Hope for the Homosexual

I wanted to share a very powerful testimony from a friend of mine. You can read the original version here

October 19, 1996:    "My curiosity builds in the area of having a relationship with a female.  I want to be with one…"

December 3,1996:  "I've been contemplating telling my parents about my sexuality.  What would I say?  I know them pretty well, and I know christianity would be more than mentioned…"

December 17, 1996:  "I also want to "come out of the closet" to my parents, or at least my mom.  I had my heart set on doing it this Xmas, but talking to different people, I'm hesitant.   Should I?  Is it for the better, for the worse?  Is it worth it?  I don't know.  I hate to hurt them so badly.  I even called Kid's Help Phone.  The counselor really didn't help though.  I guess I was groping for unanswerable questions.  I expected too much from one man on the other end of the line…I guess I want a wise man to tell me the "right" thing to do.  This is really bothering me.  It isn't an easy thing to tell your parents.  What do you say?  "Hey Mom and Dad, I'm bisexual—I like girls as well as guys!"  Arrghh!  I 've gotta just go with what feels right.  I don't want to hide it anymore.  I can't.

  The last week's been a mixture of depression, boredom and thought.  I just wish I could find someone to lean on that could empathize and care.  Is that too much to ask for?  I dunno.  Sometimes I feel old for my age, but then I feel so young.  What to do.  Who is there to turn to?  God, probably, but I've drifted so far, and gone my own way…"

 

  This came from my own, personal diary.  I was 18 years old.  I share this because I want to offer hope to parents of homosexual kids, and to those who are struggling with homosexuality.

  Although some churches now condone it, the practice is clearly forbidden by God's word (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13, Romans 1:26+27, 1 Timothy 9+10, 1 Corinthians 6:9+10).  More bluntly put, it's an abomination and a sin.  However, just telling someone caught up in it isn't enough.  If anything, it just makes them feel more condemned, hopeless and angry with God.

  I don't believe people are "born" gay (we'll use this term because it's much shorter than 'homosexual'.  Please bear with me).  You will see men who seem quite feminine in mannerisms who "turn out" gay.  They may have more of certain hormones  present as research has shown, but that isn't what makes them gay.  I've never done the stats, but I'd say most of the men who are gay, were molested by another male, lacked a male leader in the home (or the one they had was rarely home) and were raised mostly by females.  As for the feminine qualities, people notice those things.  Next thing you know, they're calling him a "faggot" or a "fruit".  Then that sly devil comes in and starts whispering in his ear, "Maybe it's true.  Maybe you are gay."  So the lie; the deception, begins.  Same with molestation.  The boy is naturally physically aroused, so the devil tells him, because it felt good, he must be gay.  It's just like when you tell a child they're stupid all the time.  After a while, the majority will start to believe it, and even act it.  Words are powerful!

  I was molested by relatives for a huge part of my childhood.  I recall, for as long as I can remember, being attracted to women.  As I grew older, I was used and abused by men to the point of which, for a while, I wasn't very attracted to men at all; more so women.  Oft times, lesbians have been women abused by men.  Or they lack female influence or are "tomboyish" as I was with two older brothers and no sisters.

  What happens with many of these homosexuals who grew up in a Christian home and know what the Bible truly says about homosexuality, is they are hurt and confused.  They are caught in a lie, and angry with God, declaring, "Why did You create me into what You hate?  That's not fair!"  They are deceived into thinking they were created gay.

   When I got born again, I thought that I should be "instantly delivered" of this.  When I still found myself fighting the attraction, I lied to people out of shame.  Some people are instantly delivered; I wasn't. 

  So am I denying the feelings are real?  No.  They are as real as the air we breathe.  But this is what it comes down to: "…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fufill the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish." –Romans 5:16,17 (NKJV).  Your flesh desires what is contrary to God's Spirit; practicing homosexuality is one such thing.  When we surrender to the Lord, and walk in the Spirit, this is a choice.

  No, we were not born gay.  Yes, the attraction, the feelings are real, but they are sin.  And yes, you can choose to repent of it.

  Parents of homosexuals; love them, don't nag them.  Chances are, if they know the Word, they already know they're sinning.  Don't brush it off.  When I told a Christian woman who was counseling me when I was 16, that I thought I was bisexual, she said, "Oh, don't be silly!".  Case closed.  Don't sugar coat either.  They need to choose between their lifestyle and God's lifestyle.

  For those of you who may be practicing this or struggling with it, there is hope.  His name is Jesus, and He loves you.  By His Spirit, you can turn from it, and He will fulfill any emptiness you may have.  He will heal the wounds.  Rest assured.  But you must call it what it is: Sin.  You aren't alone.  I promise you God didn't create you to be gay, He created you to be in a relationship with Him.  And He's waiting with arms of love for you….He's got something so much better!!  Believe me; I know!!!

