Conflicts and Challenges Facing Gay and Lesbian Believers

There are deep personal tragedies, countless and sometimes seemingly endless wounds gay people must face. Let us understand the term “gay” to include gay males, lesbians, bisexual people, transgender people and all of us who identify as a sexual minority. We encounter all sorts negative programming from birth. Sometimes we feel forced to remain closeted, and to lie to avoid disclosure and also verbal, physical, emotional, and sometimes spiritual violence.

We encounter constant disapproval and disrespect from society as a whole. Despite the fact that Jesus saw through people and brought out what is real from within, gay people are still forced to work through the outright verbal, psychological, and spiritual abuse; and sometimes outright rejection and condemnation churches habitually and mercilessly put us through. Thus, in the process, doing more spiritual harm than good.

Instead of seeing the spiritual needs of the WHOLE person in a known homosexual Believer we are automatically carried into the category of some kind of reprobate who somehow MUST be unable to walk in the Holy Spirit and be serious about serving the Risen Savior, Jesus Our Lord. Those of us who know the truth of the gospel, are gifted and willing to serve in ministry; are often victims of fall-out from our church due to outright rejection. Or, perhaps more subtle yet powerful forms of gossip and ostracism designed to render us discouraged, and to feel unwelcome, unworthy, or downright unlovable- and incapable to minister as a child of God.

Does this sound Familiar???

Let me make it clear that you do not have to understand nor agree with everything here, or even every Bible verse in order to turn your life to Christ and reach out to others who need the precious personal relationship with our Lord. Don’t worry about understanding everything at once. God loves you as you are and wants to bless you with His peace. You find this peace through prayer, trusting, and waiting on God. Actively trusting with expectation and assurance that He is answering your prayer, regardless of the circumstances.

This is written with the belief that the Bible IS the inspired Word of God. There are bad and incorrect translations, and added words possibly due to the fact that there is no word for homosexual in the original Greek and Hebrew languages. However, Bible-abused people at times will use these reasons to trash and dismiss the entire Bible. We will look at the responses gay people have in reaction to these factors in a homosexual persons’ life.

Let’s examine the kinds of things that happen when a gay person is somehow disenfranchised from a certain church or fellowship. With special emphasis in the life of a gay or lesbian youth growing up in a homophobic family and forced to endure a church environment being hostile to his or her inner makeup within, especially their discovered sexual orientation. Most of here are -or were: young, gay and Christian.

Many people, including the highly educated or those in authority, believe that it is impossible to be both Christian AND gay. Yet, if you are a gay Believer, you cannot abandon your sexual orientation, or your position in Christ. Hopefully, one will not be self-deceived into thinking he or she MUST want to deny either. Sadly, some of us do. And suffer badly. The high costs of homophobia and condemnation have badly damaged those who otherwise would be doing more of the Lord’s work, as well as ministering to other abused gay and lesbian Believers.

As long and as hard as some gay people try to conform to the impossible mediocrity that one MUST be heterosexual ALL the time; most people will not tell them that being Christian and gay is NOT mutually exclusive. As true Christians who happen to be homosexual in our God given nature, we cannot escape the integral parts of our identity; both as a child of God and of same-gender attraction.

Unfortunately, the emotional and social hell most of us are FORCED to go through is directly attributed to the negativity of Christians who will not educate themselves on the subject of sexuality altogether. All the while, of course, acting as experts in a very heterosexist attitude of supremacy. This, of course, violates Gods’ word as far as being prideful and arrogant is concerned. While feeling qualified, of course, to tell us how to live. Although we can find more support and understanding from unbelievers about our sexual identity, where do we find gay-positive Christian fellowship? That is, fellowship that is truly Christian and growth that is grounded in Gods’ Word?

As in the process, the critical question is “How do I deal with all the rightful anger about my church and fellow Christians treatment of me and my homosexual orientation?

Are you angry??? Are you so hurt and traumatized by the rejection of family and friends in church that you have decided to dump the church AND God???? Even without realizing the full extent of your affected spiritual health? This is a serious and common occurrence for many.

Some of us feel that we MUST deny our sexual identity and happiness in order to be accepted by God. This is not true. God accepts us AS WE ARE. Many people cannot accept this truth.

