Tuesday, December 12, 2017

🏳️‍🌈✝️ Be the YOU, God created you to be…




The main stream Evangelical Church has put the LGBTQ Community in a box labeled – Sinful, Disgusting, Not “Normal”, Hell Bound Heathens, Disgraceful, Sick, Perverted and the list goes on…

 
December 12, 2017


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I am going to share my story of how GOD revealed to me how much He loves and cares for me “Just As He Created Me”. I already know this will ruffle the feathers of the Evangelical who thinks taking the Bible “LITERALLY” is the only way. I will be addressing that issue in my next blog post entitled “Taking Jesus Seriously.”

For now I want to share my story which has taken place over the last 30 years. Believe me I know that is a long time but many Men of God throughout the Bible waited years for the Words God spoke over them to come to pass. Remember our “time” is NOT God’s “time”. God’s “time” is right on “time”.  Psalm 90:4 {AMP}  John 7:1-13 {AMP}

Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Peter 3:8 {MSG}

When I think of all the hurting people in this world that have been rejected by the “Main Stream” Church because of who they love or because of their sexuality, it breaks my heart into pieces. Life is too precious to be wasted hating yourself over what others think about you, or being the one hating on others because of what you think about them. Our Life on this Earth is meant to be enjoyed, not a life spent hiding out, being scared to be the YOU that God created you to be. Let me just pause a moment to let you know from God’s heart that you are beautifully and wonderfully made {Psalm 139:14}. God desires for you to love yourself and give Him praise and adoration for creating you uniquely HIS.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

From a very young age {5yrs. Old} I knew I was different from all the rest of the boys. I grew up in the country so of course I was a little rough and tumble but not like all the other boys I knew. I really did not like to get dirty. I always looked at the other boys the way I saw them looking at little girls. I really had no one to talk to about how I was feeling on the inside. When I did get up enough courage to talk about my feelings, it was in a tone of shame and of course I was chastised, mocked even hurt by the ones I thought I could trust my “secret” too.

Growing up in the “Evangelical” Church World made it very difficult to talk about; let alone just being you. You are constantly bombarded with HELL and BRIMSTONE SERMONS about the EVIL MEN and WOMEN in this world we live. If you go to your preacher, which I did on many occasions, you will be told you are going to “HELL” because of the sinful thoughts you were having if you did not repent and turn away from them. REALLY!?! How is a person to survive when they don’t even have support from the one man in this world that was supposed to be God’s servant to help you? Too many times we put those “preachers” on a “GODLIKE” pedestal trusting every word from their mouth instead of actually going to GOD for ourselves for the answer.

I cried a lot when I was alone in my bed at night and would beg God to make me a "normal" boy. I prayed that I would be a boy who could have feelings for girls like all the other little boys. I was ashamed of myself for wanting to hold hands with other little boys and not the girls. I was ashamed that I wanted to kiss the boys the way I saw them kiss the girls. So I struggled to be that kind of boy, the boy who could kiss a girl, hold her hand and be like all the other boys. Why? Because that was the "right thing to do" in the eyes of the world I was journeying through. Well, it does not work that way my friend. You cannot live a lie and be someone you were NOT created to be, it only leads to more self hate and loneliness…

As much as I hate it when I hear a preacher say that LGBTQ People are “Struggling” with Homosexuality; when you have time read


I love that Richie Hughes learned the TRUTH that Homosexual can be saved and live their lives for God. I just hate that he had to lose his brother in the process.
 

I want the Evangelical Church to know that we are NOT Struggling with Homosexuality; we are who we are through Christ Jesus. God loves His Rainbow Children {LGBTQI+} just as they are. It is the HURT and HATE towards us when we tell someone something about ourselves they did not know. We struggle with the Church rejected us because they have been taught a lie for so many years.

