Walk'n' Talk'n' Christian

The Book

2011-11-28T17:56:00.001-08:00

Loved and hated
Revered and reviled
Protected and destroyed
Preserved and burned
Believed and mocked
Translated and twisted
Used and abused
Read and ignored
Loved and hated

Never proven wrong
Survived through time
Still relevant
Still true
Still number one

The tests of time have
Only made it stronger
The truths within
Remain true
It is the most loved
Most hated
Most read
Most ignored
Book in existence

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother’s Day
By Earl Parsons

May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice! Proverbs 23:26

“May she who gave you birth rejoice!” What more should we ask of our mothers than to rejoice because of us? That we should grow up in a manner that is not only pleasing to our mothers but also would make them rejoice, is a dream come true. I pray that my mother rejoices over me.
Our mothers do so much for us. They carry us for nine long months, care for us when we’re sick, wipe our bottoms and change our diapers. They teach us to talk and walk. They carry us on their hips, stay close to us day in and day out, and teach us the real meaning of love. Even when we fail them, they forgive and forget and get back to the assignment of raising us. Our mothers are the reason we are here. Thank God for our mothers.
On this Mother’s Day, we all need to remember the one who brought us into this world. If she has passed on, lay a flower on her grave. If she is still alive, send her something special. Even if you don’t get along with her, for whatever reason, do something to let her know that you’re still alive and that you appreciate the life she took time to grant you. Regardless of the situation you may be in, take time this Mother’s Day to do something for your mother.
But most of all, we should love our mothers and not be afraid to tell them. Make that the real point of this Mother’s Day; tell mom, “I love you.”

Prayer: Thank You, Dear Lord, for my mother.

A Mother’s Legacy
By Earl Parsons

Tasked by God, their destiny in life
To pass in pain the next generation
To bear, to care for the next in line
The role accepted by willing women

Nine long months with child within
Maternal bonds grow strong between
Mother and child share all but soul
Two together, still one yet unseen

Then comes the day, the miracle, birth
Life springs forth, and God smiles down
Another wonder of His great love
Another diamond in mankind’s crown

All made possible by women willing
Through pain and tears bore you and me
The sacrifice years long they gave
As has been throughout history

Since Eve, until the end of time
Mankind will be their cross to bear
To pass life down from now to next
A Mother’s legacy, each one so rare

For all who give life, God bless each one
For each sacrifice, He has a reward
For Mother dear, thank you for my life
And for your love, I thank the Lord

Eternal Invasion

2011-03-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

By Earl Parsons

That voice
So small at first
It started way back
When I was quite young
When my thoughts became real
And I started thinking for myself

That voice
Gentle and calm
Proclaiming the truth
Beckoning me to respond
Peaceful, soothing and loving
So real, I knew it wasn’t a dream

That voice
From deep inside
Calling to my heart
“Put out the welcome mat
And open up your heart’s door
That I may abide with you forever.”

That voice
So full of love
Not forceful at all
Convincing, none the less
Letting me make the choice
Because it’s my decision to make

My choice
Says the voice
I control the key
I’ll make up my mind
My eternity is in my hands
I can decide now or down the road

My choice
Eternity at stake
The voice accentuates
With a gentle, loving tone
Pleading for my soul’s response
Waiting peacefully outside my heart

My choice
And mine alone
Foolish not to choose
To follow his beckoning
Insane not to open the door
Idiotic to reject this eternal invasion

My choice
Open the door
Let him clean house
And put him in charge
Give him the keys to my life
Let Him be my Lord and Savior

That voice
My choice

Be a Hero

2010-03-07T22:10:00.001-08:00

Our senior pastor was out today, so Brother Mark filled in as he has on so many occasions. I always like listening to Brother Mark preach, because he mixes humor with just the right amount of reality and he always has a great message to his madness. This morning was no different.

Amoung all the points he had to his morning message, the one thing that stuck out to me was when he talked about heroes. He talked about Hollywood heroes, political heroes, heroes from the past, and, finally, Christian heroes and heroes in our own church. He stated that we should all have heroes and that we should acknowledge these heroes and let them know why they are our heroes or what they did that made them our heroes. Heroes, to Brother Mark, are a good thing, as long as they remain heroes, and we don't elevate them to idols. But, I digress.

