15 That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past. 16 Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment,Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there (Ecclesiastes 3, 15, 16, NKJV).
Guide slaves into being loyal workers, a bonus to their masters—no back talk, no petty thievery. Then their good character will shine through their actions, adding luster to the teaching of our Savior God (Titus 2:9, 10, The Message Paraphrase).
Dan Schulman, President and CEO of PayPal upon their withdrawing of the $3.9M office building in Charlotte, North Carolina with a 400 payroll of over $20 million a year: “Our decision reflects our deepest values and our strong belief that every person has a right to be treated equally and with dignity and respect.”
Our southern states, what is called the Bible Belt, are being attacked with the almighty dollar in our secular war with being a Christian in a non-Christian world.
We are living in a pagan, secular, Romanesque world in the United States of America today. After 200 years of being in Christian America that avowed to allow all other opinions an equal hearing in the market place of ideas in the 1970s we saw the replacement of the local church revival and discipling program with Coliseum events with named individuals. Bussing people in for miles to sing, dance and be swayed by big names, to walk the isle, pray the prayer and go home “sanctified.” To be allowed, as Melba taught the ladies last week, to be spiritually aborted from the delivery table. The churches, on the most part, quit having revivals and disciple teaching programs.
At the same time we decided if the Silent Majority would elect Christian leaders for the state house and the national Washington D.C. we could make the laws that would make us a Christian nation by law and all those atheists and heathen would have to do right by law.
In doing so we broke down the strategic tension that was created by the Bill of Rights that gave civility to the market place with all ideas and suddenly we were in the courts over Bibles, teaching Jesus and the 10 commandments in the schools and having them on display at the court house. We were at war; the fabric of our founding papers torn.
At the same time the governor of California, Ronald Regan, signed the “no fault” divorce bill and marriage started a steep decline as it was renamed, revalued in the church, the legal courtrooms and in the hearts of Mr. and Mrs. America. It was the cultural shift that lead to the Supreme Court’s ruling, in fact making a new law, unconstitutionally, that same sex marriage was now the law of the land. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
We woke up this morning in a completely different world than we were born into in the 1930s. 40s and 50s. It is a secular, pagan Romanesque world in which we are the team away, the visiting team having to play by pagan rules and how do we handle it. What we have been doing for the past ten years has not been working.
Let me review how I see it, now I am not as wise as these highly educated guys, so you can call me a country bumkin if you like, I will not be offended
I am, as I am in so many ways, a half-breed in philosophy about our mind, conscience, sense of right and wrong. I understand those that say we are born with a blank conscience and it becomes as we train it. I understand that there are those that teach we are born with a fully developed conscience and our conscience is set for life. I so understand that a child is born knowing it is wrong to crowd in line. At the same time a Two or three year old will have to be taught to be selfish and the value or personal possessions. A three-year old with a sandwich sitting on the back porch eating his peanut butter and jelly delight will share a bit with his dog or the neighbor’s dog, a passing unwashed vagabond, and Susie the girl next door. Just as it is natural to know crowding in line is wrong, we knew at 3 that sharing was right. Then we were taught about private possessions and property rights. Then mother has a hard time with 8 year old Tommy, getting him to share his crayons. His conscience has been reoriented.
It is my best judgment that one of our problems in dealing with a pagan and secular society, we are allowing our politically correct, that is how our political views bend us, views and our Evangelical Christian neighbors, those we desperately want their approval, to set how our conscience works. I am suggesting, we need to go to Jesus and Paul, and the prophets for guides for our conscience. That thought has raised a fire storm for me this past week. I call to example how we deal with the illegal immigrant problem. The right-wing Republican, Conservative, Evangelical Christian point of view is 180 degrees from the Biblical, Old and New Testament teaching; that is alright for now; we will get there. Listen to JEREMIAH 17:9: 9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Now Jeremiah speaks of the heart as the thinking part of our being, the guidelines for our behavior and Jeremiah declares we have “stinkin thinkin.” That is pretty plainly spoken.
Here is what we have been doing that aligned with our Evangelical conscience.
The Sweet Cake Bakery in Oregon, Aaron and Melissa Klein had baked a cake for the lady’s mother before and the lesbian couple came back in for a celebration cake for their illegal at the time same sex union. Melissa refused due to her Christian conscience that such unions are against God’s plan for us. They were fined and they paid as they shut down the bakery, $135,000,00 and court costs. They had raised $372,000.00 with private donations and Go Fund Me fund with Facebook. At that point Facebook shut them down, They wanted to fight all the way to the Supreme Court with Alliance Defending, very costly of Christian funds.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Photographer Elaine Huguenin, refused to photograph a homosexual wedding. Has been sued and shut down by a court order of sexual discrimination. Again, Alliance Defending fund is spending thousands of Christian’s mission dollars to defend her.
