This blog gets the most hits when the subject is about homosexuality. And since we are a community of GLBT believers in Messiah, this is hardly surprising. After all, we aim to provide a safe place, hope and encouragement for those who have been wounded and deeply hurt by well-meaning but ignorant believers. However, even though our sexual orientation is towards our own gender, we should not allow ourselves to be defined by it. We are all made in the image of HaShem. And the scope of this ministry goes way beyond just our sexuality. To repeat, G-d does not condemn you for being gay and being in a same-sex committed relationship is not a sin. For those of you who still live in shame, doubt and fear of divine punishment, please read (or re-read) the teaching articles on this blog.Our primary aim is to proclaim Yeshua the Messiah. He is our Lord and Saviour. And salvation is found in Him alone. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty G-d, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6-7). He is the saviour of the world (Yochanan 4:42) and the Lamb of G-d who takes away the sins of the world (Yochanan 1:29). And one day he will draw (literally drag) all men and women to Himself (Yochanan 12:42).
We do not worship Torah, as important as Torah is, especially the Torah of Messiah. We do not worship Shabbat, as much as we love Shabbat and enjoy the blessing of it. No, we worship the King of Israel, the One slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Through Him we can have a personal relationship with HaShem, our heavenly Father. Through Messiah Yeshua the Father is reconciling the whole world to Himself (2 Cor. 5:19).
And this my friends is the crux, the faultline, the most important issue you will ever deal with in your life. Not whether you are gay or lesbian. To be blunt, G-d doesn't care whether you are active, versatile or passive. But he does care deeply about YOU, about you having a relationship with Him. Yeshua and the Father are One (Yochanan 10:30) - Yeshua is merely the divine image of the Father... they are one and the same.
But why Yeshua? What about good Muslims, Buddhists, Orthodox Jews or Agnostics? How can we know that Yeshua really is the Messiah? Do you know? And can you prove it? The Christian Church places all its emphasis on 'faith' and so millions of sincere people try to work up enough faith to be saved - a sure way to go mad. G-d loves every one of His children, so why does it matter whether we know Messiah? And how can it be that salvation is only possible through Him?
I recently received a letter from a lesbian lady (she is Jewish), expressing serious doubts about Yeshua's claim to be the Messiah. And I empathise with her, because for many years I attended a mainstream synagogue and tried to avoid the issue. But one day, I finally plucked up the courage to tell my Rabbi that I believed that Yeshua was the Messiah. No big deal you might think? Nothing could be further from the truth. I experienced the most traumatic rejection of my life and was stripped of all my duties and asked to resign from the synagogue membership. It broke my heart. And yet I am a Jew and my saviour is a Jew. Our home is a Messianic Jewish home, we keep kosher, we keep Shabbat and the Festivals, we don't keep Christmas or Easter - I could go on.
So what about Yeshua? What makes you so sure that He is the Messiah? And can you prove it?
The next blog post will focus on this very subject. I believe it will be the most important one I have ever written. I pray that for those of you who are already believers in Yeshua, it will strengthen your faith. And for those of you who have doubts and (many) questions, I hope that it will spark in you a desire to know the truth and to dig deeper. And that you will come face to face with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Shabbat Shalom!
