Ray -- I think I've share with you; I was in a private coach accident in 1987 and suffered major injuries requiring emergency surgery and several months of physical therapy and rehab. I've suffered night terrors for years and my mind recalls that experience often. I believe this traumatic experience causes me to suffer panic attacks often and especially when in a pressure situation at work, or sometimes even at play. Thank God for spiritual and emotional healing, excellent medical providers and therapists, and the loving support of family and friends. LOVE YOU much my friend and am SO excited to meet all the beautiful people at The Village ATL ☀
Thanks, Robby! I played that. The song is a royalty-free song licensed for production. It has an organ part, but it's faint. I recorded a more aggressive organ track to tie how I edited the into and close of the original into 44-seconds. It was fun!
I just wanted to comment about my belief on female being created from the male. I know some see that as inequality but for me I see it as being equal. God created and brought every animal to Adam to have him name them and have one to be a helper to Adam. My bible also says he was trying to create someone corresponding (equal) to Adam. When God could not find this creation he knew that for anything to be equal and a helper to Adam it had to come from Adam. God literally takes part of Adam ( Gods creation) and makes Eve. Eve is made of the same flesh and bone as Adam. They are of the same flesh and equal to each other now. In the 2nd chapter it says this is why man must leave his mother and father and become one flesh with his wife. Being of one flesh in my eyes doesn’t show inequality but rather equality. How can you be unequal if you are made from the same materials? That’s just my view on it.
Ray, I watch a lot of your messages but found this one particularly striking and moving. I really appreciate your acknowledgement that many of us are not in a place, often due to bad experiences in our lives with organized religion or its representatives, where we feel comfortable talking about or to something called God. I have days like this although they seem to be becoming fewer. When I feel like that but still feel the need to reach out to something bigger than me, I usually just say universe or Source. I figure it’s like addressing mail to general delivery. Some cosmic post office makes sure the prayer gets to where it needs to go! Thanks for all you do!
I would Love to hear you play those one day and to hear your commentary on each one. I think all of us would be shocked to hear recordings of ourselves from 20-30 years ago!
This is such an important message! I'm a gay man who grew up in Christian fundamentalism. For many years I was told (and I believed) that I couldn't be a Christian. Then one day it dawned on me, in my late 40's, that I get to decide if I'm a Christian - that I get to decide if I'm a follower of Jesus. No one else gets to decide that for me. Thank you for what you do 🙏
I get rambly when I'm tired, so please bear with me :) Absolutely wonderful. I'm also transgender, but from the opposite side. When people started perceiving me as (a white) male, the difference in behavior was STAGGERING. People listen when I talk, are willing to engage in constructive debate, none of that "oh it's your time of the month" garbage people like to spew when I get even a little emotional or passionate about something. And yes, women's jeans are the worst. I always went to Goodwill for clothes, and would go to the women's jeans and stick my hand in the pocket before even considering trying them on, haha. I personally believe it would do fundamentalist Christians so much good to step outside of their circle and interact with people in good faith. I don't think most of them see us as human beings, but a monster hiding under their beds. The modern-day "boogeyman" out to steal or ruin their children. Human interaction goes such a long way towards understanding, but it has to be with an open heart. The point about calling is so fantastic. All my coworkers told me that I'm really good with technology, but I resisted that path with my entire being until God closed every other door for me. Now I'm in my 3rd year of a Cybersecurity degree...Trying to swerve from my calling was just a waste of time and energy, but it did teach me an important lesson. Being courageous by itself is a terrifying thing, especially as a transgender person. I very much appreciate the encouragement, which strengthened my wavering resolve. I pray that God softens the hearts of the world so people may see us as He sees us: exactly as we are.
Mike - Watching this brought tears to my eyes and sent a chill down my spine as I was making my coffee this morning - your story hits "close to home". I grew up in Montana in the 70's and 80's as a gay boy in the Assembly of God church. My 72 year old mother holds ministerial credentials with that church. THANK YOU for your bravery. Like you, I got to the point where I'm certain that God loves me as I am. I struggle to make sense of this logically and theologically, but at the end of the day, God's love is big enough to embrace my whole person. Like you, I've had a difficult journey at points. I spent two years in a live-in ex gay program in my 20's. However, I'm now self-affirming and I no longer worry about going to hell (I gave that up years ago 😉) I so very much appreciate your honesty, humility and vulnerability. Keep spreading this vital message and keep sharing your story!💜
Thank you for speaking up and sharing - I'm entirely unfamiliar with your church but God seems to have put this video in my recommended feed. I absolutely started sobbing through this video. I'm a trans christian. You're spot-on when you talk about the pain and trauma many LGBTQ+ folks feel due to the church; I've been there before. It often feels like we aren't seen as people made in God's image. Instead, we're treated as abominations, demons, etc. One church openly proclaims that all LGBTQ+ people should be strung from bridges as an example. How is that, in any way, following Jesus's example?? So many people see no room for growth, interpretation, or nuance in the Bible. God made us all wonderfully unique in our own ways - I'll never understand why there's such a desire to force everyone into the same stifling box. I'd like to present a quote from HRC regarding the topic: "In between day and night we have dawn and dusk; between land and sea we have coral reefs and estuaries and beaches; between flying birds and swimming fish we have penguins and high jumping dolphins, not to mention that uncategorizable favorite the platypus! No one would argue that a penguin is an abomination for not fitting the categories of Genesis 1, or that an estuary isn’t pleasing to God because it’s neither land nor sea. In the same way, God gives every human a self that is unique and may not always fit neatly into a box or binary." And my favorite Bible verse: "For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them." -Psalm 139:12-16 NKJV
I am glad you found the message. I loved the HRC quote. Thanks for sharing. We have a dear trans friend named Paula Stone Williams. She preached recently at our place. She is the best of the best. Here is the link for her talk - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OgCOOaGlWGs.html. She will be preaching again at our church on November 5th.
This is the umpteenth time I.have watched this sermon. And in my view the best exposition I have ever heard on this text. It has had a profound influence on my life. Thank you!
Thank you Stan and God bless you and I'm going to write appointment send it to you I'm 60 and a grandmother gay 1962 and you've saved lives and just know that I see you and I there is 10 righteous preachers in the land and you're one 🙏❤️😇