This is where homophobic elements can truly be dangerous. As Christians, and serious about our growth in Christ, we need to recognize the deceptive tools of the enemy, Satan. Satan is alive and active in the effects of modern day homophobia. If he can use this tool to discourage gay Believers to turn away from Christ, or leave the church or faith altogether, than he has, through the destructive nature of homophobia, rendered many gay Believers rather estranged and depleted in our desire to live for God and to spread the Gospel. If we are so discouraged by the homophobia in the churches that we hold back on God, we are only hurting ourselves and not being all that we are created to be as gay Christians.

Part of the purpose of this message is to emphasize that we are not only valued, loved, and treasured by God; but we, if we are true Believers, are entrusted with the command to spread the Gospel. Our disclosure to other gay people who have an aversion to the Gospel, is critical as we approach the last days. Lives, Gods’ lives hang in the balance; almost destroyed and wiped out from any spiritual direction.

If we buy the satanic lie that God does not accept us, not “worthy” to enter the kingdom, etc…then Satan has you where he wants you! If you believe the scripture about Satan having come to kill, steal and destroy; this is exactly what he is doing to gay Christians through homophobia.

The enemy wants to kill our spiritual walk in Christ, because it is a threat to him, to steal our testimony, disrupt our fellowship, and destroy our lives. If you do not believe in the existence of Satan, you are already in trouble. Which is exactly what happens as another crisis takes place; one that is quite accepted in a lot of gay churches….and does not feed us spiritually; that is IN Christ. This is a crisis of our Spiritual Identity. How many people felt forced to turn their back on their misguided Church and the Lord they love to get out of a church that hates us for who we are? The damage done to already ruined lives is immeasurable.

The need for gay Christian evangelism is awesome, and especially as these days draw closer to the Second Coming of Christ. I have spoken to pastors of gay-friendly churches who do NOT believe in the Second Coming of Christ. If we have no future in eternal life, if Christ is not coming for His own; including His precious gay and lesbian children; then we may as well close all the churches and die and go to hell. What hope is there if not for eternal life in Christ? Everything else is sinking sand. EVERYTHING else is sinking sand.

There is this danger that a lot of us have fallen into, to “throw out” Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. To throw out Jesus as if throwing out the baby with the dirty bath water of an oppressive church. This can lead to a terrible identity crisis in faith; Even the mention of the Word of God will turn gay people away from even reading this. Even the word “Christian” provokes anger in that person. But is God wholly responsible for your churches’ condemnation???? Or homophobia? Can we really blame Jesus?

You are precious in the eyes of God. He can fill your life to overflowing if you but TRUST Him. And we can learn to trust Him by spending personal time alone with Him. Learning to lean on Him for your every need. Developing a dependence upon God for our every need is why He created us. To walk in His will, and live for Him.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who LOVES me, and gave himself {on the Cross} FOR me.” – Galatians 2:20-21

If we can somehow separate the message of the gospel, of which most homophobic churches do teach the truth of Christ; from the internalized homophobia so evident there; they will not lose more souls than they gain due to the WAY they throw in their misguided opinions about gays; which stains the LIBERATING message of Christ.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to another yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

Even when the truths of scripture are badly presented, or clouded with bigotry; the truth of the gospel is still the truth. Although many of us may not want to hear this, Jesus DID say “I am the WAY, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father BUT BY ME! Without Jesus, there is no Cross, no Resurrection, and no hope for eternal life. For those who die without Christ, their only hope is to breathe their last.

Jesus is either the biggest liar or counterfeiter that ever lived, or he is the ONLY way to eternal life. He did not say that this denomination is the way, or I am one of many ways to the Father. Jesus said, ” He who has the Son has life, he who has not the Son has not {eternal}life.”

It is misdirected anger, my friends, to take your rightful anger from the oppressive religions and take it out on Jesus Himself. It is true that Jesus did come down from heaven, bore our sicknesses and diseases, trials, burdens and sins on that Cross. Doing so he paid for all our REAL sin, not necessarily because of our expression of our God-given sexuality; which is not ALWAYS sinful. Jesus made an example of the adulterer and prostitute, not the homosexual…If the churches can wake up and realize that, the body of Christ would be in tremendous shape and much more effective in service, truly setting an example that unbelievers wouldn’t find so much cause to scoff at as they do today.

