Plain Jane Ministries

Jesus Isn't On The Cross Any More

2009-04-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Having just come through the Easter season I have to wonder at how many denominations are so focused on the Christ on the Cross. I know we have an obsession with the suffering aspect of Christianity and in some way that makes it easier for us to relate to God, the Christ - by relating to the cost He paid for us. And I am appreciative and don't want to down play that at all. But when I look at the Scripture more closely it is His role as the High Priest that seems to be the most significant. Many passover lambs were sacrificed through the ages - and Jesus was our Passover Lamb - and obviously worth much more than the other lambs. But the fact that He is our High Priest who offered that perfect blood on the alter of the real temple - making atonement for us and living an endless life, this is what makes that sacrifice end the sacrifices. The High Priest made atonement for the people through this act and it lasted as long as he lived. But Jesus made this atonement never to die - thereby providing absolute, permanent atonement for those who are sprinkled with that blood. Yes, it's not possible without perfect blood, and yes it would not be possible if He had not died. But the point of it all was so it could be offered by HIM - someone who could not die and who was sinless in that perfect and true Holy of Holies without offending God. And who's actions could put in place something that will not end.

I have to wonder that no one seems to get this...? Any thoughts?

Homosexuality and the News

2008-09-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

Keep up with the latest in "gay news" by clicking on these titles and clicking on the corresponding title on the following page.

· McDonald's hears: 'I'm NOT lovin' it!'
Fed-up Christians protest in front of local restaurants... The corporate headquarters for McDonald's is hearing from store managers in California that customers are upset over the company's pro-homosexual advocacy and they aren't going to take it any longer.

· 'Doctor Who' Actor Meets Ex-Gay Preacher
For a BBC documentary, actor John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who and Torchwood) goes on a journey to discover the origins of homosexuality, and meets ex-gay Christian pastor Ron Woolsey/Victor J Adamson, who claims to have become straight.

· Evangelists cleared of 'hate-crime' charges
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has upheld a lower court's ruling that homosexuals were illegally added to the list of groups protected under the Keystone State's so-called "hate crimes" law. Christians should oppose such laws through any means because trying to control a citizen's thoughts is both legally and morally wrong.

· San Francisco vs People of (which?) Faith
Employing the deception of standing for religious tolerance, San Francisco continues on its path of promoting the "New Faith" of "Homosexual Rights," in direct opposition to the US Constitution by publically advocating against the time honored beliefs of Christians (and other faith groups.) A legal challenge is filed.

· Boycott Organizers Protest Outside McDonald's Headquarters
Christian activist groups are pushing for support outside the worldwide McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., to bring attention to a boycott against what they said was the chain’s record of continued support and endorsement of homosexuality.

· Pro-Gay Theology: 'Jesus Said Nothing About Homosexuality'
This is a great article that should help Christians begin to slow the hijacking of the Bible by those of the pro-gay agenda. It's also a good example of how to refute anti-biblical teaching in general. To some degree or another, Christians must learn apologetics, especially when the stakes are so high.

· AgainstWBC (Westboro Baptist Church)
Hello! I am the founder of the AgainstWBC channel on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/AgainstWBC), and now the founder of AgainstWBC's website!This is a site for Christian homosexuals, and explains the True Word of God. Please join us, and we can win. Join us in our fight.

· Anti-Gay Rep. Kern Targets Religious Groups
Okla. Rep. Kern repeats support for Christian values, against homosexuality

· "Tyson Homosexual" -- whoops.
The American Family Association obviously didn't foresee the problems that might arise with its strict policy to always replace the word "gay" with "homosexual" on the Web site of its Christian news outlet, OneNewsNow.

· Tyson Gay or Tyson homosexual?
The bizarre antics of the American Family Association with their site policy to replace the word "gay" with "homosexual" on their Christian news outlet, OneNewsNow led to the group's automated system changing the word gay

· Christian site sends Homosexual to Olympics
The American Family Association obviously didn't foresee the problems that might arise with its strict policy to always replace the word "Gay" with "homosexual" on the Web site of its Christian news outlet, OneNewsNow. The group's automated system for changing the forbidden word wound up publishing a story about a sprinter named "Tyson Homosexual"

· Cussing is the new thing in bigotry apparently
The Christian Defense Coalition is picketing ESPN. Why are they picketing ESPN? Because saying Jesus Christ in a less than loving manner and Goddamn is the equivalent of calling a black person a n*gger and a homosexual a f*ggot.

