Do Not Condemn Yourself

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”

-Isaiah 43:18-19

                All too often, as Christians, we condemn ourselves the moment we realize we have sinned. In doing this, we deter ourselves from moving on, causing us to go against what God has planned. We often feel as though we aren’t a “good enough” Christian. We often dwell on the past too. We might think we have “moved on” but then two weeks or a month down the line, we remember what we once were. But, in Luke 17:1 we are told that “things that cause people to sin are bound to come”. God knows that we will stumble and fall. He doesn’t want us to hold ourselves back from Him though. Jesus died so that we could connect with God, although we are sinners.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not

let yourselves be burdened again by yoke of slavery.”

-Galatians 5:1

                Psalm 103:13 declares that God has compassion for His children, just as a father has compassion on his children. When a child misbehaves, punishment is required. But, if a child apologizes and changes their actions, the father is quick to forgive them. Even when punishment comes though, it is still love. When a father disciplines his child, it’s because he wants what is best for the child. God forgive us of our sins when we ask for forgiveness and repent. He wipes our slate clean. Just as He does that for us, we should do for ourselves.

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,

and remembers your sins no more.”

-Isaiah 43:25

“For I will forgive the wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

-Jeremiah 31:34

Here is a blog post that relates to this: Saved, Not Condemned

The Importance of Living by Faith

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted

and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

-Colossians 2:6-7

                We’ve all heard the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In Daniel 3, king Nebuchadnezzar had set up an image of gold that was ninety feet by ninety feet and he set it up in Babylon on the plain of Dura, which is now located in modern day Iraq. He had all the high officials dedicate the image of gold and ordered the common people to bow down and worship it when they heard the music play. Some astrologers told King Nebuchadnezzar that those he had appointed over Babylon-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-were not worshipping his gods or the image of gold. They were brought before the king and given one more chance to bow down and worship the image of gold or be thrown into a fiery furnace. They refused.

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us

from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, o king. But even if

he does not, we want you to know, o king, that we will not serve your

gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

-Daniel 3:17-18

                They had so much love for God and faith in Him that they would not be moved or shaken. They were being loyal to Him and would die in His name, as faithful servants.

“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say,

‘We are unworthy servants, we have only done our duty.”

-Luke 17:10

                King Nebuchadnezzar had the three men bound and thrown into the furnace. Suddenly, king Nebuchadnezzar realized there were four men, unbound and alive, walking in the furnace. He opened the furnace and called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of it. There was no sign upon their bodies that they were ever even in the furnace. This caused Nebuchadnezzar to believe in the Most High God.

“They trusted in Him and defied the king’s commands and were willing to give up

their lives rather than serve or worship any God except their own God…

for no other god can save in this way.”

-Daniel 3:28-29

                You may say Romans 13:1-7 says we are to submit to the authorities. But did you forget the first two commandments? You shall have no other gods besides Him and you shall not set up or bow down and worship any idol besides God (Exodus 20:3-6). Through the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, king Nebuchadnezzar saw how good God was, and still is. Through living by faith, we can draw others to God by showing how he works in our lives and protects us. We can’t just expect that living according to the law will save us. That is part of it but it’s not the only thing we need. We need faith behind our actions.

“All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written, ‘Cursed

is everyone who does not continue to do everything written

in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because,

‘The righteous will live by faith.’

-Galatians 3:10-11

Saved, Not Condemned

“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but

that the world through him might be saved.”

-John 3:17

                There are many Christians today who feel that they are more superior to others due to their morals, as if what they are is because of human achievement through works. The Pharisees in the New Testament were self-righteous and condemned others. When Christ ate with the sinners and tax collectors, the Pharisees questioned the disciples how Jesus could do that, as if they were better than the sinners. Luke 6:37 tells us not to condemn or we will be condemned. Jesus did not come to condemn mankind but to save them. If we are to live like Jesus did then we need to live on this same principle. We should not condemn anyone but rather help lead them to the salvation that the cross and Jesus’ blood brings.

