| In the mid 90's, a Presbyterian minister
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| | Bible, fundamentalist, conservative
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| named Steve Brown conducted an interview
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| | Christians and Jesus Himself are taking
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| with the lesbian Pastor from the largest
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| | quite a beating. Across the globe, more
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| Gay Church in America. Steve had already
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| | and more nations are embracing the gay
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| laid the ground rules for their dialogue
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| | agenda.Tolerance at all costs? Romans
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| regarding the expected, conservative,
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| | 6:23 says, "...the wages of sin is death;
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| fundamentalist stance on homosexuality.
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| | but the gift of God is eternal life
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| Essentially, he agreed not to state the
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| | through Jesus Christ our Lord." William
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| obvious and refused to "go there."
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| | Barclay paraphrases the verse in this
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| Instead, Steve displayed one of the most
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| | way, "If we got the pay we had earned it
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| loving, concerned examples of a Christian
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| | would be death; but out of His grace God
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| that I've ever seen as he interviewed
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| | has given us life." The word "wages"
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| this woman. In so doing, I heard her say,
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| | (opsonia) in the original Greek language
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| softly and sincerely, that gay people sin
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| | means, "provision money," or supplies
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| just as any other Christians sin. She
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| | paid to an army. The soldiers earned
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| explained that when a person becomes
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| | their wages and were paid in daily
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| convicted of their sins, godly sorrow
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| | provisions of food. Sin pays wages in
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| leads to repentence from those sins. She
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| | full, without any deductions.Another
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| admitted that, as a Christian homosexual
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| | Greek word we should learn is metanoia,
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| herself, she simply has not been
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| | or "Repent." It literally means "to
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| convicted...condemned, yes, by other
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| | change one's mind."It's not too late. But
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| believers...but not convicted by the Holy
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| | just as the "straight" Christian world is
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| Spirit. Steve replied, "You realize you
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| | loaded with sins of its own, we must
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| sound somewhat like a heretic in the gay
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| | remain cognizant of the fact that there
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| community by saying these things...." She
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| | are people out there who love the Lord
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| nodded, "Well, it's the truth."The
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| | despite being gay. We, too, may be in
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| presentation was so touching, so
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| | need of repentance, i.e., changing our
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| inspirational, that the station later
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| | minds, too. All Christians must teach new
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| re-ran the program by popular demand.
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| | disciples, as well as our own children,
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| Brown had remained aware throughout the
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| | to embrace all people, but notALL their
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| interview that although the apostle Peter
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| | beliefs. We can listen and learn from
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| told us, "Always be prepared to give an
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| | everyone without necessarily agreeing
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| answer to everyone who asks you to give
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| | with them. We can courageously but humbly
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| the reason for the hope that you have,"
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| | speak the truth, even if it makes us the
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| he also said, "But do this with
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| | object of scorn. Jesus said all men would
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| gentleness and respect" (1 Peter
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| | hate us because of Him. Make certain
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| 3:15).Was this woman speaking for all
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| | that, if anyone hates you, it's ONLy
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| homosexuals everywhere? Doubtful. No more
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| | because of Jesus and NOt because you hate
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| than yours truly speaks for everyone
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| | them, too.Legal Gay Marriage around the
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| presently reading this article. The point
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| | World:Belgium: Legalized gay marriage in
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| is, just as this lesbian minister
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| | 2002.Britain: Plans to introduce
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| alluded, how many of us are knowlingly,
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| | legislation soon authorizing civil unions
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| secretly, doing that which is sinful, yet
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| | giving gay couples legal recognition with
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| we persist? We may even pray fervently,
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| | most of the rights enjoyed by married
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| quietly, that God would help us. I've
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| | partners.Canada: Legalized gay marriage
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| been there. Especially in matters of
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| | July 2005.Denmark: The first country to
