Reuters
As originally presented on Charisma News
The blockbuster Disney classic, Cinderella repeats this advice throughout: “Have courage and be kind.” Tragically the overwhelming majority of Christian leaders have not followed this biblical admonition regarding LGBT deceit and now the day of reckoning is at hand.
Kudos to those leaders who have demonstrated courage over the past decade but to those who have fallen short, may this commentary provide challenge and conviction. Homosexuality is labeled as “unnatural,” “indecent,” “impure,” “shameful,” “degrading” and a “perversion” (Rom.1:24-27) by a loving and holy God and if 2-3 percent practice this lifestyle, it is and always will be sinful behavior.
For the record, deception can be humorous, humane or harmful. Guess which one has been given a “full-court press” by gay activists to dupe the masses in America?
Humorous deception is what I engaged in to fool my adult son on April 1. Although he alerted people the night before on Facebook about my pranks that yearly trick him, I still got him! Sending a florist to his home with an attractive package, he thought he was receiving a monetary gift towards his upcoming third adoption. Instead he opened it excitedly to find a wilted flower and the message “Gotcha!” scribbled on the bottom of the box.
A BMW dealership placed an ad in the newspaper offering a free BMW the same day for the first person bringing in their old vehicle. Yeah, right! Everyone dismissed it as a joke except the woman who brought in her 15-year-old station wagon and drove away with the new $50,000 BMW. Her license plate reads “NO FOOL!”
Humane deception is what takes place to save lives especially during wartime or by law enforcement to capture suspects. During World War II Adolf Hitler was tricked into believing that America’s inflatable tanks and weaponry placed strategically were the real thing. Adding sound effects and a unit of over 1000 “Cecil B. DeMille Warriors,” the Führer was fooled royally by the grand illusion. America’s “Ghost Army” diverted his attention from the real invasions and subsequently his evil reign came to an end through this subterfuge.
Then there is harmful deception that can destroy lives and cultures if not caught before it’s too late. This deception suggest telling a lie to gain an end; trickery to dupe or cheat. At the heart of the unbelievable state of affairs in America regarding gay “marriage” and gay rights is demonically—engineered mass deception.
The LGBT activists with their sympathetic politicians, media, sports and business leaders have had a field day because the calculated deception they’ve engaged in hasn’t been countered by the truth of a biblical worldview. Humble church leaders admit, “We really are the primary ones responsible for this state of affairs. God forgive us!” Because of so many leader’s silence for years, we may very well experience the judgment of what was unthinkable a generation ago—gay “marriage” imposed by law on every state in our land.
Remember the principle illustrated in Ezekiel 3:17–21 where God tells the shepherd–leader to be a “watchman” and warn the flock of coming deception and danger. If listeners heed, both they and the leader prosper. If they ignore, they suffer but the leader is exonerated. Finally, if the leader doesn’t warn them, they all suffer and God requires their blood on the leader’s hands. The apostle Paul understood this in telling the Ephesians he “didn’t shrink back from declaring the whole counsel of God and therefore he was innocent of the blood of them all” (Acts 20:26-27).
Indiana—Merely a Foreshadow
What happened recently in Indiana with the uproar surrounding the “Restoration of Religious Freedom Act” should jolt us out of any indifference or illusions about maintaining moral sanity in America. Governor Pence stated, “Nobody should be harassed or mistreated because of whom they love or what they believe in.”
In other words, masses are being led to accept that “every man can do what is right in his own eyes” (Judg. 21:25). No one should judge or “discriminate” if someone “loves” another person or persons. The ultimate goal is not merely legalized gay “marriage” but total sexual freedom including all of the following:
• Homosexuality and gay “marriage”
• Bisexuality
• Transsexuality
• Pederasty (gay relationship between adult and adolescent)
• Promiscuity
• Polygamy
• Polyamory (multiple partners)
• Cohabitation (fornication)
• “Open marriages” (adultery)
• Pornography
Not all of the above are checked off their “to do” list (yet). They are working aggressively and are well-financed and organized to achieve their goals. The above constitutes sexual anarchy. Barring divine intervention through a heaven-sent awakening, this is the slippery slope upon which America finds itself today. The reason Christians are targeted and intimidated is because we represent the last obstacle in their quest for unrestrained sexual licentiousness.
For the past seven years God’s had me on assignment: Through videos, lectures, booklets, commentaries, conferences and one-on-one conversations, I’ve joined my voice with others like my longtime friend Dr. Michael Brown, along with Lou Engle, Franklin Graham, Dr. James Dobson, the late Chuck Colson, Mat Staver, Matt Barber, Harry Jackson, Jennifer Leclaire, David Foster, Peter LaBarbera, Robert Gagnon, Rick Joyner and others like evangelist Joe Oden to warn Americans that same-sex marriage is a danger to religious freedom. We’ve especially tried to equip and challenge pastors not to be silent but courageous in addressing the defining issue of our generation. It has been a disappointing effort in many ways.
It cost me my position in a church that left me soon thereafter without salary, medical and pastoral benefits. Increasingly across America we’ve seen others experience the same fate for simply maintaining Judeo-Christian values on marriage and sexuality. Remember Mozilla CEO Brandan Eich who was ousted for a 6-year-old donation supporting a pro-traditional marriage initiative in California? Should we name the many others?
As numbers of us have prophetically lifted our voices, same-sex marriage advocates have lied saying our warnings and prognostications were “sensationalism” and “scare tactics.” All gays and lesbians wanted was the chance to “marry,” “love one another” and “live peacefully like everyone else.” Many pastors admitted in private they disagreed but said, “It’s not really going to affect us.”
