There is a lot of debate, some very heated, over the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court [SCOTUS] to “legalize” same sex marriage. While citing the Constitution they violated the very Constitution they were citing.
Now that it is “legal” for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman the long held and honored definition of one man and one woman entering the covenant of marriage has been destroyed, at least by those who don’t want to submit to God. By departing from our country’s Constitution that was born out of the hearts and minds of men who at the very least had respect for our Creator, SCOTUS has opened the proverbial Pandora’s Box.
What is the new definition of marriage and who is the determiner of the new definition? If God’s definition of one man and one woman is not the defining principle underpinning the great institution of marriage and the bedrock of civilized civilization’s existence, then what is marriage.
Now marriage will be defined by the individual or individual’s who want to be “married”.
Who will be able to say that marriage is not a group of all men, or all women, or a mixture of men and women?
Who is to say that marriage is not a human and an animal or a human and a plant or insect? Wait, will animals have the right to marry?
Far fetched you say? One generation ago or less it was far fetched to believe we would have the present definition of marriage!
Now that it is “legal” for a “marriage” to be whatever someone wants it to be it will become illegal for anyone to speak against the new norm for “marriage”. Preachers and citizens alike will be persecuted and jailed for speaking out against this new normal.
Here is the possible scenario: First, some government or law enforcement employee will “ask” the pastor to go through sensitivity training. If the pastor declines the training and takes a stand for Biblical marriage the church he or she pastor’s will lose its tax exempt status. This means if they own the property they will pay property taxes and all contributions to the ministry will no longer be a tax deduction for the contributors. If that pressure does not cause the pastor to submit then off to jail he or she will go.
We are going to find out who the real Christian pastors are and we are going to find out who the real givers in “the church” are.
Do not doubt me on this. Without a miracle this could very well be the situation in these United States of America – very soon! This was the country where we had honor and respect for the right to the freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
Remember the “Wall of Separation of Church and State.” Well, how is that working out for you now? There was separation of Church and State when we as a nation feared God. There was no State religion, meaning the State did not determine how people would worship the One True God.
Now that the God haters have commandeered the country the State has breached the wall and entered the church demanding obedience to the State, not God. Now the State has said, “I am God!”
I wonder when murder will be redefined now that the Bible is no longer the gold standard for defining marriage for our Federal Government. What about lying?
Haven’t we already removed the Ten Commandments from the public domain?
I mean, who is the final arbiter now for long held definitions? Is SCOTUS? Or the POTUS?
I’m sure there are murderers waiting to defend themselves with – “Your definition of murder does not fit my idea of what murder is!”
Will not telling the truth “under oath” be struck down because no one has the right to determine what truth is except the one not telling it?
Now that the US Government has redefined marriage they have cast off the moral absolutes that have moored it to the God ordained covenant of marriage. The US Government is now adrift and being “tossed to and fro and carried away by every wind of [human] doctrine.”
Now that the door has been opened for “marriage” to be whatever someone wants to define it, no human law can prohibit the “free” expression of anyone’s definition of what they want their “marriage” to be. And all violators will be persecuted then prosecuted!
I hope the gay pride people, including those who call themselves Christian, are proud of the results they are going to get.
Homosexuals never have to worry about pedophiles coming for their children! Not being able to procreate together they have to resort to adopting a child someone was not able or willing to take care of. Interesting is it not that just as the only way for them to have children is to adopt so they have to adopt an alternative lifestyle to “be happy”.
I know heterosexual people can have difficulty getting pregnant and having their own children. But that is not the same as two men or two women not being able to procreate together. This is not an attack on those who cannot get pregnant the God fashioned way. I have great compassion for those who have struggled unsuccessfully in this area. But the truth is God did not give two men having sex or two women having sex the ability, or right, to get pregnant. It is because it is not normal nor natural for people of the same gender to “make love sexually.” At least not from God’s perspective [Read Romans 1, please].