After listening to his sermon, I began to think about the real meaning of heroes. Heroes are people that other people look up to because of who they are or what they've done, especially in ways that effect those that consider them heroes. The more I thought about the importance of heroes, the more I agreed that we all need heroes in our lives. And the more I though that we all need heroes, the more I realized that I already had heroes, and alway have had them throughout my life. But, that's a story for another time.

Another thing dawned on me when it comes to heroes. I believe, with all of my heart, that each and every one of us should strive to be a hero to someone else. Whether it's a relative, a friend, a co-worker, or a perfect stranger, we can all be heroes in one way or another. We can all do special things for others. We can all treat others as we want to be treated. We can live our lives in a way that others will notice and want to emulate. And we can all love one another with the love of the Greatest Hero, Jesus Christ.

So, I'm challenging everyone to not only recognize, acknowledge and appreciate the heroes in your lives, but to become one as well. I'm going to challenge everyone to start living a hero's life. Start this very moment living a life that touches others in ways that will change their lives and make them take notice. And, most importantly, do your level best to emulate the Greatest Hero. If you strive to live like Christ, you'll surely be a hero to many more than you know.

Christ Reduced

2010-02-21T22:18:00.001-08:00

I heard it through the grapevine that Elton John proclaimed that Jesus was a compassionate gay man. So, I looked it up online and found that the rumor was true. In fact, the exact quote was, "I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him." His statement is confusing, since he hasn't a very good opinion of religion in the first place. After all, he told Observer's Music Monthly magazine in 2006, “Religion promotes hatred and spite against gays. From my point of view, I would ban religion completely."

I guess these two statements aren't that hard to analyze, especially when you take into consideration that Elton John is an openly gay man on a crusade for homosexual acceptance. And even the contradictions can be explained when you consider the multiple fronts that the homosexual movement attacks from. When one front doesn't work the way it is intended, then why not try it from a different angle? It works in social and political arenas, and, after all, the gay issue is a combination of both, wouldn't you say? Anyway, here's the way I see these two conflicting statements by Elton John:

In 2006, he told the truth about his feelings on religion. And, in a way, without being specific about which religion or religions, he was right. Some religions shun homosexuals. Others ban them. Still, others mistreat, imprison, torture, or behead them. This maltreatment is not right in any way, but the reality is that it happens, and many times it happens under the laws set forth through religions of one sort or another.

But, that was 2006. Now, four short years later, Sir Elton seems to have changed his tune about religion and has decided to use Jesus Christ to elicit sympathy for his cause. It doesn’t seem to be enough, however, to simply say that Jesus forgave and that we should follow His lead. No, he has to go to the point of actually demeaning our Lord by bringing Him down to the level of humans and even lower to the level of a specific group of humans. What Sir Elton has chosen to do is to simply drag Jesus through the mud of immorality in order to gain sympathy, when, in fact, he loathes religion and would ban it if he could. And he does this with no explanation, no proof and no remorse.

This action is not new, of course. Jesus has been demeaned and reduced for centuries by those that do not believe in Him, but feel that they can use His name for their own gain. Recently, however, this trend has exploded and is becoming more and more acceptable by the general public. But just in case you have trouble believing that, here are a few examples:

- The Reverent Wright, President Obama’s pastor for 20 years, preaches black theology which teaches that Jesus was actually black, and that the black people are the true chosen people. This directly contradicts the Holy Bible, but many preachers in the African American community are teaching this drivel, and people are falling for it.

- Dan Brown, author of the DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, takes the holiness and godliness of Jesus and reduces Him to a flawed and weak human that married and fathered children on His way to the cross. Taking the spotlight off of His divine nature and shining it on His human side, with assumptions and inferences to boot, reduce Jesus in ways that make Him look like just any one of us.

- The sick and twisted creators of South Park have been conducting an all out reduction campaign against Christ, morality, decency, and human values. I’m sure that if you’ve watched this poor excuse for entertainment, you’ve witnessed the way they treat the Messiah. If, on the other hand, you’ve never watched the show, don’t.

- And now the television censors have decided that taking the Lord’s name in vain is perfectly acceptable, while they continue to bleep out other profanities. To me, it is infinitely more offensive to hear someone take the name of Jesus in vain than any other profanity in our language. But, that’s me.

