Have you ever made a silly decision because you were a victim of deception?

Camille - Hampton, Georgia

I am 31 years old and I wonder and I ask God often why I have been through some of the things I have been through. Why did I have to give myself to so many men, use drugs, drink heavy, have a child out of wedlock, hang with criminals, have an abortion, be raped, and other terrible things? I remember when Dr. Wanda Turner came and spoke at my church she said that "your mess will be your message." Still, I ask God why I did the things I did. I never wanted my life to be this way. I was raised in the church!! I wanted to just be saved and go to heaven. When I started to get on the right track and the Word became real to me, this life became much harder. I realize that I could lose my soul and go to hell. I have to ask myself daily, "If I died right now, would I go to heaven?" Most of the time my answer is no and I have to repeat the sinner's prayer and thank God for giving me another chance. The devil never showed me what I would have to deal with after the sins were committed.

Question: In your last lesson you said that some of the women in the Bible who were harlots were some of the most powerful women after being restored by God. How is that possible?

Answer:

I am convinced that your story will be a blessing to many women who have gone through struggles that are very similar to yours. First, I want to address the issue of you saying the “Sinner’s Prayer” over and over again. I am certainly not saying that it’s okay for you to go out a sin whenever you feel like it, but you’re not going to be perfect overnight. In fact, if you live another fifty years, you’ll still have things to work on in your life. Philippians 1:6 says …He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Change and spiritual maturity do not happen overnight. Stop beating yourself up and let the Lord work on your life - one day at a time. Pray, study the Word and stay close to your church fellowship. The Lord will do the rest. As for the Lord mightily using women who were once sinners, there are many stories in the Bible of the Lord changing weak, silly women into strong, godly leaders of the church. Mary Magdalene was one of them. Jesus wants us to serve Him with an attitude of gratitude and passion. Those who are the most grateful are those who have been healed and delivered by the Lord. In Luke 8, a woman who was a sinner came to Jesus and washed his feet with her tears. Jesus said in verse 47, her sins which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to those who have not sinned greatly, the same loved little. For this reason, Jesus loves and forgives sinners – and he loves you in a very special way.

Blessings, Terri

Linda – San Dimas, CA

I can relate to being both silly and also the woman at the well. I have been married four times and finally I married the man that God ordained for me. In the past I made a lot of silly choices around relationships. Somehow I always had the personal conviction to at the very least be "married". However, I had my own "woman at the well" experience and I am now a true worshipper of God. He has transformed my life and I can now tell others "to come see a man who told me all I ever did - could this be the Christ?' He is the Christ and Lord in my life and I praise him. Now I share with unmarried women how to discern the character of a godly man – and not be the silly woman found in 2 Timothy 3.

Joynik

Have you ever made a silly decision because you were a victim of deception?

When I was young in the faith I had a brief affair with a married minister because I thought it would somehow make me 'normal'. Normal meaning I was sexually active and involved like the other women in my life. In my mind he was safe because he was married, a traveling evangelist, and most of a man of God. What I did not realize at the time was the fact that I was reasoning out of a severe case of self deception, also known as poor self-esteem. I prostituted myself by flirting with someone 20 years my senior who was more than happy to help me 'be normal'. I knew up front that it was wrong but it did not stop me. After a few encounters I found myself feeling everything but normal. I was ashamed, self loathing, humiliated, and guilt ridden. I repented and did not look back. But it took quite some time working with a godly mentor to discover the root of my deception. When I did it felt like all of the pieces of my life fell into place. God used her to help me see that my value was predetermined by him and him alone. Furthermore, my value could not be altered or substituted in the arms of a man.I learned, much later, that he went home with an unscathed conscience and started another relationship that led to his dismissal from the pastorate. In my readings I ran across an object lesson that drove the point home for good. Here's the story as I remember it:
A teacher reached into her purse and pulled out a crisp $20 dollar bill. She took a pen and wrote on it and then asked if the bank would still accept it. When everyone agreed she crumbled it up and asked the same question. Then she tore it in half. She asked a series of rhetorical questions to thing about: Is it still a $20 bill? Will the bank still accept it? Did its worth change even though it has been scarred with a pencil, crumbled and torn? She equated the tares, wrinkles and writings to our sins and infirmities. Then she taped the pieces back together and shared the message of salvation.
I can’t be deceived about my self worth any more. God filled that brokenness in my spirit and now I am whole.

Rose Robinson – Pasadena, CA

How could I do something so silly?
About 8 years ago, a relative passed away and on my way home from the service I met a man. I told him my cousin just passed and he opened his arms and I fell in. This man listened to me as I cried like a baby. He told me things about myself, how deep inside I missed being held. All the while I knew this was not going to last because he was married. But I found (what I thought at the time) was a friend,. When I talked and he was there to listen. When we embraced, I just fell in. About 2 months after the friendship started, I was asked to sing special music at church. While I was singing, I felt like God might strike me with lighting and kill me. How dare I befriend a married man and get up and sing His praise. I was so scared… you talk about the fear of God. I told my pastor that I needed to get something straight before I could sing again and I told him why. He agreed that what I was doing was not right and once again I was crying like a baby. At that moment I said to God, "Please, I need what you have for me in a mate and I will wait because You know what’s best for me."

After 25 years of a happy single life...
along came my husband Charles Solomon
Weddng Date: October 15, 2005
Keep hope alive!