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Sunday, October 31, 2021

Bible Study with the Cincotti's - The Divine Calling - `10/31/2021


  Today's Bible Study, Authored by Arthur Cincotti. 10/31/2021


Listen to our Bible Study Discussion at: The Divine Calling Bible Study Discussion Podcast

The Divine Calling

 

When we profess Eph. 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” we defer the energy of our salvation on to God.

 

The way this flushes out is expressed in Jn. 6:44 & 65, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 65 “And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”’

 

This is an expression of the Divine calling

 

We are called out of darkness – bondage to sin which brings forth death – into His glorious light. I Pet. 2:9

 

This initial calling is unto salvation; the just wrath of God has passed over you, your name is written in “the Lambs book of life” Rev. 21:27, you are covered by the blood of Jesus I Jn. 1:7.

 

As of us, this is who Paul refers to in the address of his letters, Rom. 1;7 “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints” or I Cor. 1:2, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…”

 

But God may not be finished calling!

 

God called Samuel four times I Sam. 3

 

God has a purpose and plan (or calling) for every life, but for some the calling is substantial. How does one know with certainty.

 

 

First let’s examine the general calling. Rom 8:30

         All are called to pursue righteousness; I Tim. 6:11

         Shun evil, I Cor. 6:9-10

         Embrace the Word of God, Col 3:16

         Express the love of God to each other; Jn. 13:35 & I Pet. 4:8

         Tell the good news of salvation; Mt. 28:19 “Go”

         Minister (serve); Mt. 25:44, also Heb. 6:10

 

But there may be a more substantial calling.

         For instance, Eph. 4:11

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

 

         Consider the calling of Timothy:

He was prophesied over, I Tim. 1:18 and 4:14

He was mentored by Paul, II Tim. 1:13,14

He was trustworthy with what was given him, Phil. 2:19-23

 

Often times your calling comes equally from without as from within, when other people recognize and nurture the giftings that they see in you.

 

Consider Stephen who was selected by the apostles for a specific task, Acts 6:3-8

 

Consider Philip and Nathanael Jn. 1:43-51

 

Consider David, I Sam. 16:11-13

         I Sam. 16:7, “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘for the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”’

 

First cultivate the general calling, and then listen and wait for the more substantial.         II Ch.16:9           Isa. 6:8

Saturday, October 30, 2021

A Light in the Darkness – Bringing Friends to Holy Ground - Purity 563


 A Light in the Darkness – Bringing Friends to Holy Ground - Purity 563

Purity 563 10/30/2021   Purity 563 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of a peaceful scene on the shores of what I suspect to be Lake George in up state New York comes to us from what was day 1 of an extended “girlfriends’ getaway” weekend as a pair of ladies decided to set apart time to enjoy one another’s company and to celebrate nearly 30 years of friendship.  Over three decades, there can be a lot of struggle and changes in our lives as we journey through life, but true friendships transcend time and distance and because of the brevity of our lives should be cherished and celebrated.   

Well we made it to through another work week and as it is Halloween weekend it is my wish that my friends enjoy the time they have over the next two days to rest, relax, have some good old spooky fun, if you’re into that, and to enjoy the company of family and friends as the moth of October expires on Monday.    

Halloween has dark aspects to it but as a child, and an adult, I celebrated by going trick or treating, dressing up in costumes, and going to parties and despite my ignorance and the demonic undertones that surround the 31st day of October, I somehow by the grace of God survived.  

So although I would warn against being a part of any seances or occultic activities, like I would any other day of the year,  I would also remind well-meaning Christians that condemn any celebrations of Halloween that the day is also Reformation Day and the revelation of the doctrines of grace that resulted from Martin Luther’s nailing his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg should remind us of the supremacy of Christ over the powers of darkness and should encourage us to be a light for the gospel even on Halloween and that we should use the opportunity to make new friends that desperately need Christians in their lives.

