On May 5th I initiated this thread with a [quote] Brakhus:
"I propose starting a new thread about homosexuality and sin....."

Now that he has started an another thread, I am rethinking the issues this afternoon as I reflect on something our dear brother said:

"I must confess I was very surprised when Katie42 asked Dr Theo if he is a Christian and he eluded the answer. Because of this, I said what I said: If that question were directed to me, I answer it directly and rightly: Yes I'm a Christian. And I think in those terms because I also think that we are managing two inseparables issues: Gayness and Christianity "

He had earlier stated: "..... there is a point quite remarkable: If anybody asked me if I am a Christian? .....I find this a wonderful oportunity to declare my faith and to confirm my love for who died for me. Aren't you, guys, agree? Not only I would answer, I shout it!"

I just finished reading a book written after the events in Columbine Co. The book was called "YES". Here was a lovely young girl who had been troublesome and a rebel at her home and apprehended by Christ her whole demeanor and life changed. When faced by killers with rifles pointed at her, and asked "are you a Christian" she didn't hesitate a beat but reponded immediately with "YES".

Brakhus, I too would respond to the question in the same way. I would say "YES" and pray that my life would so reflect Jesus, that I would be "Jesus with skin on" with those whom I interact. I'd like to look at one of your points again .....

"We are Christians and Christ (His Word, life, death and resurrection) is important for us in order to behavior ourselves at our Lord's Eyes and in our relationships with others."

For me my orientation is not the issue but my identity in Christ IS the issue. I am first and foremost a Christian and it is by the word of my testimony others will come to know Christ and choose Him.

The Word says in Galatians 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. "

Romans 8:1 "[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Romans 8:34-39
"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

For myself, I am first and foremost a Christian all else is commentary. I have, by choosing Jesus Christ, become more than a label put on my life by myself or others. The agency where I work states "label jars not people" and the only identification I truly must wear and declare is, "I am first and foremost a Christian" Praise God!!!
Katie42

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Katie42,

Katie,

I agree with everything you have stated here. What will the purpose of this thread? I'll be checking back to see how it goes.

~Byrd

And having edited my original post I am perhaps more able to answer moondragon's question. I've given a lot of thought to this in the days since I first posted the second half of the above. I wondered if I truly would stand up and be counted. If a gun was pointing at my head would I be so courageous and so faithful to say with Cassie "YES".

I know my heart says it loudly, and Brakhus said he'd answer the question shouting that indeed he is a Christian. BUT when the "Rubber meets the road" when we are faced with almost certain death for answering, would we still trust our Heavenly Father enough to SHOUT?

I do believe what I said about the labels we wear and I do believe that first and foremost I am a Christian. So, how about some dialog. Do you feel you are first and foremost Christian and all the rest is commentary as I suggest, or do the labels people give or the ones we give ourselves play a more dominant role that who we are in Him?

Just wondering?????

Katie42

Dear Katie42:

I thank you, so much, for your words and the time you spend thinking of my post. I know I can learn many important things from you if you kindly share them with me.

Since almost 2000 years ago, Christians were prosecuted and executed because their Faith. Much of our actual faith was constructed upon the blood-sea of martyrdom. Thanks God times change and today is more rare to face such prove of faith. But this is the important issue, as you well noted: I am Christian, and as you said: "first and foremost".
I appreciate, also, your words because of them I could see I was presumptuous about my faith and my confidance in our Lord: If I really face my death for my faith, what could I do? If in this very moment, I mean, NOW, I answer "I don't know", my faith is so weak. But if I answer "I would confess that Jesus is my Lord", it seems that my faith is stronger. But, once again, if I answer "I'll (I mean: "I will", not just "would") shout it!" Again: "I will shout that my Lord died for me and liveth for me"... Don't you think, dear sister, that my faith would be stronger, and at least, I would be better prepared to face my death than with the first answer?

I beg your kindly pardon if I was presumptuous. I just want and I'm trying to do my best for being a good christian and, if I can say: for Jesus be proud of me, because I love Him.