The ink is barely dry on the signed sealed and not “delivered” law legalizing same sex marriage and pedophiles are already lining up claiming the right to have sex with children because “they are only interested in children & that “orientation” is their normal.”
This is an all out assault on born again Christianity and the Lord who is the Author of it by disoriented people, not by people living according to their “orientation”. Abnormal sex is not an “orientation.” It IS disorientation!
This was foreseen decades ago by people of vision & real insight!
Pedophiles have been waiting for this day. Will marriage now be accepted between adults and young children? How can we say, “No.”
Say it ain’t so, Joe!
If you think this is no big deal then you are shallow at best, & at worst you do not understand what evil is or how it works.
I am thankful where sin abounds grace abounds so much more!
Christians are going to need God’s grace [His divine ability] now like never before!
I choose to believe the Lord is setting the world up for the greatest revival of miraculous interventions where people will be confronted by the Lord of glory and a HUGE harvest of converted souls will come in!
There are too many people who repeated a sinner’s prayer but were never converted, and instead of rising up to the high call of God for their lives they have reduced themselves to their base desires!
Being talented, highly gifted or immensely intelligent has provided cover for their lack of spiritual depth.
Their cover is about to be removed and their true identity will be seen by all.
I decided to include some of the text out of Romans 1 for you. Reader beware!
“16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it [the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth [they know deep down what the truth is] in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Listen, voting for people who openly defy God with their life and law making is to “approve of those who practice them”. Your vote equals your approval. You may want to seriously think about that!
First and foremost we need to understand – to a person living outside the parameters of real truth [God’s Eternal Word] when confronted with real truth the truth will hurt. Or at least it should hurt. If it doesn’t you may want to reread these verses very slowly and carefully.
The Lord knows He has hurt my feelings many times over the years with His truth confronting my false perceptions of what His truth really is.
By the way, Jesus has never worried much about my feelings. He is not worried about yours either. He is after our total and undeniable obedience to Him. He calls it discipleship! “Obeying everything I have commanded.”
The truth, or God’s Word, as Jesus said in John 17:17, is “like a two edged sword [Hebrews 4:12].” Swords are instruments of hurt and pain.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-36 – “34 Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword [HIs Word]. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.'”
There are those that think Jesus is just here to make us all feel good about ourselves!
Jesus calls us friends but we must never forget He is our Lord! He is either Lord of all or not at all.
He is our Bridegroom, if we are His sons and daughters through the new birth! I’m not sure Jesus is fine with His Bride committing adultery [spiritual or physical].
Because Jesus loves us He cannot and will not allow us to live incongruently with His Word, if we are truly His. Those who are not truly His are already under His judgment and are awaiting the wrath of God to come upon them.
His Word is His final authority, not the inconsistent and ever changing mood swings of the cultural or political elite. Jesus had a lot to say in His day to those two classes of people.
Look at what John, the apostle that love changed from an angry preacher to a loving spiritual father, said.
“Little children [teknon – 4th level of spiritual maturity in the childhood stage of Christian development], I write these things to you so that you MAY NOT sin. And IF we sin we have an advocate with the Father.” 1 John 1:1,2
According to the disciple Jesus loved “little children” can comprehend that sinning is not acceptable behavior for the believer, and that sin is not normal for a Christian. Words mean things! He said, “May not sin” meaning we don’t have permission. He then said, “If we sin”! The reason he did not say, “When we sin” is because it should be rare “when” we sin. Sin should not be on a believer’s radar!
Read all of 1 John. Heck read all the Bible. The whole counsel of God’s Word makes it clear to be in covenant with God means living in right relationship with Him.
