The Homosexual Agenda and the Divine Nature

As I have made my contributions to the RWC blog, I have been attempting to tackle issues that may be political hot potatoes, but issues that are necessary for the church to confront. As our society moves towards normalizing gay marriage, we must understand the spiritual implications of such a move. I believe that many in the church are bothered by homosexuality because someone else told them it is a sin or they simply find such a lifestyle “unpleasant” to think about. However, in the study of scripture, we can find that the problem with homosexuality is that it is an attempt to replace the divine nature of God with the carnal nature of man. It is the penultimate form of rebellion against God. Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse.” This scripture, speaking of unrighteous and ungodly people, continues in verse 27 to say that those who engage in homosexual behavior will be handed over to a depraved mind. Verse 20 gives us more insight. Homosexuality is the rejection of God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature. How do I know this? Romans 1:25 “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever, Amen.” Homosexuality is not just an “unpleasantry.” It is a rejection of the divine, in favor of that which has been created.

Romans continues to say in verses 26-27 “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.” If you know someone who lives the homosexual lifestyle, pray for them. It is a deadly trap that is hard to escape, impossible without Christ.

But what is the ultimate reason for marriage to be between a man and a woman? How does Biblical marriage embrace the divine? Paul gives us the answer. Ephesians 5:31-32 “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” A godly marriage is not simply about the man and the wife. It is not about our happiness or only the love we have for one another. It is about the divine. Marriage is to primarily be an example of how Christ loves the church and church loves Christ. Homosexuality is a perversion in the physical that is a statement on the spiritual. Homosexual is a physical statement that the marriage of Christ and His church is perverse. This should never be. Christ sacrificed Himself for all of mankind and that is truly divine.

-Pastor Jason Greene

Monetary Responsibility

Have you ever read this: “Woe to (alas) for you who are rich (abounding in material resources), for you already are receiving your consolation (the solace and sense of strengthening and cheer that come from prosperity) and have taken and enjoyed your comfort in full [having nothing left to be awarded you]. Woe to (alas for) you who are full now (completely filled, luxuriously gorged and satiated), for you shall hunger and suffer want! Woe to (alas for) you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep and wail.”? It’s in Luke 6:24-25. Jesus said it. Having traveled to one other country and studied many around the world, I know that compared to most of the world, almost all Americans fit into the “rich” category. Compared to some other U.S. citizens, I may not be rich, but the Bible is not written just to those in the USA. Not wanting to hear a, “Woe to you”, from Jesus, I began studying every scripture in God’s Word about material riches, wealth, etc. Here is a summary of what I have found:

+ Money gained honestly by doing something worthwhile is a blessing provided by God for our enjoyment. (1 Chronicles 29:12 and 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
+ Don’t let money tempt you to trust in your own wealth rather than in God or to shift your focus to it and away from God. (many scriptures throughout the Bible, too numerous to list)
+ Be content and satisfied even with nothing more than food and clothing. (1 Timothy 6:7-11)
+ Be self-sacrificing and spiritually mature by giving to the poor, doing good, being rich in good works, being generous of heart and ready to give to others. (1 Timothy 6:17-19, Mt. 19:21-24)
+ Do not glory in or be absorbed by the world and over use the riches, physical gratifications, temporal satisfactions, and earthly pleasures of this life. (Jeremiah 9:23, 1 Corinthians 7:31)
+ Be cautious because riches can choke and suffocate the Word so that it bears no fruit. (Matthew 13:22)

Finally, here’s a list of questions that I used to examine my own life in this area. Perhaps it will help the reader as well.

1. In what ways does God want me to enjoy what He has blessed me with?
2. In what ways do I trust too much in money rather than in God?
3. How can I show that I’m content with food and clothing?
4. Are there areas where I am absorbed by the pleasures of this world – physical gratifications and temporal satisfactions?
5. Are riches suffocating God’s Word in any area of my life and preventing me from bearing fruit?
6. How can I be more self-sacrificing, generous of heart and ready to give to the poor and share with others?

“The love of money is a root of all evils…but as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness of heart. Fight the good fight of the faith…” (1 Timothy 6:10-12).

-Jenny Greene

Crossing My Jordan!

Have you ever been in a place were you knew that one decision would change the course of your entire life? One change would redirect your entire way you viewed yourself and others. Imagine for a second that you were with Joshua before crossing the Jordon. Behind you was the Exodus from Egypt, a place of slavery and struggle. Before you was the mighty river Jordon. Knowing that by crossing this river you would be placing yourself into the fight to claim the Promise Land. It was one thing to be brought out of Egypt; but it was another thing altogether to cross over the Jordan and thus become committed, without possibility of retreat, to the struggle against the powers of Canaan. The same is our struggle when we realize that the path we are on as Christians is not taking us closer to God. I like what J. Sidlow Baxter said, “.. that intense crisis of the soul in which we are forced to the supreme choice whether here shall be an utter once-for-all abandon of ourselves to the will of God, so that henceforth God is absolutely first in the soul’s love and life, or whether we shall take what seems to be the easier way, that is, of continuing in the Christian life, but with a reservation in our love to God. It is one thing to take Christ as Saviour from the guilt of our sin. It is another thing to make Him absolute Master of our will and life.”

