Lust, Porn, Shopaholic, and High School Math?

What a heading?
How does all that come together?

The Power Of GOD over Addiction....

Had a question on the Internet (a couple years back) about a wife that caught her husband looking at lustful things, dirty pictures on the net and that caused a whole butch of problems.

Now another lady, realized she was a shopaholic, spent on her credit cards, and they controlled her.  She couldn't stop, and loved every sale.

My son, taking high school math, hated it, and would refuse to study (or do it with anger) thinking he hated math.

My own Dad was an alcoholic, and they told him (years ago) that the only way he would quit, is when they buried him 6 feet under. (Today: My Dad is happy and hasn't touched a drink in 30 years, as JESUS alone keeps him well hydrated)

JESUS said: "whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again!" 
John 4:14

If you drink HIS water, you wont be thirsty. (for anything that controlls you)
If you drink HIS water, you wont need alcohol.
If you drink HIS water, you wont need porn.
If you drink HIS water, you wont spend, and waste money.

Starting to get it?

Drink in the TRUTH of JESUS and the LOVE actual un-conditonal LOVE that HE has for you.
This is what I wrote: (then to these 2 ladies who had these 2 problems)

GRACE teaches us to say: "no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, (see Titus 2:11-12)

We don't do it, it teaches us! (not your responsibility to change).

GRACE comes only by revelation - its a gift, so it has nothing to do with us
'going to get it', our job is to receive it (by believing).

The LORD has literally taken away my Dad's drinking by GRACE my Dad has not touched alcohol for 30 years (JESUS keeps him well satisfied).

The LORD has taken out of me, anger and lust. I would punch holes in walls, swear,
fly of the handle etc... (GOD calls it a work of the sinful nature "fits of rage".) Galatians 5:20

That sinful nature is not you! (because you with GOD'S nature want JESUS) also
you can't stop it - Paul says you can't do what you want! Galatians 5:17

But GRACE comes only by revelation because its JESUS HIMSELF all we do is ask
and receive and we receive by believing - that's it!

I will give you another example. My oldest son when he was in grade 8, started
to struggle in math.

Now when he started grade 8 it was in a new school. So, he doesn't know anybody, we are in a new
town (that the LORD brought us to) and he is struggling and also starts failing math.
The teacher is calling us, wanting to keep us updated and naturally concerned.

Our son is really feeling super weak, uneasy, stupid, because of this impression that
new boy comes to new town, new school and is no good in math.  The pressure of all that and the added pressure of what the other kids think? (the very ones he is trying to 'fit in with')

The final straw came when he got 9% on a math test! And angerly said "I hate math,
and my Math Teacher hates me too - I want to quit math!"

(Of course now he didn't even want to go to math class, and refused to talk about it, when we tried).

Then he had another math test coming up...

----------------------------------------------

How do you handle that?
Is there help from the LORD, for parents?
Is there help from the LORD for anyone?

Just like any other sin...take it to the LORD.
Believing HE changes hearts, its HIS problem not mine.

HERE is what we did. (actually what JESUS did).

We are around the kitchen table with him and his math book. My son
is not happy and can barely sit there for anger. (really fear working).

Knowing that is not the real him (showing anger) why? because
the JESUS inside him is wisdom, is loving, is good - not failing, stubborn, hostile!
My son doesn't want to fail and doesnt' want to live like that. (who does?).

Sound familiar?

This husband with this addiction, or this wife with a 'shoe shopping fetish',
or this one punching walls, or this one hating and failing math.

Is there a deliverer in the house?

We encouraged my son to pray - but our prayers are like this (no begging).
this is pretty much what he prayed (note we didn't pray it for him, he has seen
GOD do this before, and prayed alone - we agreeing).

"LORD, you know I hate math - can't stand it, I wish there were no such thing!
I don't want to study it, I don't even want to sit in the class, I can't pass it
and my math teacher hates me too. But can you change my heart, I am willing
for you to do your will - do it your way, because I can't"

That was it except we believe HE heard us and waited.

