Sheep Food

  One of the great myths that usually get debunked early on for lots of young people, is this notion that if a person gets married...they will no longer struggle or ‘burn’ with sexual ‘lust’. Yes, Paul did write and say that if it was not your ‘gifting’ to remain single, and presumably ‘celibate’, then getting married was highly recommended because it was ‘better to marry than to burn with passion’ (1 Cor. 7:8-9). But let me say it again loud and clear: Marriage is not the ‘cure all’ when it comes to overcoming sexual lust. I should also point out here that simply growing older, where it can be normal for sexual desire to diminish over time due to lowering levels of testosterone and such, does not exempt one from battling with sexual lust, because there are plenty of ‘older men’, well in to their 70’s and 80’s, if not older...who are addicted to porn, or worse. It cannot be overstated enough...that we live in a world greatly influenced by wicked spirits of darkness and evil that ...

  You do realize that had God not given us this thing called ‘sexual desire’... the human race would have probably come to an abrupt end. And I don’t think I need to elaborate on this one point, do I? When God created man and woman, His first command to them was to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth..” (Gen. 2:26-28) I’m not quite certain as to how this would have all played out prior to the ‘fall’, or if things would have been any different, but we do know that both Adam and Eve walked about ‘naked’ in the garden, which today might be ‘problematic’ for many of us. But something changed, and hence, the reason the first order of business after they ‘sinned’ was God put some clothes or coverings on them. (Gen.3:21). Welcome back to our series as we look at how Christians should deal with and regulate the satisfying of two legitimate physical needs we all have, the consuming of food and fulfilling sexual desires. As we discussed previously, it is quite possible that when we ...

  If you don’t believe that ‘spirits’ can become attached to simple physical needs and appetites (that are God-given), then you are choosing ignorance and darkness over truth and light. (John 3:19-20) Have you never watched shows that focused on ‘eating disorders’, highlighting the journeys of people who mask past wounds by piling on weight by the hundreds of pounds (my 600-pound Life); or listened to the testimonies of women who suffer from ‘Anorexia’ and all they see ...when they look at their ‘skin and bone bodies’ in a mirror...is a ‘fat person’? And for the life of me, I don’t even want to know how...or why any human could find ‘sexual fulfillment’ by engaging in ‘sexual activities’ with young children, or babies...and yes...even animals; but there is no shortage of people who do. I also have a hard time believing that an adult just wakes up one morning and begins to engage in such activities on a whim. There usually is a ‘story’ behind such activity that leads to such despi...

  “All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17) Have you ever heard that expression before, the ‘lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life’? It is pretty much the gateway to sin and yes...a door for a ‘spiritual enemy’ we hear much about in scripture who we are told to ‘resist’ and to ‘give no place to’ (Eph. 4:27; James 4:7). And if we don’t deal with him...and ‘the sin that can so easily ensnare us’ (Heb. 12:1), then things won’t bode well for us (John 5:14; Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 13:3,5). Those were the three ‘windows’ through which the serpent tempted Eve back in the garden (Gen. 3:1-5) when she yielded to it and ate from that tree (Gen. 2:17); and it is the three areas in which Jesus was tempted by the devil...and He resisted on all accounts (Luke 4:1-13)...

  God desires for all people to be ‘saved’... and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:4) I remember having a conversation with another professing believer some time back who was telling me that it was not God’s will for ‘all to be saved’, but only the ‘chosen ones’. I was puzzled by that and mentioned the verse above and was told I was taking that ‘out of context’. I then asked them about 2 Pet. 3:9 where it states how God is ‘longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance’. Again, they said they would need to read that in context and get back to me. If left up to those who are of this belief, maybe it’s time to ‘edit’ John 3:16 and cross out ‘the world’ and ‘whosoever’ ...and replace with ‘the chosen ones’. But now I digress...forgive me. Not only does God want us to be ‘saved’ (from His wrath- Rom. 5:9), but He also wants us to ‘come to the knowledge of the truth’. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he points o...

  It’s not a sin to be tempted... to sin. (Yea...say it again and aloud this time) Nor is it a ‘sin’ to ‘have bad thoughts’. Where do you think ‘temptation’ begins? And who exactly is the ‘tempter’? It sure isn’t God! (James 1:13). Do you not think that Jesus had ‘bad thoughts’? Of course He did...”He was tempted in all points as we are tempted, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). And here’s the really good news: “Since He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Heb. 2:18). That’s why we are encouraged to come with confidence to the ‘throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need’ (Heb. 4:16). And if/when you do this... something ‘supernatural’ takes place...but you better be humble and admit your need for it when you come to Him for it (James 4:6; Titus 2:11-12). Oh...something else to consider – knowing who this ‘tempter’ is, we are not advised to ‘ignore’ him, rather we are to ‘resist’ him (James...