"Marriage is much more than a ceremony and a certificate. It is a daily building assignment."
~ Colin Campbell
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Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.
Revelation 5:12: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." The Lamb of God shall reign, and all those who have become lambs, by the virtue of His blood, shall reign with him.
Men, God's government is opposite to man's government. In man's government, the eloquent, slick, smooth-tongued, rich, and powerful reign. In God's 'government those who are meek, submissive, gentle, and humble, first towards God and secondly towards their fellow-men, shall inherit the earth and reign with Christ over it.
All true Christians need to know that a once slain sacrificial Lamb dwells within their temple (body). He is risen from the dead and He will reign forever and ever. More than that, He is worthy to reign. It is a humble, submissive, meek, innocent Lamb who conquers sin, Satan, and all evil.
The truth is that God has chosen in Christ, lambs of meekness to reign over all of His creation. If we are not lambs in spirit and character, our use for God is very limited.
It takes lambs to make a successful marriage, a successful nation, a successful city, a successful church, and a successful in God's economy. We read in Revelation 19:7 that it is a Lamb that is wedded to the ready bride. The wedding of all weddings is called "The marriage supper of the Lamb." Two meek lambs joined together make a most successful marriage.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Men of meekness are gentle with their loved ones. They do not desire to hurt or crush their feelings. They are also gentle when dealing with the souls of their fellow men whom they seek to influence for Christ at all times. However, when it is appropriate, they will not hesitate to make a bold stand for righteousness against the enemies of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The bride in the Song of Solomon, of whom we are a type in this world, is portrayed as "Beautiful as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners." Verse 10 pictures her: "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?"
In Revelation 5:6 John reveals Jesus Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but also standing in the midst of the throne as a meek, submissive, innocent Lamb who is worthy to reign. His reign will be very powerful against His enemies.
Jesus was meek in spirit to those who had a repentant heart, but He was a Lion to those who opposed righteousness. Men, this is the kind of meekness God looks for in us.
Philippians 4:5 (JBP) says: "Have a reputation for gentleness."
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).
Men, meekness is a great virtue that God loves to see alive and active in His people. I notice in Scripture that meekness is closely associated with other virtues . For example:
"Meekness and gentleness" (2 Corinthians 10:1).
"Lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearing" (Ephesians 4:2).
"Patience and meekness" (1 Timothy 6:11).
"Gentleness and meekness unto all men" (Titus 3:2).
"Meekness and fear" when giving reason for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15).
Meek men are not pushy, shovey, or demand their own way. They are not "bulls in a china shop" where there are lots of delicate porcelain dishes. They do not run rough-shod over other people's feelings.
Meek men are not haughty, proud, or arrogant in their associations with their fellow men.
It is wrong to associate meekness with weakness for Moses was a very powerful and strong leader as he led the Israelites out of Egypt. He was no pushover timid lamb when dealing with the hard-hearted Pharaoh. And yet Numbers 12:3 states: "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth."
Jesus Christ was not a man to mess with when it came to facing the devil or the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Yet in Matthew 11:28-30 He says, "Come unto me . . . learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
Meek men are lowly and gentle with their wives and families but they are bold as lions when dealing with the enemy.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4).
When judgment is fast approaching a city or nation it is appropriate for that city or nation to mourn and repent. When the citizens of Nineveh heard the message to repent because of approaching judgment, they mourned with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. Jonah 3:5-9 tells us that their pagan king urged them to "cry mightily unto God." The king actually preached repentance to his people, insisting them to repent even more than reluctant Jonah, saying: "Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?" (verse 9).
Verse 10 tell us: "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."
It is high time for all Christian married couples, who are even considering divorce, to repent like the people of Nineveh and turn away from every hard word and action. We must do our own personal effort to seek with all our hearts to put things right where we have done wrong. We must never be so insensitive to God to think that all the adultery, fornication, divorce, as well as abortion, will not invite God's judgment on the land, except we repent.
