2 Corinthians 7:11

Yesterday around 4:00 I was home by myself watching  football and work on a kitchen sketch on my computer.  When it hit me.  An all-out assault on the visual area of my mind.  The visual rolodex came a live and I got inundated with pornographic images.  It was absolutely overwhelming.  I dwelled and I panicked for several minutes.  Hear me I wanted to go down that road, but I didn’t want to go down that road.   That road is death.  That road hurts my lord, that road hurts my wife.  That road is full of death traps and is a dead end.  So I sent a 911 text to the men I meet with and prayed a short prayer and then opened my kindle to the mirror bible.  Looked at the table contents and felt led to 2 Corinthians 7. 

What happened next was amazing.   7:3 there is no hint of condemnation in my message; I have always maintained that our hearts are joined with you in death and in life. 7:4 I am absolutely persuaded about you and take great pride in you; we are seamlessly one; therefore my joy rises above all sense of claustrophobia. 7:5 when we first arrived in Macedonia we had no chance to relax for a moment; we were literally thronged by trouble; we faced conflict on every side and felt deeply alarmed. 7:6 how wonderful it is to discover God’s comforting closeness when you feel like a bird that cannot rise in flight to escape the fowler; this time God’s closeness was reinforced in the arrival of Titus!  For me the arrival of Titus signifies me taking those thoughts captive and drawing near to Him. 

7:10 To anchor one’s thoughts in God’s thoughts when faced with difficult or painful experiences brings escape from sorrow and leaves one with no regrets; but oh, what a dreadful contrast is the world system (of the law of karma and works) which adds regret upon sorrow! Whereas the one brings such immediate relief, the other seems to be an inescapable deathtrap!  7:11 consider how this very thing that caused you such initial grief has turned your attention to God! It revived an immediate sense of urgency to realize your position in grace; almost like when your arm is twisted and locked behind your back, and your own efforts to clear or save yourselves were completely neutralized. You were greatly alarmed with an intense desire and burning zeal to re-endorse the basis of your righteousness. And so in everything your blameless innocence is vindicated!

The 911 is the subject line in my text that I need prayer and need it now.  It goes to the five men I meet with every week.  I received three texts and two phone calls.  That was awesome!  Thank you Jesus.

Do you have 911 men and women in your life right now?   As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another!