Speaking Truth When Truth Is Hard

Some days you struggle with blogging.  This would be one of those days.  The last two days my Facebook feed has been saturated with a red equal sign symbol.  (Tried to post it here, but couldn't get it to work)

It is suppose to represent equality for homosexuals.  Since the Supreme Court is addressing the issue of same-sex marriage, people posted this symbol to show that they were in favor of same-sex marriage.  The more and more I saw the symbol pop up the more and more heart broken I was that so many have bought into the propaganda and the lie.  So for what it is worth these are some of my thoughts on the issue.  I have posted four times before on homosexuality, but the last time was 2010, so perhaps there will be a new reader or something new from my heart on this.

First of all, I don't know how such a small percentage of people have gained such a large voice?  The facts as best as I can find them, state that the homosexual population is less than 5%. "A Gallup report published in October 2012 by the Williams Institute reported that 3.4% of US adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Minorities were more likely to identify as non-heterosexual; 4.6% of blacks, 4.0% of Hispanics and 3.2% of whites. Younger people, aged 18-29, were three times more likely to identify as LGBT than seniors over the age of 65, the numbers being 6.4% and 1.9%, respectively."  Here is another source "The University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center, which has been conducting scientifically designed surveys on homosexuality for close to 30 years – far longer than the U.S. Census Bureau – found the percentage of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in the United States in 2008 was 2 percent – a number that has been stable since the late ‘80s, according to Tom Smith, director of the General Social Survey at NORC."

I am not sure what I want to say with this post.  I have posted enough scriptures in the past that there is really nothing more to say than the Bible is clear when it comes to God's thinking about homosexuality.  So I think my question is "how do Christians teach the truth of God's Word in an honest and effective way?"  Too many times we see pictures of  people holding up signs that have inflaming words on them and purport that God will send homosexuals to hell.  Do such people honestly think they are changing anyone's mind with such displays?  I don't think so.

The truth of the matter is we are told that the world will know us as Christians by the the way we love.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12  But loving people doesn't mean we have to accept them just as they are.  I am over weight. In fact the doctor says I am "morbidly obese".  I don't like hearing that, but it is the truth.  People that love me are concerned for my health and they will ask me what I am doing about losing weight.  Am I dieting, am I exercising, have I tried this or that?  Do I like it when they do this?  Not so much, but I understand their concern.  

We definitely need to create room in our lives for homosexual friendships.  We definitely need to find ways to get them into our fellowships at church.  However, loving them means speaking Truth. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 states "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."  Did you see that? SOME OF YOU WERE.  Why did they change? Because they heard the Word of God preached by Paul and others and then they were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Loving homosexuals is not putting up an equality sign on Facebook and aligning ourselves with their cause.  It is speaking Truth into their lives the same way we need it spoken into our own lives.  We need to be saturating the heavens with prayer right now, begging God to speak into the hearts of the Supreme Court and have them not try to redefine what God has already put in place with marriage.  It isn't going to change what marriage is, it is going to cause judgement to come down on our country.  We only have to look at Sodom and Gomorrah to see what happens when corruption runs rampant.  God is definitely a God of grace, mercy and compassion but we must never forget He is also a God of wrath and judgment.  Satan is blinding us all by telling us it is an equal rights issue and everyone should have the right to love and be loved.  Everyone is loved by an Almighty God who sent His son to die a brutal death on the cross for each one of them.  There is no greater love than that!!  So let's align ourselves with that love and show the world what a life transformed by that love looks like! Then as we have opportunity let us speak Truth.

They Will Be Known By What?

Lately I have been reading several different blogs about the demise of the church and how we are losing so many of our young people and the purposed reasons why.  I know that I am now considered in the "older generation" so that is the way my opinions will be viewed.  Never the less, I just felt the need to post some observations about what I have been reading. Basically, most of these posts are saying "the church would be better if...."

First there have been several posts on the women's role in the church.  I could list some of the popular bloggers on this topic, but perhaps it would be better that I don't as I am not meaning to attack them personally.  From these writings I have ascertained that women are feeling that their voices are not being heard in the church.  They do not feel their gifts are valued.  I am not going to address these issues, or express my opinions nor give a scriptural debate  It isn't the reason for this post.