We dare not kid ourselves that abortion and sexual perversion is not happening in the house of God (the church). Instead, it is gathering momentum. How shameful to hear of Christians who attended "Fifty Shades of Grey." It is indeed time to mourn and grown in the spirit. Do we not care that ever increasing numbers are lining up to have abortions, often accompanied by their "loving and caring" youth pastors?
I do not take pleasure in being an alarmist or some type of doomsday prophet, but the truth is that someone has to sound the alarm. I also do not wish to proclaim that I am some holier-than-thou, pointing-the-finger preacher who wants to condemn all to hell. Far be it. For we all need to repent in some way or other. None of us are entirely guiltless. Nor am I.
Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and heard the seraphim crying with covered faces, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:1-3). What was his response? "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isaiah 6:5).
Ezekiel 9:4 says: "And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. . . Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary." Would you? Would I be one who would receive the mark and thus avoid the judgment?
Joel 2:17 says: "Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?"
Be encouraged to mourn and weep for our own sin and the sin of the nation.
Colin Campbell
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The second Beautiful Attitude is: "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4).
We Christian men should know what it means to "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep (mourn) with them that weep" (Romans 12:15). We should mourn over the things that our Savior, Christ Jesus mourns over as well as experience His comfort.
The question is: Do we mourn over the innocent blood that is shed in the abortion clinics of our nation? Do we mourn more for the Christians who are beheaded, raped, and burned alive by ISIS? Both shed innocent blood and both deserve to be mourned. We should also mourn over the unclean pornographic addictions, not only in the world, but also via the Internet in the church. We should mourn over the marriage break downs within the church.
There are many things we should mourn over before the Lord in prayer. May God save us from insensitive hearts towards the great need in the world right now. What about the precious souls in North Korea who greatly suffer at the hands of a brutal, communist regime? What about the Christians who suffer and are tortured in Islamic nations? What about the multiplied millions of souls who have never once heard the gospel? Do we mourn over the corruption of our government? Do we mourn over the killings in our streets?
Does Jesus weep and mourn for the fatherless and widows? What do we do? Much of the time we seek for more pleasure and hardly shed a tear before out great High Priest and Intercessor.
I think we desperately need our hearts to be softened so that we may feel something of the aching heart of Jesus Christ.
Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Should we not weep over our cities?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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We find the first beautiful attitude in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The kingdom of heaven is given to the poor in spirit.
Worldliness makes for an empty marriage.
Heavenliness makes for a rich and loving marriage.
Men, the poor in spirit are those who are not full of themselves and their own importance. They do not try to push their own way on others. On the contrary, the poor in spirit realize the importance of being broken for Christ. They have come to understand how much their spirits need Jesus Christ to fill them and take control of them.
Those who know anything about horses know that they are not much use to man until they are "broken in." The term "broken in" means that their will is broken to do the will of the master. The poor in spirit have their will broken in to Christ. They do not fill their spirits with this world's goods even though they may live in the midst of luxury. They realize that the gap in their spirits is uniquely made for God alone.
Any man or woman who enters into marriage with the idea of pushing or shoving their own unbroken will on to their spouse will find their house in ruins sooner or later. The Christian marriage must be Christ-centered, not self-centered. What's the use of even trying to hold a Christian marriage together when our spirits have not become poor (broken) to our own willfulness and selfishness?
There may not be many who can be rich in this world's goods and at the same time keep their spirits poor. I believe it is possible but the person would need to be mature and always on guard.
The kingdom of heaven that is given to the poor in spirit not only refers to the next life. Rather, it talks about the effects of the heavenly kingdom on our lives now. The joy, peace, and provision of the heavenly kingdom are for us to experience now. Our marriages also can experience the unity and love of the heavenly kingdom right now. However, the condition required to experience the blessing of the heavenly kingdom never changes. We must be poor in spirit to the things of this world.
God spoke to the prosperous farmer in Luke 12:20, 21: "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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I mentioned yesterday that we would discuss the "principle spices" mentioned in Exodus 30:22-33. God commanded Moses to make the anointing oil with certain spices--pure myrrh, SWEET cinnamon, SWEET calamus, cassia, and olive oil. The composition and measurements had to be precise and the anointing oil was never to be used in any secular way.