He is Risen, He is alive today. The real joy that comes by living for Jesus is borne through the time we spend alone with God alone in prayer. Through daily, intimate fellowship with Christ and Him alone. You can’t trust someone you don’t know. To learn how to trust God we must get to know Jesus personally. To know Him is to love Him, as the song goes. You are not waiting on Him, he is waiting on you. Let’s not keep the source of all life waiting too long. For He cares for you.

Sometimes when a gay person decides to live for God, especially in a homophobic church, that person is told a homosexual cannot be a Christian. Then another crisis hits. The gay person may think that in order to be accepted by God he or she MUST deny their sexual identity. This can become a crisis of sexual identity. She or He is somehow convinced they can “give it up for God.” We can all give up certain activities for God; food, drugs, sex, etc… but serious emotional damage is done when one tries to give up an innate part of their Created being: sexual orientation. The worst kind of deception is self-denial. So some see these two kinds of imagined solutions in the “inherited” homophobia-spawned deceptions of gay Christians. Either they deny Christ and fall into spiritual deception to accept their gayness; or try to deny their gayness to be supposedly accepted by God.

If the ways of your first or former church have many heavy memories that cause you to reject Jesus; or dilute the message of the gospel so much that you equate Buddha or some other false God as equal with Jesus; than you are in extreme spiritual danger my friends. Where is your faith, in what? In 1 John 2:22 we read “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the spirit of the antichrist, he who denies the Father denies the Son.” v. 23: “No one who denies the Son has the Father also.”

For gays, lesbians and bisexuals, the need to focus on Christ is paramount. Nothing else in life is going to amount to much or have eternal value. Despite the dangers and abuses of homophobic churches; the truth of Christ, his redemptive work on the Cross, and the Resurrection are all timeless reality. But even faithful church attendance, good works, doing lots of Christian service, giving your tithes, is not “seeking” the Lord, personally. “Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.” Psalm 105 v. 4

To truly find Spiritual revival, is to find it through making personal quiet time with Jesus the number one priority of your day. Reading the word daily. Letting God speak to your heart. Praying for others. Trusting Him with thanksgiving for the desires of your heart.

“Restore us to Thyself, O Lord, and WE shall be restored.” -Lamentations 5:21

The answer to the Conflicts and Challenges we face as Gay and Lesbian Believers is simple: seeking Jesus and Him alone in prayer. In regular, continual, daily prayer and thanksgiving. Putting our confidence supremely in the Lord. Just calmly and confidently abiding in Him. There is no substitute for quality time with Jesus…He is our Creator, Sustainer, our Living Hope. To grow spiritually we must do what most churches do not. That is to practice the PRESENCE of God. Alone, daily. And with others too.

Jesus wants to become more intimate with us, yes, especially with His very precious gay and Lesbian children.

Neither Jesus nor the scripture ever says we must change our sexual orientation to be accepted by God. We are not saved by grace or condemned to hell based on our sexual orientation alone. But by faith in Christ and Him alone.

Unlike the self-righteous Christian who is considering his or her hetero-defined sexuality as “superior” to those of us who find some members of our same gender beautiful; even “spiritually” superior to a homosexual Christian…Jesus is different.

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.” -Proverbs 8:17

As the words of John 3:16-17 says “Whosoever BELIEVES IN HIM shall not perish but have eternal life.” Are you included in “whosoever?” do you BELIEVE IN HIM as Savior and Lord? Than you shall have eternal life. 17-“He who believes in him is not condemned; and he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the NAME of the ONLY Son of God.” Now this is what Jesus has said, he and he alone.

Yes, the word ‘whosoever’ includes gays and lesbians who BELIEVE. Do you believe in Jesus as Lord, and as your sufficiency for every need?

Yes, it is difficult at times, when the economy or situations look bad, and that is all the more reason to trust Him and lean on His Promises.

