Australian Pastor Criticized for Posting ‘Adam and Steve’ Marriage Message at Church By Stoyan Zaimov

An Australian Baptist pastor has come under criticism for posting  what are being called homophobic messages on his church windows – although he  has said he is solely expressing his opinion on what the Bible says of human  sexuality.

The Hamilton Baptist church in Australia, where the Rev. Trevor Walmsley  preaches, displayed electronic messages on the side of the sanctuary reading  “You are here because God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,” and another  reading “None of us owe our existence to same-sex sexual relationships”.

A number of local residents who read the messages were “outraged,” News.com.au reported, but Walmsley was quick to explain  that the signs represent his views, and not necessarily those of the church.

“I suppose they are a bit controversial, but I am very much in support of  marriage as it has been traditionally known,” the Australian pastor said. “I  can’t speak for the denomination but for me personally, and probably for our  church here, we would stand for the traditional definition of marriage of a man  and a woman for life, to the exclusion of all others.”

He further added that “disagreeing with what other people believe doesn’t  necessarily mean we don’t love them.”

The Rev. Rod Benson, a spokesman for the Australian Baptist Ministries, has  criticized the display, however, calling the massages “childish” and noting that  the Baptist Church cannot be held accountable for the pastor’s views.

“It’s a childish statement and it’s been around for decades, that slogan,”  Benson said, referring to the “Adam and Steve” sign.

“It’s very regrettable that one of our Baptist churches would choose to put  such a statement on the outside of their building,” he added. “It sends the  wrong message. We want to treat all people, without exception, with respect and  it’s not helpful in the debate about marriage to have those kinds of childish  slogans displayed on our churches.”

While opposing homophobia, the Australian Baptist Ministries recently  declared its support for the traditional definition of marriage as between one  man and one woman.

“For more than 400 years Baptists have affirmed the Bible as the supreme  authority in all matters of faith and conduct. The Bible teaches that the only  appropriate context for sexual intercourse is between a woman and a man who are  married to each other. Those who argue otherwise have drifted away from biblical  ethics and an authentic Baptist understanding of marriage,” read a statement released in June by the ABM.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/australian-pastor-criticized-for-posting-adam-and-steve-marriage-message-at-church-78631/#HbW30iifaEUeeSuu.99

‘The New Normal,’ Gay Couple Adoption Show, ‘Damaging Our Culture,’ Says One Million Moms By Daniel Distant

“The New Normal,” a television show about homosexual couple who  hires a surrogate mother, has been the subject of protest by family values group  One Million Moms. One Million Moms says that the show’s creator, openly gay  producer Ryan Murphy of “Glee,” is “damaging our culture” and “attempting to  redefine marriage.”

“The New Normal” aims to redefine family with the tagline: “These days,  families come in all forms – single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors,  one-night-stand donors … It’s 2012 and anything goes. Bryan and David are a Los  Angeles couple and they have it all. … the one thing missing is a baby.”

One Million Moms is making the show- which would premiere Tuesday, Sept. 11- a main  issue for their campaign to clean up media because it “[desensitizes]  America and our children” to homosexuality, and ignores “millions of Americans  [who] strongly believes that marriage should be between one man and one  woman.”

They have begun an email effort to convince advertisers to abstain from  sponsoring the show, and to get NBC to drop the program. Critics of One Million  Moms efforts are very vocal about their opposition to the campaign, however, and  support for the redefinition of family.

“From hit shows like ‘Glee’ to ‘Modern Family,’ it’s clear that Americans  today don’t care whether their favorite TV characters are straight or gay,”  Herndon Graddick, president of gay advocacy group GLAAD, said in a statement.  “We now live in a culture where gay people are … a common part of our  society.”

Despite the relatively small numbers of the gay population- nearly 4 percent  of Americans identify as LGBT, according to a Williams  Institute study- those two shows were highly watched, Graddick claims.  However, the main basis for the shows weren’t a homosexual couple, like in “The  New Normal.”

Moreover, advertising for “Glee” and “Modern Family” didn’t depict anything  particularly offensive; in contrast, “The New Normal” promotional poster shows  the surrogate mother (Georgia King) and gay couple (Andrew Rannels and Justin  Bartha) pregnant with heavily swollen stomachs.

Homosexuality is “the opposite of how families are designed and created,”  wrote OMM on their website. “You cannot recreate the biological wheel.”