As the years passed I thought I would never get an answer from God. The "Evangelical Church" tried as hard as they could to pray the evil "homosexual" tendencies out of me. As I journeyed forward in my walk with God, I was actually called to “Teach and Preach” His Word, confirmed through the Pastor at the Church I was attending at the time {Hebrews 5 (MSG)}, this is the first confirmation {Jesus gave an example of having the confirmation of two or three; take along with you one or two others, so that every word may be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Matthew 18:16}. I was even ordained at the young age of 17 and began my journey ministering to others as often as I could, even performing weddings of several of my friends and family. I was so excited and scared at the same time because I knew God had called me to minister to those who were just like me. How was I going to minister to people just like me when the “Church” was teaching everyone that people like me were on path that leads straight to “HELL”? So my questions, study and prayers continued as I journeyed through life in my new found calling.

Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the peoples’. No one elects himself to this honored position. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!” In another place God declares, “You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek.” While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do. Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey Him. Hebrews 5 (MSG)

As I continued on my journey of self discovery, studying the Word of God for myself, researching everything I could get my hands on about homosexuality, even becoming friends with “known” homosexuals at my place of employment, God was revealing something awesome about the people HE created. I found out through their friendship that they are just “normal” human beings who love the same sex instead of the opposite sex. It was during this time the Holy Spirit was revealing how much God loves and accepts me for me.
But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. John 14:26 {AMP}
I was still attending an “Evangelical Church” that believed and preached homosexuality was a sin and those who were homosexual were out of the will of God. If you were a "practicing" homosexual you were not part of God's chosen and you would spend a lifetime separated from God in “HELL”.

I continued on in my journey coming to the realization that God was never going to change me. I even went to the “Christian Conversion Therapy” people who were supposed to convert me to heterosexuality, because that was what the “Church” and my family thought I should. Praise God for the “Conversion Therapy” which helped me have an even closer relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, even though I still remained very much a homosexual man. During those years I learned to listen more closely to God and trust HIM with all my “secrets” I no longer shared with the “Pastor or Church”; because God knows when you are NOT possessed by “demons” they can NOT cast them out of you.

God began to show me through His Word the error of the teachings of the Evangelical Church, only to find out when I attended school for the Ministry that those men were indeed NOT teaching the TRUTH of the Word of God. These men have been taking the Scriptures out of Context to promote their HATE for something they did not understand nor did they want to understand for years. The “Evangelical Church” has been using Scriptures meant for “Heterosexual” men and women who were practicing idolatry by worshiping gods and goddesses of fertility by participating in orgies in the temple.

“God prohibited Israel from adopting the cultist sexual fertility goddess worship of Egypt and Canaan, Lev 18:3, 20:23. The issue with God was not committed faithful non-cultist sexual relationships or gay marriages between two men or two women. The issue with God was shrine prostitution and pagan worship of false gods.” Read more about this from Gay Christian 101, here.

Then one glorious NIGHT our Pastor had invited special guest to our church who were “Prophets” of God. That night would change my life’s journey in ways I had never could have imagined. It was that night that God confirmed His love and understanding for me.

Role of a Prophet

I will take a brief pause from my story to share with you the role of a “Prophet” in the Church.

The manifestation of prophecy is primarily to build up a person in his Christian walk and help establish his relationship with God and the Lord Jesus. The manifestation of prophecy is for “…edification, and exhortation, and comfort” (But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them]. 1 Cor. 14:3).

Furthermore, when a person receives a prophecy, “…the secrets of his heart will be laid bare…” (the secrets of his heart are laid bare. And so, falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that God is really among you. 1 Cor. 14:25).” It is very important to understand that the manifestation of prophecy is not primarily designed to reveal detailed information about the future, or give specific guidance about what a person should do in a specific situation. Although this kind of specific information can occasionally be given in the manifestation of prophecy, it is usually given by those people in the Church who have the ministry of a prophet.

It is important that you understand, “that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own {personal or special} interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God 2 Peter 1:20-21 {Amp}”.

For the first time I realized that God really was revealing HIS true feeling about me through my study of His Word and listening to the Holy Spirit’s explanation of the Word of God {John 14:26 (AMP)}.