                Some people are scared to go to a church or draw close to God because they fear condemnation and judging. They often forget that Jesus came to save sinners and it’s sinners who need him. Everyone is a sinner and we all deserve to be punished (Romans 3:10-23). However, Christ saved us from that.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

-Luke 19:10

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus

came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst.”

-1 Timothy 1:15

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor,

but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

-Mark 2:17

                There is much false teaching today because people don’t understand the basic biblical truth. Salvation involves acknowledging one’s guilt of sin under God’s law and then trusting Jesus for forgiveness. There is much condemnation from religious people that involves putting sinners on trial and demand that they clean up their life. Others teach that if a person backslides and sins then they were never really saved and will not see the glory of Heaven. There are also those who say that once someone sins then they have lost all salvation that they had. But it is not the law that saves but faith!

                Once a person accepts Christ, then they will always have that salvation unless they condemn the Holy Spirit and deny its presence. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that we have no self-righteousness of our own to offer to God that is acceptable by Him. We need to be like Paul who admitted that he was a sinner and that Jesus saves. Everyone, no matter how much they have sinned, is entitled to the same opportunity to accept Jesus Christ and be forgiven of their sins.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new things!”

-Isaiah 43:18-19

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for

my own sake, and remember your sins no more.”

-Isaiah 43:25

                We all have the possibility of backsliding because we are in the flesh. Self-righteousness and spiritual pride are a sin (John 9:41). We cannot grow in Christ nor can we fully accept him if we feel that we are perfect or righteous due to just our obedience to the law. That would mean that we have no need of Jesus. So, if you see a sinner, don’t condemn them.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no

attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your

brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is

a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank

out of your own eyes, and then you will see

clearly to remove the speck  from your brother’s eye.”

-Matthew 7:3-5

                Everyone has their own faults and many try to hide that fact and go to judge and condemn others. Jesus ate with sinners to save them. He went into unbelieving towns to do what? Save them. Wouldn’t you be offended if you backslid and someone said that you were never really saved? Open your eyes to the truth and help save others from the fire. 

A Shaky Walk With God: My Testimony

“They overcame him by the blood

of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

-Revelation 12:11

                As Christians, we need to realize how powerful our testimony can be in planting seeds and leading others to the salvation they can have in Christ. Those not yet rescued want to know that someone can relate to what they’re going through in their life. They need to know that they aren't being judged and feel welcomed to have a relationship. Many people don’t realize that many Christians went through a lot before they received Christ as their savior. Lately many people have been telling me about the anointing I have on my life and that they love the passion for the Lord that I have. But I wasn’t always like this. I wasn’t always outgoing and cheerful. I’m not a perfect person and I made my mistakes. I wasn’t always on the right path. So, I thought I’d share my testimony.

                I was raised in a Christian house. My parents were saved several years before I was born so naturally I went to church starting from a very young age. I always knew who God was and I believed that he existed. But I spent little time praying or studying the scripture and there were certain life events that led me astray. My walk with God was always on and off. I only went to him when I felt like it but yet he still kept waiting for me with open arms, waiting for me to come back. I always had a passion to serve Christ but I didn’t let it show because I was nervous. I kept forgetting that God would never leave me nor forsake me. No man could hurt me. It’s like that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.”

                I was always enrolled in a public school. Public school is hard for a child to experience, especially as a follower of Christ. There are so many other kids who don’t know who Christ is so the enemy uses them to attack the born again. Starting in the first grade I can remember always being teased and made fun of-either being called a Jesus freak or ugly and sometimes I was made fun of just for other kids to get a laugh and to try to gain more friends. I went through this until I graduated the twelfth grade. I always thought that I was useless but I realize that now I can use this as a powerful testimony for those teens and young adults facing the same issues I went through.

                Because of this torment, I always felt like I wanted to fit in and wanted the other kids to like me. I wasn’t thinking about how Jesus suffered and I wasn’t thinking about the gifts I would receive once this life was over and I was in Heaven. I was too blind to see that I'm beautiful just the way God made me. I was young and was focused on other things. All I knew was that I wanted the teasing to end. In the 8^th grade, I got sucked into MySpace, which was not a good place. I had pictures of myself posted and even had hundreds of people who I didn’t even personally know as friends. I wasn’t thinking about the dangers, I just knew I was getting attention and people were telling me I was pretty. People always seem nicer on the Internet. My dad found out about it when I was in the 10^th grade and quickly brought it to an end. I thank God that I actually grew up with a father who cared and always looked out for my best interest. He always helped me get back up when I was falling. 

