Strong Desire

No one blogs anymore do they? 
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Sin Sin Sin Covet Sin

In relation to yesterday’s post, as God was teaching me about lust on Friday, I get a free lesson about it again yesterday. Paul says coveting is idolatry.

Colossians 3:5 (NKJV)  Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
This teaches another aspect of lust: When we covet, it’s a strong desire for something. If we desire it more than what our discipline or conscience says, then it’s a lust. In fact, we may even take it a step further and take action to fulfill the desire. For example, watching porn, binge shopping, stealing. If we knowingly do something that we know we shouldn’t, that’s basically trusting and worshipping another ‘god’. For example, Sex or Materialism. 
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Ask yourselves if you love God enough to keep his commandments. 

Lust

Random Thought Of The Day

Have you seen those top fashion designers? They usually wear weird fashion outifts… Sometimes, I do like some of their work, sometimes I don’t. That’s fine. But I always dislike the way they themselves look.

I hope I’m not the only one who thinks so.

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Greener Green

Alright, I’ve succesfully started my blog post with a bad deviation haha.

So did you know that there are a lot of Malaysians in Australia. Whether migrated or just making a living short term. And there are really a lot Sabahans there. I’m Sabahan, so I know of people who have moved there for good or are planning to. 

It’s mostly an escape, I believe. There’s just a chance for a ‘better life’ out there. And it would be a waste not to grab hold of it. 

I, for one, disagree with this ‘better life out there’ attitude. Sure we do have to move on and finish chapters every once in a while, but we should not always compare our life with someone else. We should not get tempted and jealous of the seemingly greener grass.

Last night my youth group was going through the ten commandments. And one of the commandments was to not covet our neighbour’s property. Do not steal or even lust for something that is not yours. This sparked the conversation in my mind about this: People migrate for the same reason, ‘betterment’.

But how could that be a sin? God wants us to grow. To get better. To perfect ourselves, our situation and people around us. 

Well, the difference is this. God put you in your situation. God has your best interest in mind. How do you know for sure that your ‘betterment’ idea will really be better? 

Ah, ultimately, do you trust God to have put you in the right place from the start? Or do you trust what the world has to offer?

God asks us not to worry. He’s got things in control. In fact,  He’s planned where you are now from the beginning of time. No mistakes. I don’t think it means to be content with what we have, but to be content in Him. Re-read that. It’s majorly different.

Key point. Being content or even discontented with what we have shows that our trust is either in ourselves or in our situation. Being content in God shows that our trust is in the Father who provides even when we don’t ask, who keeps all His promises, and who has a good future and a successful/fruitful path planned out for us. 

Let’s stop having the attitude that we deserve anything. And let’s start having a thankful attitude. I’m telling this to myself. Lusting is the opposite of thanksgiving.

So lust less. 

Check yourself before you think about migrating. God might not have finished with your perfectioning and molding.

Some random facts:

Lust often fuels shopping.

Lust always fuels pornography and extra-marital affairs.

Lust often fuel jealousy and sinful attitude (opposite of fruit of the spirit) towards other people.

Lust is usually disguised and blamed as an outside temptation, but we all know it’s 100% a matter of the heart. 

Sorry for this late-night straight-forward post. 

Therefore: 

Have faith in God and be always thankful.

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Sexual Immorality

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;  that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honourable

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4

 

Avoiding Sin vs Walking By The Spirit

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only do not use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you do not consume one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:13-25

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In the ESV version it says; The desires of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit is against the flesh. That speaks pretty hard to me.

The flesh is me. Me in my weakness. Me in my mortal, carnal, human form. But I believe I’m filled with the Spirit. So according to this verse I should HATE sin! The Spirit of God will be against the desires of the flesh. Not just annoyed with. Not just looked down on. Not just disagreeable with. But the spirit if God is AGAINST it. It will do whatever it takes to not only stand against it, but to fight. To ATTACK. But I’m not fighting back as hard as I should be.

Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. To be honest, I sin a lot. Every day. Without fail. I usually don’t even notice it. But God does convict me, and He opens my eyes to myself and my pride and my selfishness and my lusts. I’m working through a lot of weaknesses. Like, a lot. Anyway. What I’m troubled about is the word ‘WILL NOT’. These are strong words. So, if I am carrying out the desires of my flesh, which I am, then I’m not walking by the Spirit? I have to agree. I’m sorry God. I am weak.

I’ve been trying to avoid sin. I’ve been reading up books. Trying to memorize verses. But in here it doesn’t say Avoid sin and you WILL NOT carry out the desires of the flesh. Nope, it says WALK BY THE SPIRIT. This reminds me of one illustration by someone teaching about sin. It’s like a cup full of air. No matter how you try to get the air out. The air will still be there. But fill it to the brim with water, and the air has to come out. Scientifically, that’s not too accurate, I think. But let’s not get too critical. It’s just an illustration.

