Deformed Desire
The study of James this week with Beth Moore hit the nail on the head for me and my life. I kept reading, especially on pages 57-60, and thought Beth must have gotten ahold of my journals from high school to the present! She wrote about people blaming God for either tempting them or making them in such a way that they are easily tempted. Of course, Moore clarifies that "God is holy and righteous, incapable of wrongdoing and absent of darkness" so "the temptation to blame God for our temptations is as ripe as the fruit on the forbidden tree." In other words, humans have been playing the blame game since Eve picked the fruit in the Garden of Eden.
Beth talks about "deformed desire" where we take a passion too far and it crosses the line over to sin. She notes of her past sin behaviors, "I so often willingly reached for exactly what would burn me. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I loved it then hated myself for loving it. Then I'd hate it but hate myself more for choosing it." In the following, from page 59, Moore speaks to our need to "own our own deformed desire." "Once I realized the problem was in me and not just around me or done to me, I knew Jesus was my only hope. He alone can change us from the core. He alone can seep into the dark crevices of our souls where destructiveness drives us."
Moore talks about the "death" that comes from sin. Years ago my pastor in Oregon, Jon Courson, spoke about the types of death sin causes and I have never thought about the consequences of sin the same way. What I've seen in my own life is that sin kills and steals from relationships by removing trust, love, kindness, caring, joy, peace, patience...seeing a pattern here? The Fruit of the Spirit was lost when Eve ate of the forbidden fruit of the garden. Disobedience/sin kills our relationship with God and without God we are but a bag of dust, no Spirit to bring any good thing from our lives. KT
Beth talks about "deformed desire" where we take a passion too far and it crosses the line over to sin. She notes of her past sin behaviors, "I so often willingly reached for exactly what would burn me. I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I loved it then hated myself for loving it. Then I'd hate it but hate myself more for choosing it." In the following, from page 59, Moore speaks to our need to "own our own deformed desire." "Once I realized the problem was in me and not just around me or done to me, I knew Jesus was my only hope. He alone can change us from the core. He alone can seep into the dark crevices of our souls where destructiveness drives us."
Moore talks about the "death" that comes from sin. Years ago my pastor in Oregon, Jon Courson, spoke about the types of death sin causes and I have never thought about the consequences of sin the same way. What I've seen in my own life is that sin kills and steals from relationships by removing trust, love, kindness, caring, joy, peace, patience...seeing a pattern here? The Fruit of the Spirit was lost when Eve ate of the forbidden fruit of the garden. Disobedience/sin kills our relationship with God and without God we are but a bag of dust, no Spirit to bring any good thing from our lives. KT
Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Romans 7:15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Romans 7:15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
I am so touched by this. It's a blessing to have someone like you showing me and walking with me as I struggle to get over certain things. May the Lord continue to bless you!
ReplyDeletefruit is a beautiful thing. No fruit is dead.
ReplyDelete