Touch Not the Unclean Thing…

Today is August 7th

I try each day in my Bible study to read the Proverb corresponding to the date. So today I was reading Proverbs 7.

Here it is as translated in the NAB-The New American Bible. I usually prefer the KJV, but for this proverb I think it translated well for modern time.

1

My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands.

2

Keep my commands and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye;

3

Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.

4

Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister!” call Understanding, “Friend!”

5

That they may keep you from another’swife, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

6

For at the window of my house, through my lattice I looked out–

7

And I saw among the simple ones, I observed among the young men, a youth with no sense,

8

Going along the street near the corner, then walking in the direction of her house–

9

In the twilight, at dusk of day, at the time of the dark of night.

10

And lo! the woman comes to meet him, robed like a harlot, with secret designs–

11

She is fickle and unruly, in her home her feet cannot rest;

12

Now she is in the streets, now in the open squares, and at every corner she lurks in ambush–

13

When she seizes him, she kisses him, and with an impudent look says to him:

14      I owed peace offerings, and today I have fulfilled my vows;

15

So I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I have found you!

16

With coverlets I have spread my couch, with brocaded cloths of Egyptian linen;

17

I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.

18

“Come, let us drink our fill of love, until morning, let us feast on love!

19

For my husband is not at home, he has gone on a long journey;

20

A bag of money he took with him, not till the full moon will he return home.”

21

She wins him over by her repeated urging, with her smooth lips she leads him astray;

22

He follows her stupidly, like an ox that is led to slaughter; Like a stag that minces toward the net,

23

till an arrow pierces its liver; Like a bird that rushes into a snare, unaware that its life is at stake.

24

So now, O children, listen to me, be attentive to the words of my mouth!

25

Let not your heart turn to her ways, go not astray in her paths;

26

For many are those she has struck down dead, numerous, those she has slain.

27

Her house is made up of ways to the nether world, leading down into the chambers of death.

This struck me, this proverb, because last night I was in downtown Greensboro with my husband and as I was walking on the sidewalk of the main street, Elm St., I was struck by the women that were walking around and in particular their attire or lack thereof. 

I know our culture encourages women to put all that they have on display, but it just seemed to me to be getting worse and worse. I was concerned for my husband since he has to do business and is around the area a lot. The women looked like prostitutes. Whether they were or not, I don’ know, but it truly saddened me.  These poor souls are following down the wide pathof our Godless culture. They are simply modeling what they see in the media. And even for Christians, I must admit, most of us are not as modest as perhaps we should be. I admit to some vanity, I like to keep up with fashion to some extent. I don’ t really have an urge to were a head-covering or skirts to my ankles. I guess I feel it looks out of place. But when I think of it, should not we as Christian women act as we are called to by God “to be in the world, but not of the world.”  1John 2:15-17.

Just looking about, it is easy to see the truth of the scripture, that the World is waxing worse and worse. I am not shocked, but sad about it.  I hope that Christian women will be able to not look just like the world. I am not Amish or a Mennonite, but some form of modesty, is good I believe. I also believe that modesty is in ones’ deportment and how one carries one’sself, not simply in clothing choice. If a woman carries herself with dignity and humility;I believe that shows outwardly and men will know where she is coming from. But the opposite is true as referred to the ‘impudent’ look of the harlot. Impudent meaning “Brashly bold and immodest”. ref: American Heritage Dictionary.  I cannot expect worldly women to be modest, they will go about alluring men and causing them to lust, but Christian women should know better and do better, myself included.

To Christian men: The three things that we must be careful to guard against says the Lord are: The lust of the flesh, The lust of the eyes, and the Pride of Life. These are the things which are in the World. I hope we will remember also what Jesus said-”Come out from among them and be you separate, touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you.” 2 Cor. 6:17.  I know as we all do that men are driven to lust by their eyes,fairly easily. So men, I am know it must be a daily battle for you. But keep up the good fight. We need Godly men to show the way.

We are all being bombarded and inundated constantly by “unclean” things. I pray we will come out and walk as lights in this world as we are called. Let us not lose our “saltiness” If we do, then what good are we?

In Encouragement,

LG

R U “Born-Again” or “Porn-Again”?

SAD!

The category of Life is one of the main categories on my blog. And Christian Life, specifically, is my focus as I am a Christian and am concerned about my walking uprightly with Christ.  The topic of pornography, specifically online pornography has become of great concern to me.