What I’m getting at is this: We should never reduce the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for any purpose. The Lord Jesus Christ should always be honored and worshiped as the Savior of the world and the One and Only True and Living God, because He is. Most assuredly, however, the lost will continue to demean Christ in any way they can, whether it is to mock Him or use Him for their own selfish gain or cause. But we, as followers of Christ, have a responsibility to defend His name and His holiness, and lovingly and compassionately let the offenders know that they are wrong in what they do. Then we need to pray for their lost souls.

Start the week with God

2010-02-15T09:10:00.001-08:00

So often we spend our Sundays sitting in front of the boob tube or wasting our day just wasting time. All too often we forget that Sunday is a day that has been set aside as a time to praise and worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and spend with our families making memories. Why is that?

I guess it's because we have lost our focus on life. We've forgotten our purpose. We've downgraded our Lord to the point that He's not even in the top 10 of our priorities. And, sadly, we've been drugged into believing that our God and our families aren't worth the effort.

And what can we do to change things around and get back on track? Well, there's a lot we can do, like begin and end every day in prayer, read and actually study God's Word, and love our neighbors as ourselves. We can fall in love with our families all over again. And we can strive to get one step closer to God each and every day of our lives.

Not much to ask. Right? Just a little change to our routine, Right? To tell you the truth, for most of us, it will require a great big change in our routine. Right? But, we can do it, if we try, and if we truly want to.

So, let's start simple. Let's vow for this next week to add prayer to our daily lives. Oh, we don't have to hide in the closet and quietly converse with the Lord or stand on a busy street corner with Bible in hand screaming to the Almighty. Of course, if you choose to do this, then by all means. It would probably be a little easier if we started each morning with a couple minutes of quiet time prayer, then whenever we need to give a quick shout-out to the Lord, we can send up a silent request or two. No need to telegraph what we're doing. No need to get anyone else involved. Just the need to communicate with the Lord throughout the day to have Him help us with our decisions, temptations, and whatever else crosses our paths. Then we can end each day with another prayer before we go to sleep.

So, try that this week. Pray morning and night and throughout the day. Get used to lifting up your prayers to the Lord. The more you pray, the easier it gets, and the more you want to call upon His name.

Now, have a great week, and God bless.

It's Hard to be a Christian

2009-05-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

It's so hard to be a Christian in a world that's full of sin.
So hard to fight the battles, on your own you cannot win.
It's not easy to be humble when all 'round you stand the vain.
And it's hard to be like Jesus when they eye you with disdain.

America was created on God and Biblical principles.
But now we're more concerned with rights of individuals.
No longer does the majority rule, we Christians have no say.
Satan is in charge of man, and, for now, he's having his way.

Pornography is rampant, and the internet infested
With every form of evil for which some should be arrested.
And free speech is for everyone, except for Jesus name.
It is, of course, acceptable to take His name in vain.

Violence, sex and profanity rule most shows on television.
The homosexual agenda is the leading cause of church division.
Over a million unborn a year are aborted in this land.
Thank God their murdered souls are safe, in the Master's hand.

Christians are no longer acceptable members of society.
We're demonized because we stand against immorality.
The liberal left is chipping away at our God-given rights.
Divided we are standing, and we cannot win the fight.

Our country's so far out of touch, will God ever forgive?
Or will there come a day when Christians lose their right to live?
If that day comes, then I am ready to rely upon His Word,
And I will gladly lay down my life for Jesus Christ, my Lord.

But we cannot give in to sin, we must keep our eye on the goal.
And spread the gospel throughout the world, and fight for every soul.
'Cause Christians know the end will come, Revelation shows us how;
When Jesus comes to claim His own, every knee will bow.

A few years back, I wrote that poem about being a Christian in today’s world. As I read through it a few minutes ago, I realized that in the six years since writing it, things haven’t gotten any easier for those of us that follow Christ. In fact, it’s gotten a lot more difficult to live the life that He has commanded us to live.

More and more are turning against what we stand for and against the God that we believe in. We seem to be shrinking in numbers in a time when we need to unite and take a stand against all the evil surrounding us. And the present administration in Washington is, for the first time in history, openly and actively working against us by promoting everything we oppose. What’s a Christian to do with so much opposition?

As the poem says, we cannot give in to sin, and we cannot take out eyes off the goal. We must do our human best to live a life that exemplifies and glorifies Christ. And we must continue to reach out to the lost, especially in these troubling times.

Take heart, fellow Christians. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up. Our rewards aren’t on earth. And we will be rewarded for every single thing we do for Christ and for the Kingdom of God. It is hard to be a Christian these days, but with Jesus in our hearts and the Bible as our guide, we can make it to the end.

