Bible Studies 16 (For newest Bible Study see "Bible Studies 19")
What Are We Telling Him (Reverent Fear) (added 2/8/2020)
We've got a local weatherman here on TV that gets so dramatic that Patty and I sit and laugh at him. He is the best weatherman around, but his antics and drama are so funny to watch. He is entertaining and that is why we like to watch him.
I’m beginning to see that being played out by a good portion of Christians in the churches across America. As I see and read about the antics and entertainment being conducted on the stages in a lot of churches, and how the “congregations” just lap it up and expect to be more and more entertained, it really troubles me. That’s why I could not understand why I have been bothered by some of the little things I see going on in my church. And compared to what is being done in a lot of churches, I do mean little things! But seeing these things has really deeply bothered me. And I just figured out why!
Here is what I see when I go to service at my church. I see people walking into the sanctuary with various types of drinks and snacks in their hands; maybe coming in late to the service with a Starbucks cup (Maybe they wouldn’t have been late if they had forgone the coffee?); men wearing flip flops or sandals and some wearing shorts; ladies wearing low-cut tops and skin-tight clothing; people getting up and leaving before the service has ended; etc. By now you’re say “Whoa Jim! Slow down there man! First off, it doesn’t hurt anyone to drink something in church, AND there is not a dress code in church AND we want to encourage people to come as they are. We want the lost to come in don’t we?” And yes on the face of it, all valid arguments. (Although God’s Daughters should dress with modesty and decorum.)
So, why do all these seemingly little things bother me so much? Here’s why. As I read the Bible, God’s Holy Word, I repeatedly see and read about how men react to God when they are in His presence and I read what God says about Himself. As you can see in the passages I posted below (others describe God and Jesus in their glory) when men come into God’s presence they are so overwhelmed by His Glory that they fall to the ground; they are unable to speak; they lose function of their body; they become weak; their senses and mind and spirit are all overwhelmed to be in the presence of Holy God! They have a reverent fear of God! And that is what I find missing in most Christians today. What I find missing in most churches today: A reverent fear of Holy God. I am NOT saying we have to be “in fear” of God. “Reverent fear” is understanding how awesome, mighty, glorious, powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, perfect, strong, righteous - how Holy God is and then showing Holy God the proper respect, reverence, awe, submission, love, adoration He is due - this is how every person on earth should approach Holy God!
Instead we come into His sanctuary as if we’re walking into a movie theater. We are there to check a box and be entertained. Or we know we need to say some prayers because we need His help with something we need or want. Or we don’t really believe at all, but it‘s a good place to socialize and network. Whatever our justification for being there we forget the most important reason. The only reason we exist in the first place: to Glorify Holy God.
Now you’re saying “Hold up there slick! I said the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’. Jesus is my friend. We’re tight. I'm good to go! Jesus loves me and God loves me. No reason to fear a god who loves me. I’m in!” Notice the last use of the word god there is not capitalized? That is because if that is how you feel and think, you are worshipping your own god. Read Job chapters 38-41 and let God describe who He is to you. Then tell me we shouldn’t fear God. John Piper said “We must start with God’s Holiness, His Holy name, and His jealousy to protect His name. If we don’t feel a sense of awe and fear and admiration of the infinite Holiness of God which opposes evil with wrath and fury, then all of our feelings and thoughts will be defective at best.”
When we come into church (but we REALLY MUST remember anytime we come to God and seek Him) we are in the presence of Almighty Holy God! The Holy God of all creation! We should be all of those things I mentioned above. We should be overwhelmed and show a true reverent fear of Holy God. He alone is Holy! Yes, God loves us so much He sent Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins. And when we put our faith and trust in Jesus we will glorify God and Jesus. But we must remember God is Holy. Jesus is Holy. We are created by God to serve and glorify Him. That is what Jesus meant when He told His parents in Luke 2:49 “I must be about my Father’s business.” We, Church, must be about our Father’s business.
Revelation 1:12-18 “12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’”
Revelation 19:11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.”
In Isaiah 6:1-5 we see how Isaiah’s whole demeanor and behavior changes when he is in God’s presence “’In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.’ And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, ‘Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’”
In Exodus 18:19- Moses asks God to let him see His glory. “Then Moses said, “’Now show me your glory.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,’ He said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.’ Then the Lord said, ‘There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.’”
Exodus 34:29-25 tells us of the face of Moses physically shining very brightly just from being in the presence of God. “Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.”
Ezekiel 44:4b “… and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.”
