It Begins
Today, Monday, June 16th is a day of spiritually historic proportions for our nation. At 5:01 Pacific Standard Time it became officially legal in the state of California for homosexual couples to exchange vows and be legally married. It could mark the beginning of the persecution of the Church. I would imagine that we will see descrimination law suits against churches that speak against such unions or even simply refuse to perform the ceremonies.
I have felt the Lord speaking to me with great clarity and simplicity. ‘Be steadfast, immovable. Be strong and courageous. Love those who hate you. I am with you.’
Buckle your seatbelts Lighthouse. It’s going to get interesting.
Until He comes,
Greg
Posted by Greg Fadness on June 16, 2008
Comments
13 Responses to “It Begins”
Yup….We’re out of the starting gate here. This is just the beginning.
If the lines that were drawn in the sand were ever beginning to fade and become distorted between the Christians and the worldly views, they are no longer. I believe we will be surprised both by those who will conform to this line of thinking and those who will not. As the nation begins to embrace such convoluted principles as this publically, so too will our government be more motivated to fund it, mandate it, teach it to our children and, as you have stated, punish and shame those who refuse. The homosexual issue is only one of a pandora’s box of repulsive, perverted sexual “freedoms” on the agenda of the evil one. It is part of a much grander plan to steal away the innocence of our children and to destroy the safety of a loving family. The good news is…. it’s part of the plan…
Romans 1:21-
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Yeah…. Get ready!!!!
Why am I moving back to California? :-) Just kidding….yes, hang on is right.
I find peace in your words Pastor… “love those who hate you” becuase they are gonna hate if you have a another perspective. Oh well…the cross we bear.
i havent been here, on the website, for awhile, i had some catching up to do… when i reached this blog i was grieved…..not for the wise words of pastor greg, but for many other reasons….
i truly have a heart for the gay community, why?.. is really noones business, but i do… some really struggle with who god is and what he means… is it wrong? yes… it is… but catagorizing them as preverted and repulsive, is not going to soften their hearts to our message… to god’s messsage… our place is to love them, and hope and pray they come to us and ask questions, come to god and receive jesus…. just as rick warrens message of his books are love god and love others…
another point on the name calling and catergorizing, what about the christians with children, or siblings, or aunts and uncles, that are gay? they will be hurt and reclusive if they hear people standing and crying repulsive… preverted… disgusting…. , how can they be comfortable to come to us and find help and prayer, and guidance if that is our soapbox? there are so many layers of hurt and anguish, that nasty words can alienate.. so please …. please…… stand and love…. they (the gay community, and their families, even their christian families) will respond to love and loyalty as people, more than they will respond to hate, and name calling…. this can result in the devil having a foothold too.
it is going to be even more important with this new ruling in cali, to love this group of people, it will be more common, then, maybe you will understand the need to love them if it hits home more personally… its our cross to bear in more ways than one….
its complicated, but worth the effort of living in his love, and showing others how to do that too!
heidi
AMEN, Heidi! Very well put.
But I don’t believe we as Christians are generally haters of gays.. any more than we are haters of Mormons or of people who are lost in general. I too have people in my circle of friends who are gay. The “hate” label people put on the Christian community in these areas is often times because some people misinterpret our intent both willingly and out of ignorance. The Christian community has been criticized for “hating” anyone who does not have the same values. While there are a few people who do extend hate, I believe the majority of people who love Jesus just want to reach the lost and they want to protect the sanctity of marriage and what is good and Godly. That is our responsibility as Christians.
There is a place in the course of conversation however, where the rubber meets the road and it all comes down to right or wrong and we must speak the truth… it is wrong. And that’s where the trouble begins.
We need to be doers of the WORD. To extend a loving hand, and to speak the truth in love. To love those who hate you, just as Jesus did.
In regards to catagorizing and labeling… It’s the sin that is labeled, not the people. They are the words of the bible and not my own. I used the passage to illustrate the signs of the times we live in and not as an indictment to the gay community.
I love your heart for this group. I am blessed and humbled by it and I am very sorry if I have offended you with my comments. I know there is need in our community for a ministry of outreach specifically for those who struggle in this area and their families. Maybe some time soon there will be. Count me in if I can be of service.
i appreciate your words susan… i feel challenged yes, but apreciative also…. but this is going to be a hard thing to debate….. and i dont have the strength… so i say thank you, and i hope and pray that the trials i feel around this issue, the lord stays with me…
i just attended a wedding, with two gay men in attendance,(not a couple, just friends, not acting out in a gay fashion) i watched christian women sit back and literally hiss, and talk behind hands, about how disgusting they were…. i was appalled, not at the homosexuality but the christian behavior..i wanted no part of being around those women, the thing that hurt me the worst was both of these mens mothers are christian, and struggling… and these women were their friends? i made it my goal to make them feel not all christians were that ugly.. i apologized for my fellow believers behavior. and they just shrugged it off and told me it was typical, but that they were there to support the bride and groom…
im sorry to say but this issue scares christrians… fear breeds hate, fear causes uncontollable behavior….just being associated with them makes people think it will affect their christian standing….so it causes more emotion and acting out than you think, looking through history this is not a new problem, looking through history christians have done some horrible things to people….its just new to us…. it is not black and white… in right and wrong it is, but in handling it, it isnt….
jesus would have sat with them, ate with them, and loved them, its our modern day leprosy in my theory…
i pray to stay in his will,
heidi
I would have to agree… It grieves me also that Christians so mis-represent Christ, and yet, I know I am guilty of ugly behavior myself on many levels..It is only by the grace of God that I take each step in my walk with the Lord. I know that about myself. I just have to tell you again, I love your heart. Thank you for sharing. You have so blessed me.
