DIVERS TEMPTATIONS
This is the first of a five part study written by Grace Hammond, a woman who does and who has given me much spiritual advice over the years. I have discerned to blog her studies as they have you might say "hit me between the eyes" as of late I have had to stand strong and at a distance from a temptation.
Coming to terms with sexual abstinence is no easy road and many of us know how difficult this is and many of us are at different seasons and times of our healing and restoration and sanctification journey. Some of you He has not brought to marriage or some like myself have chosen singleness, therefore sexual pleasure is non existent in any form!
But the truth is sexual temptation will come and will go:
- Either out of our own homosexual lust that will remain with us.
- Or from the deception of lying spirits saying this person desires us and they don't.
- Or from a straightforth obvious move from the other person.
- Or they are throwing out a line for straightforth exposure will be detrimental to them, their image, social standing and so on.
- Or the woman has no desire for you as she is just seductive and flirtatious for whatever her power or insecurities are that she acts out this way, she may even be narcissistic. She may just like to be the centre of attention and flirting with both male and female is her way of getting attention. It has been said many a time that these women will tell the male or female back off if they come on to them, or as one aged woman said "they are the first to call rape."
- Also she may have a filthy mind, sex is always on her mind; and she may have sex addiction so talking or flirting with sexual overtones with the same sex or any gender just feeds her senses to release chemicals.
- Also we may read into a circumstance thinking it is lust when it is just friendship affection and or just "normal" hetrosexual behaviour from the other woman. Her behaviour may be just an expression of her comfortableness around you and or it is saying she is not afraid. My daughter and her friends have laid all over each other for years, they hold hands in public and hug and touch each other affectionately. But none of them are bent on same sex attraction. Therefore the woman may just be acting hetrosexually natural; or consider, she may be an expressive type personality they are touchy and feelie people, and when she stands beside you knowingly with her breast against you means nothing to her as that is what these women do.
- Consider also, she may be bisexual and or an adulterous woman and you are nothing more than an object of her ego, unbrideled lust or her unhappiness. So don't even go there, put a boundry around her that says no and let her know that you no longer choose that lifestyle as you are devoting yourself to Jesus and the faith. Don't play with this, or flirt with the idea she has nothing to lose and the back lash from spirits are tormenting. Truth is He is a jealous God so you will lose your freedom to think and your peace of mind. Correction, discipline has to come forth as He cares about your eternal life.
- Now if you know she also has same sex attraction and is wanting to process and understand the why's move away if the temptation is to strong. Distance yourself if you are not strong enough to abstain and release her to Jesus and I'm sure she is adult enough to find support and counsel. It is not good to take advantage of someone who is vulnerable or insecure or battling with staying faithful to Jesus or their natural husband.
For all these reasons listed above and any others you know discern straightforth for the enemy will make opportunity of her actions to lie so as to seduce you into fantasy and recall we are twisted and Jesus is untwisting us so we will get our wires crossed.
Regardless of what reason we have to make a choice to choose life, bring it to the light straight away and if this means confronting her then do so, for we are to choose His life and not death with so many losses. We are to say no to bonds of iniquity that will enslave us again to a yoke of lust and lust out of control either in thought or word or deed.
Coming to a place of priest and king in holiness has to be our option, has to be; the highway of holiness is the only way of choice. As sensual and desirable the act and the person may be we have to choose commitment, we have to choose life, we have to choose His way and not the way of the lower self, we have to yeild to the gift and fruit of faithfulness and self-control.
If you are at a cross road, take Him and press in and stand, invite Him in to all your double mindedness, your temptation/desire/lust and stay honest and stay in relationship all the way until you are back to full strength. You may be pressed in on every side and may have gotten yourself in too deep, but keep asking Him to keep you faithful and not to yeild. Always ask Him to instrument all circumstances that you do not yeild or back slide, He is Able and He is God who can move heaven and earth that you don't give in to your current temptation.
Stay in a mind of confession, renew your mind, recommit yourself to Discipleship and allow your heart once again to be in a place of being empowered by the shed blood of Jesus our Redeemer and Restorer; He is on our side and understands our weaknesses. So just go to Him, remain with Him and allow Him to carry you past this threshold, you have too much to lose and it is you and Him not you and her or you or him, its all about you and Him/Jesus in the now, for tomorrow and the hope of all eternity, so "stand and having done all STAND and see the salvation of your soul".
