But I remember how great Liney looked (who was born again and growing cuz she had Christ 1st) when I met her.. before she became my wife. Normal! The Lord led and we weren't in a hurry though our flesh said hurry. We were in the Bible together, not into any weirdness, but we weren't blind either.
More could be said to guys, but I just responded to him with: Hi John (not his real name), You have been in my prayers. As an ordinary dude, I can totally understand you, but don’t go throw kindling, logs, or gasoline on that fire. We don’t feed lust, we starve it to death.
Your flesh will demand a lot that isn't good for you. Submit to God, resist the devil and deny your old fleshly nature. Many guys (and others) seem to have gotten way too curious in this area.. especially online. They enjoy throwing logs on that fire. Some campfires need more wood on em, but not those flames.
Why give into fleshly temptations to your own hurt and destruction? Now there are MANY sensual images of the world just flying at the social-savvy today.. even at those people and Christians who have blocked a lot. I say be super careful who you follow (on or off-line), not merely all those who follow you. Who cares if you appear popular or not.
Nobody needs a rotten feed, or to go searching for such. Who do you hang around the most? Who are your closest friends? Be friends with many people, Jesus did that to show love and win them. But why allow a lost, worldly, lukewarm or carnal Christian into your close circle of friendship? I say limit your time with those people. Get away from those when they start to pull you down.. when they start to pull you back into your old life, into the world. Only allow growing born again, onfire believers into your close circle of friendship.
Some worldly women (so many ladies really and others) have become really skilled at inordinate flirting (on and off-line and it's not just women these days). Some want a boy or girl friend. Some are into sexting others with sweet ego-building and flattering words just to entice and with really sexy photos of themself or of others. They are filled with sexual thoughts and have cultivated this. They live “horngry” by choice, and add to that what ain't proper at all. They are aggressively and subtly seeking for real agape love daily. They don’t know that God is love. They don’t know that Christ is God, the One who meets needs and really satisfies people long-term.
So they stay licentious and are sensually craving physical affection etc. Look up the strange woman in the Bible. The proverbs have a lot to say about her and what happens to those she seduces. Many young people are afraid of future lack, they are desperate inside. They want to find a marriage partner for life, and yet many don’t at all want to wait for marriage first..before enjoying sex (so they opt to fornicate, and this usually is with many, one after another). God’s heart breaks knowing the unforeseen consequences with that type of sinning. And the lust just grows like a foul algae taking over in them -- it takes more and more to try to satisfy, so they go on to further sin-weirdness, into harming others, domination etc. Flee youthful lusts. Remember Joseph running away from that lustful cougar in the Bible Old Testament! He bolted out the door quickly. He’d rather lose his garment in her graspy hands, rather than his godly character or his relationship with God behind him.
You know that God thought of the passion and sex are for marriage only. Yes, between a man and his female wife only, but lustful people falsely see God as some harsh kill joy of a person to ignore. Not one who actually frees people. The biblical fences he wants put around your sex life are for your protection not to kill joy. And the Bible teaches that sin is fun for a season. The wages of sin is death. Listen, God can forgive any of us and then begin His sanctification in us too.
Personally, I like how the police are online a lot now and are responding to the perverts who try to lure young people in many social networks in order to go meet with them. The Cops have gotten adept at it online in order to catch criminal-perverts (many of whom don’t view themselves as sinners or criminals) before these sex-traffickers go capture, use, and really hurt children or others. Many youth are found dead. You know these perverts often do it for money and or drugs and they get their victims really hooked as well so they’ll stay busy bringing in more money. It’s big business (ginormous in scope) now and will get bigger in these last days.
“The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:11-12
We all need Jesus. Remember, there is no spiritual growth apart from the Word of God and there is a time to deny yourself. (Read more on this..)
Therefore, please prayerfully meditate upon the truth in these verses. Yes, within their context just to strengthen your inner spirit, believer. 2 Samuel 11: 2
Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.
Job 31: 1 - "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?
Matthew 5:27-28 - "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
James 1:14-15 - But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
1 John 2:16 - For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
Matthew 5:28 - but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 - Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
Psalms 119:37 - Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways.
1 Corinthians 10: 13 - No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
Hebrews 13: 4 - Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Ephesians 6: 11-17 - Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. read more.
1 Corinthians 6: 18 - Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.
Galatians 5: 19 - Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Psalms 119: 9-10 - How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Proverbs 7: 21-27 - With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life. read more.
Proverbs 6: 25 - Do not desire her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids.
Psalms 18:16-24 - He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay.
Ephesians 5: 11-12 - Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
Proverbs 6: 32-33 - The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it. Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out.
Ephesians 4: 30 - Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
1 Thessalonians 5: 22 - abstain from every form of evil.
"Dear Lord Jesus, I know at times I’ve really blown it. I am a sinner--please forgive me. I believe that You died for my sins on the cross and rose again from the dead. Right now in the best way I know how, I turn from all my sins and invite You into my heart to rule. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and be my best Friend and main Leader. I open the door of my heart and life now to Your Lordship. Yes, I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Keep me, help me, use me for Your glory. Thank You for forgiving me Jesus. Amen."
Be on-fire for Jesus. Fellowship with God and believers -- edify yourself by the Spirit more and more. Daily!
I know you desire to know and represent Jesus well as His witness. You really grasping and wisely applying the truth of the Word brings about the change, the growth, the spiritual maturity -- God can use you to impact the world! Really, hope this helps you today--please do prayerfully meditate upon the word--what’s 100% true.
Jesus denied himself for the sake of others while here on earth. He came to save sinners. Yes, God the Lord spoke of us sacrificially denying ourselves to properly follow and glorify Him. And the disciples did too--they wanted to win people to Christ. No kill-joy is God, nor were they.
"Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." ~ Jesus (See John 4:35)
The Bible talks about denying self in...
And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’
Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’
And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Romans 1:26-27 (Lustful sin doesn’t stand still, it grows like an algae. Call out to God and repent early, quickly. Forsake it, tell on yourself and ask for His forgiveness).
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Facebook.com/shareJesus