                I went to the youth group at my church starting in the 7^th grade but it was just like public schools. Girls wearing revealing clothes and faces caked with make-up and hair dyed; boys being complete goof balls; and no one paying attention to the message. We were all still lost although we always referred to ourselves as Christian. But, it states in numerous places in the New Testament that the youth will be rebellious during the end times. It also states that we can’t just profess our faith in Jesus, we need to carry ourselves like Him and do His will. I was the girl who sat in the back and didn’t talk to anyone because of fear of rejection that I received in high school. It stayed with me in other aspects of my life. At the age of 14 I was water baptized. I felt like a completely different person and could feel the Holy Spirit in me. But that didn’t last long. As a young female, Satan really wanted me, something that wasn’t his for the taking. I was up until 2 and 3 o’clock in the morning texting boys.  I eventually stopped going to the youth group at the end of the tenth grade. Because I was still being made fun of, I was still looking for ways to fit in.  I started wearing make-up and changed the way I dressed. I wasn’t unique anymore; I looked just like everyone else. This still didn’t work. I had people telling me every day that I was ugly and needed to kill myself so everyone else could be happy. I eventually pushed God to the side and never mentioned him. I rarely thought about him. I was on the road to destruction. I was crying almost every day because of the kids teasing me. I shouldn’t have been crying; I should have been rejoicing! Now that I’m older, I realize this.

              My senior year of high school I always said that the kids weren’t affecting me anymore. But deep down they were. I wasn't fully committed to Christ so I was traumatized. I started to sneak different shoes and clothes to school so I could try to fit in with all of the other girls. My mom and I didn’t have the best of relationships and it came to a point where I wasn’t doing anything with her.  I felt like I wasn’t useful to God and I felt that He wasn’t working in me. 

                A few months towards the end of the twelfth grade I went back to youth group at a different church. This church was different. I felt welcome. The kids seemed more respectful. But then I moved to Delaware. I started college at an all-girls art school in Philadelphia. There is rarely ever any mention of God there. It was only me and a few other girls who openly voiced that we were God fearing and we had received new life through Christ But I was still led into temptation. At my place of work, I was interacting with the wrong guys and it led me into trouble. I ran away from home for a day and through this, it led me back to Christ. I broke down and recommitted myself to Christ. I demanded that Satan leave my life. My family and I were on and off with church because we were trying to find the right church for us.. I would bring my bible to school and read it every morning. Girls would say, “Why are you reading that,” or “Why would you believe in God?” I ignored it and continued to do this. But once again, I was attacked by the enemy. I opened a Facebook account and was dragged down, threatening to commit suicide. This just caused a big mess. My college made me go to a psychiatrist so I could get analyzed so that they could know if I was a threat to myself or not. Once again, I was drawn back to Christ. 

                This didn’t last long though once again. However, although I was not focused on my own walk with Christ, I was still concerned with others’. I helped lead my boyfriend at the time to saying a prayer of salvation and  coming to Christ. There would sometimes be homeless people in front of my college looking to get free food from the vendor that sits outside. I would buy them meals with the little money that I had, just so I could witness to them about Christ and show his mercy, love and grace. I would say, “Jesus loves you,” or “God bless you.” One woman, once I said this gave me a big hug and it always touched my heart that I could plant a seed of Jesus in these people. Some of these people might have never received the compassion I was giving them and it was all for Christ. I was still creating Christian items for my online store through the gift that God gave me and wearing my Christian shirts.  I would still talk about God and give tracts to people. I've sponsored a young girl in the Philippines for the past 2 years and I always send a tract and Gospel of John in the packages I send to my customers.  But doing these good deeds alone wasn't enough to ensure my place in Heaven. I needed to put my trust back in God and help build my relationship with him. I needed to surrender everything for him to do His will.

