Life is filled with choices. We make a multitude of them every day. They can range from the inconsequential and insignificant to life-altering and momentous. Some of the inconsequential may include things like what to wear, what to eat. which route to take to work, with whom to have lunch, will I sleep in or get an early start, and a multitude of others. These are choices that we make day after day, each day, every day. They don’t have much impact at all on the direction our lives take.

But then there are other choices that do make an impact. These are the decisions that give direction to our lives. These choices are life-altering, and truly momentous. These may include things like where I will go to college, what career path will I choose, whom will I choose as my life partner, how many children do I want to have, and, again, a plethora of others.

In this blog, I would like to focus my attention on an explosively controversial subject: sexual orientation and biological selection. Before reading my remarks concerning this topic, please read the following personal statement carefully.

I am not a homophobe. I know some will accuse me of being homophobic after reading this blog, but if you do it simply means you totally misunderstand what I am saying. So, I ask that you please read my remarks carefully, and don’t allow yourself to read anything into my words. I have many friends – true friends – who practice homosexuality. I care deeply for them, and believe they do for me as well. I feel confident in saying that they would never accuse me of showing any form of contempt toward them. But, I also feel confident in saying that they know that, even though I care deeply for them, I do not condone their lifestyle. So how do I reconcile this seeming contradiction? Hopefully, this blog will answer that question.

Let me begin by quoting the same verse from my previous blog:

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Then God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.'”

Genesis 1:27-28a

There are a few observations I need to make about this matter as I give consideration to the creative work of God. First, I believe the Bible is the accurate, inerrant Word of God, giving truthful proclamation of the unfolding purposes and plans of God. Second, I believe the Biblical record of creation in the first two chapters of Genesis to be an accurate description of God’s purposeful work. In other words, God had a specific plan for His creation – every individual part of creation. Third, the record is that God created man in His own image. This creative act included male and female, and no others. Fourth, God then commanded man and woman to procreate, filling the earth with their offspring. My statements in the continuance of this blog will be based on those observations.

The Biblical record states clearly that God created male and female. Period. When new parents see that beautiful new-born baby, they have no question whatsoever as to the sex of the child. It is either a boy or a girl. There are no other possibilities. None. Zero. That baby will have the anatomical parts that will quickly identify that child biologically as either male or female.

However, biological identity does not address the issue of sexual orientation, at least according to the LGBTQ+ community. Thus the term sexual orientation. Granted, this is an extremely complex subject, and the arguments are based on sexual orientation rather than biological assignment (biological assignment being the term used to identify the sex of the newborn child, while sexual orientation allows room for the possibility that the child assigned a male body may actually have the disposition, tendencies, preferences, attractions, etc, of the opposite sex).

Now to the question: If biological assignment is the determining factor in identifying the sex of a newborn child, would this not mean that when an individual identifies as something other than their biological assignment it is a matter of personal choice? If an individual is born male, then is it not a choice he makes to identify otherwise? In other words, according to this line of reasoning no one is born LGBTQ+, but are born male or female. As they grow into adulthood they may choose to be something else, but it is a choice.

The Bible has much to say about human sexuality, and gives clear guidelines on how we are to live within Biblical, God-given parameters. For example, the Bible denounces pre-marital sexual relations, but teaches the sexual relationship should be reserved for a man and a woman after they have entered into a marital commitment. To have premarital sexual relations is a choice one can make, and it places them outside the guidelines given in Scripture. The Bible also teaches that extra-marital relationships are forbidden. So, to engage in sexual relations with a person other than my spouse is a choice one can make that goes against the teachings of Scripture.

So it is, Biblically, with those who choose to enter into sexual relationships other than the one prescribed in Scripture. It is a choice. Paul made this clear in his correspondence with his friends in Rome. He says that when women engage in sexual relations with other women, and men with other men, God gives them over to their choices. In other words, we have the liberty to choose to reject the teachings of Scripture and do things our own way. For example, I could choose to engage in a sexual relationship with someone other than my wife, and God would give me over to that choice. That would be completely outside His prescribed order, but He would allow it so as to not infringe on my freedom to choose for myself.

So, for this writer, it comes down to this. You might choose to embrace a lifestyle other than those ordained in Scripture. We can exert our power of choice and determine our personal path of life. I, personally, respect anyone’s right to choose for themselves. I will continue to love you, even though I may disagree with your life choices, just as you disagree with mine.

As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and one who strives to follow His teachings, I will strive to live a life of commitment to His teachings, and will also try to share those teachings with others. What anyone does with those teachings is a personal choice. But whatever your choice, I will always respect your liberty and freedom to choose for yourself.