On the east coast and in Idaho, Wedding Chapels have been sued for refusing to allow same sex couples to use the chapel. In California proposition 8, that marriage was to between a man and a woman cost the Christian community over $51 million hard earned Christian missions dollars, the proposition was thrown out by a liberal homosexual judge that wanted to marry his bed mate fellow.
We have a conservative Christian call for 30,000 pastors to go to WashingtonD.C. and pray for marriage and our country. If each minister spent $3,000.00 and that is a low estimate, that is $90,000,000.00 of the Lord’s mission or operational money that is wasted. The president will not pay attention, the Supreme Court will not pay attention, the media will not pay attention and God would hear their prayers from home at no expense just as well. World Pastor, Franklin Graham, is going state to state, a much more effective and cost conscience choice.
The county Clerk in Kentucky has caused a fire storm and the politicals have gathered around her to get a photo op. Kim Davis in her $85,000.00 a year job as County Clerk in Morehead, Kentucky, refused to issue the same sex marriage license and was in disobedience to a Supreme Court ruling and went to jail. This gave ex-Governor Mike Huckabee and many other political hopefuls to be seen supporting her and speaking out about first amendment rights. Governor Matt Bevin backed her and eventually her name was removed from the license and she issued them, san her nom de plum or defacto name, just county clerk, that was a description of who she was. This brought a great amount of publicity and alienated a lot of people as has the bakery, photographer, wedding Chapel and state laws that seek to take us back to the 1960s. What we have been doing has not been working, and we have alienated people that Jesus sent us to make disciples of and we have corked the bottle first and wonder why it is so hard to fill. Besides that it is costing the church millions of church dollars to do what we have been doing that is not working.
Today we are facing a new enemy and one that is bringing the high finance of the big corporations against us. This is an unfair battle in as much as the major corporations are attacking us in the job market, the work place and at our paychecks, it is no longer a matter of conscience; it is a matter of take home pay. We better check our conscience and see if our “stinkin thinkin” is biblical or of Evangelical cultural. Now the attack is against our first Amendment Freedom of Religion that included freedom of Christian Conscience to not be offended. It is against our being fostered on us by Democratic politicians, freedom of worship and any pretence of being fair and just to Christians has just gone out the window. And any right’s for fairness in the market place is outlawed.
I do a lot of business with NIMA with PayPal. It is a very well-funded part of multi-million dollar eBay; so I read their press release carefully, as well as Visa and MasterCard, and printed it off for file. They are a typical Left coast liberal organizations, centered in California in the Bay area, and London. They have been dealing with Charlotte, North Carolina, to build a $3.9 million central operating office that would hire 400 people with a $20,million annual payroll. To accommodate PayPal philosophy, Charlotte Passed an open bathroom, dressing room, shower room law that allowed men that thought they were women to use the women’s bathroom, showers, dressing room. The same for women in reverse. At once the North Carolina Senate went onto full speed ahead and passed an ordinance against any city making an open bathroom law. They included in the ordinance that public buildings, schools, would have to provide rest rooms for the trans-gender person, thus you would have men’s rooms, women’s rooms and Whatever rooms. That was not sufficient for PayPal, president and CEO, Dan Schulman, he canceled the $3.9 million dollar building and the $20 million annual payroll for Charlotte with the following statement: “Our decision reflects PayPal’s deepest values and our strong belief that every person has a right to be treated equally and with dignity and respect.”
Now that perfectly reflects the secular, pagan point of view across the land by PayPal, Time Warner, Lionsgate, MGM, NBC, CBS, NFL, NBA. The major banking corp. the cards such at Visa, Mastercard, American Express and so many more big shots. So many more are all on one side and Mr. and Mrs. Christian on the playing field; it is David and Goliath all over again with non-descript stones. ‘Everyone deserves dignity, equality and respect,’ but the Christian. I just had a conversation with Chuck Wendler running for Republican State Senate seat 38 from south Doña Ana county and He is all for doing the same old thing, but we agreed with prayer and the good Lord as being the answer, via Franklin Graham.
