Chapter 5

Chapter 5 is entitled Guys and Girls and is about our differences, and how we can help each other.

Most people think lust is a guy problem, but the truth is that girls also have the same problem. In short, guys are tempted by the physical pleasure, while the girls are tempted to give physical pleasure to gain emotional security and companionship.

Lust is always based on the same lie: that satisfaction will be found apart from God.

Basically, we must understand how the opposite sex works, so we can help them not to fall into lust. (Details in the book, I really recommend it)

Chapter 4

my thoughts on Part Two: In the Thick of the Battle
Chapter 4: A Custom-Tailored Plan

The book guided me to list down my weaknesses. What triggers my lust, when am I vulnerable and to what, and identify what obedience to God in these areas would look like.

After listing it all down, I basically have to choose one area to start with. I'll keep all the other areas in my head, but mainly focus on one to start.

Hebrews 12:3 says "Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this time of consciously listing down my weaknesses. Help me to look to You for strength to flee from them, and not rely on my own strength. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Chapter 3

I just realised the book(Sex is not the problem(lust is) by Joshua Harris) is split into three parts:

Part One: The Truth About Lust(chapters 1-3)
Part Two: In the Thick of the Battle(chapters 4-7)
Part Three: Strategies for Long-Term Change(chapters 8-10)

Here's my thoughts from Chapter 3: You can't Save Yourself

We are walking the narrow righteous path, between the ravines of legalism on one side, and indulgence in sin on the other. Our own power and will can't save us, only God can. We must surrender ourselves to Him.

My favourite sentences in this chapter are "The person who has experienced God's grace and has been genuinely converted can still choose to sin, but he can't love sin like he used to. He can't continue in sin indefinitely!"

I was really touched by that, because it was as if God told me "I know what you're going through, and I am with you." I can now be sure that I have truly accepted God's justification of me, and that I am on the path of sanctification!

God loves you, too!

Sex is not the problem(lust is) by Joshua Harris

So. Summary of what I've read so far, chapter one("Not even a hint") and chapter two("Sex is not the problem"). God's standard for sexual immorality is set as high as it can go. Eph5:3  says "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because those are improper for God's holy people." It may sound un-achievable, but(as Joshua wrote in the next chapter) it's because lust never stays as "just a hint". It snowballs out of control, and it can never be satisfied. Joshua quoted CS Lewis, saying "Starving men may think much about food but so do gluttons; the gorged, as well as the famished, like titillations."

It's important to save our sexuality from being confused with lust. Our sexuality was a good thing, programmed into us by God, to drive us to a holy marriage. Lust pollutes that. Joshua is using the early chapters of his book to distinguish lust from sexuality. He quoted John Piper saying "Lust is a sexual desire minus honor and holiness". It removes our respect for others and their possessions.

We are sexual creatures, and that is good. Lust can never be satisfied, and it is very very bad.

Getting up again

So, it's been so long since I last posted an update. In this time, I have fallen and gotten up multiple times, and also realized that starving the sumo isn't enough, I need to feed myself with good things(the Word of God). I've borrowed a book from my church's library called "sex is not the problem(lust is)" by Joshua Harris (Boy meets girl, I kissed dating goodbye). I'll read it and post how it helps :)

I've been attending a discipleship class in church(probably posted about this before), and up until recently, reading the Bible passages for the daily discipleship homework had become just another chore. I hope to renew my hunger and thirst for the wisdom in the Bible.

God bless you all :) It's back to assignments for me!