I only ask the same from you. I will never bash you, attack you in any way, defame you, reproach you for your decisions, but rather I will respect your choices in life. I will love you enough to strive to show you the love of Jesus Christ by sharing with you His guidelines for Godly living, and will then leave the choice to you.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…'”

Genesis 1:27-28a

Perhaps the title of this blog grabbed your attention. Perhaps you are curious as to what play on words I might be using. Perhaps you are thinking that either I have changed drastically, or I have been dishonest about my views of race and race relations. Or, perhaps you are convinced that I have completely lost my mental faculties, because you feel that this could not be a true assessment of where I stand on the issue of race.

So, please let me clarify what I mean by making this startling declaration. It is absolutely true that I am a racist. As a matter of fact, I have always been a racist, and hopefully after reading this blog you will understand why I make that assertion, and perhaps you, too, will view yourself as one as well.

If we take the passage quoted above at face value, then we will quickly, clearly, and easily understand a major Biblical truth: there is only one race – the human race. All human life, every human life, each individual human life, has been born in the lineage of the first human couple: Adam and Eve. God, according to Scripture, created Adam, and then, taking a rib from Adam, formed Eve. God then blessed them and told them to multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.

Therefore, there is only one race, and, therefore, the conclusion we must reach is that we are racist. So, how then are we to understand the differences that are obvious as we consider different people groups. There are, after all, reds, yellows, blacks and whites. And even within each of these “color” groups there are many different shades of color distinction. There are light colored whites, and darker colored whites. There are light browns, dark browns, and some so dark they appear almost black. There are differing shades of red and yellow.

But what we need to remember is that each of these people groups is part of the human race. The human race is then divided into different ethnic groups. Yes, there are clearly different “color” groups, but each group is a part of the larger whole. All ethnic groups are part of the human race.

And now to the question we must address: Is one ethnic group superior to the others? The answer is quite simple when we take the Bible at face value: No. There is no room for a sense of superiority of one ethnic group over another. Reds, yellows, blacks and whites are equal in the eyes of God, and so should be in the eyes of man.

What if, hypothetically speaking, God created the human race with no ability to see? What if, in this hypothetical world, the only distinction that could be made between people groups is the sound of the voice? For the sake of discussion, let’s assume that in this world everyone spoke the same language, but the distinguishing mark between the groups would be the accent with which they spoke. In our country, there are clear distinctions between a Texas accent, a Southern accent, a Bostonian accent, a Mid-western accent, etc. And then, on an international level there are Russian, European, African, Asian accents, etc. If all of humanity had no ability to see, would we divide ourselves up by accent? Would people groups be determined by the way one speaks? And if so, would one accent be viewed as superior to all others?

Doesn’t that sound absurd? But, if we could not see the different colors of skin, would we find some other artificial way to assess one people group as superior over all others? Or, would we simply accept each other as equals? I know that this hypothetical scenario cannot answer that question, but perhaps it will give the reader a little food for thought.

In the opinion of this writer, based on my very limited knowledge and my extremely simplistic mind, I feel that racial distinctions and ideas of superiority are based on a faulty way of thinking. I, personally, feel that if parents would go out of their way to instill in the minds of their young children the fact that all are created equal and have equal standing before God, then maybe they would grow to see everyone as equal, with no sense of superiority. And, by the way, children have to be taught to view one people group as superior over another. Left to themselves children just simply get along with other children, regardless of skin color. Unless, of course, they have been indoctrinated to do otherwise.

We are the human race. We are different, to be sure, in so many ways. There are cultural differences, societal differences, traditional differences, religious differences, historical differences, national differences, etc. But these types of differences should not be categorized on a scale of the most superior to the most inferior. They should simply be viewed for what they are: differences between people groups.

As a matter of fact, this writer would surmise that not only should the differences be viewed as a way of determining superiority of one over the other, but rather they should be recognized and celebrated, as one sees the significance of each people group for what it is: a group of individuals who are all created in the image of God, and are of equal value in the eyes of the One Who created them.

The song we learned as young children could be a good starting point for each of us to begin celebrating the human race:

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

I am appalled at the lack of respect toward those in authority we are witnessing in our present cultural climate. It seems to me from personal observation that there is very little acknowledgement of an established order of authority, and in many cases it even appears that some have become an authority unto themselves. One entity that this observation is especially noticeable is that of law enforcement. The Bible has this to say about this matter:

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.”