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| forgiveness, knowing what was required of
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| | legalize same-sex unions in 1989, later
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| me but wanting to have a few moments
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| | giving couples adoption rights. Other
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| alone in which to hate somebody's guts.Is
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| | Nordic countries followed in
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| homosexuality a sin? According to
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| | 1990s.France: Allows civil unions since
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| Scripture, I believe it's very clear that
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| | 2000.Germany: Introduced civil unions in
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| it is. As I read Genesis 19:4-5;
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| | 2001.The Netherlands: Became the first
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| Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I
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| | country to legalize gay marriages
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| Corinthians 6:9-10; I Timothy 1:9-10, it
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| | outright in 2001.Portugal: Lesbian and
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| seems clear. Lest we forget,
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| | gay couples who live together acquire the
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| homosexuality is no worse a sin than
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| | same rights as heterosexuals in
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| over-eating, hatred, gossip, doubt,
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| | common-law marriages.Spain: Gay marriages
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| unbelief, rage, rebellion and theft. My
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| | made legal, June 2005.South Africa:
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| own sins are no worse and, as result of
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| | Recognized gay rights in its constitution
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| the Cross of Christ, are forgiven and
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| | after apartheid ended in 1994. Activists
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| forgotten forever. Because His mercy is
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| | are preparing litigation to have the
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| new every morning, we literally have no
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| | common law definition of marriage
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| past every day! That's great news! The
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| | extended to include same-sex
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| best news is that this forgiveness and
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| | couples.Switzerland: Its largest city,
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| mercy is available to ALL. Now THAT is
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| | Zurich, started recognizing registered
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| the loving, hope-filled message that
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| | gay couples in July 2005. Geneva also
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| Christians should be sharing with those
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| | recognizes same-sex couples, although
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| trapped in gay lifestyles. Not to mention
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| | grants them fewer rights.In the United
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| those trapped in adultery, substance
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| | States, Massachusetts is the only state
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| abuse, unforgiveness or any other sin.
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| | that allows gay marriages; Vermont and
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| Rather than pointing the unfeeling finger
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| | Connecticut have approved same-sex civil
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| of accusation, we must ask ourselves if
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| | unions. California is feeling the
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| we qualify for throwing out that first
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| | pressure.In Jim Nelson Black's book "When
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| stone.Do we care? I was preaching one
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| | Nations Die," as he describes the fall of
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| Sunday years ago and announced that I was
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| | all the world's great empires, he writes,
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| considering placing a banner on the
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| | "Sexual promiscuity led to the downfall
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| street that said, "This Sunday is Gay
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| | of these nations...." Although he also
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| Day!" A hush came over the group. Some
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| | mentions that homosexuality was prevelant
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| nervously laughed. Very telling. On the
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| | within each fallen empire, so was
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| love-meter, I'm afraid we weren't where I
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| | immorality among those we would refer to
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| thought we were as a group.Too often, as
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| | as being "straight." Abortion,
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| a whole, the Body of Christ seems more
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| | infanticide and strangulation of children
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| concerned with outward appearances than
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| | were commonplace in these "advanced"
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| we are with the bondages an individual
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| | cultures as unwanted children were seen
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| may be saddled with. We go through our
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| | as a burden in an atmosphere of
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| spiritual check-lists: Was he baptized?
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| | hedonism.The shedding of innocent blood
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| Does he attend church? Is he regularly in
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| | really does bring a curse upon the land.
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| Sunday School? We may never know what
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| | It wasn't just homosexuality that caused
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| another person is struggling with deep
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| | each empire's demise. It was the perverse
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| inside - and we won't, as long as we
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| | hedonism of those who were straight and
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| continue in our prescribed methods of
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| | "normal," too.What God requires of usDo
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| what we typicaly refer to as "ministry."