I believe we need to go back beyond Evangelical Christianity, back beyond conservatism, beyond the Republican party and basic American values, back to the Bible for our template,
Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:9,10: 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
Paul is speaking here of all things, culture, race, politics, the church; my life and future is all to come under Christ/Messiah Jesus. Now, Paul gives us a good example in how to do that. In the Roman Empire and the Hebrew empire, they were dealing with Slavery, woman’s rights, homosexuality, infanticide/abortion and disavowing of marriage and family, that is children. A good example in how to deal with each is exampled in how he handled slavery. Christianity was really the first religion that held to the high value that God places on the human life as God called us, his Imago Dei; children, women, slaves, poor and handicapped were all in Christianity valued.
Paul had a dual standard in how to deal with slavery. One standard when he was in control. Look at Philemon as a slavery problem where Paul and Christians could make the decisions.
Philemon was a wealthy land owner, Christian, slave owner and he had a run a way slave named Onesimus. Onesimus ran to Rome and somehow connected with Paul under house arrest awaiting trial before Caesar. Paul converts Onesimus and baptizes him knowing he is a run a way slave, Paul knew his master well; in fact Paul was the one that converted Philemon and started the church meeting in his house.
Now, Paul has a problem, Onesimus is serving Paul and has become valuable to Paul, but as a run a way slave, Onesimus was subject to capture, killing officially, or jail time. So Paul sends him home.
But with a letter: ”Though in Christ I could demand that you do what I am about to ask, I want you to do it because you want to. I appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. He became my son while I was in Chains, and he is wonderful in caring for me. He has been caring for me as you would have if you were here. I am sending him back with my very heart. I would have kept him here but I would not do anything without your consent. I am sending him back better than a slave, but a brother. I want you to forgive him, and if he owes you anything, put it on my account and I won’t mention how much you owe me, your very life, So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.”
Philemon did, and that opened another story.
Now when the church was dealing with slavery in the market place, it was another story; no longer in control, now we played the slavery game as one without power.
Titus 2:9,10: 9Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.
The first thing that Paul recognized: Slavery was the law of the land and as such he needed to recognize It. Slavery was here to stay for a couple of millennia or more, how was he to handle it? How do we handle it today when it is not legal, but very prevalent.
Now in our situation:
Abortion is the law of the land, we may not like it, I hope we don’t. They may be selling baby parts, that is Illegal and we can do something about that. But abortion is the law of the land and it may take a couple more decades till the millennials can get rid of it.
Homosexual marriage is the law of the land, we may not like it, but we contributed to its success by our, the churches, marriage failure and our giving in to society and allowing divorce, shaking up, and accepting immoral behavior in the church. We had the policy that we accepted people like they were, recognized they were messing up and would give then time to get in line with Jesus’ teaching. I offered to those over 50, and were free to marry, church wedding licenses. The state was usurping the family’s right to regulate marriage anyway. But after so long when I was promised marriage by a date and then another date, and I began to push, they moved on instead of obeying God.
Smoking is the law of the land, we may not like it, but we must live with it and change one person at a time. The smoker may smell like a three week old dirty diaper left under the front seat, but we will live with it. To outlaw smoking would create the largest black market we could imagine.
Drinking alcohol is the law of the land, we may not like it, but it is here to stay. Prohibition was a disaster, it moved the evening beer and social drinking from the bar or tavern, to the front room and basement of the homes in our city, making mama and kids partners, and made drinking fashionable.
Like it or not, the open bathroom is Rapidly becoming the law and de jour of society. Our Democratic president has decreed it, and the courts have backed it, and corporations that live and breath under Washington rule, have set out to enforce it (note North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and through out the land).
So once we accept this is, or that these are, the law of the land, then how do we respond. Second sentence of Titus 2:9.
Seek to obey the law.. That is the hard part; the Evangelical, the Conservative, the Right-Wing Republican all want to fight and take a stand against. This goes right to the Jeremiah 29 instructions for living under the captive control of the pagans, secularists and religious enemy.
Jeremiah 29: 4This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
In other words, live with the situation and make the best of it. Don’t fight it; convert the enemy to your side by being friends with them.
That will frost the right-wing, blood-bought, born-again, conservative do-gooder; “you have capitulated and become liberal,” they will say. No, we are just putting Jesus’ teaching and example to work.
Next, do not talk back to them. In other words,
Romans 12:17: 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Now we are back where Paul was with Philemon and Onesimus, in charge. If how I respond depends on me, then I can be as kind, Christian and civil as I want to be. It depends on me.
Now be honest with everyone, Do not steal from them. Let your nay be nay and your yea be yea…. Speak the truth in love…
This will make your God, position and your message Attractive to those with whom you have been dealing.
Goodness knows we have not been attractive to those on the other side of the fence, we are called haters, homophobes, angry and uncivil.
Goodness knows what we have been doing has not worked, let me ask some hypothetical questions.
