A biblical perspective on what the real reason behind the change of what the world knows as marriage. This is not about Civil Rights but about reeducating a culture and silencing all speech that opposes the gay lifestyle in preparation for a world leader who according to Daniel 11:37 and Revelation 11:8 is a homosexual male.

There has been widespread media attention to the homeless camp known as “Tent City” in Lakewood,NJ. However, few of us in Toms River, NJ know the extent of the homeless problem behind our shopping centers, our patches of woods and our run down motels. Over the next few months, I will utilize the local web platform of the Toms River Patch to personally relate the stories and the plight of those who spiritually and literally can be called “our neighbor” right here in Toms River. Prejudice filters our thoughts from seeing the true individual and their God given talent and purpose. The face of homelessness must change in our eyes. Behind the clothes, the living conditions, and the hopelessness - there is a Name. A name that God knows. A life experience that God knows. A person who God unconditionally loves. The following is a story that was shared with me from Michael Williams, founder of More to Life Ministry  www.facebook.com/moretolifeministry who regularly travels into our homeless camps to bring hope to the hopeless. This day, he met an old friend that worshipped with him at a local church just a few years ago. 

  “I can share with you a story about my friend, "Hank". I came across Hank while doing an outreach at a small homeless camp tucked away in an area of Toms River. I was there helping out some other people I knew there, when Hank came out from his tent. He looked at me as I looked at him. He said to me, “I know you from somewhere. We went to the same church.” I looked deeper into his eyes, past his overgrown beard and worn out clothes and barely recognized the man that worshipped together with me a few years back. Hank used to be highly involved with church activities along with his, then, wife. Hank also owned his own business back then. But Hank started having problems in his marriage, along with struggles of alcoholism. This led to him being kicked out of his home, along with a restraining order not to come back. With no where to go, depression, failure and defeat setting in, Hank ended up losing everything, along with his dignity and pride, and is now homeless. But Hank is more than just "homeless". Hank is a hard working, loving and caring man who is trying to pick himself up out of the pit in which he has fallen in. Every day is a struggle for Hank. There is no hiding the pain and regret Hank has, for it shows in his face and in the heartfelt conversations we have had as he sheds life's tears. I will continue to shine a light in the darkness of his and everyone else’s life, and offer a hand up as I walk along side those struggling with life. I have realized through my experiences of those who are homeless that the best thing you can give someone who is homeless is your time. Take the time to build relationships with people and walk along side those that are struggling. It's not always about the "stuff" we can give, but rather the giving of ourselves that truly matters.” Michael Williams

You can help meet the needs of the Toms River homeless. Tents, tarps, rope, batteries and much more. Please contact More to Life Ministry at the links provided. 

www.facebook.com/moretolifeministry    spiritdriven@aol.com 

History has repeatedly showed us that the Two Great Institutions of Church and Government can not Co-Exist when there is equal power.

1. These entities are after the hearts, minds and the financial support of men. One, the church receives this support through the willingness of man to give in offerings. The second, the government legislates this support through the forced taxation of man.

2. These entities are usually lead by charismatic and orally gifted individuals because followers naturally are attracted to believe and trust in these leaders.

3. These entities both believe that they have the answers to mankind’s dilemma of poverty, inequality, sickness and injustice. One, the church believes that Christ is the center of all things, the answer to all things, and the principles of the Kingdom of God will produce the best possible results to counter act - poverty, inequality, sickness and injustice - in a cursed earth that has a minority of redeemed people known as The Church. The second, the government believes that Man (not Christ) is the center of all things, the answer to all things, and the ever changing system of moral relativism known as Secular Humanism will produce the best possible results to counter act - poverty, inequality, sickness and injustice.

A small government that believes in religious liberty and personal independence such as America’s founding fathers fought for; creates a national spiritual climate where the Church can grow, prosper, build and send forth missionaries while feeding the poor and clothing the naked.

A large government that is the center of political systems such as Communism or economic systems as Socialism crushes the reach and effectiveness of the church; and persecutes and imprisons Christians for winning over the hearts, minds, and financial support of man.

• The conflict of the Apostles and the Roman Emperors at the birth of the Church

• The conflict of the Religious Reformers and the European Kings who aligned themselves with either Catholicism or Protestantism

• The conflict of Christians in the 20th century with political leaders in Russia, China, Cuba and more nations where 20 million people were murdered in the name of the “poor and working class” economic revolutions.
  