Finally: It is not a matter of labels, as you correctly said. I'm first and foremost a christian and my sexual orientation is just a commentary, as you suggested. And is also true that I am a christian with a certain sexual orientation. It is not a label nor a commentary. The issue is that some churches, pastors, revs., theologians, doctors and scholars believe that this "commentary" is important enough to kick us out from the Christ's Body.

The importance of my sexual orientation is given for them, not for me. I'm a very happy christian and I've got not any guilt or guilty sense about that. But some Pastors, as you know very well, are not agree with that.

The important thing is who are we in Him... you said the truth! And also is important how we are in Him with our personality, including our sexual orientation. And this is important because the people who condemn us or exclude us. If everybody and every church were including and preached that all we are children of God and equaly loved... why to create and support a web site like this gaychurch.org? I answer at once: Because is important. Not every church nor everybody is including. Many people don't have any hope because that "commentary". So, let's have a web site "dedicated to ministering to the gay and lesbian Christian community (GLBT) and friends of our community." Those are the welcoming words of this wonderful web site.

Thanks God, I don't have any problem with being gay and christian, but I know that many people has a situation with that. And is for those people that a web site like this (gaychurch.org) is very important. So, when I discovered the site, I said: "Thanks be to God for giveth us the victory", and saw what christians like you, and Rose, and Elaine, and many more, are doing to work in the God's work and bring the glad tiddings to those people who are suffering for being gay AND crhistian. I know what are you doing and I appreciate it very much, so I wanted joining you in this work and help you. I'm not a Pastor, nor a Minister, or nothing like that. I'm just a plain christian that has the arrogance to think he can help others to reach peace of mind and reconciliate faith and sexuality, all for the Glory of Our Lord and God.

And I must confess, also, that is very hard to me to post in english, and I think that in any moment I could say a nonsense. I think I could help you much better if I could post in spanish, my natural language, but for the moment, I must be confident in your comprehension and good feelings toward me.

Thank you, again, Katie42. Pray for me, and so we can grow together in the Love of our Lord. I'll appreciate very much if you suggest me how to help you in a better way.

Blessings, as always.

Katie, I like the way you have developed this thread. It has made me do a lot of thinking!

When asked by other Christians, as you did Doc Theo, I find it easy to say, "Yes, I am a Christian and I love my God". But I have trouble putting myself into a position where someone else would ask me that question. I don't think it's ever happened and I have never created a situation where I just blurt out "I am a Christian".

I have an easier time picturing being asked if I am gay by someone in my church and how I might react to that question in that setting. It is then that I would want to firmly identify myself as a Christian and leave their question alone!

So for this thread, let me say, "Yes, I am a Christian. I am part of the Body of Christ. I love God and crave the Holy Spirit."

Katie,
I have never had a gun pointed at my head and asked if I was a Christian, but my wife Abby did almost leave me when I told her I wanted to follow Jesus. It was hard I mean really, really hard. I love Abby with all of who I am and anyone who knows us, can't imagine what the other would be like if we broke up.

We've had strangers come up to us and tell us what a wonderful couple we are. They can see the love in our eyes, in the way we hold hands... I guess what I'm getting at is, that was my "gun in face" moment. I was scared. Petrified that my wife would leave me after 6 years (at that point) of being together. After we had been married for over 2 years!

Even today she isn't understanding about it all, and there are moments where I can hear her saying "I just don't get it..." I'm scared still that she may leave me or that our differences might be too big now. I don't shove my beliefs down her throat, but still there has been a change in me and it has truly effected our relationship as a couple in more of a negative way than a positive.

I will NOT sacrifice my relationship with Christ for my marriage to Abby and I have told her that. I almost did. I almost gave up God for her, but I knew I couldn't do that just to make her happy. Instead I begged her to just give it a shot and told her we'd work it out. I literally begged her. It was the worst moment in my marriage. I thought it was the end of our marriage.

Everyday I pray to God to help me in my marriage to Abigail for I am 100% sure we are meant to be together. God brought us together and I believe I am with her for a reason. But does she see it that way? Probably not, or at least not that it God's love that brought us together.

