|
|
|
|
|
Users viewing this topic:
none
|
|
Login  | |
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/3/2008 7:58:38 AM
|
|
|
prophet15
Posts: 2
Joined: 8/3/2008
Status: offline
|
bill,i want you to know i thank you very much for this forum , as i have been coming here for several months and it has encouraged me a great deal just knowing that iam not alone . god bless you my brother
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/3/2008 7:29:40 PM
|
|
|
Darien8869
Posts: 5
Joined: 6/20/2008
From: Claremore Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Amen to that! Bill is a great encouragement. I too am thankful for all the help purelight has going for him. That's great! It's a lonely struggle but we're gonna make it!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/6/2008 5:31:17 PM
|
|
|
r0ck2oo2
Posts: 1
Joined: 8/6/2008
Status: offline
|
Hey guys! I am 24 years old, from Springfield, Missouri. I have just been googling different forums that I could become a part of regarding this topic. I have gone through this on more than one occasion. By 'this,' I mean getting to a point in my life in which I do not want to be gay anymore. I strongly believe that it is a psychological battle. I consider myself to be very in sync with my own feelings. I have always used a lot of introspection. I know that I've had problems with feeling a lack of acceptance, approval, or love from my dad. I know that I have had self-image problems. Furthermore, I also know that I've had envy for other guys. The last time I tried to 'not be gay,' it was in November or December of last year. At this point in my life, I had just graduated from massage therapy school, and I finally got the sense that my dad was proud of me. It seemed as if I found something that I had been looking for my whole life. It was amazing. However, a couple months later, in January. I went to a party that was held by some gay friends, and I ended up meeting a gay man. I ended up having sex for the first time. At that point, I ended up getting involved (having sex with another man). After these sexual encounters, I just remember feeling how absolutely disgusted I was with myself. I felt guilty - - dirty. I tried to obtain relationships with other guys, but to no avail. That just left me feeling rejected and hurt. At the beginning of summer, I decided to move back home, for financial purposes. Over the course of the summer, I have come to know my dad a little bit better and have made more realizations about our relationship. Anyway, basically just out of the blue, I got the urge where I didn't want to be gay anymore. I know it's going to be a battle, because it always has been. I just feel like this time I am better suited for the battle that lies ahead. I think one reason why I've always fallen back into old habits is because I really couldn't let go of friends and partying. I have already given up a lot over the past year. I feel as if I've grown out of the partying scene. So, that is one thing that I have going for me now. Anyway, it feels like I've just been babbling and rambling. Hopefully I haven't lost anyone yet. I guess I am just going to end this with one last thought. When I came out to my friends and family and admitted that I was gay. It felt very liberating. However, when you come to the realization that you don't have to be gay - - it takes things to a whole new level of liberation.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/10/2008 4:39:49 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Hay Guys,
I am wondering if any of you had the same thing happen to me in my struggle? There were many times that I asked "God do You Care?" My struggle was hard and it lasted many years and I asked God many times why He didn't heal me or take this thing from my side? I was angry at Him many times yet He still loved me even when I turned my back to Him. How much more love can anyone give me? No one that I can think of. Here are some thoughts from a Sunday School lesson.
1. If God really loves me, why is He allowing me to suffer this way?
2. Is God paying attention? What is He going to do for me now that I am homosexual?
3. Where is God when I struggle and need Him most?
4. Why doesn't God just step in and heal me?
These are all good questions, and really need answered. Well lets see what He says about it!
1. Lets look at the account of Lazarus in John 11:1-3. "Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick.'"
John, you'll notice, goes out of his was to tell us that Jesus loved Lazarus. This wasn't just brotherly love for a fellow human being but a personal, heartfelt love. Jesus loved Lazarus with the love of God, the one and only perfect love--what the Bible calls agape love.Yet Lazarus wasn't just sick; he was gravely ill. In the original language of John's Gospel, the word sick refers to a sickness leading to death. In other words, Lazarus was dying.
This account telly me that Jesus really loved Lazarus. Do you believe that He loved him more than He loves us? I don't think so. Jesus could have gone and healed him right then and there, but He didn't, as you will see later. Do you think God doesn't love you just because He hasn't cured you yet? I say cured because that is what people say. People believe that homosexuality is a disease, well I don't believe that at all. A disease is caused by a germ or a virus of some kind. We are not viruses. God does love us very much and as I have said before that He loves us enough that He doesn't want to leave us as we are. He wants to change us to be the image of Jesus His son. And if we give Him the opportunity, He will do just that.