The Church must be concerned about the size and growth of the United States government. A strong government can not be at peace with a strong church. The Church can conquer spiritually but the Government can crush physically. Small government, less taxes, more freedom empowers the Church to prosper and reach more people. I pray that we are not destroyed for a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6)

  Recently, as I was briefly reading an excerpt from the book UnChristian, I came across the chapter that with great detail explained why unchurched people believe Christians are "judgmental". The first three words to come to mind by 20-something's to explain Christians were: anti-homosexual, judgmental, and hypocrites. 

Are Christians JudgMental or is this feeling by non-Christians JustMental?

Judgmental - One of the main complaints about Christians being judgmental was their practice of labeling people (unbelievers, non believers, etc...). 

The counterfactual argument has to be asked: if Christians are "judgmental" because they label people, then what do you call the 20-something making this accusation who just "labeled" Christians as judgmental - equal to Christians labeling people by categories. They put all Christians into one category without getting to know individuals and personalities. The same practice they accuse and condemn Christians for practicing. 

JustMental - Their feelings of being judged are real. Their perception of the facts is their reality (Proverbs 23:7). Their mind struggling with endless truth leads to conviction, which when not understood could feel like condemnation or judgment. Even Christians encounter this condemned feeling, though they should not (Rom 8:1). The difference is those who acknowledge their sin with Honesty and Humility take action through Faith and Surrender. They turn to Jesus Christ and start ther journey in following him. Others who experience this conviction, do not want to acknowledge their sin but rather justify it to ease their conscience. 

Since this attempt of Self - Justification does not work, they blame the failure to "shake this feeling" as others being Judgmental towards them, when the real battle is JustMental. I do not know Christians who judge people because of their sin and/or because the person possibly being judgmental is that way because they are a Christian. Some individuals whether Christian or not, can look at the speck in other's eyes without seeing the plank in their own (Math 5 - spoken to a non Christian crowd). That is their personality and their own character flaw not a product of their faith. 

1. The majority of churches have recovery programs as they welcome people who are fighting through addictions.

2. Churches advertise because new people are welcomed

3. They have altar calls for people to accept Christ as Savior because they are hoping these people are in the crowd,  or specific rooms available for people who have questions about following Christ.

4 .These churches/Christians are not judging and rejecting people but on the contrary they are welcoming them, spending money to reach them and time and energy to help them. 

The Occupy Wall Street protestors should be admired for their passion and their ideas of greater economic equality. However, according to Jesus Christ, their worldview has misplaced the solution and thus unjustly misplaced the blame. Jesus was clear that the rich have a moral responsibility to share their wealth with the poor. He even challenged a rich young ruler in Luke 18 to sell everything he had and give it to the poor.  Allow me to clarify two major points of misinterpretation by today’s secular socialist worldview. 

1. Jesus told this rich man to give his money to the poor - not to the government. 

Recently, news reports surfaced on the government’s spending waste as they paid $39,000 to feed 530 employees for five days at a meeting located in The Hilton Hotel. I work closely with the Destiny CDC Food Pantry of Brick, NJ who for $33 can feed a family of four for one week. In other words, for the same $39,000 -  this food pantry could have fed 1,182 families or 4,727 people instead of the government’s 530 employees. Money ought to be given to the poor, per Jesus,  through charities and not taxed from the productive to feed government programs.

Def Jam founder Russell Simmons who attended and supported the Occupy Wall Street crowd was asked during a recent newscast if he believed in higher taxes for the rich. He quickly agreed. The reporter than encouraged him to write out a check to the government. Instead of waiting to be taxed, he could give it willingly. He hypocritically refused to do that because he would rather give his money to charity. Of course, no one is stopping him from doing that either - but the check remains in his pocket. Secondly, he said he did not want to be the only one giving the money. He wants to support government programs with other people’s income, not his. As many who believe in social and economic inequality, they deceive themselves, as the heart can do according to Jeremiah 17:9, as they relate more to the rich young ruler that Jesus encountered than Jesus himself. They brag about their moral causes as the rich young ruler did, but will not sacrificially give what they have to the poor.