· Ravi Zacharias on Being Homosexual and Christian
Renounded scholar Dr. Ravi Zacharias answers this compelling question

· Big Macs fund training for homosexual activists
Investors, take note! And customers, too. Shun McDonalds; they "hate" you anyway because you are Christians.

· Christian site's ban on G word sends homosexual to olympics
The American Family Association obviously didn't foresee the problems that might arise with its strict policy to always replace the word "gay" with "homosexual" on the Web site of its Christian news outlet, OneNewsNow.

· Illinois Will Prosecute Brett VanAsdlen
Unresponsive to protest from across America, Illinois State’s Attorney Julia Rietz moves forward in “hate crimes” prosecution against Christian teen and scholarship athlete Brett VanAsdlen. On October 7th the State will present evidence for its accusation that Brett is a hate criminal for pushing over an accosting homosexual...

· Linda Harvey's 'Facts' About McDonalds
Linda P. Harvey claims to be a Christian operating a “Media Ministry.” Her website Mission America is self-decribed as “Learn the Truth about Homosexuality ... ” Most of the site seems to be dedicated to gay-bashing in one form or another. There is nothing there about helping the poor or downtrodden.

· The Christian Response to Homosexuality
Says, Ms. Price, author and founder, “my primary goal is to take a step towards bridging the gap separating the Homosexual and the Christian community.”

· Obama Out of Step?
Obama would be in perfect sink with the government of the old USSR or Communist China. Obama has nothing in common with the good citizens of the US. He claims to be a Christian but believes the exact opposite of what Scripture teaches. Christ is pro life, Obama pro death, Christ is against homosexual behavior,

· Gutless Christianity
You've got to be kidding! These pseudo-Christians who want to divert our attention from homosexuality/abortion and other evils are the same "Christians" who justified the slaughter of the Jews by the Nazis. Are there any men or women of Biblical conscience left in America?

· Christian or Muslim?
I am a Christian and I would never ever make the mistake of saying I am of some other religion. Maybe the truth was accidentally put forth. His actions would indicate that he is a Muslim rather than a Christian. No one who follows Christianity could ever support abortion, homosexual marriage, infanticide and say their are many ways to God.

· Save Me, Film Review of
David Mixner: "The film does not take the easy way and insult its viewers with predictable stereotypes of either Christians or homosexuals"

· Sarah Palin's church to straighten out those curly gays - 23
Sarah Palin attends Wasilla Bible Church, an evangelical Christian place of worship that speaks in tongues and attempts to de-gay homosexuals. (How about putting those tongues away, for starters?) A recent church bulletin- downloadable as a pdf- promoted a Sept. 13th Focus on the Family conference, "Love Won Out." The all-day affair promises:

· Homosexual Christianity?
Either I'm naive, or I just haven't been following the trends as closely as I should. I knew that there were issues within "the Church" regarding homosexual pastors and priests in the pulpit. Even some issues of closet sins of homosexuality (Ted Haggard). But I never knew the extent to which homosexuality was invading Christianity.

· Boltz shocks Christian community with homosexuality admission
Another misunderstanding. We all have strong, inappropriate urges. The idea is to resist them, NOT to embrace them. Homosexuality is no different than any other sin. Adultery, pride, hatred, all appeal to our nature. That doesn't make them right.

Do You Love Me More Than These?

2008-07-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

These words were not spoken by lovers, but were asked by our Lord Jesus Christ as as stated in John chapter 21 verses 15 to 17.

Most Christians know about this story. Regrettably only a few really understand the meaning of what Christ said because of their failure to look closely at the words that Jesus Christ used.

The story begins with Jesus and Peter having dinner. During that time, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him to which Peter replied in the affirmative. Jesus told then told Peter to "feed my lambs."

After a little while, Jesus again asked the same question to Peter. Peter gave him the same answer. He was then told by Jesus to "Feed my sheep."

The third time around, Jesus ask Peter the same question. But this time instead of answering "yes" the verse says that "Peter was grieved" He then said to the Lord that "thou knowest." Jesus then instructed him to "Feed my sheep."

Most people believe that Peter was grieved because Jesus asked him three times if he loved him. But I doubt if that is the case.