The Bible gives a number of principles for testing a prophecy.
·         1.      1 Corinthians 14:4 - It must build up the body.
·         2.      2 Timothy 3:16 - It must agree with Scripture.
·         3.      John 16:13-14 - It must exalt Jesus.
·         4.      Deuteronomy 18:22-22 - It must come true.
·         5.      Deuteronomy 13:1-5 - It must lead to God and obedience to him.
·         6.      Romans 8:15 - It must produce liberty
·         7.      2 Corinthians 3:6 - It must produce life.
·         8.      1 John 2:27 - It must be attested to the Holy Spirit in each believer.

All prophecies should glorify and honor Jesus.
The Prophesy

I waited in anxious anticipation for the Prophet to finish his lesson on the role of the Prophet in the Church. As he was teaching he was walking around and his hand touched my shoulder as he passed by. That was literally a “Shocking” experience like a bolt of lightning shot out of his hand. He jumped, I jumped and he went on teaching. I knew at that very moment that God was going to reveal to me His plans for my journey because I had been searching His Word and praying, seeking His Will, so I knew that was going to be the night. 

As expected I was one of the first people called to the front by the “Prophet”. As the words flowed from the Prophets lips to my ears I knew in that very moment I was hearing the audible voice of God. God was answering so many of the prayers I had prayed for years. Then it happened, those Words I will never forget as long as I live. He told me that God saw me all the nights as I lay in my bed crying out to HIM, He heard my prayers since I was {5 yrs old} begging Him to make me a “NORMAL” boy. Imagine if you will how I felt when He told me that I was created in God's image and I was exactly how God had created me to be. There was no reason for God to change me to be a "normal" boy, because I was “normal” in the eyes of God my Creator. He continued telling me I was called to be a Good Shepherd over the people who were just like me. Here again God is confirming to me that He had called me into the ministry {Hebrews 5 (MSG)}, this would be number two. He told me that I would experience all the things that the people just like me would experience so I could be a Good Shepherd to them. He said I would go through a wilderness period of 20+ years so I could experience everything I needed to experience to become the Good Shepherd I needed to be for His Rainbow Children. He said there would be many times during this journey that I would feel like God had forgotten about me or left me, but I was to realize that during that time He was actually carrying me through the rough times. I was 19 years old at this time beginning my life as an independent man so I was ready for whatever came my way. 

Since I knew from a very young age that God had called me to be a minister, this was not new news. I never dreamed, however, how much God actually loved me just as I am; the way He created me because I had believed the lie mankind had taught me for so many years.

God was revealing through the “Prophet” that;All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the very last letter. All our praise is focused through Jesus on this incomparably wise God! Yes {Romans 16:24-27 (MSG)}”.

Now, this is particularly special to me because God “never” speaks to me through preachers. It is a rare thing when it happens. He always tells me things prior to arriving at the service. That means, generally, the preacher is not saying anything new by the time I hear the message. It is always more confirmation than revelation. So this had real meaning to me… a lot of meaning. It was so precise to my prayer that it almost seemed as if it was a personal prophecy! I cried and cried and cried. I really needed to know that what the Holy Spirit had been teaching me was indeed the TRUTH from GOD. Those words that flowed like living waters {John 7:37-38} into my soul gave me peace and God spoke to me afterward to explain what He was doing in my life.


That is an example of God confirming a word. Notice that He did not repeat anything. He merely used a sign to establish an idea in my heart.

After that night my life was changed forever. Shortly after that night the company I was working for moved me to Amarillo, Texas. So begins my wilderness period. While in Amarillo, Texas I experienced my first LTR {Long Term Relationship}. It was NOT the relationship God had in store for me; I believe it was a lesson to be learned in my spiritual journey. I basically experienced three years of hell on earth. It was during this time that God even used me in the bars to witness to people, pray for people and see miracles happen. Every time we went to the bar it seemed like people were drawn to me. Every time I would ask them why where coming up to me and they always replied they saw a light in me. My partner knew I was a minister so he started attending church with me. It really did not faze him when I would talk about Jesus in the bars. It was okay for awhile until the occasional drink became an everyday all day drink. My partner started cheating on me constantly because I was working supporting us while he did whatever, so in the last few months of the relationship I began to do the same. During those three years I also had to deal with losing my job from being accused of stealing money from the company, which I DID NOT DO, going back to school to learn a trade, learn what living on food stamps was like, depending on workers compensation to pay the bills, verbal abuse from my partner, facing HIV because my partner cheated one too many times. In the end I left one night while he was at the bar because he told me he wanted me to move into the spare room so he could start bringing other guys home, moved back home to Oklahoma and cried myself to sleep every night for several weeks.

