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It’s June, and that signifies that in all places you flip, you may be confronted with LGBTQ+ flags and banners and memes and shows.
But slightly than get annoyed by this fixed, in your face show, let’s flip it right into a name for prayer.
That’s why I posted on June 3, “Every time you see a Pride flag or show this month, let or not it’s a reminder to wish for the mercy of God to the touch all those that determine as LGBTQ+ and for them to expertise the identical repentance and forgiveness and transformation that you’ve got obtained as a follower of Jesus.”
Prayer is our best non secular weapon and essentially the most highly effective expression of our love. Prayer prevails. As S. D. Gordon mentioned, “Prayer is putting the successful blow. Service is gathering up the outcomes.”
It was praying Christians who helped deliver me into God’s household once I was a 16-year-old, rebellious, proud, heroin-shooting, LSD-using, Jewish, hippie rock drummer.
It was their prayers that introduced the conviction of the Spirit into my life, revealing the depths of my sin (I really thought I used to be a great individual!). And it was their prayers that helped open my eyes to the reality of the Gospel.
God actually solutions prayer!
Think again to the early Church.
Saul of Tarsus, a non secular Jewish man, was violently persecuting Jewish believers in Yeshua (Jesus). Then he had a radical, life-changing encounter with the risen Savior. Christians worldwide know him because the apostle Paul, author of virtually half of the New Testament books.
What led to his radical transformation?
The Lord’s phrases within the Sermon on the Mount present a key:
“You have heard that it was mentioned, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I let you know, love your enemies and pray for many who persecute you, that you could be be youngsters of your Father in heaven. He causes his solar to rise on the evil and the nice, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:43-45)
This is how we reply. This is how we struggle again.
We overcome evil with good.
We overcome hatred with love.
We overcome lies with fact.
We overcome the facility of the flesh with the facility of the Spirit.
And slightly than interact in a mudslinging battle with our enemies, or, God forbid, a violent response to violence, we love our enemies and pray for many who persecute us. (I’m not saying that we do not become involved politically or that, if an invading military assaults us we do not struggle again. I’m focusing right here on non secular ideas in coping with our ideological adversaries.)
Surely that is what these early believers did with their arch nemesis Saul, of whom Acts data that he accredited of the killing of the Messianic Jew Stephen (Acts 8:1). Acts additionally states that, “Saul started to destroy the church. Going from home to accommodate, he dragged off each women and men and put them in jail.” (Acts 8:3)
Surely Saul turned a chief goal of their prayers, and certainly, as God heard their cries, He answered dramatically. As Saul/Paul later wrote,
“Even although I used to be as soon as a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I used to be proven mercy as a result of I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, together with the religion and love which can be in Christ Jesus. . . . But for that very purpose I used to be proven mercy in order that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus may show his immense persistence for instance for many who would imagine in him and obtain everlasting life.” (1 Timothy 1:13-14, 16)
I encourage you to take the time to observe a tremendous documentary produced by American Family Studios titled In His Image. (Trust me on this. You shall be actually blessed if you watch.)
I had the privilege of internet hosting this highly effective movie, which not solely options nice, sensible, theological dialogue on the that means of female and male and of God’s plan for humanity. It additionally options highly effective testimonies from ex-gays and ex-trans people, two of whom had trans-related surgical procedures up to now.
That’s how dedicated they have been to transitioning, and that is how radically God intervened of their lives.
I’d particularly draw your consideration to the story of Laura Beth Perry (now fortunately married, and formally Laura Perry Smalts), since prayer performed a significant position in her personal salvation and transformation, as you may see if you watch In His Image.
Let this even be an encouragement to each member of the family, pal, and cherished one in all somebody who identifies as someplace on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. As you proceed to indicate them Christlike love and kindness, always remember the facility of prayer.
We actually do serve a prayer answering God, and whereas He won’t infringe on our freedom of alternative, He actually does know easy methods to change hearts and minds.
So, each time you see that Pride flag or a Pride meme, use it as a reminder to wish for an outpouring of God’s remodeling, saving mercy on all those that fly beneath that hijacked rainbow.
It is time for an exquisite harvest of souls!
May the church buildings be able to obtain them with love and fact.