This is a picture of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was poured upon Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:9 states that Jesus was anointed with "the oil of gladness above thy fellows." We note that two of these chief spices were SWEET. This anointing made Jesus more gracious that the elders and priests of His day. We read in Luke 4:22: "All bare him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." In John 76 they said: "Never man spake like this man." This testimony was because of the chief spices typified in the anointing oil that was given to Him without measure (John 3:34).
In Song of Solomon 3:6 they ask the question: "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh, and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?"
The bride describes the Bridegroom in Song 5:13: "His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips (his speech) like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh . . . his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedar. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend."
Men, this same Bridegroom lives inside of you and me by His Holy Spirit. Are you revealing these qualities to your wife? Do you speak gracious words to your wife?
John 12:16 says: "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace." This anointing of the indwelling Bridegroom should make our Christian marriages very sweet, gracious, and full of gladness. This is what true Christian marriage is meant to be. These principle spices are in Christ for every Christian married couple to experience.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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The word "blessed," meaning happy, is used nine times in the first eleven verses of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-11). Every married couple wants to have a blessed and happy marriage.
Often when the word "blessed" is used in the Scriptures it has a double emphasis meaning "happy, happy" or "doubly blessed." God wants us to not only have an average or ordinary marriage, but a happy, happy and doubly blessed marriage!
Those who begin their marriage by daily praying and reading God's Word together will soon discover the abundant happiness God wants them to experience. These principles, the most beautiful attitudes, that Jesus teaches are without exception to be learned and applied. It is sad that many Christian marriages are anything but happy and this is directly related to the amount of effort the husband and wife put in to apply these attitudes to their individual and collective lives.
What an amazing blessing for children to be brought up in an environment where these "principle spices" (Exodus 30:23), which I will talk about tomorrow, abound in both the marriage and family life.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Men, the best place to live out the Sermon on the Mount is in our marriage (Matthew, chapters 5 - 7). This is where the rubber meets the road. Our marriages comes first, followed closely by parenting our children. Together, this makes the nucleus of the Christian family.
How is it possible for children to feel secure and protected if their daddy and mommy do not demonstrate the right attitudes towards each other? Although the children may not voice the problem or even understand what is wrong with their parents, they feel the vibes and tension.
A home where there is constant disagreement, verbal fighting, clashing of wills, or even the cold "silent treatment" is no place for children. Tempers, anger, shoutings, and accusations destroy security and are not conducive to healthy emotions in children.
Christian couples may attend church and outwardly convey that "all is well with my soul," but is it really? Jesus Christ came and died for us that we might have life and have it MORE ABUNDANTLY (John 10:10). And yet there are few Christians among the multitudes who have really found this abundant life. The big question is: Why is this the case?
The answer is clear and simple. How much have you sought to familiarize yourself with Christ's teaching in the Beautiful Attitudes? Many Christian want Jesus, but they do not want His teaching. Perhaps they may listen to His Word, but they don't want to apply it to their lives. Jesus said in Luke 6:46: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"
To accept Jesus and yet not apply His teaching to our lives is false and results in the marriage chaos happening across the nation. The teachings of Jesus, coupled with willing hearts to apply them, will save our marriages and homes. To believe that Jesus is the answer to the world and yet fail to follow His Word with all our hearts is to build our marriages and homes on the sand.
Jesus' teachings are the only solid rock--the only solid foundation--that no storm, no matter how huge, can prevail against it.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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We praise God today that all but one of the Supreme Court judges in Alabama upheld the traditional view that marriage is only between one man and one woman. We must continue to pray that the federal government will not intervene and over-rule the leadership of the states as they did over the issue of the Ten Commandments being displayed in the courts of Alabama.
In the all important sermon that Jesus gave on the Mount of Beatitudes, often called the (Beautiful Attitudes) in Matthew, chapters 5 - 7 Jesus concluded by saying: "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock" (Matthew 7:24).
