These 40 Days: Week 3
The thoughts I share with you today came about through the message, “Pornography” that Pastor Derek shared Sunday. He spoke on the sin of pornography, and the path that leads its way to destruction. A timely message for our day and time.
All of us make choices ever day. We strive for good choices, but there are times when we make poor choices, and the outcome takes us down the wrong path. I will attempt to elaborate.
Have you ever tried to rationalize a current behavior that you made at the time, knowing that it would take you down a path you would be sorry about later?
Pornography is one of those paths that can do that.
When anyone begins to rationalize a current behavior that they know to be a foretaste of greater sin, (pornography>adultery) they have arrived at a dangerous place! I believe Jesus understood this so well. When he spoke about marital unfaithfulness, he took the concept much further than anyone expected in his time, or for that matter, the present time:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery”, but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart!” (Matt. 5: 27-28).
Jesus is pointing out that an affair of the body always begins with an affair of the mind!
He taught that the plan wasn’t to only keep us from using our body in a sinful way. Jesus was calling His followers to use their whole self. The heart, soul, and mind- TO GLORIFY GOD! If we choose to walk the pathway of mental adultery, we are already off-course from what the Lord has for us.
So what are we to do, if we have become ensnared in watching porn? Paul gives us a clear answer for this. Rather than being conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, we can instead be transformed by the renewing of our mind!
In light of what we know about our brains and how they create reality, the daily renewing of our mind with God’s truth can lead us in a new way that translates to new behavior. Thank you Jesus!
Lord, would you give us wisdom to make good choices, so we may stay on the paths of righteousness.
Blessings your way,
Pastor Mike
p.s. Please visit our Facebook page or YouTube channel to learn more about our church. Thank you for making a good choice to come to His house and for following the path that led you to Belton Nazarene. We hope our paths cross again.
