Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God
testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5 By
faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not
found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this
testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to
please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He
is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
I believe that God is a
rewarder rather than a God who condemns us at every corner as we would
see preached in many Charismatic and even liberal churches. For the
charismatics, we do not pray and be righteous enough. For the liberals,
our good works of love and social justice are lacking. But God is
different. He rewards rather than condemns, and this is personified in
Jesus Christ.
I believe that God is a
rewarder of those so active in proclaiming the love of Christ to the
GLBT community, the few GLBT churches, and individuals. Their faith
journey in seeking God, involves a love for the GLBT community.
The other side of God,
is seen in Jesus Christ. We can never fully comprehend God nor does God
tells us everything. But God's revelation is like the construction of a
big building, layer by layer, for we have Jesus the foundation stone.
In the Old Testament,
God is revealed as "The Lord God is One", ie distinctive in power,
character, rule, and majesty from the other gods which were demonic
beings yearning to be worshiped by humanity. The Law given was primarily
a religious laws to set apart Israel from becoming one with other
nations.
The mega churches got
confused with the specifics of the law eg prohibition of same sex acts
forgetting that ancient religions are sexual in nature involving sex and
human sacrifices to please the "lord" of the harvest. Their lives
revolved around harvesting. No harvest is equivalent to death! hence
they sought after the gods who could help them.
Anal sex with the
priests to become one with the god is the ultimate because it exchanged
the natural nature of the straight man to have sex with another man for
the sake of religious faith. They were rewarded by being one with the
demon. The priests were being Eunuchs (ie castrated) for religion sake.
(Mat 19:12) It was not same sex attraction or being a natural Eunuch as
Jesus calls it.
The laws is not so much
about right action, but where our heart is. It was not wrong to pray,
but who do we pray to? It was not wrong to have a kind of religious
spirituality, but where is our compass heading. Away from God's grace,
we look inward and create a god within.
God is and was a
rewarder to the nation of Israel, and even when Israel went astray and
frequent other gods, God sent His prophets to guide them back until the
time came when His Son was revealed. Even when they killed His Son, the
Messiah, and was dispersed, there is always grace in the return to the
promised land of Israel.
The charismatic mega
churches often don't actually believe what they preached! They can give
grace to the unbeliever of another faith and kept quiet about the idol
worship in nations, and grace to the person dying on the death bed
confessing their sins.
But to Gay people, the
mega churches would kick them out of homes and churches. There is little
grace until the streets in the US have a very high number of gay
teenagers kicked out by good Christian parents. There they die with no
love nor food to eat. They are also cut of from God.
The charismatic mega
churches actually don't believe that Gays can change. Outwardly they may
preach thus, but inwardly once you are gay, you get booted out. People
who are adulterors, and had abortions can still stay! Why? because they
know that being gay is intrinsic.
There is grace out in
the streets, and God rewards the GLBT people in the streets when we
start to seek Him. When we take one step towards Jesus, He takes quite a
few steps towards us.
Our steps towards God
sometimes require sacrifice. But in reality, we can't give anything for
God owns everything.
Abel offered an animal
sacrifice, whilsts Cain offered a crop sacrifice. God is not interested
as much in our planting of seeds, and letting the rain from heaven to
harvest the fields, but a sacrifice that is based on Jesus Christ, the
lamb of God sacrificed for us. The animal sacrifice talks about grace,
the animal sacrificed on our behalf.
Therefore, out
sacrifice becomes personified in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are
to be as one with Jesus sacrifice at the Cross, in seeking God. Hence,
we need to place our body, soul, and spirit in the Grace of God through
Jesus Christ so that we can be resurrected in whatever our dire
circumstances.
How do we practically
"seek" God in Christ Jesus redeeming death and resurrection. It is
through Communion, to take it not out of religion or tradition, but an
understanding that the bread is the broken body for our health and well
being, and the blood, His life coming into our life, His righteousness
cleansing our unrighteousness.
When Christ is in our
midst through Communion, the blessings and grace of God in Abraham comes
supernaturally. Our lack is restored. Our lost redeemed. Our
failures and dissapoinments matters no more in the glory of God's
redeeming grace and blessings.
Why are we blessed?
that we might be a blessing to others? to be God's hand, and feet -
touching others in acts of love and social justice. It starts first by
being blessed through God's grace. We are blessed, so that we can
reflect God's grace to others both in good works and in proclamation of
the Gospel message.
Our steps towards God
need not be very big! it takes a bread, and a sip of wine... for God
will do the rest because of Jesus Christ. For God wants to resurrect us
in whatever our current struggles and sufferings that Hope and faith may
come in.
Everyday becomes a
simple step towards God, in prayer, in communion, in reading the Word
for there is no compulsion, no demands, no reprecussions, just a loving
arms of Jesus, full of truth, grace and mercy.
|