The statistics that I have found reveal that porn addiction is not just something that non-believers are dealing with . Here are some disturbing statistics from a good site called lightedcandle.org

A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event.

51% of pastors say cyber-porn is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle (Christianity Today, Leadership Survey, 12/2001).

Over half of evangelical pastors admits viewing pornography last year.

Roger Charman of Focus on the Family’s Pastoral Ministries reports that approximately 20 percent of the calls received on their Pastoral Care Line are for help with issues such as pornography and compulsive sexual behavior.

In a 2000 Christianity Today survey, 33% of clergy admitted to having visited a sexually explicit Web site. Of those who had visited a porn site, 53% had visited such sites “a few times” in the past year, and 18% visit sexually explicit sites between a couple of times a month and more than once a week.

57% of pastors say that addiction to pornography is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation
(Christians and Sex Leadership Journal Survey, March 2005).

So you can see just from these limited cited stats., Christians,we are clearly letting the flesh rule over our spirit. This is spiritual adultery and it is very grievous to God. This is gross sin.  I am not immune, I have, out of morbid curiosity viewed porn sites. It is horrible and the images are indeed difficult to erase from one’s mind. I do not view it habitually, I hate porn, it is ruining my marriage and the marriages of many others. The porn takes away all dignity from both men and women and reduces them to body parts or fantasy fetishes. It’s a LIE it is NOT REAL.

I understand that porn addiction is just like drug addiction. Once a person becomes ensnared by it, it becomes compulsive for them and they feel as if the MUST do it to get a release. Do they get a release? Yes they do, but only for a moment. Its like crack, it hits the neural receptors for dopamine in the brain and releases “feel good” chemicals called endorphins. But after the momentary bliss comes the weight of guilt and condemnation comes. That is unless one has become so hardened of heart through this sin that he or she no longer feels convicted, which is truly TRAGIC.

I wonder, Where is Christians FEAR OF GOD? I understand that many justify sin in their mind, hey we are all human and are sinful by nature. But if we claim to know Jesus, then we know He sees and knows all that we do. Will the porn addiction or other sin cause us to lose our salvation? Only God can judge that and I certainly hope not. However it makes us as Christians of no earthly good.  The sin robs us of our closeness with God and our worth. It causes people to lose their identity of who they are in Christ. It limits our ability to witness to a lost and dying world, and if we do, we will feel like hypocrites.  How sad! And how much to pay for sin’s temporary pleasure.

Because our God is long-suffering and merciful He does not always allow us to immediately reap the consequences of our sins. But remember That whatsoever a man soweth, that also shall he reap. In our little minds of living in the now and the moment we cannot see that down the road we are in for some severe reaping for what we do.  God does not hold sin unaccounted for. And even if we make it to Heaven, those deeds done in the flesh will be burned up like hay and stubble and the Bible says we shall suffer loss. I thank God too that it says Jesus will wipe away all of our tears.  But, personally, I want to bear fruit for God, not hay and trash and stubble.

But what about living a VICTORIOUS life now? Why are we going to let the world, the flesh, and the enemy of our souls, satan; have victory???  Christians need to talk about this stuff like I am doing here. Because these things, though now done in secret, are going to be exposed. God tells us we can be sure of that. So if men can confront men and women can confront women and we can hold one another accountable, I feel it would help tremendously.  Plus married couples need to get real with eachother also. There is only one life to live and if one is a Christ-follower, he or she knows that God hates divorce. But, this type of infidelity certainly has lead to many a Christian divorce!

Internet pornography is like spiritual AIDS. It is a killer, but unlike AIDS there is no pill to fix it. The only way is through confession and repentence and fear of God. God’s goodness leads us to repentence. Let us not take the goodness of God and step all over it. Can you imagine what we are doing to God? It is like spitting in His face. And we are not to tempt God, people.

Some simplistic suggestions: If you are too weak, put some protective software on your computer. Or don’t compute in private; only in front of your family or those who can hold you accountable. And if you have such a problem that you would go to any length to get your fix. Go for serious counseling and deliverance before satan destroys your life and soul completely. I know God wants all of His people to walk in the freedom that His son Jesus provided to us by dying a horrible and violent death on the cross at Calvary.

Let us not make the Blood of Jesus of no effect!

Let’s remember Calvary. Please!!!!!!