Shortly after moving back home I met the man that I would surely spend the rest of my life with and yes 22 years later we are still together. We have had some rough patches but we have prayed through them.

In 2008 we had been going through a rough patch financially and a friend of ours found out we did not have much food in the house because of it when he scoped out the kitchen one day for something to eat. He made me go with him to a local food bank ran by a local Baptist Church. At this time I was at what I thought was the lowest point in my life and felt ashamed to ask for help from anyone. So off we went to the food bank so I could get some food. I was looking around at that room full of people thinking to myself, “How did I end up here?” I was so depressed at the time to see that it was all part of God’s Wilderness Plan for my life. It was my turn to go shop, awe but wait a minute there was a catch my friend forgot to tell me about. Everyone who goes through this food bank the first time is taken off to a side room so you can be talked to about your relationship with God.

So off I went to a tiny room with this sweet little older lady. She told me they like to talk to all the new people to see if they need spiritual help. She just looked at me and touched my knee and said young man you are an anointed one of God. Tears began to well up in my eyes. Then this little lady looked up at the ceiling and said okay God I will tell him. She said you remember son when God told you that you would be going through a wilderness period in your life. I nodded because I was sobbing by this time. She then said God wants me to tell you that you are almost through, but there is one more thing you must face. This thing will be the biggest thing you have ever gone through and you will know that your wilderness journey is almost over when you look up to the heavens and cry out, "THIS TOO GOD, REALLY THIS TOO"… Well, we hugged as she prayed over me then she took me back to get my food and I was on my way. This was conformation number three {Hebrews 5 (MSG)}.

A few months passed by and nothing much had changed in my life until I had a break up with my partner. We were separated for three months, even though we still lived under the same roof. The good news is, we made up and we are still together.

During that time I became a bit promiscuous and that is when my life changed forever. One day I got a phone call from this young man I had seen and was told I needed to get tested. Needless to say, I got tested. That day, May 28th, 2009 at 10:15am I learned that I was HIV Positive.

My life was never going to be the same after that day. When I got home from the testing site, I sat on my front porch and cried out to GOD, THIS TOO GOD REALLY THIS TOO!!! At that very moment the words of that little old lady at the food bank came flooding back over me. I fell to my knees right there on my porch, sobbing and I worshiped God for confirming HIS love for me through the weakest point in life. I knew that from that day forward my life was definitely going to change. 

Things have changed a lot in the past few years. I am now disabled spending a lot of each month at doctor’s offices. No matter how bad things get from day to day I still trust in the One who called me into His Service. I still do weddings and Praise God I am now doing weddings for the LGBTQ Community. I post inspirational things everyday in my blog, Glorify The King of Kings. I post in my HIV blog called Living with HIV and other LGBTQ Issues.

I want you to know that GOD does LOVE you! God has created you just as you are in HIS image

You do not need to be validated by a "church" or a "preacher"; you are validated by your Creator!! Take courage in this my friends,

John 3:15-17
"so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever]. For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.”

Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."

If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth. For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold, but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.

Ephesians 4:4-6
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

John 14:6
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

So, if you are struggling to find yourself, remember God created you in HIS image. He made you to be exactly who you are and no one can take that away from you. Turn to God and let HIM give you the comfort you are longing for in your life. Let God be the Lover of your soul.

