Welcome To Your Next Issue Of
Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve's sin. Contrary to popular belief, Adam was not off tending the animals while Eve spoke to the serpent. Genesis 3 clearly states that Adam was with her. Evil triumphs when good men remain silent.
God told them not to eat the fruit of the Tree Of The Knowledge Of Good And
Evil. The devil, satan in disguise, convinced them that if they ate of its fruit
that they would be like God.. Once they ate it, sin entered the world because of
their disobedience. Now everyone who is born into this world is sinful. There
are no faultless people.
God's wages for sin is death (Romans 6:23) but
to enforce those wages meant that He would be eternally separated from us
forever. In order to be just yet merciful, a sinless, blameless sacrifice had to
be made. He send His Son to be born of a virgin woman. Since He led a blameless,
sinless life, He could die in our place.
On the cross, Jesus took all our sins--past, present and future. Jesus
doesn't need to be crucified again and again because we sin.
We cannot
earn our salvation. We cannot be good enough to earn it. Salvation has nothing
to do with us, and everything to do with Jesus.
We will suffer the physical death of our bodies when we pass on, but once we accept what Jesus did for us, our spirits never die. We will live in our new bodies with Jesus in Heaven. Later we will live on a new Earth (Revelation 21:1, Isaiah 65:17) after evil has been wiped out on this one.
Jesus' shed blood continually cleanses us of our sin. Continually. Not once
than then it stops. No, continually.
For most of us this concept is
foreign. We have never been taught it in the churches. We have been taught to be
sin-conscious, to dwell on all our sins, to name them one by one. Dwelling on
our sins only causes us to sin more. Whatever our minds dwell on is the
direction in which our lives will go.
The opposite is also true. If we
dwell on our righteousness in Christ, on what Jesus did for us on the cross, we
will find ourselves doing what is right. Where our minds go, our bodies follow.
When a race car driver is first learning to race, a good instructor will
teach him what to do when he is about to hit a wall. He must take his eyes off
the wall and focus them on where he wants to go. When he does, the car will move
in that direction.
The same is true with our lives. The more we study
sin, think about sin, try to keep all the commandments and laws of the Bible,
the more we sin because sin has become our focus.
When we redirect our
attention to what Jesus did for us, to His death, burial and resurrection, then
we will move in that direction.
For the longest time, I was like Job (Job
1:5). I repented of everything that I may have remotely been involved with
because every church I went to focused on sin.
As a child, I was very sin-conscious, which lead to sinning all the more. I
just couldn't measure up. I tried to do what was right, but always ended up
making bad choices.
Finally, I learned that Jesus took all my sins on the
cross. Jesus didn't just take today's and yesterday's but tomorrow's as well. He
took them all once and for all. His blood is continually cleansing us of our
sins.
I believe it is important for us to confess our sins to God,
knowing that we are already forgiven. The confession is not for God but for us.
As the old saying goes, "Confession is good for the soul." It is a way for us to
relieve ourselves of the guilt, but God has already forgiven us of all our sins
at the cross.
We are not forgiven until we sin again. The blood of Jesus
is continually, without end, cleansing us.
A famous hymn writer used to
be focus on sin, always confessing it. One day she realized that in the original
Greek, I John 1:7 says that the blood that Jesus shed on the cross continually
cleanses us.
We don't have to beg and plead for God to forgive us because
He already has.
From that day on, the hymn writer refused to live a life
focused on sin. Instead she allowed I John 1:7 to revolutionize her life. I
heard her family buried that Scripture with her.
Just like the hymn
writer, we need to let the truth of I John 1:7 change our lives as
well.
Once we accept Jesus, Colossians 1:13 says that we are translated
into the light. We aren’t suddenly translated back to the darkness because we
have sinned or made a mistake.
We are still walking in the light as long
as we have accepted Christ. I John 1:7 says that if we are in the light, the
blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.
Not some sin. All sin. What does
all mean? It means without exception, every one. In other words, there is
not a sin that we have committed or will commit that Jesus didn't take on the
cross, that wasn't forgiven there and then.
We are already forgiven of
all our sins. That's God's grace. This is not a license to sin. When we stay
focused on the cross and what Jesus did for us, we find ourselves doing the
right thing.
