COM Newsletter - July 2020
WHAT TIME IS IT?
What is the time in which we are living? I have to ask myself this question almost every day when I see what is going on in the world today.
The Coronavirus causing world wide quarantine, tornadoes in Tennessee, fires in Austrailia and the LGBTQ world-wide celebrations. Has God forgotten us? Does He care or know what is going on?
I was talking with a Catholic friend recently. I shared with him that the world is going through the fulfillment of the book of Revelation where it reveals that there will be rumors of wars, plagues and pestilences. He interrupted me and said that all of that has been going of for years, even centuries. He turned around to me and said, “Name me one thing that has happened in the world that is new and that hasn’t happened in the last 100 years”? I thought hard for a moment and prayed for the Holy Spirit to help me and then it hit me.
I blurted out, “World-wide LGBTQ+ acceptance and same sex marriage!” He was stumped and had to agree. He said I was the only one to answer his question in a way that was original and that the world is not the same as it has been.
God has made it plain in 1 Thessalonians 5:6-11 (KJV) where it clearly says:
[6] Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
[7] For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
[8] But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
[9] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
[10] Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
[11] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
…
Our calling, honor and privilege is to stand for the right, even though the world is saying quite the opposite. There are many who are spiritually asleep, but if we see the “time” in which we are living, we have the assurance that we are part of something that the prophets not only wrote about but wished that they could be living through!
Now is not the time to be panicked and afraid, but it’s time to make sure that we are seeking the victory for our besetting behaviors that separate us from God- while His atoning blood is still being poured out to us. It is also the last chance that we have to invite others to do the same as they see the light of God in our faces and in the way we live.
Now is not the time to join the ranks of the world that call right wrong or make the truth a lie (Isaiah 5:20). Now is the time to realize that very soon we are going to see our Savior face to face and we will never be tempted or tortured by our thoughts or memories ever again.
Seek Jesus Christ now and help others follow Him all the way through the wildest time this world has ever experienced! The “final events will be rapid ones” (9T 11), and the next thing we see will be our Savior.
ASHLEY’S TESTIMONY
Q&A
Question: Is the battle against homosexuality within myself simply an exercise in futility?
Reply: First of all, we have to acknowledge that no one receives a spotless character as an inheritance from his parents, or as a gift from any other human being. The apostle Paul counsels, "that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24).
A noble life and character is received as the gift of God through Jesus Christ. Those who receive Jesus as their Savior from sin, including the sin of homosexuality, become sons and daughters of God. They are His spiritual children, born-again, renewed in a life of doing right according to His standard, not that of the increasingly degenerate world. They accept and receive the divine power, or grace, of God. In cooperation with the proposition to "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5), their minds are changed. With clearer vision they can see the evil of their homosexuality in light of eternal realities. They are adopted into God's family, and they become conformed to His likeness and changed by the working of His Spirit from victory to victory against homosexual tendencies and temptations. From cherishing supreme love for self (the root of homosexuality, as well as of all other sin), they come to cherish supreme love for God and for Christ.
Accepting Jesus Christ as a personal Savior from the sin of homosexuality, and following His example of self-denial in the area of sexual gratification—this is the secret of success in battling homosexual tendencies and temptations.
Overcoming homosexuality is not the result of depending upon one's feelings, it is the result of surrendering all to God and living by "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). It is doing the will of our heavenly Father, trusting in God through trial and temptation, and believing in His promise in the darkness as well as in the light. A successful relationship with Jesus results from walking by faith as well as by sight, trusting in God with all confidence, and resting in His love.
A genuine victor over homosexuality is one who is changed from within as well as in outward behavior, one who guards his thoughts as well as his actions, one who is entirely and without reserve the Lord's, not in form, but in truth. Every impurity of thought, every lustful passion, separates the soul from God, for Christ can never put His robe of righteousness upon a homosexual sinner, to hide his abnormal sexual orientation.
“There must be a progressive work of triumph over evil, of sympathy with good, of reflection of the character of Jesus. We must walk in the light [of truth], which will increase and grow brighter unto the perfect day [from day to day until complete and total victory is achieved]. This is real, substantial growth, which will finally attain to the full stature of men and women in Jesus Christ....
Conformity to the likeness of Christ's character, overcoming all sin and temptation, walking in the fear of God, setting the Lord continually before us, will bring peace and joy on earth, and ensure us pure happiness in heaven.” (Our High Calling, 214)
Q&A text taken from:
TESTIMONY
Testimony from a young man in Nigeria, Africa:
Dear Elder Michael,
I am writing from Nigeria, Africa.
I am so so grateful to God for your ministry.
Watching the movie Journey Interrupted was so inspiring and transforming. I was deeply encouraged by how that our good Father can deliver anyone! I must say that this has completely changed my view on the homosexuality issue. I have more understanding now.
Fortunately, I have only struggled with pornography which was for a short time in my life and this was during my teens, I was exposed to it through a step brother, I'm 23 now but listening and watching the content you've put out I have better understanding about sexuality. I listened to a sermon preached at GYC some years back titled, Blessed Sex. That helped me. I had begun a journey since last year into sexuality and its purpose. I started this journey reading volumes from James White and JH Kellogg. This audio further comforted me. Formerly, I could not discuss the issue of sex without getting aroused but that has quite changed with having learned the truth of the matter. I bless God. Sex has always been painted as dirty and promiscuous but now I praise God for such a wonderful and powerful gift. I praise Him! Sexual temptations have become easier to deal with because of the truth about it and that's what I believe your ministry is seeking to get out, the truth. Every wrong action we perform is based on error, but truth heard or learned and applied saves, it sets free!
I appreciate so much that your team is talking about these things. I am so thankful to God. Every single sermon I've listened to has been helpful. I have learned causes that I hitherto knew nothing of. Now I see more and more that many cases of homosexuality begin with a broken home as in your case. I have a male friend, we attended the same high school, whose dad left his mum, him and sister. He has many feminine mannerisms. He recently got to the US to begin studying engineering and boom, he confessed to me some months back that he had sex with a guy and now tells me he hopes to get married to a guy and have kids. I was sad but made him know that I do not condemn him neither do I condone the act. I am praying for him. I am encouraged by the stories of prevailing prayer as testified of by you, Pastor Ron, Sister Danielle and Brother Wayne.
How I love the emphasis on intimacy with Jesus! This now is my burning desire. I want to know Him more. God bless you and your work. I really pray we all remain faithful that we may be together with our Lord Jesus.
By Fáwẹ́hìnmí Olúwatóbi
ASHLEY’S TESTIMONY
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