Romans 13:1-3

Before making my remarks on this passage, please read carefully the following disclaimer: There are bad apples in every batch. I totally and completely understand the reality that there are bad individuals who become part of law enforcement (in all of its varied forms), who cause the reputation of law enforcement to suffer. But this is true in every area of life, and of every entity we could name. For example, there is a vast number of health professionals, working in a wide range of medical care and research, and most of them are highly reputable individuals who have the best interest of others in mind. However, there are some among that number who are “bad apples,” who are not interested in others’ well-being, but in their own self-serving agenda. Another example: there are multiplied thousands who serve churches in a variety of positions, and most of them are men and women of great character, who do what they do in service to the Lord. But then, there are some who are in those positions with less than honorable motives. So, I understand that the observations I am about to make are true across the wide spectrum of human activity.

Yes: there are bad individuals who somehow convince others that their motives are pure, and their desire is to serve the public in some area of law enforcement. But let’s focus our attention on the huge proportion of those who serve for the right reasons, with pure motives, truly caring for the well-being of their constituency. These are men and women in positions of authority. The badge they wear is testimony to the fact that they have received ample training to do their job, and to do it with the utmost integrity. They deserve our respect!

But today, in this time of massive cultural shift, we are witnessing a generation that seems to have little to no respect for those in this position of authority. Take a moment to reread the passage quoted above. In our present cultural climate, we are seeing more and more often those who break the law, and yet they somehow become the victim when they are caught and arrested. But listen to Paul: Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Could it be any more clear than that? If you break the law, if you resist the authority of God, you will bring judgment on yourself. And yet, we are seeing those who want to bring judgment on those who are enforcing the law.

Where does this lack of respect for those in positions of authority come from? In the opinion of this writer, it comes from a lack of respect for the authority of God. We can see this clearly as we give just a cursory look at the lack of respect for the authority of God’s Word. Just a couple of examples will be sufficient to make my point.

The Bible speaks clearly about the fact that human life is a creation of God. From the very beginning of the record of creation, we see that life began as a creative act of God as He formed Adam from the dust of the earth, and then formed Eve from Adam’s rib. We are further taught in Scripture that every human is formed by the hand of God in the womb of the mother. Still further, we see in the examples of Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul that God was personally involved in their conception, birth and life.

But now, the sanctity of human life has been replaced with a total lack of respect for the authoritative teaching of God’s Word. Abortion is often viewed as nothing more than a form of birth control. There are many who have chosen to end the life being formed in their womb rather than bring that life into the world, nurture it, care for it, and provide for it.

Then, think about the matter of human sexuality. The Bible makes it clear that God created male and female. Two – only two. But now, there are those who cry out for “inclusion” to the exclusion of those who hold to Biblical teaching. They demand tolerance while being totally intolerant to those who hold to the clear teachings of God’s Word.

And one final example before we bring this blog to a close. The subject of marriage is another hotbed of controversy, but the controversy revolves once again around the authority of the Bible. Marriage, as defined in Scripture, is to be between a man and a woman. There are no other relationships that are acceptable according to the authority of God’s Word.

These examples, along with so many others that could be cited, clearly show – at least in the eyes of this writer – that the lack of respect for authority can be traced back to a lack of respect for the authority of God and His Word.

When a nation decides to throw off the cloak of God’s Word, and refuse to submit to God’s authority, then they are open prey for any and every new thing that comes along. The one thing that will always give us clear guidance through the changing cultural climate is the established authority of the Word of God. Until we come back to respect that authority we will continue to witness the erosion of morality and integrity in our present cultural environment. Let’s pray together that we will witness a true spirit of revival as we pray for God to turn our hearts back to Him.

I have done quite a bit of pre-marital counseling over the past 40+ years. One of the sessions focuses on the future. I give an assignment in which I ask the prospective husband and wife to put in writing their plans for the future in increments of one year, five years and ten years. I ask them to specifically tell me their expectations in relation to subjects such as: education; children; career; housing; location; and others. As they come back for the follow-up session, with written plans in hand, we begin looking at their submissions one subject at a time.

Once we have laboriously gone through each entry, I then drop the bombshell: “What if?” What if life doesn’t go as planned? What if your educational goals have to be postponed? What if your career doesn’t take off as you had hoped? What if your desire to move to a new location doesn’t come through? What if your plans for starting a family are not realized?

I then speak with them at length about the fact that life doesn’t always go as planned, and I share the following passage with them. Please read this slowly, carefully, and especially prayerfully.

