Wednesday, March 27, 2013

The TRUE Hope

What would solve the world issues? What would solve all the "world problems"?

We have been discussing these questions in Youth Group recently. Most of the discussion has revolved around community - close, extended, and farther. We touched on going farther - to the ends of the earth -  this last week and I found it really interesting to hear the direction it went. We discussed world problems (The need of food, water, and shelter. The need for a cure of diseases and/or need of medicine around the world, and many more.) and what would be the only real HOPE the world would have in solving all the issues. JESUS!

Yesterday was a very interesting day. I was reading some facebook posts and saw that there was an overwhelming number of people that had changed their profile pictures to a red box with rectangles of pink or white inside them. (The EQUAL sign) This was/is a direct way to indicate through social media support of equality of gay marriage. More specifically referencing the "human rights" campaign and all the discussion happening currently in the Supreme Court. Marriage equality. "Love is Love", right?

I don't normally post things like this, but this has me very intrigued.

Love is love. Doesn't matter who it's between.

I would agree, to some extent. It doesn't matter who loves who, however, it does matter how it is carried out. Marriage was intended to be between one male and one female. It was intended this way through God's perfect design. Any other way is a distinct motion/action against the Creator's plan.

God's design was made without flaws because He is perfect! Why would you mess with a perfect design?

I went to a conference last weekend. There were several helpful and informational workshops. One workshop was specifically talking about this exact thing. The workshop was conducted counselor (by profession) that counsels those with same sex attractions. This gentleman has a passion for this because he too is a man that has same sex attraction. He spoke about many things but a few points that stood out to me were the following:

1. You CAN'T choose your attractions
2. You CAN choose how you act on your attractions
3. God designed marriage a certain way - one man and one woman. Living outside that design (action opposite of God's design) is sin. It's a distortion of the design.
4. No matter what your attraction is: You need friends (and JUST friends) of both genders
5. No matter what your attraction is: you need to be treated like a man if you are a man and treated like a woman if you are a woman.

Personally, I choose to love everyone as Christ does. It's what I am called to do. Love the person, and point them to Jesus!

HE is the TRUE Hope!

Something that was posted this morning from a good friend of mine. A great example of how to process this current action flooding the social media and our hearts:


"I hope each of you decides to read this...it's been heavy on my heart and mind all night.

"In the past couple of days, I have noticed a large outpouring of profile pictures displaying a red equal sign. If you don't know where this comes from, it comes from the human rights movement supporting gay marriage, saying equality for all, no matter religious or sexual beliefs.

"The reason this has been heavy on my heart is because I see people in my life that say they are Christians (Christ Followers), placing this red equal sign as their profile picture. I simply want to ask the question, is this Christ like? Is this a Biblical worldview? Would Christ have fought for gay marriage to be okay if you wish to live in that way?

"The way I understand Scripture is that anything we pursue outside of God's design and purpose for our lives is living in sin. Scripture states that sexual immorality (which includes homosexuality) was not God's design for our lives.

"So back to my question...is supporting this movement as a Christ Follower appropriate? I'm not saying Christians shouldn't be about human rights...we are called to love all...but does love mean saying that it's okay for people to live in a sinful lifestyle?

"I'm open for a respectful conversation here."