Introduction:

As we begin to wrap up our mini-series on Sexual Immorality we find ourselves stopping in the book of Ecclesiastes.  This has been one of the hardest topics to write on because it causes me to look at my life, and realize how devastating Sexual Immorality has been…and still can be on my walk with God.  I’m actually living proof of how Sexual sin is toxic, and how even today it can still cause me to feel unclean before God.  I can still feel the guilt and shame, and I believe that’s one of the reasons that sexual sin is so toxic…because it stays with you, and it’s one of the hardest things to allow God to heal you of and from.

Main Message Text:  Matthew 5:27-30

Today’s Study Text:  “13 Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is mans all.14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14

Today’s Message:

“Including every secret thing.” since we’re dealing with the fact that sexual sin begins with an attitude of lust in the heart then we are also acknowledging that the birth place of sexual sin is in secret.  It’s also one of the things that we work to hide the most.  You know the old saying:  “I don’t kiss and tell.”

Sexual stuff is hard to talk about isn’t it?  I said in the introduction of today’s message that this has been a difficult series to write about because in the flesh, the nature of the flesh I believe is a desire to hide sexual sin.  I wasn’t ever one of those men who ran around beating their chests talking about their sexual conquests like they were something to be proud of, and I certainly wasn’t one to tout it when I was being unfaithful to the person I was in a relationship with.

The secret nature of all of this is exactly why it’ s toxic to our relationship with God.  We know we can’t hide anything from Him.  He knows all there is to know about our lives from start to finish, and all points in between.

Lust is a lot like anger in the sense that if it’s left un-dealt with it can lead to the physical sins of masturbation, adultery, fornication, and even worse ones like rape and so forth.  It can become an obsession much like anger and hatred, and when it spills over in the natural that’s how you get into inappropriate sexual behaviors.  That’s how people can commit sexual crimes…because they dwell so much upon the lust in their hearts, and eventually they cannot contain themselves any longer.  So they need to find ways to act out their “sexual frustrations”.

I know we’re really dealing with adultery here, but the same issues exist whether it’s adultery or other sexual sin.  They are all birthed from the conceived lustful attitude in our hearts.  That’s why pornography is such a draw, and why it’s so destructive.  You can find just about any kind of sexual fantasy there, and even today on television you find that they allow a lot more sexual activity to be seen than they used to.  All of this has been done to desensitize people to sex, and make it okay.

Desperate Housewives is one of the most popular television shows, and it celebrates marital infidelity.  There’s shows today that are in support of homosexuality, and homosexual marriages.  There’s shows today that have men who sleep with woman after woman, and it’s considered to be comedy.  There’s a lot of filth just in prime time television these days.  Shows like Law & Order SVU is a whole detective squad devoted to tracking down sexual predators, and in shows like this even though there just television shows there’s truth to them in the sense that you can really learn what kind of serious sexual crimes and sins are taking place.  Everything from incest to sleeping with corpses are on this show.  There’s even popular news shows now done by Chris Hanson.  Catching online predators who stalk children, and are caught trying to ask for sex with minors.  It’s in our songs, it’s in magazines, it’s in advertising for just about everything from fast food to having Victoria Secret models in sexy lingerie. You hear it all the time. “Sex sells.”

ALL of this is because we have allowed a lustful attitude to be prevalent in today’s society, and then in turn instead of making it sin…they turn it into entertainment.  However, the Bible says that all that stuff is still sin.  Television producers call it entertainment, and God calls it sin…period.

With all of this stuff geared towards us I realize that it’s harder, and harder not to have some form of lust in our hearts.  I mean I suppose if you decided to completely stop watching television, listening to the radio, subscribing only to Christian magazines, and so forth it is possible to not be affected by any of this at all.  In reality, I guess that’s really what we should do because as Christians we are responsible for what we’re taking in through our ears and eyes…but the truth is we do desire some form of entertainment…which is what television, video games, music, books, and magazines are…entertainment.

So, what can we do about all of this coming against us?  How can we continue to be entertained, but not develop an uncontrollable lust that leads us to commit sexual sin, and immorality?  Solely by the grace of God.  We need to seek God more than ever, and we need to ask Him to help us to overcome these things.