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

James 4:13-16

There is an extremely important phrase in that passage that needs special attention. James says, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.” It seems that he is warning, not against planning, but against presumptive planning. It seems that he is striving to get his readers to understand that even the best of plans can result in failure and prove disastrous. Planning for the future is an important part of life, but plans must always be made with the understanding that God may have other plans. So, as James says, we should pray as we make our plans, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

This is true, not only of young couples contemplating marriage, but of everyone. We should always bear in mind that God’s plans and our plans may not always be in alignment. As we stand at an altar of marital commitment, we make our vows to be committed to one another until we are parted by death. We actually say to one another that we will be there through every eventuality of life. Even when our plans fall through and we are faced with the extreme hardships of life, we are to remain loyal and committed to one another.

Have your plans taken a detour lately? Have you had to change direction due to unforeseen circumstances? Then realize, first and foremost, that this may very well be a detour of God’s making. Perhaps His desire in causing the detour was because He saw something dangerous ahead if you stayed on your planned path, so He lovingly diverted you to keep you safe. Or, perhaps He simply had other plans for your life that did not include the path you had chosen.

Let me close by using the Apostle Paul as our example. In Acts 16 we find this account:

“Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.“

Acts 16:6-10 (emphasis added)

“They were forbidden.” “The Spirit did not permit them.” Detours. Paul had planned to go in one direction, but the Holy Spirit had other plans. So it is with us quite often. The key to living a contented life is to follow the Lord, even when we have to cancel our plans in order to do so. Take the advice of James, and follow the example of Paul, and live by the advice found in Proverbs:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Are you allowing someone else to live rent free inside your mind? Do you spend time dwelling on something someone said or did to you in the past, not able to let it go? Have you developed a bitter spirit and a hateful attitude toward that person for what was done or said? Do you spend time devising plans in your mind of ways you might cause them to hurt as much, or more, than they have caused you to hurt?

I have met several individuals in my lifetime who were being eaten up on the inside because of a spirit of anger, hatred and resentment. Someone had done something to them at some point in the past, and they could not bring themselves to extend forgiveness to that individual. Instead, they continued to allow their spirit of unforgiveness to grow more and more intense, which eventually led them to become embittered, cold and hard-hearted.

I realize that being hurt by another person can cause deep and abiding wounds, leaving invisible scar tissue which, left unchecked, can grow harder and harder with the passing of time. And please understand, it can happen to any of us. We may have fooled ourselves into thinking that we are too mature and spiritually strong to ever allow a spirit of anger to cause us to become bitter and hard, but that simply is not true. Perhaps it has happened to you, as it did to me several years ago.

Without going into detail, let me just bare my soul for a moment. While serving as pastor of a church quite a number of years ago, the church called a man to serve in the position of associate pastor. As soon as he arrived on scene and began his duties, he began showing that he had no respect for pastoral authority, and no intent of submitting to the church’s guiding principles for pastoral conduct. His behavior was suspect from the very beginning, and it soon became evident that he was involved in some very questionable and unethical practices. When confronted about his behavior, he refused to adhere to the counsel of church leadership. Eventually, his behavior caused so much division in the church family that the church lost a vast number of its membership, and ultimately closed the doors.

I developed a very hard heart toward this man. I would do everything in my power to stay away from him. If I saw him walking toward me, I would quickly turn and go in a different direction just to keep from having any contact with him. It was a full two years later that the Holy Spirit convicted me severely about my spirit of unforgiveness toward him. I had to extend forgiveness to him, and then ask for his forgiveness of my unforgiving spirit toward him.

He was living rent free in my mind, causing me much needless grief because of his actions, and I had to release him from that before my mind and spirit could be free. This is based on the teaching of Jesus in one of His discourses. Read the following quote carefully and prayerfully:

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:14-15

Admittedly, this passage used to really bother me. It sounds as if Jesus is saying that in order to experience forgiveness from God, I have to forgive others. But this thought it contrary to the overall teaching of Scripture that one is saved by faith alone, with nothing else to be added. So, if my salvation is based on my willingness to forgive, then it is based on doing something for God, and not on what God has done for me through Jesus Christ.

What Jesus is speaking of here is the fact that once one has been forgiven, he will, by God’s grace, be able and willing to forgive others, just as they have been forgiven. This principle is clearly seen in the parable of the unforgiving servant (please read Matthew 23:18-35). In this parable, it is clearly seen that the unforgiving servant was allowing another servant to live rent free in his mind, and was consumed with the desire to receive payment from him. This is after he has just been forgiven of an enormous debt by the king.

To experience the power of God’s forgiveness in Christ will enable us to forgive as we have been forgiven. That is the essence of this parable, and of the teaching of Jesus in the passage quoted above. It is not focusing on our relationship with God, but rather on our fellowship with God. As with the unforgiving servant in Jesus’ parable, his obsession with getting payment from his fellow servant shows that he was not ‘living’ in the experience of his being forgiven. Thus, it shows he was enslaved in a spirit of unforgiveness. That resulted in his imprisonment.