However when we focus on sin and not doing it, we sin all
the more. Whatever we are focus on is what becomes a reality in our lives.
Now how would you rather live?
Would you rather focus on sin and continue to allow sin to entrap you? Or would
you rather focus on Jesus and what He did for you, knowing that if you do sin,
Jesus' blood is continually cleansing you? Why live defeated when you can live
in victory?
by Annagail Lynes. As an ebook, freelance
and mystery writer, Annagail Lynes was born and raised in Phoenix Arizona.
Her work has been published in 21st Century, SeaLetter, Christian Home and
School, You! and many more online and offline
publications.
For Her E-Book, go to http://www.booksbyannagail.com
For Her Blog, go to http://annagaillynes.wordpress.com
For Her Articles, go to http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/118896/annagail_lynes.html
Bible Study Resources:
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Bible Quiz
1. The Parable of the Wicked Tenants is told in Matthew 21:33-43, Mark 12:1-11 and Luke 20:9-18. Jesus tells the story of a landowner who built a vineyard and rented it to tenants to farm. Who did the landowner represent in this story?
- The Chief Priest of the Temple
- Jesus
- John the Baptist
-
God
2. When the landowner sent his slaves (or servants) to collect the rent, the tenants killed them. Who did the slaves represent?
- The Pharisees
- The prophets
- The Sadducees
- The Romans
3. The landowner next sent his son, and the tenants killed the
son too. Who did the son represent?
- The Chief Priest of the Temple
- Jesus
- John the Baptist
-
God
4. Who did the wicked tenants represent?
- The Sadducees
- The Romans
- Religious leaders
- The
Philistines
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. - Isaiah 53:4_5 (NKJV).
In this Scripture, it is clear that Isaiah is speaking of a future event, of Jesus’ crucifixion. The only way he could know of this future event is if God told him.
This verse states that the chastisement for our peace was upon Him.
That word peace here is the transliterated Hebrew word Shalowm, which means completeness, soundness, welfare, peace. That includes safety, soundness (in body), welfare, health, prosperity, peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment, friendship.
He took our punishment in His body on the cross, so that we can have completeness in our spirits, minds, bodies, finances and in our relationships.
He took our punishment and God’s wrath for our sins on Himself. He took the effects of the curse on Himself. He did it so we can exchange our sins, our sicknesses, our pain, our sorrow, our mental distress, our bad relationships and financial problems for completeness, for peace.
How wonderful is He that He did this for us?
by Annagail Lynes. As an ebook, freelance
and mystery writer, Annagail Lynes was born and raised in Phoenix Arizona.
Her work has been published in 21st Century, SeaLetter, Christian Home and
School, You! and many more online and offline publications.
For Her E-Books, go to http://www.booksbyannagail.com
For Her Blog, go to http://annagaillynes.wordpress.com
For Her Articles, go to http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/118896/annagail_lynes.html
Friends, we can truly see the change of events in America and in the world. I
feel sorry for the Americans and cannot imagine how they feel or their fears and
trials etc.
The Bible warns us of things to come, before the return of
the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. This life is only temporary, heaven
awaits all of us. Please read the Bible and find out the truth about Lord Jesus
and about His second coming and join me to get ready for His return.
Let
us live a life of prayer and separate ourselves from the things of this world
that want to entrap us.
The Bible warns of sin worsening, and we can see
it everywhere. The devil is on the warpath and tries his best to seduce all of
us, with no exceptions. We are all sinners and fall, but let us rise up and rush
to God and beg His forgiveness and implore Him to help us back onto the straight
and narrow path.
No matter how many times you fall, arise and go to Lord
Jesus once more. Cry to Him and open your heart asking for grace not to sin
again, to defeat self, not to fall into temptation, to break away from evil
desires and walk away from all that are evil.
Read the Word of God and
meditate on it. Be vary of the things you watch, read and the music you hear.
Ask God to give you a hatred of evil and sin and to help you turn away from all
that lures you.
Ask Him to cleanse you internally and cleanse you
completely. Depend on Him alone for everything, for He is your Father and
Saviour. He has the power to change your life in an instant and give you the
miracle you need.
