Blessings. I pray that all has been well over the past few weeks. Something which has been on my heart over the years is the teaching in Matthew 5:17-20 (KJV). I shall let you read that for yourself. But, further evidence supporting this teaching is found in 2 Thessalonians among the verses in the second chapter.
They are below:
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us--whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter--asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?
And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.
For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
With these writings, we reinforce the value of living a law-filled self-disciplined life.
In my life, I have had a pair of challenges: alcohol and pornography. As such, in the midst of this foolishness in my twenties during one of my better days. I pondered a theme for a book about a French concert pianist who struggled with the same issues and over came them through scripture reading and a sincere God-fearing lifestyle. I noted this in an idea book which I lost during graduate school at the University of Texas at Dallas during the early millennium. I chose a name for this protagonist based on an idea I had while an undergraduate in the Spring of 1988 for selling something which was practically free for those who make frequently impulse buys.
I was free of a pornography addiction for over a decade. It resurfaced a few years ago. I am gradually being freed from this trek through darkness. It is an ugly one. It is oft said that fools rush in were angels dare tread. My saga started when I was so young that it would be understood that I might do something foolish. But I have stopped understanding as a child. Over that past couple of years, I have seen someone in this world of evil media being injured under the appellation which I chose, hoping that I might inspire others away from a life of sin as a Christian author.
Young woman, if you ever read this, please forgive me if my dream of writing has resulted in you being harmed. It is my prayer that you realize a true Christian liberation. I had a friend in high-school who was struggling with a drug addiction. I tried helping her promising that I would buy her a dinner anywhere that she chose if she could be sober for three months. She was for the most part. I told her that since Grace and Forgiveness abound in His Kingdom, I would buy her dinner anywhere and she could bring anyone she chose along. She brought her smoking-buddy. One thing that she said when we parted was, "do not ruin your beautiful world" as if dealing with her and her problems were a heavy burden. One thing I can share with you is that the Lord can restore your beautiful world. He came so we might have life and have it more abundantly.
Most likely someone offered you a drug so they might control you; I pray that you break free of that control. Based on your age, you are likely not the person who snagged my notebook. Many years ago, I developed a reputation for being bright and was often copied during my years in school. Unfortunately, this resulted in your harm. But, you are not the only one who has been injured with the ideas from this notebook. It has been a mixture of blessings and curses arising from it as this world chases after money. May we all have enough that we do not steal and not so much that we profane His Name.
If you have ever read scripture, seek out one name, Rahab. Discover who she is. She is an ancestor of Christ. What satan has meant for evil, El-Olam can make a Permanent Good.
For others who struggle with this nightmarish world of images, worse yet for those of you caught in this industry of wickedness praying for an escape, let us pray that we find our freedom.
May we all be Eternally Blessed and Free from the Sin which Besets Us...
Have a Week of Wonderful Beatitudes! Forgive any typos, this was hastily written.
Post-Scriptum:
Life has taught many lessons. I have learn much. I am not a physically wealthy person, and I do not desire riches.
As Proverbs states, The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
I am not a bitter man; only an adult with a unique understanding and perspective. When I was a young wooley-headed character in a predominantly silky-headed world, most of the children had very little time for me. As I grew and entered my late teens as a young man with a bright future and a great potential for financial success, I attracted the wrong crowd, in particular, a person whom said that it was about time that I found a young woman. He asked me what I wanted. I did not think that he was serious. So, jokingly, I said get me something exotic; how about a redhead, but I am not interested in dealing with female problems. I was a typical foolish teenager. Time passed and I forgot what I had said. How the course of life is set on fire by the tongue. A while later, a redheaded young woman (or women) entered my life. I was completely unaware that I might have been dating more than one young woman for I did not have any experience with these relationships. It never dawned on me that a short period should have occurred when we could not have been "close". What further increases my shame is the fact that I was in this ruffian's parent's house, he was on the phone with a friend right after my first date with this young woman, and he stated that, "I got him a virgin. She sort of smells that is why no one wants her. I am giving him one shot at her and then I am taking her. She cost $1500.00...." If I had fully known this young women's situation, I would have never done anything more than spoken with her in class. I had my shot which I turned down telling her that I really was not ready and was really only looking for someone with whom I could just sit and talk. She gave me a big hug and said that I was wonderful.
Unfortunately, within a week or so, she had been mistreated, or, at least, one of the young red-headed women with whom I spent time with that summer. I am further convinced that I had more than one "friend", in that, one day a school teacher said, "I think that we have a "doppelganger" in class. A "doppelganger" is a look-alike or "double-walker". The only time that we came near having intercourse tears welled-up in her eyes. I could not go any further and asked her if anything was wrong. So, we stopped. And for any young folks reading this, it really can wait. Is not worth catching a disease over, or starting a family which you cannot support. Things of much greater importance exist in life. Reading an interesting book can be just as enjoyable. Better yet, read the Good Book for a while.
In my life, I have made a few bold claims about my "inventiveness". Some are aware of the effects which I have had, and the products which have come about. It is my prayer that they be used for the Glory of the Lord. Only what one does for the Lord will last. I have more than any one person needs. But, I am far from being "rich" by American standards. I am an Average-Joe.
If anyone who has profited from these "ideas" desires making a "payment". Here is another idea for you. Help men, women, and children caught in this world of pornography, prostitution, and drug use. I was dreaming the other day of developing communities called a "Ray of Hope" in honor of Rahab. But, they must be a little different from some of the current networks designed for setting those who have been abused "free".
One of my parents worked in senior management for a large non-profit who had such safe houses under its umbrella. Most of the women who sought escape were sent so they could live in another city secretly with any children that they had. Frequently, these women would end up in the same lifestyle. Caseworkers would often say that "one can take a prostitute off the streets, but cannot take the street out of the prostitute." This is hogwash in many cases. Most frequently the women are placed in a new city where they do not have the familial or church support were they can get help, if in need of support. The things which these women must do so they can simply have a decent, nutritious, well-balanced meal is appalling. The cost of drugs is often higher.
Sadly, with the growth of the internet, this industry of evil is growing. I myself have unwillingly appeared in at least one picture as a child when I was sedated and placed in a "compromising position" with another child while at a babysitter's house. I saw this picture many years later when this ruffian showed me a Midwestern "swinger's" magazine, and asked, "Is this you?" I must say that I recognized the bed, the walls, myself and the young lady. My response was,"I suppose so." He must have assumed that I was cold and callous about the situation. But because I was unconscious, I did not have a fixed recollection of the events. This is a little different than my next starring role in "live action" since I awoke from the tranquilizer which I had been given. But, I shall not say much about that event which occurred on my first day of college at the age of seventeen. May the Creator's Kingdom be eventually glorified by our struggle with other's burdens being much greater than mine. May you receive mercy. May the Lord deliver us all from ourselves, each other, and the beast who plagues us. Forgive the themes and length of this post. This is beyond "PG".
No comments:
Post a Comment