In John 17:1-5 Jesus completed His work on earth which was to glorify God and God is glorified through Jesus and Jesus is glorified by God. “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
I’m putting it all out there - My confession, Pornography Addiction (added 12/19/2020)
Until this past January one thing pretty much consumed my evenings and most of my time away from work – the television. It has been this way all of my life. Well this past January I stopped watching TV. Now I usually watch a half hour of the local news and it is hit or miss if I watch the national news. And from time-to-time we will watch a nature show. Why am I telling you this? I told Patty that it was because secular TV has gotten so vile and disgusting – and yes, that is one reason I quit. But I could just stop watching those shows which do that (granted most do) and I could still watch some TV. Another reason I told her is this action would allow me more time for God – reading the Bible and some good Christian books. And yes, that has happened and it is a major benefit. But that was not the complete, honest reason as to why I have taken such a drastic step in my life. And for me it was/is a DRASTIC step! And before I go any further I must say Patty was fantastic! She did not complain, whine, or act like it was a dumb idea. She completely supported my decision (Remember if I wasn’t watching TV that meant she would not be watching it either when we were together in the evenings. And we only have one TV in the house.). She actually adjusted her viewing around the time I am with her in the evening and she does stuff on her computer or may watch a program on her phone. She has been amazing throughout this time. And she has kept me up-to-date on the storylines of our favorite programs. :-)
But here’s the “Rest of the Story” as Paul Harvey would say as his lead-in to elaborate on the teaser he told his audience until he got to the end. You see God has been telling me for years that He wanted me to quit watching TV. And for years I would just kind of ignore His assertion that it had to go. Well, I finally obeyed our Creator God. (I am sorry Father for being disobedient all of those years.) Now fast forward to May. I had a long talk with Patty. There was something more I had to tell her about the reason I quit watching TV. And I’m not sure I would have ever told her what I am about to tell you, except God wanted me to take this whole situation further than I really wanted to go. He told me to share my story with her and to put it all out there for everyone else. (Patty was extremely understanding, forgiving, and she was thankful I told her the truth. And she does know I am writing this letter.) You see, I am addicted to pornography. I am a very visual person. When I was watching those TV programs I enjoyed the story lines and cared about the characters, but invariably I watched to see the sexy women on the screen and the skimpier and more tight-fitting the clothes they wore, the better. That is the main reason I watched TV. And I also frequently looked at pornography on the computer and on my phone.
People need to understand pornography is just like every other sexual perversion: it truly does pollute the mind and alter your brain. It is a personal affront to God because it cheapens love and glorifies the perverse, the vile, the evil, the disgusting. It destroys relationships. Sexual perversion of any kind is life-altering. And let’s not forget that looking at, and fantasizing about, other women dishonors my wife and damages my love, appreciation, desire, and intimacy with her. It can have long-term, destructive consequences in a relationship. 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” And Paul tells us in Romans 1:24 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator …” And we absolutely have to hear what our Lord Jesus told us in Matt 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
By now you may be saying, “OK Jim. So you gave up your TV. I’m happy for you, but how does that truly help you? What does that truly accomplish?” Good questions. One thing we all need to understand is that God will not allow us to have anything in our life that is more important to us than Him. He expects and demands to be the #1 focus in our life if we choose to be a Follower of Jesus. God does not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. And He has the right to demand that from us. He is Creator-God. He alone is Holy and to be exalted. He is the Most High God!
You see once I took this obedient step and got rid of my TV watching that enabled the Holy Spirit to begin to work His will in me. It was/is not easy. It is a constant battle (but it is getting much easier as time passes). I must be vigilant. One prayer I pray is for God to help me to turn away from anything that my eyes do not need to linger on or that would make my mind stray. And I do that. I will avert my eyes or turn away from that which my eyes do not need to see. I scroll past any pics of sexy women or suggestive ads on the computer. I am diligent to stay away from any sites or pages that promote any kind of sexuality or sexualizing of women. And more than anything I focus on God, my relationship with Him and His love. Galatians 5:15 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” And the verse God gave me years ago: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Cor 10:5.
So, why am I sharing such intimate, personal details about myself – my sins, and why am I just throwing it all out there for the world to see? I can tell you this is not some self-exalting “Aren’t I awesome because I opened up about my problem!” type of letter. This is me baring and confessing my deepest, most-guarded secret to the world. Let’s face it: If I was trying to impress you and build myself up, this is not the way I would go about it. In my mind I hold a place of honor with my friends, loved ones, and acquaintances (This may be just in my mind, but our mind puffs us up – makes us proud.). But God has been insisting that I write this letter for quite some time. And once again I have been resisting. I was resisting sharing this with anyone because of that pride. I did not want to lose the respect or trust of others, or have the Ladies look at me with disgust or loathing. However, through this whole tearing down of the old man (annihilate, destroy, wipe-out, diminish, kill, eradicate, exterminate – you get the picture – I want him GONE!) and replacing him with a Man-of-God who is obedient, and a servant of the Most High, I have at my very core, in my spirit, the burning desire and the need to get closer to God. I will sacrifice anything and everything that takes the place of God in my life. I desperately want to strengthen my relationship with Him and to nurture and treasure my time with my Father. “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:11-14).
