CARNAL

For some this is a bad thing. It does deal with pleasures of the body not related to spiritual or intellectual pursuits.

But that doesn't mean it is necessarily always a bad thing. Only that if it not channeled in a positive way it can be detrimental.

There are those who would define carnal as something without any value. Which might detract from the simple reality that it is a part of our bodies.

We were never meant to truly meant to live lives without feelings or desires. Some might suggest following God takes that turn.

But in reality if God didn't want us to have such passions, they would not be part of life. The problem isn't with them being in life, but with how we chose to satisfy them.

And pretending or lying about them will not improve our lives or behaviors. But still some of the teachings in the faith would imply this was the case.

That we could somehow live a life absent of basic desires. It is true that some have for the sake of worship abstained from a given behavior, but it isn't meant to be our daily ritual as a rule.

This is the confusion. And when teaching in the meeting houses make this the focus point then all that happens is that faith is replaced by legalism.

Which never improves one's relationship with the Lord. It merely suppressed its intended focus.

Some will live their whole lives in such misery. They will lose their joy and the simple ability to savor our faith as intended.

But if we do this in a way that will truly bring about the right response, there comes a balance.

The simple ability to enjoy what was intended from God and do so without guilt. This comes with understanding about faith and grace.

That word grace is the one that often is not embrace in church. It isn't preached or taught enough.

Which is the age old problem of seeing faith as works and not a free gift from the Lord. This is where the heat gets snared on so many levels.

We can move ahead only with the Lords help. And some will learn this lesson, others will not.