Loving homosexuals

[Guest power2u]

Loving Homosexuals

Before coming to Christ years ago I merrily chased women. To me it was a better sport than soccer and it was certainly better exercise. I preferred my trophies in living flesh and blood. After I got serious about serving God when I was a teen, I repented of living an immoral lifestyle and pledged myself to purity. I went to a number of young women I had slept with and brokenheartedly asked their forgiveness.

I told them all about Jesus, how I had met him, how He had changed me inside. Well, four of them came to Christ as a result of my apology! Talk about God turning evil into good for His glory. These ladies and a few other friends ended up moving into a house together near the church I attended.

Our pastor decided that since they had such a large living room, he would hold weekly Bible studies there. As my reputation as a womanizer still followed me like a shadow, I was "required" to attend. For six months, the ladies would have "roasted Bryan" for idle conversation and I had to sit there and take it. They weren't trying to be mean. I had inflicted a lot of damage emotionally (and unintentionally) and it was time for all of us to heal. For months no one would believe that I had really repented.

I had to listen to the pain and saw the tears I and so many guys had caused them. Most of them came to school looking for love, couldn't find it, and so they settled for its cheap imitation: lust. I had never seen women as really human until this happened and it disgusted me into an even deeper repentance regarding sexual issues. While I am subject to temptation like anyone else, I have never fallen back into the snare of immorality. My 10th wedding anniversary is around the corner and I have been faithful (Praise God!) to my wife.

C.S. Lewis said, "Sometimes we, like puppies, have to have our noses rubbed in it." We learn what is right and wrong and get enough discipline to never want to transgress that way again.

I write that as a backdrop to address the painful issue of loving homosexuals. My wife and I took a young man who had come to Christ out to dinner. He was a flaming gay with the affectations, the falsetto voice, a faggy swagger. His mannerisms were revolting. It turned my stomach to be near him. He really had gotten saved and like so many new converts, he had real issues to address to begin working out his salvation in fear in trembling.

During a weekend prayer retreat he spent 2 days by himself in a corner praying. The Spirit was evident on him and no one disturbed him. He later told me the Lord had told him, "If you will hate your sin the way I hate it, I will deliver you."

I kept feeling a prompting to love this young man but every time I got near him, my flesh recoiled. He was interested in our ministry to internationals - his first boyfriend had been a foreigner. He, Cyndi and I went out for coffee one night and my wife excused herself for a bathroom break. And he and I were quite alone at the table.

I turned nervously around to see a friend of mine looking hard at the two of us and smiling weakly. This young man, who had a classical stage whisper, said, "You're the first male friend I have ever had that I wasn't sexually attracted to." And people stared at me. I actually broke a sweat.

Suddenly I felt the Holy Spirit whisper, "What makes your sexual struggles and sin any different than his? Sin is sin and I hate it all."

I broke before God and befriended this young man. I found out later that the biggest struggle this young man was facing

[FaithfulFollower]

Bryan,

My heart goes out to you and a sincere thank you as well for having the courage as well as the desire to post this. The church is something of which many a believer and non-believer alike have issues with. It is a matter of brothers and sisters in Christ coming together so as to fix such problems and embrace those of which are desiring to let Jesus into their lives and walk away from the path of sin.

Indeed, too many a time we all as believers tend to become judgemental not only towards those without faith, but those of the same faith as well in regards to one another's sins.

Christ taught us to love the sinner, but not the sin. Yet within today's society we are quick to shun if not put down our own brothers and sisters in Christ on account of sin instead of reaching out unto them in God's love. Once again, thank you for posting this.

With Love In Christ,

Danielle

[apothanein kerdos]

Absolutely excellent post.

[Kabowd]

You have my respect, sir. Awesome testimony.

[Keith]

God never ceases to amaze me! How is that young man doing now, Bryan?

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings,

Bryan Hupperts is an extraordinary and gifted writer and has a wonderful testimony. He has authored SHEEP TRAX in the past, and I believe can still be reached at:

deepsheep@sheeptrax.com

I am currently receiving his writings through the ANZAC PROPHETIC and they can be reached at:

anzac-subscribe@welovegod.org

You will be blessed if you join them.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[Keith]

Greetings,

Bryan Hupperts is an extraordinary and gifted writer and has a wonderful testimony. He has authored SHEEP TRAX in the past...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ahh... I thought "power2u" was Bryan!

[Guest power2u]

Sorry I am not Bryan

[Kabowd]

Oi..in order not to plagerize, it might be a good idea to edit the post then and note that you didn't write the article.

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

To be CHRIST-like, is to love the sinner (not the sin)