Christian Living

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It was one of those April days in East Texas guaranteed to bring May flowers. My quiet time by the lake this morning didn’t include a sunrise because the gray, rumbling, tumbling clouds prevented the yellow orb from peeking through. My fiancée, Mickey, had asked me to come by for coffee at the guy’s staff house after my time with the Lord. I was thinking a ride back to the girl’s dorm might work since the weather was so threatening this Saturday morning.

“Hi, come on in. I have coffee for you, looks like you could use a bit to warm up? I have an idea too….”

“Yum, good coffee, thanks! What’s your brainstorm?”

“Well, remember how you’re always talking about walking in the rain? Looks like today might be the day for it?”

“Nice guy, getting me warmed up and then taking me the long way home to freeze – but it sounds like fun!”

He HAD been listening. A walk in the rain would be irresistible. How could I say no?

The YWAM Ranch at Twin Oaks used to be a Teen Challenge center. It was like a small town with pastures, lakes (prior to Teen Challenge we understood that it was a fish hatchery with 5 lake sized ponds over the property) and houses scattered here and there. The main part included a “boardwalk” where there was a Laundromat, classrooms, a library and hotel for guests. In another area there was a gym and dining hall with the huge kitchen where most of us ate our meals. This all was spread over 500-600 acres so we had quite an area to walk over.

By the time we finished our coffee the drops had started plopping. It was a bit coolish but not too terrible as I was incredulous that this guy actually wanted to go for a walk in the rain with me instead of thinking I was silly.

We were walking by one of the staff homes and Mick wanted to say hi to a friend. “Come on, let’s see if Bob is home.”

Pretty soon, we realized no one was there as there was no one answering our knock. The rain was coming down in sheets by then and Mick was kind of nudging me across the front of the house. It was then I heard Niagara Falls and looked over in time to see a messed up downspout with a waterfalls pouring over the area that should have been draining that downspout.

“Oh, no you don’t!” I was seeing the twinkle in his eyes and knowing what he had in mind was going to mean a total drenching.

“Hey, how can you walk in the rain without getting a shower?” My carpenter was definitely a bit stronger then I. Soon I found myself “baptized” from the top of my long brown hair to the sandals on my feet.

“Your turn!” Somehow I managed to swing him over under that waterfalls too.

We were both laughing, sputtering a bit chilly and totally wet. Our shoes making a squishing noise with each step we took.

We got back out to the road and one of the staff ladies was driving by. “Hey, jump in and I’ll give you two a ride.”

“But Fran, we are all soaked clear through – your car would be a mess….”

“Come on, it isn’t going to hurt the car.”

We got rescued with a ride back to Mick’s house and then picked up his truck. Little by little we were getting to know each other. Likes and dislikes, wounded parts and strengths, what certain scriptures meant to each of us and discussing deeper things of the Lord. We prayed for family, friends and direction from the Lord for us.

The following are some more of the teachings many of us at YWAM has listened to in the evenings after a whole day of lectures. It was enlightening and much needed.


LASCIVIOUSNESS or DEFRAUDING
WARNINGS
Sex is any physical involvement before marriage: heavy “making out”, petting or intercourse. As singles we can be complete only in Jesus. Marriage does NOT complete us. Our companion is to accent our life and ministry.

What happens with physical involvement?

Galatians 5:13-24 (New King James Version)
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Walking in the Spirit

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

1. You live for SELF rather than God

2. You do have the freedom to choose what you want to do

3. You can choose purity or reaping what you sowed –with the consequences going on and on.

Some of these writings are based on a lecture series called Sex and Dating by Dale Crall and are used with his permission. Thank you Dale!

There are many more articles in this series if you enjoyed this one you might want to read the others!

Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

(C) Marijo Phelps all rights reserved. Use with proper credits.

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