I will continue later.
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/12/2008 8:52:18 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Hey guys,
Question two. Is God paying attention? What is He going to do since I am homosexual? Good question, let's see what the Bible says!
Let me ask you a question. Do you think it's easy to know when "God allows" something, such as homosexuality, to happen for a greater purpose? I do. You say why would God allow this to happen to me? Let's see why.
The account of Lazarus demonstrates something we all need to keep in mind: It is possible for Jesus to love us and for us to love Him in return and still be what we are. Not only that, but there are times when God allows us to be what we are for a specific purposes in His great and often incomprehensible plan. With Lazarus, someone Jesus loved had fallen deathly ill. And it was a situation that was going to get a lot worse before it got better.
Faced with a problem beyond their ability to fix, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus. This is a simple but beautiful example of what prayer really is--taking our problems or situations to the Father through Jesus Christ, and humbly asking Him to produce the remedy we could never provide.
But it didn't happen that way.
Jesus did not drop everything He was doing and go to Lazarus immediately. He stayed two more days where He was. Instead, of coming immediately, Jesus sent these words of assurance: "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it" John 11:4.
I don't know how you feel about the passage above but it sure helped me to understand that the Lord has something special for me to do. How can I help others in my situation? What can I do to encourage others who are struggling? How can I help? There are many who are in our situation and need our help, now is the time. Show them the love of Jesus Christ and encourage them that Jesus loves them just as they are and after they know Jesus as Lord then they can see the miracle of change in their lives. We must love people through the eyes of Jesus, not ours.
Meditate on these things.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/23/2008 9:09:00 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Howdy;
I hope you all have had time to meditate on the things I said last time. I truly believe that the Lord allows us to go through situations and other things in our lives so that the Lord can get the glory. Remember the Lord wants us to give Him glory in all that we do and all that we are. I just went through two days at a choir conference, it was titled "Free to Worship". We are free to worship the Lord because of who He is. We question the way He runs things, but do we think we can do better? We can question the Lord, but we must be ready for His answer. Remember He said "My grace is sufficient for you". Jesus loves us and He wants us to be happy and joyful in our lives. We must learn to accept the things in our lives. Sometimes He will heal you right away, sometimes not. But we must let Him be in control of our lives. If we could do it ourselves, why would we need a savior? Free to worship is given to us by what the Lord did at Calvary. Remember what He went through for us and our freedom, what is the least we can do for Him?
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 8/30/2008 11:29:03 AM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Hey guys,
Here is more I have learned. First of all, God in His infinite wisdom knows that we wouldn't be able to handle knowing everything He had planned for us all at once. We might find ourselves tempted to move out ahead of Him--to accomplish by ourselves what He has planned to do for us.
Second, if He revealed everything to us up front, that would keep us from learning to trust Him and to have absolute faith that He is in control.
I believe that is partly why Jesus didn't fill in the blanks when it came to what He planned to do about Lazarus's sickness. Had He told Mary and Martha from the beginning that Lazarus would die, be buried, and then be raised from the dead, it's likely they wouldn't have learned the lessons about faith that Jesus wanted these two, dear, grieving women to learn.
When God gives us a personal word in our suffering, we don't need all the details up front. It's enough to know that the great Creator of the universe cares enough to speak to us individually.
As before, would we keep our faith in the Lord if He fixed us all at once, so to speak? If He did, we wouldn't need Him at all. Just think about it. He is our Savior and Healer and works in His own good time. We must do nothing but trust Him. Do you?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/6/2008 3:52:21 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Greetings,
Thanks for your response Stephen, in answer to your question , do I still keep in touch with my exes? No, I truly believe it would not be a good idea. The Lord says that we should not put our self in a situation where we could potentially sin. Some of them know I am a Christian and most do not. So far the Lord had kept me from even seeing them anymore. I have seen a few in my church service and I know they saw me, however it was only one time for each. I feel really bad that I didn't tell them about Jesus when I was with them. I wonder if their blood will be on my hands when I stand before the Lord to give an account for my life? Pray for me please. I would really like to tell them about the Lord because I have found freedom from homosexuality and I would really like them to experience it as well. Sad thing is that I don't even know their names. I know where I could go the meet them, but I am afraid to because I don't want to put myself in danger of falling. I hope this makes since.