Lord Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead; He healed the
leper, the blind, the lame, delivered sinners and set the captives free.
Do not look at any world leaders for answers but to God the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. Pray and beg for His mercy and grace for a new life for
yourself, all those in your life, for your country and all in the world.
When a worry or doubt about the future comes towards me, I turn away
immediately and remember who God is. I recall all the great wonders He did like
parting the Red Sea, raising David a simple shepherd boy to be a great king,
changing simple fishermen to be powerful evangelists and so much more.
I
keep my eyes on Him and surrender my future to Him. I pray and implore Him to
keep me strong and help me. I keep walking with Him and beg Him to help me in
all areas of my life.
I too fall and fail, for we are all sinners, but I
rise and rush to my Father and Lord and He helps me start again. I know He is my
answer; He will help me, for He is the only One who can help me. Please turn to
Him; He is waiting to help you too.
May God bless and touch you in a
special way today. May His light shine upon you and lead you daily towards
heaven and use you to draw others to Him.
"Come Holy Spirit, please touch each and every heart that will come
across this message. Open our hearts to Your Word and Your Truth and let us walk
in total abandonment to You. Bless us all and keep us from the snares of the
enemy. Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit now and forevermore. -
A Living Flame for Christ and the
Sabbath
|
The "In" I'm Glad I'm In |
There are several places I've been in where I wish I hadn't even
come close to. I've been:
in trouble
in hot water
in a frenzy
in
a quandry
These are not good things to be in. It certainly makes
everything going on around you seem minor.
To be in trouble, for
instance, implies that trouble is all around you. You are completely
encapsulated by your struggles. Nothing gets out, or goes in, without passing
through trouble. Now, this may not always be the actual case, but that's
certainly the implication of the phrase, as well as the three that follow it on
my little list. And, of course, my biggest goal when I'm in one of these
instances is to try to get out of it.
Now, this probably isn't very
comforting or encouraging. However, as I was looking ahead at my devotional for
tomorrow, I came across a thought that was in fact both of these things. It's
related to another state that I am in.
No matter the source of the
evil confronting you, if you are in God and thereby completely surrounded by
Him, you must realize that it has first passed through Him before coming to you.
(Streams in the Desert, L. B. Cowman, July 23).
Now, I know that I
am in God/Christ, but I never really thought about the implications of it--at
least not in this way--until this morning. When I am in Christ, it means that
Christ surrounds me, encapsulates me like a cocoon. Everything that reaches
me--whether it is good or bad in my eyes--is allowed in by the Creator of the
Universe. He is truly sovereign, and truly all-knowing.
When Marc had his
first brain surgery, He was there--and he allowed it by His divine knowledge and
mercy. When Marc's vision got worse for no apparent reason, God "saw it coming,"
if you will, and allowed it into the cocoon of my and Marc's position "in
Christ." And when God moved a brother or sister in Christ to anonymously give us
a very large amount of money when we really needed it, he let it slip right
through that cocoon and into our waiting arms.
I'll never think of being
"in Christ" the same again. And that is certainly an "in" I'm glad I'm
in.
(c) Joanne Sher 2008
Joanne Sher is a Christian
writer saved out of Judaism. She is currently working on "Ailing Body, Nourished
Soul," a nonfiction book about God's workings in her family during her husband's
serious health issues. Learn more about her at http://joannesher.blogspot.com.
In the first part of this study we were discussing how we are called for a
purpose and how our gifts will be used to edify one another. We all have gifts
and they should be used in conjunction with other gifts within the body to
fulfill the plan and purpose of God within that local body. In fulfilling our
purpose we not only fulfill the plan for ourselves, but also contribute to the
greater plan God has called us to complete within the body of Christ as a whole.
This takes the obedience of a body with a shared vision, but it starts with the
individual being obedient to his or her calling to make this happen on a
corporate level.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk
in them.
Before the world was created, God had a plan and purpose
outlined for each one of us. The significance of this is hard for many to
comprehend. Why would Christians walk away from their God ordained destiny, if
they truly understood the significance of what they were doing?