Oh…and a bit of self-control goes a long way as well.  The conclusion: Fear God and keep His commandments…for this is man’s all.

Scripture Study:  Luke 12:16-21

Key Verse:  “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”” – Psalm 14:1

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. – Jim Elliot

It may seem to be contradictory when you read at how sometimes Jesus was gentle such as when you read Matthew 19:13-15, but then He turns around to seem to be derogatory towards the Pharisees.  (See Matthew 23:17-19; Luke 11:39-40).  Jesus also used the word “fool” in a parable after warning a man about coveting (see Luke 12:13-21). 

So, what made the man foolish?  He left God out of the picture.  It wasn’t because he was trying to follow the example of the ant and “store up” the harvest.  It wasn’t because he built a bigger barn, but it was that he failed to plan for eternity and store up treasures in heaven.  (Matthew 6:20).

Psalm 14:1 says:  “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”.”  It could also be said that it’s the fool who lives like there is no God.  When you look at the world today there are millions of fools.  These either live like there’s no God, or they have just simply said in their heart’s that there’s no God.  This is the very reason that I have such a hard time being accepting of people in the political arena in this country.

More and more, we see that even if the people running for public office seem to be ashamed, or even embarrassed when it comes to Jesus.  We all know what Jesus says about that.  If you’re ashamed of Me before man, I will be ashamed of you before my Father. 

What I believe the church needs are politicians who will stand up for the Word of God.  The one’s who will stop being embarrassed and ashamed of Jesus.  We need men and women of God in Washington, and state capitals throughout the country who will stand up for Christ.  Who will take a stand against things like same-sex marriage, abortion, and other things that the Bible is clearly against.  Instead of handing out condoms in schools, returning the Word of God to the classroom.  We need to stop bowing to those who are so against having God a part of our currency, our heritage, our history, and more.

Listen, I understand that everyone has a right to have their opinions, and beliefs.  I understand that those of us who love the Lord, and preach the Word of God will be persecuted for His sake. But that doesn’t negate the Word of God from being truth, and being what this nation was founded upon.  There’s always going to be groups that rise up against the church, but Jesus has said that nothing will prevail.  Greater is He that’s in us than he that’s in the world.  Those who take a stand for God will have the full support of the host of Heaven behind them.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live my life in such a way that shows that I’m a fool.  I want all of my plans whether they are current, or in the future…I want all of my plans to include God…and I want to be sure that I’ve not just lived to be sure to store up treasures here, but also treasures in heaven.

Does your plan for the future have God in it, or would He call you a fool?

Study Scripture:  Psalm 199:97-104

Key Verse:  “ Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” – Psalm 119:97

The more you read the Bible the more you’ll love its Author.

One of Christlike Ministries Arkansas’ favorite online resources…BibleGateway.com…looked at the view habits of some of their 8 million monthly visitors.  They found that the could just about put together a top 10 of Bible verses searched. The tenth most searched Bible verse is Matthew 28:19:  “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”, a few others inside the top 10 was Jeremiah 29:11:  “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you…”, Romans 8:28:  “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God…”, and finally the number one most searched Bible verse in 2010…John 3:16.

Today’s study scripture is in Psalm 119 which it’s a lot about the writer’s love for the Word of the Lord.  Like today’s key verse:  “Oh, how I love Your law!  It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97.  In addition to that one there’s Psalm 119:11:  “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”, “I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.” Psalm 119:69, and “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.

The whole point of today’s message is about reading the Bible.  The more we search the Word, the more we’ll grow in our love for it and its Author.  We all need to make more time for the Bible.  As much time as I spend I could still spend more.  The thing is, once you start reading and studying the Bible the more you want to read and study it more.  I’ve found that it’s true.  The more I search the Scriptures the more I love it, and the more I love its Author.  I also find that I learn the more about how much the Author loves me.

So, in light of today’s message I’ve got a bit of a fun homework or challenge for all of us.  I’d like to see us come up with our own Top 10 favorite Bible verses.