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/8/2008 8:49:58 PM
|
|
|
acceptingtruth
Posts: 8
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline
|
I cannot believe the amount of hits vs. the amount of replies! And I cannot believe the amount of gay sites out there, even "Christian" gay sites, and on a HUGE christian site such as this, there are so few discussions/people rallying together on our fight in this area. I'm having a bad day, even though I know the truth! I am grateful for the members and posts thus far, but it seems pretty few and far between when you consider the amount of men who probably deal with this.....it certainly isn't that big of a deal for guys to chime in on the masturbation thread! I have lost ALL of my friends (had to cut them all out b/c an affair came to light between my wife and best friend), so I am looking for some support online...are there any other sites/forums as well that anyone could suggest? BTW, I've never acted on anything, and been a Christian most of my 32 years, but it does not matter b/c as a man thinks, so he is! Needing encouragement...
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/8/2008 9:08:37 PM
|
|
|
PureLight
Posts: 51
Joined: 4/30/2008
Status: offline
|
Hey guys, I can't believe I entirely forgot about this thread!
Last month, God told me during a sermon that I was to tell my parents my testimony. I hadn't told them because I didn't tell them I had been gay in the first place so this was a big thing. It went really quickly but I had MANY people praying for me at the same time and I think at least my Mom saw that I was firmly planted in the truth that I am not gay anymore by the blood and grace of Jesus Christ.
Stand firm in the truth and know that you are sanctified! You are a new creature in Christ and nobody can snatch that truth away from you!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/13/2008 11:13:02 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Glad to hear that you told your parents about your problem. I told mine several years ago as well. As you stated your mothers accepted what had happened, well so did mine. However, my father didn't seem to take it as well. He is hard cord Army retired. It must have been quite a blow for him. We still talk, but not the way I would like it to be. I guess I am a disappointment to him. I never was one of the boys when we were growing up. I didn't do the things boys were supposed to do. My older brother was the hero in the family. He had the trophies, I had the music and books. I would hide in my room reading and listening to my music, and he would be out playing in the band and playing his sports. My father took more to him than me. Well even today my brother doesn't keep in contact. He retired in the Marines and I stayed in the Air Force for only five years. That was all I wanted of it. Well you know the story I suppose. I am quite surrounded by my church family. In fact I consider them more family than the one I have of the earthly type. Pray for me and I will pray for you.
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/17/2008 2:37:50 PM
|
|
|
acceptingtruth
Posts: 8
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline
|
thanks for all your posting bill, and thanks for the prayer for me purelight! We need more battlegrounds such as these to come together as brothers...what in the world...what's wrong with our churches???!!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/19/2008 9:49:25 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Greetings,
Please allow me to share with you some of the Bible study I shared earlier.
"Although it's hard for us to grasp in this era of cell phones, pagers, and instant messaging, it's highly possible that Lazarus had already died by the time Jesus received word of his illness. Perea was about 30 miles from Bethany, and it wasn't until two days had passed that Jesus and the disciples began their journey back to Bethany. By the time they arrived, Mary and Martha already considered the situation closed. Lazarus was gone. Jesus hadn't come. Life had to go on.
What's important in this story, however, isn't the timing of Lazarus's death or of Jesus' arrival in Bethany, but the intention behind Jesus' delayed response. As we read this account, what jumps out at us is that Jesus had a purpose for His delay.
He always does.
Mary and Martha had put out a first-century 911 call. It was an emergency needing attention right now, or "STAT", as they say in the emergency room. The sisters knew their brother would die if something wasn't done, and they did the one thing they knew beyond any doubt could help him-they called for Jesus.
But Jesus didn't just drop everything and head for Bethany. Instead, He sent the sisters a message of comfort and assurance, then stayed put for two more days. By the time He left Perea, Lazarus was certainly dead. But that, it turns out, was part of God's plan for the glorification of the Son.
Why do you think God sometimes waits rather than acts quickly when it comes to our struggles?
That is something only you can answer whey you pray and ask the Lord yourself. He chooses sometimes to change us quickly or it may take some time. It all depends on what the Lord has in mind for you personally.
How can John 11:4-6 help us understand God's reasons for waiting?
