***And you shall know the truth. And the truth will set you free!!!***

COMING TO OUR SENSES

A Devotion by Vince Lichlyter based on the Jonah33 song

Track #5: "DESENSITIZED"

From the album The Strangest Day

God created us for Himself and for one another. He created the intimacy of marriage, where one man would spend one lifetime with one woman. God purposefully made us sexual beings with a need for spiritual, emotional, and physical intimacy.

But we blew it. And we continue to choose lust over love and intensity over intimacy. Why? Because sin thrills us. The irony is that sin is never truly satisfying, and every time we experience the "rush," it numbs us more and more until it takes more and more to stimulate us. Just as drug abusers need harder and harder drugs to get the same high, what starts as a curiosity with swimsuit issues can develop into a hard-core porn addiction. The rush from playing violent video games can degenerate into watching "snuff" videos and fantasizing about "blowing away" schoolmates. The flip side of the coin is that drugs, porn, and video violence can also be an escape from the pain—or hopelessness—of real life...a sort of "self-medication."

Either way, the result is the same: spiritual numbness, physical addiction, and emotional dissatisfaction. The standard answer is "Just Say No"...but that only leaves a void screaming out to be filled. The Lord’s answer is "Just Say Yes." Say, "yes" to honest confession, broken-hearted repentance, Spirit-filled sanctification, and brother-to-brother accountability. A strong passion can only be replaced by a stronger one:

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

--Galatians 5:16-25 (NIV)

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me experience Your love and acceptance with such power that any substitutes pale in comparison to Your mercy and grace. Help me confess and repent from sinful actions and attitudes. Help me say "yes" to Spirit-empowered character so that saying "no" to sin is the most natural thing in the world. Wrap me in the arms of Your love so that no other passion will ever satisfy me. Amen.

Labels: Inspirations Thoughts

My History,My Past, My life!!!

Part Passionate Kisser

Part Expert Kisser

COMING TO OUR SENSES