So, what good does it do for me to confess my sins to you? It is not in the hopes of being forgiven by man. My God is the only one who can forgive (and has forgiven) me of my sins. At this point in my life and in my relationship with God I am truly beginning to not care what man thinks of me. If I am going to be obedient and serve God how He has planned for me I must be willing to lay it all out there for Him. I want, I must, be obedient to God in all things - the BIG things and the little things. But, also, my hope and prayer is that this letter will help others who yearn for a more personal, loving relationship with God to finally take the step God has been asking/demanding of them to take. And for those who are either struggling with pornography, or any other sin they know God is calling them to surrender to Him, and to face it head-on and place it at the foot of the cross. Give it to Jesus and ask Him for help in your struggles. Seek help among fellow Believers you can trust. But more than anything please do not do like I have done and wait years to give up what God is telling you must go. Be obedient, learn from me, and surrender it all to God.
Finally, I leave you with this passage from “The Pursuit of God" by A. W. Tozer:
“Let us remember: when we talk of the rending of the veil, we are speaking figuratively, and the thought of it is poetical, almost pleasant; but in actuality, there is nothing pleasant about it. In human experience, that veil is made of living spiritual tissue; it is composed of the conscious, quivering, stuff of which our whole beings consist, and to touch it is to touch us where we feel pain. To tear it away is to injure us, to hurt us and make us bleed. To say otherwise is to make the cross no cross and death no death at all. It is never fun to die. To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free.
Let us beware of of tinkering with our inner life in the hope of rending the veil ourselves. God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust. We must confess, forsake, repudiate the self-life, and then reckon it crucified. But we must be careful to distinguish lazy “acceptance” from the real work of God. We must insist upon the work being done. We dare not rest content with a neat doctrine of self-crucifixion. That is to imitate King Saul and spare the best of the sheep and oxen.
Insist that the work be done in very truth and it will be done. The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for the joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual, spiritual experience the presence of the living God.
Lord, how excellent are thy ways, and how devious and dark are the ways of man. Show us how to die to our selfish desires, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as thou didst rend the veil of the temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith. We would dwell with thee in daily experience here on this earth, so that we may be accustomed to the glory when we enter thy heaven to dwell with the there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Abortion – Forgiveness (added 12/19/2020)
This is something I have needed to address for quite some time. Please forgive me for not sharing what I am going to say much sooner and more often. This is to the woman who had an abortion (or even thought about it and struggles to forgive herself) and also to the man, who may have encouraged, paid for, didn’t try to stop, was glad about, etc.
I have been very vocal and straightforward in my beliefs on abortion. I do not think anyone who has read my posts or been on either my private FB page or my “Jesus Loves You Too” FB page can say they do not know where I stand.
The one thing though, that I have been very negligent in stressing is this:
So, how does that work? What does that mean for us and to us?
Well, the first thing that we all need to do is acknowledge that we have committed a sin against God. Yes, we may have sinned against our fellow man, but first and foremost we have sinned against God. We must remember that ALL sin separates us from God. That is what the fall of Adam did to mankind. It created a chasm which we cannot cross except through the Blood of Jesus. God cannot condone sin in His presence, but if we confess our sin and put our faith in Jesus He will forgive us of every sin.
Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Most people stop there with that verse. Yes, it can stand alone, but there is more to that passage. Paul continues in verses 24-26 “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Paul is telling us here that Jesus not only allowed Himself to be killed on the cross for us, but that He willingly took our sin-debt for us and satisfied God’s demand for perfect justice for those sins. So then, once we confess our sins, ask forgiveness, and repent (turn away) we are justified through our faith and the Blood of Jesus covers us and washes us from our sins.
So we can see from this text God does forgive us. God’s grace is sufficient to forgive us of all of our sins. And not only does He forgive us, but He then welcomes us into His family as children and His beloved.
Sometimes the harder part for us to do is to forgive ourselves or others. I know it is hard to forgive others and to forgive ourselves. C. S. Lewis said, “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him.” Satan keeps bringing up our past and tries to convict us of it. Or reminds us of how we were wronged, abused, or led astray by others. But God has completely exonerated us, He has completely forgiven us. Satan can try to bring up our past, but we do not need to allow him to do that. Rebuke him, and those memories, in the name of Jesus. You are a Blood-bought Child of the Most High King! Paul told us 2 Cor 5:17-16 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And in Phil 3:13 Paul writes “But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
So, please, if you have never surrendered the sin of abortion (or any other sin for that matter) to God and asked for forgiveness, do it now. Don’t let it continue to keep you from your rightful place at the foot of the cross and secured in the knowledge you belong to Jesus. Your salvation, and perhaps the salvation of your family, depends on your response to the invitation of forgiveness and pardon from the Lord Jesus, the Christ. Be forgiven, forgive yourself, and forgive others who have wronged you.
I’m going to list a few scriptures here on forgiveness:
Eph 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Matt 6:14-15 “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Matt 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'"
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more ..."