I just have to remember that I’m weak. I need God. I can’t avoid sin because sin is in me and in the world around me. But I can choose to walk with God and walk by the Spirit.

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God, I’ve tried to be holy, but failed over and over again. I need more grace and power to walk by your Spirit and your ways. Please forgive me of my dumb actions and thoughts and words. Thank You for helping me change, even though it is a painful and uncomfortable and long process.

You are amazing. You are holy. You are great and powerful. You are kind. You are merciful. You are loving. You are protective. Thank You for lifting me up when You should be looking down on me. Thank You for dreaming and hoping I can be who You have created me to be. Thank You for providing for me even though I only deserve death.

James 1:14-15

But each one is tempted by his lusts, being drawn away and seduced by them.

Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is fully formed, brings forth death.

Sex

So we had a teen forum about sex.

It was separated by gender though. Boys in one room and girls in the other.

Very interesting questions. Eye opening answers.

Questions by the participants will be italicized. Participants in this case are all teenage boys. Answers are not by me, but by married men. I wrote them down. =)

And now I will share it (take note that some of the answers and questions have been altered to be more specific or understandable by readers).

Let us begin.

Why sex?

– Sex is God’s command. It is mentioned in the first chapter of the first book in the bible.

If we have already had sex, and we are in regret. What next? How to reconcile?

– Come before God, repent. Turn Around. Total Breakoff. Don’t do it again. An act of sexual intercourse is a soul tie. There’s no such thing as a ‘One night stand’.

– For girls, there’s a second chance virginity. To be holy for marriage.

– Don’t feel condemned (The devil tells us we are not good enough). Talk to leaders and mentors. If you don’t have any, find one. Good spiritual mentors.

– God gives second chances.

Is it a sin to create babies without sexual intercourse? Sperm injection.

– Bringing babies into the world is a serious matter. Life. Soul. Not good. It is a selfish act. Better to just adopt a child.

“Don’t flirt with temptation. Because it opens up doors to sin.”

 

 

Making out, heavy petting. Sin?

– Yes. As long as we look at a girl lustfully, it is a sin. There is no way we can make out and do heavy petting with a girl without imagining things or arousing ourselves.

Masturbation?

– Sin. The sin is in what you think. To masturbate, we have to think of the action. That is sin. And we have to think of doing it with someone. That is also sin. Bible says “if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.” And “if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” Why did it talk about the hand? Because he was referring to masturbation.

If I masturbate, am I still a virgin? What is a virgin?

– Definition of a virgin? For guys it doesn’t matter.

– Our priority. Who do we hurt when we masturbate? God or wife? or both?

Oral Sex?

– Wrong.

Wet Dreams?

– We can’t control our dreams. But we have to check ourselves. We are visual beings. Where did the visual ideas come from? Only if we’ve seen or imagined things, then we will dream it.

“We Struggle because we always Entertain the thoughts“

What is the physical problems with sex before marriage?

– Many times we hear that oh it’s okay to have sex since we will be getting married anyways. But there is NO GUARANTEE. Even the night before the wedding, you’re still not married yet. One of you can still run off or cheat on you.

– We violate a person.

– Condom safe sex is a myth.

– STDs. Herpes, HPV, AIDS. Some through touch, some through fluids, some through blood.

– Oral sex CAN transfer STDs.

Homosexuals. “I’m gay but I don’t practice it”. Do gays go to heaven? How to encourage a gay friend to change?

– No gays do not go to heaven. But God can forgive sins if repentant.

– These people usually have an absent father or father figure in their lives.

– Definition of gay: in an intimate relationship with someone of the same sex. Even if no intercourse.

– Accept gays as friend. DO NOT CONDEMN THEM. Gay has the same weight of sin as any sin, even stealing or lying. He is as much a sinner as you. Don’t condemn. If you cant be patient with them, DON’T try to help them with their problem. They need extra care and patience.

– If you are gay? God did not make you that way. It is a psychological problem and can be cured.

How to deny the thoughts? HOW TO STOP?!?!?!

– Two possibilities: 1. Supernatural power of God; a miracle! 2. Work super hard.

– “Bounce your eyes” The eyes will automatically detect a girl and bounce towards her. But you have to bounce it away right after that.

– Stop feeding the SUMO inside. We are fighting against a supernatural Sumo wrestler who is bigger and stronger than us. Every time we go head to head against it, we will lose. Instead, we need to starve it. Stop feeding the Sumo Wrestler the visual and the imagination it needs to grow. Slowly slowly, one day we will beat him.

“The best gift we can give our wife or husband is our virginity“