Spiritual Mirror

James 1:22-25 (New Living Translation)

But don’t just listen to God’s word.

You must do what it says.
Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey,
it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.
You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free,
and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard,
then God will bless you for doing it.

In the natural, the spirit realm can’t be seen or felt, the only way to accurately perceive spiritual truth is through the Bible. Simply take God’s Word and believe it!

Jesus said in John 6:63,

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

God’s Word reveals spiritual reality. If you want to know what your spirit is like, you must find out from the Word, not relying on emotions or other perceptions. God’s Word is spirit and life! It’s the reflection of who you really are.

When you look at your face in a mirror, you aren’t really seeing yourself, you’re viewing a reflection. Even though it’s only a reflection, you have learned to trust it and act on what you see. God’s Word is just like that mirror; it reflects perfectly who you are in the spirit.

You must look into God’s mirror and trust the spiritual reality you see! It reflects your new born-again spirit, your innermost part.


The context of this message was taken from a teaching by: Andrew Wommack
To read the entire article, Click Here

This article is part of a series entitled "Spirit, Soul, and Body". It is an excellent series and I highly recommend it. Following are links to the audio lessons of that series.

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027a_basics.mp3

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027b_redemption.mp3

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027c_faith.mp3

http://downloads.awmi.net/teaching/awm_1027d_spirit.mp3

Type rest of the post here

A God of Second Chances

I am so grateful that we serve a God of second chances. The Word is full of examples of how God gave people another chance. It is full of examples of how God used, in a powerful way, people who were once far from him.

I too was once far from the Lord. My life was filled with deception, lies, addictions, self-centeredness, selfishness, depression, low self-esteem, anger, bitterness, drunkenness; the list goes on and on and on. But praise God; on December 24, 2004 I was born again!

Over the summer I spent a great deal of time studying the book of Romans. Romans is a very powerful book full of truths about the nature of God and the freedom that comes from being redeemed from the curse of the law. It is a book which reveals God’s amazing love, grace, and mercy.

In context with the topic of second chances, I wanted to share something that God personally spoke to me while I was meditating on a portion of Chapter 9. Let’s take a look at a few of these verses:


Romans 9:6-13 (New Living Translation)

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9 For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” 13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”

Look closely at the line found in verse 12. ““Your older son will serve your younger son.”. When I read that verse God immediately spoke to me and said this:

“Michael, so it is with you. You have been born again. You are now the younger son. That means that the older son, the old you, has to serve the younger son, the new you!”

Wow! As simple as that may sound, it was and is a very powerful revelation. It means that no longer do I have to obey my old habits. No longer do I have to fall prey to old patterns of behavior. No longer do I have to be dragged around by my emotions. The new me, the born-again me, is in control.

So now I can boss the old me around. I can say, “Body” you will get healthy. The Word of God says that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit and I command you to get in line with the Word. It has to obey!

I can say, “Depression, The Word of God says that I am to rejoice always and be full of joy”. I command you to praise God and be thankful” It has to obey!

I can say, “Limited thinking, The Word of God says that ALL things are possible with God”. I command you to stop putting limits on what can be accomplished in me through Christ. It has to obey!

My friends, if you are born-again the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells within you. As we know from 2 Corinthians 5:17, you are a new creature. All things have become new and everything that is old in your life has passed away. You have been given the authority to take control of yourself.


Romans 6:16 says this:
Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Make your old self obey the new, born-again you, which is indwelt with the very Sprit of God. Speak to those mountains. Cast those doubts into the sea. Resist the enemy and he will flee!

I pray that this simple little message will help you overcome some of the obstacles in your life that are hindering you from experiencing the fullness of the abundant life that Jesus came to bring us.

Take Control!

(See also Genesis 18:10, 14; and Genesis 25:23)

How far is the East from the West?

Psalm 103 (New Living Translation)
A psalm of David.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The LORD gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

Sidebar:
How far is the east from the west?

Picture the globe. If you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a northerly direction, eventually you would round the north pole and then be traveling south. Likewise, if you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a southerly direction, eventually you would round the south pole and then be traveling north.

However, if you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a westerly direction, you could continue in that westerly direction for infinity. At no point in that journey would you be traveling east. Likewise, if you were located at any point on the globe and then began to travel in a easterly direction, you could continue in that easterly direction for infinity. At no point in that journey would you be traveling west.

East does not meet West and West does not meet East!

And so it is with our sin. No matter where you are on the globe, once you accept Jesus Christ as being the Son of God and confess him to be the Lord, you can leave your sin right there, head in the opposite direction, and never have to cross that path of sin again!

Now back to the passage:

The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.

The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here.

But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.
Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the LORD, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!

Praise the LORD, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the LORD.