Of course, we all want to be “comfortable.” It may sound attractive to decide there are many ways to God. However, Jesus defeated death! He is the only one ever alive to rise from the dead just as He said on the third day. His Word is that good! So I am going to listen to Him! He said “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life; no one comes to the Father but by me.”

Although the pain of religious oppression may still be felt when hearing the name of Jesus, it evaporates when we submit our will to Him, and trust Him as Savior and Lord. Yet, some pastors and churches that accept gay people have sacrificed the message of the Cross because some people aren’t “comfortable” with it…They sacrifice the Word of God, and the critically needed spiritual growth of these precious souls. To try to “accommodate” the church-damaged.” All they really end up “accommodating” is unbelief.

Thus, no one is Spiritually fed on the Liberating gospel of Christ, and thus many gay and lesbian Believers do not grow in Christ in these churches; aiding the destruction of many that could have surrendered lives to Christ if encouraged to do so….These dangerous churches are sanctimoniously lukewarm, tranquil. Unable to stand the spiritual assaults of the enemy, at the cost of gay and lesbian lives.

Although we don’t like to admit it, Satan is real and powerful. If you are a Believer and follower of Jesus, he has a target on your life. Satan is the master deceiver. Cunning, treacherous, and often disguising himself as an angel of light. These churches which deny the Deity of Christ are very dangerous for the gay person who has been alienated from a traditional Christian church. It is very easy to inadvertently lose your conviction of faith in Christ in such a church. This is one reason why personal prayer time is so important! Feelings of unworthiness or shame may still be lingering, due to perhaps real or imagined sin, or not re-programming our minds through the Word of God. The lack of that church group to practice the presence of God through praise and prayer can suffocate your growth as a Believer. If a person doesn’t know what is theirs in Christ what belongs to you as a child of God. There are over 1800 promises in the Bible that are our possession. They belong to us, as children of God, given to us by our Holy Father. They are there for us to stand on and depend on. God has given us these gifts, do you want to disown them and throw them back?

Sinking sands of doubt, despair and unbelief are waiting for those who are not in a gay-positive, Christ-centered fellowship. Unless the relationship of prayer is there on a daily basis, the dangers of drifting are all too real for the gay or lesbian person facing a personal Spiritual crisis.

Once you are established in the discipline of daily prayer, and are dwelling in the Spirit and Presence of God, it is not a duty, it is a joy. It doesn’t matter what time it is, you do not care about time, just abiding in His Presence. Jesus has given Himself as a sacrifice for your real sins and mine regardless of how “good” we may seem, all have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God. He bore it all on the Cross, dying for us, rising to defeat death so that those in Him may have eternal life.

Some of us have decided to turn our backs on Jesus. Sometimes feeling perfectly justified due to the misguided way, perhaps a legalistic or judgmental way that we hear a church or person denounce us due to their opinion of homosexuality. If it is such a horrible sin, why isn’t there a commandment against it? Why didn’t Jesus make an example of it like he did the adulterer and prostitute? Can we justify sin, no. However, I cannot understand why people say that they want to “reconcile” their sexuality and their faith. Only sin needs to be reconciled. Jesus nor the Bible have ever CLEARLY stated that homosexuality is sin… But such is the suffering of a Spiritual identity crisis. Yet, some gay and lesbian Believers who are wrongly convinced that one cannot be gay and Christian, seek to deny not their belief in Christ; but instead adopt an inherited attitude that they can deny the reality of their God-given orientation. My friend Michael has made this decision of denial.

Michael is a natural queen. Very, very obviously gay. He walks “gay” he talks “gay”, he is very obviously gay-to the max. He cannot hide his flamboyancy. He is OUT by his very nature…without trying to flaunt it. Not every man with feminine gestures is gay, but Michael is and he cannot hide it if he wants to.

I asked him if he is a Believer, a Christian. “Well, I’d like to be, but they say God doesn’t accept us, that we are doomed to hell no matter what, so what can I do????” he sadly replied. Here is a young man with a desire to live for God, yet he is told he is hopeless even if he believes. Devastated, he walked away, not convinced by my offer of hope in Christ.

