Living Free - Sept. 3, 2013
Slowly But Surely
Today's Scripture
I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me. (Psalm 101:3 NASB)
Thoughts for Today
The Bible clearly states that when we are involved in sinful behaviors, we risk becoming enslaved to the sin. While this slavery may not be noticeable at first, it is like the deepening of dusk. As the sun begins to set, we do not see the change in the light - especially if it is a cloudy day. At first we do not notice it at all, but as it gets darker and darker, we realize night is descending. Suddenly it truly is dark, and we have failed to seek shelter. We suddenly know we are wandering about in pitch-black darkness, hopelessly lost.
Sin grows this way - slowly but surely. Today's scripture warns us if we look on sinful things, they can reach out and get a grip on us. King David wrote this warning thousands of years before pornographic magazines were printed or pornographic websites conceived. And yet they hold so true to a myriad of temptations we face today, including those involving sexual sins like pornography, lust, and adultery.
Consider this …
When King David wrote the words of today's psalm, he knew if he looked on the activities of sin, like the prostitution in the foreign temples of the false god Baal, he could be lured and trapped by them. We need to remember the same truth applies today. Pornography and all the related "adult" businesses appeal to the eye and through the eye to the heart.
Have you ever been lured into this trap? Have you or someone you know ever made statements like these: "I don't know why I keep doing this! I can't control myself!" or "It is like the car turns itself into the parking lot of the strip joint!" or "Once I'm online, I cannot help but go to the porn sites and the chat rooms!"
This week we will look at the steps that lead to slavery - and how to find the steps back to freedom.
Father, forgive me for the times I have looked at things I shouldn't. I know they lure me into doing sinful things. I need your help. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from …
Crossroads: Choosing the Road to Sexual Purity by David E. Longacre. Crossroads deals with choosing the road to sexual purity and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Describes the sexual addiction process
- Shows how the sin of proximity often precedes sexual sins
- Shows the way out of sexual addiction
- Presents biblical insights to help a person break free and stay free
- Gives practical actions for renewing the mind
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then pointing them to Christ
PO Box 22127 ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421 ~ 423-899-4770
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