In order to fully understand the passagewe have to take close look at the word "Love" as used here.

At the first instance, when Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, the word used by him is the koine greek word "agapao." In other words the intensity or weight of the love that Jesus was talking about is a pure or ideal kind of love, such love that would be willing to die for another person. In other words Jesus was asking Peter if he loved him so much to the extent that Peter would die for him.

Peter answered him "Yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." The word used here by Simon Peter is the greek word "Phileo" which only refers to a love with a lesser degree than agapao. Phileo is the word used for "brotherly love." Christ asked Peter if he loved him to the extent that he is willing to die for him, but Peter replied in the negative by offering only "brotherly love."

The second time around, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him using the same word "Agapao" to which Peter answered with the same word "Phileo."

However the third time Jesus Christ asked Peter if he loves him, instead of using the word "Agapao" Jesus used the word "Phileo." In other words Jesus Christ even questioned the brotherly love that Peter has for him. Jesus Christ was asking "Peter, are you sure that you even love me as a brother."

Now we can see the real reason why Peter was grieved. It was not because he was asked three times by Jesus if he loved him. Peter was grieved because even his brotherly affection for our Lord was questioned by no less than Jesus himself. Having no answer, Peter just humbly told the Lord that He knows everything already.

You can notice that in all three instances after Jesus asked Peter for his commitment of love, Jesus always asked him to do something for him. That is to feed his lamb and sheeps. We can see here that He was telling Peter that love must be translated into action and not just expressed by mere words.

The lesson that we can learn here is that we need to ask ourselves, do we truly love Christ. Do we love him to the extent that we are willing to give up our lives for him? We might not be able to fully understand this because we live in a free country and we are free to worship God. But what if we are tortured for Christ? Are we willing to die for His name ?

Thanks be to God that we do not have to be tortured for our faith to prove our love for him. All He ask of us is that we be good examples to other Christians, to disciple them and help them grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

About the Author:

Everyday may not be valentines day and Zigfred Diaz may not always blog about love meanings everyday but he regularly write about several interesting topics including how to invest in the Philippine stock market, financial management, investments, as well as other informative topics Don't waste time, Visit his blog today !!!

Title:
do you love me more than these ?
Article Distribution and Free Web Content by www.reprint-content.com

Holy Spirit

2008-06-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that the work week is coming to a close. This will allow me to spend more time on my new teaching series on the Holy Spirit. I have been saturating myself with teaching on this subject and can't wait to share it with you all. If you are in the area and want to meet with us, please feel free to email us (See the profile for the address.) We'd love to meet with you. Also, please note that we have added the Prayer Center finally! It includes devotionals as well. It's important that we support each other as members of the body of Christ. Take care.

Growing in Christ

2008-06-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

It is a wonder to me that the modern church is capable of thinking so highly of itself. By all accounts we are so far from the mark it should cause us to question our spiritual state - but we persist in our delusion. Jesus stated that the Church would do greater works than He did. Why is it that we don't see that happening? The gifts of the Spirit are clearly stated to be around and functioning still. (We can discuss that if someone wants to.) Read our recent article "The ABC's of Christianity - Grow!" to find our ways we can grow as Christains.

It Is Finished - Sin is Gone

2008-03-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

When Jesus was crucified He declared from the cross, “It is finished.” This phrase is more important than mainstream Christianity might grasp. It is the very foundation of Christianity.

When these words were uttered from the cross Jesus was declaring that the work He came to do was done; it was complete. Scholars call this the finished work of the cross, and it is very important to understand.

Before Jesus came sin caused man to exist in an unredeemed state, a condemned state. There was no means by which humanity could become un-condemned or forgiven. God is a just and holy God. Sin separates us from Him. Because we are sinful we cannot come into His presence without first having our sins removed.

In the Old Testament sin was “covered” by the blood of sacrifices through the Mosaic Law or the Law of Moses. The sacrifices allowed God to deal with us as if we were not utterly abject – but it was a compromise. It wasn’t a real fix. The sin was still there and we knew it and God knew it. It was just covered up – like a waiter in a restaurant covering a tattoo with a bandaid. The offense is still there. [Note: this is not a statement about tattoos. I have one myself.]

The real fix is to have our sin actually removed! That’s what Jesus came to do. He came to shed His blood, His perfect, human blood, to actually erase our sins. When He declared that it was finished, what He meant was that He had accomplished this. His blood was being given as a sacrifice for our sins.

