“And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:4-6)

A lot of seemingly intelligent people are discussing and arguing over what constitutes marriage. I am only interested in ONE opinion. In the grand tradition of “What Would Jesus Do?” What does Jesus say about marriage? There you go. Simple, direct, and to the point of the current discussion. God made a male (a man) and a female (a woman) and said that they will leave their own father (a man) and mother (a woman,) we know that they were an actual man and a woman, by the way, due to the biological necessity that the man and woman are necessary to bring forth a child. So, a man shall leave his mother and father, and a woman shall leave her mother and father, and the man, and the woman, will be joined in marriage.

So, according to Jesus Himself, marriage is between a biological man and a biological woman. If we study the Greek here we see something VERY interesting. The word “male” in verse 4 is the Greek word “arrhen” translated “a human male,” and the word “woman” in verse 4 is the Greek word “thelus” translated a “human female.” Amazingly, the Greek word study confirms that Jesus was specifically speaking of a biological male and a biological female! Shock! I know that the liberal, progressive media will groan over this, but there is no way to spiritualize out of it. Jesus intended that a man marry a woman, and a woman marry a man! I am sure this comes as an amazing revelation to some folks, but it is true. Does this make Jesus intolerant? Does it make Him a homophobe? Does it make Him evil? Ah, no.

Jesus is not evil because He defined marriage as being between a man and a woman, and neither am I. I simply believe the Bible is the Word of God. I simply believe that God is right, and Jesus is right. So, when the Bible, in the New Testament, by the way says:

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;” (Romans 1:22-28)

So, if the Bible says that a woman burning in lust for a woman, and a man burning in lust for a man is “leaving the natural use” and that it “is unseemly” then I believe that it is simply that way. Oh, and in case the King James may be a bit difficult for some, let’s see it from the Amplified Bible:

“Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].
And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],
Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). [Jer. 2:11.]
For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one,
And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another–men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.
And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome,” (Romans 1:22-28, Amplified Bible)

So what do YOU believe about marriage? Can you back it up with the Bible? I simply choose to side with the Word of God.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…”

This is the opening text of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It is frequently cited to support the notion of “separation of church and state.” If read closely, and correctly, you will see that it should be thought of as the “separation of the state’s influence on the church.” No, the state should not IMPOSE a religion, or religious preference, on it’s people, BUT, they should not PROHIBIT the free exercise of religious thought and speech. My moral underpinnings and social responsibility is informed by my Christian faith and beliefs. That is why you must, if you are a believer, ask yourself the following questions today before you vote:

Which candidates, or party, are most likely to take the unconstitutional stand of preventing people from freely exercising their beliefs (such as Christians being told that their healthcare premiums must pay for killing unborn children?)

Which candidates, or party, are most likely to take the unconstitutional stand of making it more difficult for parents of faith to teach their own children at home instead of being required to send them to state-run schools for indoctrination in secular humanism and socialism?

Which candidates, or party, are most likely to openly mock those that want to “cling to their guns and religion?”

Which candidates, or party, booed the mention of God at their convention?

Which candidates, or party, are against the Biblical definition of marriage, that of one man married to one woman?

Which candidates, or party, are most likely to make it tougher on Israel, and which one will accept the Biblical mandate to bless Israel?

The bottom line? Don’t vote because of party, don’t vote (either way, I might add) because of skin color, don’t vote because “that’s how me and my family have always voted.” No. Simply vote for Biblical values. Vote your Bible. Vote as though you are aligning yourself with the stand of those that wrote that party’s platform (whichever one you vote for.) Because that IS what you are doing. You are identifying yourself with the stand, and practices, of the people that you are voting for. For me, that is pro-life, and against death. That is for personal freedoms, not governmental control. For Biblical values, and against the government prohibiting the free exercise of faith.

communism (com·mu·nism [kom-yuh-niz-uhm]) noun

1. a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
2. ( often initial capital letter ) a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.

socialism (so·cial·ism [soh-shuh-liz-uh m]) noun

1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
2. procedure or practice in accordance with this theory.
3. (in Marxist theory) the stage following capitalism in the transition of a society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of collectivist principles.

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” – Karl Marx

“I actually believe in redistribution… (of wealth)” – Barack Obama

“Despite a voluminous and often fervent literature on ‘income distribution,’ the cold fact is that most income is not distributed: It is earned.”
― Thomas Sowell

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”
― Winston Churchill

“Do we go forward towards a new vision of an America in which prosperity is shared?” – Barack Obama

“The Obama campaign apparently didn’t look backwards into history when selecting its new campaign slogan, ‘Forward’ – a word with a long and rich association with European Marxism… There have been at least two radical-left publications named ‘Vorwaerts’ (the German word for ‘Forward’). One was the daily newspaper of the Social Democratic Party of Germany whose writers included Friedrich Engels and Leon Trotsky.” – The Washington Times

“Everything is relative in this world, where change alone endures.”
― Leon Trotsky

“If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.” – Barack Obama

“There is nobody in this country who got rich on their own. Nobody. You built a factory out there – good for you. But I want to be clear. You moved your goods to market on roads the rest of us paid for. You hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. You were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory… Now look. You built a factory and it turned into something terrific or a great idea – God bless! Keep a hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.”
― Elizabeth Warren

“The trouble with socialism it that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” – Margaret Thatcher

“The private sector is doing fine.” – Barack Obama

“Only government can break the vicious cycles that are crippling our economy — where a lack of spending leads to lost jobs which leads to even less spending.” – Barack Obama

“Man is not free unless government is limited.” – Ronald Reagan

“Conservative critics of the Obama administration have noted numerous ties to radicalism and socialists throughout Mr. Obama’s history, from his first political campaign being launched from the living room of two former Weather Underground members, to appointing as green jobs czar Van Jones, a self-described communist.” – The Washington Times

“Elections should be held on April 16th – the day after we pay our income taxes. That is one of the few things that might discourage politicians from being big spenders.” – Thomas Sowell

“Government is like a baby. An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.” – Ronald Reagan

Study and consider these facts. Remember, vote your values, vote the Bible. Preserve our Constitutional government and our freedoms!

