Love < Lust

Taken from Christine's blog in 07. Heh, so long ago... yet more relevant today then ever.

First Corinthians 13 is called the love chapter, and it will help you spot genuine love in a world that's full of the counterfeit. I simply love this chapter.

Love

1. Love is patient.

2. Love is kind.
3. Love does not envy.
4. Love does not boast.
5. Love is not proud.
6. Love is not rude.
7. Love is not self-seeking.
8. Love is not easily angered.
9. Love forgives others.
10. Love hates evil.
11. Love rejoices in the truth.
12. Love always protects.
13. Love always trusts.
14. Love always hopes.
15. Love always perseveres.
16. Love never fails.
17. Love is unending.
18. Love is enduring.
19. Love is faithful.
20. Love is commitment.

Lust

1. Lust can't wait; it's impulsive.
2. Lust is critical; it wants it's own way.
3. Lust seeks more than it earns.
4. Lust builds up self no matter who it hurts.
5. Lust is easily threatened.
6. Lust is disrespectful.
7. Lust is demanding.
8. Lust is moody and lashes out.
9. Lust says vengeance is mine.
10. Lust does anything to get its own way; it rationalizes.
11. Lust encourages lies and tries to hide sins.
12. Lust doesn't care who it hurts; it wants it's own way.
13. Lust is jealous and suspicious.
14. Lust says, you blow it, you're out.
15. Lust backs out when times are rough.
16. Lust stops when self isn't served.
17. Lust lasts just a moment then flickers away.
18. Lust is insecure.
19. Lust will cheat on you.
20. Lust is not trustworthy.


I can only pray the I will live more in LOVE then in LUST. It's hard sometimes... when things have been going bad, when I'm depressed, sometimes I live in lust and that is a very dangerous thing. It's easy to fall into sin... easy to make mistakes... easy to hurt people you care about...

I have realized of late that I am in desperate need of God's healing and God's grace and guidance. I need to go back to Him, to run to Him when I am tempted.

"So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet." James 4:7-10, The Message.

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7, New Living Translation

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you and develops well-formed maturity in you." Romans 12:1-2, The Message

What else can I say? God's word lines it all up right there for us to see. When Satan comes a-knocking on the door of your heart, turn to the One who has told us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

I am writing all this because my eyes have been opened. God works in mysterious and sometimes painful ways, and the way He worked this time is going to hurt me for a long time, but I thank Him so much for letting me suffer this because I know, with every fiber of my being, I know that He planned for it to happen and that His ways are above my ways, and because of that... I will come out of this a better man for Him.