Spiritual Adultery and the Passionate Love of God

By Shirley Ewing

Spiritual Adultery & The Passionate Love of God has been in process for over 30 years. It was birthed because of three major life crises.

Learn to discern God's voice from every other voice

Understand what Spiritual Adultery means to the Creator

Know how deeply incredible God's love isfor you!

Honestly make Him "First" in your life

"I am persuaded that neither death nor life,

nor angels nor principalities nor powers,

nor things present nor things to come,

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38, 39 (NKJV)

Shirley Ewing has ministered for more than 50 years in a variety of settings:

Principal/Teacher of a Christian School

Women's Aglow Fellowship, later becoming Aglow International, teaching/speaking, organizing retreats/workshops; leading Bible Studies, Support Groups and Prayer Groups

Financial Aid Counselor for a western Colorado college

Owned and operated Welcome House, a Christian Bookstore

Ewing has a B.S. Degree in Child Development and an M.S. Degree in Guidance and Counseling. She lives on the Western Slope of Colorado with her husband of more than 20 years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 3, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490805368

Shirley Ewing

Au bio included in BCC. Au does not want to change at all

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Copyright © 2013 Shirley Ewing.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

All Scripture taken from the New King James Version except where otherwise specified. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations in this publications are from The Message. Copyright (c) by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

King James Study Bible © 1999 Thomas Nelson; (February 15, 1999)

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-0535-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-0536-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013914736

WestBow Press rev. date: 8/30/2013

Table of Contents

Dedication

Epigraph

Preface

Acknowledgment

Introduction A Crumbling Foundation

Chapter 1 Something More

Chapter 2 Spiritual Adultery—What Is It?

Chapter 3 Antidote For Spiritual Adultery

Chapter 4 Christians Divorce?—Unthinkable!

Chapter 5 Dreams, Surprises, Prophetic Words

Chapter 6 Exodus To The Land Of Our Forefathers

Chapter 7 Joy Unspeakable!*

Conclusion

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Dedication

TO THE HEAVENLY FATHER, MY DADDY; TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, MY SAVIOR; AND TO THE EVER-PRESENT HOLY SPIRIT

AND

TO MY BELOVED SON, PAUL,

WHO WENT HOME TO BE WITH JESUS

JUNE 17, 2013

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Epigraph

The dearest idol I have known,

Whate'er that idol be,

Help me to tear it from Thy throne

And worship only Thee.

Cowper

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;

I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

Psalm 17:15 NKJV

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Preface

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.

Philippians 3:10

You may ask, "Why in the world would anyone want to write a book on 'spiritual adultery'—What is it anyhow?"

The desire to write on this subject has grown in me for more than 30 years. In the '70s, when a spiritual awakening was taking place in California, my hungry heart was stirred by the Holy Spirit. Then 'life' got in the way; the desire to write would come and go. However, during this past year, a word from God came forth through my pastor: There are some of you here who have a book in you that needs to come out; it doesn't have to be a big book. I received that as a 'NOW' confirmation for getting this done "for such a time as this (Esther 4:14)."

A second confirmation came to me from God's written word, which I have embraced as my personal mandate to get this book done NOW! "O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come (Psalm 71:17, 18)."

And a third confirming word has just presented itself. The day before America's historical presidential election of 2012, an old hymn came to mind before I got out of bed: Battle Hymn of the Republic. The words are powerful and timely. (See verses at the end of 'Preface'). I truly believe America needs, and will experience another spiritual awakening. The last several years have shown greater and greater decline in America's love for God, for reading His word, for prayer, and for integrity of Biblical principals; it's also easy to see that turmoil is everywhere on planet Earth.

This message is written to you maturing disciples who are yearning to know Jesus Christ with all your heart, to listen for the Holy Spirit's whisper, and to immediately do what your Father asks of you—NOT concerned about what it may cost you!

The world, the flesh and the devil will always be vying for our affections, but they don't come close to matching the powerful, passionate love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! The choice is always ours.

The early events of this story took place in the 1970s in Central California; the rest in the mountains of Colorado.

Throughout this journey I asked the Lord to always make me aware of the sin in my heart. Well, He did, and does—because he loves me. He led me through a series of lessons on 'discernment,' for which I am so grateful. I know His forgiveness and restoration, the joy of repentance, and His abundant grace and mercy.

Bringing understanding to the subject of 'spiritual adultery' required an enormous amount of research, the bulk of which was gleaned from the Bible, concordances and commentaries, plus some information from the internet—always seeking direction from the Holy Spirit.

I've attempted to weave together the research along with my personal story. The characters are real people, but their names have been changed in an effort to be sensitive to those I love.

"Spiritual adultery" has taken on a much deeper meaning for me over the years. As my heavenly Father and I have grown closer, I sense more and more His heartache over His children, the Church, who are committing this grievous sin to one degree of another.

All God has ever desired is that we would know Him, and respond to His incredible love for us. That's also my hope for those who are drawn to this story by the Holy Spirit.

BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He has loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;

His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;

They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;

His day is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never sound retreat;

He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat;

O be swift, my soul, to answer Him! Be jubilant, my feet!

Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me;

As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free.

While God is marching on.

Refrain: Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Glory, Glory, hallelujah!

Our God is marching on.

The New Church Hymnal

Copyright 1976 by Lexicon Music, Inc.

Lyrics by Julia W. Howe

Traditional American melody

Page 577

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Acknowledgment

PAUL AND WAYNE, my beloved sons, who blessed me with the funds to publish my book. Thank you with all my heart.

CYNTHIA JUNE HANSEN has been with me (has prayed, listened to me and to the Lord; has read and reread revision after revision;