Are you imprisoned today in a spirit of unforgiveness? Is there bitterness and anger seething in your mind and spirit because of some hurt you have experienced? Then you need to release the person by extending forgiveness to them, and then you will experience the liberating power of God’s forgiveness in your life. Until you are willing to do that, you will remain imprisoned in your self imposed prison of unforgiveness. I encourage you to be set free by the power of God’s forgiving grace.

Hypothetical scenario: There are ten righteous people who have strived to live Godly, God-honoring lives. They have all committed their lives to the Lord, and have served Him faithfully for many years. As they move into the middle adult years, five of these individuals enjoy healthy lives, and the bounty of material blessings. The other five face struggles, troubles, sicknesses, and financial disaster.

Question: Was God unfair to the five who suffered, struggled, and experienced personal disaster? Could He not have provided for them as He did for the prosperous five? Is God obligated to provide health and prosperity to those who strive to serve Him?

Let’s allow the Bible to provide the answers to these probing questions. A look at several prominent Biblical characters will help us reach a conclusion. It may not prove to be a conclusion we necessarily like, but we will reach a conclusion none-the-less. We will give consideration to Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, and Jesus.

Abraham – Without question, one of the most prominent, well-known, and highly beloved Biblical characters is Abraham. His story is one of excitement, intrigue, extreme blessing and extreme hardship. For reasons known only to God, Abram was chosen from all the human population to be the father of the Hebrew nation. He was called to leave his home, his family, his country, but he was promised to be the father of a great nation. He prospered immensely, and experienced God’s blessing and bounty. However, in the midst of all the blessing and bounty, Abram also experienced seasons of struggle and uncertainty. Some of his struggle was a result of his own poor decisions, while others were a direct result of God’s providential guidance in Abram’s life.

Isaiah – He has been called the Prince of the Prophets. Isaiah’s message is one of ultimate hope and blessing for the people of Israel, but it is also one filled with warning to the people if they did not follow God’s Word. Isaiah is also known as the Evangelical Prophet due to the fact that his writings contain many prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. One might think that since he was so committed to the Lord that his life would have been filled with blessings and bounty. However, tradition tells us that Isaiah was ultimately killed – perhaps by being sawn in half inside a hollow log – for his faithfulness in proclaiming the message God had given him. Being faithful to God did not protect Isaiah from suffering and even martyrdom.

Paul – The Apostle Paul is accredited with writing about half of the New Testament. He is definitely one of the most prominent figures in all of Scripture. God used Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, breaking down the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile. He planted and established churches as he traveled on three separate missionary journeys. He lived a life of total commitment to God after his amazing conversion on the road to Damascus, where he was going to persecute Christians. Paul testified that he had suffered greatly because of his Christian faith (read 2 Corinthians 11:22ff for Paul’s description of his suffering). He was ultimately executed for his commitment to the calling of God on his life.

Jesus – I hesitate to include Jesus in this blog. But, the reason I chose to do so is simply because He is the one Person who never did anything to cause His personal suffering. We could say of Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, and every other Biblical character, that they all deserved to suffer. But not Jesus! All others were sinners, but not Jesus. All others fell far short of God’s standard of holiness, but not Jesus. And yet, Jesus suffered – horribly. And the Bible reveals a most remarkable thing about Jesus’ suffering: it was all pre-ordained from the foundation of the world! Yes, Jesus’ suffering was part of God’s plan to bring about salvation for people like Abraham, Isaiah, Paul, you, me.

Each of the four Biblical characters we have given consideration to in this blog were men who followed God, who served God, who gave their lives to fulfill the calling of God. And each of them suffered terribly for it. Was God unfair to them?

Going back to our hypothetical scenario at the beginning of this blog, was God unfair to the five who lived lives of suffering and struggle? Sometimes we look at life on a personal level, and at other times we look at a much bigger picture, and we ask ourselves the question, why doesn’t God do something? Well, the answer is that God is always doing something. He is always working in our lives. He is bringing about His purposes and plans, and nothing can ever thwart His plans.

God’s desire is that we choose to bring Him glory and honor through all of life’s experiences. When He chooses to bring prosperity into our lives, then we are to give Him thanks and glorify Him before others. When He chooses to bring hardship and suffering into our lives, then we are to give Him thanks and glorify Him before others. Life is our vehicle, and the world around us is our arena, through which we are to live life to His glory.

