Homosexuality & gender insanity: What happened to the bold, unapologetic declaration of truth in the church today?

Cool mom Adele let son wear ‘Frozen' Anna costume in Disneyland. ~Mashable http://mashable.com/2016/02/17/adele-son-frozen-costume/#VBnXeZDuIuq2 

Nike cuts ties with Manny Pacquiao after derogatory comments. ~ ESPN http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/14793389/nike-ends-endorsement-contract-manny-pacquiao

Whoever told you that love equals tolerance was lying. I’m grateful that God is actually quite intolerant, that he doesn’t celebrate deviance and immorality as if it were an expression of mankind’s true nature that’s worthy of honor. I’m blessed to know that God refuses to budge on his righteous standards that, in his unmatchable wisdom, can do nothing but enhance the lives of all who respond.

¹ Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! ² Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, ³ who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! Psalm 119:1-3 (ESV)

The greater the revelation of the love of God, the more intense the separation between light and darkness becomes. True love warns and protects people from behaviors, belief systems and decisions that put them in harm’s way. What is harmful becomes vivid in the light of God’s perfect Word.

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Matthew 5:14-15 (ESV)

The fact that so many in the church today are shrinking back from being that light in favor of a position of tolerance for what is deadly in the lives of others is shocking. Well, it was shocking. I’m beyond that. Now, it’s inexcusable. Church leaders who are so confused about what love really looks like must allow God to bring a recalibration to them. Truth must be preached from the pulpits today more than ever, in the face of rapidly increasing evil.

Philippians 1:9-10 (MSG) ⁹ So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings ¹⁰ so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of…

Adele

While taking your kid to Disney is awesome enough, passersbys also noticed that her son was sporting a costume from Frozen's of Princess Anna. Fans were quick to applaud Adele for bending gender norms and being the kind of mom who lets her kids wear whatever makes them feel best. ~Mashable http://mashable.com/2016/02/17/adele-son-frozen-costume/#VBnXeZDuIuq2

It’s certainly not shocking that Adele would allow her son to dress as a girl. Before he was born she confirmed her defiance to biblical truth in a statement in Time Magazine that sounds loving, but in fact is setting her son up for disaster—both on the earth and in eternity:

“He makes me so proud of myself, and he makes me like myself so much. I’ve never not liked myself. I don’t have hangups like that. But I’m so proud of myself that I made him in my belly … I can’t wait to know who his best friends are going to be, who his girlfriend or his boyfriend is going to be…” TIME http://time.com/4155795/adele-time-cover-story-interview-motherhood-25/?xid=time_socialflow_twitter

Hayden Wright, in response to that statement by Adele, wrote in an article for radio.com:

This subtle message of tolerance is just a nugget of wisdom Adele revealed in her TIME interview.

It’s not surprising that people who don’t know Jesus would choose human wisdom over biblical wisdom. What is surprising is how silent the church remains.

²² Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Romans 1:22-23 (ESV)

Are we so terrified of being called names like hater, bigot, homophobic or other derogatory terms that we shut up in hopes that our silence will lessen the assaults? We should be ashamed.

Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me, right? Wrong. When truth is preached great trouble comes. Persecution will hit and that’s why so few today will open their mouths.

The enemy has been so effective in confusing Christians about what love really is that truth has been reworded, minimized or discounted altogether.

Our silence, timidity and lack of Holy Spirit given words for this moment has resulted in a global advance of a Satanic campaign that has nearly unstoppable momentum.

¹¹ And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, ¹² for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12:11-12 (ESV)

Persecution Avoidance

¹² But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. ¹³ This will be your opportunity to bear witness. ¹⁴ Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, ¹⁵ for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. Luke 21:12-16 (ESV)

How interesting that the above passage reveals that Christians who speak truth will be delivered to prisons and synagogues. Both the secular authorities and religious authorities will persecute Believers—some by putting them to death. Today, in America, persecution does not usually include penalties of death, but destroyed reputations and threats to financial ruin most definitely are upon us.

This is why heroes like Aaron and Melissa Klein should be honored. Instead of baking a cake supporting the sin of homosexuality they opted to allow the state to punish them with a fine of $135,000. They refused to bow down to a spirit of Mammon by surrendering to demands to embrace immorality.

¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. ¹¹ And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” ¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Daniel 3:10-13 (ESV)

Wouldn’t it have been more loving to affirm the king and all of the people in their honor of the golden image? Couldn’t they have bowed out of respect but later on opened a respectful dialogue at a coffee shop somewhere? How ridiculous, right? Then why do we see supposed Christians refusing to take a stand today? It’s usually because they want to avoid conflict, keep their Facebook timeline happy and controversy free and exhibit false humility by declaring that other viewpoints are valid.