                My boyfriend and I eventually broke up. I was crushed by losing someone I had fallen in love with. I put my all into everything I did for him. I always lifted him up. He even had an engagement ring picked out for me. But eventually, he started to ignore my calls and texts and he allowed another female friend to call me ugly and threaten to beat me up and call me a pest. Turns out that while him and I were in a relationship he really loved this other girl. He ignored me for a week straight and allowed his dad to tell me that we couldn't see each other anymore. I ended things with him and he didn't even fight for me. 2 weeks later I was talking to another guy. I knew my dad wouldn’t approve of him but I continued to do so just because of the temptation and to know that someone was interested in me. But my dad eventually found out once again and this led me to cutting him off.

                I became disrespectful to my dad and then I realized, “I want a stronger, more real relationship with God.” Not because of pleasing my dad but because of pleasing my Father in heaven. This drew me back to Christ 2 months ago. I started going back to my current church and I’m stronger than ever. I’m a happier person and my relationship with my parents is healing. I’ve realized that I’m beautiful just the way I am and if anyone says otherwise, I don’t listen to them. I can finally look in the mirror and feel beautiful without the make-up. I'm becoming actively involved with my church and getting involved with the different groups and ministries. God is using me for His works. My mom and I get along so much better now. I have better social skills and God is looking out for me; because of giving my time and labor to God, God rewards me not only with a place in Heaven but sales at my store are increasing. I’m able to surround myself with other people who believe in the same God as me and who serve him. I have people encouraging me instead of bringing me down. Not only am I a blessing to them but they are a blessing to me. I’m learning what it’s like to have people besides my family who care about me and who I can talk to and be myself around. I feel instantly comfortable and don't feel like I'm being judged and I don't have that fear of being an outcast. God has helped me completely remove those thoughts from my mind. I don’t focus on the loss of my boyfriend. Sure, it still hurts every now and then but God always puts peace in my heart. Now that I’m more mature I realize that I don’t need to please anyone on earth or seek out a boyfriend; God will place him in my life at his own time if it is his will. I'm not focused on a boyfriend; God makes everything beautiful in its own time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I look at the loss of my boyfriend as a blessing because now I have more time for serving the Lord. He was just holding me back. I'm not going to church just to make friends. It's amazing what God can do! I've cut out all the negative people from my life so I can take some time to mature in the Spirit and grow in my relationship with Christ. What help is it helping others if I do not yet have a firm relationship with the Lord?

                 Some people ask me where I want to be in 5 years or 10 years. But this is my answer: I don't know; I can't make that call. God will reveal it to me when the time is right. I plan on living according to His will and I won't let anything get in the way. He'll direct me to where I need to be and if it's His will opportunities will arise for me or certain circumstances will arise that will cause me not to get what I want. This is because God needs me to be a certain place at a certain time so that I can reach out to people and bring them to Jesus. My life is in His hands and I am unafraid of what He has planned. I leave it all up to him, having faith in everything he does. 

                I know that my struggle may not be as great as someone else’s. Some have dealt with alcohol or gambling. Others have dealt with crimes that have put them in prison. But my journey and my struggle was still an emotional one. I was still a sinner, as we all are. And Jesus was my solution; God gave him to the world so that we may be saved. Society, without me realizing it, traumatized me and the only healer that could save me was Christ. Most people say that with what I went through for 12 years in school could only be healed by a psychiatrist. But that's not true. God was there and he's helped me now that I came back to him. My back is no longer turned away from him and I want to bring glory and honor to his name alone. I'm working as a servant for the Lord, as we are ordained to do.   I didn't know what my spiritual gifts were either and the power Christ could have through me. I took the test and had several gifts that topped the list with the same amount of points. These gifts were hospitality, giving, pastoring, teaching, evangelism, knowledge, wisdom, faith, encouragement, exhortation, missionary, healing, intercession, mercy, leadership, apostleship, writing, and craftsmanship (some say craftsmanship and writing are talents, not gifts). At first, I thought that it was absurd that I could possess all of these gifts. However, in these  last 2 months, after I 100% committed my life to God, I have notice all of these gifts showing through me all for the glory of God. At first, it started out with just one or two of the gifts showing but as I started to devote more time to God, more gifts started to shine. I am now laying hands on people and praying for them, seeing the healing power of Christ and the peace He can lay on people with broken hearts. He’s speaking through me so that I can share my knowledge of His word with others and teach them. I’m seeing the smiles I bring to people’s faces because of the light that shines in me. Don't let opportunities pass you by; experience what God has planned for you!