It is easier to say, "I'm gay" than it is to say "I'm Christian". It may always be that way since I do not have other Christian family members in my immediate family. In my youth I was ridiculed and mocked for my beliefs by my step-father, Eric. Since coming back to Christ in the past year or so nothing negative has been said, but I am sure one day it will be. Or at least I am prepared for it, if it does happen.

We all have those moments that other Christians did in the past from the Bible. Ours are just different and have a more modern spin on them. Look at others folks in China who are made to give up their Christianity by the government! Can you imagine that? At least I have the legal freedom to be openly Christian. I just can't do that easily within my own personal life.

Anyhow, I have posted long enough. One last thing, New Song's statement of: "I love God and CRAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT," really rings true for me right now.

~Byrd

What wonderful, well considered responses. I'm humbled by the words and the thoughts you've shared. With New Song I can say, "I love God and Crave the Holy Spirit". And Brakhus, you need not give a thought to saying just what you mean and eloquently. You have ministered to me in each of your posts I've read. Your "truth" touches my heart and yes, I will be praying for you. It must be very difficult to think in Spanish and then lay down the words in English. You are doing very well, my friend.

Sadly I must say to moondragon, I stepped away from my Savior, my faith for a time, backsliding badly not that many years ago because of a husband who was so critical of my church and many facets of my life that it was the "easier softer way" at least for a time.

A dear sister in the Lord kept pointing my eyes to Jesus as I set about trying to do the same for her although in a backslidden condition. She is sadly missed by me on this gaychurch for her words ministered wonderful truth when she asked me "does being in this relationship draw you closer to God" and later asked whether I could even be the woman God created me to be if I remained with this man.

A year has come and gone since I joined gaychurch and started asking my questions here. I'm not really even clear on exactly what my orientation is at this point, but as I learn and grow I am grateful beyond measure for those faithful Christian friends who stood by me then and now. I am free in Christ to be all God created me to be. I have much to learn and a long way to go. In the final moment when I meet Him face to face I truly do long to hear Him say, "well done, good and faithful servant." I want to be at that place where I can say without hesitation with Paul, "for me to live is Christ".

God bless you, Katie42

Thank you dear friends and sisters. Your words are wise and comforting.

Let me continue to contribute to this discussion: We have here only one issue, but it is focused on two aparently different situations. The issue is: Could I answer firmly "I am Christian" in a life or death situation? And this the same if I had a gun aiming my head or a beloved who is going to break me up because my faith.

I see in both of these situations something in commom: What can I win or what can I loose if I answer in a way or another? Or, perhaps, How much costs my faith, or what am I ready to pay for it? (and is not a matter of money, but human costs)

If one is in this situation is because the "other" put him/her on that. Why one be forced to choose? Who did give to the "other" the right to forced us to choose? As you see, the "problem" stays in the "other" and not in us.

But when we are forced to choose, and as we know the "other" has not right at all to do us such thing, we can see clearly that is a matter of RESPECT. If somebody forces someone to choose between his/her faith and something painful, awfull, or very expensive (in human cost), it means that this person doesn't respect us, and so, doesn't have the kind of love we deserve.

But let's see the same point rather down side up: If we (pushed by our Love in Christ) force our beloved one to accept our Lord as yours... Aren't we acting without respect also? Jesus forced no one to hear His word or to accept His blood in sacrifice.

When first christians were prosecuted and executed, they prayed for the day when they could share their faith freely. And that day came to them, when Constantine authorized the christian cult, and his son, Theodosius (I don't know if the name is correct in english) made christianity mandatory in the roman empire. But with Theodosius came also the prosecution and execution of non christians: pagans and "heretics". Didn't those ancients christian make the same atroucious things they suffered just a century before? Who gave them the right to kill, burn, etc. the "pagans" and the "heretics"? And what can be said about the Crusades, and so on?

Love and respect: What a wonderful couple!
Respect and love: What a powerful force!

They are like the divine fire what consumes us: Light and Hot.
Let's warm and iluminate our beloved ones with our double Energy. And Who is our Energy? Who is our Light? Who is Love Himself?

Let's warm our beloved ones, not burn them.
Let's iluminate our beloved ones, not blind them.

Meditate on this: Love and Respect.

