stones cry out? Assuredly they could if he who opens the mouth of the dumb should bid them lift up their voice. Certainly if they were to speak, they would have much to testify in praise of him who created them by the word of his power; they could extol the wisdom and power of their Maker who called them into being. Shall not we speak well of him who made us anew, and out of stones raised up children unto Abraham? The old rocks could tell of chaos and order, and the handiwork of God in successive stages of creation's drama; and cannot we talk of God's decrees, of God's great work in ancient times, in all that he did for his church in the days of old?

If the stones were to speak, they could tell of their breaker, how he took them from the quarry, and made them fit for the temple, and cannot we tell of our glorious Breaker, who broke our hearts with the hammer of his word, that he might build us into his temple? If the stones should cry out they would magnify their builder, who polished them and fashioned them after the similitude of a palace; and shall not we talk of our Architect and Builder, who has put us in our place in the temple of the living God? If the stones could cry out, they might have a long, long story to tell by way of memorial, for many a time hath a great stone been rolled as a memorial before the Lord; and we too can testify of Ebenezers, stones of help, pillars of remembrance.

The broken stones of the law cry out against us, but Christ himself, who has rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, speaks for us. Stones might well cry out, but we will not let them: we will hush their noise with ours; we will break forth into sacred song, and bless the majesty of the Most High, all our days glorifying him who is called by Jacob the Shepherd and Stone of Israel.

 

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“Engaging the Culture” Doesn’t Work Because Christian Beliefs Are a Mark of Low Status
In recent decades, a plethora of evangelical ministries has emerged designed to “engage the culture”. A Google search for “engage the culture” returns more than half a million results. Moreover, a huge number of operations designed to inculcate a Christian worldview and provide apologetics training are booming. In short, the evangelical effort to reverse America’s slide toward secularism and decadence has been vigorous and pervasive.

It has also been, largely, a failure. The evidence is plain. In spite of the resources poured into these efforts, American culture has increasingly embraced the cultural and sexual Left. Any impact of evangelical efforts to reverse this trend has been vanishingly small. How can millions upon millions of evangelicals have so little effect on the culture around them?

The answer is that evangelicals have failed to reckon with the fact that Christian belief is a mark of low status, and has been so for a long time. This has been the case at least since the Scopes trial and the unflattering media portrayals of traditional Christian believers that accompanied it.

In the middle of the 20th century, it was more difficult to see Christian belief as a marker of low status. After all, during that period America was still dominated by a form of Christianity as its civil religion. Some religious figures were widely admired, Billy Graham being the most obvious example. Millions of people still attended church.
But, even then, in elite circles, Christian belief was a mark of low status. In such places, traditional Christian belief was largely considered the province of the weak, the bourgeois, the misinformed, the gullible or the wicked. At the same time, Protestant liberalism dominated. This less stringent form of Christianity sought to relax the tension by accommodating traditional Christian belief to the worldview of America’s secular elite. Eventually, that project failed.

We have now arrived at a moment when this dynamic can no longer be hidden. The hostility of our elite institutions and those who run them is well documented. Just consider Harvard University’s recent treatment of a traditional Christian group.
Only now, as the reality of Christian belief as a marker of low status has become undeniable, have evangelicals begun to take note. The failure to do this earlier explains the previous ineffectiveness to “engage the culture” profitably.
The idea behind the “engaging the culture” movement was that, rather than withdrawing from the surrounding culture as their fundamentalist cousins did, evangelicals should go forth to meet it. The expected outcome of this going forth was a revival of Christian faith.


It sort of makes sense. If enough evangelicals,the idea was, could be trained to engage the surrounding culture, especially in the culture-making arenas of politics,education and the media, eventually these well-placed agents of change could turn things around.

What this plan never took into account is the dynamics of social status. Evangelicals sought to engage the culture by being relevant, by creating works of art , by offering good arguments for their positions. None of these addressed the real problem: that Christian belief simply isn’t cool, and that very few people want to lower their social status by identifying publicly with it.
Many evangelicals sensed something was going on. They responded as though the problem were a matter of style rather than content. They created churches calculated to prove evangelicals could be as hip as anyone else. The result was churches that had rocking worship bands, superb lighting, a million cool programs and no cultural impact.

The only lasting success to come from this trend was to make the hip pastor in a goatee and skinny jeans a universal object of derision. When the elites see him, they aren’t impressed. Rather than seeing someone so cool they want to emulate him, they see desperation. They see a low-status guy craving their approval, and they are rightly repulsed.

