Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

Flee from youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22 (emphasis added)

Why is everything in the world about making you something that God didn’t make you to be? Well, obvious really. The devil doesn’t care what you are. What you accomplish. Who you’re with. What you see. What you eat. All the enemy cares about is that you’re not with God. He has this idea that if he hurts us, he hurts God. Kind of like when you tell an upset child that it’s time-out time and they throw a fit and kick and throw all their toys as they cross the room. Thinking that they’ll show YOU by destroying all this stuff they really like. The devil is heading for the time out of time outs and he’s throwing a hissy fit along the way. He is going down and he wants to take as many people down as he can because he is all about stealing, killing, and destroying everything God likes just because God likes it. When God loves it, it becomes a larger target.
The Lord warns us about a lot of things. If you look in the Law (Exodus-Deuteronomy) you’ll find warnings upon warnings. This leads to bad. That leads to worse. Avoid this. That is an abomination. Then Jesus came and kept up the tradition. He warned us about the things that hurt us and harm us. The things that cause issues. The things that keep you from getting close to the Father. But consistently, the Word warns us to flee two things. Sexual immorality and idolatry. One is the worst sin against God and the other is the worst sin against ourselves.

“Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). This is the worst sin against ourselves. We are who it damages. So many hooks and problems and issues come out of it. And we fight against it the hardest. We say sex in a relationship is important. That it is part of having a serious relationship and being in love. That is how we find out if we’re compatible. That if we aren’t sexually compatible, there’s no point in a relationship. That if we aren’t all about sex in a relationship there’s something wrong with us. All of that is total garbage. Intimacy breeds compatibility. Selfless love breeds compatibility. And love is a decision not a feeling. You can get a feeling about just about anyone. Passion is powerful. Attraction is a thing. But love is a decision. It is way more complex and important than who makes your bits tingle. If your mind isn’t trained on the world’s idea of sexuality and what it is about (acts and feelings alone) then compatibility isn’t an issue. Sex is a bonus meant for the truly intimate. It’s a shadow and a type of intimacy on a spiritual level. It is a tool to enhance intimacy. It’s nothing like what the world says that it is. Who’d want to take the advice of a dumpster fire?

We all make it about feelings. I feel this. I feel that. Feelings are just input. I had feelings about a food once. It was a taste feeling. A satisfaction as I consumed feeling. Because it had a good taste. Because it felt good. Horrible stuff from a health standpoint. Eat enough of it and you’ll kill yourself. Everything about it was designed to appeal. Everything about it was unhealthy. Guess what? Once I was informed, I left it alone. I didn’t listen to my feelings. I listened to something better than feelings. Because my spirit was telling me about what was good for me. I let my spirit inform my soul. My soul tells my body what we’re doing. Are there lots of unhealthy things out there? Oh yeah. And yes, I have some of them. But this one thing? Not anymore.

Why is it so important to let our spirit inform us about sexual things? “Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We flee sexual immorality because we’re a temple of the Holy Spirit and we should glorify God in our body and spirit. Does this mean monk hood? Nope. Because God isn’t against sex. He isn’t against sexual pleasure. God is about us enjoying sex and it’s benefits. He is about the intimacy. He is about the pleasure. He is about the procreation. He is about everything that sex brings us and can do for us. But He says it is meant for a specific relationship. He says it is meant for a specific pairing. He says it is meant within a specific framework. Within that framework there is a LOT of room. But He says this is what it is meant for. He isn’t going to stop you. He’s going to encourage you because it is a good thing. But only within that framework.

We don’t like hearing this. We put a lot of our feelings and thoughts and opinions into it and around it. But the thing is, God doesn’t listen to that. Before the foundation of the world, God had thought about us (Ephesians 1:3-6). He and Jesus already had the whole thing cooked up between them (John 17:24 and 1 Peter 1:20). God knew the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). Back then, back before time. Before anything. God WAS. And God doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6). His morals were set before anything existed. They don’t change. Because He doesn’t change. He can say what is moral and what is not because it was all done before anything. Our opinions don’t matter. Our feelings don’t matter. Our reasoning doesn’t matter. Our science doesn’t matter. It thing IS what it is because it was that thing before we were. Before anything was. It is truth and a standard because God IS. He is Righteous. He gets to say what is and isn’t righteous because HE is the standard for righteousness.