Say you ran a bakery and a homosexual couple came in and wanted a wedding cake. You know you were in the hot seat. You come around the counter and grab three coke and invite then to sit down and talk with you. You honestly ask them to fill in your ignorance on same sex relationship and you honestly listen to them as they explain. Then tell them, you are philosophically opposed to same sex marriages, but that is your opinion and you would like to do something for them, you will bake the cake and give it to them as a gift, no strings attached. Then as you are finding what they want on the cake, tell them; it is my experience that all couples that get married have some conflict within a few years. Then tell them, “I am giving you my personal phone number, and if you ever need a friend to listen and talk things out, I will be that friend. Then do what you have promised. Almost 100% of couples have problems within 3 or 4 years. If they call, day or night put on the coffee and listen, now the ball is in your court and you are in control, make Jesus attractive.
You can do the same thing as a florist, photographer, wedding chapel and as a minister. I can assure you, no by-laws, no church vote will stand up against the antidiscrimination laws in our states, so get used to a million dollar law suit, jail time or figuring it out.
At Agape, we ask couples that call about a wedding to come in and talk to Steve or myself before we commit to a wedding. If an unknown or a homosexual couple, I tell them that we require 12 hours of Biblical teaching on marriage, then I will marry them. If I can’t convert them or run them off with twelve hours of Biblical study on marriage shame on me. So far three times they have vowed out and gone elsewhere for a preacher to trap.
You understand, most of the time they are not seeking marriage, they are seeking to trap me and get me to refuse so they can sue me and the church. So slow down, take your time, and don’t let them trap you. Take an example out of Jesus’ play book. They came to him to trap him about taxes, and he slowed down, thought it over and avoided their question asking, “So you have a coin?” they showed him a Denari and he asked, “Whose inscription and image is on the coin.” The obvious answer is Caesar’s And Jesus had sprung his trap and they lost.
This Past week a political armature, and that is his appeal, was asked a hypothetical quest. MBC Coffee Joe in the morning, seeking to destroy the man asked a question he would care less about knowing anything, his mind is already made up. The hypothetical question. “If ABORTION WERE MADE ILLEGAL, AND A WOMAN GOT AN ABORTION SHOULD SHE BE PUNISHED?” An open ended 1009 foot deep trap. The presidential candidate answered like a law and order man would answer and he now is against women, against and for abortion and an evil man, He bit for the trap and it sunk him for the next primary. If He had slowed down, And thought he should have said, “That ls a fallacy, that is a hypothesis contrary to fact and should not be answered, The fact is, Abortion is legal in our society today, and the answer is that whether I like it or not, a woman can make that choice on her own, AND not be punished by man’s law.
I want to take the last page of this essay and ask, Why are the Democrats so determined to open the restrooms, showers and dressing rooms to both sexes? Do they not respect privacy? No, they don’t! The Democrats are convinced that all the same sex transvestite and bisexual people are all victims and nice people, no weirdos among them so little children in the bathroom are safe with the opposite sex person using the little girls room with your daughter. I have read all their material carefully and the other assumption is; everyone is going to bed with everyone and we have all seen each other naked and been seen naked so what is the big deal with going to the potty and exposing ourselves to other males and females in the shower, restroom and locker room. Now I am not a prude and my world is not going to end if I am caught going to the bathroom by a member of the opposite sex; or, if my wife is examined by her doctor. I am, not ashamed of my sex, or my body, though it was a lot more presentable 50 years ago.
I fear for little girls and boys that parents send to the bathroom at cafes, school, at sports arenas, and the like. I have a suggestion for parents, grandparents and in Melba and my case, great grand parents, do not send your kids to a public bathroom on their own, go with them, boys with boys and girls with girls. Now, a three year old girl can be taken into a boys bathroom by granddad and looked after. As these open bathroom, showers, dressing room becomes more open, we need to take guard. At the same time, and girls have this whipped out; go to the bathroom in groups. Have each other’s back as you relieve yourselves. Don’t be macho guys, these bathrooms and doctor’s offices will become a problem. These doctors may look okay until they get you on the examination table. A Doctor is in the paper today with past homosexual advances toward patience. Be cuscuses. Parents stay with children as doctors examine.
We are entering a very difficult time, the economic health of our society will be regulated by these heathen, pagan men and women in dress suits and driving new Mercedes Benz or Lexus. The enemy will look so very much like the leaders of our society.
This is not time for buycotts, boycotts or any of the 1990s methods that have totally failed. We are told our warfare is not fought with normal man armor and weapons, but with spiritual weapons. We need to have confidence we will win by doing it God’s way, pray a lot.
