Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtThe world is utterly carnal—especially when it comes to sexual desires. It magnifies and aggrandizes their importance. It exploits the desires that were put in us by God for good and right reasons and instead perverts them for reasons of exploitation, personal gratification, and financial gain, such as the industries of pornography, prostitution, and sex trafficking. The world takes advantage of good God-given sexual desires and exploits them at every level! Have you ever had to walk past a Victoria's Secret store in a mall?We also live in a new world that twists and amplifies science and sexual abnormalities and anomalies of birth, which are of the most minute percentages, in order to create acceptance of the perverted sexual desires of those who want no one to restrain them. The world works full-time to pervert and then normalize unrestrained and unnatural sexual desires—even legalizing them so that no one can restrain or speak against them. And now, in the last two decades, but with more success at this present time than ever before, there is forced classroom teaching of perverted sexual instruction and information to children in the public school systems. This is what the world does with sexual desires, and it affects every life on this planet negatively.
All of this reveals the level of man's thinking and behaviors without the input of God. Only the creator of man can define how, why, and what He created us for. And His reasons come from a throne of holiness and purity—something mankind hates and feels restricted by. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT2) says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." In general, learning, understanding, and responding to sexual desires as God intended takes Biblical education, prayer, and community support of like-minded friends... and your personal effort. God, throughout His Word, tells us to put off wrong behaviors and instead learn to put on the new man in Christ. He talks about being made new. He talks about being transformed by His Spirit and Word. He then reminds us not to return to the former way we were. In a sense, He paints a picture of our new self to hang on the refrigerator and look at multiple times daily! Let's take a look and see if that isn't so.Hebrews 13:4 (NLT2) says, "Give honor to marriage and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery."1 Corinthians 6:18-19 (NKJV) says, "Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" Romans 1:25-30 (NLT2) "They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents."Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV says, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."Our sexual desires have been exploited by the world, but I promise you, God did not create desires and impulses within you that could not be controlled and managed. They can and were meant to be with the help of the Holy Spirit.People who have continually yielded to them have been convinced they have no power over them. This is false and would only be believing a lie. As one who has given their life to Christ, you are a Christian, and sin has no power over you. Once you learn this truth and begin to embrace it and seek God's help, everything will begin to change. Habits can be broken and changed. It's a part of the Christ-life that we just read about. He is not out to condemn you. To the contrary. He sent Jesus to die for your sins and help you discover your new life in Christ—free from the power of sin! God is always there to help you. He has no desire to condemn you. God wants you to experience sex within the framework of marriage, and your sexual desires (when not magnified by the world) are to give you enough drive to pursue the opposite sex. Everything else is a lie!You will not get any help from the world in discovering and experiencing this truth. God's Word, sound Bible teaching, prayer, the church community, and godly friendships are your support system. The world will always pretend to be a friend but will really be the person putting the needle in the addict's arm. You'll have to find separation, but the Lord will show you how and help you do so.And so, I pray that reading this two-part series has helped you learn or be reminded that you are a child of God. You and your sex life are to and can live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Hate pornography. Hate sexual perversion. Know that purity in sexual attitudes is God's will for you and your life. Do so, and God will help you experience the blessing of it as you pursue and draw close to Him!Ephesians 4:23-24 (NLT2) "Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy." In His love,Pastor Tim Burt
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