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| | we stop speaking the Truth? No, not when
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| Homosexuality, a life as an abused child,
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| | Jesus said, 'If you abide in My word, you
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| addiction to everything from porn to pot,
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| | are My disciples indeed. And you shall
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| thoughts of suicide...any one we know may
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| | know the truth, and the truth shall make
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| be wrestling with these issues. Too
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| | you free'" (John 8:31,32). That Truth is
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| often, we settle for church attendance as
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| | Jesus Himself for he declared, "I am the
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| our gauge of how well an individual is
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| | way, the truth, and the life. No one
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| doing. We're so impressed by outward
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| | comes to the Father except through
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| appearances, aren't we? In contrast, God
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| | Me,"(John 14:6). He was either a liar, a
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| looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7).But I
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| | lunatic or He really was - and IS -Lord
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| digress.Tolerance at all costs!Tolerance
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| | of all things.But when we speak the
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| has become the sole absolute of our
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| | truth, let us be sure that we are
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| society, the queen mother of all social
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| | speaking the truth in love for, as the
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| values. Kids are hearing it preached
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| | Bible says in Ephesians 4:15, by doing
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| every day in Secular Indoctrination
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| | so, we will "grow up into Christ." Lord
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| Centers (excuse me...Public Schools) and
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| | knows we could use some growing up. Do we
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| in the media. Unbeknowst to most
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| | love those who say they are gay? If you
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| Christians, tolerance is a threat to our
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| | were/are gay, would you/do you love those
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| very faith.Some might say that tolerance
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| | Christians who are straight whose
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| merely means to recognize and respect all
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| | lifestyles are loaded with sin?One final
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| beliefs, practices, and so forth
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| | thought regarding the Tolerance vs. Love
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| regardless of whether we agree with them
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| | issue. Josh McDowell says:"Tolerance
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| or not. After all, we all have a right to
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| | says, "You must approve of what I do."
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| our own opinion, right?Today, tolerance
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| | Love responds, "I must do something
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| means to consider every individual's
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| | harder; I will love you, even when your
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| beliefs, values, lifestyle and claims
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| | behavior offends me."Tolerance says, "You
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| about truth as being equally valid. So,
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| | must agree with me." Love responds, "I
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| not only do we have equal rights to our
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| | must do something harder; I will tell you
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| own beliefs - which we DO - but these
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| | the truth, because I am convinced 'the
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| days, all beliefs are being seen as
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| | truth will set you free.' "Tolerance
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| equal. It's no longer enough to merely
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| | says, "You must allow me to have my way."
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| respect another person's rights; we're
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| | Love responds, "I must do something
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| expected to endorse their beliefs, values
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| | harder; I will plead with you to follow
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| and lifestyles as well.That is, of
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| | the right way, because I believe you are
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| course, unless those beliefs are
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| | worth the risk."Tolerance seeks to be
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| Christian in nature. Then it's open
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| | inoffensive; love takes risks.Tolerance
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| season.When one openly discusses the
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| | glorifies division; love seeks
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| diety of Christ, His sinless lifestyle,
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| | unity.Tolerance costs nothing; love costs
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| His resurrection, how He is the ONLY way
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| | everything.Jesus is proof of that.Need
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| to salvation, people get up in arms. We
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| | pastoral counseling and prayer? Write or
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| hear such things as, "How dare you say
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| | IM me at Every blessing!Michael
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| that?" Wearing a T-Shirt that reads
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| | A servant of God
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| "Jesus is Lord" is to imply that no one
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| | t.e.a.m. ministries
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| else CAN be and it makes people mad. As
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| | A Message of Discipleship &
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| Christian speaker Josh McDowell states,
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| | Encouragement to the Body of Christ
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| "The issue is no longer the truth of the
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| | P.O. Box 633
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| message, but the right to proclaim it. In
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| | Stephenville, Texas 76401
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| the new cultural climate, any unpopular
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| |
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| message can be labeled "intolerant" and
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| | BLOG: Michael has been broadcasting
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| therefore be repressed."Former President
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| | his eMail messages of Discipleship and
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| Bill Clinton linked so-called "hate
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| | encouragement to Christians of all
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| crimes" to intolerance when he was in
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| | denominations
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| office and said, "The No. 1 security
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| | since 1999. These messages are literally
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| threat to [our nation] is the persistence
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| | reaching millions each week and the
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| of old, even primitive hatreds.'' Since
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| | messages are being re-posted on other
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| when does intolerance equal hatred? It
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| | Christian sites,used as Bible studies for
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| does in today's version of tolerance.
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| | groups, and are being used by those in
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| Where homosexuality is concerned, the
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| | ministry as a preaching guide.
|