When we lose sight of that, we lose sight of everything. This is the single reason Jesus came to die for us. To enable us to be with God who is righteous. To interact with God. We cannot do that without being righteous. We cannot be righteous without Jesus. It’s the way it is. One way to the Father. One. Singular. If we are not righteous we are not getting to the Father. We don’t get to go in. He has been very clear. You can’t get it wrong unless you purposefully try REALLY hard. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Period. No one comes to the Father except through Him. Period. Full stop. NO other way (John 14:6). If we seek and indulge in sexual immorality for any reason no matter what we think, what we feel, and what we are told; then we are not being righteous. It is the easiest way for a flesh-based being to fall away and stay away from the Lord by choice. Because feelings are powerful things. We’re warned how serious it is in Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practise such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

That’s a list of seventeen things. Four of them are about sex. Seven of them are behaviours that are massively influenced by our sex lives. If you’re out of whack with four of them, chances are some of the others are creeping up too. Thing is, if we’re practising righteousness none of them are on our radar. They all come from the outside and not the inside. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:16-18). This is how we should be informed. It doesn’t matter if you like things that God says are immoral. It doesn’t matter if in the flesh they feel good. We say things like it hurts so good. But why hurt in the first place? Why take something that is a negative and twist it until it is a pleasure? Why not grab hold of a positive and let it do what it was meant to?

The world is invested in immorality. They program our children with it. Books, shows, movies. Characters are suddenly becoming what they were never meant to be originally. New characters are introduced. Why? The world will say because we are diverse and everyone needs to see themselves represented so that they know how normal, natural, and right they are for being that way that they feel they are. It’s programming. To make you accept something as normal that is not. Why aren’t we showing our children Godly role models? Why not forget about representation of immorality and represent morality? Forget about what we are and see. Replace that with what we can and should be. Representation is good when it is based on the Word. All races equal. Males and females equal and meant to work in partnership. Authority structures not for dominance and subjugation, but for responsibility and nurturing leadership. Flee from immorality. Flee from what makes it seem okay. Stand on the Rock of the Word. The immutable morality that IS righteous.

Which brings us to the other terrible sin. The sin against God. This is the worst of the worst of the worst because God is everything. Creator. Father. Saviour. Lord. Highest of the high. Mightiest of the mighty. There is NONE like Him. He is eternal. He is all-powerful. He is Peace. He is Love. He is the all in all that sustains us whether we realise it or not. We exist at His pleasure. We exist FOR His pleasure. He is Yahweh Most High. Replacing Him with anything for any reason is so very, very wrong. Tragically, we are really good at it.

“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14). “But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Flee what things? Conceit. Religious oppression. Obsessed with arguments, strife, envy, insults, evil suspicions, friction, corrupt minds, and anything that rejects truth or has no truth in it—God’s immutable and eternal truth, not the ‘my truth, your truth’ feeling-based frivolity that the world preaches (1 Timothy 6:1-10). This hearkens back to the basic, firm, and never-ending guiding principle of the Word: “Hear, Israel: the LORD is our God. The LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Put God up there. Number One. The only thing we look to with worship, devotion, and intent attention. He is the guiding force. But I don’t like seeing God as a male. I want God as a woman. Sorry. He chose His pronouns. He is the only being that can. The Lord God Three-In-One Unique Father-Son-Spirit Yahweh Merciful God Almighty is in front of and above it all. Why won’t we look at Him?

“The LORD said to Moses, “Make a venomous snake, and set it on a pole. It shall happen that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” Moses made a serpent of bronze, and set it on the pole. If a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, he lived” (Numbers 21:8-9). It doesn’t say everyone looked at it and was healed. It says when you did, you lived. Which means some of them didn’t. And we can shake our heads and wonder why everyone didn’t just look up and get delivered. But the same is true today. All we need to do to keep God first and foremost is to keep our eyes on Him. But we don’t.

And how hard is it? Really? Have you ever been in love? Like passionately teenagery in love? Did you ever shut up about them? Wasn’t it Bob this and Bob that? Nancy said this and Nancy eats that? Didn’t everything in your life become subject to a ‘what they like/what they do not like’ dichotomy? Why can’t we do that with God? It’s just as easy. We’re supposed to love Him, right? Why don’t we have that same passion toward Him? Why isn’t everything automatically God likes – God does not like? Is it because we can’t see Him? Is it because that kind of love isn’t a feeling even though feelings can be part of it? Is it because we don’t know how? Because He told us how.

“These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Oh that’s for Jews or that’s old fashioned. Maybe. But we have a modern equivalent: talking. We can talk about Him. Bring Him into the conversation. Oh, I tried that. Brought it up and got blank stares from the kids. It doesn’t work with them. They’re too wrapped up with their games and phones.

I’ve heard that excuse a lot. And it’s just that. An excuse. Kids with their games and phones. Go back a few years and it’s kids and their TV shows and sports. Go back. Kids and their Walkmans and malls. Go back. Kids and their hot rods and sock hops. Go back. Kids and their chariots and togas. Go back far enough and I’m sure it’s kids and their sticks and rocks. It isn’t about getting kids or anyone else off of what they like and onto God. It’s about bringing God into what they like. Don’t tell me it can’t be done because I do it. Not as often as I should, this is true. But I do practise this. And yeah, it can change what I game. What I watch. It has certainly changed what I read. And I notice things I never noticed before. Things characters say or do. And it bothers me. So I cut that thing out. You know what? I have no regrets. Because the stuff that stays is just as enjoyable as the stuff that went. Plus, the more God gets involved in my life by me getting Him involved, the more fulfilling it is. My biggest dilemma now is taking time off God to enjoy the things that He has no problem with me enjoying because time spent with God is so much more fulfilling. In fact, when I find myself NOT spending time with God I am less happy, less fulfilled, and a worse person. When you spend time with the Lord you are drawing on His Spirit. What are the things of the Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-24). Without those things active and predominant, I am sure you can imagine what kind of person I am to be around.

