It happens. Just thank God if in your heart of hearts it has never happened to you as a Christian. But many Christians have experienced those unruly thoughts and strange desires that are improperly directed towards someone that shouldn’t be?
A Christian Married man …. Another woman
A Christian Married Woman …. Another man
A young Christian Man ….. A friend’s fiancé
A counselor ….. A Counselee of the opposite gender
Etc…
Deadly options, unrighteous thoughts, recipes for disaster; but may God have mercy, they happen. Some great men of God have even fallen flat on their faces because of these unbridled desires. So it is dangerous to sweep it under the carpet with a holy smile and pretend it is not real.
What do we do? First is to realize that every sin starts in the realm of the thoughts. That is why Jesus said, if a person has lustful thoughts he has committed adultery already. The beginning of the solution is to identify those thoughts as sin, not even a weakness, sin! Confess them to God as such.
Then change your location. Most of these desires are fed by sight and association. Tone down the friendship, stop visiting the house, hand the person over to another counselor. The bible says if your right hand will cause you to sin, then it is better you cut it off. I heard the personal testimony of a married brother who actually changed his job because he was attracted to a woman in his office. They worked together everyday and even though he loved his wife, he couldn’t understand those feelings, so he took a wise decision and moved to another company.
Talk to someone about it. Seek out someone that can be trusted and is also spiritually mature enough to counsel and pray through with you. That person may actually be your spouse. But be careful and allow God to lead you to someone who can carry this burden with you. Sometimes these desires thrive in an atmosphere of secrecy. Imagine if everyone including your Pastor could see your thoughts; they will probably be different. So expose this and see God give you victory.
Cut off anything that feeds these desires – Soap Operas, any movie that has a hint of blue, erotic novels, pornography. These must go so that they do not belittle the value of the precious blood of Jesus that was shed for us.
The Holy Spirit is your helper. Let him help you deal with the desires and to help you take practical steps to make sure that they do not recur.
It is well and keep on living for Jesus alone.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Absolutes Are Better
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. I Corinthians 10:23
Many years ago I took a decision to stay away from alcoholic drinks. That means whatever the case I will not drink. I didn’t take that decision because I felt it is a sin to drink alcohol. Obviously it is a sin to get drunk (tipsy is drunk!) or fall under the influence of alcohol; it is w
rong to prioritize social drinking to the detriment of taking care of the family.
But then what happens if I take a little glass of wine at a corporate dinner – that’s where I often get faced with making a choice. I don’t think it would be wrong to drink a little, but I still say NO!
Why? Because I have long learnt that ABSOLUTES ARE BETTER.
In any situation where the flesh or mind can develop a strong craving that does not glorify God, then it is better to abstain; even where a little is okay.
Very few plan to get drunk at the first sip of wine; or to become lifetime drunkards at the first mouthful of beer….
Many never plan sex at the first passionate kiss outside wedlock;
When passing on the juicy details of friends affairs; it’s hardly clear that one day your friend will get to know where the rumor started from.
I used to have problems with soap opera’s. Once I started watching, it consumed my whole attention. I dedicated the one hour of the soap to the soap alone. That translated to postponing or canceling any other appointment – official or spiritual to make sure I don’t miss any episode. The day I realized the influence on my life was too strong, I decided to stop watching them.
In life we cannot make choices based on what is right or wrong alone, but also on what is expedient and what adds value to life. Whatever doesn’t add value is best avoided.
Here is a site with interesting christian quotes. I hope you find it useful
http://www.christianquotes.org/index.php
Many years ago I took a decision to stay away from alcoholic drinks. That means whatever the case I will not drink. I didn’t take that decision because I felt it is a sin to drink alcohol. Obviously it is a sin to get drunk (tipsy is drunk!) or fall under the influence of alcohol; it is w
rong to prioritize social drinking to the detriment of taking care of the family.But then what happens if I take a little glass of wine at a corporate dinner – that’s where I often get faced with making a choice. I don’t think it would be wrong to drink a little, but I still say NO!
Why? Because I have long learnt that ABSOLUTES ARE BETTER.
In any situation where the flesh or mind can develop a strong craving that does not glorify God, then it is better to abstain; even where a little is okay.
Very few plan to get drunk at the first sip of wine; or to become lifetime drunkards at the first mouthful of beer….
Many never plan sex at the first passionate kiss outside wedlock;
When passing on the juicy details of friends affairs; it’s hardly clear that one day your friend will get to know where the rumor started from.
I used to have problems with soap opera’s. Once I started watching, it consumed my whole attention. I dedicated the one hour of the soap to the soap alone. That translated to postponing or canceling any other appointment – official or spiritual to make sure I don’t miss any episode. The day I realized the influence on my life was too strong, I decided to stop watching them.
