I believe so. You Bible believers, don't shake your head yet. 

  I was reserved about weighing in on this like some kind of "expert" -  when I am not gay.  But the overwhelming testimony from gays is that they are born that way. Also, I have observed a boy of about 5 years of age with "normal" parents, that was obviously gay. A 5 year old "flamer". He had that spirit about him, probably from birth.

   I don't think they will ever find a gay gene. I don't believe it's a physical condition. I do believe it is a spiritaul condition. There is plenty of Biblical support for this. Look at (edit) Ex.. 20:4-6 

(4) "You shall not make for youselves an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. (5) You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fouth generations of those who hate Me, (6) but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

  I feel a kindred spirit to homosexuals because I am an alchoholic. We are grouped together by God. Look at 1 Cor. 6:9,10 

  " Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor theives nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 

   So how could I ever think I was "better" than gays? We're all in this together.

   When I fell back into drinking after 13 years of walking with God it was a very difficult time for me. I still loved the Lord, and I would try to interpret scriptures (even the above) to justify continuing to drink and still be on the narrow road to heaven. But the closer I would come to God the more coviction I would feel, and I knew I would have to quit. It was so hard, because I "loved" alchohol and could not accept life without it.

   But God showed me that I had to choose between Him and alchohol. It was easy to choose God, but hard to carry it out. But I did it, and He met me in my conviction.

   He has become my drink, He has become my intoxicating love.

  I love homosexuals and will go the exra mile to befriend them. And if they also wan't to choose God, I will have patience and love for them during the sometimes long and difficult courting season.

  Spirit filled, love of God filled congregations will do likewise. This is the prevailing spirit at the Garden where I attend.

   The college professor challenged the class with this question. Did God make everything there is?

   One student bravely answered, "Yes."

   "Everything, young man?"

   "Yes, He did sir,"  the young man replied.

   The professor responded, "If God made everything, then God made evil, and if we can only create from within ourselves, then God is evil."

   The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to have once again proven the Christian faith to be a myth.

   Then another man raised his hand and asked, "May I ask you something, sir?"

   "Yes, you may," responded the professor.

   The young man stood up and said, Sir, is there such a thing as cold?" 

   "Of course there is, what kind of question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"

   The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold does not exist. What we consider to be cold, is really only the absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."

   The young man contineud, "Sir, is there such thing as dark?"

   Once again, the professor responded, "Of course there is." 

   And once again, the student replied, "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term man developed to describe what happens when there is not light present."

   Finally the young man asked, "Sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

   The professor responded, "Of course, we have rapes, and murders and violence everywhere in the world, those thing are evil."

   The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist.  Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term man developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love, which exist as virtues like heat and light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat or darkness without light."

   The professor had nothing to say.

   It was a deadly presumption for the engineers to proclaim that the Titanic was unsinkable. This sowed the seeds of complacency in the leadership on the Titanic which was the single greatest reason for the disaster.

   Captain Smith and his crew received numerous warnings about the ice field that lay directly across their path and they didn't even slow down!

   The reason for Smith's proceeding with such disdain for the danger was a deluding false sense of security.

   When looking at the course of western economic policy for the last few decades, one wonders what our leaders, like Smith, could possibly be thinking.

  We, also, have had numerous warnings. Investors woke up on "Black Monday" (Oct. 19, 1987) gripped with panic. The stock market had a heart attack - but instead of a precautionary diet and exercise - we piled on even more pork. We are overdue for the big one.

   How have we escaped catastrophe for this long? The answer is that the Lord really does have His angels holding back the four winds of the earth untill He completes the work in His bondservants (Revelation 7:1).

  In the near future devastating economic problems will be sweeping the world in waves. Great countries and societies will begin collapsing.

    Like passengers on the Titanic, the water will lap at our ankles, then our knees; then there will be a mad rush to the highest point of the ship. 

   But it will all be in vain because the whole ship is going to sink. The entire world system is near it's end. 

   But we don't have to go down with this ship because we dont have to be on it. The Lord is now calling us to board the ONLY ship that cannot sink - the kingdom of God.

   So what do we do? It may sound too simple but we must earnestly seek the Lord. I do not mean that we should seek Him for instuctions as to what we should do. We must seek Him because HE IS what we should do.

   He is the Ark of God through Whom we will be delivered from every flood. He Himself bore the curse of our sin, absorbing the judgement that was ours. If we are abiding in Him we do not have to fear the judgement against sin.

