The Sins of The Saints

Bernard of Clairvaux once mentioned an old man who, upon hearing about any professing Christian who fell into sin, would say to himself: "He fell today; I may fall tomorrow!" The apostle Paul commended the same mindset when he wrote, "let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12) 

There is great wisdom in not trusting our own ability to stand. When I was a boy, my father would often say, "The person I trust least of all is myself." It should shock us to hear a professing Christian say, "I would never do that," or "How could anyone do that?" Consider the following: 

If Adam, an innocent man, could choose a piece of fruit over the infinitely valuable God (Genesis 3:6);  if Noah, the most righteous man of his day, could get so drunk that he passed out naked before his sons in his tent (Genesis 9:21);  if Abraham, the most faithful man of his day, could father a child with his wife's handmaiden (Genesis 16:1-4) and twice hand his wife over to other men (Genesis 12:11-15; 20:1-2);  if Sarah, the mother of promise, could laugh at the words of the God of promise and then lie to Him about doing so (Genesis 18:9-15);  if "righteous Lot" could greedily pick the most materialistic and sexually depraved place for himself and his family to live (Genesis 13:8-13), and could hand his daughters over to the sexually perverse men of the city (Genesis 19:4-8);  if Isaac, the son of promise, could show partiality to his oldest son because he liked his hunting skills (Genesis 25:28), and he, too, could hand his wife over to another man (Genesis 26:6-11); and if Jacob, the namesake of Israel, could swindle his brother for a birthright (Genesis 25:29-34), then so could I. 

If Moses, the meekest man on the planet, could act in such sinful anger and unbelief that God would not let him into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:7-12);  if his successor Joshua, could disobediently covenant with pagans (Joshua 9);  if Gideon, the mighty man of valor, could fall into idolatry at the end of his life (Judges 8:22-27); and if Samson, the strongest man who ever lived, could be defeated by wine and women (Judges 14-16), then so could I. if David, the man after God's own heart, could commit adultery and premeditate the murder of one of his mighty men (2 Samuel 11);  if Solomon, the wisest man, could foolishly allow his heart to be led astray by a thousand women to worship foreign gods (1 Kings 11);  if Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, could charge God with deceiving His people (Jeremiah 4:10); and if Elijah, a prophet of Israel, could self-righteously run from the mission of God (Jonah 1-3), then so could I. 

 If John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, could doubt the identity of the One to whom he bore witness (Matthew 11:2-3); and if the Apostle Peter could try to stop Jesus from going to the cross (Matthew 16:21-23), deny Jesus (Luke 22:54-61), argue with the Lord about the gospel and its implications (John 13:6-10; Acts 10:9-16), and support division in the church over the doctrine of justification by faith alone (Galatians 2:11-21), then so could I. 

If James and John could use Jesus to get to the top (Mark 10:35-37) and could want to call fire down from Heaven on those who did not believe the gospel (Luke 9:51-55); and if the Apostle John could twice fall down to worship angels (Revelation 19:9-10; Revelation 22:8-9), then so could I. 

We must resist the temptation of thinking that we can stand in our own strength. We must depend on the grace of the One who said, "Apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). The greatest believers are subject to great weaknesses. In no way do these truths give a license to sin; instead, they give a sober realization that by nature, "nothing good dwells in us." (Romans 7:18) 

We must distrust ourselves, bear with the weak, and hold fast to Christ. We must flee to our Great High Priest, who was tempted in all points as we are, yet never sinned. We must go to Him for grace and mercy to withstand temptations, and we must go to Him for grace and mercy if we fall.

[Nick Batzig]  

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1 Corinthians 15:10 ...  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Psalm 119:117 ...  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually. ❤

Stand Alone!!

Elijah at a certain great crisis, thought he was the only one left to stand for God. There were others but he did not know of them. He was indeed the only one in the field for God. He stood alone, one man against and evil king and false priests and sinful people. It was a splendid heroism. 

There will come times in the lives of all who are Christians when they must stand alone for God, without companionship, perhaps without sympathy or encouragement. Here is a young person, the only one of his family who has confessed Christ. He takes Him as His Savior and then stands up before the world and vows to be His and to follow Him. He goes back to his home. The members of his home circle are very dear to him but none of them are Christians, and he must stand alone for Christ among them. Perhaps they oppose him in his following Christ. 

In varying degrees, this many times is the actual experience. Perhaps they are only indifferent, making no opposition, only quietly watching his life to see if he is consistent. In any case, however, he must stand alone for Christ, without the help that comes from companionship. 