Ark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Col 1:13-14 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
Is everyone a Child of God? (added 2/21/21)
Recently (2/11/2021) mega-church Pastor and best-selling author Max Lucado “issued an apology to the National Cathedral. More specifically, Mr. Lucado lamented what he described as how he had ‘disrespected’ and ‘wounded’ the cathedral’s ‘LGBTQ community’ in ‘devastating ways’ in his previous writings and sermons.” and “After his apology he went on to say ‘Faithful people may disagree about what the Bible says about homosexuality, but we agree that God’s Holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others’” (copied from the article cited below). So true - God’s Holy word must never be used as a weapon to wound others, but it can and must be used to instruct in righteousness and deliver them from hell. The first part of his statement though is wrong. Faithful Followers of Jesus, Believers in the Gospel and the Word of God should never “disagree about sexual immorality”.
I mention this apology by one of the leading pastors in the country to also include another statement he made (which leads into the purpose of this writing): Lucado said “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, This includes homosexuality. Jesus loves his gay children. He made them, came for them, and died for them.” More and more often lately (more than I can recall in the past) I hear people from different religions and backgrounds - Believers and Non-Believers alike – saying in various ways that “Everyone is a child of God” and that “We are all God’s children”. That is such a nice sentiment, a sweet thought, a feel-good saying, an easily remembered and stated message - but it is WRONG! Nowhere in the Word of God does it say that every person is a child of God. We are all created by God in His likeness and image (Genesis 1:26-27), but we are not all His children. As a matter of fact, the Word of God specifically tells us what it takes to be a child of God, to be in the family of heaven:
*** Romans 8:1-17 clearly tell us that IF we belong to Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us. We have the Spirit of God inside of us. And because we have His Spirit in us and we have put our faith and trust in Jesus as our Savior, then we will be Joint-heirs with Jesus to the kingdom of heaven and we are God’s children. Verses 12-17 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to son-ship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” So, in order to be a Child of God we must be subject to Jesus and the Spirit. We must die to self and live for Christ.
*** Ephesians 3:6 “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”
*** John 1:12-13 “Yet to all who did receive him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a man’s will, but born of God.”
*** Galatians 3:26 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
*** Galatians 4:7 “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”
Now, going back to Lucado’s words for a minute: He said “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, This includes homosexuality. Jesus loves his gay children. He made them, came for them and died for them.” Yes, Jesus loves all and He gave His life for each of us. But these remarks are very misleading and contradictory. First, Lucado is misquoting the Bible. Romans 8:38-39 states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Notice what Lucado left out? Jesus! God’s continued love for us rests solely on the Blood of Jesus. Second, this leads one to think Lucado is saying God made a person a homosexual. Not true. God formed each person in their mother’s womb. It is a person’s choice as to whether they turn to any form of sin and what sin they participate it. God does not condone any kind of sin and He will not allow any kind of sin in his presence. That is why we must ask forgiveness, put our faith in Jesus, and repent (turn away) from our sins. God detests sin: Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 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 our God.” God knows our hearts and our sincerity. If a person repents of their sins and puts their faith and trust in Jesus we will have power through the Holy Spirit to turn away from our sin – no matter what kind of sin it is – we will want to be freed from it and to not return to it.
I have determined I am not going to apologize for the Word of God and what Creator God has clearly stated. He is God, sovereign, Holy, righteous. It is His Word on which we must stand or fall. I choose to stand. I leave you with this: The worst thing that can ever happen to a person is being sentenced to hell for all eternity. That is what every one of us deserve "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. Because of our sin (our rebellion against God) we are separated from God. However, because of Jesus' love for us and His sacrifice, we can ask for forgiveness for our sins and be saved. Hell is REAL and eternity is forever. People in hell will suffer unbearable pain and torment, but worst of all is they will never know the love of God. When a person dies they will either go to heaven or hell. One you're with God always, and the other you’re completely cut off from His love forever. This is our choice to make. And the consequences are eternal.
The Good News is that Jesus loves you right now, just the way you are. You cannot be too hard-hearted, bad, mean, hateful, heartless, or too lazy, jaded, uncaring, apathetic, unpleasant, or sin too much in your life for God not to forgive you, and Jesus not to love you! There is nothing you have done in your life that will keep you from entering into God's presence as a child of God, if you will put your trust in Jesus and believe in Him. 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
All of us are born sinful by nature and separated from God. God's forgiveness is available to all, putting to death our old sinful nature and we become a new creature in Christ. However, we are then directed to turn away from the sin of our old life. God extends His perfect love to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and past history. God's Redemption Plan will change each of us into the person He has created us to be, not who we think we are stuck with. With Jesus we can become "Reborn." Spiritual transformation includes our sinful nature: pride, envy, homosexuality, lust, greed, hatred, adultery, gluttony, jealousy, murder, etc. Sin IS Sin. God loves each of us so much that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) that whoever believes in Him should have everlasting life (John 3:16). When we accept Jesus we are to turn away (repent) from our sins and start to live for God.
(This is a good article which goes into more detail on Mr. Lucado’s remarks and refutes his assertions (specifically recalling what Jesus and the early Church leaders – Paul, Peter, Jude - said about sexual immorality and sexual sin): https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/20/dear-max-lucado-holy-word-of-god-clearly-refutes-t/)
We've got a local weatherman here on TV that gets so dramatic that Patty and I sit and laugh at him. He is the best weatherman around, but his antics and drama are so funny to watch. He is entertaining and that is why we like to watch him.