When you give your life completely to God remember the following:
·         It is God’s job to fully guide you every step of the way as you now embark on this new journey with Him.
·         Study these verses very carefully! This is where many Christians really miss the boat with God.
·         Too many Christians are running their own lives and making their own choices instead of turning the reigns of their life over to God the Father for Him to fully handle.
Only God knows what your true potentials are in this life – and He is the only One who can arrange to have those full potentials maximized and realized in this life!

1.  This first verse will specifically tell you that God now has a definite PLAN and FUTURE set up for your life. This is from the prophet Jeremiah and it is a very popular verse.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Notice the words “to give you.” God is going to give you, to bring to you His specific plans and future that He now has in store for your life.
2.  Memorize this next verse. This one liner is extremely powerful.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord … “(Psalm 37:23
Another way to look at this is that a step is one day in your life.
What this means is that God now has each day of your life perfectly planned out for you to the day that you depart from this life. You are now on the yellow brick road with the yellow color now being the light of God Himself.
Your job is to now live each day to its fullest, always trying to do the best at whatever God will be calling you to do for Him on that particular day.
If you can learn how to keep this kind of mindset, you will be less likely to throw pity parties when things do not go the way you think they should.  
3.  Study this next verse very carefully as it really applies to your situation.
 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)
What this verse means is that at times you will have to plan things out, try to figure things out, start testing things out.
As you are doing all of this, God will then direct your steps as you are walking them out, and before you know it, you will then end up at the place where God will want you to be at.
This verse perfectly fits into what you are dealing with right now on your job situation. You now have to seek after this next new job, but as you are in the process of seeking after this next new job – God will then make sure that He perfectly guides your steps all the way so that you can then land in the next job that He will want you to have.
You will thus find it as you are seeking after it.
4.  Here is another very powerful verse that will tell us that God will provide us with His divine protection if we are willing to listen to Him and follow His ways.
“But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” (Proverbs 1:33)
Notice the words “listen to me” above.  God leads – you follow. If you do, then God will give you safe and secure dwelling in this life and protection from evil things!
This is a very powerful promise for all believers. Many Christians find themselves in one dire circumstance after another as a result of not listening to God and doing what He wants them to be doing with their lives.
5.  The next 5 verses will tell you that God will now be fully guiding your steps in this life.
·         “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5)
·         Thus says the Lord, Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17)
·         “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” (Psalm 32:8)
·         “For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.” (Psalm 48:14)
·         “The Lord will guide you continually …” (Isaiah 58:11)
Notice the specific words that God will “guide you continually, be our guide even to death, guide you with His eye, leads you by the way you should go, teaches you to profit, instructs you and directs your paths.”
These are extremely powerful words. All of these verses make it very clear that it is God’s job to fully guide and direct your steps in this life. And all of this is given to you free of charge.
This is why you can let go and let God. 
This is why the Bible tells us that we can now cast all of our burdens and cares upon the Lord – because it is now His job to take full and complete care of all of us from the moment we fully surrender everything over to Him.
6.  This next verse now goes one step further and specifically tells us that it is not our responsibility to direct our own steps in this life that this responsibility now belongs to God and God alone!
“O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)
Put this verse together with all of the other ones listed above – and it becomes quite clear that it is God’s job to direct our steps in this life – not ours!
7.  This next verse is especially for you. Notice the last sentence where it tells you to trust in God, to wait patiently for Him, and that He will bring it to pass!
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass … Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:4-7)

Isaiah 25:4 and Psalm 62:1-2, 7-8

"For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.


Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."

I will share more so stay tuned. God be with you and let HIS UNCONDITIONAL Love engulf your heart as you seek HIM as you are in HIS image.
I am working on Spreading the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL through the knowledge of the Holy Spirit. You can find me on Twitter and Facebook. You can even Email me Rainbow Pastor David Email if you need someone to talk too. If you are reading this and want to learn more about living with HIV please visit my blog post: A Word to those newly diagnosed.

May the Peace of God flow through you mightily as you continue your journey. 

May you find the you in you that God created you to be.

Blessings and Peace, Rainbow Pastor David

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