[J.R. Miller]

1 Kings 19:10 ...  And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

1 Corinthians 16:13 ... Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.❤

A Word of Warning Against Worldly Conformity

"Adam, where are you?" Genesis 3:9 

 "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 1 Kings 19:9 

To E. M., August 5, 1854. 

My Beloved Friend, 

The above questions came to my mind for my beloved friend, I know not why. This evening, I have heard a sermon from the last of these passages, and I must send you the substance of a few remarks, though not in the exact words. "What are you doing here, Elijah?" It may be said to some believers, "What are you doing here inactive and indolent in your Lord's cause? You were very lively in the service of Satan and the world. Why are you so lethargic in the service of Him who bought you with His blood, and knew what it was to be weary in working for you?" 

Again, it may be said to some, "What are you doing here in a place, or in society, where your Lord is not loved, honored, or known?" Your soul will suffer, your spirituality will be withered, for it is a very tender plant; and it is easily injured. If the believer will be in worldly society, uncalled by Providence, his spirituality is sure to suffer blight. Ah! What are you doing here, Elijah? "What are you doing here?" it may be said again, when the believer is in the midst of mist and gloom, which hide the Savior from his view. What are you doing here? you whom I have ransomed you to whom I have manifested myself you whom the Spirit has sealed whom I have loved with an everlasting love what are you doing here with darkened evidence? 

Is it not because you are looking into your own heart instead of looking unto Me, and coming unto Me, who am made unto your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption? The Spirit may discover to us what is in our hearts to abase us and lay us low; but if we look into our hearts to find comfort or encouragement, then our evidence will be darkened, the clouds will gather quickly around us, and our dreariness will grow yet more dreary! What are you doing here, Elijah? We must look away from self and learn that we are not to live upon past experience, however real, or upon past manifestations, however bright; but we must be seeking for fresh incomings of grace.

It is a great lesson which we are very slow in learning, not to live upon grace received. 

[Ruth Byron]

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The Harlot in Your Bosom!

There is usually one sin that is the favorite: the sin which the heart is most fond of. A godly man will not indulge his darling sin: "I kept myself from my iniquity." (Psalm 18:23) "I will not indulge the sin to which the bias of my heart more naturally inclines." "Fight neither with small nor great, but only with the king." (1 Kings 22:31) A godly man fights this king sin. If we would have peace in our souls, we must maintain a war against our favorite sin, and never leave off until it is subdued.

Question: How shall we know what our beloved sin is? 

Answer 1. The sin which a man does not love to have reproved, is the darling sin. Herod could not endure having his incest spoken against. If the prophet meddles with that sin, it shall cost him his head! "Do not touch my Herodias!" Men can be content to have other sins reproved, but if the minister puts his finger on the sore and touches this sin their hearts begin to burn in malice against him! 

Answer 2. The sin on which the thoughts run most, is the darling sin. Whichever way the thoughts go, the heart goes. He who is in love with a person cannot keep his thoughts off that person. Examine what sin runs most in your mind, what sin is first in your thoughts and greets you in the morning that is your predominant sin. 

Answer 3. The sin which has most power over us, and most easily leads us captive, is the one beloved by the soul. There are some sins which a man can better resist. If they come for entertainment, he can more easily put them off. But the bosom sin comes as a suitor, and he cannot deny it, but is overcome by it. The young man in the Gospel had repulsed many sins but there was one sin which soiled him, and that was covetousness. Mark what sin you are most readily led captive by that is the harlot in your bosom! It is a sad thing that a man should be so bewitched by lust, that if it asks him to part with the Kingdom of Heaven he must part with it, to gratify that lust! 

 Answer 4. The sin which men most defend, is the beloved sin. He who has a jewel in his bosom, will defend it to his death. The sin we advocate and dispute for, is the besetting sin. The sin which we plead for, and perhaps wrest Scripture to justify it that is the sin which lies nearest the heart! Answer 5. The sin which a man finds most difficulty in giving up, is the endeared sin. Of all his sons, Jacob found most difficulty in parting with Benjamin. So, the sinner says, "This and that sin I have parted with, but must Benjamin go! Must I part with this delightful sin? That pierces my heart!" A man may allow some of his sins to be demolished, but when it comes to one sin that is the taking of the castle; he will never agree to part with that! 

That is the master sin for sure! The besetting sin is, of all others, most dangerous! As Samson's strength lay in his hair, so the strength of sin lies in this beloved sin! This is like a poison striking the heart, which brings death. A godly man will lay the ax of repentance to this sin and hew it down! He will sacrifice this, Isaac. He will pluck out this right eye, so that he may see better to go to Heaven! 

