I'm outing myself tomorrow
Submitted by Oliver on 2002-11-4 01:47:09, Monday
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This past weekend, I went on a retreat with my jr. high youth group. The speaker spoke of Roman's 1 18-28, the debated scripture against homosexuality in the Bible. There is a more fundamental message that many ignore because all they see is the case against alternative lifestyles. I submit that any lifestyle that goes away from one embodied by Christ is alternative and sinful. Let me give you the backround on the message, what happend with the youth and with me, and then how I came to decide to out myself. Most everyone Christain or not can say that there is something wrong with the human spirit. That is why there is no much depression, war, suicide, and hate. To try and fill this void, the world trys and solves these problems by the latest psychology feel good method on Oprah, or at Barns and Noble, they have a whole section on psychologiocal wellness. I'll rejoice the day I find a secular bookstore that has a Bible in that section; to date I am yet to find one. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states that "He has made everything beautiful in his time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.". The point being, that since we were made for eternity, the things of time cannot permanently satisfy. Anything we embrace on this earth to make ourselves happy will only do so for a short while. We embrace things of God's creation rather than embracing the creator. HE is the fullness of life; his creation will never be, and so the solution to getting the fullness of life is to embrace Christ. Scripture is repleat with Godly men and how they long after Him. David writes, "As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for you." What a powerful and close relationship picture that paints. The problem of our heart is that we exchange that intimate, infinately valuable gift for what is not. Be it an alternate lifestyle, pornography, a secret sin that only we know about, the closet we like to play in rather than clean. I've come to believe that there is no such thing as a secret sin, because God knows our secret and secret sins will find us out if they are not reckoned with. That is the message of Romans 1:18-28. Through verse 26, here: The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all godliness and wikedness of men who suppress the truth of thier wickedness. Since what may be known about God is plain to them. For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine wisdom--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but thier thinking became futile and thier foolish hearts were darkened. Athough they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like man, and birds, and animals, and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the simful desires of thier hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of thier bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped CREATED things rather than the creator--who is forever praised--Amen. NOTHING, not all the riches, power, and creations we could possess will EVER fill the cap the creator can. So, for our own good, to show us that things of the world will never satisfy, he turns us over to them until a crises envelopes our lives and we are forced to run to him. The problem is that this is a cycle. We fall, plead for forgiveness, and are fine for 2 weeks to 2 months, average. Then we fall again, go to the latest revival and we are fine for 2 weeks to 2 months average. Then we fall again, join an accountability group and we are fine for 2 weeks to 2 months average. Then we fall, decide we need to be at church more and are fine for 2 weeks to 2 months average. When will the cycle end?? The lie is that we can solve the problem our way. We tackle it by running around God rather than running to him. God's only solution to the twisted evil man chose to believe and live in sin was to send Jesus to take that penalty for us. Our lives need to be in forever priasing God for that gift, not finding the solution in a temporary fix. Ephesians 5:8-15 For you were once in the darkness, but now you are in the light of the Lord. Live as children of the light and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose them. For it is shameful to even mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed to the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes things visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up O sleeper, rise from the dead Christ is shining on you." Be careful then how to live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity." Christ is the most of every opportunity, he is the fulfillment of life. Any thought, deed, or act less than that is of the world and temporary. Giving our "secret sin" over to righteousness is the only way to embrace a forever change. That change does not always happen quickly, but, as the article Mark posted stated, "Thankfully, we do not have to try to do this alone. The God who made human beings can also heal them through Jesus Christ. We may be His instruments, but He ultimately will do the healing." ***** When the message was given, 75% of the youth admited they had "secret sins" I was the only adult who stood. The speaker stated that those standing needed to profess thier darkness into the light so they could be prayed for. The adults served as couselors during this event. Having stood and being a counselor put me in an awkward position. I had 3 boys come to me. 2 were teary eyed, and so I made a vow that if they were to make the commitment to turn thier secret sin over to God's righteousness, so would I and that I would seek out someone to do the same. They all confessed what was probably the most difficult thing they ever had, I prayed with them, and kept my promise the next morning. The other adult who was rooming with me I trusted to share my struggles of Boylove with. Note, I believe that being a boylover is not sinful. Acting on it improperly is. My sin is that I have looked at internet imagery with lustful eyes, and it continues to be an addiction today. The adult was very understanding and suggested I get into a support group. I realize this forum is a support group, but there is a need to have a group in real life too. His other condition was that I needed to let the youth pastor know of my struggles too, which I am doing Moday afternoon. It will no doubt affect my role in the youth group, but I believe that spending more time online than in God's word is in itself enough to be subject to worshiping things of the creation and not the creator. And so, I am going to address these issues, as several of our board have already or are doing now. Please pray for me; I don't know what the outcome will be, but I do know that I agree it should be met with love not hate. Being what we are is not sinful. Wanting to help and mentor young men is what Christ meant when he said, "let them come unto me, forbid them not, for thiers is the kingdom of heaven." The important issue is that we not face our deepest struggle alone. That leads to the fall. If it hasn't happened already, rest assured it will if you are not living in Christ. Romans 8 says, in Christ we are blameless, outside of Christ we are guilty. Guilty means living in sin, separated from God. I choose to serve the Creator in Christ, rather than worship a creation that has not brought satisfaction like Christ will. Blessings, Oliver |
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