Destress the Damsel

This last Friday, the Supreme Court made the decision to legalize homosexual marriage in all 50 states. This is no secret – all one has to do is log into social media to find articles on the LGBT community’s so called “victory” plastered all over streaming feeds, pictures of men kissing men, women kissing women, and rainbows strewn across profile pictures.What???

…

Wait a second, what is going on here?

Have we regressed so far as a society that the abnormal, the un-natural, the abominable is now cause for celebration? How did we get from “the good ol’ days” to this madness? Furthermore, where do we go from here?

Instead of stacking all the blame on the homosexuals, I want to look a little deeper into the matter. I want us to look inside ourselves. As christians, where is our responsibility in this?

I think as people in general, we often struggle with balance. What do I mean by that? I mean that many times we see matters in only black or white. Oftentimes we are not objective, and get caught up in our emotions rather than the truth. Concerning the topic of homosexuality, two polar opposite groups continue to battle in our nation –

Group A: The Homosexual Supporters,

and

Group B: The Homosexual Opposers.

I would like to offer an objective view on each of these.

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The Homosexual Supporters

After reading many posts/comments from homosexual supporters in the last few days, here are some of the common phrases that I have heard in favor of gay marriage:

1. “Love is love/the heart wants what it wants”

2. “How dare you say anything agaist homosexuals! You are a hateful bigot!”

and

3. “Only God can judge me”

Now, let us think about these phrases for a moment.

— 1. The heart may want what it wants, but we humans need to live according to God’s spirit, not according to our frail human hearts. Think about the implications of the statement. What about someone who has a bad heart? If my heart wants money, am I to rob a bank because “the heart wants what it wants”? If my heart wants revenge, am I to murder because “the heart wants what it wants”? Of course not – how foolish! We may not do just what we want. We are worth more than that.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” – Proverbs 14:12

— 2. Unfortunately I must admit that there are and have been people all throughout time who are cruel and merciless to homosexuals. Adolf Hitler for example; the atrocities he committed towards many different people (including homosexuals) were nothing short of pure evil. However, not everyone who disapproves of a person’s behavior HATES the person. In fact, most christians just want to help homosexuals, but don’t know how to go about it.

— 3. I am afraid many people misunderstand what it means to judge. Without writing an entire article on the topic (you may refer to one of my previous articles – Jeering Judgment”), suffice it to say that there is a difference between being judged, and being forewarned of God’s final judgment. Christians are not judging the homosexual lifestyle; God has already pre-determined the judgment of these unrepentant souls. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) We warn people because we care!

“Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” – Proverbs 27:5-6

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Homosexual Opposers

Sisters, I oppose homosexuality – BUT – I am appalled at the way some christians handle opposition. We are to speak the truth in love. We are to teach homosexuals because we care about them. We are NOT to ridicule them, taunt them, harass them, and fight with them. Truly some people ought to be ashamed of themselves, for they have the truth but they have no love. Do not be one of these people. I know you’re trying to stand on God’s word, and I know you are convicted, and those are good things! But we will not win these souls by baring our teeth at them. What they need is someone who cares and has words that are seasoned with salt. Love and truth need to go hand-in-hand.

“Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?” Job 6:24-25

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Bottom line, we need to have balance to weigh out the truth about homosexuality. We are not to support it, (for even to delight in these wicked actions is to be worthy of death – Romans 1:32, 2 John 1:11) but neither are we to hate these sinners. Cliché as it is, we are truly to hate the sin, while loving the sinner. (Keep in mind, loving the sinner is not turning a blind eye – but makes us responsible to warn them, and teach them with love).

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way”

God bless, and take a chill pill!
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

My friend, I want to ask you a simple question.

Are you a quitter?

I am.

I started quitting in November 2007 when I was buried with Christ in baptism. See, what I “quit”, was my fleshly addiction…sin. Cold turkey. The funny thing about addictions though, is you never really stop quitting them. It’s not a once and for all quit, but an every-single-day-of-your-life sort of quit — quitters (never) quit quitting.

When we start to recognize sin for what it truly is – a disease and an addiction – we will be able to put it in proper perspective.

Any honest quitter of drugs or alcohol will tell you “once an addict, always an addict”. Now don’t get me wrong, the longer an addict goes without their addiction in their life the cravings will be less and less. In fact, the cravings will eventually desist. But all it takes is one puff of that cigarette, one drink of that liquor to start that addict right back at the dark place they used to be.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬ KJV)

Whatever our SIN addiction may be, we mustn’t let ourselves have the satisfaction of one “puff”, or one “drop” of that sin…or we’re going to be fallen on the floor in a mess of our own making. Maybe we’ll never pick ourselves back up.

Are you addicted to gossip? – one word could be your undoing.

Addicted to fornication? One kiss before you are back on the road to destruction.

Addicted to complaining? One groan from your lips could be your last chance.

We must always be on the watch and examining ourselves daily, for truly “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”.  (Matthew 26:41)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8-9‬ KJV)

Friends, let’s face it. We’re all addicted to sin…but what makes christians different from the rest? We are quitters. True quitters are always quitting, and we will quit until the day we die to glorify our King.

Keep the faith, and NEVER quit quitting.

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If you strike a thorn or rose,

Keep a-goin’!

If it hails or if it snows,

Keep a-goin’!

