COM Newsletter - January 2023
INSPIRATIONAL THOUGHT
This year I’m recognizing the continuing blessing of God’s Word and Presence in my life. Without it, I have no life. Without it I have no peace. Without it I have nothing firm to stand on. Without it is there is only fear, instability and eventually death.
But with it...!
I read recently in the book “Living by Faith”, the commentary regarding Christ’s miracle of healing the man with palsy in Matthew 9. Christ told him to “Arise, take up his bed and walk”. And he did just that!
As Christians we often have full faith that Christ forgives our sins. Believing that He can keep us from sinning is often harder for us to grasp. Here we struggle, here I struggle. But the first thing Jesus said to the man, upon seeing his pathetic condition was, “Son, be of good cheer! Thy sins be forgiven.” He then went on to tell him to get up and walk home!
Christ saw the reaction of the scribes and read their hearts. They believed that Christ was blasphemous in His remarks and Christ in response questioned why they had such evil thoughts in their minds. So what does the forgiveness of sins have to do with a paralyzed man being able to get up and walk?
Jesus went on to say that the miraculous power of healing was performed SO that they might KNOW that the Son also has miraculous power to forgive sins! Jesus was linking healing with forgiveness. He was illustrating the work of forgiving sin and demonstrating it’s power!
Waggoner and Jones state this, “Note particularly that the effect of the words of Jesus continued after they were spoken. They (the words of Christ) made a change in the man, and that change was permanent. It works the same way in the forgiveness of sin. It’s easy to think that when God forgives your sins that the change is in God and not in you, that God finally ceases to hold anything against you. But this implies that God had a grievance against you, which is not the case. God is not a man; He does not hold a grudge against you. It is not because He has a hard feeling in His heart against you that He forgives you, but because of something in your heart. God is all right; you are all wrong. So God forgives you so that you may also be all right. “Did you catch that? God forgives us so that we too may alright. Healed. Restored. Made new. In Him.
Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” When we receive the word in faith, it brings the Spirit and the life of God into our souls. So when we hear the words, “Son/Daughter, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven”, that is the beginning of a new life that is now within us. We are now a new creature, a new person in Christ. A whole, healed and restored man or woman in Christ.
It is the power of God that forgives us. It is the power of God that heals us of our brokenness and it’s the power of God that maintains that forgiveness and healing, that keeps us from having to sin.
Do we often miss out on His keeping power because we do not fully grasp the power of forgiveness, the healing that He has already given us? The fact that He has now restored us to health and wholeness in Him?
As this new year begins, I’m so thankful for God’s powerful, encouraging, cleansing and enabling Word. It is a Rock to stand on both intellectually and morally in these confusing days of what to do and how to live. And as I daily eat of the Manna, the Word of God, I am being filled with God’s creative power, His presence, His Spirit that lives in me, enabling me to do His will and not my own.
MOVING FORWARD IN 2023
Q&A
Question: I have a younger brother, married, with children who came out about five years ago and said that he is gay.
All of my family attended a Baptist church regularly as we were growing up. When he announced this to the family I first thought about our upbringing in the church and asked him about it. He said that people can be gay and Christian and gave me a book to read by Mel White called Stranger at the Gate. I started to read it but didn’t finish it because I disagree with Mr. White’s opinion and interpretation of the homosexual issue—especially when he wanted to justify it with Scripture.
My question is: can anything be done to rescue my brother from this lifestyle in which he really seems to be entrenched? Even though my family attended church regularly growing up, I am labeled as being judgmental when I voice my opinion that I love my brother but cannot condone or accept this lifestyle. Everyone one in my family thinks that what he is doing is okay, that he was born this way, and that I will eventually have to come to accept it.
Reply: First of all, rest assured that you are not being judgmental toward your brother. You seem to have compassion without compromise, which is God’s way. From what you have shared with me, I believe that you have a level head about this issue.
My counsel is found in the Word of God, for there is truly power in the Word. One has to recognize his need before that help can be given and received though. Of course, you are right in your understanding of this situation, because you are basing your position on the Word of God. My suggestion is that you:
Continue loving unconditionally in thought, word, and action toward your brother.
Pray without ceasing that the Lord will do whatever it takes to get his attention and help him to recognize his need.
Don’t push, but always be ready to share a word of counsel from the Word of God should the occasion arise
Pray for wisdom to be able to say and do the right thing at the right time for your brother.
Be at peace yourself, knowing that the Lord loves your brother more than you do and desires his salvation more than you. He is in safe hands with Him, though He Himself cannot and will not work against your brother’s will.
Be a loving, lovable, and cheerful Christian. Attract your brother to Jesus’ way through your happiness in Him.
