Has anyone ever chased a tornado? How about stayed in the path of a hurricane? Lived at the base of an active volcano? Perhaps played golf in a lightning storm? Many people have risked their lives like this countless times. Living each moment as if it were their last. Why?
    We all go through life doing things that test the limits of, not only our knowledge, but our abilities as well. For example, there are people that try to ski atop avalanches, swim across crocodile infested rivers, skydive into a sandstorm, surf on a tidal wave, and race cars across frozen lakes. These people know what they are doing is extremely dangerous. Yet they do it anyway. Because they feel they have to prove that they have mastered that part of nature. Yet, there are things that we cannot control.
    For example, we cannot control the weather. It is beyond our control, so that when a tornado or flood or hurricane happens, we feel completely powerless to do anything to fight against it. We can also feel this way when things that come "naturally" to us need to be fought. And that is what I am discussing this week. Those things we are naturally inclined to do, that we should not do. I'm going to address 2 of the biggest this week. So let's get started.

Natural Thing number One:  The Sexual Urge

    It is very natural to want to have sex. Not only is it natural, but by the secular world, it's downright encouraged. The problem lies in the fact that God prohibits sexual activity before marriage, in order to keep the marriage bed Holy, and to keep you from succumbing to other lusts. As it says in Corinthians 5:9-12, "When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I was not talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or who are greedy or are swindlers or are idol worshippers, you would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. What I meant was you are not to associate  with anyone who claims to be a Christian yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Don't even eat with such people."
    So as you can see from the Bible verse above, sex before marriage is bad. Let me say that another way, SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE IS AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD!

Natural Thing number Two: Lying

    How many of you have ever told a big lie? How about a little white lie? Perhaps you stretched the truth just a tad, to make something sound better than it really was?? Well, unfortunately, all of those paraphrases mean the same thing. YOU LIED. There is no difference to God. A small lie is just as wrong as a huge lie. They are both judged the same way; as a lie. It is a natural thing for people to do, especially when they want to cover their own mistakes. A lie can come quickly. Remember the verse above about swindlers? What does a swindler do? A swindler lies. They make promises they have no intention of  keeping. Proverbs 12:22, "The Lord hates those who don't keep their word, but delights in those who do." You cannot lie and still obey the word of God. It is completely impossible. God despises a lying tongue. And think about it, would a Being of Complete Truth want to associate with someone who lies? Why would a Christian want to be associated with someone who lies? Think about it.

    Some people tell you that it's only natural to do this, or only natural to do that, but the fact is, we may be created from a natural surrounding, but we are NOT only natural. We have the Spirit of the Living God inside of us, which means, I for one, do not want to be a cave dweller who carries around a big stick to bash animals in the head with for food, and grab my women by the hair and drag them around, and eat raw foods sacrificed to rocks and trees. If you want to live that way, then you don't belong in the Kingdom of God. If you want to be a Spirit filled human being, then the Lord waits for you.
    
Until Next Week..