[Thomas Watson] 

Hebrews 12:1 ... Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

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Our Cherith

God's servants must be taught the value of the hidden life. The man who is to take a high place before his fellows, must take a low place before his God. We must not be surprised if sometimes our Father says: "There, child, you have had enough of this hurry, and publicity, and excitement; get hence, and hide yourself by the brook; hide yourself in the Cherith of the sick chamber, or in the Cherith of bereavement, or in some solitude from which the crowds have ebbed away." 

Happy is he who can reply, "This Your will is also mine; I flee unto You to hide me. Hide me in the secret of Your tabernacle, and beneath the covert of Your wings!" Every saintly soul who would wield great power with men, must win it in some hidden Cherith. The acquisition of spiritual power is impossible, unless we can hide ourselves from men and from ourselves, in some deep gorge where we may absorb the power of the eternal God; as vegetation through long ages absorbed these qualities of sunshine, which it now gives back through burning coal. 

Passing back to the blessed age from which we date the centuries: Patmos; the seclusion of the Roman prisons; the Arabian desert; the hills and valleys of Palestine--are forever memorable as the holy Cheriths of the New Testament disciples. Our Lord found His Cheriths at Nazareth; in the wilderness of Judea; amid the olive groves of Bethany; and the solitude of Gadara. None of us, therefore, can dispense with some Cherith, where the sounds of human voices are exchanged for the waters of quietness, which are fed from the throne of God; and where we may taste the sweets and imbibe the power of a life hidden with Christ.

[F. B. Meyer]

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1 Kings 17:3 ... Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

Psalm 91:1 ... He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.❤

He Puts a Finger Upon The Scar!

Since God is our Father, He will take notice of the least good He sees in His children.

If there is but a sigh for sin, He hears it. "My groaning is not hidden from You." (Psalm 38:9) 

If there is but a penitential tear which comes out of the eye, He sees it. "I have seen your tears." (Isaiah 38:5) 

If there is but a good intention, He takes notice of it. "Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name, you have done well to have this desire." (1 Kings 8:18)

God takes notice of the least spark of grace in His children. "Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord." (1 Peter 3:6.) The Holy Spirit does not mention Sara's unbelief, or laughing at the promise. He puts a finger upon the scar and only takes notice of the good that was in her.

More, that good which the saints scarcely take notice of in themselves, God in a special manner observes. "I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink. Then the righteous will answer Him Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink?" They as it were, overlooked and disclaimed their own works of charity! But Christ takes notice of them, "I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat." (Matthew 25)

What comfort is this! God spies the least good in His children! He can see a grain of corn, hidden under much chaff. He can see a little grace, hidden under much corruption!

Those duties which we ourselves censure, He will crown. When a child of God looks over his best duties, he sees so much sin cleaving to them that he is confounded. "Lord," he says, "there is more Sulphur than incense, in my prayers."

But for your comfort, if God is your Father, He will crown those duties which you yourselves censure. He sees there is sincerity in the hearts of His children. Though there may be many defects in the services of His children, He will not cast away their offering.

An earthly father kindly receives a letter from his young child though there are blots and bad spelling in it. What blotting's are there in our holy things! Yet our Father in Heaven accepts them. "It is my child!" God says, "I will look upon him, through Christ with a merciful eye!"

[Thomas Watson]

Matthew 6:9 … After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

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An Application

The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very beneficial lesson for such proud beings as we are. If God gave us favors without constraining us to pray for them, we would never know how poor we are. But a true prayer is an inventory of our needs, a catalogue of our necessities, a revealing of our hidden poverty. Prayer is both an application to divine wealth, and a confession of personal inadequacy.

The most healthy state of a Christian is to be always empty in self, and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies; poor in self, and rich in Jesus; weak as water personally, but mighty through God to do great exploits.  Hence prayer, while it adores God, it lays the creature where he should be in the very dust!

Prayer in itself, apart from the answer which it brings, is a great benefit to the Christian. As the runner gains strength for the race by daily exercise, so for the great race of life we acquire energy by the hallowed labor of prayer. Prayer plumes the wings of God's young eaglets that they may learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer sends God's warriors forth to combat with their sinews braced and their muscles firm.

Prayer girds human weakness with divine strength, turns human folly into heavenly wisdom, and gives the peace of God to troubled believers. We have no idea what prayer can do!

