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Thursday, September 15, 2011
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player. Note: Podcast will be unavailable for this posting due to Brooksyne being out and Stephen having a persistent cough.)
"I will be careful to lead a blameless life … I will set before my eyes no vile thing" (Psalm 101:2a,3a) "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). "Keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22).
In our chaplain service a common issue we deal with is the peril of pornography. In fact we both have had this issue come up regardless of gender, although certainly men are more prone to this temptation and sin. It's always sad since it has so many dimensions of destructiveness. Today we want to challenge our readers to moral purity.
Many years ago I used a rather graphic illustration that is admittedly quite distasteful. Skip the next couple of paragraphs if these things bother you. I have used many illustrations in my ministry, some better than others, but some were quite memorable.
I
was speaking to a group of men at a retreat in the mountains. It was
very rustic and there was one outhouse for the 40 or so men and boys
who attended the camp. Prior to speaking I had asked one of the boys to collect some appropriate looking material from the muddy
creek and place it in a big styrofoam cup.
In my message I held up the styrofoam cup, showed them the contents and told the men that this was from the outhouse. I asked them if any would like to try it out and drink it. Now I know that's disgusting! Not surprisingly, no one at all tried it. (Of course I explained to them afterwards it was just muddy water.)
I went on to challenge them that anytime they faced a temptation to pornography and sexual immorality that they recall this illustration. For partaking of pornography and sexual immorality is spiritually far more disgusting, destructive and devastating then even drinking the vile contents from that styrofoam cup!
The daily verse is a portion of a Psalm of David. He expresses his heart's desire: "I will be careful to lead a blameless life." Leading a blameless life does indeed require great and persistent care. (And Scripture candidly records David's moral failure at one point in his life).
The expression "I will set before my eyes no vile thing" is a powerful commitment for all ages but especially in our own, with vile images abounding. Job states, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). These two verses provide a powerful deterrent to what is normally the first step into any sexual immorality, visual lust. In fact David's greatest recorded sin began when "he saw a woman bathing" (2 Samuel 11:2).
Today I encourage all to again consider God's call to purity and holiness and make a renewed commitment that, "I will be careful to lead a blameless life."
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Jesus,
You are the pure and blameless Lamb of God. Though you were
tempted in every way, just as we are, You stood the test. While
fasting in the wilderness each time Satan tried to lure You into his
trap, You stood firm as You quoted the Word of God. Increase my desire to read, memorize and meditate upon the Scriptures
that I might not sin against You. Help me not to set anything
vile before my eyes, Lord. May the
words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart, and my outward
appearance please You and be a testimony of Your saving grace in my
life. In Your Name I pray, Amen.
"Refiner's Fire" Video Brian Doerksen
Listen to this
message on
your
audio player. Note: Podcast will be unavailable for this posting due to Brooksyne being out and Stephen having a persistent cough.)"Leading A Blameless Life"
"I will be careful to lead a blameless life … I will set before my eyes no vile thing" (Psalm 101:2a,3a) "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). "Keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22).
In our chaplain service a common issue we deal with is the peril of pornography. In fact we both have had this issue come up regardless of gender, although certainly men are more prone to this temptation and sin. It's always sad since it has so many dimensions of destructiveness. Today we want to challenge our readers to moral purity.
Many years ago I used a rather graphic illustration that is admittedly quite distasteful. Skip the next couple of paragraphs if these things bother you. I have used many illustrations in my ministry, some better than others, but some were quite memorable.
I
was speaking to a group of men at a retreat in the mountains. It was
very rustic and there was one outhouse for the 40 or so men and boys
who attended the camp. Prior to speaking I had asked one of the boys to collect some appropriate looking material from the muddy
creek and place it in a big styrofoam cup.In my message I held up the styrofoam cup, showed them the contents and told the men that this was from the outhouse. I asked them if any would like to try it out and drink it. Now I know that's disgusting! Not surprisingly, no one at all tried it. (Of course I explained to them afterwards it was just muddy water.)
I went on to challenge them that anytime they faced a temptation to pornography and sexual immorality that they recall this illustration. For partaking of pornography and sexual immorality is spiritually far more disgusting, destructive and devastating then even drinking the vile contents from that styrofoam cup!
The daily verse is a portion of a Psalm of David. He expresses his heart's desire: "I will be careful to lead a blameless life." Leading a blameless life does indeed require great and persistent care. (And Scripture candidly records David's moral failure at one point in his life).
The expression "I will set before my eyes no vile thing" is a powerful commitment for all ages but especially in our own, with vile images abounding. Job states, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl" (Job 31:1). These two verses provide a powerful deterrent to what is normally the first step into any sexual immorality, visual lust. In fact David's greatest recorded sin began when "he saw a woman bathing" (2 Samuel 11:2).
Today I encourage all to again consider God's call to purity and holiness and make a renewed commitment that, "I will be careful to lead a blameless life."
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Refiner's Fire" Video Brian Doerksen
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Scripture
references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version.
© 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD
BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation,
New King James
Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the
King
James Version.
Personal
Mission Statement:
"I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ
I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord.
My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and
to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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