I’m beginning to see that being played out by a good portion of Christians in the churches across America. As I see and read about the antics and entertainment being conducted on the stages in a lot of churches, and how the “congregations” just lap it up and expect to be more and more entertained, it really troubles me. That’s why I could not understand why I have been bothered by some of the little things I see going on in my church. And compared to what is being done in a lot of churches, I do mean little things! But seeing these things has really deeply bothered me. And I just figured out why!
Here is what I see when I go to service at my church. I see people walking into the sanctuary with various types of drinks and snacks in their hands; maybe coming in late to the service with a Starbucks cup (Maybe they wouldn’t have been late if they had forgone the coffee?); men wearing flip flops or sandals and some wearing shorts; ladies wearing low-cut tops and skin-tight clothing; people getting up and leaving before the service has ended; etc. By now you’re say “Whoa Jim! Slow down there man! First off, it doesn’t hurt anyone to drink something in church, AND there is not a dress code in church AND we want to encourage people to come as they are. We want the lost to come in don’t we?” And yes on the face of it, all valid arguments. (Although God’s Daughters should dress with modesty and decorum.)
So, why do all these seemingly little things bother me so much? Here’s why. As I read the Bible, God’s Holy Word, I repeatedly see and read about how men react to God when they are in His presence and I read what God says about Himself. As you can see in the passages I posted below (others describe God and Jesus in their glory) when men come into God’s presence they are so overwhelmed by His Glory that they fall to the ground; they are unable to speak; they lose function of their body; they become weak; their senses and mind and spirit are all overwhelmed to be in the presence of Holy God! They have a reverent fear of God! And that is what I find missing in most Christians today. What I find missing in most churches today: A reverent fear of Holy God. I am NOT saying we have to be “in fear” of God. “Reverent fear” is understanding how awesome, mighty, glorious, powerful, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, perfect, strong, righteous - how Holy God is and then showing Holy God the proper respect, reverence, awe, submission, love, adoration He is due - this is how every person on earth should approach Holy God!
Instead we come into His sanctuary as if we’re walking into a movie theater. We are there to check a box and be entertained. Or we know we need to say some prayers because we need His help with something we need or want. Or we don’t really believe at all, but it‘s a good place to socialize and network. Whatever our justification for being there we forget the most important reason. The only reason we exist in the first place: to Glorify Holy God.
Now you’re saying “Hold up there slick! I said the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’. Jesus is my friend. We’re tight. I'm good to go! Jesus loves me and God loves me. No reason to fear a god who loves me. I’m in!” Notice the last use of the word god there is not capitalized? That is because if that is how you feel and think, you are worshipping your own god. Read Job chapters 38-41 and let God describe who He is to you. Then tell me we shouldn’t fear God. John Piper said “We must start with God’s Holiness, His Holy name, and His jealousy to protect His name. If we don’t feel a sense of awe and fear and admiration of the infinite Holiness of God which opposes evil with wrath and fury, then all of our feelings and thoughts will be defective at best.”
When we come into church (but we REALLY MUST remember anytime we come to God and seek Him) we are in the presence of Almighty Holy God! The Holy God of all creation! We should be all of those things I mentioned above. We should be overwhelmed and show a true reverent fear of Holy God. He alone is Holy! Yes, God loves us so much He sent Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins. And when we put our faith and trust in Jesus we will glorify God and Jesus. But we must remember God is Holy. Jesus is Holy. We are created by God to serve and glorify Him. That is what Jesus meant when He told His parents in Luke 2:49 “I must be about my Father’s business.” We, Church, must be about our Father’s business.
Revelation 1:12-18 “12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.’”
Revelation 19:11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.”
In Isaiah 6:1-5 we see how Isaiah’s whole demeanor and behavior changes when he is in God’s presence “’In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.’ And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, ‘Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’”
In Exodus 18:19- Moses asks God to let him see His glory. “Then Moses said, “’Now show me your glory.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,’ He said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.’ Then the Lord said, ‘There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.’”
Exodus 34:29-25 tells us of the face of Moses physically shining very brightly just from being in the presence of God. “Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.”
Ezekiel 44:4b “… and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord: and I fell upon my face.”