The conservative, family values group also pointed out that some of their  efforts have worked in the past. “The Playboy Club,” glamorizing pornography,  was canceled, as was “Good Christian Belles,” which showed Christianity in a  negative light. Both shows ratings’ dwindled after their initial premiere, and  advertisers pulled out as well to avoid the controversy.

“The New Normal” also features Ellen Barkin, Jayson Blair, and “Real  Housewives” star NeNe Leakes. NBC has not commented on the show, which is  scheduled for its primetime lineup.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-new-normal-gay-adoption-show-damaging-our-culture-says-one-million-moms-78690/#EHdzt8puIWVPh29o.99

Muppets Makers End Partnership With Chick-fil-A Over Gay Marriage By Audrey Barrick

The fallout from Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy’s statement that  he supports the biblical definition of marriage is continuing, with the company  behind “The Muppets” being the latest to sever its partnership with the  fast-food chain.

The Jim Henson Company announced on Friday that it would no longer partner  with Chick-fil-A as it embraces “diversity” and “inclusiveness.” Its CEO, Lisa  Henson, personally supports gay marriage. That means no more toys from the  Muppets company for the restaurant’s kid’s meals.

A day earlier, the mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino, vowed to block  Chick-fil-A’s proposed location in his city.

Menino told the Boston Herald that “you can’t have a business in the city of  Boston that discriminates against the population. We’re an open city.”

The backlash to the popular chicken restaurant comes after Cathy’s comments  to the Biblical Recorder that they support “the biblical definition of the  family unit.”

He also stated on “The Ken Coleman Show,” “I think we are inviting God’s  judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better  than you as to what constitutes a marriage. I pray God’s mercy on our generation  that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity  to define what marriage is about.”

Amid the ongoing debate, the Los Angeles Times weighed in, saying people have  a right to boycott Chick-fil-A but drew the line at violating free speech.

“It was the freedom to express politically unpopular views and to oppose such  views that the Founding Fathers fought to establish,” the LA Times wrote in an  editorial Tuesday, while noting that it disagrees with Cathy’s stance.

“As both a private citizen and a prominent public figure, Menino is welcome  to abstain from fried chicken sandwiches and urge others to do likewise. It’s a  different matter if he attempts to trample the free-speech rights of others by  using the power of his office to fight against a business license for  Chick-fil-A.”

Menino’s threat to block the restaurant from getting a license to open in the  city may be justified if the fast-food chain refused service to gay customers,  the LA Times noted. But “there’s no evidence that any such thing has  occurred.”

Chick-fil-A issued a statement last week saying its “culture and service  tradition” is “to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.”

It also stated, “Our mission is to create raving fans; we plan to leave the  policy debate over same-sex marriage to the political arena.”

Meanwhile, Cathy, a Christian, is trusting that free speech still reigns in  the U.S.

“We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we  live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical  principles.”

Amid protests, many are expressing their support to Chick-fil-A. Mike  Huckabee, former GOP presidential candidate, has asked the public to support the  restaurant on Aug. 1.

“No one is being asked to make signs, speeches, or openly demonstrate,” said  Huckabee. “The goal is simple: Let’s affirm a business that operates on  Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the  Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick Fil-A on  Wednesday, August 1.

“Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for  same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional  values, we’re considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and  intolerant. This effort is not being launched by the Chick Fil-A company and no  one from the company or family is involved in proposing or promoting it.”

http://www.christianpost.com/news/muppets-makers-end-partnership-with-chick-fil-a-over-gay-marriage-78798/#7bgxZ1qtvkZ34I78.99

Westboro to Picket Colo. Victims’ Funerals? Local Pastor Calls It ‘Abhorrent’ By Stoyan Zaimov

In the wake of the deadly shootings that occurred at a movie  theater in Colorado last week, extremist Christian group the Westboro Baptist  Church has revealed potential plans to protest victims’ funerals – a decision a  local pastor has called “insulting and abhorrent.”

On Sunday, members from the infamous Topeka, Kan., group tweeted a number of  messages that suggested they were on their way to picket funerals for the 12  victims of the deadly shooting. The group is infamous for picketing the funerals  of soldiers, celebrities, and anyone who does not agree with their belief that  God hates America because of its tolerance of homosexuality.

“Hi ho Hi ho, to Colorado we go! #godsenttheshooter! #americaisdoomed!  #godisyourenemy! #godkillingyoursoldiers!” read a Twitter message from the account of Fred Phelps  Jr., one of the leaders of the organization.

