"Sexual Lust: Let Him That Thinks He Stands, Take Heed..."

                
In one of my devotional books today, this reading (above) appeared.  If you have a second, read the definition of LUST given in paragraph two.  That has GOT to be one of THE best summations of WHAT (sexual) Lust is, and why it is WRONG to lust!!  I read it in admiration of its precision until it hit me who the author was....BILL HYBELS (underlined.)

Pastor Hybels HIMSELF, sadly, fell prey to sexual sin (I wrote about this in my blog of Sept. 13th, 2018) and, as far as I know, was correctly removed as pastor of a 25,000 member church because of it. (Apparently, the devotional book which reprinted his quote today was compiled the year before Hybels's fall). THIS (Hybels's fall) DOES NOT NEGATE THE TRUTH OF HIS QUOTE ABOUT LUST!!  IT ONLY PROVES THAT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST ***KNOW*** THE TRUTH OR TO ***SPEAK*** THE TRUTH, WE HAVE TO ***PRACTICE*** THE TRUTH.  

In Hybels's case, he didn't "practice what he preached" but even those of us who AREN'T pastors, who DON'T preach (at least not regularly) need to beware.  Why, if DAVID, "The man after God's own heart" can fall, well, so can WE if we don't guard our hearts and our thoughts and if we don't take PRECAUTIONS against this sin.  I suggest reading, and HEEDING the rest of this devotional to help you fight Lust.  

And remember the words of Scripture: "LET HIM THAT THINKS HE STANDS TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL."  When you read of Bill Hybels's fall don't let it fill you with pride that it "hasn't happened to YOU yet." Be filled with FEAR!!  And remember...knowing something is wrong and WHY it is wrong is not as important as DOING WHAT'S RIGHT.