‘Taint no use to sit an’ whine

When the fish ain’t on your line;

Bait your hook an’ keep a-tryin’–

Keep a-goin’!

When the weather kills your crop,

Keep a-goin’!

Though ’tis work to reach the top,

Keep a-goin’!

S’pose you’re out o’ ev’ry dime,

Gittin’ broke ain’t any crime;

Tell the world you’re feelin’ prime–

Keep a-goin’!

When it looks like all is up,

Keep a-goin’!

Drain the sweetness from the cup,

Keep a-goin’!

See the wild birds on the wing,

Hear the bells that sweetly ring,

When you feel like singin’, sing–

Keep a-goin’!

– Frank L. Stanton

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I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. (‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭11‬ KJV)

God bless, and take a chill pill!
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

It has long been said that “united we stand, divided we fall”, but I am sad to say that I think the days of that mindset are coming to a close. We have moved into an age where people are bent on having their independence, privacy from others, and no governing authority whatsoever. This “private pandemic” has spread far and wide, and has even begun to influence those who were once a part of the church. There are many today who claim they simply don’t need the church anymore (the church that Jesus Christ purchased with His own blood) …they claim that they can simply read the bible in their own home and that God will smile upon them as true worshippers. So are they right, or not? Should we be united with the local church or can we just stay home?Sisters, I think this is an important matter that needs addressing. We need to become serious and convicted once again….before the virus that infects the world today affects you and I.

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There are some basic questions that need answering before we move forward:

1 – Who is in the church? –

2 – What is the church for? –

3 – When does the church gather? –

4 – Where is the church located? –

5 – Why do I need the church? –

I will do my best to answer these questions. Okay, chicas – shall we begin?

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First of all – Who is in the church?

To state it simply, the church is the “called out”, universal group of those who have turned from their sin and obeyed the gospel by being immersed in water baptism.

“And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added about three thousand souls” – Acts 2:40-41

Now we should realize that the church is not built of any ONE individual, but the entire body of local followers of Christ:

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part…” Ephesians 4:16a

Notice these phrases in particular: “the whole body”, “every joint”, “every part”…. Let’s be reasonable…a body is not a body at all if it is only one part!

“For the body is not one member, but many” 1 Corinthians 12:14

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What is the church for?

The church has many, many purposes, but for the sake of this particular topic, I will narrow it to this one purpose for now: The church is for the building up of brethren.

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” Ephesians 4:13

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When does the church gather?

On the first day of every week, as we are taught by the example of Jesus’ disciples & eyewitnesses of His ressurection.

“And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them….” Acts 20:7a

“Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store….” 1 Corinthians 16:1-2a

In addition, we are to meet with the saints on any other day that the eldership sees fit, (Wednesday evening bible studies, for example) – for we are to be in subjection to our congregational leaders!

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17

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Where is the church located?

Why, wherever you are of course! You, plus ALL saints in your local area –

“The Church of Ephesus”…”The Church in Smyrna”…..”The Church in Pergamos”….”The Church in Thyatira”…”The Church in Sardis”…”The Church in Philadelphia”…”The Church of the Laodiceans”……. (taken from Revelation 2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14)

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Why do I need the church?

Friends, we need the church because we need Jesus . The church is the body of Christ! If we reject His body, His church…we reject Him!

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers….” 1 Corinthians 12:27-28a

God has set us in the church…and it is His will that we remain linked to our brethren! Every congregation has its faults, but that is never an excuse to forsake our brothers and sisters! Jesus Himself is not ashamed to be linked to the local body:

“For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” Hebrews 2:11

Would we consider ourselves better than our Messiah by kissing the church goodbye, when He in all His holiness will not? God forbid it!

“Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints.” Hebrews 13:24a

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Ladies, there are many in this modern day who believe that “organized religion” (as they condescendingly call it) – is unnecessary. There are many who mock us “church go-ers”, claiming that they can have what we have in the convenience of their own home. I have to heartily disagree. I have heard some go as far to say that “the only verse about church attendance is Hebrews 10:25 (“forsake not the assembling of yourselves together…”)….that’s all the whole bible says about the matter!” Now friends, even if that were the only verse, think about it – how many times does God have to say something before we will obey Him? Once should be more than sufficient. Besides that, stating that Hebrews 10:25 is the only verse on the subject is simply not true! All one must do is crack open their bible to find MANY verses on the subject of being linked to the church. But- we must be seeking the truth or we will miss it completely.

“Nevertheless when it [the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away” 2 Corinthians 3:16

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Ultimately it all comes down to our “heart” – our attitude. Let’s be honest: do we love the Lord or don’t we? Because if we love Him, aren’t we going to want to get as close to Him as humanly possible? Consider some of the words of David,” a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22):

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1

“I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.” Psalm 42:4b

“Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.” Psalm 26:8

“My soul longeth, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” Psalm 84:2

“For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Psalm 84:10

“I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.” Psalm 40:10b

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Sisters, I am fully persuaded that if we desire fellowship with God, we must continue in faithful fellowship with His body. Whatever is keeping you from your local assembly – a disagreement with someone, different priorities during assembly, whatever the case may be – we must find a way to make things right. It’s not too late to put your best foot forward and turn back to the church. Do it. You need us, and we need you.

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” 1 John 3:14

“When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.” Psalm 75:2

God bless, and take a chill pill!
Mrs. Dustin Bolks