"But when Jesus heard it. He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it." Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore He heard that he was sick, He stayed then two days longer in the place where He was."
I believe the scripture is self explanatory. It has taken many years of battle for me to get to where I am. And God is still helping me. He keeps me clean and pure by His power in my life. The Holy Spirit must be allowed to guide us and to keep us away from harm. I must also take the initiative to stay away from people and places that would be detrimental to me and my health. Keep up the good work and the Lord will have you walking the straight and narrow in His own timing.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Comming out of homosexuality - 9/25/2008 10:02:52 AM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
God, Do You Really Care?
For a number of years now, the National Football League has employed a high-tech system called "instant replay," designed to help correct and possibly overrule the errors of game officials. According to the instant replay rule, the head coach of a team throws a red flag on the field when he thinks one of the officials missed a call--such as awarding a touchdown that shouldn't have been a touchdown or incorrectly ruling a receiver out of bounds on a pass play.
When the referee sees the red flag, he knows it's time to go to the coach to find out what the challenge is about. From there, he heads to the replay booth to review the call. Sometimes the call is reversed, but sometimes the referee rules that the play was too close to reverse--or that the covering official got it right the first time. In that case, the call stands and the team who challenged the ruling is charged with a timeout.
Some believers remind me of that football coach with the red flag. God makes a call in their lives, and they think He's gotten it wrong. They think He ought to review, reconsider, and even reverse the call. In short, they believer God has "blown it" and ought to make things right.
Can you think of a time when your initial reaction to God was thinking that He has "blown it"?
I don't think there is a believer who has ever lived who hasn't at some point in his or her walk with Jesus questioned God and plainly asked Him, Why me? Why now? Why this? When we do that , what we're really asking Him is whether He knows our situations, knows what He's doing in the midst of them, and really knows what's best for us.
I found myself questioning God many times. In fact I was angry for many months at a time. Finally I realized that God didn't make me this was, it was something that happened because of my upbringing, by circumstance and my behavior. It wasn't His fault. It happened and God loves me and wanted to help me. Think of other areas in you life where you question God. Think about how you got in this mess in the first place. Granted we are not at fault some times, but we must believe that the Lord loves us and wants us to be whole, give Him the chance to change you as He has changed me.
"Jesus loves me this I know...
Does God care when we question His wisdom, question His attentiveness, question His love?
"Jesus loves me this I know..."
Wait on the Lord!
|
|
|
|
|
Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 9/27/2008 5:04:54 PM
|
|
|
acceptingtruth
Posts: 8
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline
|
I have been married for over 10 years, and have been through a couple of crises---my own questioning sexuality, as well as the affair my wife had. I got married because i thought it would fix me/thought God would reward me if I did the "right"' thing. I was never really attracted to my wife, but aroused i think because of the attention she paid me. I had been attracted to other women before, but none of them returned the affection..."Let's just be friends" was a common saying for me growing up, so I just gave up on being able to find anyone who I liked who would in turn like me back. I had same-sex issues, sure, but I also had opposite sex desires too...that's why I thought if I married my first real girlfriend, that God would bring that attraction to our relationship b/c I had had it for other girls before.
Anyway, two years into marriage, I broke down and told her I still had same-sex desires, and was felt like she would get more from a man who was really attracted to her. Long story short, we almost broke up, but I felt that God wanted us to work it out. We did love each other, and maybe what I needed was to just be honest with her and move on. Well, things went from bad to worse, and 5 years later I found out about her 3+ year affair with my best friend. Turns out, sex with me was not fulfilling b/c all of a sudden it didn't count! She had her own set of issues, and I chose to forgive her and take her back in the hopes that NOW we could both be focused on God and that would be what brought about intimacy, and I could then be attracted to her wholly.
I know attraction is not what you base any relationship on, but God still gives it to us as a gift. I have never gotten that gift from Him, but have always hoped my faithfulness would be rewarded. I don't expect to not be attracted to anyone else, or for my same-sex attractions to go away---but when does waiting on the Lord become dishonesty toward your spouse?