God can bring down the strongest

2009-03-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

This is a devotional I wrote several years ago. With the current state of affairs in this country, it is worth reprinting. I hope you like it.

The only existing empire on this earth is the United States of America. There is no nation as powerful, as rich, or as beautiful. In a relatively short time, the USA has risen to the top, thanks to the blessings of the Lord God and the faith of our forefathers. Regardless of what some may say, we are a Christian nation.

As of late we have had to endure an onslaught of unbelieving zealots who want all mention of God out of America. He was pushed out of public schools in the early 60s and Satan quickly entered to fill the void. The Pledge of Allegiance, our national motto, and even the Constitution are being taken to court because they make references to God. The Bible has been reduced to a collection of stories, and the Book itself is no longer used in most courtrooms to swear in witnesses.

We are descending down a slippery slope leading to the day when we give ourselves all the credit for our greatness. We are treading on dangerous ground.

“The pride of your heart has deceived you, you live in the clefts of the rocks and make you home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make you nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down?” says the Lord. Obadiah 3-4

Prayer: I pray for my country, today, Lord. I pray that our leaders will return to Your graces and boldly proclaim their belief in You, for without You, this nation would be nothing. Please, Lord, help us to return to the greatness of old with You as our God.

2 Chronicles 7:14

2008-11-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

If
which indicates a choice

My people,
those who are chosen by God

who are called
but so often are not listening

by My name,
and no other name

will
again, there is a choice

humble themselves
realize they are in need of His help

and pray
which they should have been doing all along

and seek My face
actually look for God with open eyes and hearts

and turn from
not a 360 or 270 or 90, but a 180

their
not anyone else’s

wicked ways,
which are any ways not approved by God

then
not later, not before, but right then

will I hear
because, unlike us, God is always listening

from heaven
because that is where He listens from

and will
God’s promise

forgive their sins
hallelujah, praise His name

and will
another promise

heal their land
because we, as His people, need our land healed

In My Grandfather's Day

2008-11-13T18:41:00.000-08:00

When I was quite young, my parents got divorced and my father moved 20 miles up the road. To me, that was a very long ways away, and I rarely got to see him. On top of that, my mother decided, with my help, that it would be best if my grandparents raised me, so, at the tender age of six, I was legally adopted, along with my older brother, and moved even further from my father. The visits became even rarer.

Some men just aren’t cut out for the role of dad. Some try, but never reach the level of sacrifice and unselfishness that is required to be a dad. Many don’t even try. I think that was the path my dad took. He just didn’t want to be a father, nor did he want to accept the responsibilities of being one.

But God knew my father’s heart and my need for an honest and loving father figure. So, He tapped my grandfather on the shoulder and put him in my life. And he stepped up to the plate and accepted the assignment of raising both me and my brother. In the voluntary absence of my biological father, my grandfather did a bang-up job. Thank You, Lord, for the best grandfather that ever walked this earth.

Thanks to my grandfather, I feel that I am a much better father and grandfather than I would have been if my biological father had tried to raise me. Why? It would be because my grandfather was cut from the cloth of responsibility and sacrifice. He knew that things had to be done, and he was more than willing to do them, especially when it came to flesh and blood. He was a great man who died far too young.

But before he died, he instilled in me the desire to be the best father and grandfather that I could be. He showed me how to love, how to work, and how to put the needs of others before mine. He was, by far, the greatest man in my life.

When I think about him, I often wonder just where men like him have gone. Once upon a time, our great nation was nearly overrun by men who were willing to accept responsibilities and do what was best for their wives and children. Upstanding Christian fathers were all over the place, and they were willing to not only uphold the standards, set by God, they were willing to live the standards.

In my grandfather’s day, the vast majority of men chose to do whatever was necessary to make their families the best they could be. Today, far too many men run as soon as the going gets tough.

In my grandfather’s day, a man was head of the household, responsible for their protection, their provisions, and their happiness. Today, the man’s role has been reduced to no more than a bumbling buffoon, ruled by his wife, and insignificant in the raising of his children.

In my grandfather’s day, a man was the spiritual leader of his family. He was the first to go to church; the first to teach the Bible to his family, and the first to pray for their needs. Today, most men have a hard time finding the Ten Commandments in the Bible, let alone knowing what they mean or how to use them to set a Christian example.

