“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:17-19
Hollywood, advertising, music, laptops, smartphones - sexual temptation is everywhere. For those striving for purity, how do we navigate this road? What can we do?
The Bible shows us that purity is always a heart issue. With this in mind, let’s go back to three basic truths about the goodness of God. Trust and believe the promise of God’s word for you!
Truth #1: God is for you. His is a good father. All his ways are good and all He does is for our good. He wants us to experience His best for our life.
The first sin planted a tiny seed of doubt in Adam and Eve’s mind, doubting the goodness of God. “God does not want me to have any fun. God is holding out on me. God does not care about my desires.” If we doubt the goodness of God, we end up compromising and settling for a cheap alternative of what God has created. Trust and believe that God is for you and His way is the best way.
Truth #2: Purity of heart is an invitation - not an exclusion.
The enemy of God wants us to believe that living in purity means missing out. Here is my response: You are missing out. You’re missing out on baggage and pain.
Sexual sin causes external consequences and internal damage. With each sexual exchange we leave behind a part of ourselves. The enemy wants to cause pain. His mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus wants us to experience abundant life and God’s best. His mission is to seek, save and restore. Which sounds better to you?
Truth #3: There is hope in Jesus.
In today’s culture, a conversation around purity may appear hopeless. Look back on your own sexual history. Do you have regrets? Do you feel hopeless? In the eyes of the Savior, there is no such thing as a hopeless lost cause.
In Jesus there is always hope! There is redemption. There is forgiveness. There is grace and there is mercy. In Jesus there is new life, a new story and a new heart of purity that is invited to see God. Don’t let the lies of impurity distort your view of God. Hold on to God’s goodness and trust the promises of His truth.
Taken from a sermon by George Wright, Senior Pastor, Cedarcrest Church