Because of that sacrifice, God and man can be truly reconciled. Mankind’s sin can actually be erased by the perfect blood of Jesus Christ. No animal’s blood could ever do that.

Because sin was erased by the Blood of Jesus we say we are redeemed or bought back from corruption. We were utterly corrupted before, tainted, blemished, ruined. Jesus’ blood restores us to our former state, redeems us from corruption. When our sins are washed in His blood it makes us new again and justified before God. That’s what Christians call being “born again” and having “new life.” To be justified is to be made “just as if” we had never sinned. It means to be restored to a perfect state, just like we were before we sinned.

Now, it’s important to get that this sacrifice, this blood that was shed to erase our sins, to “cover it” forever from God’s sight, was shed for ALL sin. It was shed for you and for me and for everyone who will allow it to cleanse them. It was shed to cover sins I have committed and sins I have not yet committed. Sin is not a factor in the equation between us and God any longer because it is erased. It’s gone. It doesn’t exist any more. “It’s as far as the east is from the west.” All sin is now in God’s “sea of forgetfulness.” It’s gone. It is removed. It is finished.

Jesus is the 2nd Adam

2007-12-28T04:27:00.001-08:00

Genesis 2 on into 5

Desire: Used 3 times in the Scripture. Means desire, or longing. From a word that means to stretch after something, or to run for something. 2 verses seem to make sense to us and we get contextually a meaning that is not altogether accurate. 8669

Gen 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. [This is a result of sin. This is NOT God’s original plan! As we have so often been told. She was his helper, now, he has to shoulder it alone.]
Sgs 7:10
I [am] my beloved's, and his desire [is] toward me.
Gen 4:7
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
You shall have the preiminence. Very clearly preiminence. This is not the right to abuse. This is not the right to LORD over somene, it’s just that you will have the upperhand, the blessing, the better position.

Galatians 3:19

Romans 5:8 from one man sin reigned. But Jesus is one who saves all.
By one man

Romans 5:13 law: Anything establshed, anything received by usage, a custom, usage, law. From a word that means to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals.

1) anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command
a) of any law whatsoever
1) a law or rule producing a state approved of God
a) by the observance of which is approved of God
2) a precept or injunction
3) the rule of action prescribed by reason
b) of the Mosaic law, and referring, acc. to the context. either to the volume of the law or to its contents
c) the Christian religion: the law demanding faith, the moral instruction given by Christ, esp. the precept concerning love
d) the name of the more important part (the Pentateuch), is put for the entire collection of the sacred books of the OT

He spoke it to Adam, not to Eve. She knew about it, but it was spoken to Adam.

I Corinithians 15:21-22.

Discussing resurrection of the dead. Some say there is none. Paul is pointing out that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Jesus didn’t resurrect and we are all still in our sin. All born of him must die. That was the punishment stated before he partook of the fruit. If you eat of it you shall surely die. All from Adam must die.

He goes on from here saying that all things are under Jesus’ authority, like Adam, but this includes all things spiritual and heavenly as well. And that there will come a point in time when Jesus will lay all that is under His authority down at God’s feet.

Jump down to :34, -49

1 Timothy 2:14 This is a discussion about order in church. It is a discussion not about who was responsible for the fall of human kind. It cannot be taken that way. He is merely pointing out that at the Fall, an order was established. If you have a problem with that, talk to God.