Within 5 minutes, my son wanted to study (not loving it yet, but as he
said GOD put a 'jolt of joy' in my heart and found the energy and joy in
looking at math to study again).

He re-did at home his math 9% math test and studied for almost 2 hours.

That has carried over, he has studied ever since (been 1 1/2 months so far).
He on his own, has gone to the teacher for extra help at lunch.
He also had the desire to ask his teacher 'math questions' too.

His math test that he was studying on? 70% Praise the LORD!

Great parenting? I think you know the answer to that!

I am not going to tell you he is a math wiz today, - not yet!
But what we've come to see in our family is that its just JESUS.
We've given up trying to do the Christian things and just found
ourselves at HIS feet, and that is where HE meets us.

When you experience HIS love, HE (not you) replaces that lust,
that wrong, that control of the sin nature - with HIS LOVE (HIMSELF).

You can't do it - but that is the trap most Christians are in, they
try to do it, try to live the Christian life.

Instead you are to believe so that you can receive.

Believe that HE loves you unconditionally - meaning there is nothing
you can do to adjust his love for you. Even when you are sinning, lost,
and losing it HE can't stop accepting you and loving you. When you are
at your worst, HE is drawing close to you and is ready to save!

When you give up all your effort - your struggles to be good Christians.
We used to think, (now its here I am probably going to offend some).

I'll put it this way:

As Christians we go to these special places (buildings)
we go on a special or holy days.
we read out of our holy book.
we listen to our leader/ explain holy things.
we give to support this good work.
we repeat the cycle throughout the years.

Every religion in the world does that!
They all have their holy books, holy places, holy times, holy people etc..

NOT TRUE CHRISTIANITY - is so much NOT like that!

Its about 1 person - JESUS and HE is interested big time in you.

I've mentioned in this forum before, but when I was dating I (like many of you) had love
letters from my wife (then my fiance). She had some from me as well, but I would
love to read them and couldn't wait to get them, because I wasn't around her as much as I wanted to be - it was a way of keeping close in a distant world.

But the Amazing Thing Happened! We got married, and all those love letters are in
some shoe box somewhere - never opened, never looked at.

Why?

Because I've got her, and she is so much better in person than on paper.
She is so much better when she is around me, then when she was far away.
I've really gotten to know her, now married and living 24/7 together then
when we dated and wrote a shoe box full of love letters.

That is exactly where many of us are folks, we are living on JESUS
love letters (and that's OK for a while) but HE is talking
marriage, union, dwelling (living together).
POWER and TRAINING to OVERCOME in this world.

GRACE TRUTHS - Reconciled!

Lets not forget the 'Good News' as its the POWER of GOD unto our own deliverance.

And this 'Good News" says:

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

When we were our worst, and ignoring GOD there is where HE died for us, to reconcile us (we had nothing to do with it, as HE did it all!)

HOW MUCH MORE (now that we are reconciled) shall we be delivered from lust (or anything/everything) by living HIS Life, or Abiding in HIM, Trusting HIM! (all these are the same term in the bible, meaning resting or relying on HIM).

But we should be doing something, shouldn't we? (someone may ask).

NO.

When you were doing, you were doing your worst, and HE died for you then. While we were still sinners CHRIST died for us. (see Romans 5:8) You had no say in the matter, so that it could all be Grace.

The same now, you are trusting HIS Grace!

Wonderful Promise.
Reconciled Already! (whether you like it or not).

Had A Vison of Isaac and Abraham (This is Part 1)

 

Saw a young Isaac carrying the wood for the sacrifice and with his dad (Abraham) who was up ahead.

 

Abraham is sad (head down) and yet trying to be hopeful in GOD. And yet knowing what his son will have to go through, and what he will have to do.

Isaac is carrying the wood, just like JESUS carried the cross, just like all of us have to carry the wood/cross.

We carry it to our deaths, so that when JESUS died (like Isaac) we died too..and we continually die daily.

Isaac knows the steps and takes it seriously, not knowing he is going to pay the price himself.

JESUS knowing it, wept tears of blood.

Abraham sad and distraught yet looking ahead to the ONE who raises the dead.

GOD sad and distraught, yet looking ahead for reunion with HIS SON.