Is God unfair? Never! Does He ever act unjustly? Never! The path He chooses for us may not seem fair, and it may at times be filled with uncertainty, but He knows the way, and it is always fair simply because we are His creation, and our ultimate purpose is the glorify Him, and to enjoy Him forever.

So what’s happening in your personal arena right now? No matter how it appears from this faulty human perspective, rest assured that God has set the path, and He provides the grace, for us to glorify Him in the midst of the blessing and bounty, as well as in the suffering and struggle. To God be the glory, greats things He has done!

Of the two choices given in the title of this blog, which would you say is most important to you? Would you rather be happy, or holy? Some would say, “Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can’t I strive for both?” And that is, I suppose, a logical question. But for the sake of discussion, let’s hypothesize that you come to a juncture in life at which you have to choose between the two. It comes down to a very real, very distinct choice between being happy and being holy.

For a beginning point for this discussion, let’s revisit the classic Biblical example: Job. Job had literally lost everything: his possessions, his flocks and herds, his ten children, his health, everything. The only thing spared was Job and his wife. And in the midst of this horrific loss, and of his personal physical suffering, he is told by his wife:

“Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God, and die!”

Job 2:9

What encouragement! His own wife seems to have lost all hope, and all happiness, in face of the multiplied troubles that have befallen them. She, too, has lost everything. All those possessions were theirs; the ten children were theirs; the flocks and herds were theirs. She has witnessed it all, and is now suffering the excruciating agony of living in the aftermath. Her response is pretty much the same as countless others who have literally lost it all.

But now, let’s listen to Job’s response to this admonition from his wife:

“You speak as a foolish woman speaks,” he told her. “Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?”

Job 2:10

Now, for just a moment, think about the purpose of Job’s life as he uttered these words. Do you think he was striving for happiness, or holiness? I would venture the guess that he was certainly not happy with the circumstances of his life during this time of loss and suffering. I would suggest that he was stricken with grief over his extreme loss. I would suggest that he, like so many others in times of personal loss and suffering, was struggling to make sense of it all. He was, after all, a man of integrity. The description given of him in chapter one is certainly one to be emulated. Listen to these words spoken by God Himself:

“Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns from evil. He still retains his integrity, even though you incited Me against him, to destroy him without just cause.”

Job 2:3

What an absolutely revolting thought, right? God states emphatically that Satan had incited Him to destroy Job without just cause! In other words, there was no apparent reason for Job to suffer the way he did. God drew Satan’s attention to Job, and then gave him the freedom to destroy everything Job had.

And even after suffering so terribly, Job continued to maintain his integrity. His desire was not for happiness, but for holiness. His desire was to bring glory to God regardless of life’s circumstances. We could all learn a lesson from that, couldn’t we?

I read with keen interest some things people post on social media. When life is good, and all is well, and everyone is happy, then we see words of praise and adoration to a loving Father in heaven. But let things go south – let the news from the doctor be the “C” word, or let the child stray from the path we taught them to follow, or let the finances hit rock bottom, or let the promotion be given to someone else, or let the downsizing mean you no longer are employed, or let the; well, you get the picture. Something happens that affects our happiness, and it sends us down a hole of enormous proportions.

I have seen some who call God’s goodness into question. I’ve seen others who rail out against God, blaming Him for being unfair. Still others will say that if God doesn’t do something, they will lose faith entirely. Their understanding of the love of God is based upon their preconceived ideas about what makes Him good.

Job’s wife tells him to curse God and die. She undoubtedly thought that Job’s suffering made his life not worth living. In today’s culture of death, there are multitudes who believe that if a person’s health declines to the point that they are no longer productive citizens, then the merciful and loving thing to do would be to end their lives. Others will do everything within their power, coupled with the promise of this or that medical procedure, to hold on to every precious moment of life. So, what is the answer?

Job’s response, “Should we accept only good from God, and not adversity?”, is the response we should make in light of every eventuality of life. God is ultimately in control of everything that happens in life. We enjoy the blessings and bounty of His amazing supply, while at other times we suffer loss and trouble beyond our ability to control. In and through it all, we are to maintain our integrity, strive for holiness, and set our goal on bringing Him glory through it all.

Faith, we are told in John’s first epistle, is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith is the ability to see the invisible. God is at work every moment, and always has our best interest in mind as He providentially guides, bringing about His desired purposes and plans for us.

Let me conclude by relating a story found in the Gospels. In Mark 9:24, we hear the cry of a man who had brought his child to Jesus for His healing touch. Please read slowly, carefully, and prayerfully Jesus’ response: “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” At this point, the heart of the man was laid bare before Jesus, as he cried out:

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Mark 9:24

My encouragement today is simply this: when life throws us a curve; when our plans have fallen through; when the light at the end of the tunnel is barely visible; when everything is completely chaotic and out of control; then run to Jesus! Cry out in our times of distress, “Lord, help my unbelief!” He will show His mighty hand. The outcome may not be as we had hoped, but with His help we will see our way through. We will, indeed, realize that all things are possible to him who believes.