This is just the trap the enemy, Satan, wants him in. It is not the work of the Lord, nor the fruit of the Holy Spirit when ANYONE”S faith in the Lord is clouded by these lies. Especially a homosexual person is devastated by this, as Michael was. This, of course, is contrary to Jesus’ unconditional love and offer of eternal life to ALL who believe. Michael believes, regardless of his sexual orientation. But Michael, in his need for God, somewhere got the notion that he must “choose” between his orientation or God. So, seeing this as a way of acceptance of God; he decided not to deny faith in Christ, but to “decide” to deny his sexual identity instead. Again believing he cannot be both gay and Christian, he basically switched his identity crisis. What was once a perceived Spiritual identity crisis, now, in order to “correct” that, he now has a sexual identity crisis; which can be very severe also. Again, poisoned with the anti-scriptural notion that one cannot be Christian and gay. This became evident to me when I had not seen him on campus for a while, and then met him at a bus stop. He was reading a prayer book of some kind, and he told me he now goes to a certain church. Unaware of all this so far, I asked him is the church “accepting” his gayness. “I’ve renounced it”, he proclaimed, ” I don’t have to live that “lifestyle” anymore.” I tried to reason with him; “I am not talking about your “lifestyle,” I am talking about who you are. Your sexual orientation is God-given.”

Michael basically said he has “given it up for God.” Given what up for God??? I don’t care what anyone says, the truth is he cannot give up his innate sexual orientation any more that he can give up being Italian. Sexual feelings just “are”. They are not necessarily good or bad, they just “are”. Being in this physical body he cannot give up his sexual feelings; but has just denied acknowledging them as homosexual.

This can lead to further conflict if he tries to become involved in a heterosexual relationship, it may come out in the midst of what the female hopes will lead to marriage, and sometimes such denial does…then both are hurt when confronted with the truth of hiding one’s natural sexual orientation under the eventually transparent cloak of religion and denial. What Michael and countless others need to know, is that we are not acceptable to God based on pronounced heterosexuality. Jesus said to do the “work” of God. “And this is the work of God, to BELIEVE in Him who sent Me.” According to Jesus, EVERY Believer is commission by Christ to fulfil the Great Commission. To witness on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are those who say homosexuals {and women} should not be preaching. So if I am a female or homosexual and someone comes up to me and asks me who the true God is, what can I say? “Gee, guy I’m sorry but as a homosexual I’m not suppose to preach, so I can’t help you there, you’ll just have to die and go to hell, sorry…” Such is the ludicrousness of homophobia, and the damage it does to hinder an otherwise willing vessel that God can use, to reach the lost souls looking for, or needing the kingdom of God.

If a homosexual is a Believer in the Lord Jesus, and is preaching an accurate, Spirit-filled message, backed by the Word of God; then this Believer is COMMANDED by the call of the Great Commission given by Jesus. Without question every Believer has a responsibility to do her and his part of the Great Commission.

Jesus did not say “Go, heterosexual men only, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name….NO! Jesus just said GO! GO GO GO! Jesus did not put any restrictions on who can or cannot help fulfill the Great Commission. Of course it helps that the Believers’ witness be one whose life reflects the Lord. One who has the “aroma” of Christ, as the scripture says. A Christian homosexual who is walking in the Holy Spirit, has no less fill of the Holy Spirit within or any less gifts of God within than any other serious Spirit-filled Believer. Period.

Most importantly we must not compromise nor be hesitant to shake the truth; out of someone’s comfort zone, if necessary. Nor are we to minimize the integrity of the Gospel due to a gay person’s ilk from a certain religions’ oppression upon her or him. That will give the enemy a foothold to walk all over you. Regardless of how much a person decides that there are multitude ways to God, now matter how reasonable it sounds, it is not the message of the Cross and our Savior, Jesus the Christ. He rose from the grave, He has defeated death, and He is coming again, He lives within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. I am going to BELIEVE what HE says. I am going to continue to TRUST Him more and more. I have time with Him and read His Word every day. He is my only hope for this life and the life to come. He has made me His child, saved me from eternal death by his shed blood on the Cross, He has written my name in the Lambs’ book of Life, forever sealing me as a child of God. So I live for Him and Trust Him for my every need. Praise God from whom all Blessings Flow!

