'Day One' Blog,  A Path to Imprisonment

A Path to Imprisonment – Part Three

Ingratitude
~
Idolatry
~
~Immorality~
~
Imprisonment
____________________

Can a man carry fire next to his chest
and his clothes not be burned?
Or can one walk on hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?
~Proverbs 6:27-28~

Immorality:
non-conformity
to Gods moral code.

Once I have embraced ingratitude and placed myself and my desires on the throne of my heart, it’s only a matter of time before immoral behavior surfaces. Romans 1 tells the tale of descent when three different times God gave the people over to their desires. The description of their hearts screamed of idolatry. They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie. They did not see fit to acknowledge God. Because they were determined to go where they wanted to go, God essentially releases them into their sin. Terrifying.

The thing that strikes me, as I replay my own history, is that the door of immorality just doesn’t suddenly appear. I have to do a bit (or more than a bit) of conniving; of exchanging to get there. I have to elevate my own logic and self-justification and turn a deaf ear to God, whose name is Peleh Yo’etz, Wonderful Counselor.

Does my enemy, the master deceiver help blur the lines? Yes. Do the wounds of my past speak? Yes. Does my independent nature influence the way I make choices? Clearly. These are voices I hear. But the fact that I cross the line into immorality indicates that not only did I hear those voices, I took council with them. Their voices prevailed.

God will not enter into competition with the other voices, but He offers me entrance into His council chamber. He mercifully invites me out of the destructive to the constructive; off of a dangerous path onto one that can be safely traversed. He invites, reminds, calls….. He extends His hand of help. He does it because of the beauty of His own character and because He relentlessly loves humanity. He relentlessly loves me.

We are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.
~Romans 8: 37~

4 Comments

  • Debbie

    Oh, Anne, this one really “stepped on my toes”. All the logic and doing our own thing, trying to justify why I arrive at the door of immorality! Blocking out the voices and thinking I know best — this is what leads to trouble for me. Thank you for this wonderful word… I continue to read and re-read this series and it is speaking to my heart! Love you.

  • julie

    These three messages are amazing…. I see a conference breaking this down and giving time for women to process what each of these things mean in their own lives…
    It reminds me of the idea of how we “trade our heavenly garments,” like the garment of praise and our white robes…for “lesser” loves… garments that our enemy hands us to put on.
    Immorality finds us naked without protection and open to the arrows of the enemy… how this must grieves the one who sees our potential, who sees us protected.
    Thank you, Jesus, for repentance.
    Thanks for processing Mrs. Barbour :-)

  • Shellie Driscoll

    Very well said Miss Anne! My heart rings true with everything that you shared. I am reminded of the song “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” where the words in the song say “prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.”

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