The testimonies of people coming to faith in Christ because of a Christian friend are vast and instead of pushing people away with restrictions, we should be purveyors of the peace and joy that the Holy Spirit brings to our lives and attract people to the One that can set them free from sin and death.  Jesus came to give us life more abundantly and to set the captives free.  So shine a light in the darkness and be friend whose liberty in Christ gives you the power to bring the gospel of hope every where you go.  Because of the Holy Spirit in us, every where we go is holy ground.   

As it turns out my new friend on the other side of the Atlantic just happen to compose a new poem about the hope found because of Jesus and I thought that it was a good reminder of the “treat” that we have to give out on Halloween and every other day of the year. The poem is from Philip Hand, who hails from Manchester in the United Kingdom and is entitled:  

Holy Ground

To be rich in your heart feeds your soul

lifts your life and should be  your goal.

To be in love with tender loving kindness

will bless your heart and heal your blindness.

All it takes is one step 

one that you won't regret once the savior you have met.

A step of faith into the light

out of this eternal night.

I was blind but now I see

eternal love lights the way for me.

Lord unify our hearts, tear our borders down

when we are on our knees, this place becomes holy ground.

-       Philip Hand

Thank you, Philip.  So whether you spend time this weekend with friends you have known for nearly 30 years or that you have only known for a short time through social media, rejoice in your friendship and rejoice in the new life of hope, peace, and joy that you can enjoy in all seasons with the friend that you can have in Jesus.  


Today’s Bible verse is drawn from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.  

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Psalm 37:4 (NLT2)
4  Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Today’s verse is a conditional promise that is fulfilled with a transformative relationship with the Lord.

This verse can very well be misapplied as one of the “gimme” verses of the prosperity gospel.  “Does not the word say, He will give you the desires of your heart?”   Well I desire a whole lot of fortune and fame and a brand new car!   Survey says? XXX  

When this verse is misapplied to material goods and prosperity as an expression of an immature believer’s wanton avarice,  I am tempted to share:

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)
9  "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

But to be honest, I hesitate to share Jerimiah 17:9 because that verse doesn’t apply to Christians, although it is used ad nauseum in churches today to chastise believers for their periodic or habitual sins.   While Christians can and do sin, we have been transformed and given new spiritual life, and a new heart, when we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  

The problem is that many Christians fall into Satan’s trap as identifying with their sin instead of their Savior. 

To “delight in the Lord” is to love Him and obey Him.  Our delighting in the Lord should bring us to repentance and the renewal of our minds and hearts to be more aligned with the Lord’s ways and will for our lives.   When we “delight in the Lord” our hearts are changed from hearts of stone to hearts of flesh and our desires are changed.  

These “new desires” that come from delighting in the Lord are the “desires of the heart” that God will gladly give us.   Our heart’s desire to be progressively conformed to the image of Christ through faith and by walking in the Spirit is something that the Lord will give us.   

So stop praying to get what’s behind door # 2 or curtain #3, for worldly desires, and instead desire to know the Lord more and to be more like Him.

God’s will for our lives is our sanctification and when we that is our desire, we can be assured we won’t get “zonked”!

Although we were once were desperately wicked, we have been made righteous though our faith in Christ and adopted into God’s royal family and God the Father has good gifts for His kids who seek His heart and ask for His desires for us.    

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s Dating: Secrets to Great Relating When Dating  

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work. If you need this title you can find it online at several sites for less than $5.00:

C. How to Have a Transformed Life

Deborah doesn't date anymore. Deborah doesn't date any less, either. The truth is, Deborah doesn't date at all anymore.

At one time, Deborah's dating card consistently stayed full. But after she begins to take her walk with the Lord seriously, her social life drops off dramatically. Staying busy with church activities, she barely misses dating. But she does long to have someone special in her life...and she'd like to marry someday.