To say we are all sinners is to misrepresent Biblical truth. Much in the way saying, “God is everyone’s Father.” God is only a person’s Father if they have received Jesus as Lord. Saying a prayer is not the same as laying down your life and surrendering your will to His. “He came to His own and His own received Him not. But as many who receive Him, to THEM He gives the right [honor and privilege] of becoming His children, to [all] those who believe in His name.” John 1:11,12]
Believing in Jesus is so much more than an intellectual exercise. It means totally surrendering to the Word, Will and Ways of God!
If you are truly saved, born again, you are no longer a sinner. You cannot accurately describe yourself as, “I am a sinner saved by grace.”
If you are saved by grace you are now a saint [a holy believer]. As a holy believer you do not have permission to keep on sinning. And homosexuality and lesbianism, and pedophilia are sins. There is no gay gene! There is a sin nature and that is why people sin against God.
Yes it is true that saints can sin but we do not have permission to sin and to sin we leave our new nature [being in Christ] and slip back in our old Adamic nature surrendering to the man of sin. We are supposed to submit completely to the Man of righteousness.
A person that claims to know Christ and continues to live a lifestyle that violates the clear teaching of Scripture is either deceived that God is “A – OK” with it, or they are deceived into thinking are a genuine Christian! The deceitfulness of deception is the person deceived is not aware of it!
If this hurts then you need to experience the pain of God’s sword dividing asunder soul from spirit. At best you are a soul Christian which simply means you are not operating out of a redeemed spirit but a fallen soul.
I love sinners! I love saints who sin! And because I love them I speak the truth in love. If that hurts you then I have accomplished my call as a preacher of righteousness and truth. It is dishonorable and unloving to not speak the truth to the person needing the truth.
Friends, God has not called me to make friends. He has called me to make disciples [dedicated and loyal followers of and learners of the ways of Christ]. If we happen to be friends then that is awesome.
Too many have misunderstood my Lord’s call on my life and have gotten their feelings hurt. I don’t wake up in the morning hoping I can hurt anyone’s feelings. I wake up every morning with the goal of immediate obedience to the One who laid His life down to redeem me from a life of sin and eternal pain. If my obedience hurts your feelings I don’t know what to tell you. Well I do but then your feelings would get hurt!
I can assure you my feelings get hurt a lot by my complete obedience, but I am not to relate to Jesus out of my soul [the place where my feeling operate]. I am to relate out of my redeemed spirit [the place of my connection to God Who is Spirit].
“There is a way that SEEMS right to man but the end [of man’s way] is death.” Jesus is THE WAY, not a way! It is His way or the highway [low way]!
This battle is for the souls of people and this battle is real!
Once you start manipulating God’s Word to fit what you believe you are deceived. His Word is the plumb line of righteousness.
“The wounds of a friend are better than the kiss of an enemy!”
And that folks is the Spirit of Jesus Christ at work in the words of a redeemed sinner who “sometimes” misses the mark.
If you think I have lost my mind [Actually I did lose mine and obtained Christ’s], one generation ago no one would have predicted what SCOTUS & POTUS have done to “fundamentally transform America.”
Citizens of the USA who are enamored with the decision of redefining marriage, have you taken the time to look at the big picture?
Get ready, Webster’s and other established Dictionaries will have to be revised!
God would have spared Sodom & Gomorrah if He had been able find 10 righteous people. Thank God I have more than 10 in my immediate family! What if Abraham had interceded down to his nuclear family?
Look up saints! Don’t give up! Read Psalm 37! Read Psalm 2! Be encouraged!
I’m excited!
Now we will find out who the real believers are!
There is a Higher Judge that Christians, Christian ministers and ministries answer to. Because we at Bethel Church, Brunswick, GA believe that God ordains marriage between one man and one woman we will not condone nor conduct any marriage that is not between one man and one woman that God has brought together.
We do not believe that this is an act of discrimination. We believe this is an act of complete obedience to God and His written Word!
So, Bethel Church in beautiful Brunswick and the glorious Golden Isles of Georgia will hold fast to our convictions and core values as it pertains to marriage. If I go to jail then those in jail will hear the unadulterated pure Word of God preached! Look out jail here comes an earthquake [Acts 16:25ff].