She deserves to have someone she knows desires her. And honestly I think I deserve to love and be with someone I am attracted to. She has given that up and is with me because of all my other "redeeming" qualities. However, she does not trust me, is threatened by my desire to have a close guy friend, and in turn has tendencies to emasculate me. These issues are core to who we are, and she has admitted she will always feel toward me, but that she loves me in spite of the things she has given up. And I think it's because she knows that she's with someone who she knows does not truly desire her...but again, that's something I cannot force. The things she wants me to do and the person she wants me to be is someone I could be, if I was "in love," or attracted to that person.
Love is a choice, and I can choose to love, honor, forgive, cherish, respect, yada yada yada....and all these things ARE good and do encourage intimacy, trust, and love, and I've been doing them ALL. BUT there's the physical thing that is all wired into us by God that we respond to that draws us into an initial meeting with our special someone...that special chemistry. And that's what's lacking with us. I am beginning to think it's just biology. Just like our hair is brown or black, we are going to be attracted to who we are going to be attracted to as a means for us to procreate! No matter how many leaps of faith I take, I land in the same spot. Is it fair for me to "pretend" to like someone, in the hopes that God will come through? Fake it till you make it? And is it fair to myself to live with someone who will never trust me, always emasculate me, and finds my desire for same sex intimacy irrational and unnecessary?
We've done all the conferences, seminars, and counseling sessions. We know how and why we are who we are. And these issues are just going to BE because of the effects of both of our sins. I'd like to think Christ can redeem anything, and I know He can really. But I do not expect Him to wave His magic wand either, and sometimes I feel like that's what I need!! Was her affair God's way of giving me a "get out of jail free" card? I'd like to think not, but nothing's gotten better despite my repeated attempts at righteousness. God only does so much, the rest is up to the acts of our wills....It's just really confusing because I feel like I am in an arranged marriage....arranged my own issues and sins....Any ideas out there?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 9/27/2008 8:05:08 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
I am not a counselor by any means, but I can tell you what I think. My wife and I have been married for 19 years. I was cheating on her for the first 7 or 8 years. We are open and honest with each other. She knew I was homosexual before we got married. My second life as I call it was very trying and confusing for me. While I was sexually attracted to my wife, I was still attracted to men. I have the same feeling you had, get married and it will pass. No more homosexuality. Right! Who hatched that lie? Duh, let's see who could that be?
I am blessed to no end, my wife always forgave me, we were open and honest with each other about my lifestyle. The problem was that I was being selfish with my life, I wasn't thinking about her. I never once considered that I could get aids with the stupid things I was doing. I could have given it to my wife, and I wasn't even considering it.
I was also trying to walk with God to get on His good side hoping that would even things out. I knew that the Spirit of God wasn't with me because of my lifestyle. I believe a Christian can live in sin, but the Holy Spirit will not be with him. I was quenching the Spirit in my worthless life. Finally the Lord broke through and I began to grow as a Christian and things are much better now. I am living a Christian life pleasing to the Lord. Homosexuality is no longer the struggle it was. Unfortunately it took many years to get through to me.
The Lord will help us with our marriages regardless of what we have done in the past. He is forgiving and wants us to forgive ourselves. A successful marriage is made up of three. Husband, wife and God. He must be in the middle of it with us holding on tight. This is the only way it will work. Trust me, I know from experience.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 9/29/2008 10:35:44 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Greetings,
I receive a daily devotion from Dennis & Barbara Rainey. It is good and I believe it applies to us as well. Please read it and think about how it applies to your life.
Do you really believe God works for good in all things?
Being able to make that statement begins with acknowledging that God knows what He is doing. He is not only all-powerful, or sovereign, but also all-knowing. Even when pain and tragedy strike, we can trust God to know what is best for our good.
The problem is we don't know His plan. We would like to know the reason for our trials, but God doesn't always reveal it to us. We wonder how He could possibly cause this or that problem to work for good.
But through Scripture and the natural order, God gives us a hint that it can happen, even when we can't see how. Jesus said:
I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:1,2).
During the last several years, our own family has endured several such prunings. Barbara has weathered major heart surgery, the removal of a benign lump in her breast, five debilitating sinus infections, sinus surgery and Lyme's disease. And I have previously told of our son Samuel's bout with muscular dystrophy.
I don't know about you, but sometimes I grow a little weary from so many snips from pruning shears in my life.
But I really love the fruit bearing. While I wish it could happen without the pruning, life just doesn't work that way. Our family has experienced growth from the pruning. It has enriched my ministry to other families who hurt.