Ahab Isaiah 7:14

Isaiah 9, a child (birth) is born, a son (adoption) is given

More on Women: homologeo

2007-12-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

It is God’s intention that after we become Christians we grow. He tells us to “grow up into Christ.” Paul at one point rebukes some followers of Christ for not growing. He calls them babies and says they should be adults by now. We are also told that the gifts of the Spirit are given so that Christians can become equipped to serve. It is intended that we grow to the point where we can serve others, equipped for the work of the ministry.
A big part of our growth is concerned with us re-orienting ourselves to relate to things the way God does. Even our salvation is dependent on this sort of realigning. Before the fall we were not acquainted with good and evil. We were perfectly aligned and oriented with God. We shared His world-view. When Adam and Eve partook of the fruit they became aware of evil and we, their children, have become intimately acquainted with it.
In Romans 10:9 we are told that we if we will confess that Jesus is Lord we will be saved. The word confess is a great Greek word. It’s a great Greek word for gay people to know. The word is homologeo. Logeo is from the word Logos, which is the spoken word or message as communicated. Jesus is actually called the LOGOS of God. The message, the communication from God to man. Homo of course means same. So homologeo means to say the same thing. In other words to take on God’s perspective and relationship – if God calls something a spade, we call it a spade. If He calls something sin, we call it sin. If God pronounces something good, then we consider it good and call it good, too.
This doesn’t sound too hard to do at first. But our growth is dependant on this adjustment of ourselves, this reorienting ourselves to match God. We are told that God’s ways are not our ways and that His thoughts are not our thoughts. That His thoughts are higher than ours. He also judges by the heart, when we tend to judge by the outward appearance. Our culture also plays a huge part in how we relate to things. If our culture tells us that polygamy is wrong, we can’t quite wrap our minds around the fact that this may not actually be a dictate from Scripture. If we are raised singing 3 songs in church and praying before service, or not having musical instruments in our service, or whatever in church or in our life, we may not quite be able to understand that this may not exactly be what God requires of us. These realizations are our opportunity to grow. To the extent that we are willing to allow God to mold us into HIS image, we actually grow. To the extent we harden our neck and refuse to be shaped into His image is the extent that we are in rebellion. That never sets well with God.
Now this growth comes about in various ways. One way is simply to read God’s Word. His Spirit will cause the Word to come alive sometimes, parts will jump out at us and we may be confronted with the need to be conformed to Him in some area.
Sometimes God’s Spirit will convict us. For example, let’s say we grew up in the south and our whole family and the town we grew up in frequently told prejudiced jokes. Everybody does it, right? You’re just having some fun. And you recently heard a great one. So you share it and immediately feel self-conscious and kind of bad. You realize that telling that joke may not have been truly pleasing to God. This is conviction. Next time you might hold your tongue. As you grow, you might steer such a conversation back to something more pleasing to God. This is changing your actions and your beliefs to lineup with God’s.
Some of the more difficult growth challenges are loving our enemies. Turning the other cheek. Not cussing in traffic. Not cheating on our spouse. Etc.
The word of God promises that the Spirit of God will guide us into all truth. This growth is initiated by God. In I Corinthians 3:18 we are also told that if we will look at Jesus as though we were looking at ourselves, we will be changed into what we are looking at. In other words, we will be changed into the image of Jesus. Changed into His image. Restored step by step into the original “us” – we were created in His image initially if you will remember, in the Garden of Eden. God initiates this growth, too. It says we are changed into His image, Jesus’ image, as we look at Him by the Spirit from glory to glory. In other words. We look at Jesus as though we are looking at ourselves and the Spirit points something out to us: “Look at how patient you are.” (Because we are seeing Jesus as ourselves, and Jesus IS patient.) Then we are changed into a more patient us. This is a marvelous truth in the Scripture.
Notice that the Spirit points out what it is we are to be growing in. We are not expected as 2nd graders to walk into class and know that we are supposed to learn how to compare and contrast today. They just show up hungry to learn. Willing to learn. Willing to grow. We have to stay willing to learn and to grow.
In Christ, in the Spirit world, you are either growing or falling. There are not plateaus in Christ. If we refuse to move forward when the Spirit moves us, we are falling away from him. We must be careful to respond to the Spirit when He moves.
Okay, so if we are to be open to growth and obedient to change our world view to match God’s we have to begin to see ourselves the way God sees us as well as others. Homologeo.
This is one of the hardest things for us to do. We are rather comfortable with either thinking everything we do is groovy or that everything we do is terrible. We either usually have a hard time seeing that we are sinful, or that we are loved by God.
For most people in the LGBT community it’s typically the later when we get right down to it. Our culture has ingrained in us that we are unacceptable to God. Women have also been taught that we are somehow less than men in God’s eyes.
The gay issue is a huge and varied one. I’m not going to tackle that at the moment. But I want to address being women.
The church has perpetrated on women an atrocity by teaching that they are less than men. They have controlled governments and homes with this same concept. It has caused much heartache.
The Old Testament tells of Adam and Eve and a curse that was meted out to both of them. In fact everything fell, the earth is fallen, the animal kingdom, the universe at large.
The Scripture God tells us that Eve was deceived, she was tricked, but Adam sinned with his eyes open. That means he knew what he was doing and she didn’t. Where does the blame sound like God places it? Historically it is placed on Eve. But God indicates Adam is the one who gets the real blame.
Additionally, Jesus came to be the second Adam, the anti-thesis to Adam. Adam was the lost one. Jesus is the one that saves. Eve isn’t mentioned. Why? Because she was the instrument through which Jesus was able to come and save us. When the curses were being handed out in the Garden of Eden, promises were also handed out. The promise was made that Eve’s son would bruise Satan’s head and that Satan would bruise His heel, and that this Son would deliver them and restore the results of the Fall. Adam isn’t mentioned.
Jesus was born of a Virgin. No man was involved. It had to be this way. And we are told why… Because Jesus couldn’t have the fallen part of Adam inside of Him. So where does the fallen nature come from? From the man. He is certainly the more cursed of the two. Mary’s contribution to Jesus’ birth does not have sin inherit in the process. Jesus could choose to obey. The rest of mankind can’t choose to be right; we are fallen when we get here. We have the seed of man in us. We are descendents of Adam.
Additionally the man who is given more responsibility is accountable for more. We judge by the outward. We think authority is the thing to get. We want to climb the ladder. But in some respects, being the one in charge is not the best place to be! Men have the final word and authority as God designed it, because He holds them more accountable.
This position has been tremendously abused throughout history. Absolute power, corrupts absolutely. Those in authority, who line themselves up with God, can be greatly used of God to bless others, to help others, to teach them and provide for them. But authority running amuck, living independently of God, seeking their own selfish position become power-hungry dictators who run all over the ones they are supposed to be caring for.
The church has added to this frequently by not being aligned to God themselves. They have imposed this view on women and allowed men to run amuck unchecked. This has impacted our government and our culture.
I want to spend some time telling you that even though the Church has done this frequently, they are not reflecting God’s perspective of women. We want God’s perspective of women. We want God’s persepective of ourselves. We want to homologeo.
Jesus went out of His way to include and address women. It wasn’t done in His day, but He did it. Many women were instrumental in His ministry and in Paul’s.