In life we cannot make choices based on what is right or wrong alone, but also on what is expedient and what adds value to life. Whatever doesn’t add value is best avoided.
Here is a site with interesting christian quotes. I hope you find it useful
http://www.christianquotes.org/index.php
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
STEPPING INTO GOD'S REALM
Acts 17: 27-28
..so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.; for in Him we live and move and have our being.
We often invite God to come into our lives. But isn’t He here already. Isn’t that why we call him the Omnipresent one– present everywhere at the same time. So why do we not see more of His power, direction and influence in the issues that concern us?
I think it is not really about God stepping into our realm. He is here already; it’s more about us stepping into His realm.
An analogy.
Radio stations beam into our homes 24 hours a day. You may have a radio in your room but if you don’t switch it on and then tune it to a particular station, you can’t be a part of what is being beamed.
God is near. So near, because His presence consistently gives us breath each second and He keeps us alive. But there is so much more we hardly tap into. If we don't take the time to tune into Him, we can pass through this whole life time unaware of the fact His hand is extended in friendship.
All we need to get more of God is to step into his invisible realm. Beyond our regular time of prayer and reading the bible – (Sometimes we do not give more than 15minutes in a day to this), it would also require us taking time to be constantly conscious of his presence. We would need to set aside some time of quiet, where we take note of his presence and allow an intimacy to grow. Informal communication with Him at your desk in the office, in the bathroom, while you are driving, will all add up. Offering up words of affection, thanksgiving and praise for all He has done, will make Him more real.
Do all this and don’t be surprised when you see more of God’s manifestation in your life. Healings, direction, deliverance, assignments, special wisdom, solutions are just a few of the benefits of stepping in. TRY IT!!
..so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.; for in Him we live and move and have our being.
We often invite God to come into our lives. But isn’t He here already. Isn’t that why we call him the Omnipresent one– present everywhere at the same time. So why do we not see more of His power, direction and influence in the issues that concern us?
I think it is not really about God stepping into our realm. He is here already; it’s more about us stepping into His realm.
An analogy.
Radio stations beam into our homes 24 hours a day. You may have a radio in your room but if you don’t switch it on and then tune it to a particular station, you can’t be a part of what is being beamed.
God is near. So near, because His presence consistently gives us breath each second and He keeps us alive. But there is so much more we hardly tap into. If we don't take the time to tune into Him, we can pass through this whole life time unaware of the fact His hand is extended in friendship.
All we need to get more of God is to step into his invisible realm. Beyond our regular time of prayer and reading the bible – (Sometimes we do not give more than 15minutes in a day to this), it would also require us taking time to be constantly conscious of his presence. We would need to set aside some time of quiet, where we take note of his presence and allow an intimacy to grow. Informal communication with Him at your desk in the office, in the bathroom, while you are driving, will all add up. Offering up words of affection, thanksgiving and praise for all He has done, will make Him more real.
Do all this and don’t be surprised when you see more of God’s manifestation in your life. Healings, direction, deliverance, assignments, special wisdom, solutions are just a few of the benefits of stepping in. TRY IT!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
God Moves in Mysterious ways
Never ever limit God by your own wisdom or your idea of possibilities. This story told by the G.O of The Redeemed Christian church of God is funny and insightful.
Pastor Adeboye has known poverty and his stories are not complete until he mentions the fact that he wore his first pair of shoes when he was a teenager. Meanwhile, this story is about a day in which he was hungry and wanted to eat something nice for a change.
He decides to pray, “Lord, I am hungry and I have no good food to eat. I am tired of soaking Gari…Pls give me good food today.” He hung the prayer on the hook of faith.
Sometime in that village afternoon, a young girl walks into his home with a basket????
She greets him. “My mother asks me to bring this food to you sir.”
He wonders aloud. “Who is your mother?”
“Mama Lagbaja.” She responds.
He is still perplexed. “Young girl, I do not know any Mama Lagbaja, you must be at the wrong place.”
“No sir. My mother asked me to bring the food here.” He argued with her for a while but when she insists, he backs off. It wasn’t unusual in the village for people to send food round when celebrating one great event of the other. “Put the food on the table and thank your mother for me, very well.”
Immediately she left, he remembered his prayer earlier in the day. “Thank you Lord,” he whispered. He drew the table close and examined the food. It was his favourite – Pounded yam with steaming hot Egusi soup and Bush meat. “God you are too good,” he murmured again. Within a short while he had savoured every morsel of the meal. He leaned back and soon he was fast asleep.
A knock on the door woke him. It was the same girl. She must have come back to collect the plates. But why the frown on her face….
“I made a mistake." the girl lamented. " The food was for someone else. My mother said I should come and collect it back.”
“Ah, my dear, that is a costly mistake. The food is no longer available. Please apologize to your mother…..
God works in mysterious ways! So don't limit Him!
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