But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague. So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.
Numbers 11:4-6 NKJV
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Sometimes it's not good to get what you want! 
Shock waves are passing through the United Methodist Church as the result of a "not guilty" verdict handed down in the church trial of Karen Dammann, a United Methodist pastor, living in an open partnered relationship with another lesbian. She and her partner recently became Mrs. & Mrs. due to obtaining a "marriage" license in an area where marriage licenses were being doled out to sodomite and lesbian "couples."
The jury verdict was a "shot heard round the world," but it will also give the sodomite/lesbian cartel a great shot-in-the-arm as they continue to prepare for General Conference in Pittsburgh which begins on April 27th.
The media flood gates have been gushing forth with overwhelming positive reports of the "victory" won by Dammann -- a star in her crown -- a medal on her chest -- a heroine and a pioneer blazing a trail in the cause of all sodomites and lesbians who are seeking to be fully accepted, included, and respected at all levels of U.S. culture, including the church.
But wait -- there's another Karen making waves too! This one is Karen Oliveto, pastor of Bethany UMC in San Francisco, who got caught up in doing 7 weddings for sodomites and lesbians at San Francisco City Hall. However, this Karen is in hot water due to performing a same-sex wedding in her church on a Sunday morning.
Karen is also co-chair of the Reconciling Ministries Network which is an advocacy group pressing for full inclusion of sodomites and lesbians in the church in all its dimensions. She has a strong support base and we can be sure that if this thing comes to a trial it will be a rerun of Karen Dammann all over again with the likelihood of a similar outcome! We should know before too long how it is going to be after Karen meets with Bishop Shamana. On the other hand, don't be surprised if a "resolution" of the issue will be reached. So, stay tuned!
These people need to chew their meat while they can -- the ancient Israelites enjoyed their quail for a time but then things suddenly changed -- something called the wrath of God came on the scene and the chewing stopped quickly!
This is not to say the wrath of God is going to be poured out immediately because of what happened in a church trial in Bothell, WA in March 2004 or what happened in a church in San Francisco on a Sunday morning at about the same time -- God may let us chew for a while -- He is longsuffering, but there is a line drawn which we can't see.
It is a line on one side of which is God's generous offer of grace, mercy, and forgiveness upon the condition of full repentance from all sin, including sexual sin -- same-sex variety and heterosexual variety. But the line can be crossed, and on the other side lie God's wrath and judgment!
A whole generation crossed the line with only a man, his wife, their 3 sons and their wives plus some animals surviving that outpouring of God's wrath. (See Genesis 6).
A couple of cities were totally wiped out with only a man and his 2 daughters surviving when the offer of grace and mercy was rejected one time too often! (See Genesis 19)
A once mighty kingdom was totally destroyed due to massive idolatry, immorality, and the shedding of innocent blood due to one last and final "No!" in response to the urgent appeals to repent and return to God! (See 2 Chronicles 36)
The defiance of God's standards of sexual morality as exhibited in the Karen Dammann church trial can do nothing except help to push us closer to the line, if not over it!
There are those who say that the "official" position of the United Methodist Church on matters of sodomy and lesbianism will never be changed. Just who is in a position to guarantee that? Look at the moral depravity that has taken place just since GC 2000 as the sodomite/lesbian cartel successfully breaks down the barriers of resistance outside as well as inside the church. Have you forgotten so soon that the Episcopal Church now has an open practicing sodomite as a bishop -- and in the ceremony installing this guy as a bishop his "partner" handed him his miter -- do you suppose as he did so he might have said something like this, "Here's your miter, my love. Wear it proudly so that the whole world knows how far we've come!"
Remember Don Fado and the infamous "Sacramento 67?" This bunch did "union" ceremonies and absolutely nothing was done -- it was determined that there were insufficient grounds for bringing these persons to trial! And in the aftermath of that debacle Bishop Talbert issued a statement -- again full of pious expressions and platitudes as bishops are want to do, and life went on much as before except for the fact that the sodomite/lesbian crowd now had another feather in their caps! Should we be all that surprised that the Karen Dammann trial went the way it did?
And all this is just the tip of the iceberg in the United Methodist Church and throughout the whole country for that matter.
We've got some major practices that are inviting the judgmental wrath of God upon this country which have widespread social, legislative, judicial, and even church approval.
At the forefront is the destruction of unborn children at the rate of thousands per month! At a number of locations on Circuit Rider's Range we have the little number cruncher you see just below which keeps a running up-to-date tally of how the United States' version of Holocaust is proceeding. Take about 60 to 90 seconds and watch what happens on the display. Then think about that just before you fall off to sleep tonight. Pleasant dreams!
Millions of unborn children have been intentionally murdered all over
the world over time and the United States has contributed tens of millions
to the total - see latest tally at Number of Abortions
There is also the rampant sexual immorality which is at pandemic level -- sodomy and lesbianism are just a part of this deadly mix. The difference is that nobody is on a world wide crusade to make fornication, rape, adultery, incest, bestiality, and child sexual abuse morally acceptable in all nations -- no, it's just limited to the high pressure and highly organized campaign to make sodomy and lesbianism an acceptable norm in both state and church!
What about the future? The sodomites and lesbians will have many a day in court -- they may lose a few but their successes will be far greater in number than their defeats.
Look for a run on the distribution and purchasing of 2 female and 2 male figures in wedding apparel for adorning the tops of wedding cakes!
Better chew while you we are able -- the taste of a fake victory is but temporary at best!
Oh, a parting word to future parents -- don't name your daughter Karen -- that name is beginning to take on a kind of stigma that will give the name, Jezebel, some stiff competition!
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord. "Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters," says the LORD Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
1 Corinthians 6:9,10; 2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1; Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
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It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.
Psalm 119:126-128 NKJV
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March 25, 2004
Clayton D. Harriger
Elder in full connection
Western Pennsylvania Annual Conferenc
The United Methodist Church
and presently pastor of
Gipsy Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Gipsy, Pennsylvania
UPDATE > June 10, 2022, May 7, 2024
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