God's Relationship With Women

2007-12-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

God's relationship with women often comes under fire. Women have been oppressed forever and it seems to be justified because of the Bible. Or that's what we are told. We have heard the story of Adam and Eve, Lot's wife, and many others. The laws of the the Old Testament seem to play favorites with the advantage going to men. But if you read the scripture in its entirety you will find a different picture.

Though we may have heard about Deborah, the woman judge of Israel, most of us have only heard it once. How about the woman in the temple who blessed Jesus when He was born? We know Mary was special and Elizabeth. But for the most part woman are told to be seen and not heard by church leadership.

This is not an accurate picture of God's relationship to women. The new testament was about law and establishing order out of chaos. It addressed the weaker side of human nature. But the New Testament seems to point out that the Old Testament was taken wrong. That it was being applied wrong in many areas. Jesus said of many things, "You have heard that it hath been said,... But I say unto you..."

Below is an excerpt from a daily devotional I subscribe to distributed by Crosswalk.com. It is by Girlfriends in God for December 7th, 2007.

Today's Truth

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." Isaiah 59:1

Friend to Friend

When the writers of the Old Testament penned the words to the long list of lineages, the so-and-so begat so-and-so's, they always listed the males. But when we turn the page from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see God honoring women in a brand new way. Even in the lineage of Jesus recorded in Matthew chapter one, we see four women in addition to Mary in the list! For that time in history, that was quite radical!

Now, if you were going to be part of this liberating radical movement to recognize women in the Holy Scriptures, whom would you pick? Oh, I'd probably include Mrs. Noah. She had to be very patient, submissive wife to be able to put up with all those animals and Noah's wild ideas.

Or perhaps I'd pick Mrs. Moses. Zipporah must have been a very godly woman to allow her husband to travel about in the desert for all those years. Besides, any woman who has a husband in leadership knows the sacrifices she must have made.

Or perhaps I'd pick Sarah. After all, she did bear a child when she was ninety and was married to the Father of many nations.

But no. God did not choose one of these women to be listed in the lineage of our Lord and Saviour Jesu Christ. He chose Rahab -- a redeemed woman who had been a prostitute before she joined the children of God. He chose Tamar -- who had an incestuous relationship with her father-in-law. He chose Bathsheba -- who had an affair with King David and bore a son. And He chose Ruth -- a woman from a cursed nation.