While it could not be confirmed where, when, or even if Westboro would truly  stage a picket, Pastor Mike Dally from the non-denominational Gateway Christian Church in Aurora, shared with The  Christian Post that if the controversial activists believe themselves to be  doing “God’s work,” they are clearly mistaken.

“Were this the early days of the church when people were killed for not  recanting their faith in God by hideous methods and for public entertainment,  this is a group of people who would have stood outside the coliseum picketing  how the people who were being killed deserved it,” Dally suggested.

“Throughout Scripture God sets Himself apart from the sinfulness of man. As  the Holy God, He cannot sin nor can He endure its presence. Yet it is out of  that righteousness that His love is seen most dramatically,” he continued,  referencing John 3:16-17 and 1 John 4:7-12 to explain God’s love for the world  shown through Jesus Christ.

“The sad reality is that many will reject this love and place themselves  under judgment by that rejection,” he added.

The Colorado pastor claimed that what the Westboro congregation has done is  fallen under a “hyper-critical enticement” that leads them to reject God’s call  for love, and even elevate themselves into the position of God, where they  believe they can judge others.

“When men strive to become like God and take His position they have fallen  sway to the same temptation that befell Adam and Eve,” he said.

“They know neither the lives nor the faith status of any of those who have  been killed and while God may be considering these deaths precious in His eyes  they malign the character of God’s precious children,” Dally concluded.

“I’m not saying that all those who died will reap the eternal reward of  heaven promised to those of faith in Christ, but it is completely beyond my  ability to know their hearts and relationships just as it is impossible for the  Westboro Church to know as well.”

A candlelight vigil for Aurora’s victims has already been held in the town  without incident, and memorial services are expected to stretch all week long  across various areas around the country.

Dally has served as senior pastor at Gateway Christian Church since 2002, and  has previously served ministries in Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/westboro-to-picket-colo-victims-funerals-local-pastor-calls-it-abhorrent-78799/#PVFHtFuK9DRzyRgi.99

A Life With No Fear

A Life With No Fear.

Getting Along

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”  Psalm 133:1

I can still remember what it was like to take our family on vacation, only to have the kids in the backseat mar the joy of it all by their bickering and complaining. Who doesn’t remember the disruptive effects of “Dad, she touched me!” or “Mom, he won’t give me a turn!”

If you’ve had that kind of experience, you can imagine how God feels when His children quarrel and complain. Getting along is important to God. Jesus prayed that we would “be one” so that the world would believe He came from the Father (John 17:20-21). And to disciples who were prone to quarreling, He commanded that they love and serve one another (John 13:34-35; Matt. 20:20-28). It should also be noted that among the seven things God hates, He includes “one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:19).

So I’m not surprised that the psalmist tells us that when brothers dwell in unity, it’s like “the precious oil upon the head, running down on . . . the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments” (Ps. 133:1-2). In ancient times, the oil of anointing was full of fragrant spices that graced the environment wherever the anointed one went. May the unity that comes from our love and service to one another fragrantly grace our families, churches, and friendships!

When love and kindness rule our lives, And we are seen as one, The fragrance of our unity Has no comparison.  —Sper

Christians who get along with each other spread the sweet aroma of Jesus.

http://getmorestrength.org/daily/getting-along-2/

Am I Blessed Like This?

Blessed are . . . —Matthew 5:3-11

When we first read the statements of Jesus, they seem wonderfully simple and unstartling, and they sink unnoticed into our subconscious minds. For instance, the Beatitudes initially seem to be merely soothing and beautiful precepts for overly spiritual and seemingly useless people, but of very little practical use in the rigid, fast-paced workdays of the world in which we live. We soon find, however, that the Beatitudes contain the “dynamite” of the Holy Spirit. And they “explode” when the circumstances of our lives cause them to do so. When the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance one of the Beatitudes, we say, “What a startling statement that is!” Then we must decide whether or not we will accept the tremendous spiritual upheaval that will be produced in our circumstances if we obey His words. That is the way the Spirit of God works. We do not need to be born again to apply the Sermon on the Mount literally. The literal interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount is as easy as child’s play. But the interpretation by the Spirit of God as He applies our Lord’s statements to our circumstances is the strict and difficult work of a saint.