Our struggle is the thought of letting go and moving forward. Leaving everything and everybody behind that is hindering the progression forward. There should be no turning back. It becomes a war of will. Will we allow our flesh and unrenewed mind to hold us back from receiving the fullness of God? Are we going to accept God's will with reckless abandon or are were going to be content with the simple relationship found just at the cross of Christ (The Exodus from Egypt)? There is so much more to be obtained in the true knowledge of Christ as Lord (Canaan). The key to receiving all that God has promised, our Promise Land, is to cross the Jordan that is between the Salvation relationship and the true servant relationship of Christ.

-Tim Ratcliff

For Wives and Mothers... An Encouragement

This was put on my heart for wives and mothers to encourage them.

A Strong Woman versus a Woman of Strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape…

But a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape;

A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…

But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear;

A strong woman won’t let anybody get the best of her…

But a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone;

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids them in the future…

A woman of strength realizes that life’s mistakes can also be

God’s blessings and capitalizes on them;

A strong woman walks sore-footedly…

But a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls;

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face…

But a woman of strength wears grace;

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…

But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey

that she will become strong.

The Hidden Woman

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference. At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated.

“Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?” she would ask herself.

It was during one of these moments of questioning she heard the still voice of her Heavenly Father speak to her heart. “You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be. Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. But I notice. Most of what you give is done without remuneration. But I am your reward.

“Your husband can not be the man I have called him to be without your support. Your influence upon him is greater than you think and more powerful than you will ever know. I bless him through your service and honor him through your love. Your children are precious to Me … even more precious than they are to you. I entrusted them to your care so that you may raise them right for Me. What you invest in them is an offering to Me.

“You may never be in the public spotlight. But your obedience shines as a bright light for Me. Continue on. Remember that you are my servant. Keep on pleasing me.”

The High Calling

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus… He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put on you demands of obedience that sometimes will not allow you to follow other Christians. In many ways He will seem to let other good people do things He won’t let you do.

Other Christians, even ministers, who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull strings, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do these things. And if you attempt them you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, about their work, about their success, about their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing; and if you begin bragging, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may only supply you daily, because he wants you to have something far better than gold, - a helpless dependence on Him – that he may have the privilege of providing your needs daily out of the unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and keep you hidden in obscurity, because he wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God will let others be great and keep you small; he will let others do work for him, and get credit for it, but he will make you work and toil without anyone knowing how much you are doing. And then to make you more precious still, He will let others credit for the work which you have done; this will make your reward ten-times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, with jealous love, and rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign who has a right to do whatever He pleases with His own, and needs not to explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.

God will take you at your word, and if you absolutely see yourself to be His slave. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot say or do.

Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand back, or closing your eyes in ways that others are not disciplined.

Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven!

- Edith Osterbauer

Submit yourselves to God...

Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. – James 4:7

These days, not many of us like discussing or even pondering the word “submit” or closely-related words like “surrender.” The idea of surrendering often brings up old war movie images of being taken captive, held in a dank, dark prison cell against our will and fed week-old stale and moldy bread and brown water passed to us through a four by eight slot in a big iron door. Not a pleasant image by any stretch of anyone’s imagination.

In the natural, surrendering to someone does often mean we will be held captive in conditions not exactly designed for our pleasure. In the spiritual, only when we surrender to God will we experience true freedom. Freedom from what? How about from being held captive by the old nature of sin and the death penalty that accompanies any and all who are unrepentant and reject the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and savior of the world through his death, burial and resurrection. Not bad, eh?

Ironically, the actual word “surrender” is not found in any of the commonly used translations or paraphrases of the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. However, the idea of surrender or submission is plentiful throughout scripture, primarily in the New Testament. Jesus is our best example as he surrendered his will, his feelings, his desires, his life, to the purpose God had for him.

Elsewhere, we are commanded by several writers, most notably the Apostle Paul, to submit or “surrender” ourselves one to another, confessing our sins that we might be washed by the washing of the word of God. Wives are also strongly encouraged to surrender to their husbands. But it doesn’t stop there. Men have the more binding job of surrendering to Christ in the same way that he gave his life for the church.

The universal signal for surrender is the raising of both arms with palms turned outward. Interestingly enough, that is also a commonly used signal that someone is involved in worshipping or “surrendering” to God. It is only when we completely surrender to God that we experience true freedom. And perhaps the best part about surrendering to God is that he feeds us pretty well and doesn’t keep us locked up. “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!” (John 8:36)

Give it a try. You’ll be blessed. I guarantee it.

-Ben Hanneman

Why We Need the Parental Rights Amendment...

Are your God-given rights as a parent important to you? The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child completely undermines the idea of the right of the parent. Here is some information from parentalrights.org about the UN Treaty being considered by the US Senate and the President.


Eighty years ago the Supreme Court declared that “the child is not the mere creature of the
State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty,
to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.” Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510
(1925). Thirty years ago the Court continued this line of reasoning with the pronouncement
that the “primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established
beyond debate as an enduring American tradition.” Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 (1972).