In John 17:1-5 Jesus completed His work on earth which was to glorify God and God is glorified through Jesus and Jesus is glorified by God. “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
I’m putting it all out there - My confession, Pornography Addiction (added 12/19/2020)
Until this past January one thing pretty much consumed my evenings and most of my time away from work – the television. It has been this way all of my life. Well this past January I stopped watching TV. Now I usually watch a half hour of the local news and it is hit or miss if I watch the national news. And from time-to-time we will watch a nature show. Why am I telling you this? I told Patty that it was because secular TV has gotten so vile and disgusting – and yes, that is one reason I quit. But I could just stop watching those shows which do that (granted most do) and I could still watch some TV. Another reason I told her is this action would allow me more time for God – reading the Bible and some good Christian books. And yes, that has happened and it is a major benefit. But that was not the complete, honest reason as to why I have taken such a drastic step in my life. And for me it was/is a DRASTIC step! And before I go any further I must say Patty was fantastic! She did not complain, whine, or act like it was a dumb idea. She completely supported my decision (Remember if I wasn’t watching TV that meant she would not be watching it either when we were together in the evenings. And we only have one TV in the house.). She actually adjusted her viewing around the time I am with her in the evening and she does stuff on her computer or may watch a program on her phone. She has been amazing throughout this time. And she has kept me up-to-date on the storylines of our favorite programs. :-)
But here’s the “Rest of the Story” as Paul Harvey would say as his lead-in to elaborate on the teaser he told his audience until he got to the end. You see God has been telling me for years that He wanted me to quit watching TV. And for years I would just kind of ignore His assertion that it had to go. Well, I finally obeyed our Creator God. (I am sorry Father for being disobedient all of those years.) Now fast forward to May. I had a long talk with Patty. There was something more I had to tell her about the reason I quit watching TV. And I’m not sure I would have ever told her what I am about to tell you, except God wanted me to take this whole situation further than I really wanted to go. He told me to share my story with her and to put it all out there for everyone else. (Patty was extremely understanding, forgiving, and she was thankful I told her the truth. And she does know I am writing this letter.) You see, I am addicted to pornography. I am a very visual person. When I was watching those TV programs I enjoyed the story lines and cared about the characters, but invariably I watched to see the sexy women on the screen and the skimpier and more tight-fitting the clothes they wore, the better. That is the main reason I watched TV. And I also frequently looked at pornography on the computer and on my phone.
People need to understand pornography is just like every other sexual perversion: it truly does pollute the mind and alter your brain. It is a personal affront to God because it cheapens love and glorifies the perverse, the vile, the evil, the disgusting. It destroys relationships. Sexual perversion of any kind is life-altering. And let’s not forget that looking at, and fantasizing about, other women dishonors my wife and damages my love, appreciation, desire, and intimacy with her. It can have long-term, destructive consequences in a relationship. 1 Corinthians 6:18 tells us “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” And Paul tells us in Romans 1:24 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator …” And we absolutely have to hear what our Lord Jesus told us in Matt 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
By now you may be saying, “OK Jim. So you gave up your TV. I’m happy for you, but how does that truly help you? What does that truly accomplish?” Good questions. One thing we all need to understand is that God will not allow us to have anything in our life that is more important to us than Him. He expects and demands to be the #1 focus in our life if we choose to be a Follower of Jesus. God does not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. And He has the right to demand that from us. He is Creator-God. He alone is Holy and to be exalted. He is the Most High God!
You see once I took this obedient step and got rid of my TV watching that enabled the Holy Spirit to begin to work His will in me. It was/is not easy. It is a constant battle (but it is getting much easier as time passes). I must be vigilant. One prayer I pray is for God to help me to turn away from anything that my eyes do not need to linger on or that would make my mind stray. And I do that. I will avert my eyes or turn away from that which my eyes do not need to see. I scroll past any pics of sexy women or suggestive ads on the computer. I am diligent to stay away from any sites or pages that promote any kind of sexuality or sexualizing of women. And more than anything I focus on God, my relationship with Him and His love. Galatians 5:15 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” And the verse God gave me years ago: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Cor 10:5.
So, why am I sharing such intimate, personal details about myself – my sins, and why am I just throwing it all out there for the world to see? I can tell you this is not some self-exalting “Aren’t I awesome because I opened up about my problem!” type of letter. This is me baring and confessing my deepest, most-guarded secret to the world. Let’s face it: If I was trying to impress you and build myself up, this is not the way I would go about it. In my mind I hold a place of honor with my friends, loved ones, and acquaintances (This may be just in my mind, but our mind puffs us up – makes us proud.). But God has been insisting that I write this letter for quite some time. And once again I have been resisting. I was resisting sharing this with anyone because of that pride. I did not want to lose the respect or trust of others, or have the Ladies look at me with disgust or loathing. However, through this whole tearing down of the old man (annihilate, destroy, wipe-out, diminish, kill, eradicate, exterminate – you get the picture – I want him GONE!) and replacing him with a Man-of-God who is obedient, and a servant of the Most High, I have at my very core, in my spirit, the burning desire and the need to get closer to God. I will sacrifice anything and everything that takes the place of God in my life. I desperately want to strengthen my relationship with Him and to nurture and treasure my time with my Father. “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:11-14).
So, what good does it do for me to confess my sins to you? It is not in the hopes of being forgiven by man. My God is the only one who can forgive (and has forgiven) me of my sins. At this point in my life and in my relationship with God I am truly beginning to not care what man thinks of me. If I am going to be obedient and serve God how He has planned for me I must be willing to lay it all out there for Him. I want, I must, be obedient to God in all things - the BIG things and the little things. But, also, my hope and prayer is that this letter will help others who yearn for a more personal, loving relationship with God to finally take the step God has been asking/demanding of them to take. And for those who are either struggling with pornography, or any other sin they know God is calling them to surrender to Him, and to face it head-on and place it at the foot of the cross. Give it to Jesus and ask Him for help in your struggles. Seek help among fellow Believers you can trust. But more than anything please do not do like I have done and wait years to give up what God is telling you must go. Be obedient, learn from me, and surrender it all to God.