Many
times Christians walk away from the place God has called them to be a part of
because of disagreements, or in many cases a lack of commitment to the plan God
has called them to fulfill. The vision must be clear if you are going to fulfill
it. We are not stumbling through this life on our own without help. There is a
plan for each of us, and God expects us to find it and take the necessary step
to fulfill it.
The Living Bible says it like this
1 Corinthians 6:20
For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to
give glory back to God, because he owns it.
There is an attitude that has
come out of the world, of I'm doing my own thing. This is a form of rebellion
towards God and will greatly hinder His plan for our life. This same attitude
has permeated the church and has become a major problem. Many Christians are
doing their own thing and don't understand why they are not walking in the
blessings of God. This is not a new thing, it's been around since the beginning,
and has been the root of every sin. I realize this is a very strong statement
but if we were to always walk in obedience there wouldn't be a sin problem would
there? Obedience to the plan God has for our lives has got to be ever present in
our thoughts and prayers. Our choices should be based not just on what we feel
is right but on the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
1
Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry.
God will certainly forgive this attitude but why
put ourselves in this place if it is not necessary? God's Word promises us
blessings, yet we have to understand blessings will always follow obedience. So
many Christians think that all they have to do is make a few positive
confessions and go their merry way. I believe in the power of our words, and
understand the great importance that God places on us lining our words up with
His words. But I also know that disobedience and a good confession will not
bring blessing. We can not walk in disobedience and blessing at the same time.
Disobedience breaks fellowship with God and causes our faith to loose its
potency. A minister I have great respect for used to say, faith quivers in the
face of sin. How true! Blessings always go hand in hand with obedience. How much
more we can do for the kingdom when we have found God's purpose for our life and
follow in that path instead of our own plans and purpose and what may seem good
to us at the time.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a
man, but its end is the way of death.
When we choose our own path
outside of God's plan then we have made a choice to walk in the way of death.
This is a very sobering thing to consider, yet God loves us enough to warn us
over and over in His word so that we will walk in the path of blessings. He has
also given us His Holy Spirit that will lead us in the way that we should go.
Let's look at a some sections of Scripture that shows us a very good example of
this. Starting in Genesis 12 We will look at specific sections of Scripture
because of space. I would encourage you to look at the whole section through
chapter 19.
Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your
country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will
show you. 2. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name
great; and you shall be a blessing.
3. I will bless those who bless you, and
I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall
be blessed.'' 4. So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went
with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5.
Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their
possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in
Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land
of Canaan.
Lets skip ahead to Genesis 13:1 Then Abram went up from Egypt,
he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. 2. Abram
was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3. And he went on his
journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at
the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4. to the place of the altar which he had
made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.
5. Lot
also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. 6. Now the land was
not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions
were so great that they could not dwell together. 7. And there was strife
between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock.
The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. 8. So Abram said to
Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen
and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9. "Is not the whole land before you?
Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or,
if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.'' 10. And Lot lifted his
eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere
(before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like
the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11. Then Lot chose for himself all the
plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. 12.
Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and
pitched his tent even as far as Sodom.
14:8. And the king of Sodom, the
king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela
(that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the Valley of Siddim
9. against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of
Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar four kings against five. 10. Now the Valley
of Siddim was full of asphalt pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled;
some fell there, and the remainder fled to the mountains. 11. Then they took all
the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way.
12. They also took Lot, Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods,
and departed. 13. Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, for
he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and
brother of Aner; and they were allies with Abram. 14. Now when Abram heard that
his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained
servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15.
He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked
them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
16. So he
brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods,
as well as the women and the people.
Genesis 19:1 Now the two angels came
to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw
them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the
ground. 13. "For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has
grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy
it.''
14. So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his
daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy
this city!'' But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. 15. When the morning
dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your
two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the
city.'' 16. And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's
hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and
they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17. So it came to pass, when
they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look
behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be
destroyed.'' 18. Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords! 19. "Indeed now,
your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy
which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains,
lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20. "See now, this city is near enough to
flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little
one?) and my soul shall live.'' 21. And he said to him, "See, I have favored you
concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you
have spoken. 22. "Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive
there.'' Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23. The sun had risen
upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24. Then the Lord rained brimstone and
fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25. So He
overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and
what grew on the ground. 26. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became
a pillar of salt.