Whatever your life experience is as you read these words, turn it over to the One, and only One, who can really make a difference. Trust Him; depend upon Him; accept by faith His will; and trust the outcome to His grace. Let’s set our minds and hearts on striving for holiness, and not simply happiness.

We all make mistakes. I have certainly made my share of mistakes through my lifetime, and I know that there will be others in the future. I am eternally grateful for a loving, forgiving Father in heaven who has promised to grant forgiveness for our sins. The Bible clearly teaches this truth. Read carefully the following words found in the First Epistle of John:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9

I am so extremely thankful for that amazing promise! And I’m sure you are as well.

But now, let me get to the point of this blog. Our daughter, Charity, is in great need of assistance right now due to a bad decision she made five months ago. In a period of extreme struggle, she placed herself in a compromising situation, and is now pregnant. She has shown sincere remorse and repentance for her actions, and, based on the verse quoted above, has received the gracious gift of forgiveness from God. However, she is now bringing a child – which I know she will love and cherish – into this world as a single mom.

She is in need right now of those basic necessities to begin the journey of motherhood. If you feel it is something you might be able to help with, there is a link at the end of this blog where you will find her registry with items she has selected. It would be a tremendous help, and a huge blessing, if you could purchase one of these items through this online shower.

Luna Rey will make her entrance into this world around the first of November. If you would like to help out, please visit the web site below and have the item sent to: Charity Stewart, 3160 Hwy 21 Suite 103 #4, Fort Mill, SC 29715. Charity would be deeply appreciative for any help with the purchase of these items.

Disclaimer: some of the items are expensive, and we do not expect anyone to purchase one of them unless you are inclined to do so.

Thanks in advance for your help with this. Above all else, please pray for Charity as she begins this new adventure. Being a single mom is no easy chore, and your prayers are greatly needed and appreciated.

Click on this link to find her registry:

https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/giftregistry/viewregistryguest/550440953?eventType=Baby

A simple question that is asked countless times every day: What do you think? It can be asked about anything: What do you think about the ball game? about the weather? about the assignment? about the debate? about my new car? about the chances of your team winning the championship? about the… Fill in the blank.

At the conclusion of this blog I might ask, “What do you think about my remarks?” I would be asking for your personal opinion, your thoughts, your insights, your suggestions, etc. The answer to the “What do you think?” question will be vastly different from person to person. For example, if you were to ask me “What do you think about the weather?”, my answer would be based on my personal preferences. My answer to that question is valid as long as we understand that personal preference is nothing more than one person’s opinion, and that answer is correct for the person giving the answer. However, someone else could be asked the same question and give a completely different answer.

That is perfectly fine. Personal opinions are simply that: PERSONAL OPINION. There is an endless supply of questions that can be answered with my own personal opinion, based on my own personal preferences.

But now, let’s get very specific. There are some things that need more than an answer based on my personal preferences and opinions. There are some questions that have two possible responses: the correct response, and the incorrect response. These questions should not be answered by personal preference, feeling, emotion, etc. A couple of examples will be sufficient to illustrate my point.

First, let’s think about the subject of abortion. Much has been said, written, and documented on this subject. There are those who identify themselves as pro-choice, and others as pro-life. Those are two very broad, encompassing terms that are then explained in a variety of ways. It is all a matter of personal preference – right? I would suggest that it is not a matter of personal preference at all.

My answer to this question is based on a source of authority, a standard, which is authoritative in its own right: the Bible. The subject of abortion is not directly mentioned in Scripture, but it is clearly alluded to. However, before we discuss the subject of abortion, let’s think for a moment about life. The Bible is crystal clear on the subject of human life: God created man (and woman) in His own image. Every individual human being bears the image of God. Life is a gift of God, and every life begins at the moment of conception, according to Scripture. The Bible teaches clearly that every child is formed in the womb by the intricate work of Almighty God. As the psalmist says, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, being “woven” in the womb by God Himself. Of course I realize there are many who would argue vehemently against what I have just written, and they would say that I am only stating my opinion, and that they have just as much right to their opinion as do I.

