Patti C (12 June 2012)
"TO: DAVID S. / TEMPTATION "


 
TO: DAVID S. / TEMPTATION
(RE: David S (7 June 2012)
"To Patti C Re: "How born again Christians should relate to homosexuals/ Temptation")

HI DAVID!

YOU ASKED:
Do you believe when a person is born again God removes their primary temptation? 
YES!  
EVERYONE’S GREATEST TEMPTATION IS “SELF”AND TO LIVE FOR SELF.  EVERYTHING ELSE STEMS FROM THAT…ALCOHOL, DRUGS, SEX, ARE JUST THE SYMPTOMS OF OUR DISEASE, OF LOVING OURSELVES, AND OUR LIVES, IN THIS WORLD, MORE THAN LOVING GOD.

WHEN WE ARE BORN AGAIN, FROM ABOVE, THIS SELF MUST DIE IN ORDER THAT CHRIST CAN LIVE IN US, VIA THE HOLY SPIRIT.
IN ORDER TO BE BORN AGAIN, ONE HAS TO DIE.  EVERYONE DIES TO THEMSELVES IN THAT MOMENT WHEN CHRIST STANDS BEFORE THEM AND SAYS “COME”.    AND, IF WE SAY “YES” HE BAPTIZES US WITH FIRE, THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO HELP OVERCOME THE TEMPTATIONS IN THE WORLD. 
 
CHRIST IS THE LIVE WIRE CONNECTION, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ELECTRICITY THAT MAKES IT ALL COME TO LIFE, IN US!!  ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER DOES NOT WORK.  IT CAN BE A LIKENED TO HAVING A WONDERFUL MODERN APPLIANCE AND HAVING A PLACE TO PLUG IT IN, BUT NO ELECTRICITY TO MAKE IT RUN.  THE ONLY WORK THAT MAN MAY DO, THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD, IS TO DIE TO SELF, AND THEN HE CAN WORK THROUGH US.  ALL OTHER WORKS DONE, WITH OUT BEING PLUGGED IN AND TURNED ON, ARE BUT THE WORKS OF SELF, AND THEY ARE MEANINGLESS.
WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT WE CANNOT EXPERIENCE CHRIST IN OUR LIVES; THAT IS WHAT BEING BORN AGAIN IS ALL ABOUT!
THE MORE WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP DYING TO OUR SELF, AND LETTING HIM TAKE THE REINS OF OUR LIFE, THE MORE WE ARE ABLE TO OVERCOME AND KEEP RUNNING THE RACE.
JESUS IS THE REASON WE ARE RUNNING THIS RACE, TO CLAIM THE VICTORY OF HAVING HIM IN OUR LIVES, AND TO BE WITH HIM, FOREVER..  HE IS THE WAY AND THE GOAL.  WE MUST RUN INTO HIS ARMS, WHEN WE NEED THE STRENGTH, TO OVERCOME OURSELVES, IN THIS WORLDLY LIFE.

EVEN IF WE FALL, IT IS HE THAT PROVIDES THE STRENGTH TO GET BACK UP!!  DEPEND ON HIM FOR EVERYTHING…THE MORE WE DO THAT, HAVING FAITH, WITHOUT TURNING BACK TO OUR OWN POWER, AND CONTINUE TO ASK FOR HIS HELP, NO MATTER HOW UNWORTHY WE MAY FEEL, WILL ALL BE TO HIS GLORY!!  IF WE LET HIM RUN THE RACE, FROM WITHIN US, WE CAN KNOW THAT OUR VICTORY IS ASSURED.  BECAUSE HE DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, SO SHALL WE.

GET UP AND KEEP DYING TO OURSELVES…AS HE DIED FOR ALL OF US.
BEING BORN AGAIN MEANS WE GET A CHANCE TO FEEL WHAT IT IS TO BE JOINED TO OUR BELOVED.   IN THAT MOMENT WHEN WE SAY “YES” TO HIS MARRIAGE PROPOSAL, HE GIVES US THE PROMISE OF BEING WITH HIM FOREVER BY GIVING US THE HOLY SPIRIT; THUS, THE SPIRIT OF CONNECTION THAT CONNECTS US TO HIM, UNTIL HE COMES TO BRING US HOME.  IT IS OUR ENGAGEMENT RING THAT REQUIRES A PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT ON OUR PART, AS WELL AS HIS.

JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS, FOR ALL SINS, FOR ALL TIME.  WE ARE HEAVY LADEN WITH SIN, THE LAW PROVES THAT.  ONLY BY YOKING OURSELVES WITH JESUS CAN ONE RUN THE RACE AND CROSS THE FINISH LINE.
EACH TEMPTATION WE OVERCOME, IN HIS NAME, AND WITH HIS HELP, WILL ONLY BRING YOU CLOSER TO HIM.
“HE, WHO IS FORGIVEN MUCH, LOVETH MUCH!!” LOOK AT THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL…THEY WERE FORGIVEN MUCH AND THEY LOVED MUCH.  ONE DENIED HIM AND THE OTHER MURDERED HIS FOLLOWERS!!  WE ARE TO BE LIKE THEY WERE; REPENTANT SINNERS ALWAYS STRIVING TOWARD THE GOAL OF BEING MORE LIKE CHRIST, BY LETTING HIM TAKE OVER, OUR LIVES, AND LIVE IN US.

WE ARE ALL SINNERS.  WE MUST CONTINUE TO REPENT EACH STEP OF THE WAY.  WE MUST CONTINUE TO POUR OUT WHAT CHRIST FILLS US WITH, INTO THE WORLD, IN ORDER TO BE CONTINUALLY REFILLED….ENOUGH OIL IN OUR LAMPS TO BE LIGHTS IN THE DARKNESS, AND ENOUGH OIL TO TRIM OUR LAMPS WHEN HE COMES FOR US.
THE ONLY ONE WE CAN TRUST IS JESUS, AND HE DIED FOR OUR SINS.  IF WE LOVE HIM, WE WILL CHANGE AND GROW WITH HIS HELP… AND HE WILL DECIDE WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP, AND TO LET GO.

IN ALL TEMPTATIONS WE MUST STAY CLOSE TO HIM, DO NOT LET SIN SEPARATE US FROM THIS PRECIOUS CONNECTION,  AND, WHEN WE TRULY KNOW HIM, WE WANT NOTHING TO SEPARATE US FROM HIS AMAZING GRACE, FOR THAT BECOMES THE MOST PAINFUL PUNISHMENT WE CAN EXPERIENCE.  THEREFORE, OUR DESIRE TO DO HIS WILL, OVERCOMES THE DESIRE TO DO OUR OWN WILL.

IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO LOVE…HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE HIM?  ENOUGH TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING WE KNOW, AND GO INTO THE WILDERNESS OF SUPERNATURAL FAITH; THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST?   
  
WHEN WE ARE CHRIST’S, WE MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HE DIED SO THAT WE COULD LIVE FOREVER, IN HEAVEN.  BY CONSTANTLY REMEMBERING THIS, AND HAVING HIS STRENGTH THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE WILL OVERCOME EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO SEE THE FINISH LINE.  THE MORE WE LOVE HIM THE LESS WE WILL WANT TO GRIEVE HIM WITH OUR LACK OF FAITH.

WHEN ONE IS BORN AGAIN, ALL THE BAD IN THEIR LIFE, IS USED TO THEIR ETERNAL GOOD.  IF YOUR ARE HIS, EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE HAS A BLESSING OR A LESSON THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BRING YOU CLOSER TO HIM.
THE ENGAGEMENT RING HAS BEEN GIVEN, IN THE SKY FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE…ALL THAT IS LEFT IS FOR ALL THAT ARE HIS, TO SAY “YES”.
I HOPE THIS GIVES YOU A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT I WROTE IN MY FIRST POST.
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I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, HERE, HOW IMPRESSED I AM WITH YOUR RECENTS POSTS, DIRECTLY ANSWERING SOME GOOD QUESTIONS WITH SOME REALLY GOOD ANSWERS!!
THANKS FOR THE INTRIGUING, AND WELL SUPPORTED STUDIES…I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE.

IN HIS LOVE,
AGAPE!
Patti C.
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David S (7 June 2012)
To Patti C Re: "How born again Christians should relate to homosexuals/ Temptation
Hi Patti, 
Thanks for your input and scriptures.
You wrote: Therefore, all those who overcome temptation are still saved, and grow stronger in Christ with each temptation they overcome, in His name. When we are born again, Christ gives us the strength to overcome, and provides the way in which we can overcome.

I certainly agree with what you wrote and although many are beset with more difficult circumstances and surroundings then the average person but God is always faithful.
Do you believe when a person is born again God removes their primary temptation?
For instance is every alcoholic cured of the desire to drink, every adulterer no longer lusts, every thief has no wish to steal or any homosexual desires the opposite sex? Or does our flesh still have these temptations but with the Holy Spirit we are able to stand firm and overcome. It would certainly seem, from the Bible verses you quoted, that our temptations remain and we resist and become stronger with God’s help. What do you or others think?

Blessings,
David S
 
>These words from Dick Cheney were passed on to us by one of the guys aboard
>the USS Lincoln. I thought they were eye-opening and worth reading.