Two Mornings After

I can't even begin to describe the response to my post and what God has been doing in just the past 24 hours. It is INSANE. So many of you have been asking me how i'm holding up, how i'm doing; thank you for your care and concern! I'm doing great, God is good and my heart is just overflowing with joy. 

You wouldn't think that posting about your deepest darkest secret online, especially when it is so controversial and against what the world is saying would bring you great joy but all glory to God because he has filled my heart with endless praise and thanksgiving. I find myself singing, dancing and leaping because God is so good and so faithful! 

I have received countless messages of encouragement, support and love from brothers and sisters in Christ, even from ones I don't know, and even from my unbelieving friends. Some have shared that they wrestle with similar struggles, others have shared how the post has opened and allowed gospel conversations, many are being equipped with the Word, I have had many solid, open discussions about the topic and have had several opportunities to share the gospel - even at work! Praise God! God is mightily at work! All glory be to God! 

On top of that I am utterly amazed by how many other believers have chosen to engage in the comments - they deny themselves for the sake of Christ, lay down their reputation and give up their time to stand, speak truth and shine light in a world of darkness. I am so encouraged by those who have spoken for the sake of Christ in the midst of opposition, they will be rewarded! 
"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." 
- Matthew 5:11-12
Though joyful, my heart is heavy and is grieving for those who are lost and for those who have rejected God. I see the comments and I pray that God would show mercy upon them, that their hearts would be softened to the gospel and that they would be saved. 

One thing that surprised me is the response of those in opposition. I was expecting more anger, but it seems that most people are more sad than angry. Sad that my life won't be "fulfilled", sad that "i've been brainwashed", sad that "I've denied myself happiness". What makes me sad is that there are those who are willing to approve sin and live in rebellion to God, who choose sin and pleasure for such a fleeting time (our life here on earth) and as result end up in judgement and in eternal damnation in Hell just to feel temporarily "fulfilled" or "happy". Friends, your soul is at stake here and the consequences are eternal! I plead with you that you would turn to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins - He loves you so much that He died for you and bore God's wrath so that you could have life and be found right before God - justified by His blood, robed in righteousness, inheriting eternal life (an eternity without sorrow, sin or sadness). Please hear this as a message of love, that your life of unrepentant sin - be it the lies you've told, your selfish heart, or a life that embraces homosexuality - it is leading you straight to destruction and we are crying out and warning you to turn away before it is too late. Come to Jesus and He will forgive you!

Prayer is so important in times like these. Many have asked how they can be praying and here are two things I ask; 

1) Pray for wisdom and a spirit of boldness as I (and we) engage with the world. Pray that we would speak with gentleness, with love but also with boldness and without apology. As followers of Christ, may we always point others to Christ and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2) Pray for the lost to be saved. Go through the names in the comments that have rejected God, and pray by name that God would soften and work in their hearts, show mercy to them, and that He would save them. 
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day, and not only me but also to all who have loved his appearing. 
- 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Comments

  1. You can think and believe what you want. That is your right.

    When you directly tell others to repress their feelings or identities, you are actually doing harm. Many studies show clearly that religious conflict with one's sexual attractions or identity greatly increases suicide risk in young people. You are perpetuating this conflict, and this could be extremely damaging to young people reading your blog. It's nobody's business (certainly not mine) to tell you how to live, but neither is it yours to tell others. I hope you will consider the impact you may be having on others who have not so easily come to grips with their conflicting feelings and ideologies.

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    1. Did you read any of the above post? This post is a call to the Lord and his saving grace for eternity. Not whether it's right or wrong to have a homosexual relationship and how that affects someone's feelings.It is far more important to care for someone's soul that will last for eternity. True comfort is found in Jesus alone. Eternity is a long time.

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    2. Typical Christian - putting yourself up on a pedestal... everything sensible in one ear and out the other...

      When someone kills themselves over the garbage you're putting on the internet, because they took it as a manual... I hope you feel really great about yourself. I'm sure you'll make it out to be "God's will" or something stupid like that... but really it'll be all your fault. I felt some sympathy for you yesterday, but it's waned off very quickly. Just because you're having a struggle, doesn't mean you get to drag everyone else under the bus with you. Piece of shit.

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    3. "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36

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    5. This is so often the case. Someone says, "It's nobody's business (certainly not mine) to tell you how to live, but neither is it yours to tell others." However, the person goes on to say, "I hope you will consider the impact you may be having on others who have not so easily come to grips with their conflicting feelings and ideologies."