There is an interesting scripture in 1 Corinthians 3:1-6

1 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”

Notice a few things here. Some in Corinth that Paul was writing to were saying, “I am of Paul, or, I am of Apollos.” In other words, they were “personality cult” followers of these men. Paul said very directly that this was immature and carnal (flesh-driven.) We, as Christians, should NOT be personality followers.

What SHOULD be our orientation? We should respect, honor, and follow TRUTH. And what is TRUE? Jesus said it best, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) God’s Word IS TRUTH!

So, in regard to voting, and the election, I would ask simply, “What do the candidate’s party platform’s say that they stand for, and how does it line up with God’s Word?” Not what do the candidates look like, sound like, and what kind of speeches do they make… NO, what do they STAND FOR? You STAND on a PLATFORM, metaphorically speaking. A platform outlines what a party actually, truly, STANDS FOR!

So, take a few issues that are important to Christians, and that the Bible is clear on, like:

What is their stand on abortion? Are they pro-life, or pro-death? God is pro-life; His Word makes that clear.

What is their stand on the definition of marriage? The Bible defines “marriage,” clearly, as between one man, and one woman. How does that party’s platform stand on the issue?

Our country was founded on personal freedoms for all… “we are endowed BY OUR CREATOR” (that’s God, by the way) with unalienable rights… we are NOT endowed by the government. Government should get out of the way of our freedoms.

What do the party platforms say on that matter? More government restrictions on personal freedoms, or less? Are we free to start and run businesses, or, are we burdened by increased regulations? Which one do you think will cause business growth, and therefore, hiring of folks in this country?

Just a few things to think about.

My concern is this, in a nutshell… it is my hope that Christians will vote THE BIBLE… NOT a man… not even a party… whatever yours may be. Compare all these issues and concerns to GOD’S WORD, the BIBLE, and vote accordingly!

I have been a small, independent businessman. I owned two stores that sold low carb foods, and natural health products. We also had an on-line store, and were early e-commerce pioneers (back in 1999.) We, at one time, had 12 employees, a 5000 square foot warehouse, and two retail locations: one in High Point, and one in Greensboro. We ended up selling the business, and the folks that bought it closed it down, but THAT is a long story!

So, I was amazed to hear President Obama say recently that when it comes to businesses, “You didn’t build that!” His point was that business folks, and entrepreneurs, had no right to feel pride in what they had accomplished in building a business, because that small business person didn’t build the roads, electrical infrastructure, etc. that they used in their business.

In essence, from Obama’s socialist perspective, it was the “collective” that builds the business, not the individual. Well, I beg to differ! It is true that someone else built the roads, and the back end services… but if that was all that was needed, then why isn’t everyone an successful entrepreneur? If the “collective resources” themselves were all that was needed, why would anyone ever fail at a business?

Sorry, Mr. President, but it is more complex than you make out in your effort to “sell” us on big government and socialism. America succeeds precisely because there ARE individual people that are willing to take the risk of success, or failure, and build a business from “nothing!”

True, the infrastructure is in place, and we are grateful for it. But, it takes courage, planning, and just plain guts, to take on building a business. Something… I’d like to point out… that YOU, personally, have never done in your life. And, that you aren’t likely to ever try.

Praise God! North Carolina voters overwhelmingly supported the Biblical definition of marriage despite misleading advertisements, billboards, signs, and arguments from the negative side! Even misguided “church leaders” fought against the Biblical definition of marriage. BUT, you saw through it, and we succeeded in upholding our traditional values in NC! May the Lord richly bless you!

Today is the day… we have complained about our losing our traditional values in our society, we gripe and moan, and say, “Where will it all end?” BUT, today, if we will, we can stand up and say, “No, the Bible defines marriage as between one man and one woman, and I stand with the Word of God!”

The Republican primary may seem already decided. Some conservatives are saying, “Ah, why bother?” Come on folks! There are local races, local issues, that need to be decided! And we don’t vote, we can’t complain when the progressive secular humanists turn out and vote to destroy our society… bit by bit, political gain, by political gain.

Stand up! Take a stand! Vote FOR North Carolina Amendment One, if you do nothing else today!

This is a tremendous blessing! Dr. Graham has such a tremendous reputation, and has a long standing status of a kind, loving concern for people… physically and spiritually! This should go a LONG way toward reassuring people that the falsehoods that have been propagated against the amendment, are just that… false statements that are designed to instill fear!

We are coming up on a crossroads for NC believers! Will NC Christians stand with the Bible definition of marriage, or will they succumb to political correctness?

Please watch what I have to say about this issue in the recent Word of Faith Netcast Number 215!

Let’s join thirty other southern states in declaring the santity of Biblical marriage to be the standard we want to live by!

Our Primary election in NC is May 8th… that is VERY, VERY important, BUT we are also voting on keeping marriage in NC defined as between one man and one woman, that is, the NC Marriage Amendment… check this information:

http://www.voteformarriagenc.com/

Share this link, and please encourage EVERYONE that you know to go vote, and vote FOR traditional marriage in NC!