This is just one example of how evangelicals misjudged the context in which they operate. They could not see that Christianity has fallen from its place of cultural dominance not because we haven’t had enough worldview seminars, cool clergy or “God’s Not Dead”-style movies. Christianity has become marginalized because Christian belief has become an obstacle to getting what most people want: social status and the privileges which accompany it.

Rod Dreher was one of the first to recognize this. Whatever the strengths and weaknesses of his “Benedict Option” solution, it is an attempt to grapple with the reality of our situation. In the end, few will heed his advice. The worst, and most probable, response evangelicals could offer here is to continue doing what they have been doing: offering solutions to problems most people don’t have.
The right path forward is murky. But, whatever that path requires, it requires the truth. To continue acting as though the approach of the last two or three decades is productive is to avoid the truth. Let traditional Christians, of all people, embrace the truth. And perhaps, in doing so, we will set an example that might finally make an impact on this culture.

 

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He Hears Our Petitions
This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

Zechariah 13:9 NIV

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But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him.

Matthew 6:7,8 KJV

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Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, "Here I am.'

If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wicked-ness,
and if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.

Isaiah 58:9,10 NASB

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.

 

[beensetfree]

“Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?”

Job 38:31

If inclined to boast of our abilities, the grandeur of nature may soon show us how puny we are. We cannot move the least of all the twinkling stars, or quench so much as one of the beams of the morning. We speak of power, but the heavens laugh us to scorn. When the Pleiades shine forth in spring with vernal joy we cannot restrain their influences, and when Orion reigns aloft, and the year is bound in winter's fetters, we cannot relax the icy bands. The seasons revolve according to the divine appointment, neither can the whole race of men effect a change therein. Lord, what is man?

In the spiritual, as in the natural world, man's power is limited on all hands. When the Holy Spirit sheds abroad his delights in the soul, none can disturb; all the cunning and malice of men are ineffectual to stay the genial quickening power of the Comforter. When he deigns to visit a church and revive it, the most inveterate enemies cannot resist the good work; they may ridicule it, but they can no more restrain it than they can push back the spring when the Pleiades rule the hour. God wills it, and so it must be.

On the other hand, if the Lord in sovereignty, or in justice, bind up a man so that he is in soul bondage, who can give him liberty? He alone can remove the winter of spiritual death from an individual or a people. He looses the bands of Orion, and none but he. What a blessing it is that he can do it. O that he would perform the wonder to-night. Lord, end my winter, and let my spring begin.

I cannot with all my longings raise my soul out of her death and dulness, but all things are possible with thee. I need celestial influences, the clear shinings of thy love, the beams of thy grace, the light of thy countenance, these are the Pleiades to me. I suffer much from sin and temptation, these are my wintry signs, my terrible Orion. Lord, work wonders in me, and for me. Amen.

 

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The Most Difficult Instrument To Play



Do you know what is the hardest instrument in the orchestra
to play? The hardest instrument to play is second fiddle. While
all the rest of the instruments have their own sections, the
violins are divided into two parts - "first" and "second" violins.

First violins are often the stars of the show. They get the
melody lines. They get to show off. They sit next to the
audience.

Back behind, where they are hard to see, are the second
violins. They play a supporting role. They play harmony to
the first violins. Theirs is a service role. Their job is to round
out the sound of the other instruments. They serve the orchestra.
They do what is not glamorous so that the whole will be beautiful.
Without the second violins, the orchestra would sound incomplete.

You know what the hardest role to play in life is? Second fiddle.
To play second fiddle is to play a supporting role for someone
else. And it is sometimes a service role; doing what is not
glamorous, usually behind the scenes, so that the whole can
be more beautiful.

The late Leo Buscaglia, that effervescent educator, speaker,
author, and lover of life, used to tell his university students
that there is a world out there dying to be loved! He challenged
his students to love and often told them that serving others is
the way they can find such things as happiness and joy.

He sometimes told about Joel. Leo got Joel hooked on serving.
He took him to a nursing home and said, "You see that woman
sitting over there? I want you to go and introduce yourself to her."

Joel was not looking forward to his nursing home visit. But he
nevertheless went to the stranger and introduced himself. She
looked at him skeptically and asked, "Are you one of my
relatives?"

Joel answered, "No, I'm not."

And she said, "Good. I hate my relatives. Sit down, son, and
talk to me." He did and they talked.

He went back the next week. And the next. They developed
a close friendship and Joel soon looked forward to his visits.
He learned something about the joy of serving. About working
behind the scenes. About playing second fiddle. And he made
one woman's world a little more beautiful.

 

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Christ Was Made For Us
The Word became (was made) flesh and
made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only,
who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 NIV

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But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law,
to redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Galatians 4:4,5 KJV

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Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift:
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God
is the object of our faith; the only faith
that saves is faith in Him.