Hollywood & God....What do you think?

Sweet or Sour?

Before I give a brief response to the article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-john-cusick/finding-a-path-to-freedom-from-sex-and-porn-addiction-_b_1901059.html?utm_hp_ref=religion let me first say that I am more than an advocate for those who are ensnared by the sin of sexual immorality.  My life experiences have allowed me to be exposed to the darkest side of that world first hand.  I have a burden that is almost paralyzing at times, for those who are given over to that lifestyle as well as for those that are being affected by it.  There are days when the tears and petitions to Christ for their repentance & faith is seemingly too much to bear alone.  I have no other choice but to call or text close friends to ask them, in humility, to please remember to pray for those who are lost.  Having such a burden, I am thankful and encouraged by those who share their stories of redemption and hope, offering a light to those who are in the muddy swamps of sexual immorality. That being said, there is something that I felt led to address in the article.  God DOES want to set us free, but the writer uses a poor choice of words, possibly misleading people to think their "addiction" stems from a genuine seeking of a spiritual experience with God rather than their own wicked heart.  1 Corinthians 6:16 was made to be what the author wanted rather than what the verse says in context. 1 Corinthians 1:15-16 says "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”  James 1:14 stands with all of scripture when it says we are lured away not because we are "knocking on God's door" (as was cleverly insinuated near the end of the article in a quote by Chesterton or "a man who surfs on the internet for porn is surfing for God" as worded by the author) but by...OUR OWN LUST.  There is not one verse in all of Scripture that says or insinuates that we are seeking God in our sin.  To say or imply otherwise, even with the "best of intentions" is not biblical, close to, if not blasphemous and is dangerously misleading to those who continue to feed their flesh.  The issue is not one of a  person searching for a spiritual experience and coming up short each time they purchase another prostitute or video.  The issue is, according to Scripture, one of the heart.  It is Christ alone that can redeem us from the pit of any sin including the darkest corner of sexual immorality.  We must stand firm and be ready to give an answer for our faith, even in the face of moving stories such as this.  We cannot stand by, however emotional the story is, if it is laced with the poison that our sin is even close to honorable.  I am thankful and fully believe that the Lord will use this article to give people hope that are trapped and to those that are being affected by such things, but it is important to note that God uses things in spite of what they are.  The article is a blessing in that it is a story of hope.  It is laced with the truth that God can and is able to deliver us from even the  most destructive sins we so beastly indulge in.  And while we will assume the author's intentions were good, good intentions do not equal truth. We must be intentional & careful to rightly divide the word and thereby give hope to a lost world.  Praying for one another in brotherly love. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"

In much love~

A Little Laugh For Mid-Week

What Was Your Name???

Stay tuned for a post under this heading.  I'll give you a little taste...

I've only been a Christian for 5 years.  I've done it all, including spending night after night in my lost state, giving myself away, physically and emotionally.  Not to long ago, I spoke with someone who was an important part of my past.  It wasn't too long ago that I spent 2 years of my life with this man.  The conversation was great.  We bantered back and forth just like old times and I remembered the deceitful charm that he had back then.  About 10 minutes into the conversation, he said..."Sum, what was your last name again...?"

I sat still on the other end of the line thinking about how audacious the enemy is and how foolish we are when we fall for his "deceitful charm".  As wonderful as it would be to blame the enemy for everything, the Bible says that we are led away by our own wicked desires.  Again....tough pill to swallow.  Hopefully I will be able to sit down and update this post very soon.  Until then, remember this.  Remember that each time you give in, WILLFULLY, to sin, making provision for the flesh, that you are serving darkness rather than light and that one day, your beloved, whom you sold yourself for, will turn to you and say...."what was your name?" mocking you, shaming you and moving on to the next.  Instead, serve the One who knew your name before time began and who has called or is calling you to believe.  Call on the one name above all names, one that will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN...His name is Jesus.  Praise the Lord for such an awesome Redeemer!!! 

Purity Matters