A lot happens in these sections of Scripture but I
would like to look at the decisions these 2 men choose to make. God spoke to
Abram and told him to go to a land He would show him and He would bless him. He
left and departed as the Lord instructed and his nephew Lot went with him. Abram
treated Lot like a son. We can see Lots blessed place was tied in with Abram. He
greatly prospered and had become wealthy in his own right as long as he stayed
with Abram. As he prospered the land became crowded to the point that there was
not enough room for the both of them and Lots servants began quarreling with
Abrams servants. Abram realized that strife was a bad thing and choose to take
the high road. He offered Lot his choice of land. Basically, you take your pick
and I'll go the other way. This was the kind of man Abram was. Lot took what
looked to be the best land and they parted ways. Before we go on, lets look at
some things. Firstly, strife is not godly, and Abraham knew this had to end.
Being generous, Abram gave Lot the first choice, yet he was only thinking about
himself.
Lot takes off and the next time we see him, he and his family
have been taken captive along with all of his possessions. Did Lot have to leave
Abram? Was this God's will for Lot and his family? Abram took his trained
servants and went out against the kings that had taken Lot and His family and
recovered them and their family and possessions. God was merciful to Lot, yet in
chapter 19, Lot is right back in Sodom in the midst of a very wicked city. God
sent Angles in to rescue Lot and his family. In the end, Lot was spared, but he
lost his wife and all of his possessions.
We all have choices to make.
God will allow this, but we have the choice to follow after Him or to go our own
way. Lot walked away from Abram and his place of blessing and because of this
lost everything. He became wealthy because of Abram, yet instead of showing
respect and deferring to his elder, he chose the best for himself. Lot could
have said to Abram, I'll talk to my servants and end this bickering. I'll sell
off some of my herds so that we may dwell together in peace. I'll do whatever it
takes to make things right. He could have dealt with the problem that took him
away from Abram and his blessed place instead of running from it. In the natural
it looked like he was going to greater prosperity yet you can not walk away from
your place of blessing and be prosperous. I know it could have been different
for Lot if he had made right choices.
You can not separate obedience and
blessing. God has a blessed place for each of us. We must seek it and find it.
After we have found it, hold on to it with tenacity. When we find our blessed
place, blessings will overtake us. We won't have to seek them, they will come to
us. Let's make the decision of obedience and not allow anything that may prevent
us from entering and staying in our God ordained place. Let us say, persecutions
or offences or anything else will not dissuade us from fulfilling my mission and
walking in the place God has preordained. I will choose life for me and my
family. Amen
Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Do you want
to be a joint heir with Christ?
If so, I urge you to earnestly pray the
following prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of
Jesus. Your word says, "and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast
out." (Jn.6:37),
So I know You won't cast me out, but You take me in,
And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, "whoever calls upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved.'' (Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I
know You have saved me now, You also said, "that if you confess with your mouth
the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made to salvation." (Ro.10:9,10).
I believe in my
heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead
for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says,
" with the heart one believes to righteousness" and I do believe with my heart,
I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And
I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born
again child of God!
Glory to God!!!! Amen.
Article by Mark Baker.
Mark is the
webminister of http://www.olivebranchministries.us A site dedicated to
helping all that are seeking truth to come into a deeper understanding of what
God has done for us through Christ Jesus. Please visit his site for more free
studies and resources. Check us
out!
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is
like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes
himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he
was.(NKJ)
My husband was speaking to a friend of ours who went to do some
work at a couples home. The worker commented that the couple did not portray
their Christianity, and that he is routinely treated very poorly.
It is
sad to say, but these stories are common today. We act like Christians on
Sunday, and during the rest of the week we are someone completely different. We
behave and say the right buzz words with our Christian friends, but then face
the world and act like them during the week.
The word above says that we
are to be doers of the word. In other words, be Christ-like in every area of our
lives.
I am particular when it comes to treating people. We are all Gods
creation, saved or unsaved, and when we interact with others we portray Christ
in us. We portray Christ with our words and actions. We are Christs
representatives on earth.
I would be saddened to hear of someone speaking
about me, that person not having a clue that I have Jesus in my heart. I then
began to think; If I was belittling a fellow Christian, dont you think that the
Lord would be saddened as well?