In my grandfather’s day, a father showed unconditional love for his family. In fact, many men worked themselves to death to take care of their loved ones, and many others gave their lives so that their loved ones could continue to live. In other words, fathers were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for those they loved. Today, very few men seem to be willing to give up a day on the golf course to attend an event their children are involved in.

So, what’s the difference between my grandfather’s day and today? Why have fathers in America changed so much? Have our expectations changed? Has society effectively removed fathers from their position as leader of the family? And what about the fathers who still want to be like the fathers were in my grandfather’s day?

We could blame society, women’s liberation, the liberal movement, or any number of reasons for the decline of the role of American fathers. After all, society no longer recognizes men as men. The women’s lib movement does everything it can to demoralize the male species. And the liberal agenda is so focused on moral relativity that their misguided sense of right and wrong has no room for those they feel have dominated the world for so long. With all of these forces working against fathers, it no wonder we’re no longer the backbone of our families, let alone the backbone of America.

In my grandfather’s day, fathers were fathers. Of course, Christianity was accepted, men and women were different, and children looked up to their parents and to God for guidance. We need to return to the way things were in my grandfather’s day. All fathers need to step up to the plate and be the fathers they were meant to be. Amen.

Age-Earned Respect

2008-10-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:32

Now that I am nearing the silver status of my existence, I feel that I have earned some respect from those younger than me. Of course, respect based simply on the grayness of my hair or the wrinkles under my eyes is really no respect at all in this day and age. You see, in America, the aged are more often left on their own than revered. Age no longer means what it once meant.

But, it should. As a matter of fact, it should mean more now than at any other time in the history of our great nation. It is now, when our country is in turmoil that we should turn to the aged and wise for guidance. We should lift them up and seek their wisdom before it’s too late. Instead, we treat them like fools and hide them away in old folk’s homes or retirement villages. And there we leave them, to be ignored and forgotten.

In doing this injustice, we deny God’s command to respect the elderly. We forget from whence we gained our abilities to survive, at the same time eliminating the link to the past the next generation so desperately needs. This trend will mean the undoing of our future.

We need the aged and wise to help us remember our roots and our mistakes, lest we make the same mistakes again. We need the aged and wise to remind us of how we got here, and Who is ultimately responsible for our prosperity. We need the aged and wise to stimulate the voice of the Spirit that calls to us to do God’s will. Without the aged and wise, that voice is waning. Before long, it will be silent.

The aged and wise have earned respect. And so has God. It is up to us to renew that spark of respect and reverence in this generation before the fire goes out, and the elderly are forgotten altogether.

I know that I don’t want to be shoved into an old folk’s home or retirement village and forgotten. I have a lot to pass on to the younger generation, and I do not want to be disrespected or silenced.

Help me Lord, to instill in the younger generation a desire to respect the elderly not only for their age, but for their wisdom and what they can pass on to help the youth of this country survive. Dear God, we need their wisdom and their example, lest we stray by our own disrespect.

Yes, Jesus Loves You

2008-10-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

Drowning in convictions, he waits patiently

For his time in the spotlight; his Bible at his side

The music is erupting; thousands on their feet

Lifting praises to Jesus, their souls open wide

All but preparation for the Word yet to come

The music, the lights; they soften every heart

Soon, they all are willing to hear the Lord speak

Through His servant’s lips will come spiritual sparks

The words of the music sooth his nervousness

The love of the Father sewn throughout each line

In silent prayer he waits, his moment at hand

The music fades, he prays, “Your will, not mine.”

He comes into the spotlight; all eyes are now on him

All ears are awaiting his message of truth

Then God takes control; the message is clear

He wants them to know simply, Jesus loves you

“Yes, Jesus loves you!” he boldly confesses

“He loves you, and you, and He even loves me.

His love goes beyond anything you can imagine.

His love didn’t end on the cross at Calvary.”

“Yes, Jesus loves you!” again he repeats

“I know this to be true, yes, indeed I do.

And His love will go on forever and forever

He’s got more than enough love for all of you.”

“Yes, Jesus loves you! Will you love Him back?

Will you give your life to Him without reservation?

He’s waiting for your answer, don’t waver too long.

He’s coming back soon; no time for hesitation.”