Dear moondragon:

You have no need to sacrifice your love for Abby (God bless both of you).
You have no need to choose between your faith and your wife. If you love our Lord you will respect Him, and so, if you love Abby yo will respect her as well. First: You have a personal relationship with the Lord, and that relationship is YOURS, ABSOLUTELY AND EXCLUSIVLY. When Abby accept our Lord, so she will have HER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with our Lord, and it will be as absolute and exclusive as yours. Thus we cannot force someone to love us, so we cannot even force nobody to Love our Jesus.

For your words I can see that Abby is a wonderful person, and because of that, you love her deeply. So, if this is true, then is not necessary that Abby accept our Lord as a condition of your love. Isn't it? You love her RIGHT NOW. Don't you? So, love each other and respect each other, and our Dearest Lord will take good care about everything else.

Talk sincerely about what does she want and find nice to share with you, and what things can bother her. Re-stablish a common base to build upon. Recognize, both of you, that love and respect are the two faces of a same coin.

Pray for Guidance, that our Lord will answer you at the right time.

God bless you both. May our Lord's Love be the foundation of yours. (Matt 7:24)

Katie,
It's good to know someone has gone through the same pain in a relationship when your spouse does not agree or coincide with your religious beliefs. I have learned so much about God, Abby and myself these past few months. I will continue to learn, as well.

Brakhus, Your words have given me something to ponder over. But let me say this now. I have learned to back off and just show Abigail that I still love her even though I now have included Jesus in my life. I think we are beginning to find a new way of understanding between us, and that change has been enlightening. Time will only tell how this will change our relationship, but my relationship with God is completely seperate from my relationship with my wife. It took me a long time get that -- especially since Abby and I do everything together -- but now I am finally getting that.

I do hope my Abby finds Christ and has her own relationship with Him, but even if she doesn't that is her choice. I get that now.

Lastly, Abby does respect me and has always respected me even when I told her I wanted to come back to God. She didn't understand it, and it scared her. Scared her so badly she wanted to run. I understand that because I was like her once.

Anyhow, thank you for response. I will think on all that you have said.
~Byrd

What wonderful, thought provoking posts. I am beginning to think that the Holy Spirit has control of this thread and am delighted.

quote Brakhus "Love and respect: What a wonderful couple!"

"Respect and love: What a powerful force!"

"They are like the divine fire what consumes us: Light and Hot. Let's warm and iluminate our beloved ones with our double Energy. And Who is our Energy? Who is our Light? Who is Love Himself?"

"Let's warm our beloved ones, not burn them.
Let's iluminate our beloved ones, not blind them."

Meditate on this: Love and Respect.

How aptly put and how beautiful. Thank you!

In His love, Katie

Dear ones:

All of us have our freedom. We are free to love and to choose. Everyone is free!

Our Lord made us free: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" (Gal. 5:1)

When I say "respect", I mean it. In its whole meaning. But I think also (and specialy) on respect for freedom.

Our love must allow us to testify about our Lord by our respect. So, our beloved ones can see the Lord's Love through ourselves. When we love respectfully, we reflect the Pure Love what is the foundation of our faith. And with love and respect must be, sometimes, Patience, which is another virtue of great value.

Let's respect our beloved ones' freedom to choose, and let's be patient to wait and hope for our Lord's work in their hearts.

Blessings!

Amen! We all have freedom to choose and we all have the freedom to love. We just need to work (if you're like me) on PATIENCE in waiting for God to act in the ways He sees fit.

On a personal note, I am loving this thread. And Brakhus, I'm so glad you've come to us. I really LIKE you, man!

One more thought........
I would like to think that if a gun were being held to my head, I would still say I was a Christian. I'm not sure if that's noble or if I just would feel unable to live with myself if I survived for having denied Christ, but I think I would still profess my faith.

Here's the thought that troubles me most, though....What if someone had a gun to YOUR CHILD'S HEAD & asked you the same question? THEN what would you do? I have to admit, I might cave on this one. I honestly don't know! But just contemplating the question makes me ever more grateful for the fact that GOD DID GIVE HIS SON FOR ME. It makes me realize even more WHAT A SACRIFICE that was--especially when nobody even understood at the time or appreciated what was being done for them--KWIM? (That's "Know what I mean?")