They lied then and they’re lying now. Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, says it best: “Same-sex marriage and no-discrimination ordinances are the train, and religious freedom is what is getting run over by the train.”
In a few short years we’ve gone from “toleration” to tyranny. Toleration correctly means “respect for other’s beliefs” but now it means “respect for others’ behavior,” no matter what that behavior is.
The call for equality and diversity has transitioned to intolerance and uniformity. It’s our way or the highway for anyone standing up courageously to uphold traditional marriage and morality. Now President Obama has called for an end to any professional counseling helping youth find freedom from being gay or transgender or whatever. And in a few months (brace yourself) Congress will introduce their “historic LGBT nondiscrimination law” to guarantee they’ll face no more “bigotry and discrimination “—anywhere and anytime. We are at a tipping point in America’s history.
Unless there is divine intervention (and I am praying and fasting like multitudes across this land), we will probably see within months gay “marriage” imposed on all 50 states. Recently almost 400 companies have signed a “friend of the court” brief with the Supreme Court calling for ending “discrimination” and legalizing homosexual marriage.
Imagine, lawyers can legally refuse service to anyone at their choosing but now churches, restaurants, colleges, ministries and wedding-related businesses are being coerced to embrace gay unions plus violate deeply held religious convictions and their consciences contrary to our First Amendment, Constitutional rights. Our president, who once stood for biblical marriage, “evolved” and now trumpets the cause along with leaders of denominations, high-profile celebrities, athletes and the media almost en masse.
Awaken to Coming Realities
For cowardly pastors it’s time to slap yourselves upside the head and get in the game! Your calling is to “equip the people” with the “whole counsel of God” and not be ear-tickling, man-pleasing, crowd-gathering, seeker-friendly, spineless shepherds of the flock of God (I say this humbly as a fellow shepherd of 43 years). We must demonstrate courageous leadership and take a stand before government coercion and gay activism advances even further in destroying our heritage and our nation.
Proponents of the gay agenda will use “nondiscrimination” policies to eventually force churches to perform same-sex “marriages” and hire and not fire gay choir directors, children’s ministry teachers, worship leaders, school administrators, custodians and office staff—all non-clergy positions. The penalty for noncompliance will be loss of tax exemptions and housing allowances. There will be hate speech fines for speaking against official government policy as bigots, homophobes and hatemongers. Recently the chairman of one of the largest gay groups in a western state posted the following on his Facebook page:
“Churches that lobby to have freedoms and rights taken away from ANYONE should absolutely have their 501(c)3 status revoked!!”
For non-compliant Christian colleges, leadership must face the possible loss of accreditation, tax-exempt status and students denied government aid. The reason? Newly passed laws mandate total compliance with all non-discriminatory practices as the law of the land. Christians must be punished and intimidated to get in line. (Anyone recall Lois Lerner and the IRS targeting conservative groups?)
Are you aware of colleges throughout America where Christian ministries have been forced out because of being coerced into removing biblical leadership standards? Or how about Gordon College in Massachusetts where the school rightly prohibits sexual relations between homosexuals and now contracts with the city are being terminated as a result? Remember President Obama issued a non-discrimination executive order bringing this about.
Here’s the deal: What is at stake right now is the removal of Western civilization’s 5,000-year-old foundation of traditional male-female marriage and children born from these unions nurtured in the optimum manner for their well-being and success. But its not too late if church leaders will refuse to cower in the corner and instead arise courageously. Pastors and leaders on TV and radio must address these issues intentionally, consistently and thoroughly to equip the people of God so they have a biblical worldview in order to pray biblically, assess candidates and engage others confidently in the market place. “Courage is contagious,” Dr. Billy Graham reminds us.
Massive deception has deluded the masses to drift from our founding principles as “One nation under God” and attempts to redefine us as a secular, pagan culture.
A Pathway of Hope
History records in America’s journey times of cataclysmic upheaval and serious moral decline. What worked to bring about awakening then can be replicated today no matter how bleak the situation appears.
1. As 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us, we must “humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wicked ways and seek His face to bring healing in our land.”
2. We must reconsecrate ourselves to declaring and demonstrating the gospel. People’s hearts are not changed primarily through education or legislation but regeneration—the new birth experience.
3. Leaders must repent of any passivity or fear and embrace the call to raise up an educated/informed people who understand the issues and can effectively engage others in civil dialogue to dispel the deception so prevalent today.
4. Our marriages, families and churches must become a model of the message we convey. Authenticity, purity, integrity and humility must characterize our lives for we are the only “Bible” that many people will ever read.
5. No matter what the cost, we must be like Jesus amid the avalanche of deception. He did not use condemnation or condescension but rather righteous and loving confrontation.
It’s Our Turn—Now
Do you recall a time, not long ago, when many of us challenged our young people to end all compromise and show total commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord? “Young people, listen up! Tonight bring back all ungodly albums, CDs, drug paraphernalia, dope, pornography and any occult items—we’ll lay them on the altar and do like the Ephesians, burn them publicly as they did in Acts 19:19!”
Now it’s our turn. May every timid leader bring every reasonable—sounding excuse—”Just preach the gospel … steer clear of politics … avoid controversy … watch offending people … don’t risk losing tithers … we’re in a building project … Millennials may not agree … some have gay children… keep things positive”… and lay them on the altar, burning them in His fiery Presence!
It’s late, but not too late to “have courage and be kind” in this defining moment of history.