There have also been a couple of articles about the church needing to provide a more accepting and less judgmental space for the homosexual community.

Another article suggested that if we took better advantage of technology and multi media we would attract more of the younger generation.  It was important to not just have one screen but several with different things going on with each one.

Finally, I read an article yesterday that the younger generation is more concerned about causes than Christ.  That used to the formula was Christ+Community+Cause and then in the 90's it changed to Community+Christ+Church, and now it is Cause+Community+Christ. The article was suggesting that if we were involved in causes such as sex trafficking, slavery, clean water, etc. then young people would flock to our churches.

Everyone of these articles had points that were worth considering and worth reading  But this is my problem with all of them.  Since when is the church about meeting my needs?  Since when has being involved in church been about what makes me satisfied?  The church has existed for over 2000 years, long before there was gender issues, homosexuality as alternative lifestyles, and media.  And hasn't the church always been about being the hands and feet of Jesus to those that are hurting and lost?

It seems to me that in John 13:34-35 Jesus told us what the church should be known for, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Imagine what could happen if we just did this one thing?  As long as Satan can keep us discontented and looking at all the peripherals then we are not the church God intended us to be.  As long as I as am individual am saying "if a church would just do___________, then I would be a part of it", I will not be part of the church as God intended it to be.  

This is my prayer "Lord, help us to be your church. Lord, let us look to You and You alone for our example of how to love God and love our neighbors. Lord, may we care about the people you cared about and may our mission be to be your hands and feet to as many as possible.  May we care more about the lost than the forms in our worship services.  May we be consumed with your Spirit and let nothing but love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self control flow in us and through us.  May our passion be bringing heaven down to earth  May we yearn for Heaven. May thy kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.  Use me as your instrument.  Thank you Lord for the blessing of your church in giving me community and fellowship to keep my eyes centered on you.  May we all love each other so much that we are known for nothing but that...His church that loves."

God's Desire For Me

Desire-1. a sense of longing for a person or object(Wikipedia) 
            2. to long or hope for (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Synonyms: as a noun-admiration, devotion, fancy, fascination, passion, yearning
                 as a verb- aspire to, be smitten, choose, crave, enjoy, have eyes for, pine, set heart on

My last post I wrote about yearning for God.  Desire is a similar word, but instead of talking about  my desire, I want to talk about God's desire.  Did you know that God desires you and me?  Look again at the definition, God longs for you.  Then some of the synonyms:  God admires you, fancies you, enjoys you, has eyes for you, pines for you. Is that the way you view God?  Me?  Well, I want to see God having that kind of pleasure in me.  I remember being surprised several years ago when I came across Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."  Since that time, I have tried to embrace the fact that God has that kind of love for me.  I have focused a lot on the "rejoice over you with singing" but did you see "He will take great delight in you?"

Then this past Sunday night, Steve and I went to hear Micheal Card sing about what he entitled "Extravagant Grace". He led us through Passion week in song, and it was so powerful!   He said some things that I had never thought about.  I cannot say them as well as him, but I will try to capture it for you.  After Adam and Eve sinned in the garden they hid and God comes in Genesis 3:9  "But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?'"  God was seeking Adam and Eve, He wanted to be in fellowship with them, even though they had sinned.  When the children of Israel were wondering in the wilderness they lived in tents and in God's desire to be with them, God inhabits a tent.  The God of the heavens comes and inhabits the Tabernacle in His desire to make Himself known. Later it was the Temple. And then His ultimate display of love was coming in the flesh to live among us.  Emmanuel (God With Us).

God in the flesh.  Can you wrap your mind around that?  A runny nose, aching feet, gastrointestinal problems, tiredness, hunger, etc.  In order to be with us our God became human.  How would you rate that desire?  I think I am guilty of glossing over that aspect in that I assume He was more God than He was human.  And the God part over ruled the human part.  But the truth is He was 100% both God and human and therefore He experienced everything that I do.  It is amazing to contemplate!!