Scientists don't fully understand the pruning/fruit-bearing connection in the plant world. Why should I insist on understanding it in human lives? It's more important to bear fruit than to understand the pruning process.
What do you think? I would like to hear some feedback from this one. God bless.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 10/1/2008 4:47:45 PM
|
|
|
acceptingtruth
Posts: 8
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline
|
well, since my last post, my wife and i have had QUITE the pruning! Yes, we don't know why it has to happen, but it will only happen with honesty. I think we're all looking for new trees to plant in our garden instead of figuring out how to make the trees the father has given us blossom and bloom. We will all have our doubts, and that's because we are flesh, and subject to the ultimate enemy. We have choices in life too, and i think if the grass looks greener to me on the other side, i just have to sit back and wonder how much watering of my own yard am I doing? Thanks for the posting, Bill. Keep up your diligence.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 10/5/2008 3:34:13 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
We need to notice that Jesus had told Martha what He wanted her to do before He revealed what He would do at the tomb of Lazarus. He didn't tell her, "Remove the stone and I will raise Lazarus from the dead." He simply said, "Remove the stone," a command that required a response from Martha.
But why didn't Jesus just tell Martha His whole plan when He gave the command for the stone to be moved? Because He was in the process of bringing her to a point of acting on what He already had told her, so that she could receive the blessing He had for her. This was a miracle-in-waiting, but it wasn't going to happen until the stone was moved.
Most of us want to know the details of what God is doing before we obey Him, don't we? We want just a little peek at His future plans for us before we sign on the dotted line. We want to know when we'll get that better job, when we'll find a mate, when things will change for us, when God will meet a particular need in our lives. That's why we tend to question God when He instructs us to do something that seems strange or even unreasonable.
When we are struggling in our life of homosexuality, we want God to fix it right away. And as I have said earlier he doesn't work that way with all of us. He sometimes wants us to wait and see what miracle He is going to perform in our lives. It is worth the wait believe me I know. Trust in the Lord in all of your ways and lean in His understanding.
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 10/9/2008 7:55:07 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
What does it really mean to believe?
We've all heard sayings that go something like this: "God won't put you through more than you can bear." There's a grain of truth to that. God can and will give us the strength to endure anything. But I think the premise of the saying is a little backward. Sometimes life's situations--the very ones God puts us in--can become literally unbearable.
But the Lord has a reason for that too. When God delays stepping into our life situations, when it seems He's put us in or allowed us to step into situations that we can't humanly bear, it's because He's up to something bigger, something of eternal value. And not only that, He is glad to do so because in the long run it stretches us and strengthens us and deepens our faith.
In order to get a grip on this aspect of God's nature, we need to understand what it means to believe or to have faith. The writer of the Book of Hebrews defined faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." He then continued, "For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."
Faith, then, isn't a matter of what we can see, hear, smell, or touch. It's having the conviction or the assurance of something for which there is no empirical or physical support or proof. It's being absolutely convinced of some fact or truth, even though neither your physical senses nor human reasoning can grasp it, see it, smell it, or tough it.
What is God telling us about our walk with Him. Do we have enough faith to go on and trust Him to control our lives so that we can be whole? We have a problem that only the Lord can solve. If we could solve our problems ourselves, then why would we need God? He is here to help, why don't we let Him?
Master Work
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Waiting on the Lord vs. Walking in the Light... - 10/14/2008 11:40:00 PM
|
|
|
silentvoice
Posts: 3
Joined: 1/4/2006
Status: offline
|
Good day guys.
I am wondering I could actually post this here because I'm not after all going to reply about the topic coming out of homosexuality.
I am just curious to know whether any of you have experienced this kind of feeling.
I am a Christian and I am very serious about my healing from SAME SEX ATTRACTION. Yes, I am also a struggler since I was young, maybe 5 years old as I could remember. I only had the real courage to talk about it 2 years back with some straight male bestfriends from the church and I am grateful that they are really helping me out.
I'm consistently to God to help me overcome and strethen me whenever temptations are around especially I'm working as an On-line tutor so basically most of my temptations come form the internet (online porn of course about man and images of man , nude or not...)
My question is about I feel like I left something from my adolescence and I'm trying to get it now (I'm 26). Like masculine approval and affirmation.