……and i say the same for you! i think it is the longest conversation we have ever had!!! blessings to you!!
I response to Greg, my question is has anyone noticed that California is on fire?
Persecution is subtle at first, I saw some tonight. You (Greg) got ROBBED at the derby! Don’t worry though, I’ve read that these things get sorted in the end. Maybe a trophy to go with your crown?
Wow! Man! Dude’s and Dudette’s. I’m floored!
From Citizenlink.com (Focus on the Family e-newsletter) 7-9-2008
Man Sues Bible Publishers over Verses on Homosexuality
A Michigan man is suing Zondervan Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishing, claiming biblical references to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability.
Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and $10 million from Thomas Nelson, The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press reported. He is representing himself in both claims.
Fowler claims the Bible has made him an outcast and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of “demoralization, chaos and bewilderment.”
“As frivolous as this case may sound, it’s an indicator of where the homosexual agenda is headed,” said Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action. “Ten years from now, this type of case won’t be humorous at all; we’ll see organizations like the ACLU dedicating resources to them because such ‘language’ will no longer be considered protected speech.
“Sweden, Canada and the U.K. are already prosecuting religious speech as ‘hate’ speech, as it relates to the biblical view of homosexuality.”
It continues.
Greg I remember a time back in the 90’s when we were talking during a pastors meeting in Kimberly about the laws in Canada that made it a hate crime to expound on Romans 1-3 and how similar bills were being proposed here in the U.S. The upshot of the discussion between us was simply this: I wonder which one of us will go to jail first. Indeed as ministers (slaves) of the gospel of Jesus Christ we preach Him and Him crucified. We are charged to give the whole counsel of God. That Includes Romans.
Preaching Christ and Him crucified is to declare that there is sin, separation, and death in the world; but there is also reconciliation and deliverance in Jesus. We are no different fellas than the pharisees and sadducees if we withhold the complete truth of Gods word. As ambassadors of Christ, we are to speak not from or own comfort zone, but as representatives of heaven. There is more than 1 list in the bible of those that will not enter heaven. Failing to extend the truth in love is failing to present Jesus.
Some will always rise in opposition to the Word of God for the gospel is offensive having “the stench of death to those that are perishing” note that the stench is to those that are perishing. Satan would love to cause Gods’ people to limit the words that they share. The simple truth is that there are in fact things that the Lord has declared to be abominations (detestable things).
The call of the Christian is to expose the deeds or works of darkness with light; presenting the solution of Jesus Christ.
‘Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, AND HAS GIVEN US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and HAS COMMITTED TO US THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION. Now then, we ARE ambassadors FOR Christ, as though God were pleading through us: WE IMPLORE YOU ON CHRIST’S BEHALF, BE RECONCILED TO GOD. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’ (2 Cor 5:18-21) Imploring often involves revealing. Revealing sometimes brings about reviling.
‘But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, BY EVIL REPORT AND GOOD REPORT; AS DECEIVERS, AND YET TRUE; as unknown, yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing all things.’ (2 Cor 6:4-10) Some will say bad things about us, others wills say good things. Some will say we are leading people astray by revealing sin (i.e. those that say homosexuality is not a choice, but a result of DNA etc.), but we are true to the Truth.
So be it.
“Be steadfast, immovable. Be strong and courageous. Love those that hate you. I am with you.”
Sounds like Jesus to me.
Californian weighing in.
Here in Redding gay couples are a common sight. Especially older ones in their 60’s and 70’s. People from SF come to Redding to retire. Being 3 1/2 hrs north of San Francisco and filled with natural beauty.
I agree lets love em the best we can, but they still cant babysit my grandkids!
Yours truly!
Weeks ago, there was a “debate” over Rick Warren and the way he shares, or doesn’t share, the Gospel. Sorry for putting this here, but IT BEGINS is a good topic thread to apply the following message about living a Purpose Driven Life….for God, not matter the obstacle.
Pastor Warren:
Today I am stepping across the line. I’m tired of waffling and I’m finished with wavering, I’ve made my choice, the verdict is in, and my decision is irrevocable. I’m going God’s way. There’s no turning back now!
I will live the rest of my life serving God’s purposes with God’s people on God’s planet for God’s glory. I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love, and communicate his word.
Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living, and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more time or energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying. Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family.
Because this life is preparation for the next, I will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me”, character over comfort, service over status, and people over possessions, position, and pleasures. I know what matters most and I’ll give it all I’ve got. I’ll do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.
I won’t be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil. I’ll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running by me. When times get tough, and I get tired, I won’t back up, back off, back down, back out or backslide. I’ll just keep moving forward by God’s grace. I’m Spirit-led, purpose-driven and mission-focused so I cannot be bought, I will not be compromised, and I shall not quit until I finish the race.
I’m a trophy of God’s amazing grace so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for everyday, and generous with everything that God entrusts to me.
Now if anyone reads this with an open mind/heart -he or she will be inspired to live for Jesus in a world that wants to silent his people – no matter the issue. Miss you LCS family….
God First and Go Lions!!!!
Coach K