Then finally in His desire to be with us God doesn't live among us, He lives in us!!  He wasn't going to return to heaven and leave us alone.  So He inhabits us with Himself, the Holy Spirit. John 14:15-23 "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him,because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them....Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

As Michael spoke these words I had an "Aha" moment.  I have always believed that God loves me.  Grew up singing "Jesus Loves Me" and I have known that.  But it is not the same as realizing that God actually desires me.  He yearns for me.  The God of the universe wants to spend time with me.  How many days has he said "Where are you, Lynn?"  "Here I am Lord, on Facebook, watching TV, playing games.  Can't you see me?"  "But, Lynn, I desire you.  I want to spend time with you."  "Yes, I know Lord, I hope that we can do that sometime soon."  Really??? Is that really what I want to say to my God?  So as I am typing this, I realize that this is still about my last post and how I yearn to desire God, to desire time with Him.  After all, if He has that kind of desire for me, shouldn't it be reciprocated?  Not out of duty, but out of pure love and devotion?  He deserves nothing less.  My sweet husband Steve desires me as well.  He desires conversation with me, companionship and intimacy.  What would happen to our relationship if I ignored him?  If I told him I was too busy to spend time with him?  If I indicated that something else was more important to me than His attention?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know if I were to do that our marriage would be in danger.  But because God is grace and God is forgiving, I think I can just continue to not heed His call and He will just be patient with me.  Well, that is true BUT what is that doing to my relationship with Him?  As I type these words I can sense Satan smiling "just what I had hoped for".

Thank you God for Your love, mercy and forgiveness.  Thank You for Your pursuit of me.  Thank You for your hearts desire for me.  I desire You as well.  May there be fewer and fewer moments where You ask "Where are you Lynn" because I am in Your presence and basking in Your fellowship.  In fact, I will quit typing now and close my eyes and listen to You sing over me. :-)

My Heart Yearns

Last Sunday in Bible Class we read this scripture in passing:

Job 19:25-27

"I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!"

YEARN, it caught my eye.  I asked myself "when is the last time I yearned for God?  For heaven?

I came home and looked up the definition of YEARN.

     1. to long persistently, wistfully, or sadly (Dictionary.com)

     2.  to long persistently, wistfully, or sadly (Miriam Webster)

Synonyms-long - pine - hanker - crave - aspire - desire - languish

Look at those synonyms again LONG, PINE, HANKER, CRAVE, ASPIRE, DESIRE, LANGUISH

Crave and Languish really jump out at me.  Do I crave and languish over heaven?  I think I have glimpses now and then but it is not part of my everyday heart.  If I am honest, I am too caught up in the here and now and what is going on in my day.  I often lose sight of "this world is not my home".  But Job's yearning was so much more than just desiring Heaven.  His yearning was to see God.  To be in God's presence.  And while that will be ultimate in heaven, I can actually experience that in the here and now as well.  And I find myself asking the question again "how often do I yearn for God".  Do I yearn for my God the same way I yearn for the next episode of Downton Abbbey?  Am I as eager to see what He is going to say to me next as I am to see who is going to win American Idol?  Do I awake in the morning with anticipation of what God is going to speak into my heart this day and do with my life?  Oh, how I yearn to answer that question "yes"!!

Why is God and His presence not the constant desire of my heart?  Why do I have to work at it?  Why is it not as natural as the air that I breathe?  Because I have an enemy.  An enemy who comes to destroy. "Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8) He puts so many distractions in my way and I am such a sucker.  I have such good intentions and the day ends and I have lost the fight one more time.  

I want to crave the Word of the Lord and a word from the Lord.  I want to crave the presence of the Lord.  I want to keep my eyes on the sky and remember that this world is not my home.  I want to constantly say with all sincerity "Lord, come quickly".  But in the meantime, may I find myself not just consumed with thoughts of my God, but may I desire His presence.  May I yearn to see Him in my day and may that time with Him make me yearn for Him face to face.  My heart breaks out in song as I type this.

"Oh God, you are my God, and I will ever praise You.

Oh God, you are my God, and I will ever praise You.

I will seek You in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways,

and step by step You'll lead me, and I will follow you all of my days."

"My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Psalm 84:2)

"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you" (Isaiah 26:9)