He IS God. He knew about my sexual orientation before I was ever born. He created me, as I, and you, are created in His Image.

Regardless of how determined you are to see the sunset, how enthused and positive you are that you will see it; if you are headed east, you are going to be disappointed. The same with knowing the true God. That is just reality. And who is God but the Lord? If you choose to reject Christ, and that means if you do not choose to Believe in Christ as Lord, you have no hope. Not in this life, nor for eternity.

There are many, both gay and anti-gay who will attack the truths in this message, but I welcome that. All the more reason to convince, rebuke and exhort those who need Christ. For if the Gospel is veiled it is veiled only to those who are perishing. Without Jesus HIMSELF in your life, it is easy to be one of those who are still enslaved by the great sway of real sin. This message of the Gospel is a liferaft to freedom for this life and for eternity. Not only freedom TO do certain things, but also freedom FROM certain things, the bondage from sin and eternal death, my friend. But ONLY if you Believe.

I don’t know anyone who if drowning in a river who would refuse to grab hold of a liferaft if someone threw it to them, trusting that person to pull them in if they just grab hold of it. It can save your physical life. But what about your eternal life?

Don’t refuse to grab hold of Jesus.

He is your eternal liferaft. Jesus said “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” “Trust in Me, delight in Me, and I will give you the desires of your heart”.

There is such a tremendous need for true Christian evangelism to all “church-damaged” people, especially in the gay community. Who else but saved, redeemed, and Holy Spirit-filled gays and lesbians can reach other gays with love AND acceptance? Those still bound by sin and the bondage of self-doubt and unbelief? Many of us are sitting idly by, while those around us in these church-imposed and sometimes self-imposed spiritual identity and sexual identity traps find no hope. The only way to find hope in God is to daily cultivate your personal relationship with the best friend you will ever have. Continual fellowship with the Lord through prayer and His Word.

He wants you to grow in obedience to Him, because He wants to BLESS you! In the book of John 15, Jesus said “Apart from me you can do nothing” {of Godly value}. If you are not open to the Gospel and Love of Christ, then you are definitely a prisoner of darkness. There are only two true Spiritual heads in this world. Either your Spiritual head is Jesus or it Satan. No one likes to hear this, it is not pleasant, but it it the truth.

“For the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the Power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 Those of us who know we are here on this earth to glorify God want to spend quiet time alone with God. If you live a life of prayer, it is something you look forward to, not an obligation. When we serve the Lord in what everyday way we can, walking the pathway of faith, we do not live as victims in this world.

The Holy Spirit within us can attract others to us. Preaching AT people repels them, alienating lost souls even further. This happens far too much to gays and lesbians and all sexual minority people. Great preachers can say a lot, but can YOU actually REACH people with the gospel, especially other gays and lesbians who are so far alienated? Who else but Christian gay people can God use {If you are available to God} to reach so severely abused and disenfranchised souls?

We should know by now, that since God created our bodies, including our affections and sexual identity, it is of Him. To deny our sexual identity, whatever it is, is to deny the Created Power of God within us.

As Gay and Lesbian Believers, and those of us who are secure in our position in Christ, we have a dual role of responsibility in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Who else but you and I as Gay and Lesbian Believers, can reach the homosexual person already feeling abused and condemned? As well as not confident to receive the gift of eternal life? Who else but other homosexual Believers, alive with the Holy Spirit, will lost gay souls, for whatever reasons, be receptive to?

It is highly unlikely a homophobic Christian can lead a gay person to Christ; while not appreciating the gift of Gods’ created sexual orientation within that person. This is why there is such critical need for POSITIVE Christian evangelism in the hearts and ears of most gay people.

We as Believers, who are called by His Name, and value the gift of our sexual orientation; have a double cross to bear. The persecution of our faith in Christ, and persecution of others, especially Christians, due to their view of our sexual identity within. This can lead to real discouragement, Satan’s most often used, and most effective weapon.

Who else will give an unbeliever the message of Christ himself, especially a gay unbeliever; except Gay Christians willing to confront this double persecution? Who else, but gay Believers, will accept, understand and LOVE enough, as He has loved us; to bring Christ to other gays and lesbians? Who else but you and I have a chance to be a Spirit-filled liferaft of eternal life, towards other gays and lesbians walking in darkness?

