Lust...desire of ANY kind!!

I conducted a bit of an unofficial survey when I decided that today's "deadly sin" would be about lust. I sent out an e-mail to several people asking them what was the first thing they thought of when they heard the word "lust".

Here are just a few of the responses I got back:

***Appearance of a good looking physical body

***Lust of the flesh...sexual... Many people say that they love someone, when really it is lust that they have for this person.
***Sex
***The desire for something that you shouldn't have
***Greed

Merriam-Webster On-line Dictionary:

"intense or unbridled sexual desire;
an intense longing"

You know what...or who...I think of when I hear the word "lust"?
President Jimmy Carter!!!

Many of you won't understand that because you're too young. But...when Mr. Carter was President, he was interviewed...by Playboy Magazine (no, I DID NOT read the inteview in that magazine)...and he admitted to having committed "lust in his heart". I read somewhere that his approval rating went down by 15 points because he made that statement. I'm not sure I agree with that way of thinking....the approval rating part....because the man was honestly admitting something that a lot of us probably do, but would never admit it out loud...but...we'll save that for another another blog, another day!!!

So...let's get to the lusty part of this blog. I know that for most of us, when we think of the word lust....sex is associated with it. Look what happened to David when he lusted after Bathsheba...then, his son Amnon when he lusted after Tamar...his sister. If you don't know the story click here to read all about it. All of that "lust" led to such tragic things happening in David's life. I would call it a trickle down affect, but it actually snowballed...beginning with just a "look"!!! It can be the same for us today. It sometimes starts with just a look...then, we act on it...and, before we know it, we're in so deep that it is sometimes very difficult to get back out of that pit of darkness....actually that pit of sin, because that's exactly what it is!!

So....do you think that lust can only be associated with sexual feelings? Not at all. I've lusted after chocolate most of my adult life!!! The "deadly sin" of lust goes along with all the rest of them....the lady who said she thought of greed when she hears the word lust was so right. Lusting after somebody....or something...is greedy on our part. It's a selfish desire because we're only thinking of ourselves...what we want...certainly not what we need!!! I've been doing a Bible study for the past couple of months with my prayer partner called "The Cross"....and the past couple of days the topic has been on self-denial, which goes along with these "deadly sins" we've been talking about. We are to deny ourselves...we're not to give into every temptation that comes along....and we have One to help us....because...all of us are tempted at one time or another....by someone, or something....whether we will admit it, or not:

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. James 1:14 (KJV)

But...we have one to help us overcome that temptation:

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. I Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)

Let's take a look at some scriptures that talk about lust:

And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Psalm 78:18 (KJV)

This verse shows that lust can be for food....the category that my lusting falls into!!!

Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. Proverbs 6:25 (KJV)

This one is speaking of lusting after the beauty of a woman (or a man)...it goes on to say not to be enticed by her "eyelids". To me, this means not to be drawn in by the other person...not to let them tempt you to sin!!!

Remember: Keep your eyes on the Creator..not on His creation!!

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Mark 4:19 (KJV)

This verse is telling us that there are many things in this world to draw us away from God...even the cares of the world. It goes on to talk about the "deceitfulness of riches". How many times have you heard somebody say...or thought it yourself..."if I were only rich"....or "if I only had a little more money"? This verse tells us that even though we might think that money would make us happy....it won't....there's "deceitfulness of riches"!!!

Remember..."looks can be deceiving"!!!

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28 (KJV)

This verse goes back to that "look" again...and to what I think President Jimmy Carter was actually trying to say. So, somebody is going to say..."well, if I've committed adultery already, then why don't I just go ahead and act on it?"!!! Nooooooo......thinking and doing are 2 totally different things!!! God knows that we have thoughts....after all....God invented sex. He also intended it for a beautiful act between a husband and a wife. If one acts on the desire for someone else...then that involves a lot of other people...spouses...children...who are going to get hurt...which is much worse. Sinful action is much worse than sinful desire...way worse!!!

Okay..notice above that I highlighted in red "husband and wife"? Here's why:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Romans 1:27 (KJV)

When I read this verse of scripture...I think of the little saying "God loves the sinner, but hates the sin". God loves all of us...thank goodness!!! His love includes the homosexual. For those who think this desire is normal...or natural...all I can say is that it contradicts God's word. The lustful desire for someone of the same gender is wrong. Like any other sin that all of us commit...God will forgive...but, we must admit our sin and ask for His forgiveness.

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:15 (KJV)

The death this verse is speaking of is spiritual death. The thought is planted...we begin to lust for whatever it may be....then the thought is acted upon, and becomes sin...and then the sin brings death...spiritual death...and even sometimes physical death!!!!

"Sin takes us farther than we want to go; keeps us longer than we want to stay; will cost you more than you want to pay."

I want to leave you with the following verses of scripture. I chose the New Living Translation for these:

Romans 13:14 (NLT)
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Galatians 5:16 (NLT)

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

In His Love...and with mine!!!