Homosexuals: Sick, Insane, or Something else?

"And such were some of you…” 1 Corinthians 6:11

In court of law, if you want to prove that you had no control over your actions… that your response to a situation, or to a certain environment was somehow predetermined… that it wasn’t your choice to make…  you have only two defenses:

You are either “sick”… meaning that something is physically, chemically, neurologically, etc. wrong with you…

Or you are “insane”… which means there is something mentally wrong with you… that you are not in your “right” mind.

In either case, you are claiming that you should not be held to any particular behavior… that it is OK because for some reason you “couldn’t help yourself.”

And unfortunately main stream society, without many realizing it, have by default judged people who live as homosexuals as being either sick or insane.

That it isn’t up to them… that they were born this way… that there is something wrong with anyone who would actually say anything to the contrary.

But…

If homosexuality is predetermined by some body chemistry… why aren’t the pharmaceuticals developing medications to change it?  They make them for everything else.

Hmmm, so it isn’t that they are sick and they need to take a pill.

And…

You would have a hard time convincing me that someone who lives as a homosexual is insane.  In fact, I might be more inclined to think you were if you held that position.

And I doubt that people who live as homosexuals would be fine with either one of those conclusions either.

So if it isn’t a sickness... and it isn’t insanity… it must be something else.

It must be the same thing heterosexuals face every day when they have impulses, desires, habits… dare I say it… temptations… that would cause them to go against the Word of God.

Ahh yes… it is called a decision.

A decision they have every right to make.

And just as we expect people to respect our decisions, we need to respect theirs… especially when we disagree with them.

I am not saying we should accept homosexuality…  AND… I am not saying we should judge homosexuals…

The first denies the standard of heaven… the second denies the value of man…

Both deny the power of the Cross.

Too often we forget that before, and since, we gave our lives to Jesus we make choices that we shouldn’t.  Who are we to bring the hammer down on others?

Really… it isn’t up to us to determine how they live…

But it is definitely up to them.

They are not sick… or insane… they are faced with a decision.

And they are loved by the One Who gave His life for them.

So when people say “they really can’t help themselves”…

Show them the love of the only One Who can.

SDG

Environmentally Friendly Christians

There is a big push for being “green” these days… for the three “Rs”- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  And it is all about “renewable” resources.

Things that are organic… that don’t cause destruction… That won’t harm the environment.

But if you want to be an environmentally friendly Christian you have to start first by realizing that God is the ultimate in Green.

His mercies are new every morning.  (Lam. 3:23)

We are renewed in Him. (Rom. 12:2)  And that renewing is one that transforms lives.

And His Power has yet to even begin to run out.  While others are trying to figure out how to generate energy, how to produce power…  We have been given the ultimate power… the Holy Spirit… that we not only tap in to… but that is IN us… and yes… we distribute.

We are the grid.

And we need to be distributed to those who need Him.

“I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”1 Col 9:22

Thinking about you...

It is always good to know that someone is thinking about you… that you haven’t been forgotten…

that you matter….

That there is someone out there that wants the best for you… to see you succeed… to see you smile.

Someone who is in your corner… who knows all of your baggage… and is willing to help you carry it.

Someone who seems to always forget your mistakes… but never forgets you…

God is like that.

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!  How great the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand…” Psalm 139:17,18

And they are “thoughts of peace and not to harm you, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

If you were to fill a typical refrigerator with sand… there would be a grain of sand for every second of your life if you lived to be 600 years old.

Are you on God's S.H.I.T. list?

Before there were refrigeration systems aboard ships there were containers marked with the designation…

Ship High In Transit.

These boxes needed special attention.  They carried precious cargo. Things that, if too much time passed… could spoil.

And so, rather than be placed below deck where they might be forgotten… they were stacked on the highest point of the vessel… in plain view… as a constant reminder to captain and crew that they needed to press on…

That time was of the essence.

Constantly checking to make sure one bad apple didn’t spoil the bunch… that bugs hadn’t gotten to the greens… that things were still fresh.

If the cargo kicked… the voyage was fruitless. (no pun intended… but I will enjoy it for a moment)

Was Jesus off the boat?

"The only plan that never changes is the plan for plans to change.”

Sometimes things don’t quite go as planned.   You chart a course… pack your rations and set out.

You are hopeful, excited.  You have purpose.  You believe that He is with you, guiding you.

Even when storms come… you are certain you will weather it… that you will get through.

You remember the story of the stormy sea and the Sleeping  Savior… the whisper that calmed the crisis.

When the waves come you enjoy the ride.

Sometimes.

Sometimes you go into the trip the way Paul did.  Yes, Paul.  The one who met the One on a dusty road and never stopped riding.

“Men, I perceive that his voyage will end with disaster, and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.” Acts 27:10 emphasis added

Pretty ominous.  I wouldn’t put this in the “most encouraging verses” category by any stretch.  Sounds like Paul thought Jesus was off the boat.

But these were the words of the apostle to his traveling companions as they set out to Rome.

Have you ever had a “Paul” put a damper on your journey?  Tell you that it wasn’t going to go well? Bring you down… hold you back… rather than build you up and watch you go?!

I have.  And truth be told, sometimes,  the nay-sayers could have quoted Paul when he pulled the classic Biblical “I told you so.”…