Finally, I leave you with this passage from “The Pursuit of God" by A. W. Tozer:
“Let us remember: when we talk of the rending of the veil, we are speaking figuratively, and the thought of it is poetical, almost pleasant; but in actuality, there is nothing pleasant about it. In human experience, that veil is made of living spiritual tissue; it is composed of the conscious, quivering, stuff of which our whole beings consist, and to touch it is to touch us where we feel pain. To tear it away is to injure us, to hurt us and make us bleed. To say otherwise is to make the cross no cross and death no death at all. It is never fun to die. To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. Yet that is what the cross did to Jesus and it is what the cross would do to every man to set him free.
Let us beware of of tinkering with our inner life in the hope of rending the veil ourselves. God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust. We must confess, forsake, repudiate the self-life, and then reckon it crucified. But we must be careful to distinguish lazy “acceptance” from the real work of God. We must insist upon the work being done. We dare not rest content with a neat doctrine of self-crucifixion. That is to imitate King Saul and spare the best of the sheep and oxen.
Insist that the work be done in very truth and it will be done. The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for the joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual, spiritual experience the presence of the living God.
Lord, how excellent are thy ways, and how devious and dark are the ways of man. Show us how to die to our selfish desires, that we may rise again to newness of life. Rend the veil of our self-life from the top down as thou didst rend the veil of the temple. We would draw near in full assurance of faith. We would dwell with thee in daily experience here on this earth, so that we may be accustomed to the glory when we enter thy heaven to dwell with the there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Abortion – Forgiveness (added 12/19/2020)
This is something I have needed to address for quite some time. Please forgive me for not sharing what I am going to say much sooner and more often. This is to the woman who had an abortion (or even thought about it and struggles to forgive herself) and also to the man, who may have encouraged, paid for, didn’t try to stop, was glad about, etc.
I have been very vocal and straightforward in my beliefs on abortion. I do not think anyone who has read my posts or been on either my private FB page or my “Jesus Loves You Too” FB page can say they do not know where I stand.
The one thing though, that I have been very negligent in stressing is this:
- God is gracious to forgive us of our sins if we confess and ask forgiveness.
- And God will help us to forgive ourselves and others.
So, how does that work? What does that mean for us and to us?
Well, the first thing that we all need to do is acknowledge that we have committed a sin against God. Yes, we may have sinned against our fellow man, but first and foremost we have sinned against God. We must remember that ALL sin separates us from God. That is what the fall of Adam did to mankind. It created a chasm which we cannot cross except through the Blood of Jesus. God cannot condone sin in His presence, but if we confess our sin and put our faith in Jesus He will forgive us of every sin.
Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Most people stop there with that verse. Yes, it can stand alone, but there is more to that passage. Paul continues in verses 24-26 “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Paul is telling us here that Jesus not only allowed Himself to be killed on the cross for us, but that He willingly took our sin-debt for us and satisfied God’s demand for perfect justice for those sins. So then, once we confess our sins, ask forgiveness, and repent (turn away) we are justified through our faith and the Blood of Jesus covers us and washes us from our sins.
So we can see from this text God does forgive us. God’s grace is sufficient to forgive us of all of our sins. And not only does He forgive us, but He then welcomes us into His family as children and His beloved.
Sometimes the harder part for us to do is to forgive ourselves or others. I know it is hard to forgive others and to forgive ourselves. C. S. Lewis said, “I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than him.” Satan keeps bringing up our past and tries to convict us of it. Or reminds us of how we were wronged, abused, or led astray by others. But God has completely exonerated us, He has completely forgiven us. Satan can try to bring up our past, but we do not need to allow him to do that. Rebuke him, and those memories, in the name of Jesus. You are a Blood-bought Child of the Most High King! Paul told us 2 Cor 5:17-16 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And in Phil 3:13 Paul writes “But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
So, please, if you have never surrendered the sin of abortion (or any other sin for that matter) to God and asked for forgiveness, do it now. Don’t let it continue to keep you from your rightful place at the foot of the cross and secured in the knowledge you belong to Jesus. Your salvation, and perhaps the salvation of your family, depends on your response to the invitation of forgiveness and pardon from the Lord Jesus, the Christ. Be forgiven, forgive yourself, and forgive others who have wronged you.
I’m going to list a few scriptures here on forgiveness:
Eph 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Matt 6:14-15 “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Matt 18:21-22 "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'"
Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more ..."
