I wanted to share this with everyone here and see what they think. This also relates to that other topic I made on advice and dating "Date a non-believer/backslider...." the friend in that topic I mention is really my ex girlfriend from the Philippines who I feel is making the wrong decision. I would have prefered she come back to me or at least date another good Christian. These notes are from my study Bible, dealing with what Samson went through with Delilah. I share this experience also and it's painful and not worth the heartbreak it brings. I wish I remembered this sooner. Here it is:
Samson was decieved because he wanted to believ Delilah's lies. Although he could strangle a lion, he could not smother his burning lust and see Delilah for who she really was.
How can you keep your desire for love and sexual pleasure from deceiving you?
1. You must decide what kind of a person you will love BEFORE passion takes over. Determine whether a person's character and faith in God are as desirable as his or her physical appearance.
2. Because most of the time you spend with your spouse will NOT involve sex, your companion's personality, temperament, and commitment to solve problems must be as gratifying as his or her kisses.
3. Be patient. The 2nd look often reveals what is beneath the pleasant appearance and attentive touch.
Yes, I have said things that I am not proud of but I have asked forgiveness and yet to receive forgiveness.
I never claim any glory for my self. As I have written it is the Spirit who reveals God to me and anyone esle. God gets all the glory I only declare the work He performs in me.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This includes me and you.
But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Why is it so many times Gods Word tells us to trust in the Lord? Why is it that the Word of God tells us not to be anxious?
God knows we have trust issues with Him. It is maturity to reconise our weakness.
I know who I am apart from God do you? Do you really know what a wretched man you are as Paul referrs to him self? Do you really know their is nothing good in you as I know of my self?
These are biblical realities, do you know? Do you know of repentence and forgiveness?
You see nothing you say about me bothers me because it is all true. In my debased mind of flesh is a murderer because I have hated. In my debased mind of flesh is a adulter because I have lusted.Etc.... My mind is debased apart from Christ.
But in God I am made whole and new. My thinking since birth was in the flesh until i was reborn in 1976. But It has been a process of learning to yield my life over to God and allow God to teach me how to have His mind.
Is my mind completly like Gods today? Absolutly not. Do I still think in the flesh? Absolutly
Just because I seek to share with brothers and sisters about what God has taught me does not mean I elivate my self.
Are you guys real with your selves? Are you guys real with your selves before others and before God? Let me hear something real from you about your selves.
If you have read the Psalms you see how many times David cries out to God to be delivered from his enemies.
I have come to realise my greatest enemy is not Satin, not you or any other. My greatest enemy is me.
God needs to rescue me from my self. Maturity has revealed to me that I am self destructive. But I am not alone this is part of the human condition. We are all self destructive.
Im sure again you are going to dissagree with me. Thats fine I expect it.
You see the beautiful thing is when God rescuse me from me. He is elivated in my heart and I begin to trust Him more and more. Isnt that what we all want? To be alble to trust God more and more?
I dont see you as an enemy but a brother and one I want to encourage with the things of God.
Just as I want to encourage others as well.
It is a great thing to be a real individual. I used to wear many different masks trying to fit in even the smily church mask. Trying to look good so others would accept me.
We as people look for acceptance, right? Learning true acceptance is only found in being our true selves.
I will give you a real world example in my life. The other day I was looking at wedding rings for my self.
The woman at the counter had this perfume on that was way to destracting, to appealing. I couldnt think about a wedding ring because of it.
I had to get out of there because it is unthinkable to me to betray my future bride. Did I want to have that encounter with that woman because of her perfume, No I didnt.
We have things that entice us in this world and in relationship we have to realise our spouse is going to be enticed as well.
The beauty comes when we are transparent with eachother. I shared this experience with her and at first she was jealous and made me pay for it. To be expected.
But something else happened after. We became closer and trust was established stronger between us.
Building trust is not through being perfect but being honest. As men who want to lead our greatest weakness is our emotional weakness. We want to be strong and in charge and this causes us to react to our women.
My feincee reacted to my news about my encounter but in time because I had learned how to mannage my inner enemy, my emotions we came out a stronger and more in love couple.
My revealing my story to her was because we have no secrets between us. That is leadership to is fullness. Being honest and stable emotionally.
I had not always been this way though with women. It as God matures me and enables me to lead that I can.
I see you have it all figured out even though I am 20 years your senior. I have a woman who I find unity with and moving toward marriage. But you have all the answers. Good for you and good luck to you.
You have a long road before you that is a good road.
You also have a failed marriage under your belt to show for those additional 20 years. Reality is your policies didn't work out the last time around.
You may believe that you find unity now but as we have seen illustrated this comes largely due to the fact that you have manipulated the lady that you are now with into agreeing with you on unbiblical principles. In fact, every other member here who participated in a discussion disagreed with you about your "practical theory" on submission and unity. The Biblical evidence was laid out. You rejected it in favor of your experience. Thus you were not in unity with other believers nor were you in unity with the Word of God. Here is a reminder:
Further, a new discussion was started that showed many other sisters in Christ disagreed with your operational method of teaching and promoting ideas without proving them from the Word first. Here is a reminder:
Multiple times you have been asked to provide Scriptural support for your ideas. You still have not done so. My friend, you show no accountability to other men of God. You don't believe others can teach you anything as evidenced from your recent comments here. So, it appears you are the one who believes he has all the answers.
As for GraceUndeserved, despite his being 20 years your junior, he has shown a much greater understanding and reverence for the word of God. He has also shown a greater personal accountability. As somebody who is your age, I will tell you directly that I have a much greater respect for him as a man of God than I do for you.
What I quoted was in opposition to almost everything else you've ever posted here. The "finally" was because we finally heard and admission that you are not perfect. All of your past posts are belittling to others. Even now, you continue to touch on my age. I honestly think it's a sore subject for you because I am more biblically sound at a much younger age. I don't say that to brag like you do. I say that because our past conversations have played out in such a way that there is not even a debate as to who understands the scriptures more. The reason though is because of God. All thanks are too Him. I have no knowledge in and of myself. He called me out or my ignorance and I pray that He will do the same for you. Know that it will not be of your own power. I've never once seen from your posts that you truly understand God's sovereignty. My prayer is that God will open your eyes to this wonderful doctrine :)
What I quoted was in opposition to almost everything else you've ever posted here. The "finally" was because we finally heard and admission that you are not perfect. All of your past posts are belittling to others. Even now, you continue to touch on my age. I honestly think it's a sore subject for you because I am more biblically sound at a much younger age. I don't say that to brag like you do. I say that because our past conversations have played out in such a way that there is not even a debate as to who understands the scriptures more. The reason though is because of God. All thanks are too Him. I have no knowledge in and of myself. He called me out or my ignorance and I pray that He will do the same for you. Know that it will not be of your own power. I've never once seen from your posts that you truly understand God's sovereignty. My prayer is that God will open your eyes to this wonderful doctrine :)
You guys know the bible and do I. I used to be like you and only spout scripture.
Scripture is what leads us to truth who is a person, right?
Jesus tells us He is the way the TRUTH and the life. No one comes unto the father except through Him. We dont come to God through doctrine.
All that I speak are biblical truth and if you cant see them my trying to convince you through doctrine will not make a difference either. This is why I dont battle over docrine any more.
Those who have come to me serious about learning what I am talking about are those who i spend the time with. Those who seek to just appose me are just wasting my presious time and I dont allow that. So I give little time to them time wasters.