God loves, and we at Bethel love people where they are. This does not mean that God or we love where people are. It is absolutely possible to love the one sinning and not love their sin. Well it is if there are any absolutes left!
Humility is taking a stand for righteousness, humbly! Being afraid to take a righteous stand is not humility!
For more information on humility see how Jesus lived righteously in the Gospels.
Hurtful speech and hateful speech are not necessarily synonymous!
Jesus said a lot of things that probably hurt people’s feelings and sensibilities, like:
To the religious elite – “You are of your father the devil.”
To Peter – “Get behind Me Satan.”
To the rich young ruler. – “Go and sell all of your possessions and come follow Me.” By the way, the rich young ruler went away “sad.” Jesus did not chase after him and try to negotiate the terms of discipleship.
To His disciples – “”If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” And, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” And, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Fairly narrow minded wouldn’t you say?
To the greater body of disciples. – “If you don’t eat My flesh and drink My blood you have no part in Me.” By the way, all but the 12 deserted Him saying, “This is a hard [harsh, severe, difficult, rough, intolerable] saying. Who can listen to it?” And Jesus turned to the 12 and said, “Do you want to leave to?” This is personified love speaking friends!
Or, and I really love this one –
To Pilate after Pilate said to Him, “Aren’t you going to speak to me? You realize, don’t you, that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You have no authority over me at all, except what was given to you from above.” Well! That is how a man of God takes a stand before a man that needs to see God!
Pilate said something to Jesus that many people now are saying, “What is truth?” That is a great question and unless we know the answer to that question we will never have genuine stability in this uncertain world.
What is truth?
Jesus said that He is truth. “I am the way, the life and THE truth, and no man comes to the Father except through Me.”
Friends, all roads will eventually lead to God. But only one road leads to an eternal relationship with God!
Jesus said God’s Word is truth. “Thy Word is truth!” The Bible is the Truth and the only legitimate Book with the revelation of God’s eternal plan for mankind.
After Adam sinned and God removed his access card to the Tree of Life, God stationed a cherubim with a flaming sword at the entrance to the Garden. The angel and sword were to keep Adam from the Tree of Life, not the Garden. To get to the Garden Adam had to pass through the sword, which is the Word of God!
Selah!
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
“Many are called but [only] a few are chosen!”
Again, somewhat narrow minded!
I could go on but that would be piling on!
Jesus is not interested so much in how we feel. He is interested in will we submit! God is not a parent trying to be friends with His kids. God is a parent expecting them to grow up and become like Him. “You are to become perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Perfect? Perfect!
Jesus isn’t looking for friends or converts. He is looking for disciples and discipleship will cost you everything! Conversion is to lead to discipleship. If it doesn’t then it was not a legitimate conversion.
This blog may hurt but it is not hate!
It’s a good thing the well-being of a nation is not determined by those who have no honor for God!
“If My People who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, turn from THEIR wicked [twisted] ways and seek My face, then I shall hear from heaven and HEAL THEIR land.”
God’s people are the ones called by His name – Christian [like Christ in all of His ways].
Prayer is an act of humility!
When we seek God’s face [pleasure] we automatically turn from our wicked ways!
Christianity is not about some person living for God. Christianity is God living His life through a person yielded totally to Him!
Friends, this land is our land because the meek shall inherit the earth.
Don’g give up!
Don’t give in!
Don’t give it or yourselves over to those who do not know God or want to know Him!
1 John 2:5 – “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”
1 John 3:1 – “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
1 John 4:6 – “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
1 John 5:2 – “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.”
1 John 5:18 – “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”
I will end with this text out of 1 John 2:10-17 –
“10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. 14 I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
Keep His Faith! Keep His Passion!
Dr. Kevin M. Drury
A Hisstorymaker
Revolution Movement 
Amen! Well written truth!