Let us learn to be doers of the word in
all areas of our lives. Our speech, our manner of treating others, and our
actions towards strangers. If we struggle, we have a helper with us that will
teach us and guide us every step of the way.
Blessings
Yvette Nietzen is an ordained
minister and currently lives in Costa Rica.
View her blog at:
www.yvettenietzen.com
Coming Out Of The Gay
Lifestyle
There is hope. If the reader gains nothing else except this realization, my
purpose for this article will be accomplished. I have never been in prison,
though I know what it is like to be in the prison house of sin. It is easy for
us to fall into sexual sin due to loneliness, a desire for comfort, or simply
what we believe to be a physical need.
I remember all too well how it
happened for me. I was sexually abused as a child, and later raped by my best
friend's brother. At this point I felt I deserved to be abused. In order to gain
some sense of control, I began to put myself into vulnerable positions where I
continued to be taken advantage of sexually.
I tried to have a
relationship with a man, but it was not to happen. I also believed being gay was
simply part of my makeup. I thought I was born that way, so when a friend of
mine told me she was gay, I was "ripe" and felt I finally discovered my
identity. I further remember vividly rejecting my femaleness at a young age.
Being female meant I was weak and vulnerable.
More than anything I deeply
desired affection and an emotional connection with another woman. Even as a
believer and follower of Jesus Christ, I struggled with this. The relationships
I had with women were not healthy. Though not sexual at this time, the
relationships were extremely emotionally dependent. I had an obsessive need to
cling to someone, who I hoped would be there for me at all times. This, of
course, was not possible.
I went through a season in which the Lord
broke off all the unhealthy relationships, which left me in a place of
excruciatingly painful loneliness that was crushing. It was easy to put up a
wall and refuse to allow other people into my life. My heart grew cold. I even
thanked God that I didn't have people in my life because all I saw was the pain
and complications of relationships.
Out of the pain and brokenness of my
heart and life, I began to seek and cry out for intimacy with Christ. I would
like to say the answer to that cry was instant, but it was not. It has been a
painful journey, but intimacy came in time out of the pain - something more
precious than I ever could have imagined. The pain caused me to draw near to
him, but not without a lot of bumps in the road.
Since I walked in a
homosexual lifestyle, the people I hung around with were of the gay community. I
even went to a gay church, trying to reconcile a faithful and committed
relationship with another woman with the Word of God. Instead, I went from false
peace to turmoil.
LIES I BELIEVED
I believed so many lies, and I even
had a "revelation" that went like this: Suppose God intended everyone to speak
Hebrew, but because of the Tower of Babel (see Genesis chapter 11), God confused
the language of the people so they could not glorify themselves by building a
tower to heaven. I could agree that in God's perfect plan, He did not want me to
have homosexual desires, but because of living in a fallen world, I was born
that way. So, I thought, why would God reject my homosexual lifestyle if I was
born that way anymore than he would reject someone who spoke some language other
than Hebrew?
What I have since learned is that God's truth was always in
his Word regarding the sin of homosexuality, but I wasn't seeking truth. I was
looking for the answer I wanted to hear. The Devil was only too happy to provide
me with my "revelation."
There are many contributing factors that affect
a person's vulnerability to homosexuality. In Jeffrey Satinover's book,
Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, many of these factors are addressed.
Some of those influences may be genetics, personality, abuse as a child,
relationships with adults when we were children, to name just a few. On one
occasion when I was talking with a pastor, I told him it didn't matter why I had
become homosexual. It was my identity. I didn't believe I could be free of it,
and therefore I had no hope.
So what happened? I was going through one
of those times when my "peace" was disrupted. I went back to the Word of God
trying to reconcile my homosexuality with the Bible, but I couldn't do it this
time. Previously, I had been able to take passages out of context and feel okay,
but this time was different. I found myself reading in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
which says:
"Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit
the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or
who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice
homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive,
or cheat peoplenone of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were
once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right
with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of
our God" (New Living Translation).
The words jumped off the page. They
told me others had gone before me who engaged in homosexual activity, but they
were now free. This is when hope was planted in my heart. I now believed that by
God's grace, He could restore natural desires in my life and open the prison
door that enslaved me.