The word in the text of John 3:16, “whosoever” does not exclude ANYONE who BELIEVES in Him. It does however, exclude anyone who does NOT believe! This is why Christian evangelism, especially to gay people, is so critical. “Whosoever” doesn’t leave anyone out, but among those who BELIEVE {in Christ as the Savior} that leaves ALOT of people out.

Jesus said “To do the work of God is this: to BELIEVE in the One who sent Me.” Eternal life is offered to no one without Christ living within, in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Without Christ there is no payment for our true sin debt on the Cross. No redemption, no Resurrection, no hope for eternal life. Without Jesus, the scripture says of the wicked “their only hope, is to breathe their last.”

God is all-knowing. He knows all about sexual orientation. He knows you better than you know yourself, so the Lord isn’t worried about sexual orientation as a lot of people are, the question is are you surrendered to Jesus in your life? Are you willing to LIVE for HIM?

Why? One reason is His great Love for us. His Holy Spirit is waiting to be revealed to others through our desire to serve God and help bring others to Christ.

There are a lot of thrills and enjoyment this world offers. Still, despite all that, there is no greater joy than to bring someone out of the domain of darkness into the life of Christ, who for our sake died and was raised! This is why EVERY Believer is so critical to the call of the Great Commission. There are gay and lesbian people homophobic people can’t reach. Some of these abused souls we can reach, especially on a one-to one basis. Individually, some people who are receptive to you and I, others cannot reach. For example, there are souls that I can reach that won’t be receptive to Susan, and Ellen can reach people not receptive to Bill, and Bill may reach someone not receptive to Ellen, and so forth.

Each and every Believer is CRITICAL to Gods’ work. This means, every one reading this now, too.

Although Christ is returning for His church, right now His physical presence is not on this earth. God, here on earth, has no hands but ours, no hearts but ours to work with; unless we make ourselves available to Him. Are you living for HIM? Are you willing to say “Yes, Lord I am here to answer your call?” If not, you might ask yourself, why not? Are you putting the joy of knowing Jesus first in your life? Is it your hearts’ desire to put aside personal quiet time each day to hear God speak to you through His Word and the Holy Spirit?

The leadership of Jesus as Messiah is leadership by example, a leadership of service. None of us, regardless of our position in business, in wealth, or pride, are exempt from the call of Christ to bring others to Him.

In the love of Christ, through the guiding Presence of the Holy Spirit, without judgement or condemnation, but with the Truth of the Gospel; God calls us to help save others from the eternal death this world is headed for.

I hope and pray that you will answer this call and show others the Way of Jesus, how each one of us can have the Love that never ends.

We, as children of God, have been given the Promises in Gods’ Word to stand on. The Bible is the Word of truth for all who believe. Once we see the real power in our life for Christ, we can also see, through the Bible, that Jesus is the greatest liberator of all. The reason why many do not believe in Christ is through an aversion to read the scripture. These “blocks” that can occur; especially to a Gay Believer, are not from the Bible itself, but from listening to homophobia regarding the Bible. The enemy has kept Gods’ precious Gay Believers down for centuries due to the undercutting homophobia Satan so deceitfully uses against us.

However, the scriptures, especially in 1 Corinthians 6:9 are often translated incorrectly, for there is no Greek or Hebrew word for homosexual. There are two words rendered by this translation, and according to Dr. John Boswell, Bible historian of Yale. One of these words is for “male” and one for “prostitute” or “harlot.” Thus a male homosexual who is not a prostitute, is not what Paul was referring to here. It is so important to be aware of the correct translations without allowing it to dismiss or demean the truth of the Word. For instead of drawing division due to the different interpretations of scripture, which the enemy wants, Jesus is calling us to Himself, to draw you into communion with Him, through quiet prayer alone with God.

If you are still not drawn into a personal relationship with Christ, then it is good to give to God this quiet time, and let Him through the small, potent voice within, the Holy Spirit, guide you into all truth.

This truth of God that Jesus refers to is the truth found in the Word. Let the Spirit direct you, as in Psalm 100 we read in v. 5; “The Lord is good, and His steadfast love endures forever, and His truth to ALL generations.”

