The one titled: Adultery
"Mr. Smith, I have had a strong calling from God since I was a young boy. I grew up Methodist, Southern Baptist, Moravian, and Non Denominational. I never was comfortable with what was taught in the church and early on started to pose questions that would go unanswered. I am an married adult now and I love to study Gods word and tell people about the truth, but I always miss the mark when it comes to giving myself fully to God who is tugging away at me. Sounds like I have to get the beam out of my eye because I love to tell people whats wrong with them. Im the type of person who knows allot about Gods word and wants to give myself fully to Him but never does. My love of drinking and hanging out with my friends gets in the way. I recently went to a party without my wife and had too much to drink and ended up committing adultery. I am so ashamed. I never thought I would do such a horrible act. What do I need to do? Is it over between me and God? Will he continue to call me? Can I ever be the child he wants me to be? I am very scared Mr. Smith and would appreciate your feedback. God bless your Heart, Chad
Dear Chad: "What do [you] need to do?" REPENT. How do you repent? Only God can bring you to repentance (Rom. 2:4); only God can drag you to Christ (John 6:44); only God can accomplish His achievement [workmanship] in you (Eph. 2:8-10). You must come to really hate your sins before you (through) God, will truly repent of your sins and stop doing them. You obviously are not there yet. Pray that God brings you to that place in your life.
God be with you,
Ray"
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This guy is much like me, in that We both feel a 'calling' from God, yet we both can't seem to give up drinking {and in my case even smoking} and well, basically, the pleasures and or desires of the flesh. And as Ray said, we must come to really hate our sins before we truly repent of them and before we will stop doing them. I guess I am also 'not there yet' because my repenting has been in vain, because I end up doing the same things I repented of all over again.
I used to always believe that we had free-will, that our lives are not preordained, that I am the captain of my soul, and in total control of my life, but after discovering Ray's site, I no longer believe that to be true. I believe that my life could not have been any different
then it was, and everything that happened was meant to happen, was supposed to happen. I used to also believe that God had nothing to do with our lives in terms of what we will be when we grow up, when we will get married, and with whom, whether it will be a good marriage or one that ends in divorce, but apparently He is in control of that too. And also, I never knew {since church never teaches} that God creates evil... and that we are the beast. So The Holocaust was supposed to happen, there is no way Hitler could have chosen to be something else, someone that 'loves Jews' and dark colored people. It was all of God, for He creates evil.
I really don't know where I'm going with this, and it appears I've strayed a bit from where I've started-but thank you for reading.
-Sorin