Then His servant grows silent, a hush fills the church

Then His Spirit takes hold and hearts start to break

As prayers rise, the tears fall, and Jesus is praised

As more realize that it’s their eternity at stake

Revival takes place through one broken soul at a time

As the cries for salvation come from pew after pew

And the angels in Heaven rejoice with each tear

For ‘tis here they now know, “Yes, Jesus loves you!”

It Is Written

2008-10-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

One of the newest catchphrases being used to defend the homosexual lifestyle is that “Jesus didn’t say anything about homosexuality.” And, although they may be right, their statement is meaningless. After all, there were many subjects not directly addressed by the Son of God; but does that fact elect us the judge of whether they’re right or wrong, even when they’re dealt with unambiguously in other parts of the Bible? I think not.

My question is simply this: Is it necessary for Jesus to directly address such an issue in the first place? And if so, wouldn’t His confirmation of the Scriptures spark the pro-homosexual zealots to come up with equally pointless rationale for their immoral and unnatural behavior?

You see, although Jesus didn’t directly condemn homosexuality, He did confirm that the Scriptures were to be followed as written. And, in confirming that the Scriptures were true and pertinent during His lifetime on earth, He therefore did affirm that homosexuality was a sin and should not be condoned by His followers.

He accomplished this task with three particular words that show, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He relied upon the Scriptures, and that we should, also. These three words were used to defend Himself from the temptations of Satan, and to provide assurances to His disciples that He was the one and only prophesied Messiah. These three confirming and convicting words were, “It is written.”

Throughout the King James Version of the Bible, “It is written” is used a total of eighty times. Only seventeen references appear in the Old Testament, while the remaining sixty-three appear in the New. Of the sixty-three in the New Testament, twenty-six appear in the Gospels, with eighteen coming from the mouth of Jesus, Himself.

In all cases, “It is written” references previously written Scripture. In no cases that I found did this phrase reference anything written outside of the Bible.

So, what does this have to do with Jesus and the homosexual issue? Well, that’s quite simple. You see, the many uses of “It is written”, strengthens the truth and accuracy of the Scriptures by enforcing their use in the lives of both the followers of God and the followers of Christ.

The repeated use of this phrase to reinforce the importance of the Scriptures, especially by Jesus and the Apostle Paul, leads one to the unarguable conclusion that what was already written was as important, if not more important, than what they were preaching. Not only did their references uphold the accuracy and truth of the Scriptures, the Scriptures reinforced the message they were attempting to get across to the masses. In other words, “It is written” ties the truths of the Old Testament with the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.

In doing this, Jesus did speak against the homosexual lifestyle by confirming the Old Testament as accurate and true. In upholding the Scriptures as the guide for living a life acceptable to God the Father, Jesus upheld the written law that prohibits homosexual activity. It wasn’t necessary for Him to directly address this issue, for it had already been directly addressed in the Scriptures that He endorsed.

With that argument out of the way, let’s move forward in the Bible to Paul. Once known as Saul, the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ confronted him on the road to Damascus with a question as to why Saul was persecuting Him and His followers. Saul recognized Jesus immediately, and fell to his knees in fear and repentance. From that moment on, the man formerly known as Saul preached the word of God wherever he went. Handpicked by Christ, Paul preached from the heart of the Lord Himself.

Paul wrote in the book of Romans, Chapter 1, verses 24-32, and 1 Corinthians, Chapter 6, verses 9-10, about the condemnation of active homosexuality, and went on to state that those who refuse to turn away from their evil lifestyles will not see the kingdom of Heaven. And, no matter how one tries to read into these verses, there is no denying exactly what he said.

So, you see, Jesus referred many time to the Scriptures, and the Scriptures condemn homosexuality. Then Jesus handpicked Paul to spread His message, and Paul also condemned homosexuality. But, both Jesus and Paul preached that those who turn away from this and any other worldly sins can be washed in the blood of Christ and forgiven. Because, “it is written” that all one has to do is admit the sin, turn away from it, ask Jesus to forgive, and commit his or her life to the Lord.

In light of this, we as Christians need to pray for the lost souls who are delving not only in the homosexual lifestyle, but also those who are experimenting with other forms of sexual perversion. We need not put them down, but lift them up on prayer so that they may turn from their wicked ways and get things right with the Lord Jesus Christ.

At the same time, we need not condone their lifestyle choices in any way, nor should we simply write them off as a lost cause. For “it is written” that Jesus came to the world to save it, not condemn it. And we need to carry His purpose forward, even to those who have twisted His words around to fit their unnatural and immoral agenda.

