Dear Lord,
As I continue to deny my flesh by filling up my hunger spiritually instead of sexually, I am made more and more aware of how much I need You. I can't possibly do anything apart from You. You are my source of strength, my portion, the lifter of my head.
I come before You in reverent submission, deeply aware that any purity I experience is not my own but enabled only by Your grace.
O Lord Jesus, receive the glory that is due Your Name. Receive my praise! I can only feel whole when I sense that You accept my worship; when I sense that You are pleased with this small sacrifice of praise that comes from my eternally grateful and humbled heart.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Self-Control
Sometimes I get this aching in the loins. This longing in the pit of abdomen that is somehow connected to the genitals. This aching-longing that demands satisfaction, sexual satisfaction.
Okay, I'll fess up. I'm having that feeling right now.
I wanted to have sex with the wife tonight. But she was too tired. Pity Party Me would go seek out porn and masturbation as a way of release. Even though I no longer find nude guys alluring, I'd probably end up there by way of habit. Feed off on the "camaraderie" of it even if I no longer need the "embrace." I just can't bare to get hooked onto women--way too dangerous.
Maturing Man Me says to reach out. Deny the impulses of the flesh and make some genuine connections. I've gone for months without porn or masturbation before, and I was fine. I can do it again.
Somehow, no friends are around on the internet to connect with. :-(
And so, Maturing Man Me tells me to choose the right course of action. Spend some time in Bible reading, prayer, and journaling. That pit-of-the-abdomen hunger can be satisfied spiritually as well sexually. If sex is not an option, then deny sex for prayer.
1 Cor.7:5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Interesting. Satan tempts me because of my lack of self-control. Self-control. Now that's something I haven't studied much of in Scripture, but I know it's all over Scripture.
...doesn't it say in Galatians that one of fruits of the Spirit is self-control?
Yes, Galatians 5:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-Control
By avoiding porn and masturbation, I am exercising self-control.
By choosing to reach out in spiritual communion with my brothers-in-Christ, I am exercising self-control.
By turning my attention from satisfying my hunger sexually to satisfying it spiritually, I am exercising self-control.
God is so good to me that He gives me this "sexual hunger" for me to exercise spiritual self-control.
---
[Edit] Wow... just realized that it's also in verse 8 in the preface post I made.
Okay, I'll fess up. I'm having that feeling right now.
I wanted to have sex with the wife tonight. But she was too tired. Pity Party Me would go seek out porn and masturbation as a way of release. Even though I no longer find nude guys alluring, I'd probably end up there by way of habit. Feed off on the "camaraderie" of it even if I no longer need the "embrace." I just can't bare to get hooked onto women--way too dangerous.
Maturing Man Me says to reach out. Deny the impulses of the flesh and make some genuine connections. I've gone for months without porn or masturbation before, and I was fine. I can do it again.
Somehow, no friends are around on the internet to connect with. :-(
And so, Maturing Man Me tells me to choose the right course of action. Spend some time in Bible reading, prayer, and journaling. That pit-of-the-abdomen hunger can be satisfied spiritually as well sexually. If sex is not an option, then deny sex for prayer.
1 Cor.7:5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Interesting. Satan tempts me because of my lack of self-control. Self-control. Now that's something I haven't studied much of in Scripture, but I know it's all over Scripture.
...doesn't it say in Galatians that one of fruits of the Spirit is self-control?
Yes, Galatians 5:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-Control
By avoiding porn and masturbation, I am exercising self-control.
By choosing to reach out in spiritual communion with my brothers-in-Christ, I am exercising self-control.
By turning my attention from satisfying my hunger sexually to satisfying it spiritually, I am exercising self-control.
God is so good to me that He gives me this "sexual hunger" for me to exercise spiritual self-control.
---
[Edit] Wow... just realized that it's also in verse 8 in the preface post I made.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Preface to the Next Chapter
I preface this next chapter with a text from Scripture.
To Elders and Young Men
1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
To Elders and Young Men
1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
[1 Peter 5:1-11]
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