Yet in 2000, when the State of Washington gave any person the ability to override a good
parent’s decision about visitation by simply claiming that it would be “best” for children to
allow the third-party to have visitation rights, in the Supreme Court’s Troxel v. Granville:

•
There were six separate opinions and none reached a five-vote majority.
•
Justice Thomas was the only justice to clearly state that parental rights.
receive the same high legal standard of protection as other fundamental rights.
•
Justice Scalia held that parents have no constitutionally protected rights whatsoever.

Support for a high-view of
parental rights has been
seriously undermined by
the current Court. As a
consequence, numerous
lower federal courts refuse
to treat parental rights as
deserving of protection as
a fundamental right.

At the same time, America
is poised to adopt the UN
Convention on the Rights
of the Child. President
Obama supports this treaty.
Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton has been a leading
advocate of this treaty for
over twenty years. Senator
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has
“promised” that this treaty
will be ratified during this
term of Congress.

Why We Need the
Parental Rights Amendment

The proposed
PARENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
HJRes 42 / SJRes 16

Section 1.

The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education
of their children is a fundamental right.

Section 2.

Neither the United States nor any State shall infringe upon
this right without demonstrating that its governmental inter-
est as applied to the person is of the highest order and not
otherwise served.

Section 3.

No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of interna-
tional law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or
apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.

If this treaty is ratified:

•
The laws of all 50 states on children and parents would be superseded by this international
law by virtue of a specific provision of the US Constitution which expressly declares
treaties to be supreme over state law. Virtually all law on children and parents is state law.
•
Good parents would no longer be entitled to the legal presumption that they act in the best
interests of their children. Instead, the government would have the authority to overrule all
parents on any decision concerning the child if the government believed it could make a
better decision.
•
Parents could no longer spank their children.
•
Children would have the legal right to choose their own religion. Parents would be
permitted only to give advice.
•
America would be under a binding legal obligation to massively increase its federal
spending on children’s programs.

The only kind of law that can override a treaty is the Constitution of the United States. State
laws or state constitutions cannot override treaties. There is no guarantee that federal statutes
could override treaties—moreover, we enter a binding legal promise to obey a treaty when we
ratify it. America should not promise to obey a treaty and then claim it is appropriate to obey
the treaty only when we want to. America of all nations must respect the rule of law.

There is only one possible solution for the eroding support for parental rights in the Supreme
Court that can also stop the encroachment of international law.

We need to place time-honored parental rights, as recognized by the Supreme Court for over
seventy years, into the explicit text of the Constitution.

We cannot wait until our rights are formally demolished. We must act now to stop interna-
tional law and protect these two key principles:

•
Fit parents should be allowed to direct the upbringing of their children.
•
American legislators, not international tribunals, should make the public
policy for America on families and children.

If you believe these two principles, become a supporter of parental rights:

Donate, volunteer, or join the e-mail network at

P.O. Box 1090 Purcellville, Virginia 20132
info@parentalrights.org – (540) 751-1200

Here I am

Then [Jesus] said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
--Hebrews 10:9-10 (NIV)

What a wonderful verse of scripture… the Son of God saying to the Father “I’ve come to do your will”…
I realize that good biblical interpretation says that the “first” is the sacrificial system of burnt offerings that was replaced by the ultimate sacrifice of Christ; but look at the above in the following manner… In order to do His will (the 2nd part) we must deal with and set aside the 1st part (here I am). So often we stand in the way of the will of God. We just are not as interested in the 2nd as much as we are in the 1st part…

In the course of 25 years of ministry I know I have been in the way of what God has wanted to do. Like many of us I sometimes believe I can help God out. There used to be a very old cartoon when I was a kid (yes we had TV then) the super hero would sing “here I come to save the day…” many saints today have the same mentality… I’ll save the day we’ll do it my way; after all God gave me these incredible gifts and abilities. Thank God that Jesus had a different mentality; He never did things any other way than God’s way. Here I am I have come to do your will. We can only do His will when we make His will ours. When you’re doing His will your not interested in the limelight or the spotlight…it doesn’t matter what people think of you or don’t think of you…it only matters that you do the will of Him who sent you.
Blessings may your way become Yahweh

Dr.Dave

His joy is our strength…

Psalm 37.23 says, “The steps of a good man are directed and established by the Lord, and He delights in His way.”

The powerful truth in this scripture is that He takes joy in each step we take in righteousness. The word good here actually equates to righteous. You will see if you look at the entirety of Psalm 37 stark contrasts and consequences in the character traits of righteousness and evil. He is righteous. It has always been His plan for our lives, to establish His character in our hearts- to build His kingdom in the hearts of men.

Nehemiah 8.10, “… do not be grieved for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The joy of the Lord is my strength- He has established my steps in righteousness- He delights in each one. We cannot change Him to fit our fleshly ideal or concept. He is eternal- Holy, righteous. He is the same in eternity past, present, and future. We are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. It is His path.

Psalm 16.11, “You will make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

-Chris Farmer