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Archives For May 28, 2012

Question: Fighting Porn For The Last Time (Again)

May 28, 2012 — 4 Comments


Two anonymous questions:

Did you ever stumble after you decided to quit porn? or was it like going cold turkey? & what happens if you do stumble? does that mean that you’ve failed?

And:

I know you posted a whole series on the topic, but…I feel like I need to hear it from you – how to stop looking at pornography. I know I want to get it out of my life. I am serious about that. But when that temptation comes, the moment is just so intense and I know that there’s a way out but it feels like I just end up functioning on autopilot. Open up a website, click a few links, feel shame seconds after. I need this gone from my life. It’s wrecking me.

For a refresher, here’s the multi-post series on Porn Addiction.  It’s very long and involved, and emerged out of much personal struggling with my 15 year addiction.

 Here are also more specific questions asked previously:

 

Just used porn, what do I do?

Porn killed my feelings for God, now what?

So Porn Is A Sin?

Quit porn, but what about masturbating?

 

As of today, I haven’t masturbated to porn (or without porn) for 265 days.  I’ve looked at porn maybe twice in that time but shut it down pretty quick.  I can’t say that I’ve “beaten lust” or remained totally pure, but as far as porn addiction goes, it’s further and further in my rearview.  There CAN be victory.

Please know that my heart grieves for you when I say this, and I got nothing but love for you, but you absolutely cannot be lukewarm about this whole thing.  If you’re 98% serious about it, then forget it.  As long as it remains some kind of option for you, you’ll go back to it again and again. 

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In Christianity, Church, Culture, Life, Ministry, Religion, Theology , , , ,
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Quote: No Longer

May 28, 2012 — 2 Comments


“Every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, He was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; He was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by Him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune. For all these things which were to be weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn to our profit. If we are able to boast with the Apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? It is because by the Spirit of Christ, we live no longer, but Christ lives in us.”

– John Calvin


In Christianity, Church, Life, Praise, Religion, Theology
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