Ten Lepers Stand Outside a Bar...

I love sharing my testimony of Jesus Christ. He led me out of homosexuality. I love it when men who have been delivered from Same Sex Attractions (SSA), use their freedom to help and encourage other guys who struggle homosexually. My journey away from gay has been rocky at times, but always worth the hike. In fact, one of the guys I mentored 3 years ago texted me today. “Tell me it’s worth it! ,” he texted. Caught off guard, I asked, “Worth What?” “Worth giving up a shot with the most, amazing looking guy, I saw at the mall.” he said. “It’s worth it,” I texted back. “Thanks,” he said. It’s worth missing out on that amazing guy in order to be a part of God’s plan for your life. It’s worth not being some guy’s conquest and being Jesus Christ’s conqueror. A life surrendered to Christ, where we deny what our flesh wants, is worth the lonely, teary-eyed nights we go to bed alone. Everything I ever experienced in my ten years steeped in gay culture is worth even just one minute in the presence of Jesus Christ. One of the great desires I have for men and women who leave their gay identities behind is that they share it with the world. (Warning, there may be some persecution involved.) I have met so many that simply want to get healed and never talk about their homosexual past ever again. I see that as selfish. It says, “I got what I needed. Screw the rest of you.” Every day another celebrity, politician or news anchor feeds us another steaming pile of the gay gospel, it goes head to head with the truth that we have experienced. We may stumble, but we recognize that the bible identifies homosexuality as a sin. We strive to be free from a gay identity instead of living a life centered around a gay identity. Attempting to walk away from homosexuality without Jesus Christ, is like running on a treadmill. You’ll expend a bunch of energy getting absolutely nowhere. Gay men and women may be a fractional 10% of the population, but over the past decade their voices have drowned out and influenced the opinions of the remaining 90%. I would like that to end. I would simply like dialogue, where a shouting match has ensued. Remember the 10 lepers that Jesus cleansed. Luke 17:12 “As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him… I love this story. They weren’t immediately set free from their ailments. “As they went, they were cleansed.” Healing is often a process. As we exercise faith, we are made whole. Even though ten lepers were cleansed, only one came back to thank Jesus. I want to be that guy. I want my brothers and sisters who have walked away from homosexuality to be like that guy. Christ healed us from a life altering situation. We have to return and give praise and thanks. We have to spread the news of Christ’s good will and his ability and willingness to set us free.