No, friend, other viewpoints are absolutely not valid if they contradict the timeless truth of God’s Word. They are wrong and we need to finally stand up with fire in our veins and let the world know!

It’s true that friends, family and many others will turn on us. The Bible predicts that.

¹⁶ You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. Luke 21:16-17 (ESV)

How can we allow sodomy and absolutely vile debauchery continue uncontested? Well known pastors have famously refused to take a clear stance on homosexuality and gender issues in the hopes of being “welcoming of all.” The argument too often is, “Well, you need to understand that homosexuality is no different than greed or lust or other sins.”

Really? That’s the defense? That makes it seem as if the other sins are somehow okay. We shouldn’t be sinning at all!

Pastors, get ready for some uncomfortable truth: our church services weren’t designed to be evangelistic meetings. They are to be Spirit-filled, prayer-driven meeting that would make anybody in a sinful lifestyle do one of two things—run to the altar or run out the door. Somehow welcoming them in and removing the conviction of God from meetings is an expression of love. Welcome them in, yes. Ask God to leave? No.

As I’ve said many times, I refuse to tone down the activity of the Holy Spirit out of respect of those less hungry—or those who are in full on rebellion to his standards.

Standing on truth will result in many people leaving our churches, taking their money with them and leaving their bad reviews all over social media. If this is the persecution that pastors are trying to avoid I can only shake my head.

Manny Pacquiao

Nike released a statement on Wednesday that read: “We find Manny Pacquiao’s comments abhorrent. Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community. We no longer have a relationship with Manny Pacquiao.” ~NIKE

“It’s common sense,” the eight-times world champion, who later apologised, said. “Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female. If men mate with men and women mate with women they are worse than animals.” ~www.theguardian.com

Manny Pacquiao later stated he was “telling the truth of what the Bible says”.

While some might argue that Manny could have used less combative language, the truth remains that he was fearless to voice timeless truth. His boldness and commitment to God has resulted in great financial loss.

A petition was launched on Change.org by Rutgers University graduate student Aries Dela Cruz on Tuesday urged Nike to drop Pacquiao.

“Pacquiao's expressions of homophobia and bigotry disqualifies him from being honored, endorsed and sponsored by one of the world's largest publicly-traded and owned athletic companies, particularly one that is celebrated and well-known for their promotion of sportsmanship and excellence,” ~USA Today

Here’s the point I think must be made: Christians, especially Christian leaders, have become so afraid of troubling the waters by speaking truth that they have bought into a faux love that muzzles the very power that can set the captives free. Manny might have said what he did differently, but at least he didn’t shut his mouth. He didn’t suppress the truth. This is a serious issue!

¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18 (ESV)

Can someone behind a pulpit deliver the clear message that there are in fact enemies of God and that, unless they radially repent and renounce their partnership with darkness, they will be cast into unquenchable fire? That message has more love in it than any message of tolerance ever will.

²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹ foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³² Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32 (ESV)

This next statement sounds harsh, and many would not say it in today’s politically correct world, but it is nonetheless true:

Homosexuals are enemies of God. Adulterers are enemies of God. Lovers of money are enemies of God. Those who practice sin are enemies of God and they will not be in Heaven when they die. Many have been given over by God to a debased mind. A delusion has been sent and we are attempting to reach them with sweet smiles and passivity! We must begin to war in the Spirit and shout piercing truth from the rooftops!

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV)

With that in mind, this is also true: Heaven won’t be the same without those who are not following Jesus today! A revelation truth will give them an unparalleled opportunity to renounce their alliance with evil and discover the wonders of knowing Jesus. Nice words, tolerance and political correctness will never do that. Only truth will set the captive free. But, that truth will cause problems.

We live in a day where our speech can bring great persecution to us—and, at the same time, bring eternity shaking liberty to many who are lost and hopeless.

It’s time to open our mouths, type on our keyboards and stand fearlessly against the spirit of the age. It’s okay to do so with unction. We don’t have to always sound nice. There should be urgency raging through us. It’s time to stopping offering biblical ideals for optional consideration and to declare with conviction that God’s Word is right and every argument against it is not only wrong but eternally deadly.

It’s time to go to war and absolutely destroy arguments against God! We do so not by worldly, fleshly means but via the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Such inspiration will cause Christians to say things that will result in extreme backlash, hatred, accusation and ultimately imprisonment and death.

⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)

And, it will draw a line in the sand, something clearly seen by everybody. A great revival in the land will come when enemies of God hear truth and finally cross over that glorious line.

Open your mouths, church. Draw the line. Be bold. Love deeply. Shock the culture. Trigger a great end time revival.