Daily Devotional for Monday August 24, 2009

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is Declared ANATHEMA

(Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

In light of the decision to allow practicing homosexuals to serve as clergy, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is declared ANATHEMA! This is the church in Pergamum spoken of in Revelation 2:12. I can only advise anyone in that church to LEAVE. God will not be mocked by a church more worried about offending sinful men than God Himself. God cannot and will not bless sin. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is no better than the abominable Metropolitan Community Churches that promotes, glorifies, and takes pride in the sin of homosexuality. I admonish ANYONE who is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to LEAVE IMMEDIATELY! This is no longer the church of Jesus Christ, but simply an empty shell, void of God's Spirit! How can anyone who loves the Lord stay and be part of such blasphemy? If your Evangelical Lutheran Church in America church loves the Lord, then the ONLY choice is to break away and become independent. If you are part of an ELCA church that is part of this abomination, you have no choice but to leave immediately.

"Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:32)

Over the past 10 years of Liveprayer, I have refused to fall into the traps that so many national ministries have fallen into, and that is simply bashing those who have CHOSEN homosexuality as their sexual preference to incite the faithful to generate dollars. I have clearly stated in many past Devotionals that homosexuality is a sin, and that FACT is not even debatable. But today I MUST speak out on "churches" that support this deviant sexual choice, and ANY denomination or ministerial organization that would even consider having someone who has chosen this as their sexual preference to be ordained into their fellowship.

Let me say right up front, that the Bible clearly teaches there is NO division of sin. Sin is sin in God's eyes. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT TO GOD, ALL SIN IS EQUAL. Those who commit the sin of homosexuality commit a sin no greater or no less than someone who chooses to commit the sin of gossiping. Sin is a choice! The two greatest lies the pro-homosexual community have put out are that 1) homosexuality is something that you are "born with," 2) 10% or more in our society are homosexual.

First, modern science has CLEARLY rejected and been unable to prove that ANYONE is "born gay." IT IS A CHOICE!!!! People choose to engage in homosexual behavior. Like all sin, once you do it long enough, it may seem natural, but it is still a choice. You are born black or white, you are born with blue eyes or green eyes, taking off your pants to have sex is a CHOICE! Also, all legitimate studies done by the non-homosexual community clearly show that less then 1% of the population EVER engage in this type of deviant sexual act.

To have a "church" that accepts this sinful choice, to have a ministerial body that ordains people into the clergy who make this choice, you MUST reject the inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of God's Word. There is no difference in having a "church" that accepts those who make the choice to engage in homosexual behavior, as a "church" that would accept those who make the choice to commit adultery. How popular would THAT church be!!!

To have an institution represent God, to have people represent God, who have clearly REJECTED God, is an ABOMINATION!!! It makes me sick every time that I hear of a "church" that accepts homosexuality as an acceptable sexual choice, and even more sick when I hear of a denomination or ministerial organizations that accepts people who choose to engage in this type of sinful sexual behavior to be in spiritual leadership.

SUCH A "CHURCH" IS A STENCH IN THE NOSTRILS OF GOD!

Note: If you church or denomination is even debating such a non-debatable issue you should be very concerned. THERE IS NOTHING TO DEBATE!

Sadly, the voice of sin in our culture is virtually unopposed in trying to get people to accept that their view is correct. The Bible is our ultimate authority in ALL matters. The Bible clearly says that God condemns the choice of homosexual behavior as sin and is an abomination. You either believe God, or reject God. The choice is that simple.

Can those who choose to engage in this behavior go to Heaven? Of course!! IF THEY REPENT, ASK GOD'S FORGIVENESS, AND THROUGH HIS POWER TURN FROM THEIR SIN. Just like anyone who chooses to commit murder, or adultery, or engage in ANY sin can go to Heaven if they will repent, ask God's forgiveness, and through His power turn from their sin. It is your faith in Jesus Christ that saves you. But IF you choose Jesus as your Savior, how can you continue to engage in sinful activity? How can you blatantly sin against the God that you proclaim to love? Jesus said if you love Me you will obey Me!!!

I love you and care about you very much. Churches that tell people it is OK to engage in habitual, unrepentant sinful activity like homosexuality are an abomination to God. To have any denomination or ministerial organization accept those into the ministry who are living a life of blatant and unrepentant rebellion to God makes a mockery of the ministry. You can't cut out the parts of the Bible that you don't like. Once you start down that road, you have made yourself God.

However, we live in a free society. If people who have chosen to engage in homosexual activity want to have their own church, they have every right to. Just like those who worship satan can have their own church. As those who follow Christ, we have a responsibility to pray for them, for God to open their hearts to the truth of His Word, and to turn from their sin. Only God can change hearts, and for those who are in bondage to the sin of homosexuality we must pray for them to open their hearts and turn from their sin.

Until Jesus returns, we will always have those who choose a perverted form of sex with those of their own gender, just like we will always have those who choose to pervert sex by having it outside of the bonds of marriage. While we can never accept their choice since it is clearly against God's Word, we must pray for them, just like we must pray for everyone who is battling any sin in their life.

For those reading this who are currently fighting homosexuality, let me tell you that God has never stopped loving you, and is simply waiting for you to turn from your sin and come back to Him. We serve a God of deliverance from sin, a God of forgiveness, and a God of restoration. Millions have turned from the sin of homosexuality and found complete restoration and fulfillment in living a life according to God's plan. What He did for someone else, He can do for you! I pray today that you hear these words, and choose to find freedom from your sin today. That freedom is only a prayer away!

The church is exactly where men and women who struggle with the sin of homosexuality need to be. However, not in the pulpit leading the church, but in the pews seeking the Lord for His strength to find freedom from this sin they are in bondage to!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller