SCRIPTURE PRINCIPLE:
Finally, brothers, whatsoever is true, whatever is noble, whatsoever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praise-worthy think about such things.
Phil. 4:8
KEY NUMBER SEVEN: Building A New Life - Rebuilding
The Lord saves. The Holy Spirit gives power. We must do the work that needs to be done in order to straighten out a messed up life. Homosexuality sure manages to mess up a life. That's why you want out, isn't it?
If you have been using the KEYS up to this point, the Lord has been doing His part for you, for the cleaning up of a messed-up life starts on the inside. God needs to clean us up on the inside. He has to change our way of thinking and fill us with the power to do something about the mess we have been led into. And He has to get rid of all the accumulated guilt. He has to give us the wisdom to see that His way is better and the will to walk that way.
But we fight Him. We almost defy Him to really change us. We sit around wasting hours on self-pity. But through it all, God persists in us to work His loving work of cleansing. If you've gotten this far in the KEYS PROGRAM it is only because God has stuck with you through thick and thin, through all the slips and falls along the way.
If there have been no slips, praise the Lord! He's really gotten to you. But getting to people is God's business. He cleans them up on the inside so that they might live clean, God-pleasing, fulfilling lives on the outside.
But do you know that you can't live in a vacuum? If God cleans you up on the inside, you need to fill the inside with what is good or you will soon start filling up with evil thoughts and desires. The homosexual thoughts, desires, and feelings will again lead you to the same old miserable conduct you have been trying so hard to escape.
Fill yourself? Fill yourself with what? Good things. The List is endless. Here's just a few: Scripture, good music, clean jokes, descent literature, interesting studies, and mind absorbing hobbies. You need to REBUILD your mind.
To rebuild the mind, you need to take care of what your eyes see. For, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!' Matt. 6:22-23. One must not let his eyes look on those things that would give rise to homosexual feelings.
Some arousing sights are easily eliminated. The eyes need not see objects in book stores or pornographic magazines or X-rated movies. We need not take our eyes to places where exposed bodies might tempt us, we cannot avoid seeing temptation entirely, but we don't have to seek it out.
If we have rebuilt our thoughts, our lips will begin to be free from filthy speech because our minds will not dwell on lustful thoughts.
And finally, we will take care what friends we choose to go with. Any friend who is a temptation to us must be eliminated from our lives. Some relationships must be placed on hold until we gain better control over our bodies and lives.
REBUILDING is made possible through our God-given faith. It is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It can be accomplished because of the wisdom God has given us and the deep desire we have to walk in freedom.
It may take some time to rebuild. You can't do it overnight, but tackle the rebuilding one step at a tire; maybe even two or three. Don't wear yourself out trying to do it all in 24 hours.
FREEDOM is the goal. You were meant to be free. Christ has set you free. Just claim that freedom and see what great things God has done and will do for you.
<--SWORD OF THE SPIRIT-->
John 17:17
2 Timothy 2:21
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK ****************************
You may often make excuses for another, never for yourself.
WORDS OF HOPE AND HELP
Luke 11:11-26 2 Timothy 2:21