But, there is a big difference here. My opinion is not based on my personal preferences, but rather on the teachings of God’s word. Therefore I am not stating simply what I believe, but what the Bible teaches. Every human being is fearfully and wonderfully made, being created in the image of God Himself. Therefore, there is something intrinsically valuable in every human life. To end that life – while in the womb, partially out of the womb, or completely out of the womb – is an abomination according to the Bible. So, on this subject, we might debate forever our personal beliefs, but when we turn to the Bible as our source of authority we are faced with facts that must be considered in our final determination.

Let’s think about another social hot topic: biological sexuality. Once again turning to Scripture, we are taught clearly that God created male and female, and that both bear His image. There are clear biological differences between male and female. There is never any question in the mind of the doctor who delivers a baby as to what sex that baby is: there are only two choices. God made man, and God made woman. Period. That is not personal opinion or preference. That is biological, anatomical fact.

In our present societal and cultural climate, there are those who are striving to remove all terminology relative to biological sexuality. They want to be referred to as “they, them, us, or we,” but never “he, him, or her.” Now, granted, I am perfectly fine with looking at a crowd of people and referring to that group as “them”, but that is simply a generic term for everyone in the group. However, if I were to refer to individual persons in the group, I would refer to each one with a pronoun that identified their sexuality – he or she, him or her.

Is that my personal opinion? I suppose some would say that it is, but I would submit that it is a fact based on biological evidence of their sexuality. And that is based on the clear, concise, concrete teachings of the word of God.

There are so many other social hot topics we could consider, but for the sake of time and space I will allow these two to suffice. You see, there are many subjects we could discuss and simply share our personal opinions. We could very easily both be right, based on our personal preferences. For example, I could make the statement that it is a miserably hot and humid day, while someone else might say that it is a perfect weather day. Who’s right? Both are, because they are giving their personal opinion based on their personal preferences.

But those things really don’t matter, do they? If you love hot weather, and I detest hot weather, then we are both right in our assessment based on our preference. However, when it comes to other subjects, such as those discussed above, then there is a right response and a wrong response. You can ask what I think about those subjects, but when it comes to the clear teachings of Scripture, there is absolute truth concerning these matters.

So, what do you think? I would love to hear from you about your “opinion” on these matters. Have a blessed day!

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

John 10:1-5 (Jesus speaking)

In my last few blogs I have attempted to discuss the subject of right and wrong, and who, if anyone, has the authority to determine what is right and wrong. I tried to show how the Bible is the only true source of absolute truth, and therefore, contains God’s standard of right and wrong. All other “truth” sources, then, must align with the teachings of Scripture, or: 1) be changed to align with Scripture, or; 2) be discarded altogether.

For those who identify themselves as Christians, and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is of vital importance that we submit ourselves to the teachings of Scripture and strive to obey the principles laid out for us there. But how are we to do that? How are we to know what is truly right and wrong? Especially in those “gray” areas where the Bible does not give explicit instructions.

Well, in all honesty, I feel that there is ample “black and white” instructions given in Scripture that will give sure direction in most decisions we face in life. For instance, if we consider the hot button topics in our contemporary setting we will find absolute answers if we will simply search the Scriptures. Abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, gender-neutral phraseology, transgenderism, domestic violence, racism, and so many others, are debated constantly in all forms of media. Each of these can be found in Scripture, and guiding principles can be learned.

But again, how are we to know all that the Bible teaches on these, and other, topics? For the believer in Jesus Christ, it is our responsibility to study the Bible, to delve into the teachings we find there, and to put them into practice in our lives, while at the same time helping others to know what the Bible teaches. But still, can we know everything the Bible teaches on these topics? I have read through the Bible forty-five times, and still have so much to learn. There are still so many principles I have to research when certain topics arise.

But, that’s why the above quoted passage from John’s Gospel is so important for us to understand. It states clearly that once an individual becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, he/she then is able to “hear” the voice of the Shepherd (Jesus) and follow Him. And please listen carefully to the statement of Jesus: his sheep will not follow a stranger because they do not recognize his voice. As a matter of fact, they will actually flee from him!

We should make it our desire to learn the voice of Jesus so well that we cannot easily be deceived by the voice of a counterfeit. We can accomplish this to a large degree by developing a healthy diet on the word of God. Read it regularly. Study it diligently. Apply it stringently. Live by it faithfully. And then listen: listen intently for that voice of the Shepherd. He will guide and direct. He will lead His sheep into the lush pastures of His love. He will guard us against the alluring voice of the enemy.

And when He speaks, we should always – always – follow His voice. Let’s face it, there are multitudes of voices that are striving to get us to follow them. Voices that sound so appealing, so pleasant, even so right. But we must stay the course. We must not allow ourselves to veer off the path that has been clearly established for us by the Shepherd. It is His voice that we should follow.