Today, everything changes and yet, the mission doesn't change!
Today, my Twitter and Face book have been bombarded by those celebrating and those protesting the Supreme Court of the United States' decision to give those of same sex orientation the rights to marry. As someone who has a few friends who see this as a positive and as a leader of a few that see it as a negative, I am divided in my emotions. Let me very clear that I do not believe that this ruling changes God's Word or redefines what God has already defined. However, my mix of emotions comes from a hurting for those who got what they wanted and a hurting for those who will now fear because of this decision.
Yes, this changes how our country will write laws for people of differing sexual orientations. Yes, this will put pressure on the churches to accept and perform marriages that they do not believe are Biblically backed. Yes, this will once again put the church at odds with the culture (at least those who stand and believe what God has said on this). But as Dr. Moore said in a video earlier, "Now is not the time to panic". We as followers of Jesus have always faced a counter cultural life. God has called us to serve the world not be served by the world. God has called us to leave all so that He can reach those who are lost by living His life through us. God has called us to live with purity in life and purity in marriage. God has called fathers and mothers to love their children and make hard decisions that will affect the life of those children. God has called us to be a different people, peculiar! Yes, today changes how our country views the law, but it should not change how we view God's Word or what we believe the Gospel can do.
The Gospel says that we ALL have sinned against God and need Jesus. What a better time to live that Gospel through our broken but healed vessels. What a great time to cling to Jesus Christ and show the world the power of God through healed marriages, honorable parents and Gospel driven lives. What this world, especially America, needs to see is that we believe in the God of the Bible and allow God to live His life through us. They do not need us to yell at our neighbor, separate ourselves from them because of our faith or us be silent. This is now the time to live the truth of the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTEST IN DARKNESS. Is this a dark time? Yes according to God's Word. But this is also a time not to panic or get angry.
This is a time to pray and act as God leads. God will not act through you unbecoming of the character of Jesus. But God will not be silent on this either. He has declared us as His witnesses to this world. This world needs Jesus and needs the Gospel Jesus gave us. Now is the time to trust God and trust that God will give you the answers and words when the time to share is. Now is the time to ABIDE in Christ and allow His life to spread His Gospel through us. Now is the time to rest in Christ.
Another word of rest, what happens when this revolution fails to produce the joy those who are in it believe it will bring. Through every revolution that has been a declaration to God that "we don't want you telling us how to find joy and happiness", there have been people who those revolutions have failed. The sexual revolution of the 60's left many broken families and left many with pain that psychologists cannot heal. The racists revolution in the early days of our country has left our country still divided to this day. The post-modern revolution of the 80's and 90's has led to several generations of people who have very little work ethic and drive wondering why they don't get what they want. There have been several stances our culture has taken in rejecting God or His Word. Every time this has happened, there have been refugees from these revolution. People left hurt by decisions made and alone during these turning points. Will we(the church) be there to encourage, love and help heal those who have permanent injuries by these decisions? Will we believe the Gospel!
Today, everything changes and yet, the mission doesn't change!
Yes, this changes how our country will write laws for people of differing sexual orientations. Yes, this will put pressure on the churches to accept and perform marriages that they do not believe are Biblically backed. Yes, this will once again put the church at odds with the culture (at least those who stand and believe what God has said on this). But as Dr. Moore said in a video earlier, "Now is not the time to panic". We as followers of Jesus have always faced a counter cultural life. God has called us to serve the world not be served by the world. God has called us to leave all so that He can reach those who are lost by living His life through us. God has called us to live with purity in life and purity in marriage. God has called fathers and mothers to love their children and make hard decisions that will affect the life of those children. God has called us to be a different people, peculiar! Yes, today changes how our country views the law, but it should not change how we view God's Word or what we believe the Gospel can do.
The Gospel says that we ALL have sinned against God and need Jesus. What a better time to live that Gospel through our broken but healed vessels. What a great time to cling to Jesus Christ and show the world the power of God through healed marriages, honorable parents and Gospel driven lives. What this world, especially America, needs to see is that we believe in the God of the Bible and allow God to live His life through us. They do not need us to yell at our neighbor, separate ourselves from them because of our faith or us be silent. This is now the time to live the truth of the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. LIGHT SHINES BRIGHTEST IN DARKNESS. Is this a dark time? Yes according to God's Word. But this is also a time not to panic or get angry.
This is a time to pray and act as God leads. God will not act through you unbecoming of the character of Jesus. But God will not be silent on this either. He has declared us as His witnesses to this world. This world needs Jesus and needs the Gospel Jesus gave us. Now is the time to trust God and trust that God will give you the answers and words when the time to share is. Now is the time to ABIDE in Christ and allow His life to spread His Gospel through us. Now is the time to rest in Christ.
Another word of rest, what happens when this revolution fails to produce the joy those who are in it believe it will bring. Through every revolution that has been a declaration to God that "we don't want you telling us how to find joy and happiness", there have been people who those revolutions have failed. The sexual revolution of the 60's left many broken families and left many with pain that psychologists cannot heal. The racists revolution in the early days of our country has left our country still divided to this day. The post-modern revolution of the 80's and 90's has led to several generations of people who have very little work ethic and drive wondering why they don't get what they want. There have been several stances our culture has taken in rejecting God or His Word. Every time this has happened, there have been refugees from these revolution. People left hurt by decisions made and alone during these turning points. Will we(the church) be there to encourage, love and help heal those who have permanent injuries by these decisions? Will we believe the Gospel!
Today, everything changes and yet, the mission doesn't change!
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