...porn kills

...the mind!

I don't know many who would deal directly and honestly with the main downfall in the lives of Christian men today. There is a battle taking place in the mind. And since we don't talk about it directly, it becomes our own private battle, destructive and plaguing. I believe the battle is toward purity. Men are bombarded daily with pictures that could potently defile the eyes.

For those who deal with exposure to pornography, it can feel especially hopeless when you are trying to walk worthy of a calling to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind. I believe it is a battle that takes place in the mind...played out behind the eyes and has the potential to keep us isolated and feeling stranded. But we are not alone.

The Holy Spirit of God is the one who dwells within us, giving us strength, and we have an Abba Father who knows all about us and loves us completely, Psalm 103 and 139. Our place as a believer is one of Sonship.  And He takes great delight in us, and from that place of Sonship, we can know that we are first of all LOVED!  From that place of love, we run to the Father and not away.  And the One who knows us better than we know ourselves, loves us with an Everlasting Love.  Love is who He is, and He cannot go against His nature!

So there remains one last detail...talking about it. I think as men, we must talk about it openly, vulnerably, and freely. We must find ourselves living out what takes place behind the veil of our eyes with one another. I believe it's here where we will not only encourage one another but find grace to help each other in our time of need.  I would encourage you to take the risk.  Find someone you trust and allow them to hear, see and be a friend.  Who knows, they may be waiting to have someone be real with them too!

Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your........mind.  This is the first and great commandment."  (Matthew 22:37, 38 NKJV)
"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them,  because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."  (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 NKJV)
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,  and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV)        
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8 NKJV)
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2 NKJV)
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things."  (Philippians 4:8 NKJV)

And behold, I make all things new...

Rev 21:5, Isaiah 43:19

These scriptures have been at the forefront of what God has been speaking to me in this season.  When I consider the things behind me now, I do not even have words to discribe the Amazing Grace that He, the Lord Almighty has poured out into my life. 

I humbly submit that I haven't always been in a place where I have submitted to the authority of God or His leadership.  And there are times now, where I still question to know all the pieces and how they fit, but I am encouraged to say, that I submit myself to His rule and reign.  My heart declares..."I need You" and "YES LORD!".

Today I humble myself ask that you would come and join Colleen and myself as we renew our vows as a response before God and men that He is Faithful and Good.  And that He makes all things NEW! 

Please watch the link below...as this represents God's theme over our lives and yours as believers. 

"Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things, I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."  Isaiah 42:9

Thank you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Msw6Kgss-0

...the turning aside

So Moses said, “I must step aside and see this great thing, why the bush is not being burned up." The Lord saw him step aside and look. And God called to him from inside the bush, saying, "Moses, Moses!" Moses answered, "Here I am."Exodus 3:3-4.

God is ALWAYS speaking! It may be that He speaks with a whisper on the wind, like to Elijah or he may speak with an impression, through a memory, a book, a movie, a beautiful progression of chords on the piano. But He most assuredly speaks!

But do we listen?

Did it take 80 years for Moses to be in a place where he was willing to listen? Maybe. After he left Egypt he lived on the backside of the desert for 40 years. He had been a sheep herder for most of that time for his father-in-law. And I feel pretty sure that He had been to Mt. Horeb many times.

I feel like I am just getting to a place in life where I am beginning to feel like I have impressions from the Lord, and where I am sensing He is leading me, as I call out to Him. It is a truly wonderful thing!

Monday March 19th, I was abruptly awakened, for the second time in a month, but this time by the whining of coyotes near our house. After I had gone outside to make a racket to scare them away, I laid back down and looked at the time. It was 4:20am. (I had a 4:20am experience on Feb 27, 2012.) It was again, one of those moments when I was sure God was speaking to me. And just then, I suddenly remembered that just before I was awakened, that I had been dreaming.

In this dream, I was looking at a map of Brazil. I stood over a small table as the map laid open in front of me. I was busy studying the map...plotting a course. On the map was a label "A" and "B". I somehow knew that I was trying to get from point "A" to "B". I realized that dense rain forest lay between the two locations...and as I stood pondering, that's when I was awakened.

I rolled over in my bed and began to pray. I asked God to give me understanding as to what was happening. And that's when it happened. The words "And he turned aside." popped into my mind. This reminded me of Moses in his wilderness experience, so I found myself reading Exodus 3 to try and gain some understanding.

And this is what I've concluded so far. God is always speaking...through experiences, relationships, events, and common everyday stuff. But too often we are too busy to notice. We have so occupied our lives that we hardly notice the time in between breakfast and dinner...and much less the time as we rest. And in our current age, we have so many preoccupations; FB, Twitter, TV, Movies, Texting, Xbox, Radio, Podcasts, etc... and we have become obsessively consumed with activity to the point of Narcissism. We have settled for a warm fuzzy that is seemingly enough to fill the void...and we become comfortable with a superficial relationship with God.

But I think God is calling us to deeper. I think He desires to engage us just like the child Samuel in the temple, Elijah the Prophet in the desert, Daniel in the Lion's Den, and Moses at the Burning Bush.

He loves us so much to continue to engage us at whatever level we choose to take...because He wants to be near us. He will choose to be near us in our fast-paced, fast food lives and is looking for the moment...the moment when He can catch our attention. He is looking for the opportunity to distract us in such a way that we say, "What's this amazing thing...."

And in that Holy moment, when we TURN aside, I believe He will be right there, noticing and we will be stunned at that moment when He engages us at the heart level. It's pretty sweet!

Even now God, I turn aside, quiet my heart, and look to you. I wait for you to engage me...here...now! Come!

James 4:8 "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."