Was it easy? Absolutely not. I struggled with
letting go of my identity as a homosexual and the pride I felt in being
different. I struggled with the sexual feelings and the desire to act upon them,
and even stumbled and fell. I asked for God's forgiveness and healing, and told
Him I didn't understand why He was so merciful to me. I heard these words in my
mind without knowing it was Scripture at the time: "I will have mercy on whom I
have mercy" (Romans 9:15).
At this point I truly began to appreciate,
even in a small way, the graciousness of God. He wasn't angry with me, but
desired more than I did that I be free. It has been many years now, and God did
indeed restore natural desire and attraction, though I remain single to this
day. Singleness in fact, has been a blessing because it has allowed me to grow
in deeper intimacy with Christ than if I had a husband whose needs I had to
attend to.
PROCESS V. PROBLEM
In the process, and I emphasize the
word process, I realized I could not focus on the problem of my sexuality, but
that I must set my affections on things above. Colossians 3:1-2 became my theme
verses. As long as I focused on the problem, it only intensified, but as I
gradually began to learn to get caught up with Jesus, my feelings slowly
changed. The greatest difficulty for me was dealing with the intense pain of the
healing process.
Another important aspect to my healing was being open
to the Lord exposing the lies I received regarding myself and the homosexual
lifestyle. Lies exposed, however, was not enough. It also took a willingness to
receive God's truth. It was very much a process of being broken and then being
put back together by the Lord.
As to why God doesn't often change our
feelings and desires right away, I believe he wants us to learn to stand on the
truth alone. Because I am a very emotional and feelings-oriented person, this
was extremely difficult. I am convinced that some of the answer to that question
is found in Romans 5:3-5, which says:
"We can rejoice, too, when we run
into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And
endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our
confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For
we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill
our hearts with his love" (NLT).
What's the whole message then? There is
hope, forgiveness, healing, and freedom in Christ alone. Do you long for that
hope and freedom? The process will be painful, but the reward of intimacy with
Christ is worth the pain. If this is your desire, begin asking, seeking,
knocking, and praying to Jesus. He will hear and answer, and He will meet you in
the very place you are in your heart.
Ms. Kathleen Trissel has been
published in Prison Fellowship's Inside Journal, Psychology for Living, Friend
to Friend, & served for a year as Editor for Daughter's Journal. which goes
into women's prisons. She has a BA in English & Psych, an MA in Counseling
and is licensed in OH. Copyright owned by author.
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As They Went, They Were Cleansed |
Some things we experience leave lasting impressions.
Impressions are like residue, sometimes leaving one lingering statement, "the devil wuz here." Unhealed, unresolved wounds can lead to bitterness and cause new friendships and relationships to go sour. These wounds can be identified by the way we handle and treat others. Different hurts cause some to jump in and out of relationships in an effort to forget or pacify their pain. Later they find out that some wounds need more than a band-aid, they need cleansing and stitching to heal properly. Relationship hopping is not a resolution, this only causes us to afflict and contaminate others. If someone runs into your arms and they are bleeding, it's inevitable they bleed on you. Think about it, have you ever scraped or wounded your self and didn't realize you were bleeding until you saw blood? Some times we don't realize the impact something has had on our spirit because we survived; it didn't destroy us.
Some of us cry when we are wounded; some of us don't, but that does not mean there is not a wound. Every wound must be healed; if not, the pain will lie dormant until pressure forces it to resurface in unseemly ways. It's imperative we allow God to heal us and deep wounds do not heal overnight. Some things heal in time, as we continue our journey, this is why we should hold on to God and not give up. We must ask the Lord to heal us of our wounds; He will heal us in His time and His season. Denial of our hurts or the way we feel about those who hurt us will not make it go away. Being honest with God about how we feel about our pain and those that inflicted the pain, no matter how ugly or unspiritual, positions us for healing.
And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 17: 12-14 (KJV)
Copyright 2008, Katrina L Mitchell dominionwoman@yahoo.com
Christianity in
Bloom
Derek Dill
I would like to know how and where my articles are used. You may contact
me at eternalprose@aol.com - Derek Dill This article is the original work and
property of Derek
Dill.