                With this testimony, I hope to reach people dealing with addictions and the teens and young adults who are dealing with peer pressure, depression, and the loss of loved ones. I want to help teach and guide teens in the way of the Lord. I want to share my testimony at churches to reach those who are secretly feel lonely, useless, and depressed so that they know they can open up to me and I can help then find the Christ that loves them; they can know I love them too. I want to draw people to Christ and let them know that there are people of God who have struggled with the same issues as any other person and there is an end to it once you come to God. 

               So, if you haven’t committed your life to God yet, just remember that I and many others understand what you are dealing with. God is calling out to you. There's a reason why you're reading this right now. God wants you to go to him and he wants to use you for his works. You're his child, and he wants you back home. None of us are perfect and most of us have stood where you are. Our lives were on the wrong track instead of the one that leads to Heaven. No person needs God more than another. We all need him the same; we’ve all just been put in different situations so that we may realize this. God has an abundant amount of faith to pour upon each and every person on this planet. We just need to accept him.     

“But small is the gate and narrow the

road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

-Matthew 7:14     
 

                To know God is not a religion, it’s a relationship. If you want to be forgiven by God and come into a relationship with him, you can do so right now by asking him to forgive you and come into your life. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. He who hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him [or her].” If you want to do this, but aren't sure how to put it into words, this may help:   
   

Father God in Heaven,

I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to you that I am

a sinner and I’m sorry for the life I’ve lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only Son Jesus Christ shed his precious blood on

the cross and died for my sins so I may have everlasting life in your

kingdom. Right now I confess Jesus as my Lord and savior. I believe

with my heart that you raised Jesus from the dead. From this moment

on I live for you. I want to know you in a real way. Transform me

Use me as you see fit. Thank you for your unlimited grace that saved

me from my sins. Amen.  

 

Bitterness and Love

             

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

-Ephesians 4:31

                 Today so many people in society are angry. Have you ever accidentally cut someone off while driving because they were in your blind spot and then they started yelling? Or have you ever said to someone have a nice day and all you got was a grunt and hate in their eyes? They carry bitterness in their heart and we are to be a light for them. In the ending times, as we experience the birth pains, we can expect this. 2 Timothy Chapter 3 tells us that people will love themselves, love money, be boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanders, have no self-control, and be abusive and conceited. This is what causes these people to behave this way. They don’t care about others and they can’t even be thankful that God has given them another day of life! We cannot carry our attitudes like them or they will not be drawn to Christ. If we don't have a childlike heart, we will not have a place in the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:3). This means to remove all bitterness from our hearts. We need to show the world love. Not the kind of love that a man has for his wife but God’s love. The love that God has for all of his children.

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to

this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

-1 Peter 3:9

“And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have

loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love

for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”

-John 13:34-35

                In order to love, we must first love God and understand what love truly is.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

-1 Corinthians 13:4-7

                If we do not love, we are not saved. We know this because God is love and therefore we have God in us if we love. Those who hate are just like murderers. If we see someone in need and turn our backs without showing love, then how can we say we love God? For he tells us to give to the needy so that we may help him. We have to love in actions, not just words (1 John 3:14-18). We can plant a seed for God just by carrying ourselves in a loving manner. We cannot bring ourselves to the misery of the rest of the world. In order to do this, we must remember why they act the way they do. They don’t have Christ! Christ brings only joy and renewal of the spirit. Demons attack people and cause them to have hate in their heart for others but if they accept Christ they too can be cheerful!

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but

heartache crushes the spirit.”

-Proverbs 15:13

                Sometimes, no matter what you say or do, these people will not have a childlike heart like God tells us to do. But even if we cannot change them, we can at least plant a seed. If we cannot have a childlike heart, we won’t be accepted into the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). Therefore, do not let the bitterness rub off on you but rather let your joy rub off on others.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe

in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,…”

-1 Peter 1:8

      

Is Homosexuality Really Wrong?