A friend in her Sunday school class tells her that she should pray about it. Her mom tells her to be patient and keep trusting the Lord. Her sister tells her she should just keep following where the Lord leads and look to see whom He brings alongside her and go from there. So Deborah waits—maybe not patiently—but she waits.

Volunteering to help with the church carnival, Deborah notices the young man in the booth next to her. As they each interact with the kids playing games, she sees that he's kind and encouraging to the non-athletic participants and sweet and helpful to the little ones. He's polite and gracious to the parents...and when he smiles, she notices his eyes light up too. She likes his laugh...and he really is cute!

Another pair of volunteers come to relieve them from their posts, and not a moment too soon because Deborah's fingers are freezing! Her "next door" neighbor/volunteer smiles and says, "Hi. I'm Sam. I couldn't help but notice that you're cold. Could I interest you in joining me for a cup of hot cocoa?" Deborah chuckles as she answers, "Thanks, Sam. I'm Deborah and I'd like that very much."

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14)

Whether you've never dated or you are just starting to date after becoming single again, dating can, and should, be a fun and enjoyable experience. If you're emotionally and spiritually prepared to begin forming dating relationships, you could come face-to-face with a jarring reality: No one on your horizon is eligible to date. Rather than lowering your standards for the sake of stirring up interest or considering those who once would have been out of the question, use this opportunity to grow in your relationship with Christ....

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18)

Reaching the Target: Transformation!

 



Target #1—A New Purpose: God's purpose for me is to be conformed to the character of Christ.

"Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29).

  • —"I'll do whatever it takes to be conformed to the character of Christ."

Target #2—A New Priority: God's priority for me is to change my thinking.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).

  • —"I'll do whatever it takes to line up my thinking with God's thinking."

Target #3—A New Plan: God's plan for me is to rely on Christ's strength, not my strength, to be all He created me to be.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

  • —"I'll do whatever it takes to fulfill His plan in His strength."

My Personalized Plan

My identity is in Christ, not in another person. To overcome the need for a significant person of the opposite sex to validate me and to give me a sense of worth, I will live according to who I am in Christ. I will remember what God says in His Word—every true Christian is a complete person of immeasurable value and worth in Jesus Christ. God created me to have my identity in Him. I can find meaning and purpose in Him, not in a dating relationship. Since the truth sets me free, wrong thinking only keeps me in bondage. Therefore, I will transform my thinking by renewing my mind.

I will remember what God says is true about me. I will stay focused on deepening my intimacy with Him and realize the depth of His love for me.

Who I Am in Christ

  • I am loved.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love" (John 15:9).

  • I am totally accepted.

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" (Romans 15:7).

  • I belong to God.

"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children" (Romans 8:16).

  • I am never alone.

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deuteronomy 31:8).

  • I am complete in Christ.

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

  • I have all the confidence I need.

"The Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught" (Proverbs 3:26 ESV).

  • I have the mind of Christ.

"Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).

  • I have a purpose in life.

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever" (Psalm 138:8 ESV).

  • I am made pure in Christ.

"All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:3).

  • I have victory over sin.

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).

As I open my mind and heart to the truth in God's Word, I will ask the Lord to reveal to me the messages I received and believed that led me to think I am somehow incomplete or lacking without having someone of the opposite sex in my life. Once I identify these messages, I will renounce them as lies and realize the truth that sets me free....

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

Prayer of My Heart

The Lord knows my situation. I will put Him in charge of the timing and pace of my dating life. I will make this the prayer of my heart:

"Heavenly Father, I will...

  • Refuse to be desperate to find someone to date,
  • Wait on Your timing and person(s) to date,
  • Not lower my criteria to evaluate a prospective date,
  • Use this time to listen intently for Your voice to lead me,
  • Focus on what I have, not what I don't have,
  • Be grateful for Your unconditional love for me,
  • Remember that I am not alone, unloved, or forgotten,
  • Not put my life on hold until I begin to date,
  • Look for ways to bless others."

"But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content." (Psalm 131:2)

Meeting the "Right" One

Question: "How do I know when I've met the 'right' person?"

Answer: Instead of asking, "Is this the right person for me?" why not ask, "Am I becoming the right person?" Being the "right person" is about coming to a relationship with love to share, not about finding love and validation in another person.

If you come from a full place in your life, it becomes much easier to discern whether someone is empty inside, and you will be less likely to be attracted to that person. If you continually learn about yourself—are growing emotionally, socially, and spiritually, and taking responsibility for your own feelings of safety and security, worth and winsomeness—you will not be attracted to someone who is closed and controlling or who just wants to be loved but not give love in return.

It takes time to know whether someone is the "right" person for you. To discover if the person you're dating is who they say they are, you need to see them in a variety of situations and settings. How a person handles conflict is one of the best ways to see the "real" person. A "right" person is open to learning from conflict, not just wanting to win and be right.

Other characteristics to watch for in "Mr. Right" or "Ms. Right" are...

  • Closely matched levels of emotional and spiritual maturity
  • Commitment to lifelong marriage
  • Capacity to care for and empathize with others
  • Common interests and values
  • Compatible long-term goals
  • Comparable health and fitness goals
  • Common money management practices for saving and spending
  • Chemistry—at least a basic spark of attraction

"Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments." (Psalm 119:66 NASB)

Is Marriage for Everyone?

Question: "Does God intend for everyone to marry?"

Answer: Not necessarily. While marriage is ordained of God and most people do get married, the apostle Paul was obviously called by God to remain single. In 1 Corinthians 7:8, he said... "Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do." Both singleness and marriage are good in God's sight. But the reason Paul encourages singleness is that there is less distraction from the things of God for the single person.

"I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord." (1 Corinthians 7:35)

Contentment

Question: "How should I respond to people who keep telling me I need a boyfriend when I am content being single?"

Answer: People may want you to have a boyfriend for any number of reasons.

Generally, they mean well. Try to guard against taking offense at their opinion. A safe response might be to tell them you appreciate their interest and concern, but you are actually quite content in focusing on being the person God created you to be. Explain that you have a full life and then ask if there is something they see in you that causes them to think you need someone in your life.

"Godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)


Biblical Counseling Keys: Dating: Secrets to Great Relating When Dating.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Friday, October 29, 2021

Top of the World – Irrational Transactions 1 - Purity 562


Top of the World – Irrational Transactions 1 - Purity 562

Purity 562 10/29/2021  Purity 562 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of sunrise “up above the world so high” comes to us from a friend who woke up early in order to travel up the 10,000 feet to get to the summit of Haleakala Volcano Visitor’s Center in Maui, Hawaii this past Sunday in time to see the start of a new day from a new perspective.  If you are wondering how early you have to get up to travel 10,000 feet to beat the rising sun and whether or not it was worthwhile, our friend’s only comment about this adventure answers both questions as they shared that their experience was “Worth the 2:30 am wake-up!”     

Undoubtedly, our friend was told by others about this experience by people who had seen it for themselves, and they told them about how early they would have to get up to see it.  At that point our friend had a decision to make. Would he trust what he had heard and go and see for himself or would he doubt the reports and decide that the experience wasn’t for him?

Thankfully my friend “had faith” and decided to trust the “good news” about this view and not only did they go and experience the joy of it, they felt compelled to share it with their friends and didn’t hesitate to mention that there was a condition of difficulty that was required to experience it, that this view was spectacular but there were things to consider before “going there”. Although our friend acknowledges that the “wake up call” and the travel to get there may not be attractive, the end result was worth it.   

It’s Friday and as we make it through the last day of the work week, for those not working this weekend that is, we will be faced with the decision of what to do with our valuable leisure time and we will have to weigh the costs of time, energy, and money that our various options will cost and then we need to decide if doing certain activities are “worth it”.    You can’t do everything so when you choose something this weekend think about the short term and long term benefits and costs behind your decision.  

