There was a powerful movie on TCM last night. It showed what happens when men, even great men, fail to take care of their inner lives and look for a woman to meet their spiritual needs. The film is a classic as is related in this movie review.
The story of Cleopatra, the famous queen of Egypt. Having been driven out of the palace by her jealous brother, she regains her title with the help of the visiting Roman emperor, Julius Caesar. Determined to unite Egypt and Rome in a great empire, she seduces him and bears his child. After he is murdered, she returns to Egypt and is followed by his general Marc Antony on whom she also works her wiles.
Caesar's successor, Octavian, wages war on the two of them. Antony is winning a great victory but when she runs from the battle he bolts as well like a man possessed. He thus sacrifices a sure victory and eternal fame to pursue the woman who possesses him.
Many men are like Marc Antony and sacrifice years of marriage, ministry and money to pursue a woman whom they must possess. I have spoken to several such men and at the time of the pursuit their rationale makes no logical or rational sense. They start to think about polygamy, secret and private "marriages", and how their church, wife and family will understand if they just explain how God has brought them together.
Most of the men to whom I am referring have been deeply involved in the life of God's Spirit but something happened to plug the flow. In the same way that men who turn to pornography are in reality substituting a female as an idolatrous exchange for the Spirit a real woman serves the same purpose.
Pornography is NOT the problem. We can stop every porn site on the web and burn every Playboy magazine but it will have no effect on ridding us of this issue. The problem lies in the heart not in the eye.
Sex is not the problem.
Marc Antony needed God not Cleopatra. A man who falls for another woman is almost always mad at God or disappointed with God or both. He is also mad at his wife and unable to pray, worship or rest in the Spirit.
Take another look at my post on Addictions. Churches that squash the Holy Spirit are asking for trouble. Only God can cure the heart and soul. Only God can cure pornography and adultery.
posted by Gary Sweeten @ Friday, July 28, 2006
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home