The teachings of Jesus are all out of proportion when compared to our natural way of looking at things, and they come to us initially with astonishing discomfort. We gradually have to conform our walk and conversation to the precepts of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit applies them to our circumstances. The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations— it is a picture of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is having His unhindered way with us.

http://utmost.org/am-i-blessed-like-this/

No Matter What

“Therefore say:  ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:  Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone’.” — Ezekiel 11:16

Throughout the ages, God has commanded the Jewish people always to remember the land of Israel. And in recent decades, in His kindness, God has allowed His people to re-settle the Holy Land and build it into a light among the nations. But for centuries upon centuries, all the Jewish people were able to do was pine for their homeland, hoping against hope that one day they would be able to return.

So during all those long years – and even today, for those who have not yet had the opportunity to see the land of Israel – what was a Jewish person to do while in exile? How could the Jewish people relate to God while expelled from their holy land?

This question isn’t simply academic – a historical curiosity. After all, we all experience times throughout our lives when we feel that God has hidden Himself from us. During these difficult times – whether during the illness of a loved one, a tough day at work, or even simply struggling to fine-tune our connection to God – how are we to make sure that we don’t suffer spiritual withdrawal? How are we to maintain our connection to God during those moments when He feels so far away?

God answers this question in his prophetic message to Ezekiel. He reminds the prophet that although the Jewish people have been sent into a difficult exile and have been dispersed throughout the world, they must still remember that no matter how far away from Israel the Jews have been sent, God remains “a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone” (Ezekiel 11:16). In other words, even when it is hard to see God finds a way into our lives, and serves as a sanctuary for us even until the ends of the earth.

And this is the ultimate comfort for all of us. Just as the Jewish people – no matter how far from their land they went – were accompanied by God, so too all of us – as disconnected from the Divine as we may feel at times – only need to look around us to see God at work in our lives.

Indeed, Ezekiel’s message to us whenever we feel we are at a spiritual low is that God watches over us — no matter what and no matter where.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/no-matter-what

Jesus Makes An Heroic Choice

On their way to the villages of Cesarea Philippi Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” They told him, “John the Baptist; others say, ‘Elijah‘; some say, ‘One of the prophets.’” Then he said to them, “But you yourselves, who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” But he strictly charged them to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Then Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and high priests and scribes and be killed, but that after three days he would rise from the dead. This he said openly; and Peter tried to reprove him. But Jesus turned and, looking upon his disciples, reproved Peter, saying, “Away with you, Satan, for your mind is not on the things of God but of men.”

Then Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him, and said to them, “If any one wishes to follow me, let him forget himself, take up his cross, and come with me. For any one who is thinking only of saving his life, will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the good news, will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? For what could a man give in exchange for his soul? Whoever is ashamed of me and my teachings in this sinful world, of him I will be ashamed when I come in the glory of my Father with the holy angels.”

http://kids.ochristian.com/Childrens-Bible/Jesus-Makes-An-Heroic-Choice.shtml

“He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.” John 3:33

We can only set to our seal that God is true in any one point of doctrine, experience, or precept when we feel an inward witness that God indeed has declared it. Thus, upon every manifestation of God’s goodness to the soul, every application of Christ‘s blood to the conscience, and every revelation of God’s distinguishing grace, it is only as we receive Christ’s testimony, experience the inward approbation of it, and feel its sweetness and blessedness that we can set to our seal that God is true. This, we may be well assured, is the only way to know the power and reality of true religion, to understand the Scriptures, and enjoy a convincing testimony that God is our God, Christ our Saviour, the Holy Ghost our Teacher, heaven our eternal home, and that our soul is saved in the Lord Jesus Christ with an everlasting salvation.

And with what divine certainty can such a soul sometimes speak. Sometimes, indeed, we cannot believe anything; it seems as if there were nothing in God’s word that we could set our seal to. All seems a mass of confusion, and our ignorance appears so great that we cannot set our seal to any vital truth. But when the blessed Spirit is pleased to testify of the things of God, and we, receiving the testimony of Jesus Christ, walk in the light of that testimony, then there is a holy certainty of and heavenly acquiescence with God’s truth. This divine faith will bring us through all our trials and sorrows, and though we may be dragged through a very hell of temptation, yet shall we know God is true. Here, then, is the grand trial of faith; first to receive Christ’s testimony, and then to hang upon that testimony, in spite of all opposition from within and without, from feeling its weight, power, and sweetness.

http://devotionals.ochristian.com/j-c-philpot-daily-portions.shtml