Look for an opportunity to share resources with your brother such as my book and website information. He may be more likely to seek help in privacy that he would not want anyone to know about initially. So informing him of these resources might be very helpful.
I know that when I was in your brother’s position, I was not only considered to be “unchangeable” but “unreachable” as well. I would not listen to anything or anyone, talk to anyone, watch anything, read anything, or go anywhere that had anything to do with religion or that might help me out of my situation. Pride is a great factor in the homosexual situation.
My parents quietly left behind many helpful resources whenever they visited. I knew them to be tokens of love and would, therefore, not discard them. Looking back on it, I refer to that collection as my “left behind series,” all of which was purely biblical. When the time was right, the Lord led me to go to these very resources for assistance in my desire to be set free. And there in the Word of God alone I found all the answers I needed.
I hope these tips will be helpful to you in your effort to save your brother from his lifestyle or sin.
Be of good courage!
Victor
Q&A text taken from:
Author: “Victor J. Adamson”
(Ron Woolsey)
TESTIMONY
At the close of December 2022, the ‘Coming Out’ Ministries team arrived in Phoenix AZ for another GYC. This was the 10th year that COM has been represented at GYC and we were thrilled to be able to host a workshop on sexual addiction and pornography. It had been several years since we had conducted a workshop and we wanted to do something special.
This year’s them was “Restored Purity”, with a focus on the fitness that God requires for Heaven. New speakers shared their stories of how God has been working in their lives, reaching beyond the LGBTQ+ message. The meetings were packed during every session and due to space limitations, sadly many that had to be turned away.
The first testimony was given by COM Associate Speaker, Kezia Chisholm. Kezia began her workshop by sharing her testimony of racial confusion, bisexuality, porn and sex addiction. She ended her time with practical steps for freedom based on the Sanctuary message.
Next was an amazing testimony by Daniel Varela. Daniel had been a student at a SDA university living an openly gay life with his partner. While living in student housing and attending the unofficial gay affirming on campus group, the Holy Spirit called to his heart. Daniel shared how he now lives for Christ Who daily gives him the strength he needs to find victory over sex and porn addiction, even in the midst of temptation.
Third was a testimony by Patty Jackson. Patty, was a dedicated Christian girl who found herself pregnant after date rape on her fifteenth birthday. She talked openly about the guilt and shame that followed her abortions and how she found forgiveness and freedom by the promises in the Word of God. Patty shared statistics and demographics of women who chose abortion and also provided resources for women who may be facing this difficult decision now or in the future.
The final testimony was from married couple, Alex and Bruce Biegel. An Associate Speaker with ‘Coming Out’ Ministries, Bruce told his story of childhood sexual abuse by his stepfather that lead to 13 years of living in the gay culture. He and his wife Alex transparently shared what it was like dating and dealing with the trauma of Bruce’s early years. They also shared how God gently and lovingly lead them into a deeper intimacy and connection with God and each other.
A lively Q&A panel discussion moderated by Michael Carducci was held with the speakers and included Pastor Ron Woolsey. Pastor Ron’s wealth of information on the topic and thirty plus years of ministry were a blessing to all. The Q&A was by far the most enriching as the audience was able to ask any questions they had of the speakers. Because of the team’s openness and transparency, there were many conversations following the workshops and at the booth as well. You will find all the interviews and the Q&A posted on audioverse.org and at GYCweb.org.
This event is funded entirely by contributions from our donors. To help us continue this work, please go to: comingoutministries.org/donate
Michael Carducci
Once again ‘Coming Out’ Ministries was privileged to have a booth in the GYC Exhibit Hall in Phoenix, Arizona. With our “living room” setting, many guests found it to be very inviting resulting in very heavy traffic through our booth. There were many opportunities to network for planning future events, to dialogue with interested guests of all ages, to pray with people and to share our resources. And, to our joy and surprise, to hear from guests how our ministry had been a blessing to them personally. We praise the Lord for the very many opportunities this event provided us to “cast our bread upon the waters,” to sow the seed of truth, and to share with so many people our own personal testimonies of victory through the grace of Jesus Christ over what so many people have been conditioned to believe are insurmountable sin and addiction issues. The secret to overcoming sin is in helping others to overcome sin, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our own personal testimonies. Praise the Lord!
Pr. Ron Woolsey
MOVING FORWARD IN 2023
Please consider making a donation to our ministry to help spread the message of God’s love and redemption! Kindly visit our website www.comingoutministries.org and select the Donate button,
or you can send a check or money order directly to
‘Coming Out’ Ministries at PO Box 107, Tilly, AR 72679.
May God bless you for your support!