One option for leisure time is to watch a movie. As a child of the 70’s and 80’s, going to the movies was still a special treat because the availability of movies was somewhat limited.  Movies only ran in theatres for a certain time, VCRs were a developing technology, and television was expanding the number of channels so “watching movies” wasn’t as on demand as it is today.   

One of the movies that I enjoyed as a kid was the 1980 film, Flash Gordon.  Besides the action and adventure and campy romance, one concept that was presented in the film that stood out to me was the idea of the “rational transaction”.  In his contemplation of Ming the Merciless’ plans to destroy the earth, Dr. Hans Zarkov decided that if it were necessary and possible he would sacrifice his life to stop Ming’s attack stating that it was a “rational transaction – one life for billions”. 

This “rational transaction” has been made by countless brave men and women throughout history as they have sacrificed their lives to save their fellow countrymen, friends, or family. The idea of a rational transaction is strictly mathematical.  One is less than many. So it “makes sense” that someone would sacrifice their life to save others.

However, it is not as simple as that.  Sure it makes sense logically, but would you give up your life away for people you don’t know? You only have one life to live and if you don’t believe in God your worldview should include the realization that any good deeds you do in life will be erased by time and prove ultimately meaningless as the universe fades to black.   So if you see life as fleeting and value it, you will see the “rational transaction’ as highly irrational, and you would urge others not to “throw their lives away” in saving, or serving, others.  

Also the personal fear of death, can make that “rational transaction” seem highly irrational. “I don’t want to die!”  This instinct of self-preservation was comically highlighted in an episode of Seinfeld when George Costanza literally pushed women and children out of his way to escape a fire!  So idea of “women and children first” and “sacrificing yourself for others” can seem pretty irrational to those who value the “here and now” of their lives.    

Christians would point to Christ’s sacrifice as the ultimate example of the “rational transaction” in that He died for the sins of all mankind.  But that only “makes sense” to believers who have had the truth of the gospel relieved to them by God.

The idea that one man’s death could have an effect on someone else’s spiritual standing before God doesn’t seem to be very rational at all.   While unbelievers could explain the rationale behind Christian faith, they personally don’t see the “logic” behind putting their faith in Christ.   

Jumping on the hand grenade, can be seen as logical because of its immediate life saving effects.  Seeing Christ’s dying on a cross to reconcile sinful men to God is not apparently logical because it involves spiritual realities that are unseen.  The gospel of Jesus is rational and logical if you understand the Christian concepts of atonement, covenant, and salvation but is nonsense to those who “are perishing”.  

So like our friend who heard about the good view that could be seen if he only got up at 2:30 am and travelled up the side of a volcano in Hawaii and had to trust “the unseen” and “have faith” that it would be worth it, we had to trust the story “that didn’t make sense” and put our faith in Jesus Christ. We had to make the “irrational transaction” of putting our faith in Christ.  

And for those who have made that “irrational transaction”, we like our friend sharing his “2:30 am wake up testimony”, are compelled to tell our friends that it is worth it.  It might not be easy to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, but we encourage you to investigate it because those of us who have placed their faith in Christ can tell you that the new eternal life that you receive through faith in Jesus is worth it.  

A life free from the fear of death is worth it.  A life of peace is worth it. A life of joy is worth it. So keep walking and talking with God. Go to the places and do the things that are “worth it” this weekend and when you do thank the Lord for making it all possible.

 

Today’s Bible verses are drawn from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.  

This morning’s meditation verses are:

Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NLT2)
19  And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart,
20  so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.

Today’s verse is the promise of the new spiritual reality every believer experiences when they put their faith in Jesus.

These verses in Ezekiel talk of a future time where people will be reconciled to God and transformed in the process.  The transformation comes through a saving relationship with God that is established when you put your faith in Jesus Christ. 

