Testimonies of Love and Overcoming Lusts
Paul J. Bucknell
Here are three testimonies.
- How has God's love kept you from lusting after women and things?
- How has God's love has filled you?
- What are some practical steps you have taken to be more loving?
- How has God's love kept you from lusting after women and things?
Just this week I heard a brother confirm what was true in my own life. It is the love and care for my sisters that kept me from lusting after them. It is a horrible confession to drag dirt out of my past, but it is a greater triumph to boldly announce it is God's love that helped me love my sisters by caring for them that ultimately enabled me to overcome lusts for women. The principle works rather simply. If I can concentrate on caring for them as a big brother, then I do not have a mind to think about other matters of my flesh.
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- "My heart was not in the work of begging. I could not appeal. I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York–oh, what a day!–I cannot describe it. I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name.... I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand. I went to preaching again. The sermons were not different; I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me the world." - D.L. Moody "Fresh Power" by Jim Cymbala, p. 47.
- I was driving down a road returning from a conference, and suddenly Christ's love overwhelmed by soul. It is so difficult to describe. A good but typical retreat. But God massaged my mind and heart with messages about His love. As He revealed His love more and more, much like pulses, my sins became so apparent, my defenses were broken down, my faith was built up and I greatly rejoiced in this great God.
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What are some practical steps you have taken to be more loving?
Practical Steps in Loving One Another
Remember God's love must shape your own life responses.
- Here I am trying to finish up this series before the midnight deadline. My older daughters have gone out shopping. Their grandma asked before she went out, "Is everything okay?" I said, "Sure, have a good time." My wife went down for a nap. All was quiet for a few moments. And then the boys got restless. We had to get them ready to go outside. Then back to work, but then the son with a fever started crying downstairs again. Tried to get him back to sleep but to no avail. Didn't know how to quiet him down. Finally, he quieted down watching a bit of television. Meanwhile the little two month old sweetie started crying. Yep. I thought it was a poop. Mom is still napping. The others are still shopping. I guess that means I change the diaper. My other son comes back and says he wants to nap. Great I thought. I'll attend to him. The baby for some reason will not stop crying. I keep trying to put the pacifier in. It just falls out again. Only ten minutes later the son downstairs is crying again. I have to trust God to get His work done in His time.
The lesson? As I write on the love of God, I right now am being tested on displaying God's love. How?
- First of all, I am being tested as to whether I will give loving attention to my children in their bad times. The crying, the interference, the small things, etc.
- Secondly, my faith in His ability to help me love them when I feel unable is being proved. I must keep putting my faith in Him or I will fail miserably with the children and my work being horribly affected.
- Thirdly, I must persist in my patience with God for this situation and even thank Him. God has His perfect design including this 'set up.' God had it all so specially planned. He is giving me something to write about!
- Well, mom finally got up to feed the baby. The others came home. Still there is a sick son on my lap who only wants my consoling, but God will get His work done in His time.
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Muriel's Blessing
Robertson McQuilkin is the author of "An Introduction to Biblical Ethics" (Tyndale).
Copyright (c) 1995 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine
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Despite the toll of his wife's Alzheimer's, a husband marvels at the mystery of love.
By Robertson McQuilkin
Dr. McQuilken shared his story with Christianity Today in "Living by Vows" (Oct. 1990) and later in this story, "Muriel's Blessing." Unfortunately, I cannot reprint the article here. But I will say he serves as a noble example of what love is all about.
Here we have a president of Columbia Bible College and Seminary (now Columbia International University) in South Carolina step down from his position and give back to her some of the nurturing care she had provided him for so many years. His wife, Muriel, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's needed full-time care.
He wrote that some people disagree with him and suggested putting her in a nursing home and getting on with life. "After all she doesn't recognize you anymore," they would comment. I can only say that his decision to care for her stamps the love of God on his book, "An Introduction to Biblical Ethics."
He went on and said, "In Prof. Lore Wright's study of 47 couples over a two-year period, she had predicted with 100 percent accuracy who would die first, based on her analysis of the love relationship between husband and wife."
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