We thank you great God, for the throne of grace, a choice proof of your marvelous loving-kindness. Help us to use it aright throughout this day!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Colossians 4:2 … Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Hebrews 4:16 … Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalm 18:6 … In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.❤

Take Heed What You Ask For

It was a remarkable thing that the man who was never to die, for whom God had ordained an infinitely better lot, the man who would be carried to Heaven in a chariot of fire, and be translated that he should not see death should thus pray, "Let me die! I am no better than my fathers."  We have here a memorable proof that God does not always answer prayer in kind, though He always does in effect. He gave Elijah something better than that which he asked for, and thus really heard and answered him.

Strange was it that the lion-hearted Elijah should be so depressed by Jezebel's threat as to ask to die and blessedly kind was it on the part of our heavenly Father, that He did not give His desponding servant what he prayed for. There is a limit to prayer. We are not to expect that God will give us everything we choose to ask for. We know that we sometimes ask, and do not receive, because we ask amiss.

If we ask for that which is not promised, if we run counter to the spirit which the Lord would have us cultivate, if we ask contrary to His will, or to the decrees of His providence, if we ask merely for the gratification of our own ease, if we ask without an eye to His glory, then we must not expect that we shall receive what we pray for.

Yet, if we do not receive the precise thing asked for, we shall receive an equivalent, and more than an equivalent, for it. As one remarks, "If the Lord does not pay in silver, He will in gold; and if He does not pay in gold, He will in diamonds!" If He does not give you precisely what you ask for, He will give you that which is tantamount to it, and that which you will greatly rejoice to receive in lieu thereof.

Be then, dear reader, much in prayer but take heed what you ask for!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

1 Kings 19:4 …  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

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Survey The Idols

There are other Baals in this age, in all the various forms under which they are objects of human idolatry.  It is true that you are not called, invited or disposed to bow the knee to idols of wood, stone or metal. These, however, are not the only way in which idolatry may be practiced. Everyone has a god, and if man does not love and worship Jehovah, he will make a deity of his own image. Survey the idols which you are called upon to worship:

Among them, sustaining a high place, is the vile idol of SENSUALITY. This goddess is decked out with all that can pollute the imagination, inflame the passions, or excite the evil propensities of the heart. Before this image, multitudes of devotees of both sexes bow the knee and offer the most costly sacrifices of property, health, virtue and reputation!

Near her is the bewitching and smiling image of WORLDLY PLEASURE, with the sound of music, the song and the dance, alluring the giddy and thoughtless to its orgies; and throwing the spell of its fascinations over the imagination of multitudes who go merrily to their eternal ruin!

MAMMON, the despicable deity of wealth, is there glittering with gold, and offering riches to his eager followers as the reward of their diligent and faithful adherence. His liturgy is the cry of "Money! Money! Money!" His sacrifices are the time, the bodies, the comfort, and the souls of his worshipers!

Near this is the shrine of HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. This idol is only evil, when raised above the place of faith, piety and virtue. When thus exalted above Scripture, it is a deceiving, corrupting idol, the false goddess of a Pantheon of Vices.

Nor must we leave out the idols of FALSE RELIGION, the chief of which is Popery, the anti-Christ of the Apocalypse, "the Man of Sin sitting in the temple of God, exalting itself above all that is called God." This idol, taking the name of Christ as its designation, assuming the cross as its symbol, and boasting of an apostle as its first pope; enriched by wealth; venerable for antiquity; dignified by learning; decorated by sculpture, architecture, and painting; and adding the abysmal policies, and most serpentine craft to all these other dangerous qualities has fascinated countless millions! And, notwithstanding the monstrous absurdity of its doctrines, the blood-stained page of its history, and its hostility to the liberties of mankind is now putting forth the most arrogant claims, and making the most audacious attempts for the conquest of our country!

These idolaters have chosen their god, and are the determined and devoted worshipers of their Baals! They have hardened their hearts and seared their consciences.  They congratulate themselves upon their having thrown off all the weaknesses and fears of Christianity, and upon their being now enabled to pursue their Hell-ward course unchecked by the restraint of conscience. Duped men, blind, and boasting in their blindness are benumbed in all their moral faculties, and exulting in their stupidity! With every tie cut, which held them to piety and truth, they account it a privilege that they are drifting unobstructed to eternal destruction determined to be lost, and rejoicing that nothing bars their path to the bottomless pit!

[J. A. James]

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1 Kings 18:21 … And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

Ezekiel 14:3 … Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Ezekiel 20:16 …  Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.❤

Solomonian Religion

The trouble was all in Solomon's heart!  It is the heart which needs watching and keeping with all diligence. The heart must be wholly devoted in its aim and motive, to God and His service.