 2. Jesus was not against the rich young ruler having wealth.

Decontextualizing scripture is one of the biggest mishaps in applying Biblical principles in today’s society. Immediately following the rich man’s rejection of Jesus’ command, Jesus told his followers that whoever leaves everything in this life will receive more back in return in this life. In other words, this rich man would have increased his wealth by obeying Jesus. The Messiah was testing his greed not condemning his wealth. 

Is the Church of Jesus Christ losing the nation of America in order to save our buildings and ministries? Pastors/Ministers routinely rely upon vain and puffy words that comfort one's flesh instead of conviction to one's soul. Many would rather sacrifice the spiritual heritage of a nation than stand in conflict with the moral relevance of our culture. We strive to raise money to pay for our ministries instead of winning the souls for which He paid for. 

Let the city of Rome burn or be overrun by Monguls, as long as Church property can financially be sustained. Religious Christian worship buildings did not come into the main stream until after Constantine in 320AD. The persecuted Church which turned a world upside down had no need of mass facilities to "put the people". Their goal was to send people out, not bring people in. They prepared the saints for the work of the ministry in the streets and homes of the community (Eph 4).

Jesus and Paul always went to the synagogue first but rarely found success in the buildings that people gathered in. Jesus had greater success in the mountains and seas, Paul in the streets.

Have we compromised the gospel to raise more money to purchase and sustain earthly possessions that moth and rust destroy (Matthew 5)?

It takes money to reach people but are people our goal anymore?

Jesus taught us to "love our neighbors as ourselves" (Luke 10:27). He showed us that Love is an action of giving and sacrificing out of one's own heart. Jesus spent three years convicting and encouraging the rich to "give to the poor" - hence, "love (give to) your neighbor". 

Throughout his ministry, he never went to the poor and told them to "take from their neighbor". His command to all was LOVE (give to) others - if you were the rich young man or the widow with two mites.  He never taught any financial class of people to expect something for nothing. No one was ever entitled to another man's property or wealth. No one was taught to take from the neighbor, they were commanded to love or (give to) their neighbor. 

America's non discrestionary budget items known as "Entitlement Spending" has brought our debt to un-biblical proportions and worse, has taught a large class of our population to expect government handouts which"takes from their neighbors" not "love(s) their neighbors".

Complacency in the pews is a result of contentment in the pulpit. Preachers resist the fire because they know it will burn away the chaff - the fringe church attendees who are the "tipping point" of church growth and financial sustainability. Satan has hijacked the pulpits by sending in tares among the wheat, which Jesus said would come, to intimidate boldness and inspire lukewarmness in our leaders. 

 Mega ministries profit and young ministries flock to learn the keys to "CHURCH"

• Church Growth Seminars

• Creative Ministry Seminars

• Leadership Seminars 
  

Yet, each generation believes the truth of God's word less. With only 1% of young people in the North East having a biblical worldview. The world has technology, videos, music, and coffee - but they lack the truth and the power of the Holy Spirit. 

The NJ Assembly is voting on the rule of law to hinder girls under the age of 18 from receiving Botox injections without their parent’s permission. At face value, it seems simple and necessary since over 12,000 minors received Botox procedures in 2009. However, when viewed in the context of NJ legislative precedence; personal rights and privacy have unfortunately trumped the common sense parental protection clause. In NJ, girls under 18, who soon will not be able to get elective private medical procedures such as Botox injections will still be able to walk into an abortion clinic without parental consent or knowledge.

Botox can cause botulism and even be deadly for the patient. Abortions can be botched and even be deadly for the patient. It is nearly 100% deadly for the victim of the choice.

Pro Life legislation is gaining momentum throughout this nation through the defunding of Planned Parenthood. This new pro life/fiscally responsible effort started in NJ with Governor Christie.  The next step being taken by the NJ Family Policy Council is to show the hypocrisy of moral secular relativism which believes in parenthood when applied to Botox, but leans towards statism when applied to abortion. The Democratic Legislature who through Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D) that introduced this proposed law should continue working in bipartisan ways with Governor Christie to protect young girls and restore the full parental rights that is lacking in NJ. The church within NJ must utilize this moment of moral common sense to restore the priority of the family and the structure of parental authority designed by God.