Christians across the globe need to rise up against the homosexual movement and, at the same time, bring the message of Jesus Christ to them in a loving and forgiving manner. After all, He forgave us, and He will forgive them.

The New Minority

2008-10-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

When this great country of ours was formed, one obvious majority existed. Without them, America would not have been born, because, without their leader, the colonists would not have been willing or able to break away from the motherland. Their leader was the spark that ignited the Boston Tea Party, the inspiration for the Declaration of Independence, and the courage that allowed victory on the battlefield. Their leader was God.

And the majority was the Christian men, women and children who were willing to give their lives for the cause of freedom. With God at their side and Jesus in their hearts, they overcame the power of the British forces and laid claim to a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Through the fortitude and faith of these Christians, this nation became the most powerful and prosperous on earth. From sea to shining sea, America became the standard for all other democracies to strive for. We became a shining city, blessed by the grace of God, built by the blood, sweat and tears of a Christian majority. That’s a fact.

But, over the years, things began to change. Slowly but surely greed and pride festered our society and we no longer looked to God for the guidance that He so lovingly wanted to provide. He who made us great no longer got the credit for our greatness. He who protected us from evil for so long, was no longer relied upon for that protection. No longer a part of our daily routine, we only sought God when the chips were down. Our society had put Him in a box, and, in doing so, reduced our once vocally and proud Christian majority to a nearly silent and disillusioned minority.

Although there have always been anti-Christian zealots who’s primary purpose was to stifle the message of truth, this movement took off in the early ‘60s when the Supreme Court deemed prayer and Bible reading unconstitutional in our public schools. Since then, every conceivable ill related to our youth has increased, including teenage pregnancy, drug use, murder, the dropout rate, teen suicide, abortions and all forms of sexual immorality.

Of course, some statistics have dropped, such as test scores, our students’ educational standing when compared to other civilized countries, and the desire for young people to attend church or enlist in the military to protect the freedom of others. Sadly, almost every traceable statistic concerning our youth and our country changed for the worst in the early ‘60s. And that’s a fact.

Another trend that has hurt America is that the rights of the individual often take precedence over the rights of the many. Majority rule is no longer the accepted norm and individual responsibility no longer exists. Judges overrule juries, the rich walk free, and the loudest get the stage. All the while, the majority is forced to watch this injustice in court-mandated silence.

Unfortunately, our newly acquired status as a minority does not afford us with the same protections that other minorities enjoy. In fact, we, as Christians, face increased discrimination from all sides. Even in light of the 9/11 attacks and the new fervor of American pride, Christian’s rights are being trampled by the opposition on the liberal left.

With so many people against us, what are we to do? How are we to become that vocal and proud majority we once were? Is there a chance for American Christians, or are we to be defeated by those who scoff at our God?

As I see it, we only have three choices. One, of course, is the choice that we have been making for the last forty years, to remain silent and hope that God will deliver us from the evil, or that Jesus will return to take us home. In retrospect, however, this option is not winning the battle. The fact of the matter is that we are losing miserably, and I don’t think it pleases God.

Our second option is to speak up and let our voice be heard loud and clear. There are several ways for us to accomplish this task, including unifying the churches, boycotting non-Christian businesses and organizations, or coming out in mass on election day and speaking our mind through the ballot box.

Unless there is a major catastrophe affecting Christians throughout America, the probability of the churches unifying is practically null. It’s hard enough getting a couple of churches in the same town to unite for any cause. Life is just too good to have to impose on others, even if they worship the same God and sing the same hymns. Although I do not agree with this position, it seems to be the norm.

As for boycotting, the success of this action lies with individuals, not with the church or the Christian population. To tell the truth, it’s almost impossible in this day and age to find any big business that stands for the same things that Christians stand for. So many have bowed at the homosexual and abortion alters just to be seen as politically correct and fair.

If every Christian did actually boycott all of the businesses that disagree with our beliefs, we could bring them to their knees. But, if we can’t even get a couple of churches in the same town to unite for a simple cause, the chance of us uniting against pro-homosexual or pro-abortion big business is remote.

What I’m getting at is this: American Christians used to be the majority. I believe we still are. Unfortunately, we are neither vocal nor united, thus making us the new minority. And history tells us that the silent accomplish nothing. We must unite or fade into oblivion.