Oh, friend, do you see it? I am so glad that God chose these women. Through their lives, God shows us that there is no place so far from God that He cannot save us, redeem us, and ultimately use us for His glory. His arm is not too short to save us from the deepest pit imaginable. That was true for those four women, and it is true for you and me.

Let's Pray

Dear Heavenly Redeemer, I am so thankful that you chose the weak things of the world to shame the wise. I am one of those "weak things" and I am constantly amazed that you chose me and use me for your glory. Praise You, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Over the next few days, go back, read the stories of three women listed in Jesus' genealogy, and see what you can learn about their lives.

Rahab: Joshua 2

Tamar: Genesis 38:1-30

Bathsheba: 2 Samual 11

After reading about them, answer these questions: What did God take them from? What did God take them to?

What does this tell you about the people that God can use?

How to Handle Sin After Salvation

2007-12-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

Am I really saved if I sin? Many new believers ask this as they begin to learn about their faith. One must correctly understand their relationship with the Lord to answer this question.

Two things happen when someone gets saved First, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross pays that person's sin-debt in full. That means your past, present, and future wrongdoing is forgiven and removed. You had not ever sinned when He paid the debt, because you had not even been born. All your sin is covered by the blood of Jesus, all of it. Since sin was the barrier that separated mankind from God, the new believer is now welcome in His presence. Second, the Father sends us a wonderful gift which offers us a choice apart from our original, rebellious nature by sending us the Holy Spirit to indwell and guide Christians.

Before salvation we had a nature which could not line ourselves up with God. We couldn't seem to "be good" no matter how hard we tried. Our best intentions failed. The pressure was immense. But, with God's Holy Spirit inside of us we become a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet, since the mind and body don't change automatically, self-serving habits that we have developed before salvation remain ingrained and tempting. Though we may sometimes give in, we aren't suddenly unsaved because we sinned. Once god's grace is bestowed, it can't be removed. Nor can the Spirit's power be revoked. Our relationship with God remains intact, though it does need repair and washing in the form of confession and repentance.

Being saved is not about keeping a perfect record of behavior. If we could do that, we wouldn't have needed Jesus to die, or God's grace. He knows that we are human and prone to making selfish choices contrary to His will. When we do, Jesus acts as our Advocate, because His sacrifice is what makes psosible our relationship with the Father.

I'm So Excited!

2007-12-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

If that title caused you to hear a song, you might be gay... No, just kidding.

Greetings! We are so glad you have come to check out our site. If you are GLBT and have been told that God doesn't love you, that He hates you, that you are an abomination, then you are in the right place because we want to tell you the truth - God's love is just as much for you as it is for every other person. No one is excluded from His far-reaching love.

The truth is that not one of us is acceptable to God in our own right, by our own merit. There is not one action we can take that will cause us to rise above ourselves and become worthy of the sacrifice of God's Son for our sins. We are told that even our righteousness, the little bit we have, all we can muster in our own strength, is filthy rags to Him, unacceptable. [Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3, Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 9:17, Jeremiah 8:6, Romans 3:10-12]

Wow! That's a real downer! But, you see, there's more to it than that. God very purposefully chose to put us all in the same boat, to cause us all to be in the same condition - lost. We are all lost. Every man, every woman, every child. We are part of the human race and therefore partake of the human condition. The New Testament puts it like this: "He concluded us all under sin." [Galatians 3:22]

Don't think that because you are GLBT that you are somehow not like the others in terms of your standing before God. We all fall short. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." [Romans 3:23]

So everything the Bible has to say about God's deliverance, His salvation, is just as much for us as it is for everyone else. No matter what anyone has told you or made you feel, God loves you. It's as much a fact for you as it is for anyone else. Embrace that thought. Talk to God about it. Be frank. Get real. Don't think God cares one bit about how well you put words together. Just talk to Him. Ask Him what He thinks. Forget what you've been told. Reach out to Him. He promises if we draw near to Him that He will draw near to us. We have a section on our site that addresses new and hurting Christians, those who have been raised in the church and then thrown away because they were GLBT. This section is called Getting Started . Additionally, for those who want to dig into the Word of God on any topic we have a section called Particulars. Come check us out. If we can be of assistance, please feel free to contact us.