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One thing that bothers me about the homosexual lifestyle that no one talks about these days because it's not politically correct, and may soon be a crime, is the mental health aspect of it. I have friends who are licensed counselors who have told me that the removal of homosexuality from the DSM as a mental illness/disorder was done for purely political reasons. Everything I have read and observed about homosexuality causes me to agree although psychology is not my field of work. The Bible's prohibition against homosexual behavior is because of God's love for us. Again, it's not a popular opinion these days, but I have personally never encountered an incidence of homosexuality that did not arise from trauma caused by sexual, physical, mental, or emotional abuse. Never. If you start looking at the life of a homosexual, the pattern is that the brokenness of a trusted adult or authority figure in one's life resulted in trauma, producing further brokenness that leads to homosexual behavior in a certain percentage of the population. I think the term "conversion" therapy is inaccurate; instead, what counseling actually does for the individual who experiences unwanted homosexual ideation or behavior is healing for a wounded soul. A soul wounded by sin. Underneath all the pride (shame) is a heart hurt by innumerable and severe grievances. This is why God hates sin and explains why we also cannot tolerate sin. Sin always damages; sin is contrary to God's natural order (which man corrupted and introduced to the human race back in the Garden of Eden).

Some may yet come to find healing in Jesus Christ when even "marriage" does not satisfy the longing in the homosexual's heart. I think it would help us in our prayer lives to understand that much of the push for societal acceptance (beyond the spiritual/demonic reasons for the push to accept sin as normal) is because of the rate of mental illness in the homosexual community. Many people think the incidence of mental illness in homosexuals is because society doesn't accept them enough and so it stands to follow, according to their logic, that acceptance of same-sex marriage will decrease incidences of suicide, alcoholism, promiscuity, etc. In reality, because the prevailing/majority religion of our day, secular humanism, says there's no such thing as sin, it never occurs to them that these behaviors and illnesses exist because the homosexual lifestyle is sinful and is one produced out of sin and is therefore under the curse of sin (I want to make it clear that it's not God who brings this curse...it is solely because of evil...but God does not rescue us from our consequences, that is, we reap what we sow). Same-sex marriage will not heal the emotional wounds in the homosexual's heart because covering up one sin with another does nothing to quell the damage dealt to the heart inside. Sin cannot, will not, and has never healed sin. Only the blood of Jesus can do that.

Since sin leads to suffering, I wonder if we won't see just the opposite effect - an increase in the co-morbidity of mental illnesses associated with homosexuality. When that occurs, the heart of man will continue to ignore the real factor - SIN - and instead will go after those who preach and teach - TRUTH. For all of their outward pride, the inward shame still eats them alive, not to mention the sadness they experience caused by past hurts and "old" wounds that have never really healed and, therefore, are still fresh in their hearts and minds, wounds that have not scarred over, wounds that still bleed. We need to pray for these hurting people, speaking the truth in love; and, in this way, we have compassion on the LGBT crowd more than the apostate church who seeks to approve their sin (which is not up to them but rather is up to God who, by the way, never changes. Never believe the lie of the world and the apostate church that we are "homophobes" or hateful people. We know and have a love of the truth). Not all the wandering hearts in the LGBT community have been overtaken by evil, and are just as lost and confused as we once were. Still, many hearts will be hardened because the SCOTUS ruling validates an invalid lifestyle/union not blessed by God.

This ruling has ramifications for our brothers and sisters in Christ doing God's work to undo the damage caused by sin. They will eventually be told that they cannot offer or provide their services to homosexuals, even to people who experience unwanted same-sex attraction, lest their licenses be revoked.

Animals in Heaven and the Millennial Kingdom

I believe dinosaurs will be in the millennial kingdom and in heaven, too! We know from the Scriptures there are good things in heaven and there are animals in heaven. And we know God can restore human bodies, so why would exotic/extinct animals not "be delivered from the bondage of corruption," too? They are His and He preserves both man and beast. And if even the lowly sparrow has a place near His altar, why not His bigger creatures? And when His kingdom comes, His "will be done on earth as it is in heaven" where there are already animals.

At the very least, one would think that there would be dinosaurs after the MK, in the new heaven and earth when the Lord will make all things new and remove all sadness (including, presumably, sadness over not being able to see/interact with dinosaurs, if such sadness did exist). However, it seems much more like the Lord to have restored desired animals (pets, too) to His children in heaven already and the MK as soon as it starts. After all, He delights to give us things that bring us joy. And nothing is impossible with the Lord.

There are many good things in heaven
Ps 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
1 Cor 2:9-10 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"--but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
1 Tim 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Animals=Good
Gen 1:24-25 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

There are creatures in heaven
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Restoration of bodies/Delivery from bondage
Phil 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
John 5:28-29 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

The animals are all His
Ps 50:10-11 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.

He preserves both man and beast
Ps 36:5-6 Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.

Even sparrows have a place near His altar
Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.
Ps 84:1-3 . . . How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young--a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Heaven's blessings to be mirrored on earth
Matt 6:10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

No death, no sorrow/All things made new
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

The Lord delights to give us good things
Matt 7:7-11 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Rom 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Eph 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ps 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Nothing shall be impossible with God
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.