The real reason why marriages (homes and families) fall apart is that we do not build them upon hearing and doing the sayings of Christ. The storms and floods are certainly assailing marriages and only those that are built upon the words of Christ will survive. The rest are falling and crashing to the ground.
The devil does not want Christian marriages to succeed because marriages mirror Christ, the Heavenly Bridegroom and the church who is His bride. Also, Christian marriages procreate children who when they are raised up in the fear and admonition of the Lord are a major threat to Satan (Ephesians 6:4).
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Men, I mentioned in my last post that whatever it takes for a man to woo a woman and bring her to the altar to say, "I do," is what it takes to hold the marriage together. Because of the storms that currently attack the very existence and idea of marriage, we need to MORE THAN DOUBLE OUR EFFORTS to maintain and grow our marriages.
In today's world of divorce, and even multiple divorces, plus the homosexual agenda that degrades holy wedlock, it makes it harder for marriages that are going through struggles, small or great, to survive. All of this means that we Christians have to work harder than ever to keep our marriages strong and meaningful. We Christians have Christ on our side and we can do all things through Him (Philippians 4:13).
If married couples could demonstrate to the world the love, unity, and care that God intends us to express in our marriages, why, the world would knock down our doors to find out what we have that they do not have.
The question is: How is this possible if we, God's people, do not allow Christ into our marriages? He must be in control of our individual lives as well as our joined-together lives.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Today, 2nd March, my wife and I celebrate our 52nd wedding anniversary. All these years have been unbelievably, amazingly beautiful. I would love to have at least 52 years more with the woman of my life.
Men, we who are married must realize more than ever that marriage is under serious attack. It is so important to not ever take our marriage for granted. The man or woman who does nothing, or little to strengthen and build up their marriage relationship is foolish at any time, let alone the times we in which we now live.
We all live in homes that too a few months or more to construct. But that is not the end. We have to keep maintaining the home in order to keep it ship shape and as new as it was the day we first took possession. We have to keep cleaning the home. Stains have to be removed from carpets, doors need new latches, walls and ceilings need repainting from time to time, plumbing needs constant attention and so on.
Our marriage is like a house. It may take a few months to prepare for the time of the wedding ceremony, the honeymoon is over in a week or two, and then the work of maintenance begins. Just imagine what a new home would look like, both inside and out, without a maintenance program. It would soon deteriorate.
Men, I believe that whatever brought your marriage into being in the first place is what it takes to keep it going. Whatever you did to win your wife's heart in the beginning is what it takes to keep her happy and contented through the years.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Men, I believe that one of the main reasons why the nation succumbs to the homosexual assault of holy wedlock is because of the churches' low esteem on the sanctity of marriage.
How can we expect the world to honor the ordinance of marriage as sacred if we do not regard the vows we make to each other as sacred and holy? Are we not at fault for the decline of esteem for marriage as something very sacred, established by God in the Garden of Eden, and honored by Christ when He turned the water into wine at the marriage in Cana of Galilee?
Vows are indeed sacred and we should treat them with utmost respect, coupled with the fear of the Lord.
The divorce rate in America has made a mockery of holy wedlock, thus weakening God's high moral standard. Divorce should in no way be "the norm" of the Christian church. Sad to say, with approximately 50 percent of Christian marriages ending in divorce, it is pretty much "the norm" in this nation.
We who call ourselves Christians should be weeping over the sacrilege of our broken vows that invoke the name of our triune God. Sadly, we ask: Where are the tears? This does not mean that I, as a pastor, should not be merciful and understanding to those who have, for whatever reason, suffered the sadness and hurt suffered by break-up and divorce. The church should make every endeavor to help and support a suffering couples with all the love and care we can give.
The reason why we Christians of this 21st century cannot muster the strength to fight in this day of battle and experience a resounding victory over the perversity of the homosexual agenda is that we have become weak through our failure to stem the tide of divorce. Sad to say, unless we repent, the homosexuals will put the final nails in the coffin of holy wedlock between one man and one woman.