      On the one hand, there is an affirmation that they aren't going to tell someone how to live. But that's only true if the person hasn't chosen to live by sharing his/her views about what's right and wrong, specifically sexuality and religion in this case. The commenter is doing precisely what they said they wouldn't do.

      The truth is, by the very act of engaging in this conversation, we are all telling each other how to live. There is no high ground where only one side evangelizes the other. We are all involved in perpetuating our own views on each other when it comes to public discourse.

      Perhaps a better framing of the commenter's position would have been, "I'm not going to tell you how to live privately, but I'm sure going to speak up when it comes to how you choose to live your life in public discourse."

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  2. http://www.itgetsbetter.org Just for anyone who's feeling even worse after reading this garbage - here's a real resource to truly help you come to terms with yourself and live a more fulfilling life, sans misery and repression. These videos helped me a lot when I was navigating my own sexuality, and they give you real life people to connect with to show that you're not alone.

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    1. lawl weren't you the guy on fb who told the other dude to get off your safe space or smth and now you're commenting here? wow what the irony!

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  3. Thank you for your boldness in sharing your struggles and using it to point others to the gospel and Christ's love! I don't even know you, but I just wanted to let you know I've been praying for you and the response of those who read your posts!

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    1. Thank you Unknown! lol May we all continue to point to the gospel for ourselves, other believers and the lost! Pray for the salvation of the lost!

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  4. Hey Jason, I just wanted to say that I think you're really brave for sharing your story. I know you from a distance, and I am glad that you felt comfortable enough to come out.

    As you are in Southern Ontario in what I believe to be a loving Christian community, I want to encourage you to consider the witness that you are exemplifying. As someone in the Christian queer community (and identifies as Side B) hoping to be a bridge, my heart is grieved by your judgmental comments and your posture. While I understand that you want to boldly proclaim truth, it is nothing without grace and love. And we cannot hold non-Christians to the same standards as we hold fellow believers; please, please consider the pastoral implications of your blog posts. How many people have you ostracized from hearing the gospel? I pray not many, and that indeed as you say it has been a conversation starter.

    This is a worthy conversation to have, but respectfully, I hope that you take it offline (online conversations are hard enough as it is in relationships to begin with!) and to continue to exemplify the love of Christ.

    Praying for you, brother.

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    1. I'm confused. Did you read the two blog posts? He clearly proclaims the Gospel in both of them! As the Christian community, we don't put homosexuality above all other sins, but claim that any sin in one's life separates them from God unless they have Jesus Christ as their mediator. Jason has done an exemplary job of proclaiming the Gospel by pointing out sin (and he does it with himself as the example), and then pointing them to the one who cleanses us from all sin and unrighteousness. You're comment about him ostracizing people from hearing the Gospel is nonsensical when the whole blog post is an example of the Gospel being lived out and what Christ has done in his life.

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    2. Jennifer, do you even read the bible? Homosexuality is not a sin, but your grammar may as well be.

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  5. http://onmyplanet.ca/mundo/ more resources that'll actually help you

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    1. i encourage you to also try searching the scriptures breathed out by God the Creator for yourself for truth

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  6. I am very impressed by how solid you are theologically. Awesome! What an beautiful thing to deny oneself for the good and glory of God and to be called a Child of God! You will be rewarded for your faithful witness <3 until that day, continue in the faith with boldness and love! May God finish the work he has started in you <3 - God bless, brother!

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  7. You're bravery, boldness and gentleness is truly outstanding! May God be glorified above all else!

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  8. Hey Jason,

    Although I disagree with you (and I hope that my lack of religious faith does not make you feel that what I am saying is not worth your time), I can't help but admire your decision and determination to resist SSA. I think it takes a lot of strength to be willing to reveal something so personal, to deal with a massive amount of backlash and to resist something that I believe is biologically natural for the sake of your faith in God.

    I'm under the impression that you have made peace with your current situation, but I'm sure that you know that in case you ever experience a shift in the way that you think and decide that you do identify as homosexual, I don't think this means that God would love you any less. Judging from the support you've received from blog posts and your pastor, I can't imagine that the people who have given you their endless supports nor your friends or family would turn their backs on you either.

    However, as I mentioned earlier, it seems that you are content your situation and I think that is pretty spectacular, and I can only hope that things turn out well for you.

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