Those are not rhetorical questions.

I believe it’s because our sex drive (men’s) is truly the most powerful drive in our being and one we have the least control over. Our fallen sex drive is like a loaded pistol given to a boy at puberty. It’s “operation” is so incredibly sensitive, we can mistakenly attach sexual energy and power to absolutely anything just by seeing it ‘paired’ with a sexual stimulus. Think of all the weird fetishes men can have.

Think Pavlov’s dogs. The experimenter rang a bell then dropped a pellet. After a while, if the experimenter just rang the bell the dog drooled even if a pellet wasn’t dropped. Salivating became a conditioned response at the sound of the bell.

How many bells in your life triggers a sexual response in you?

In a survey done by a homosexual magazine, 45% of respondents said they’d been molested by an older man or boy when they were young. The boys’ were exposed to the stimulus of a man touching them, a trigger. Their body responded by releasing lust hormones and – wham! – They now have a reason to believe they are homosexual. If they fight it, valiantly, they may win and never again yield to that trigger. But if they start giving in, they’ll start thinking they are homosexual, and not just ‘conditioned’ to a homosexual trigger.

I feel for Ted Haggard but doubt he should ever return to the ministry. Not because God doesn’t forgive or restore, but because his fall was so public and so detrimental.

But then, Jim Bakker seems to be serving God quietly these days in. . .is it Palmdale, California? And not seeking the limelight, which I think is most important.

Those are not rhetorical questions.

I believe it’s because our sex drive (men’s) is truly the most powerful drive in our being and one we have the least control over. Our fallen sex drive is like a loaded pistol given to a boy at puberty. It’s “operation” is so incredibly sensitive, we can mistakenly attach sexual energy and power to absolutely anything just by seeing it ‘paired’ with a sexual stimulus. Think of all the weird fetishes men can have.

Think Pavlov’s dogs. The experimenter rang a bell then dropped a pellet. After a while, if the experimenter just rang the bell the dog drooled even if a pellet wasn’t dropped. Salivating became a conditioned response at the sound of the bell.

How many bells in your life triggers a sexual response in you?

In a survey done by a homosexual magazine, 45% of respondents said they’d been molested by an older man or boy when they were young. The boys’ were exposed to the stimulus of a man touching them, a trigger. Their body responded by releasing lust hormones and – wham! – They now have a reason to believe they are homosexual. If they fight it, valiantly, they may win and never again yield to that trigger. But if they start giving in, they’ll start thinking they are homosexual, and not just ‘conditioned’ to a homosexual trigger.

I feel for Ted Haggard but doubt he should ever return to the ministry. Not because God doesn’t forgive or restore, but because his fall was so public and so detrimental.

But then, Jim Bakker seems to be serving God quietly these days in. . .is it Palmdale, California? And not seeking the limelight, which I think is most important.

As someone who was involved with a large church and the shame of being exposed and thrown out

As someone who attended New Life Church during all of this

As someone who took the time to reach out to Ted, someone who spent the time to watch the HBO special, someone who has spent many hours with Ted and his family…

I am glad I am forgiven, I am glad I do not answer to man for my sins and I am glad that there is not a TV camera wired to my heart and broadcasting to the world the sinful thoughts I had just today…I am a sinner.

I am not perfect, I am forgiven.

Ted is not perfect, he is forgiven.

I have been judged by people, I have drug my family through hell and through the incredible grace of God, my family was brought back from the edge of disaster. Today I use that darkness of my past to help shine the light of Jesus Christ in to the places few want to venture.

There is a war raging on our families, raging on our children, it is called Porn or Sexual Addiction or Homosexuality or what ever lable you want to give it…it is ugly. We are losing that war and satan is winning!

Who is equiped to lead us out of this? How is the church doing handling this stuff? We are so ashamed of this even most our pastors are afraid to talk about it.

Who should fight this war? Who do we put in charge of a war? People who know the enemy, people who know how the enemy operates, people who have seen the darkness…they are the only ones who know how to beat this.

Who did God choose to lead his people to the promised land? A perfect person or a person with a passion? He called on Moses, God chose a murderer! Was that poor judgement or did God know the heart of Moses…I know that answer.

So who can judge the heart of Ted Haggard? Not me and not you. Ted and Gayle are the real deal. As a couple they have done what few can; in a world which tosses aside marriages like disposable diapers…they stayed the course, they used the Bible. Gayle honored her marriage, honored her vows, honored her husband, honored her family and I can tell you she honored her God.

I have sat with Gayle and watched her believe in her husband. I have seen their family interact in person…they forgive him and they believe in him. If his family believes in him, if they believe he is who he says he is, then who am I to judge?

Pastor Ted, I believe in you…welcome to the war, it is awesome to see what God is doing through you once again. Shine the light into the darkness.

I will not judge, I will leave that to God.

Thanks for doing this Donny, God bless you brother.

Steve G

“Some want to live within the sound of the church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” CT Studd

As someone who was involved with a large church and the shame of being exposed and thrown out

As someone who attended New Life Church during all of this

As someone who took the time to reach out to Ted, someone who spent the time to watch the HBO special, someone who has spent many hours with Ted and his family…

I am glad I am forgiven, I am glad I do not answer to man for my sins and I am glad that there is not a TV camera wired to my heart and broadcasting to the world the sinful thoughts I had just today…I am a sinner.

I am not perfect, I am forgiven.

Ted is not perfect, he is forgiven.

I have been judged by people, I have drug my family through hell and through the incredible grace of God, my family was brought back from the edge of disaster. Today I use that darkness of my past to help shine the light of Jesus Christ in to the places few want to venture.

There is a war raging on our families, raging on our children, it is called Porn or Sexual Addiction or Homosexuality or what ever lable you want to give it…it is ugly. We are losing that war and satan is winning!

Who is equiped to lead us out of this? How is the church doing handling this stuff? We are so ashamed of this even most our pastors are afraid to talk about it.

Who should fight this war? Who do we put in charge of a war? People who know the enemy, people who know how the enemy operates, people who have seen the darkness…they are the only ones who know how to beat this.

Who did God choose to lead his people to the promised land? A perfect person or a person with a passion? He called on Moses, God chose a murderer! Was that poor judgement or did God know the heart of Moses…I know that answer.

So who can judge the heart of Ted Haggard? Not me and not you. Ted and Gayle are the real deal. As a couple they have done what few can; in a world which tosses aside marriages like disposable diapers…they stayed the course, they used the Bible. Gayle honored her marriage, honored her vows, honored her husband, honored her family and I can tell you she honored her God.

I have sat with Gayle and watched her believe in her husband. I have seen their family interact in person…they forgive him and they believe in him. If his family believes in him, if they believe he is who he says he is, then who am I to judge?

Pastor Ted, I believe in you…welcome to the war, it is awesome to see what God is doing through you once again. Shine the light into the darkness.

I will not judge, I will leave that to God.

Thanks for doing this Donny, God bless you brother.

Steve G

“Some want to live within the sound of the church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” CT Studd