   This does not mean that we won't be here - or won't have to endure tribulation. It does mean that even if we are called to walk through fire, it will not burn us; the floods may come but our house will be built upon a rock which can sustain them.

   For years doctrines have been preached which have lulled much of the church into a deep sleep. This was done with the assurance that those in Christ would not have to go through tribulation.

   Even though this teaching is contrary to the entire testimony of Scripture, some hold to this doctrine so tenaciously that they consider anyone who preaches anything contrary to be a false teacher or prophet.

   But which is worse: to be prepared and not have to endure tribulation  -- or to be unprepared and then have to endure it?

   Corrie ten Boom once stated:  "I have been in countries where the saints are already suffering terrible persecution. In China Christians were told, "Don't worry, before the tribulation comes, you will be translated - raptured." Then came a terrible persecution. Millions of Christians were tortured to death. Later I heard a Bishop from China say, sadly, "We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution rather than telling them Jesus would come first." Turning to me he said, "You will have time. Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution, how to stand when the tribulation comes - to stand and not faint."

   In the Lord's discourse concerning the tribulations of the last days, He clearly states:  "Then they will deliver you (He is here addressing His followers) to tribulation, and will kill you and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name..." (Matt. 24:9)

   To tell the church that she does not have to go through tribulation is contrary to the Lord's  own clearly stated warnings. To contradict this can be nothing less than a very strong delusion. The enemy would not give such attention to this one issue if it were not so important.

   Although this doctrine of a pre- tribulation rapture is irrelevant to an individual saint's salvation, it is nevertheless very dangerous for the church, as it has produced a retreat mentality. "Beam me up Scotty"

   This is no time to run - it's time for the church to draw her spiritual sword and attack the strategies and strongholds of the enemy. Already this yoke is being cast off by the majority in the advancing church. As the Lord exhorted through Isaiah:

  "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; But the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light , and kings to the brightness of your rising."  (Isaiah 60:1-3)

   It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of the end times church. What an exciting time to be on the earth.

   The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

   The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all  He has made.

   The Lord upholds all those who fall, and lifts up all who are bowed down.

   The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.

   The Lord is near to all who call on Him; to all who call on Him in truth.

   He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; and hears their cry and saves them.

   The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.

   My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.   Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.  

--------  --  --    from  Psalm 145  -------   -----   ---

Jewish people have a reputation for haggling. There is even a phrase for it ..."Jew them down." We're never told NOT to "haggle" in the Bible. In fact Abraham haggled with God for the city of Sodom! 

  So Proverbs 20:14  seems out of place and doesn't make sense ...... 

  " It's no good, it's no good!" says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase."  .......... and the point is?

   Unless this is a depiction of Satan purchasing souls for cheap and then bragging to God about it ! 

 What does he bid?  Religion, evolution , booze, drugs ....... a mere pittance  ------- 

Because Jesus Christ has offered up  His very life to purchase all men with His blood. 

  And if you are undecided, or you have been bought cheap .... the sale isn't final as long as  you're still  breathing!   

Below is an excerpt from Morning Star Ministies Word for the Week.

"After speaking at an NFL team chapel, I was invited to join the team for dinner before the game. I ended up sitting with a group that included a winner of the Heisman Trophy, the award given to the best college player in the country. The other players at the table were also some of the best at their positions. I asked all of them how they achieved what they did, and each one related how they started out very young with a devotion to be a professional football player. Then they became focused on a single position. They spent an average of eight hours a day, every day, practicing, lifting weights, and studying others who had been the best at their positions. If they did this for a position on a football team, what would happen if God’s people started having the same kind of devotion for gaining a place on His team?

Some of these players remarked what I have often heard from others: They felt they knew others with more talent than they had, but they wasted their time in entertainment or dreaming about being a great player, instead of working to get there. In short, the successful ones were inevitably the ones who sacrificed the most and had the discipline to train when others did not, even when they did not feel like it.

I have talked with others who were the best in their fields—artists, musicians, business people, people in the military, and people in the ministry, and I always seem to get the same story. Again, what would happen if Christians started seeking their positions in the body of Christ with the same zeal that athletes seek their place on a team? A single congregation, even a small one, with those who are greatly devoted would certainly impact the world for Christ.

