Faith in Jesus Christ

“Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord
Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to
be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand
every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the
Lord Jesus Christ” (Alma 37:33).

I think for most of my growing up years, and the first few years of my marriage after my addiction resurfaced, I thought that it would just take will power to get over it.  I expected friends or priesthood leaders to hold me accountable, and i expected to be able to keep one foot in the addiction by viewing soft-core, or other titillating  material while telling myself that as long as I avoided hardcore pornography that I was okay.

Sometimes the addiction cycle felt like a slow ferris wheel, other times it felt like a tilt-a-whirl, but always i felt like the addiction was in control and that I was at its mercy.

It wasn't until I realized (and I'm still realizing this every day), that I needed to leave myself at Christ's mercy in order to no longer be at the mercy of my addiction.  Today I know better than ever that Christ is in control, if I let him be.  That his mercy and grace are sufficient for me if I humble myself and do his will. If i serve and sacrifice and love and pray and repent and rely on his goodness, then I have the power to overcome my weaknesses, to make them strengths, and to use my own challenges to help others.

"Self-Imposed Isolation"

"Eventually you will find yourself ready to
kneel and pray aloud. You will find how good it feels to
express your feelings and needs to God. You will feel you
have reopened a conversation with someone who will
always answer you, not always with a yes but always with
love. At last you will begin to experience the healing
effects of breaking out of self-imposed isolation."

Self-Isolation is an interesting concept in light of that famous footsteps poem. I don't think God ever really withdraws from us.  we can shut out the Holy Ghost from our hearts but he is always right outside the door, so to speak, waiting for us to let him back in.  We isolate ourselves by holding up something in front of our eyes so closely that it blocks out the reality that the Savior is standing right beside us. We isolate ourselves by closing our eyes tightly, by turning our head, by plugging our ears, by screaming to be "left alone" because sometimes dealing with the truth seems to hard.

But I think it seems most hard when we don't see hope for ourselves.  If all we see are our failures and mistakes, then its hard to feel God's love, hard to accept that he accepts us, hard to be okay with being human.


Consider Alma's words to Corianton, who, of all the characters in the scriptures, is probably our best example of a recovering sex addict (though there is not suggestion that he was addicted, only that he allowed himself to be tempted away by a harlot--which is kind of how it starts for all of us, right?"

 30 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the ^ajustice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his ^bmercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in ^chumility.

I must be humble in order to see God in my life, in order to bring myself out of isolation.  I appreciate that Alma exhorted his son not only to focus on the justice of God, but also on his mercy and his long-suffering.  These are the two characteristics of God that allow the atonement to work in my life, but they are also the two that I have to choose to take advantage of.  God won't save me in my sins, nor will he force me to repent, but he will be merciful when Ido repent, and he will suffer my infirmities, weaknesses, and habits as long as it takes for me to turn to him.

I am turning to him today.

"The action required in step 2 is simply to become willing to practice believing in the love and mercy of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the accessibility and blessing of the Holy Ghost."

-AC

Putting Trust in the Lord

When Nephi felt overwhelmed, in whom did he place his trust? What can you do to place more trust in the Lord?

Nephi put his trust in the Lord, always.  But what does that mean to trust the lord?  It means I believe him when he tells me something, that I accept his promises and act accordingly.


So what are the Lord's promises that I can trust in?

I was just thinking about this the other day. I trust God completely when it comes to tithing. When we pay our tithing the Lord provides for us. I have tested that promise over and over again and I believe it--no, scratch that--I know the Law of tithing is a true law and I know that the promises associated with the law of tithing always play out. I know this.  Its not a matter of faith anymore. I've seen it over and over and over again. I know it as clearly as I know the sun will rise in the morning.

Alright, that may be an overstatement.  I don't go to bed in the morning feeling hopeful, yet a little nervous about the prospect of the sun rising, but I do feel hopeful and a little nervous when I write a tithing check.    But i have seen it over and over again--the windows of heaven opening up and receiving so many blessings that we cannot receive them.

So if God's promises are true with tithing, then they will be true with all his commandments.

Then what are the commandments associated with pornography addiction?

From True to the Faith

Chastity is sexual purity, a condition that is “pleasing unto God” ( Jacob 2:7). To be chaste, you must be morally clean in your thoughts, words, and actions. You must not have any sexual relations before you are legally married. When you are married, you must be completely faithful to your husband or wife. 

From Matthew

“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:27–28)

Fom the Doctrine and Covenants

“Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else. And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out” (D&C 42:22–23)

From 1 Corinthians

"Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"(1 Corinthians 6:18-19)

From Genesis

 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

 From Jacob

"For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts."

So these are the commandments that make up the Law of Chastity. "No sexual relations except between husband and wife legally and lawfully wedded - be morally clean in thought, word, and action.

And the associated promises?

Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

Promised Blessings:

• Confidence in your standing with God
• Receive blessings of doctrines of the priethood (priesthood power, fatherhood)
• Companionship of Holy Ghost
• Righteous Judgment
• eternal increase (everlasting dominions)

So have come to keep the law of tithing because I have tested it and over and over again, the Lord has fulfilled his  promises. How can I transfer that faith to the law of Chastity? These promises are amazing.

Do I trust the Lord enough to live up to them?

How do I trust the Lord? By not putting my own rationalization or curiosity over his commandments.  By believing him when he warns me and when he promises me.

His Promises are true. I know it.  I should act like it.