I wasn't the Moody student with the best story. But i was there, and instead of me talking about the richest mercy known to all. I listened for a good hour to one man's arguments about how the Bible is "a work of man". He referenced specific omissions, definition compromising and inclusions that corrupt the message of God and point instead to church. The two cents I tried to make in defense of our unchanging God (revealed to us in the Bible) is: no matter the translation, the Spirit lives and moves in the Word. So the words the reader reads will dwell in their heart and accomplish what God intended. So when people started removing the "th" off of verb endings in the King James. God giveth the reader less of a lisp. Not a hindered message!
The irony of this man's (early 50's, white, father and homosexual) experience with Jesus is that the message of the Holy Spirit is the most meaningful part for him. He took comfort in the day of Pentecost, knowing that God deliberately poured out His good Spirit on earth for us all. "Jesus is here, dwelling in each one of us", (given my past, i know the Spirit of Jesus didn't always dwell in me).
We talked about Jesus' sacrifice, shed blood for sins. He told me the word sin was simply meant to mean a "mistake". That forgiveness from God is achieved by simply asking for it and wanting to do better. -Not through the shedding of blood.- I asked why the sacrificial system was needed for Israel then if they were truly God's people. He told me that people were sacrificing everything back then.
He held the Bible on par with "all the other holy books by man like the Koran which are all sent by God's spirit to do his good work." I reminded him that Christ died for each of us, and that is the truth we must submit to before His Holy Spirit can dwell in us.
To me i learned lots. I was able to see the extent of brokenness and convoluted thinking that customizes God into something that agrees with us. I'm no stranger to these deceptions. If it weren't for the unswerving voice of God summoning my soul, I might still be leaning on my own understanding. Brothers, sisters in case you didn't know, I blasphemed a ton, I created my own religion -no joke I could have been a candidate for the latest David Corresh. Jesus gives mercy to even the most defiant of thinkers.
That said, Jesus: His mercy is rich for me. The Holy Spirit: His sanctification is imperative for me!
So i still want to talk to gays who profess Jesus and ask them: "how can i talk about the Christian's duty to repent, sanctify and conform to Christ?" (ie: work out your faith in fear and trembling. better to enter heaven with a missing limb and healthy.) What an amazing testimony is in store for God, from the gays who rely on the Holy Spirit to more fully repent and conform them to Christ. God has such a purpose of this neighborhood its easy to loose sight of that.
I used to vibe with a pick and choose mind set about God. Now i know that's deception: God has shown it and shamed Satan through its demise in my life. In turn, the call of ministering I'm exploring is with the mentally ill, the emotionally unpredictable, religion-self starters(falsifying scriptures), and addicted. Jesus just smashes theses demonic devices. He is the superior Spirit in the Spiritual world!
I'm committed to pray for the people in boys town which really is named Lakeview. Especially those that have a willingness to accept so many of Jesus' teachings, that they would be overwhelmed by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and let God change them.
The rest of the night was filled with surface level talks, rejection, and sharing with other Moody students. Some amazing things happened. they are collecting stories of what God did and sending them back to us compiled if you want me to forward them to you let me know.
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