Solomon had a corner in his heart for the Lord and then other corners for the gods of all the other nations. The Savior's words are: "You cannot serve both God and mammon."

We need to be on our guard against Solomonian religion! There is plenty of it these days. It abhors the preaching of the stern truths of God's Word about sin and punishment, and about holiness. It sends well-near everybody to Heaven and regards Hell as a mere fable! It calls holy Christians "puritanic" or "strait-laced." It calls great sins "escapades," and finds no use for such psalms as the fifty-first.

It is not hard to see in this verse, however which of the two kinds of religion pleases God best, and which leads to the best end.

[J. R. Miller]

1 Kings 11:4 ... For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

Matthew 6:24 ... No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Proverbs 4:23 ... Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.❤

The Happiest Christians

They are the happiest Christians, who have the lowest thoughts of themselves, and in whose eyes Jesus is most glorious and precious.

[John Newton]

1 Kings 10:8 ... Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

Psalm 144:15 ... Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

1 Peter 2:7 ... Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,


Titus 2:13 ... Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;❤

In Awe

Happy the soul that has been awed by a view of God's majesty.

[A.W. Pink]

Psalm 33:8 ... Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Psalm 144:15 ... Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

1 Kings 10:8 ... Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

James 5:11 ... Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.❤ 

Clap, Clap

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)

[Author Unknown]

1 Kings 10:18 ... Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

Job 5:17 ... Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Psalm 144:15 ... Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. ❤ 

The Happy Christian

The Mind of Christ ~

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

The Eyes of Understanding ~

Ephesians 1:8 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Ears that Hear ~

Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

A Mouth of Confession ~

Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

A Pure Heart ~

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Clean Hands ~

Psalm 24:3-5 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Knees of Prayer ~

Psalm 95:6  O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Beautiful Feet ~

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

1 Kings 10:8 ... Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

Proverbs 16:20 ... He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

Psalm 144:15 ... Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.❤

Homosexuality is Sin

Homosexuals are not "born that way."  The truth is that every one of us is born with a sinful nature. (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:23,   Ecclesiastes 7:20)  But, children are not born gay nor does that excuse or justify unrepentant sin. 

If we defend homosexual behavior, do we then defend stealing?  Do we defend lying?   Do we defend murder?   These too are sin.

The unbelieving world is embracing the act of homosexuality. They are in serious error. God says that this conduct is vile, unclean, unnatural and an abomination. 

True believers will either stand firm on the Word of God, or they will cave in to the politically correct, and become part of the last-days apostasy. (Matthew 24:10-11, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Scripture also tells us that homosexual behavior leads a person straight to a "reprobate mind" and that these are  "haters of God."

Warning others about homosexuality is not hate language; it is Biblical Truth.   Nor is this passing judgment; God has already judged this behavior in His Word. 

God loves people.  He loves them so much that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)   But, God also commands sinners to repent. (Mark 1:15)

The Word of God is perfectly clear on this matter - homosexuality is sin. ℛℒ
  

Romans 1:24-32 …  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Leviticus 18:22 … Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 …  If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Deuteronomy 23:17-18 … There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.  Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

1 Kings 14:24 … And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

1 Timothy 1:9-10 … Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

1 Corinthians 6:9 … Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind;

Jude 1:7 … Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.  ✞

God Speaking

God is speaking. Are you listening? ℛℒ

1 Kings 19:12 … And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Psalm 78:1 … Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

Habakkuk 2:2 … And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

John 10:27 … My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Mark 4:23 … If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:16 … But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. ♥

Hearing God

Once there was a man who dared God to speak.

“Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God and I will follow.

Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God and I will fight.

Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God and I will listen.”

And so the man went and sat by a bush, near a wall close to the sea and waited for God to speak.

And God heard the man , so God answered.

He sent fire, not for the bush… but for a church.

He brought down a wall, not of brick… but of sin.

He stilled a storm, not of the sea… but of a soul.

And God waited for the man to respond.

And he waited…

And waited…

And waited…

But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks, not lives; seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing.

Finally he looked at God and asked, “Have you lost your power?”

And God looked at him and said, “Have you lost your hearing?”

[Excerpt from: A Gentle Thunder; Hearing God through the Storm by Max Lucado]

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12


Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! Psalm 81:13


He that is of God heareth God's words: John 8:47

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8


Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 ♥

Sweet Hour of Prayer

┼ And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. Genesis 25:21



┼ And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD's. Exodus 9:29



┼ And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. 1 Samuel 2:1



┼ And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day. 1 Kings 8:22-24



┼ Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 1 Chronicles 29:10



┼ Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. Jonah 2:1-2