Ark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Col 1:13-14 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
Is everyone a Child of God? (added 2/21/21)
Recently (2/11/2021) mega-church Pastor and best-selling author Max Lucado “issued an apology to the National Cathedral. More specifically, Mr. Lucado lamented what he described as how he had ‘disrespected’ and ‘wounded’ the cathedral’s ‘LGBTQ community’ in ‘devastating ways’ in his previous writings and sermons.” and “After his apology he went on to say ‘Faithful people may disagree about what the Bible says about homosexuality, but we agree that God’s Holy Word must never be used as a weapon to wound others’” (copied from the article cited below). So true - God’s Holy word must never be used as a weapon to wound others, but it can and must be used to instruct in righteousness and deliver them from hell. The first part of his statement though is wrong. Faithful Followers of Jesus, Believers in the Gospel and the Word of God should never “disagree about sexual immorality”.
I mention this apology by one of the leading pastors in the country to also include another statement he made (which leads into the purpose of this writing): Lucado said “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, This includes homosexuality. Jesus loves his gay children. He made them, came for them, and died for them.” More and more often lately (more than I can recall in the past) I hear people from different religions and backgrounds - Believers and Non-Believers alike – saying in various ways that “Everyone is a child of God” and that “We are all God’s children”. That is such a nice sentiment, a sweet thought, a feel-good saying, an easily remembered and stated message - but it is WRONG! Nowhere in the Word of God does it say that every person is a child of God. We are all created by God in His likeness and image (Genesis 1:26-27), but we are not all His children. As a matter of fact, the Word of God specifically tells us what it takes to be a child of God, to be in the family of heaven:
*** Romans 8:1-17 clearly tell us that IF we belong to Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us. We have the Spirit of God inside of us. And because we have His Spirit in us and we have put our faith and trust in Jesus as our Savior, then we will be Joint-heirs with Jesus to the kingdom of heaven and we are God’s children. Verses 12-17 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to son-ship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” So, in order to be a Child of God we must be subject to Jesus and the Spirit. We must die to self and live for Christ.
*** Ephesians 3:6 “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”
*** John 1:12-13 “Yet to all who did receive him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a man’s will, but born of God.”
*** Galatians 3:26 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
*** Galatians 4:7 “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”
Now, going back to Lucado’s words for a minute: He said “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, This includes homosexuality. Jesus loves his gay children. He made them, came for them and died for them.” Yes, Jesus loves all and He gave His life for each of us. But these remarks are very misleading and contradictory. First, Lucado is misquoting the Bible. Romans 8:38-39 states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Notice what Lucado left out? Jesus! God’s continued love for us rests solely on the Blood of Jesus. Second, this leads one to think Lucado is saying God made a person a homosexual. Not true. God formed each person in their mother’s womb. It is a person’s choice as to whether they turn to any form of sin and what sin they participate it. God does not condone any kind of sin and He will not allow any kind of sin in his presence. That is why we must ask forgiveness, put our faith in Jesus, and repent (turn away) from our sins. God detests sin: Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 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 our God.” God knows our hearts and our sincerity. If a person repents of their sins and puts their faith and trust in Jesus we will have power through the Holy Spirit to turn away from our sin – no matter what kind of sin it is – we will want to be freed from it and to not return to it.
I have determined I am not going to apologize for the Word of God and what Creator God has clearly stated. He is God, sovereign, Holy, righteous. It is His Word on which we must stand or fall. I choose to stand. I leave you with this: The worst thing that can ever happen to a person is being sentenced to hell for all eternity. That is what every one of us deserve "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. Because of our sin (our rebellion against God) we are separated from God. However, because of Jesus' love for us and His sacrifice, we can ask for forgiveness for our sins and be saved. Hell is REAL and eternity is forever. People in hell will suffer unbearable pain and torment, but worst of all is they will never know the love of God. When a person dies they will either go to heaven or hell. One you're with God always, and the other you’re completely cut off from His love forever. This is our choice to make. And the consequences are eternal.
The Good News is that Jesus loves you right now, just the way you are. You cannot be too hard-hearted, bad, mean, hateful, heartless, or too lazy, jaded, uncaring, apathetic, unpleasant, or sin too much in your life for God not to forgive you, and Jesus not to love you! There is nothing you have done in your life that will keep you from entering into God's presence as a child of God, if you will put your trust in Jesus and believe in Him. 1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
All of us are born sinful by nature and separated from God. God's forgiveness is available to all, putting to death our old sinful nature and we become a new creature in Christ. However, we are then directed to turn away from the sin of our old life. God extends His perfect love to everyone, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and past history. God's Redemption Plan will change each of us into the person He has created us to be, not who we think we are stuck with. With Jesus we can become "Reborn." Spiritual transformation includes our sinful nature: pride, envy, homosexuality, lust, greed, hatred, adultery, gluttony, jealousy, murder, etc. Sin IS Sin. God loves each of us so much that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus) that whoever believes in Him should have everlasting life (John 3:16). When we accept Jesus we are to turn away (repent) from our sins and start to live for God.
(This is a good article which goes into more detail on Mr. Lucado’s remarks and refutes his assertions (specifically recalling what Jesus and the early Church leaders – Paul, Peter, Jude - said about sexual immorality and sexual sin): https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/20/dear-max-lucado-holy-word-of-god-clearly-refutes-t/)