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DISCIPLESHIP SERIES
THE CALL TO BE A DISCIPLE
EXCUSES AGAINST DISCIPLESHIP - STUDY 1
"This is the beginning of some studies aimed at assisting in the necessary preparation of our lives so we may be included in the coming kingdom and be part of the Bridal company who will be ready to answer the call to go out and meet the Bridegroom when He returns.
The days are short and He will come at a time when you will not expect Him, so be prepared! No man knows the actual day or hour of His return, so we need to be ready at all times, standing blameless before Him
BECOMING A DISCIPLE
Discipleship Series Study 1
People follow what inspires and motivates them to an objective in life! Following Messiah results from a life changing encounter with Him!
ENCOUNTER -> RELATIONSHIP -> DISCIPLESHIP
The focal point of becoming a disciple is the one we follow, and becoming like Him. We become followers of Y'shua as a result of a relationship with Him which has challenged us and caused us to desire to become like Him. The whole goal of our life as a believer is to become like Y'shua. Through an encounter with Him and the resulting relationship into which He has drawn us, our hearts have been motivated to follow Him, i.e. to become His disciple.
The word DISCIPLE - MANTHANO means 'to learn'
It is derived from a root word MATH indicating thought accompanied by endeavor. Hence it denotes one who follows one's teaching. (Vine) A disciple then was an adherent to the concepts of the master.
A. THE CALL
Y'shua called His disciples to follow Him e.g. Matt.4:18-22
> v.18 He saw them - not in their present state, but their future potential
> v.19 He called them - knowing their hearts
> v.20 they responded and ........... followed Him.
Calling them resulted from a choice made in communion with the Father Luke 6:12-14
He said to them "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you......" John 15:16
"...I have chosen you out of the world......" :19
He has also chosen us according to the will and pre-determined counsel of Yahweh out of this world to become followers of Him. He saw what we could become through His enabling grace. So He drew us into a relationship with Himself and calls us to become His disciples.
Knowing that He has personally chosen us, should motivate us to respond!
ALL ARE CALLED TO BECOME DISCIPLES Matt.28:19,20
"...make disciples of all men...
"...teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you"
ALL ARE ABLE TO BECOME DISCIPLES
"How much more shall the blood of Messiah then cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. FOR THIS CAUSE Messiah has become the mediator of the new covenant ....." Hebrews 9:14,15
"His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us Wherefore are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" 2 Peter 1:3.4
He has made provision for, called and enabled all to become His disciples!
B. THE CHALLENGE
The challenge is to be WILLING to follow! Willingness is the key!
He did not choose His disciples according to their qualifications or character. He did not see some fishermen etc. in the ones He chose, He saw what they would become by His teaching, love, power and grace. Actually they did not possess one natural quality of discipleship. First and foremost He was looking for people who were willing to follow!
It was not what they were, but what they were willing to become! It was not what they already had in themselves that would enable them, but His
POWER and PROVISION.
The challenge was to be totally transformed! (Rom.12:1,2)
They were not sufficient of themselves, their sufficiency was of Yahweh. 2 Corinthians 3:5
The scripture says, "For ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;" " " the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised, ........ and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things which are: That no flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Y'shua challenged them to follow after they were prepared and ready. He gave them time and opportunity for them to know Him before He called them to complete commitment
ENQUIRY -> CONVICTION -> COMMITTMENT
After their initial inquiry they became convinced of His claims of being the Messiah (they went and told Andrew John1:41) - evidence that they placed their trust in Him.
They had time with Him to know Him and form a relationship whereby they could give Him their total allegiance. Doing so, they became part of the many who followed Him and listened to His teachings and saw His power demonstrated, but they only became His disciples when they were prepared to leave everything so as to follow Him.
Being a disciple requires total commitment!
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26-27
Discipleship requires us to lay down our life for His sake!
It is a call to put aside everything of our own feelings and interests for His sake and the gospel's, so that we will be ready and willing to surrender everything in His service for the sake of the kingdom of God.
True discipleship is an all-out commitment to the Lord Y'shua our Messiah!
Commitment is an essential quality of discipleship! Matt.11:29
There must be a harnessing together with Him in commitment to follow where He leads. Only by this complete surrender will the disciple continue on in the initial commitment." 1. [Hammond, July, 2012]
1. Hammond, G. The Call To Be A Disciple Discipleship Series - Study 1 [Bethel Ministries P.O. Box 2291 Toowoomba, 4350, 2012]
Be blessed and be a blessing
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