Just some more food for thought...

That is a heavy thought. I am not good at predicting my actions. To be honest, I think I would throw myself in front of my child and hope to take the bullet for him/her. But, look what God allowed to happen to Jesus! Wow, what a thought.

Well, indeed thought provoking is the "key" to this thread!

On this Mother's Day Dew Doc has given us much "food for thought". I believe that if my children are only "on loan" to me from God, My Father, then truly the best thing to do is to offer them back to Him as a sacrifice of praise to His Glory. We had a baby dedication this morning and an in depth look at "Mary" as the mother of God's only begotten Son. If we were to be like Abraham with Isaac, or Mary as she relinquished "rights" to her Son, then would we not have to again respond to the man holding that gun "Yes, I am a Christian", could we, like Peter, deny our Lord and Savior in the face of almost certain tragedy? The Lord provided the sacrifice for Abraham AND for us, could we do less? If we love our children with frail "human love" how much more our Father loves them and will be strong on their behalf. Truly, "the battle belongs to the Lord." Think also of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-11 NLT.....



1 Samuel 2:1-11
Then Hannah prayed:

"My heart rejoices in the Lord!
Oh, how the Lord has blessed me!
Now I have an answer for my enemies,
as I delight in your deliverance.
[2] No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
[3] "Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don't speak with such arrogance!
The Lord is a God who knows your deeds;
and he will judge you for what you have done.
[4] Those who were mighty are mighty no more;
and those who were weak are now strong.
[5] Those who were well fed are now starving;
and those who were starving are now full.
The barren woman now has seven children;
but the woman with many children will have no more.
[6] The Lord brings both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
[7] The Lord makes one poor and another rich;
he brings one down and lifts another up.
[8] He lifts the poor from the dust—
yes, from a pile of ashes!
He treats them like princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
"For all the earth is the Lord's,
and he has set the world in order.
[9] He will protect his godly ones,
but the wicked will perish in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
[10] Those who fight against the Lord will be broken.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives mighty strength to his king;
he increases the might of his anointed one."

[11] ** "Then Elkanah and Hannah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy became the Lord's helper, for he assisted Eli the priest."

Hannah had promised that if the Lord would give her a child she would dedicate him to the service of God. She kept her word and the Lord rewarded her faithfulness. Remember that this child was her ONLY child after years of being barren. That is TRUST and FAITHFULNESS!

God bless you this Mother's Day, Katie42

Dear DewDoc and Groucho:

I want thank you both for your post. They are guiding us to one of the cores of our faith!

I'm not good, even, at predicting my actions, as Groucho said. And I guess that nobody is, at least, at such level of exactitude. So, I must meditate deeply on this issue. But I think I can share with you a couple of thougts to feed this thread:

Just suppose, for a moment, we are not christians and we are atheists. If so, we still have a life and it must have some meaning to live it. People like that is quit different in matter of how they put some meaning in their lives. Some of them, understand and believe that there are some superior values that are worthy to live and to die for. I. e.: Their countries (heroes of war), their families and neighbors (civilian heroes) and so on. They have a quite clear sense of sacrifice: To exchange something very valuable (i.e. life) for something more valuable (i.e. more than only one life). As you can see, is a matter of values. Not anykind of values but those that dwell deeply in hearts.
So, if we are christians, we have some values stored in our hearts too and they preside our lives and behavior. They can allow, in extreme, our martyrdom. We have many instances in history, and mainly during the persecutions of the Church in II and III centuries BC.
But we are, at the same time, humans. And with our nature is weakness. Our Lord knows about our weaknes better than nobody: He died for that. He died for us because our weakness, if not His Holy Sacrifice means nothing. If we weren't weak, we were strong enough to stand before God with no needed of our Lord. But as we are weak, so He came among us and with His blood we are saved. Saved from our weakness. He have given us the valor and the courage we had not before He came in our hearts. But He made us not perfect ones. We are perfect with our weakness PLUS his Love and Strengh. That is our triumph because of Him. As is written: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities" (Rom. 8:26(a)

Do you know worst denial than Peter's one?