Yes, the Bible is a friend of gays and lesbians. All Believers can feast on its’ treasures. Every day is the best way. Yet due to what is, in fact, true satanic homophobia from others, some of us as gay people doubt our place and security in Christ and eternal life.

In John 10:25, Jesus assures us of the Fathers’ sovereign Power. “I told you and you do not Believe” was Jesus’ reply to the Jews.

“The works that I do in My Fathers’ Name bear witness to me. But you do not believe because you do not belong to my fold.” “My sheep hear me voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, as NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM OUT of my Fathers’ hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers’ hand. I and the Father are One,” according to Jesus in John 10:26-30.

So, all of us can know, by the words of the King, that even the judgements of the vilest of homosexual hate-mongers cannot separate us from the Love of God.

God wants each of us to be the very best servant of The King possible. To be the very best we can be, we must be free from the bondage of sin in our lives. The way this freedom from bondage begins to develop is by giving time and honor to God. Prayer is the doorway, the precious time we spend before the Lord. In these times, as we give ourselves to “submit” ourselves to Him, that He draws us closer to Himself.

“Restore us to Thyself, O’ Lord, and we shall be restored.” -Lamentations 5:21

May God grant us the courage to live as His Created vessels, made in His image, bringing each creature the saving message of the Gospel. This is what being a servant of Christ is, one who helps to bring others to Christ.

When we talk to God, and pray, we do so with the reverence due Him, whom we are before in prayer. Although God hears all prayer, even the ones that don’t sound too nice; but while in the spirit of prayer, it’s only natural to relate in a reverent manner to Him who has done it all. Now we pray for this need, and that need, and for those people who need prayer. Certainly we must ask God and trust Him to meet our needs, but material answers to prayer is just the overflow; of the joy and closeness we have as we spend time seeking HIM and HIM alone, not just things. God wants our life to grow in Him by cultivating that relationship with Jesus we call prayer.

As we stick to regular prayer time, and guard that time vigilantly because Satan is always on the alert to “steal your prayer time”, as many Believers can report… It during this time with God personally and in His Word, that we grow in our relationship with Him.

“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” -Matt 6:33

If you but treasure intimacy with God, then make meditation on God and His Word the first priority of your day, at least one or two set aside times of quiet and prayer before Him. Although we are to maintain an attitude of prayer and praise throughout our day, {pray without ceasing as Paul exhorts} we need that special time, perhaps in a special place; to listen to Him.

In Him lies the Power; how are we to find strength for daily living without Him? The Supreme Power of of Heaven and earth wants to get to know YOU! Will you give Him some time? He wants us to find Himself. He who seeks me diligently finds me, and “Abide in Me.” Jesus said in John 15. We can live in the joy and abundance of the life Jesus offers, if we but surrender to Him, and listen to that voice within, called the Holy Spirit. In the reading of His Word, the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.

God will not tell you to do anything contrary to His Commandments and His Word. He loves you, He created you; sexual orientation and all. He wants us, especially as Gay and Lesbian Believers, to throw off the shackles of unbelief and shame that homophobia has thrown at us; originating at the Father of all lies, Satan himself. Satan has used homophobia so effectively to destroy abused gay youth in churches and everywhere.

Homophobia is curable. It starts in the heart. Where all of us need Jesus. More than ever, we need to reach those around us for Christ, especially in the gay community where many are hopeless, without Christ.

Let us bring the Liberating message of Christ’s Love to a lost and hopeless world. Sometimes the most effective way to show His love is on a one-to-one basis. As Gay-positive Christians, we need not be suffering in conflict due to those who are not accepting of our sexuality. Jesus is accepting of it because He created it. We are called out to bring others to Christ. We are called by the One who has, for us, a love that never ends.

This, in Christ, my friend, is a love worth sharing with someone else. The means is up to you. A vessel that is available to God is a willing servant to his sisters and brothers. Someone who shines with the “aroma” of Christ.

This comes from spending regular quiet time with our Lord. For what grows out of it, has eternal weight of Glory.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Praise God from whom all Blessings flow!