We must ask ourselves: Is God pleased with the state of the church for the way it treats the values of a Christ-like marriage for the world to see? Answer: Definitely not. In fact, quite the opposite. We must repent that the pearls of God's design for marriage have, and are being trampled on.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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While we still have freedom of speech in this land, we should exercise our freedom to speak out against the evils that seek to destroy all the righteous goodness that has made this country the great nation that it is--or should we say, has been.
Marriage is a foundation stone, ordained of God, from which springs all the families that make the nation what it is--either good or bad. The sanctity of marriage has been, and continues to be, under enormous attack from the enemy.
We read in Scripture that marriage symbolizes the spiritual relationship that Christ, our heavenly Bridegroom has with His bride, the true church that is meant to be always seeking to please her ever-loving Husband. That is why we as the bride of Christ should steadfastly resist all efforts to pervert the marriage act and the ordinance of holy matrimony that God has blessed, not only within the church, but also outside of it.
The well-being of our nation is dependent on our allegiance to uphold the truth and our resistance to all that is false.
Men, we need to pray about the government taking control of the Internet. There is talk of them passing a bill, "Net Equality," but as usual, no one knows anything about it. Sound familiar? They will surely try to stop all opposition against gay marriage, etc. The Internet is a major bastion of our freedom of speech and we do not need the government taking control.
Pray, stand up, and speak out. Call your representative and be a voice.
Isaiah 59:19 says: "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." The standard needs standard-bearers. This means you and me.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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Last night I was impressed to watch a lady on Fox News who owns a Florist business. Because of her religious beliefs, she refuses to sell flowers to homosexuals for their weddings. All I can say is that she is one courageous woman who is prepared to stand up for her honest convictions in the midst of a nation that has become so wimpy and flaky on this subject. May God bless her over and over again. All Christians need to pray for her because the powers that be within the states, the government, and even some churches will surely try to demonize her and put her out of business.
It would be a great testimony if all Christian businesses, and churches, who provide services for weddings would also follow her example and demonstrate to the world how deeply offended genuine Christians are regarding the defaming of marriage. The holy marriage ordinance, sanctioned by God for the purpose of joining together a man and a woman in holy matrimony has been abused and defiled. Homosexuals are trampling under their feet the holy things of God. Those who call themselves Christians and sanction this behavior need to read their Bibles a whole lot more in order to understand what God says about this subject.
Many argue that we should just love and encourage these people no matter what their lifestyle. I believe this is sloppy love, not biblical which puts our love to God first. It is cheap grace which is not true biblical grace.
Titus 2: 11-14 tells us about biblical grace: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
No matter what politicians do to change the laws of this land, we all have to one day answer to God's laws, whether we believe them or not.
2 Corinthians 5:10: "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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In my last post, I asked the question: Do we not care if God should decide to stand up against us and become our enemy?
Isaiah 63:9, 10 says: "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them."
The last enemy that America needs against them is Almighty God! But like Israel in the days of old, we have, and are rebelling against Him. We vex His Holy Spirit when we create laws that deliberately violate His moral laws. When homosexuals can enter into the same holy, ordained-by- God covenant of marriage as heterosexuals enter, we are thumbing our nose at God. We fail to connect the dots when calamites come upon us.
As a nation we desperately need God on our side. We constantly hear our present administration declaring that ISIS will never come and attack us here. How can they be so certain about that? Was not 9/11 a wakeup call for America? We are like an adulteress woman who cheats on her husband and defiantly states that nothing is wrong. All will be well. Really?
There is only one thing left for us to do if we are going to keep God on our side. And that is to repent. God loves us all, including homosexuals, but He has commanded all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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According to the 1893 Webster's Dictionary, the word "tolerate" means:
1. "to allow or permit negatively by not preventing, not to restrain as to tolerate opinions or practices."
2. "the power or capacity of enduring."
We conclude that tolerance itself is not a bad thing if used correctly. However, if it is used to sanction evil behavior, e.g. murder, rape, and immoral behavior that corrupts cultural values as well as bringing judgment from the God fo heaven and earth, then we must steadfastly resist abusing tolerance.