                There are those who like to say that there is no place in the bible that says homosexuality is wrong. They say people are born as homosexuals and it's not their choice. But it is. In their own sin, without the Holy Spirit to convict them, they cannot see what is really wrong.The world often likes to change God’s words and meanings, and even remove parts of the bible, to conform to their own worldly desires to sin. However, the bible clearly states in multiple verses that homosexuality is a sin.

“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.”

-Leviticus 18:22

“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman,

both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death;

their blood will be on their own heads.”

-Leviticus 20:13

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the

kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor

idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders

nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers

nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

-1 Corinthians 6:9-10

"For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the  woman and burned in their desire toward one another, 
men with men committing indecent acts and

receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a

depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper."

-Romans 1:26-28

                Homosexuality is clearly wrong and goes against the creation of God. But then again, God is so far out of our country. He created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve or Alexis and Eve. There is no other way that we would have been able to reproduce and be the world that we are today. Homosexuality has a severe judgment administered by God Himself. This judgment is simple:  they are given over to their passions.  That means that their hearts are allowed to be hardened by their sins (Romans 1:24).  As a result, they can no longer see the error of what they are doing, and then they go and promote it and condemn others who don't participate in their sin.  So, without an awareness of their sinfulness, there will be no repentance and trusting in Jesus.  Without Jesus, they will have no forgiveness.  Without forgiveness, there is no salvation. Without salvation, there is only damnation in eternal hell.

                We are not supposed to judge or condemn these men and women who give in to their temptations. No sin is greater than another. Lying is no better than homosexuality. All sin leads to death. Therefore, we are not to condemn or hate the person, we can only hate the sin that they are committing.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged.

Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

-Luke 6:37

                We were all born sinners so we cannot condemn a homosexual any more than we would have been condemned, even if we were just a liar or a thief. They have the same chance at being saved as we did. God did not say he was sending Jesus to die for everyone but homosexuals or murderers. No, he sent Him for all to be redeemed.

“And that is what some of you were. But you were washed,

you were sanctified, you were justified

in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the

Spirit of God.”

-1 Corinthians 6:11

                Homosexuality is a sin, and like any other sin it needs to be dealt with in the only way possible.  It needs to be laid at the cross and repented of. They need to be prayed for and they need to accept the conviction from the Holy Spirit. And, like all sinners, the person needs to be forgiven.  That can be found in Jesus.  He is the Lord, the Savior, and the risen King. If you want to love another man, love Jesus -- not in a homosexual attitudinal sense, but in one of respect and trust.  After all, Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1,14) and he died to save sinners.  We are all sinners and we are called to be the brides of Jesus.

                We should pray for the salvation of the homosexual, the same as we would for any other person in sin.  It is not an issue of arrogance or judgment.  It is a loving thing to do.  We don't want anyone to be lost due to their sin. Jesus came to save all people and we should not hide him from anyone.  The homosexual is still made in the image of God -- even though he is in grave sin.  Therefore, we should show homosexuals the same dignity, humility, and grace as anyone else with whom we come in contact. Show God’s love and his mercy so that he or she may be driven to accept Christ as their savior and give up their sin.  Don't injure them.  Don't hate them. You’ll only cause them to not want to be a follower of Christ. Plant a seed for them! However, this does not mean that you are to approve of their sin.  Don't compromise your witness for a socially acceptable opinion that is void of godliness and biblical truth.  Instead, stand firm in the word that God has revealed and patiently love him/her biblically, and pray for their salvation.

                After that, it is their choice. It is like the parable of the sower (Matthew 13: 1-23). When anyone hears the message about the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown. That’s the seed that was planted on the path. The seed that was planted on the rocks is the one who receives the message with joy. However, he lasts only a short while until persecution or suffering comes. The seed that fell among the thorns is the one who hears the word but the worries of life and wealth make it unfruitful. The seed that fell on the good soil is the one who receives the word and understands it and continues to live his life by the word.