I am fascinated and delighted to see MACHO mAN photos, especially nake/ nude ones. And I am also curious about my sexuality, researching about what is normal feeling, what is the normal ejaculation and masturbation things... I don't know. I think I'm out of control. I'm not sure if it's right to look at those pictures though I just want some affirmation at times.
I'm confused.
Or I'm just hard-hearted because I havebeen reading a lot already about homosexuality and even the Bible and other commentaries have taught me a lot of things already. I even attended Counselling group prior to my coming out/ admittance.
What do you think about how I feel?
Is this sinful?
I would appreciate every Godly reply you would be sending. God bless us all.
|
|
|
|
|
Your Post... - 10/16/2008 11:10:48 AM
|
|
|
acceptingtruth
Posts: 8
Joined: 3/3/2006
Status: offline
|
SilentVoice,
As you may or may not be able to see from some of my other posts, this is a wild ride we are on, and something i am learning every day is how much of the roller coaster I CONTROL. Think to yourself, what do you really want? To please your heavenly father? To live in His Will? And what actions (thoughts or actual actions) fall under what you want? And who are you feeding? The flesh or the Spirit? Ask yourself what you want to starve, and what you want to flourish. It sounds like you know what you think you should do, or what you think you should want. But until you really take on the journey of masculinity and truly never look back, and truly grasp your identity in Christ as something you desire with all of your being, willing to give up all other ideas about what you think your flesh wants, you will only disappoint yourself. I am just being honest about MY journey. I am almost 33 years old, have dealt with this issue since I can remember...maybe 6 years old....have been married for almost 11 years...and the only times I am really at peace with God is when I realize that I have to let go of who IIII think I am (as defined by the world, the enemy, my flesh, or the combination of all 3), and hold on and truly believe who I am as Christ sees me. Who I would be if God raised me himself...who I will be once I am with Him and free completely of any flesh desires. That's the truth you CAN live in. But you have to make that choice. As long as you are looking at other things, you are choosing to feed something apart from God. It will only grow stronger, and you will need more and more to satiate it. You CAN control yourself and NOT give in. You CAN choose. Lean on God and His Truth. Fill yourself with His Spirit and His Word, and it totally makes it that much easier to choose what's best for you. But like I said, you need to make that resolve in your mind FIRST. I'll be praying for you!
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Your Post... - 10/16/2008 6:34:41 PM
|
|
|
sacredwarrior
Posts: 6
Joined: 2/23/2006
Status: offline
|
Hey AcceptingTruth,
I found your words very uplifting and encouraging.
Thank you for your sensitivity. It´s always good to read encouraging and godly advice from godly men.
And SilentVoice, Romans 8 says: 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
...
38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Love,
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Your Post... - 10/16/2008 10:29:00 PM
|
|
|
Bill521
Posts: 107
Joined: 3/24/2008
From: Lawton, Oklahoma
Status: offline
|
Silent voice:
I agree with the the guys above. You do have a choice to make. Listen to this scripture and find out what Paul had to deal with.
Rom. 7:14-25, "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am nonspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no linger I who does it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law, 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the-law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin
I know that is a lot of scripture to read. If you are like me, I had to read this several times to really get the meaning of it. Paul is telling us that he is a sinner who has to deal with sin every day of his life. We too should believe this. Do you believe that Paul was a christian? These is overwhelming evidence that he is. If you are a true christian, then you will deal with sin just as much as the rest of us. There is hope for all of us. We must not let temptation win the battle, we must not give in. We must put on our spiritual armor daily (Ephesians 6:12-18) and keep asking the Holy Spirit to fill you constantly. You can do this. Just keep the faith and we will pray you.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: Your Post... - 10/20/2008 9:33:21 AM
|
|
|
silentvoice
Posts: 3
Joined: 1/4/2006
Status: offline
|
Hello there guys.
acceptingtruth, sacredwarrior and Bill521, I am so grateful for the advices you have posted here in response to my question.
Thank you very for including me in your prayers.
Though you don't know me personally, you have responded as if I am already part of your lives. Thanks...
I'll try to keep you guys posted.
God bless us all.
|
|
|
|
 New Messages |
 No New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/ New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/o New Messages |
 Locked w/ New Messages |
 Locked w/o New Messages |
|
 Post New Thread
Reply to Message
Post New Poll
Submit Vote
Delete My Own Post
Delete My Own Thread
Rate Posts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Tools
Printable Version
