Spiritual Burn-out

Are you feeling that there is something amiss in your spiritual life? You get this funny feeling that there is some thing wrong but you are not able to nail down what it is. Lack of motivation! finding yourself pushing too hard, but constantly fire fighting, juggling options, struggling to meet deadlines, trying out different strategies in work & missions but most of them falling flat, hundreds of things to do but not able to concentrate on one, feels as if people are expecting too much from you and dumping their work on you, of lately has lost your cool often, that too on trivial matters especially on your family; not able to enjoy your quiet time and your conversations with your wife is progressively getting to monosyllables, feel as if your children are craving too much of your time and attention,suddenly there is a feeling of insecurity and anxiousness; there is this premonition that you are on a performance track or on a rat race trying to out-smart, out-scheme and out-class you peers. Wait a minute! Gosh what are you talking about? Good Christians don't do that kind of stuff, that is Sin!

You long to go back to that first love, those days when there was a praise in your mouth, spring in your walk, and a smile on your lips, enjoyed the work and found amazing joy in the presence of the Lord and sharing Him with others. You wonder what went wrong? Deep within us we wish that we  could correct and get back and we constantly try. Sounds too familiar? Beware you are not far away from a "Spiritual burnout". 

Most of us growing up might be familiar with the Kit Kat add which says, "take a break, have a kit kat". It is kind of a no brainer ,but it is good to keep this formula in mind, not to have a Kit Kat but to take a break from all that you are busy with now. The break is not a vacation or a luxury trip to some paradise island, once in a while that is a good idea, in fact we need to have it for our physical and mental well being but the break that I am talking about is to be In His presence. What? I do that all the time. I have a systematic and regular Bible study and prayer life? Is that a break? you might ask. 

Well the break that I am suggesting is to be "still" in God's presence, spending unhurried time with the creator and sustainer of your life. This probably might be the most difficult thing for a mission worker to do as he is always busy, doing activities, attending meetings, traveling, speaking and running ministry probably all  those might be important things, I am not devaluing any of it. But the most crucial thing that  God wants us to do is to be "still" in His presence. It is like filling up our empty and dry reservoir from which we have drained out every bit of power. We need that back desperately, King David longed for it when he cried out in Psalm 27: 4, "One thing I have asked of the Lord that I desire, to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life". That's one thing that could make all the difference, the one thing that make us alive; to be in His presence, to enjoy that fellowship with Him. 

Again he exclaims in Psalm 16:11b "In your presence is fullness of Joy". One critical thing that many of us find missing in our mission work is that 'fullness of Joy' in serving Him, we are finding it more of a drudgery, a burden, frustrating at times, drained out and weak. Some of us might be just going through the motions of ministry.  Moses understood the crucial nature of being in God's presence when he said in Exodus 33: 15, "If your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here". Jesus emphasized this powerful truth in John 15:5b when He said for apart from me you can do nothing. This is what marks a believer, this is the distinguishing feature for a missionary. Abiding in God's presence and drawing upon His resources.We have a amazing promise in Isaiah 40:31, "but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Take a break and Be still in His presence!

"Live-in relationships" what does the Bible say?

"Is it wrong for a couple to live together before marriage?"
  The answer to this question depends somewhat on what is meant by “living together.” If it means having sexual relations, it is definitely wrong. Premarital sex is repeatedly condemned in Scripture, along with all other forms of sexual immorality (Acts 15:20; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; 7:2; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7). The Bible promotes complete abstinence outside of (and before) marriage. Sex before marriage is just as wrong as adultery and other forms of sexual immorality, because they all involve having sex with someone you are not married to.

If “living together” means living in the same house, that is perhaps a different issue. Ultimately, there is nothing wrong with a man and a woman living in the same house—if there is nothing immoral taking place. However, the problem arises in that there is still the appearance of immorality (1 Thessalonians 5:22; Ephesians 5:3), and it could be a tremendous temptation for immorality. The Bible tells us to flee immorality, not expose ourselves to constant temptations to immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Then there is the problem of appearances. A couple who is living together is assumed to be sleeping together—that is just the nature of things. Even though living in the same house is not sinful in and of itself, the appearance of sin is there. The Bible tells us to avoid the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22; Ephesians 5:3), to flee from immorality, and not to cause anyone to stumble or be offended. As a result, it is not honoring to God for a man and a woman to live together outside of marriage.

http://www.gotquestions.org/live-together.html

Is homosexuality a sin?

There is probably no other topic that produces such angry and hateful replies as homosexuality. Saying that homosexuality is a sin is probably the ultimate taboo in current society, even standing the risk of being labeled a fanatic, intolerant person.

The question of whether homosexuality is a sin has become the “third rail,” if you touch it, you will be electrocuted! Those who are promoting the homosexual agenda purposefully attack with over-the-top outrage and vitriol in order to frighten and discourage Christians from speaking out on the issue. If you believe homosexuality is a sin, you hate homosexuals. If you believe what the Bible says about homosexuality, you are a hateful, homophobic bigot. The gay rights movement has gone far beyond fighting for equal rights. They are now, in fact, fighting to take away the free speech rights of those with whom they disagree. How long before it becomes illegal to say that homosexuality is a sin? How long before the search engines begin banning any sites that state homosexuality is a sin?

The Bible absolutely condemns homosexuality as an immoral and unnatural sin (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9). Homosexuality is a result of the Fall. The Fall has infected the entire human race with sin, and sin warps, twists, and distorts what God created us to be. Homosexuality is clearly a perversion of the created order. Obviously, men and women were designed to “fit” together sexually. One does not have to believe what the Bible teaches in order to recognize that homosexuality is not the way things are supposed to be. The obviousness of the sinful nature of homosexuality is likely the reason why the gay rights movement responds which such hate towards anyone who dares to question the rightness or normalness of the lifestyle. If it was not so obviously unnatural, if it was so clearly normal, there would be no need for the gay rights movement to be so vitriolic.

Sadly, some Christians (and/or some who claim to be Christians), take the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality and apply/proclaim it in hateful ways. Groups like Westboro Baptist Church make it very difficult for the true Christian message to be heard and understood. What is the true biblical message? Yes, homosexuality is a sin, but no, homosexuality is not worse than any other sin. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God can and will forgive the sin of homosexuality, just as He will forgive any other sin. Once a person has received forgiveness and salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, God can and will help a person to overcome the sin of homosexuality. There are thousands of examples of homosexuals find victory over and freedom from the sin of homosexuality (for examples, see Exodus International).

Probably the most difficult homosexuality-related question is: if a homosexual receives Jesus Christ as Savior, will he/she be instantly and permanently healed of all homosexual desires? Sometimes the answer is a resounding yes. Other times, homosexual impulses are a lifelong struggle. God does not deliver us from our sinful nature until we leave this world and join Him in heaven. ALL Christians struggle with sin. To say that a Christian can struggle with other sins, but not the sin of homosexuality, is unbiblical. The key word, though, is “struggle.” The Christian life is a struggle against sin, not a life of bondage to sin. Is it possible for a true Christian to give in to homosexual temptations? Yes, it is, just as it is possible for a true Christian to give in to heterosexual temptations.

Again, the biblical message is: (1) homosexuality is a sin, (2) but homosexuality is no greater sin than any other sin, and (3) God’s forgiveness, salvation, and ultimately deliverance is just as available to the homosexual as it is to everyone else. May we all remember the words of Ephesians 4:15, “…speaking the truth in love…”
http://www.blogos.org/gotquestions/homosexuality-sin.html
http://www.gotquestions.org/homosexuality-Bible.html