Don’t lose heart! “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:13-14). These are awesome verses. Because I feel the greatest blessing that Abraham had (and he had a LOT) was that God Himself called Abraham a friend (Isaiah 41:8). Friends are compatriots, sure. But they are compatible. They are not identical, but they are compatible. God is so far above us it isn’t even truly fathomable. But He made us. In His image. Male and female (Genesis 1:27). He makes no mistakes (Deuteronomy 32:4 and Matthew 5:48). We were made to be compatible with Him. And so we can be. Yes, we fell. Yes, we all chose to sin (we’re not sinful by nature, we don’t HAVE to sin, we can go a long time without sinning, but we all can, have, and may choose to sin). But we are redeemed in Jesus. He cleared us of sin by paying the price. Are we repentant or just sorry we got caught or feel bad? When we confess our sins in true repentance, He is faithful to cleanse us of them (1 John 1:9).

In Jesus, by Jesus, and through Jesus we are made whole. Redeemed from the curse. Released from everything it is and everything it represents. Free of fear. We serve a God of Peace and of Love. There is no fear in Him. There does not need to be any fear in us either. We can have His peace. Walk in it. Revel in it. We can have a pure heart. Not only that but a heart pure and focused on God. We can bring God into every conversation. Every arena. Those who truly love the Lord will not tire of hearing about the Lord. And NO this does not mean make everything about Jesus in order to prove you truly love Him. It will happen organically. It doesn’t always mean mentioning Him, but it always means seeking to emulate Him in thought, word, and deed. Avoiding conversations that don’t include His values. Fleeing from immorality. Looking to Him for guidance. He doesn’t want us dour, clothed in drab, reciting scriptures only and saying naught else. He wants us to live. Abundantly. Within His moral framework and you’d better believe that means leaving all of your Self behind and crucifying your flesh daily. It is not an easy walk, but it is a simple one. God first, all else after. But when God is first, we can handle all that comes after. Because it is Jesus in us that does the thing, brings the victory, and gets the glory. Amen.

Seek Him with all your heart. Look to Him in all things. Bring Him into every sphere of your life. Put Him first. Don’t entertain idols whether they are social media, personalities, programs, activities, or ideas. Flee sexual immorality. There is a time and a place for sex. God laid out the boundaries. Stay within them and enjoy fulfilling, mind-blowing, amazing intimacy with your partner. Get outside and you’re cruising for disappointment. Don’t fear God’s correction. Thank Him for it. Accept it. Walk in His ways. Be broken of Self. Leave it behind. All the time. Surround yourself with like minded individuals who are seeking the Lord in truth—don’t ignore everyone else, but get a firm group of fellowship around you. You won’t regret it. You’ll start to live a life that is fulfilling and amazing no matter your circumstances. Be all He says you can be. In Jesus, by Jesus, and through Jesus. There is NONE other.

Daily Affirmation of God’s Love: Numbers 21:8-10

They looked and they travelled. They didn’t look and stay in one place. They didn’t look and go back. They didn’t look and meander. They looked and travelled. When we bring poison upon ourselves, God is there with a solution. He is the ultimate anti-venom. He doesn’t bring the poison. The words in the bible that get translated as God brought it or God sent it, but those are inaccurate translations. God allowed is more applicable. But it isn’t God allowed as if the bad, horrible thing was brought to God and got a stamp of approval. No. He gave us free will. If we choose to walk outside the fence of His yard, bad things happen. If we stay in His yard, bad things come to test us, torment us, or to get us to leave the yard. God allows these things because He has given us free will. To what end? To choose rightly. He has the solution. He did the works needed to defeat all things. To provide all victory. Are we going to chose it or not? Are we going to chose the path of His ways—whether they restrict us or not, feel always awesome or not, or make sense or not? Are we going to look to Him and to His solution or not? If we do, we get the poison gone. Sometimes it’s a look. Sometimes it’s a behaviour change. Sometimes it’s a give up something. Sometimes it’s a shift of thinking. Sometimes it’s a seismic life change. Sometimes it’s deny what your feelings are screaming is right because your feelings are fallen flesh not spirit life. But after? After that point when you have broken your Self and submitted to Jesus? Then we travel. God is a God of motion. Ever moving you from who you were to who you are are going to be in Jesus. Discover the new you. The you that He always knew you were going to be. Camp in Oboth, not in the valley of bitey snakes. They suck.

Your Daily Confession of God’s love to YOU:

Today God loves that I _______.