To teach that this angry GOD wanted to punish JESUS is the wrong picture, as you have to look to Abraham.

Yes the covenant was broken by man, and man (unlike hollywood movies) couldn't fix the problem, GOD did and HE kept covenant (on our behalf).  Abraham having to keep his end of the covenant, and when failure comes, death comes, but Abraham didnt' know that this GOD is the ONLY ONE who can keep covenant.  Nobody was worthy to take the scroll, and take death on.

Isaac takes the lonly walk, wondering where the sacrifice is - now realizing that he is the sacrifice, that walk up the lonely hill was gut wrenching.  Isaac knew that when he asked his dad (Abraham) where the sacrifice was, that 'GOD would provide, he realized it was himself that day.

Abraham knowing he was man's representitive with GOD in the covenant, knew that is required blood and death to the one who failed the covenant - not knowing yet, that it is ONLY GOD who keeps covenant.

Abraham promised that he would be the 'father of many nations' (and indeed he is to this day!), but had to give up the dreams (because without Isaac, there is no hope anymore), and die to the dream that GOD put in their to begin with.  But in so doing, wonderful resurrection power comes out of it!

And so like Isaac, we young full of energy, full of ideas and dreams have to carry the cross to death.

Trusting HIM who raises the dead, to bring to LIFE (as HE is LIFE) to us, and bring the dreams to the level they were meant to be!  Part 2 next..called Isaac and Abraham on the Mount...

Isaac and Abraham on the Mount (this is part 2)

This is Part 2 of "Had A Vison of Isaac and Abraham"

 

 

Did you know that the same hill Isaac was to be sacrificied was the same hill JESUS was?

in fact:

a) Jerusalem was built on the mountain and became the capital city of Israel
b) the Temple of Solomon was built on the southern end of the mountain (cf. 2 Chronicles 3:1)
c) Jesus was crucified on Golgotha, the highest elevation of the mountain, just outside of Jerusalem

Did you know how many logs of wood, Isaac needed to carry - it is the same amount of wood to buld a cross.

Think of how much wood you need to get a camp fire - well you need more for the sacrifice.

This is the first time love is mentioned in the bible and it all has to do with sacrifice.

JESUS slain before the foundation of the world.

3 days was the journey for Isaacs resurection. (when he saw the Ram caught in the thicket)

3 days JESUS raised too.

 

IRAQ - and the Bible

 Read all of this one, it is interesting!!

VERY INTERESTING-

1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq . 

2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!

3. Noah built the ark in Iraq ... 

4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq .. 

5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq ...

6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq ...
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq . 

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq ...

9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel .. 

10. Amos cried out in Iraq .. 

11 Babylon , which is in Iraq , destroyed Jerusalem .. 

12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq .

13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the Fiery Furnace!). 

14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the 'writing on the wall' in Iraq . 

15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq ... 

16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq ...   

17. The wise men were from Iraq ... 

18. Peter preached in Iraq ...

19. The 'Empire of Man' described in Revelation is called Babylon --which was a cityin Iraq.  And you have probably seen this one: Israel is hte nation most often mentioned in the Bible.
 
But do you know which nation is second?

It is Iraq !

However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible.

The names used in the Bible are Babylon , Land of Shinar , and Mesopotamia ... The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris And Euphrates Rivers .

The name Iraq means country with deep roots.

Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. 

No other nation, except Israel , has more history and prophecy associated
with it than Iraq ..

Taken from Sigler.org

No Effort Needed!

Question: Do we need to do anything for salvation?

When we were still sinners, CHRIST died for us. Romans 5:8

Not when we got 'good', but while we were at our worst.

Also, there is no boasting in HIS presence, (1 Cor 1:29)nothing we can say or do that qualifies us for GRACE. If you could 'qualify', then you did something to 'earn it', and thus it is NOT GRACE then.