What would happen if we spent the same amount of time cleaning up our inner man each day as we did our outer bodies? What would happen if we spent as much time preparing and eating spiritual meals for our inner man as we do for our outer man? Our physical bodies are going to pass away, but who we are spiritually will last forever. To what should we be giving most of our time and attention?"
 

  This convicts me to realign my priorities. To seek Him with all of my heart. To spend time in His presence. This is what changes us.

  Are you a slave to drugs or alchohol?  Do cigarrettes own you? If there is any issue in your life that has gotten out of control  - there is help.

  Valley Bible Set Free Ministries meets every friday evening at 7:00 on the grounds of Valley Bible. 

  My good friend and his wife have been facilitating this ministry for 14 years.  Hundreds and hundreds of people with life controlling issues have been set free and stay free through the love and fellowship of this ministry. 

   All things are not as they appear. We must use spiritual discernment when evaluating spiritual matters.

   Below is an example from The book of Acts of how Paul used discernment to see beyond the flattery of the one truth proclaimed, to recognize the spirit behind it, and set a girl free from demonization. 

   "It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

   Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation"

   She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out of her at that very moment."

------    ------    ----  Acts 16:16-18 (NAS)  -----  ---

   Sometimes we can feel as if the Lord doesn't care about us anymore. When we go through difficult trials, from the small ones to the life changing ones, we can doubt His love for us. We can sense his presence in worship and hear His "voice" on other issues, but silence on the thing that matters most.

  Then we recall some of the times in the past where he has come through for us. And we can read the scriptures that declare His nature, His love and  faithfulness. But most of all we can reflect upon the cross and what he has done for us, and then our problems don't seem so big and we know that he loves us forever.

  Here are some of the lines to one of my favorite songs:

  "When living here has caused me pain  --  Things I just don't understand  --  I must recount your faithfulness -- And the mercy of your hand  -- When everything is said and done  --  And there's nothing left to say  --  The cross of Christ is proof enough You are good  ------  Your the lover of my soul  --  Your the keeper of my heart  --  And I know that you standing here oh Lord  --  And we'll never no never be apart   -----

   What does it mean when we pray, "Your kingdom come in earth as it is in heaven"?

   A powerful and valid understanding of this is that there is no sickness in heaven, no crime, no injustice, -  so that understanding, combined with faith has been producing many genuine miracles lately. 

  However it means more than healing miracles. Here is an excerpt from "A Prophetic Vision for the 21st Century" by Rick Joyner :

 "One of the greatest demonstrations of the Spirit I have ever witnessed was not a miracle, but a situation in an airline ticket line.

  ------   -----    ----  A DEMONSTRATION OF THE KINGDOM  --------  ----- 

   Because of problems with incoming flights and other delays, the line to one connection had grown to many more people than could be processed in the short time before the flght was to depart. Srife and impatience were rising to the point where I seriously thought the situation was going to get out of control.

  At the worst possible moment, just after more bad news had been announced, two large, boisterous women, each carrying two huge suitcases, started pushing their way through the line, demanding to go to the front. I do not recall ever witnessing more obnoxios attitudes. Even though they were women, I was fully expecting someone to deck them both. Then to my dismay, they both headed right toward my friend who was in line for the flight.

  As others were actually beginning to jostle with the two women, my friend instinctively raced to their assistance, asking if he could help them with their bags and offering them his own position near the front of the line. This action was so contrary to the prevailing spirit that everyone was stunned. A great quiet came over the entire scene. As my friend picked up his own bags and moved to the back of the line, every eye was on him. The two women were also undone by the unexpected and undeserved kindness.

  The agents, who had also witnessed the scene, suddenly became agreeable and somehow the flight was delayed enough to get everybody on it. I have witnessed many miracles of biblical stature, but that airport scene still stands out to me as a profound demonstation of the kingdom. As hell was fast gaining control of a volatile situation, moving it toward potentially serious strife, Satan brought in two of his biggest guns and aimed them right at the Christian, who quickly disarmed the enemy and his entire host with one genuine act of kindness.

  We have been given this same power in every situation. When strife arrises in our family or at the office, we can join the side of the enemy or the side of the Prince of Peace. Our choice will almost certainly determine the outcome. If we are the only one who joins with the Lord, the result will still be the same: Evil will be overcome by good. One person plus the Lord always makes a majority. This book is an attempt to help Christians make this choice in the new millenium."

  I read that story years ago but it still stands out in my mind. I hope it will for you as well.

   "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God"