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October 11, 2004 Creative Connection Weekly Devotional Just Lust - Honest to God by Ed Young So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Colossians 3:5 (NLT) No one is immune to lust's insidious influence. It lures both men and women alike with promises of pleasure. But in the end it only brings destruction. Lust is that God-given desire for intimacy that has gone haywire, manifesting itself in a physical attraction that leads to illicit action. Whether you deal with lust in so-called "recreational" forms or have actually put skin on it by contemplating an affair, you have dealt with lust in some shape, form, or fashion. Lust's strong and powerful influence drives many Christ-followers to hide in shame. The person who is leveled by lust pretends to follow one path outwardly while inside he or she is a slave to a destructive addiction. If you find yourself caught in the lure of lust, there is good news for you. God's message to you today is one of hope, not shame. No matter where you are in the grip of lust, there is hope for you. By the grace and power of God, you can walk in purity. But you cannot handle the strength of lust alone. You must turn it over to God, forcing the power of lust to fade as it is dragged out into the light of His truth. It's time to get honest with God about the problem in your life. This week, start breaking down lust's hold on you by listing out the areas of vulnerability in your life, those trigger points that cause you to lust-geographically, technologically, relationally, mentally, etc. And then write out the consequences of giving in to those trigger points. How will giving into that area of lust affect your marriage, your family, your career, and your faith? Facing the sobering truth about the consequences of lustful thoughts and activities will go a long way toward exposing the darkness of lust to the light. You can walk in purity, but first you must be willing to get honest to God. For more information about relationships and other subjects, visit the Creative Connection website: www.creativeconnection.org � 2004 Creative Connection ____________________SUBSCRIPTION INFO_______________________ * This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. To unsubscribe from this newsletter immediately, simply click on the link below. If this link is not clickable, simply cut and paste it into the address bar of your browser. http://www.salememail.com/unsub/241/1698058.aspx * Copyright � 2004 Salem Web Network and its Content Providers. All rights reserved. 1698058 ____________________________________________________________ TRINITY COLLEGE & SEMINARY OFF CAMPUS & ONLINE Experience Personal & Ministry Growth Through Bible-Focused Degree Programs Associate and Bachelor of Arts Master of Arts, M.Div., Doctor of Arts, Doctor of Ministry http://l.salemweb.net/tcs2003tr/footer/ ____________________________________________________________ Questions or comments can be sent to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
