Sexual Immorality

Sexual sins always hurt someone: individuals, families, businesses, churches, school, kids and self.

Paul said that lustful passions should not control God’s people.  Some argue that if they’ve already sinned by having lustful thoughts, they might as well go ahead with lustful actions too.

Matthew 5:28 But I(Jesus) say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Acting out sinful desires is harmful in several ways:
*It causes people to Excuse or justify sin rather than to STOP sinning;
*It Destroys marriages.
*It is deliberate rebellion against God’s Word.
*It always hurts someone else in addition to the sinner.
*It Breaks up families

**Sinful ACTION is more dangerous than sinful DESIRE, so desires should not be acted out.  Nevertheless, sinful desire is just as damaging to righteousness.  Left unchecked, wrong desires will result in wrong actions and will turn people away from God.

Christ must control ALL of us, not just a “religious” part.

Please Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.This chapter is a plea for PURITY and for us to LIVE to PLEASE GOD!

First let’s define a couple words.
*Purity: Freedom or absence of from foreign mixture. Live so others can see Christ in you.
*Sanctified = set apart to be a free people!!!!
The closest definition of the verb “to sanctify” is to make PURE, to make RIGHT, or to make HOLY. The verb “to make” is an ongoing process and tells that we are never finished.
*Holiness- something that has been set aside for a sacred purpose. Behavior that is keeping with God’s moral character.

1 Thess. 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;  4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,  5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Living in today’s culture must have some similarities to the Thessalonians:
*An abundance of sexual sins that are paraded as “normal” by society.
God doesn’t want me to have anything to do with it!!!! There is no way to Justify Sexual Sin!
*1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
*1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
*Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

He makes it quite clear that living in the “passion of lust, like the Gentiles” is unclean and not holy.

We are righteous before God because of our faith in Jesus Christ and not of anything that we do to earn it. *However, this righteousness is not to be viewed as “fire insurance” and does NOT give US a License to SIN.

***A RECOVERY of Faith depends on a fuller revelation of the Love of our heavenly Father toward us.

The world is watching YOU and ME. We are to be transformed into the image of Christ (sanctification) daily. We are to be salt and light and to be fruitful.
*By following your fleshly desires and not Holy Spirit, you are inviting discipline from the Lord and will cause OTHERS to stumble in their search for or walk with the living God.
1 JN 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
Mark 9:42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Really we don’t have an excuse for not living in a way that pleases Him especially since we live in a nation where we have the freedom to serve any God we want.
MY prayer is that we choose the One and Only True and Living God; the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Also, another thing I noticed is that these men taught(in Thess. 4) by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
*See, not everyone teaches by this authority.
So, we must allow the Holy Spirit within US(not man) to truly discern by which authority “God’s Word” is coming to us.

Because the Bible even warns against false prophets; that’s why it’s so important to know the Word for ourselves so that when something is presented that just don’t seem right, we’re able to discern what and why that is.
Next, they mentioned that God’s will is for us to be holy, to stay away from all sexual sin.
Well, in today’s world, sexual sin is putting it WAY too lightly, so I decided to go a step further to see just what they meant; well, I found that to be holy is to be Sanctified, Consecrated, and Pure (words we don’t even hear taught any more). Then in1 Thess. 4 verse 4, the scriptures say that you will control your body and live in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the pagans (or heathens) who do not know God and his ways.

Now, these two verses (3 and 4, that is) really caused my eyebrows to perk up because what I began to recognize is that we live in a sex crazed world where anything goes, where sexual perversion is allowed, and in some places encouraged.  WHY when:
Sexual sin:
* keeps us from holiness,
* keeps us from being able to control our bodies,
* keeps us from knowing God and His ways;
** ultimately if we choose to live a lifestyle where we Disobey the things that have been taught where sexual purity is concerned, we are not disobeying human teaching, but Rejecting GOD, who has given us His Holy Spirit to help us. I mean that’s really something to think about….

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who Suppress the Truth in unrighteousness,  19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Remember this: the cross is God’s great stop sign. The devil may be moving in against us at full speed, but when we put up the cross, he slams on his brakes and comes to a screeching halt because he cannot pass the cross. That’s where Jesus stopped the way against all our enemies.  But we Must Cry out for HIM!
On the cross, Jesus did just that. He blocked the way against all the enemies of our soul. He stopped the way. He put and end to Satan’s claims. He set a limit to Satan’s territory. He created a boundary that Satan cannot pass over.
1 JN 4: My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.

Why do we wait till all else fails—when our every plan and scheme has been exhausted—we are hurt, crushed, broken–then we know that is the time for us to cast everything on God?
* It is time for us to give up all confidence in finding deliverance anywhere else.

Some thing had to happen before you sinned!!
SIN is the symptom of you running from God.

JESUS is ALIVE!  JESUS is right here with you. DON’T RUN.  Talk to Him! NOW!
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage AGAIN to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”  16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,…..

When we allow God to love others through us, it’s God they see in us and not ourselves.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”Galatians 2:20

Father I want to be sanctified and live a holy life that is pleasing to you. By the power of your Holy Spirit within me, give me the power to abstain from lust and sexual sins that compromise my testimony. Help me possess my vessel in sanctification and honor.
Thank You for Your Word that says we do NOT HAVE TO GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION!
•Proverbs 5:17-23
•Matthew 5:27-30
•Romans 1:26-27
•1 Corinthians 6:9-20
•Galatians 5:16-21
•Ephesians 4:19-24
•Ephesians 5:3-5
•1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
•Hebrews 13:4
•Revelation 21:8
Stay pure for Christ!!!!

Thank You Lord for Marriage, Which is from God and is between one man and one women and is sacred because it is the creation of God.  Marriage is the foundation for all society!
1. Sacred cause of the way it was created.
2. Because of the covenant between a man and woman.
3. Marriage is sacred because of the nature to control sexual desires.
4. Because of the care of children.
5. Because it displays the image of Christ and His bride.
Lord help us to Determine to live a life of integrity and purity. Help us  Remember that character counts with You Lord.
When we live a life of integrity we live a life without compromise.
As a Christ follower WE choose to not conform to the standards of this world. We may not be popular, but WE will have the Peace of God in our heart. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2

God’s plan is to give you hope. Jeremiah 29:11

As you go to the next chapter of your life you have the promise that Jesus will go with you, He will never leave you or forsake you. Put your hope is in the Lord.
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
BUT the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.  3 The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
Thank you Jesus!  Amen