In fact when JESUS came, HE kept 'disqualifying' everyone.
HE tells Nicodemus to be 'born again' but never tells anyone else that. (John 3)
HE tells another to 'sell all they have' but never tells that message to anyone else. Luke 18:22
HE tells the demoniac that wants to follow HIM, JESUS tells him "NO, but go home and to your friends, and tell everyone what GOD has done". Mark 5:19

Why doesn't HE tell the demoniac that wants to follow him to 'sell all he has to follow him' and do so? But wouldn't allow him to even follow?

How many preachers do you know, that when someone asks the preacher that they want to follow JESUS. That the preacher would say "NO, just simply go home and tell people what GOD has done".

NO preacher dares to say the things GRACE (JESUS is GRACE) says.
They would tell the guy, go to this church, get under the teaching of 'so & so', get a bible, read these chapters, pray everyday, and serve in the church.

JESUS said "go home".

To another group HE says "Be perfect"

Why doesn't HE tell Nicodemus to sell all he has?
Or tell the woman at the well that she must be 'born again'?

No wonder the disciples asked "who can be saved then?"
This whole thing is impossible.

Here is the scripture in GRACE.

Paul said it like this in more than one of his letters.

"HE (GOD) has locked us all (mankind) under sin, so that HE can have mercy on us all". Romans 11:32

They all didn't qualify.
News Flash:  Either do you...
No one does!

All locked up under the sin, under law (which increases trespass) .

Why?

So that HE can have mercy on some? A few? The elect? The Church?

NO

So that HE can have mercy on them all!

Everyone has sinned, we all have missed the mark.
We all like sheep have gone astray, every man has turned his own way.

All fell under Adam - Oh, I know you believe that - you can see that as you judge by your own eyes and understanding.

But

You don't' believe that all shall be made alive in JESUS...1 Corinthians 15:22

Wonderful, unstoppable GRACE.
Imagine a LOVE that doesn't fail - not once!

Does GOD treat us all the same - answer "yes" and "no".

Does GOD show favouritism?

Answer: "For God does not show favoritism." Romans 2:11
and also Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism." Acts 10:34

And JESUS is the WAY - right?

But here is the key, so we don't judge incorrectly.

There is only ONE way, JESUS is that WAY.
But the LORD (your and my DAD) like any good DAD (and HE is the best), treats HIS kids all differently - to get the end result.

I have 2 boys, whom I love dearly.  Both have the same access to me, and both are deeply loved by myself and my wife but they are brought up or 'handled' differently.  Some need 'pulling' the others need a little 'push'.

When I was younger, our friends had 2 children a couple years apart and they were playing on a swing set but were getting (in my own estimation) potentially rowdy and perhaps dangerous and could fall. After watching them for a few moments I told them both to "STOP IT" with a firm tone as I was the only adult in the yard at the time, the rest were getting drinks from inside.

The point is this, after I ordered them to stop, one started to cry, the other laughed and shrugged me off!  I didn't know what to do.

When you have children of your own, you should get to the point where you (as Dad or Mom) know what you have to do, to get your kids to follow the rules (what is best for them/ best for the family) so they can grow up to be responsible, loving leaders - that this world desperately needs.

Anyway, back to the main point.

We as people tend to judge others, when they are going through a tough time instead of knowing that they all have a FATHER in the Heavenlies (the heavens are all around us, its the Spirit world, or the Kingdom that JESUS referred to all the time).  And this FATHER knows how to 'pull' one and 'push' the other, to get them to be mature, loving sons and daughters.
Doesn't the bible tell us that we should be joyful in suffering, because it is working for our own good? James 1:2

When you learn to live in LOVE and TRUST even in the times of testing, you are maturing fast.
Complaining and fighting is not the way through it, that way only slows you down.
Not my will, but your will be done is our prayer.

Isn't that what any good parent wants?
The child to say 'ok mom' or 'you are right dad'.

Isn't that the same thing with GOD?
And it doesn't matter how far you've gone, remember HE doesn't show favouritism.
We all can come, and enjoy LIFE (HIMSELF - JESUS is LIFE) the way it was intended all along!

Don't let the enemy (devil) give you thoughts that make you feel that you can't come to JESUS.
Take HIM up on HIS offer, that there are no favourites...simply come.
Only a lie would keep you from coming to HIM.