Matthew 26:69-74:

"Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before [them] all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another [maid] saw him, and said unto them that were there, This [fellow] was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto [him] they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art [one] of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, [saying], I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew."

Our Dearest Lord, knowing our weakness and specialy Peter's one, did prophetized his denial:

Matthew 26:34:
"Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."

And what happened to Peter?

John 21:15-17:
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

Note a couple of things:

1. Peter denied his Lord three times, not once, but thrice. His life was not at risk or in an inmediate danger as we can think, because jews and romans wanted nobody but Jesus, not His disciples (In addition, Peter was not an important person who romans could consider politicaly dangerous). And the Lord asked him thrice in order to command: "feed my sheep".

2. And most important: Jesus did not ask Peter "Are you strong enough?" Nor, "Are you faithful enough?" Nor "Do you trust in God enough?". Nothing like that. He asked him: "LOVEST THOU ME?"

As we can see, is a matter of Love, and is not a matter of strengh, nor faith, nor trust.
Strengh, faith and trust are consequences from LOVE. They are not causes, they are effects.

So, we can ask to ourselves: What is the meaning of our lives? And let's meditate on these two values: This mortal life and the Eternal Life promised for us and for our children. And meditate also on our weakness, because we are weak as a consequence of our nature.

I think this issue about "the gun in our heads" must take us to reinforce our Love for our Lord, for our children and for us ourselves. To pray for the Spirit helping in our infirmities, and to do what we can do in such situation. If we cannot love those who can see, how can we love Him we can see not?

Martyrdom is a very, very serious issue. Is there where our love, faith and strengh is proved. But don't think about strengh, think about Love. Don't think about faith, think about LOVE. And thinking about Love is thinking about God Himself (1 John 4:8)

Martyrdom is not a fundamentalist nor a schizophrenial issue. And I believe that our souls are not in such danger, as Peter's one was not even.

John 15:13
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

As we can see, is a matter of Love. As we can see is not a matter of death for nothing, is dying for our friends. Sacrifice and martyrdom is not just dying. Is dying because our life is lesser valued than what we want save. We decide and choose to pay that price to get what we believe must be reached, and this must be very important to pay that huge price.

In such situation, I can't imagine our Lord asking me: "Would you lay down your life for me?" But surely I can imagine He would ask: "Lovest thou me?" And He could remember me:

As you know, I gave My Life for you, and is not neccesary other sacrifice else. Mine is enough as it is written. With your sacrifice you will not clean nobody. You are the saved one not the Savior. You, My child, have not the kind of blood needed for salvation. I did it, once and for ever. Because God "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." (Heb. 7:27) And you certainly know that "he" it's Me the Lord. So, I'll be your rest. Fear not, I'm with you (Isaiah 41:10) and not matter what, "thou art mine" (Isaiah 43:1) I'm not asking you nothing but Loving, to Me and to others, as I said and Matthew wrote in his chapter 22 verses 37 to 39. And as you also know, I Love you so deeply that I died for you and Live and Reign for you. Take away those sad thoughts of death, because I'm Life. Put away that darkness, because I'm Light. With Zion, rejoice greatly because your Lord is with you. Focus in My Work to accomplish God's Plan, because I'll take good care of you and your children, for all of you are My Children too and I love you so, so much.

In the Purest Love of Him Who gave His Holy Blood once and for ever,
Your brother, Brakhus.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Brakhus,

EXCELLENT post, Brakhus. Puts things into perspective even more. I had never thought about Jesus' response to Peter in this particular way, but you are absolutely right!

Thank you DewDoc. As you see, the right point is that our Dear and Sweet Lord didn't condemn Peter for his denial.

He sees deeply in our hearts. Nothing is hidden!
He understands our weakness.
He IS Forgiveness and Love.

Blessed be His Holy and Sweet Name for His Love and Compassion!

Yep, He understands more than anyone how weak & screwed up we are. AFter all, He made us! It's a bit of a comforting thought, don't you think?

As we can see, this edifying thread is conducted wonderfully by our dear sister Kattie42, as New Song posted last may 7th and I'm absolutely agree. Our dear Kattie gave us a lot of things to think about.