Friday, July 24, 2009.
That was the day I was told it happened. My 180 degrees.
True I had repented from my sin and turned many months ago, but that was the day the Heavenly Father had me realize that the 180 degrees was complete. The 180 degrees turned from a life of homosexuality and turned to the Almighty God and allowing Jesus to be the leader of my life. Psalm 30:2 states, “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” I simply poured my heart out to the Father just like David. I invited his divine hands to break me, mold me, and make me into what he desires. My heart longs after him. He is my glue.
How did this happen? The living Word of God. The daily diving into the Word coupled with prayer. Psalm 107:20, “He sent out his word and healed them, and l delivered them from their destruction.” Yes, destruction. Meaning the path of self I was headed down had more than one snare I could have fallen into. Seems King David had more than the snare of being an adulterer. If God can heal him, why can’t he heal me? Someone after his own heart.
He can only if I allow him. Psalm 78:41 (this verse will change your life) reads, “They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.” Scary! They turned back. They chose NOT to obey God fully. They tempted God. They also chose NOT to trust God fully. Plus, they limited the Holy One of Israel! They had compacted God into this neat little box. Set him on a shelf and made him watch as they turned towards temptation. They only needed him for one thing. Once that was complete, they disregarded him all together. That one thing was deliverance. Israel was constantly getting into trouble and relying on God to deliver them. But God was big enough to deliver them AND keep them out of trouble so as to break the cycle!
That is my 180 degrees. I by no means am perfect. I am not prideful enough to say I can never return or will ever step away from my Savior. But what I can tell you is that God Almighty has healed me. My thoughts are no longer plagued by my past life, though the Adversary tries from time to time (I Corinthians 6:11). My desires have been transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2). I have willing placed myself, and continually, under God’s microscope (Proverbs 1:23). My greatest fear is to once again hurt my God and my Redeemer. Should that be the fear of the Lord, then it is worth fearing (Proverbs 2:5).
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. So true is that song. He IS strong enough to pull my sinful soul out of destruction and set me upright. But ALSO, strong enough to keep me close to him thereafter. Oh, may I no longer limit the Holy One! Let God receive the glory for what he has done and will do with my life!
Friday, July 24, 2009.
That’s was the day I was told it happened. My 180 degrees.
True I had repented from my sin and turned many months ago, but that was the day the Father had me realize that the 180 degrees was complete. The 180 degrees turned from a life of homosexuality and turned to the Almighty God and allowing Jesus to be the leader of my life. Psalm 30:2 states, “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” I simply poured my heart out to the Father just like David. I invited his divine hands to break me, mold me, and make me into what he desires. My heart longs after him. He is my glue.
How did this happen? The living Word of God. The daily diving into the Word coupled with prayer. Psalm 107:20, “He sent out his word and healed them, and l delivered them from their destruction.” Yes, destruction. Meaning the path I was headed down had more than one snare I could have fallen into. Seems King David had more than the snare of being an adulterer. If God can heal him why can’t he heal me? Someone after his own heart.
He can only if I allow him. Psalm 78:41 (this verse will change your life) reads, “They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.” Scary! They turned back. They chose NOT to obey God fully. They tempted God. They also chose NOT to trust God fully. Plus they limited the Holy One of Israel! They had compacted God into this neat little box. Set him on a shelf and made him watch as they turned towards temptation. They only needed him for one thing. Once that was complete, they disregarded him all together. That one thing was deliverance. Israel was constantly getting into trouble and relying on God to deliver them. But God was big enough to deliver them AND keep them out of trouble so as to break the cycle!
That is my 180 degrees. I by no means am perfect. I am not prideful enough to say I can never return or will ever step away from my Savior. But what I can tell you is that God Almighty has healed me. My thoughts are no longer plagued by my past life, though the Devil tries from time to time (I Cor. 6:11). My desires have been transformed by the renewing of my mind (Rom. 12:2). I have willing placed myself, and continually, under God’s microscope (Prov. 1:23). My greatest fear is to once again hurt my God and my Redeemer. Should that be the fear of the Lord, then it is worth fearing (Prov. 2:5).
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. So true is that song. He IS strong enough to pull my sinful soul out of destruction and set me upright. But ALSO strong enough to keep me close to him thereafter. Oh, may I no longer limit the Holy One! Let God receive the glory for what he has done and will do with my life!
Friday, July 24, 2009.
That’s was the day I was told it happened. My 180 degrees.
True I had repented from my sin and turned many months ago, but that was the day the Father had me realize that the 180 degrees was complete. The 180 degrees turned from a life of homosexuality and turned to the Almighty God and allowing Jesus to be the leader of my life. Psalm 30:2 states, “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” I simply poured my heart out to the Father just like David. I invited his divine hands to break me, mold me, and make me into what he desires. My heart longs after him. He is my glue.
How did this happen? The living Word of God. The daily diving into the Word coupled with prayer. Psalm 107:20, “He sent out his word and healed them, and l delivered them from their destruction.” Yes, destruction. Meaning the path I was headed down had more than one snare I could have fallen into. Seems King David had more than the snare of being an adulterer. If God can heal him why can’t he heal me? Someone after his own heart.
He can only if I allow him. Psalm 78:41 (this verse will change your life) reads, “They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.” Scary! They turned back. They chose NOT to obey God fully. They tempted God. They also chose NOT to trust God fully. Plus they limited the Holy One of Israel! They had compacted God into this neat little box. Set him on a shelf and made him watch as they turned towards temptation. They only needed him for one thing. Once that was complete, they disregarded him all together. That one thing was deliverance. Israel was constantly getting into trouble and relying on God to deliver them. But God was big enough to deliver them AND keep them out of trouble so as to break the cycle!
That is my 180 degrees. I by no means am perfect. I am not prideful enough to say I can never return or will ever step away from my Savior. But what I can tell you is that God Almighty has healed me. My thoughts are no longer plagued by my past life, though the Devil tries from time to time (I Cor. 6:11). My desires have been transformed by the renewing of my mind (Rom. 12:2). I have willing placed myself, and continually, under God’s microscope (Prov. 1:23). My greatest fear is to once again hurt my God and my Redeemer. Should that be the fear of the Lord, then it is worth fearing (Prov. 2:5).
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there’s nothing my God cannot do. So true is that song. He IS strong enough to pull my sinful soul out of destruction and set me upright. But ALSO, strong enough to keep me close to him thereafter. Oh, may I no longer limit the Holy One! Let God receive the glory for what he has done and will do with my life!
Since writing this original post about ten years or so, I have celebrated fifteen years delivered from sin’s grip of homosexuality. I am also sober from alcohol and drugs the same amount of time. All glory and praise to our great High King Jesus. He has truly kept me under wing and close to him. Life has not been easy, but it has been full of teaching and trusting him to complete his promises found in his Word. I can never repay him enough for how he has thoroughly changed my heart and mind. I love you, Jesus.
Grace and peace, James
*Scripture from ESV, Crossway Publishers, 2001