Because the homosexual community screams out their values, flaunts their behavior in the gay pride parades, and seeks to push their immoral agenda in our state education system, it does not mean that the rest of us who fear God should not be alarmed, disgusted, or even outraged by all this being rammed down our throats.
They are alarmed when we express vocally our indignation and they want to imprison us for "hate speech" when we speak out. The fact that 36 states of our nation have now fallen for their demands to legalize homosexual marriage in the name of tolerance is like poking a stick in the eyes of God who has shown us many undeserved mercies.
Where is the fear of God in the legislators of our states? Why have we hardened our hearts against His laws? Have we become so ungrateful for all His benevolence towards us? Do we not care if God should decide to stand up against us and become our enemy? The words in Isaiah 63:10 should cause us to walk in the fear of God: "But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them."
It seems to me that if we do not have the moral courage to stand against the violation of the sanctity of the holy marriage institution as given by God between one man and one woman, we are standing on dangerous ground.
All this is happening because we have, and are abusing tolerance.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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The Holy Bible, from beginning to end, does not in any way encourage us to be tolerant of sexual perversions in whatever manner they express themselves in our own lives, families, or churches. As far as the world is concerned we are to be a righteous influence.
Our nation, including many of our churches, struggles with the "politically correct" doctrine of "tolerance." The colleges of our nation fill the minds of our youth with this doctrine, which on the surface, appeals to the human mind. However, tolerance is dangerous when taken to extreme. Unfortunately, what we face today in America is extreme tolerance.
When we can no longer call extreme Islam terrorism for what it really is in case we offend moderate Islamics, we are in servitude. We are no longer free. When we can no longer speak out against terrorists who burn people alive in cages, behead ever increasing numbers of Christians, sell off young teenage girls into slavery, as well as blowup crowds of innocent people, tolerance has become our enemy.
When we can no longer denounce the slaughter of millions of innocent babies in their mother's wombs for the sake of tolerance it has become our enemy.
When, in the fear of God, we cannot denounce homosexuality for fear of offending someone who may be involved in this sin, then tolerance has become our enemy. The homosexual crowd think nothing of offending the consciences of Christians who believe that from the beginning God ordained the holy institution of marriage to be between a man and a woman. In this they are hypocrites.
To be continued.
Colin Campbell
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The Christian church should not tolerate the sin of homosexuality! Whatever is an abomination to God should be an abomination to the body of Christ (Leviticus 18:22).
When the two angels came from God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, they exhorted Lot to grab his whole family and quickly get out of the city (Genesis 19:12-17). Even though the angels urgently warned Lord, he continued to procrastinate. Verse 16 says: "And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city."
The question we have to ask ourselves is this: was Lot tolerating homosexuality? The only logical answer is yes. Although he did not accept this lifestyle himself, he tolerated it. After Lot separated himself from his uncle Abraham, he "pitched his tent toward Sodom." He actually faced his tent toward Sodom even though "the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly " (Genesis 13:12, 13). If Lot was standing against homosexuality, he would have stayed away from Sodom.
If you don't take a stand against something, you eventually get sucked into it. We read in the next chapter that Lot eventually moved into the city itself. Genesis 14:12 tells us about Lot "who dwelt in Sodom."
Sadly, Lot becomes more and more entrenched. Where was Lot when the two angels came to rescue him from the city? He now sat in the gate of Sodom (Genesis 19:1). In ancient times the gate was the place of government and eldership. Although not involved in the sin itself, Lot was now more tolerant and accepting than when he pitched his tent toward Sodom. If you don't turn away, but put your face toward Sodom, it reveals you are attracted to it.
2 Peter 2:6-9 (ESV) tells us that the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah was an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly: "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world . . . if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard . . . "
Even though our laws, both federal and now in 36 states of our union make this sin lawful, God says that it is unlawful. What God says is unlawful is indeed unlawful.
When the angels helped Lot and his family (not all wanted to escape judgment), they said, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed" (Genesis 19:17). But Lot's wife looked back from behind Lot and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).
Lot's wife revealed her tolerating lifestyle, but God showed throughout all history and to us today that He does not respect tolerance of sin.
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell
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