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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2020 16:38:57 GMT -7
Yikes! The world around us is going crazy! Letting our own light shine can seem like so little, but with God, it is mighty. Especially many lights together. May mine shine brightly! "In the same way [like a city on a hill], let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." ---Matthew 5:16 ESV Amen
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 14, 2020 15:53:21 GMT -7
It was a good day in the house of the Lord! Electronic "in" but very real. Even Bible study class before worship. Thank you Jesus for fellowship even in this difficult time, and for the promises in your Word that keep us going.
Psalm 64:10 English Standard Version (ESV)
Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult!
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 17, 2020 17:24:40 GMT -7
Jude 24-25 English Standard Version (ESV)
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2020 18:46:47 GMT -7
Jude 24-25 English Standard Version (ESV) Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. One of the greatest verses on recovery from addition.
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 20, 2020 18:41:11 GMT -7
Not a good morning. Lust took over. But this time I did not self-gratify. Maybe that is progress?
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Post by Will on Jun 20, 2020 19:24:08 GMT -7
Woo-hoo! Yes it is! Praise the Lord!
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 21, 2020 14:41:14 GMT -7
But then I totally blew it the next AM, which was today.
But with God's help, this has been a good day. Some would argue that it was a good day because I am supposed to do that as a natural release. But that is not true because of the lustful thoughts involved.
And many of the blessings of today were things that only God Himself orchestrated; not just because of my action. God spoke to me and encouraged me in His mercy and grace.
But I am definitely supposed to listen to those who are stronger (Gal. 6:1-2 from this AM's online Bible study)
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Post by Will on Jun 22, 2020 4:48:36 GMT -7
Yep, been there with that thought as well bro. Recently God has been showing me a couple of things about this cycle (get some sobriety, get more tension and stress, things seem more difficult, give in to temptation, pressure released, feel better and clearer, can see how dumb it was to give in, start with new intention to be clean, repeat from beginning).
Like you I often thought 'hmmm I seem to be better even with my walk with God AFTER I've given in to lust. What's that all about?'
But the Lord has shown me why:
Like He said to someone else on here "I don't care about your sobriety". Basically, it's God's GRACE and MERCY we need, and we get this by HUMILITY. When we've just sinned, we know we are sinners and are HUMBLE. We say "yep God, it's all true, I suck, please have mercy on me, a sinner". That attitude of humility, I believe is what the Lord wants from us MOST.
But we think then, okay we'll start building sobriety again. Then when we've got a few weeks up, we're like 'Hey God, look at me! Pretty good, right?!' And God's like 'oh no, I'm going to have to humble him again'. Because yeah sobriety's great, but it's the attitude of humility that counts most.
What happens with me is that when I get that sobriety up, like now, I become uptight, highly strung, and everything seems really difficult and stressful. That's because all the bad stuff in me, the dross, like anger, resentment, difficulty, that I was using porn to numb, is now coming out up to the surface, like during a detox from a drug, which is what it is. So it's super tough! And I feel further from God, because I'm not humble enough, instead I'm thinking 'man, I deserve a much easier life than this, because I'm such a sober, amazing Christian!' wow what a joke, what a Pharisee!
The point is, humility is what counts, and we have it more after falling (should we then sin more that grace should abound? NEVER! - Paul). But the grace of God and us knowing we're totally helpless and dependent on God's mercy, is where we should be always.
Right now, the Lord is showing me some of the stuff that really is in my heart: pride and arrogance! Am about to dive in to one of Andrew Murray's books - amazing Christian writer - called 'Humility'.
God bless you Saved! Also the fasting thing works great!
Love from Will
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 22, 2020 7:27:38 GMT -7
Thanks Will! Yes, after a period of victory I can get so self-satisfied. Guard goes down. And when a time of testing comes, failing to run TO God. As the oft quoted passage in James tells us. I must draw near to God. Humble myself. Promise: if I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me. And FROM THERE, resist Satan and watch him flee. James 4:6-8 English Standard Version (ESV) But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. The following link I need to read in more detail, but it looks good. bible.org/seriespage/2-killing-sexual-sin-1-corinthians-69-20
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 23, 2020 20:22:04 GMT -7
It's been a good day. Caffeine use down to Decaf this AM! I probably inherited that hypersensitivity from my Dad. I also can't have chocolate (same family of drugs).
As to the battle I fight here, it does relate.... when we use a stimulant, there's also a low, or valley.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2020 5:58:59 GMT -7
It's been a good day. Caffeine use down to Decaf this AM! I probably inherited that hypersensitivity from my Dad. I also can't have chocolate (same family of drugs). As to the battle I fight here, it does relate.... when we use a stimulant, there's also a low, or valley. Good job! Major win there. Praise the Lord!
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 25, 2020 13:56:03 GMT -7
Back to Square 1 again, but MAJOR lessons learned.
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 26, 2020 7:59:28 GMT -7
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 27, 2020 15:20:28 GMT -7
That true story (see above) is encouraging to me because I see a deep trust on the part of that patient, deep in her subconscious mind, so that when this trusted doctor told her all was well, and the surgery had been successful, she had a deep trust to do the thing he asked.
ON the conscious level, we don't do that. This was far deeper.
May I develop that kind of trust in my Savior!
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Post by savedbygrace on Jun 28, 2020 14:07:13 GMT -7
It was a good day in the house of the Lord! ....electronically, of course, but very real. Good things from God's Word. The promises and encouragement from God's Word must be the basis for my victory.
2 Peter 1:3-4 English Standard Version (ESV) His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
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