When you place your faith in Christ, The Holy Spirit indwells you and your spirit is quickened. Our condition goes from spiritually dead to spiritually alive.  

Our salvation gives us spiritual life that we can grow and mature in.  In my experience, my “cold” heart that was bitter, sarcastic, and angry began to change to be more compassionate as I experienced the freedom that comes from realizing you have been forgiven of all your sins and you have been given a new spiritual life.   The love of God was something I knew experientially and the new spiritual life I had in Christ caused me to want to know God more and to obey what His word taught me about being faithful to Him. 

In my maturation process, I have learned that God changed me at salvation and the process of sanctification is just something I have to walk out day to day. No inner change is needed because I have the Spirit of God in me, and my spirit is alive.  The thing that needs to change is my thoughts about how I think about myself.   The word says to not be conformed by the world but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. 

That process means that I have to believe what the word of God says about me as a new creation in Christ and it means I have to abandon my old worldly ways and attitudes for the wisdom of God’s ways.   By believing the truth that God has already given us a new life, we have the power to walk in His statutes and keep His judgements. We can obey not because we can try harder. We can obey because our obedience is just a natural expression of who we are now: His people, God’s children. 

So agree with the word of God and let the transformation process happen in your heart, your mind, and in your life. When we believe that the Lord has made us His people, we can live as His people.  When we let Him change our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh, we will love the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and we will love to become the people that God always wanted us to be.

 

 

 

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s Dating: Secrets to Great Relating When Dating  

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work. If you need this title you can find it online at several sites for less than $5.00:

B. Key Passage to Read

Dates came and then they went. Soon their names and faces faded from Frank's memory—what they did together, what they learned, what they enjoyed, what they said have long since disappeared into the land of forgetfulness. Frank wonders what was gained, but even more he wonders what was lost with each encounter, each evening that started in a nice, familiar restaurant and ended in a strange, unknown bedroom.

Who were they...really? What were their stories? What did they value and hold dear? What had they looked for or hoped to find in him? Was it a relationship or merely and evening of companionship? And what about him? What was he looking to find that always seemed to elude him?...

"Each of you should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way, not in the passionate, lustful way of people who don't know God. No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way." (1 Thessalonians 4:4-6 GW)

• God calls you to control your sexual desires

v. 4

• God calls you to be holy and honorable

v. 4

• God calls you to not be lustful

v. 5

• God holds you accountable for your treatment of others

v. 6

• God calls you to live a holy life

v. 6

As Christians, we are called to live in a way that is holy, honorable, and pleasing to God. And there is no more important aspect of life where this standard of behavior holds true than in dating and courting. Powerful forces in culture today do whatever they will to convince us that sexual attraction is the basis, or glue, of romantic relationships and otherwise. Don't buy into it! Great relating in dating begins and ends with agape—love that seeks to do what is in the best interest of and for the highest good of the other person.

Honoring Sexual Boundaries

Question: "I've set good sexual boundaries, yet the men I've dated—some in my church—continually push, hoping I'll give in. How can I know who is safe to date?"

Answer: Those who try to push you beyond your boundaries do not respect you. Realize, disrespectful relationships are not just about behavior—they're about character. Just because a man goes to church or claims to be a Christian doesn't mean he has allowed Christ to change his life. A man who is safe and worthy of your trust will...

  • Hear and value your opinions
  • Validate your feelings even when he disagrees
  • Show high regard for your needs and desires
  • Be unselfish and thoughtful
  • Not manipulate or play on your emotions
  • Not pull away or emotionally "punish" you when he doesn't get his way
  • Admit when he is wrong or has offended you and will ask for forgiveness

Before you date, find out more about this man—especially his relationship with the Lord. Otherwise, you could get caught in a dating situation where the man you date exploits your vulnerabilities, leaving you in a world of hurt....

"Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21 GW)

Biblical Counseling Keys: Dating: Secrets to Great Relating When Dating.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship