0:00:09.501,0:00:12.146 Last week I wanted to lay down 0:00:12.146,0:00:15.926 some foundations for sexual sin 0:00:15.926,0:00:20.672 from the standpoint that, 0:00:20.672,0:00:23.672 basically, if you're justified, 0:00:23.672,0:00:28.694 the faith that justifies, 0:00:28.694,0:00:32.804 the faith that saves [br]from the wrath of God, 0:00:32.804,0:00:38.365 must be a faith 0:00:38.365,0:00:41.985 that breaks the dominion [br]of sin in your life. 0:00:41.985,0:00:49.417 The faith that saves us [br]from the wrath of God 0:00:49.418,0:00:52.326 must be a faith that saves us 0:00:52.326,0:00:54.656 from sexual immorality. 0:00:54.656,0:00:58.882 And if that faith doesn't save 0:00:58.882,0:01:03.752 from the power of sexual [br]temptation and lust, 0:01:03.752,0:01:06.825 then it will not save you [br]from the wrath of God. 0:01:06.826,0:01:10.729 Now as I said, obviously we're 0:01:10.729,0:01:13.089 never talking perfection; 0:01:13.089,0:01:18.604 but we are talking about [br]a faith that puts you 0:01:18.604,0:01:26.254 into all out battle [br]against sexual temptation. 0:01:26.254,0:01:28.682 You know, we had a big [br]group with us last week; 0:01:28.683,0:01:31.762 a bunch of visitors from [br]Alabama and Georgia. 0:01:31.762,0:01:34.216 And I didn't know where [br]they were coming from, 0:01:34.216,0:01:36.633 I didn't know what kind [br]of churches they had, 0:01:36.633,0:01:41.913 so I wanted to hit this thing [br]from that standpoint. 0:01:41.913,0:01:44.912 But the purpose of this series all along 0:01:44.912,0:01:47.912 has been to equip the believer. 0:01:47.912,0:01:50.391 It isn't so much that I want to come along 0:01:50.392,0:01:56.719 and try to convince people [br]in this series that they're lost. 0:01:56.720,0:02:02.254 I want to give the Christian [br]tools to fight the battle. 0:02:02.255,0:02:06.212 Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11, 0:02:06.212,0:02:11.142 "To abstain from these passions [br] 0:02:11.142,0:02:15.662 that wage war against the soul." 0:02:15.662,0:02:20.733 And I'll tell you, one of the [br]passions that wages war, 0:02:20.733,0:02:25.643 especially with men, is sexual lust. 0:02:25.643,0:02:28.284 It's sexual temptation. 0:02:28.285,0:02:33.732 I mean, it is a sin that takes out 0:02:33.732,0:02:41.582 its thousands and its tens of thousands. 0:02:41.582,0:02:45.127 So how do we abstain? [br]Here's the commandment; 0:02:45.127,0:02:46.957 here's the imperative we are given 0:02:46.957,0:02:49.957 by the Lord through the apostle: 0:02:49.957,0:02:52.895 "Abstain from these passions." 0:02:52.896,0:02:55.173 How do I do it? 0:02:55.174,0:02:57.618 Okay, we know they're there. 0:02:57.619,0:03:02.773 Look, men, by and large, it may be 0:03:02.773,0:03:06.603 sexual desire may be stronger. 0:03:06.603,0:03:09.257 I mean it is, typically. 0:03:09.258,0:03:11.936 Not in every case, but typically. 0:03:11.937,0:03:13.537 That's just the reality. 0:03:13.538,0:03:16.818 But it's not only a problem in men, 0:03:16.818,0:03:19.818 obviously it's a problem in women as well. 0:03:19.818,0:03:23.814 And as my wife fills me in, 0:03:23.814,0:03:28.634 that you know, men are visually driven, 0:03:28.634,0:03:32.523 their desires are visually stirred. 0:03:32.524,0:03:34.808 My wife tells me with ladies 0:03:34.808,0:03:44.698 there's emotional satisfactions [br]in wanting to have a man, 0:03:44.698,0:03:46.097 wanting to be loved; 0:03:46.098,0:03:50.105 and a willingness to put [br]that body out there 0:03:50.105,0:03:52.425 in an attempt to get the love, 0:03:52.425,0:03:58.390 to get that kind of attention. 0:03:58.390,0:04:00.999 Look, the passion that drives a man 0:04:00.999,0:04:02.449 may be a little bit different 0:04:02.449,0:04:04.436 than the passion that drives a woman. 0:04:04.436,0:04:06.869 In other words, a man may be seeking 0:04:06.869,0:04:09.109 purely sexual gratification, 0:04:09.109,0:04:11.826 while a woman may not be seeking that 0:04:11.826,0:04:14.026 so much as emotional gratification. 0:04:14.026,0:04:18.306 And yet, she's willing to [br]take the same course 0:04:18.306,0:04:20.016 to try to come to that end. 0:04:20.016,0:04:23.465 You have two people that [br]maybe their ends are different, 0:04:23.466,0:04:26.177 but they're willing to [br]go about it the same way. 0:04:26.178,0:04:29.837 And so, basically, what we have are 0:04:29.837,0:04:32.837 these things are fighting [br]against the soul. 0:04:32.837,0:04:34.807 How do we abstain? 0:04:34.808,0:04:37.570 Where does the battle rage? 0:04:37.571,0:04:40.213 How do we fight it? 0:04:40.214,0:04:48.031 Now look, I know, increasingly, 0:04:48.032,0:04:53.020 it's so obvious to me, [br]and I hope it is to you. 0:04:53.021,0:04:56.491 I want it to be to you. 0:04:56.492,0:04:59.575 Somebody read Romans 12:2. 0:04:59.576,0:05:03.189 "I urge you therefore, brethren, [br]based upon the mercies of God, 0:05:03.190,0:05:06.310 to present your bodies [br]as a living sacrifice, 0:05:06.311,0:05:09.409 holy and acceptable to God, [br]which is your spiritual worship. 0:05:09.410,0:05:12.063 And do not be conformed to this world, 0:05:12.063,0:05:15.063 but be transformed by [br]the renewal of your mind, 0:05:15.063,0:05:17.809 that you may know what the good, 0:05:17.809,0:05:21.269 perfect and pleasing will of God is." 0:05:21.269,0:05:24.743 Look, you've got your body. 0:05:24.744,0:05:28.761 You know what's amazing to me, [br]especially after I studied? 0:05:28.762,0:05:30.408 Here you have Peter, 0:05:30.408,0:05:32.198 saying that these passions wage war 0:05:32.198,0:05:33.408 against the soul. 0:05:33.408,0:05:36.174 And I think so often we think that way: 0:05:36.174,0:05:39.174 Spirit, soul, that's where the battle is. 0:05:39.174,0:05:43.740 Sometimes we kind of relegate the body. 0:05:43.741,0:05:46.466 We don't see it to be near as important 0:05:46.466,0:05:48.616 as what it seems like in the Scripture. 0:05:48.616,0:05:50.758 Especially in Romans, as I studied it, 0:05:50.759,0:05:58.249 it was interesting that if [br]you're living in the flesh, 0:05:58.249,0:05:59.989 you're going to die. 0:05:59.989,0:06:03.450 But if, by the Spirit, you [br]put to death - not just sin, 0:06:03.451,0:06:05.526 but it's interesting - deeds of the body. 0:06:05.527,0:06:07.650 It's saying, "Offer your body." 0:06:07.650,0:06:10.240 We're to be these living sacrifices. 0:06:10.240,0:06:13.032 And here's the way, 0:06:13.032,0:06:16.482 we need to be geared [br]towards the will of God. 0:06:16.482,0:06:20.818 And that comes about through [br]a renewing of the mind; 0:06:20.819,0:06:23.427 which he also says in Ephesians, 0:06:23.427,0:06:28.957 "We need to be renewed [br]in the spirit of our minds, 0:06:28.957,0:06:34.353 putting on the new man that's created 0:06:34.353,0:06:36.963 after the likeness of God." 0:06:36.963,0:06:39.743 It's really the mind. 0:06:39.744,0:06:45.523 Mindsets are where this battle is fought. 0:06:45.524,0:06:48.263 Now you just tell me this. 0:06:48.264,0:06:57.514 Look, I'm not talking [br]right now about the lost. 0:06:57.515,0:07:00.912 You were lost. Everybody [br]in this room was lost. 0:07:00.913,0:07:04.307 You know how you dealt [br]with sexual temptation. 0:07:04.308,0:07:12.449 You know why you gave place to it. 0:07:12.452,0:07:15.498 And I suppose that the reasons 0:07:15.498,0:07:18.498 that a lost person would give place to it, 0:07:18.498,0:07:21.384 we can probably drag that [br]over into the Christian realm. 0:07:21.385,0:07:26.267 But I want you to tell me this: 0:07:26.267,0:07:29.267 Christians fall into sexual sin. 0:07:29.267,0:07:31.214 Why? 0:07:31.215,0:07:34.441 In other words, what's [br]going on in the mind? 0:07:34.442,0:07:39.247 Look, there's never a vacuum up [br]here when people fall into sin. 0:07:39.248,0:07:42.070 Certain thoughts, certain reasonings, 0:07:42.070,0:07:44.410 certain deductions, certain logic. 0:07:44.410,0:07:48.008 There's thoughts that fill the mind. 0:07:48.009,0:07:52.221 Now a person may try not to [br]think about certain things, 0:07:52.222,0:07:54.627 but he's definitely [br]thinking about something, 0:07:54.627,0:07:56.497 or she is thinking about something. 0:07:56.497,0:08:00.464 I want to ask you this: 0:08:00.464,0:08:03.464 What mindset controls a man or a woman, 0:08:03.464,0:08:05.766 a Christian man or a woman, 0:08:05.767,0:08:10.458 who gives place with the [br]eyeball and looks with lust; 0:08:10.459,0:08:15.801 gives place to something like [br]Internet pornography or masturbation; 0:08:15.802,0:08:19.521 or actually falls into the actual sin 0:08:19.521,0:08:23.041 with the person of the opposite sex? 0:08:23.041,0:08:27.409 And far be it from me to say [br]that it's not possible for a Christian 0:08:27.410,0:08:31.895 to fall into sex with [br]somebody of the same sex. 0:08:31.896,0:08:34.759 I mean, we obviously have [br]examples in the Scripture. 0:08:34.759,0:08:36.419 We know that it can happen. 0:08:36.419,0:08:39.461 We see Christians that [br]were involved in it 0:08:39.461,0:08:42.121 being strongly rebuked. 0:08:42.121,0:08:45.001 We see Paul, the way he [br]spoke to the Corinthians. 0:08:45.001,0:08:48.161 Obviously some things were [br]going on in that church 0:08:48.161,0:08:50.421 that he was dealing very hard with. 0:08:50.421,0:08:54.699 We have some examples of sexual sin 0:08:54.699,0:08:56.529 being a problem in the New Testament. 0:08:56.529,0:08:59.568 Obviously we have, at least, 0:08:59.568,0:09:03.148 one or two notable cases [br]in the Old Testament. 0:09:03.148,0:09:05.588 What goes on in the mind? 0:09:05.589,0:09:07.292 What's happening? 0:09:07.293,0:09:11.092 [Audience] They're not viewing the [br]glory of Christ at that moment. 0:09:11.093,0:09:19.569 [Tim] They're not viewing the [br]glory of Christ at that moment. 0:09:19.570,0:09:27.681 Let's think about that. 0:09:27.681,0:09:40.209 When Peter saw Jesus manipulate the fish 0:09:40.209,0:09:45.129 and fill the net, what did he do? 0:09:45.129,0:09:47.002 He worshiped. 0:09:47.002,0:09:51.222 In fact, he told Him, [br]"Lord, depart from me." 0:09:51.224,0:09:53.728 What did Isaiah do when he saw the Lord 0:09:53.728,0:09:58.208 high and lifted up in the Temple? 0:09:58.208,0:10:04.400 He fell down on his face, "Woe is me!" 0:10:04.401,0:10:09.712 You know, when God has been seen, 0:10:09.712,0:10:15.382 when the glories of Christ came through; 0:10:15.382,0:10:18.241 what did Peter do when that voice 0:10:18.241,0:10:24.671 spoke out on the mount of transfiguration? 0:10:24.671,0:10:29.644 I'll tell you, he was utterly terrified. 0:10:29.645,0:10:32.447 Can I tell you this, 0:10:32.448,0:10:37.774 I mean, this is a thought that hits 0:10:37.774,0:10:40.774 right on what Jonathan just said. 0:10:40.774,0:10:44.189 Highly unlikely. 0:10:44.190,0:10:47.997 Now I'm not saying this in jest. 0:10:47.997,0:10:50.037 I'm saying this in dead seriousness. 0:10:50.037,0:10:55.784 Isaiah is not going to watch [br]Internet pornography and masturbate, 0:10:55.785,0:10:59.606 when he's on his face [br]in the presence of Christ; 0:10:59.607,0:11:04.234 when he has an awareness of Christ 0:11:04.234,0:11:08.274 high, lifted up, full of glory. 0:11:08.274,0:11:10.270 He's already struck. 0:11:10.271,0:11:12.238 "I'm a man of unclean lips; 0:11:12.238,0:11:18.118 I dwell in the midst of a [br]people with unclean lips." 0:11:18.118,0:11:22.390 I'll tell you this, you watch your step. 0:11:22.390,0:11:30.200 Do you remember when [br]Nadab and Abihu were consumed? 0:11:30.201,0:11:33.203 Aaron did not find fault with God. 0:11:33.204,0:11:36.161 The Scripture says he held his peace. 0:11:36.161,0:11:42.371 You can bet he did. 0:11:42.371,0:11:48.598 Remember, a certain man [br]puts his hand out, 0:11:48.598,0:11:55.748 touches the ark, he's dead. 0:11:55.748,0:12:01.126 David did not go home that day, 0:12:01.127,0:12:07.503 and have Bathsheba come to [br]his house, and sleep with her. 0:12:07.504,0:12:08.781 That's huge. 0:12:08.782,0:12:12.584 He did it another day, [br]but he didn't do it that day. 0:12:12.585,0:12:17.402 Why not? He was terrified. 0:12:17.403,0:12:23.492 The presence and reality [br]of God and God's glory. 0:12:23.492,0:12:25.642 God was fearful to him. 0:12:25.642,0:12:28.507 He didn't run off and do that that day. 0:12:28.508,0:12:30.114 Brethren, I'll tell you what, 0:12:30.114,0:12:33.984 when you have a sense [br]of Christ and His glory, 0:12:33.984,0:12:38.477 it's very difficult to run off into sin. 0:12:38.478,0:12:43.574 One of the reasons that we [br]so cheaply do things like this 0:12:43.575,0:12:52.860 is because we lose a [br]sense of the glory of God. 0:12:52.861,0:12:57.101 And that takes place in the mind. 0:12:57.102,0:12:59.499 In the mind is where we fear. 0:12:59.500,0:13:01.633 In the mind is where we believe. 0:13:01.634,0:13:10.650 In the mind is where we [br]contemplate what God is like. 0:13:10.650,0:13:14.324 I mean, Job already told us 0:13:14.324,0:13:18.134 that he had made a covenant with his eyes. 0:13:18.134,0:13:24.110 Do you think when [br]the Lord appeared to him 0:13:24.110,0:13:28.700 out of the storm, out [br]of the tornado there, 0:13:28.700,0:13:30.480 that all of a sudden he was going to 0:13:30.480,0:13:32.293 break the covenant right on that day? 0:13:32.293,0:13:38.620 He says, "I repent in dust and ashes." 0:13:38.620,0:13:42.174 I guarantee you, Moses, that [br]day up there on the mount, 0:13:42.175,0:13:46.542 when the Lord revealed [br]His hind quarters to him, 0:13:46.543,0:13:48.133 He could not see His face. 0:13:48.133,0:13:50.458 He couldn't see the whole deal. 0:13:50.458,0:13:53.854 His face shone. 0:13:53.854,0:13:56.362 Can you imagine the glory that he saw, 0:13:56.363,0:13:58.957 so much so that the people were terrified 0:13:58.957,0:14:02.837 by the glow that came off of his face? 0:14:02.837,0:14:08.068 Moses could come down off the mountain, 0:14:08.069,0:14:12.668 and find the people [br]engaged in sexual immorality. 0:14:12.669,0:14:16.264 But I guarantee you, after [br]having experiences like that 0:14:16.264,0:14:18.214 up on the mountain with the Lord, 0:14:18.214,0:14:22.969 he didn't walk down and go dive into it. 0:14:22.970,0:14:27.388 Why? He had just seen the Lord. 0:14:27.389,0:14:31.179 You know what? When your devotional time, 0:14:31.179,0:14:33.099 just like I was talking about Sunday, 0:14:33.099,0:14:35.331 when you guys go to the Scriptures, 0:14:35.331,0:14:38.331 you need to behold glory. 0:14:38.331,0:14:43.262 You need to gaze upon glory. 0:14:43.263,0:14:45.870 This comes right out of 2 Corinth. 3:18. 0:14:45.871,0:14:50.294 Look, if you're not finding glory - 0:14:50.295,0:14:51.775 the glory of Christ, 0:14:51.775,0:14:53.045 the glory of the Father, 0:14:53.045,0:14:54.455 the glory of the Spirit, 0:14:54.455,0:14:57.115 in the Scriptures when you go to read, 0:14:57.115,0:14:59.215 that's a bad place to be. 0:14:59.215,0:15:01.075 Because you're not being sanctified, 0:15:01.075,0:15:02.826 you're not being transformed, 0:15:02.826,0:15:05.595 unless you're seeing the glory. 0:15:05.596,0:15:09.387 Very difficult. Very difficult. 0:15:09.387,0:15:12.399 When you come up off your knees, 0:15:12.399,0:15:13.990 or come out of your closet 0:15:13.990,0:15:16.725 after you've been looking [br]at the Word of God, 0:15:16.726,0:15:20.138 and you've been staggered 0:15:20.138,0:15:22.588 by the holiness, by the awesomeness, 0:15:22.588,0:15:26.293 by the bigness, by the mighty hand of God; 0:15:26.294,0:15:29.158 when you begin to see God, 0:15:29.158,0:15:31.168 when you tremble at who He is, 0:15:31.168,0:15:33.214 when you fear Him - 0:15:33.214,0:15:36.214 He talks about the man [br]who trembles at His Word - 0:15:36.214,0:15:37.754 when you come away 0:15:37.754,0:15:39.483 and you feel that kind of trembling, 0:15:39.483,0:15:42.068 have you ever read Habakkuk? [br] 0:15:42.068,0:15:44.068 Full of trembling. 0:15:44.068,0:15:47.358 Brethren I'll tell you, you don't [br]find a person in the Scriptures, 0:15:47.359,0:15:51.853 I mean, can you imagine the Apostle John? 0:15:51.854,0:15:56.412 He fell down on his face [br]just looking at angels twice. 0:15:56.413,0:16:01.027 He fell down as dead when it was Christ. 0:16:01.028,0:16:03.643 When you begin to get a view of Christ, 0:16:03.643,0:16:06.053 when you begin to see His glory; 0:16:06.053,0:16:11.250 very hard, very hard. 0:16:11.251,0:16:17.721 So what mindset leads to sexual sin? 0:16:17.722,0:16:21.081 The mindset that Christ isn't glorious; 0:16:21.081,0:16:22.701 that Christ isn't big; 0:16:22.701,0:16:26.060 that God the Father is Santa Claus, 0:16:26.060,0:16:27.780 the big man upstairs. 0:16:27.780,0:16:30.075 Diminished views. 0:16:30.075,0:16:33.135 Just small views of God. 0:16:33.135,0:16:35.135 Little God. 0:16:35.135,0:16:37.155 Not very terrifying. 0:16:37.155,0:16:40.155 Just far off. Not very near. 0:16:40.155,0:16:42.806 I'll tell you another one. 0:16:42.806,0:16:45.806 And it's very closely attached to this. 0:16:45.806,0:16:51.038 Do you know why, when you're like Job, 0:16:51.039,0:16:54.714 and you just beheld God 0:16:54.714,0:16:57.714 appearing to you in the whirlwind, 0:16:57.714,0:17:00.934 why you don't break the covenant 0:17:00.934,0:17:05.194 with your eyeballs and [br]go look upon a maid? 0:17:05.194,0:17:09.614 Because there is a terrifying [br]fear of offending the Lord. 0:17:09.615,0:17:12.826 You've seen who He is. 0:17:12.827,0:17:16.648 Brethren, what mindsets [br]lead to sexual sin? 0:17:16.650,0:17:21.173 When offending God no longer terrifies us. 0:17:21.174,0:17:24.770 Now listen to me. 0:17:24.771,0:17:28.903 2 Samuel 12. 0:17:28.904,0:17:35.631 You guys can turn there if you [br]have your Bible. 2 Samuel 12:1. 0:17:35.632,0:17:38.551 You know this, but I want you to see it. 0:17:38.551,0:17:42.621 I want you to feel this. 0:17:42.621,0:17:45.403 You see, this is where [br]the battle is fought. 0:17:45.404,0:17:47.580 Renewed in the spirit of your mind. 0:17:47.581,0:17:49.843 When the temptation comes, 0:17:49.843,0:17:51.623 you've got to think the right way. 0:17:51.623,0:17:53.536 You've got to have high thoughts of God; 0:17:53.536,0:17:56.536 high thoughts of Christ; [br]high thoughts of the Spirit. 0:17:56.536,0:17:58.655 You need to see Him for what He is. 0:17:58.656,0:18:01.437 The reason that Isaiah [br]wouldn't have gone out 0:18:01.437,0:18:03.237 into that sin right at that moment 0:18:03.237,0:18:05.682 is because he saw the Lord. 0:18:05.683,0:18:07.896 He saw Him for what He was. 0:18:07.897,0:18:10.564 Even there, he didn't see [br]the full deal. Moses didn't. 0:18:10.565,0:18:14.053 We can't see the full [br]deal because God is infinite. 0:18:14.054,0:18:17.446 But it's when you have [br]views of at least part of Him. 0:18:17.447,0:18:19.252 You have revelations of Him. 0:18:19.253,0:18:22.693 Isn't that what Paul was [br]praying for for the Ephesians? 0:18:22.694,0:18:24.826 Isn't that what he prayed for? 0:18:24.827,0:18:30.830 that they might have wisdom, 0:18:30.830,0:18:32.710 revelation of the knowledge of Him. 0:18:32.710,0:18:37.005 I'll tell you this, why? [br]Why pray that for people? 0:18:37.005,0:18:39.805 Because when people [br]have a revelation of God, 0:18:39.805,0:18:41.130 it drives sin away. 0:18:41.130,0:18:43.179 When people have a revelation of God, 0:18:43.179,0:18:46.849 and of His glory, sin isn't easy. 0:18:46.849,0:18:52.681 When they see God in His [br]awesome glory, His splendor; 0:18:52.682,0:18:58.778 when that's revealed, it is a sin-killer. 0:18:58.779,0:19:04.336 Now listen to this, 2 Samuel 12:1, [br]you know the account. 0:19:04.337,0:19:06.810 David has been with Bathsheba. 0:19:06.811,0:19:09.488 "And the LORD sent Nathan to David. 0:19:09.489,0:19:11.631 He came to him and said to him, 0:19:11.631,0:19:13.611 'There were two men in a certain city, 0:19:13.611,0:19:15.744 the one rich and the other poor. 0:19:15.745,0:19:18.771 The rich man had very [br]many flocks and herds, 0:19:18.772,0:19:21.181 but the poor man had nothing 0:19:21.181,0:19:23.871 but one little ewe lamb, [br]which he had bought. 0:19:23.871,0:19:25.376 And he brought it up, 0:19:25.376,0:19:28.266 and it grew up with him [br]and with his children. 0:19:28.266,0:19:30.277 It used to eat of his morsel 0:19:30.277,0:19:32.927 and drink from his cup [br]and lie in his arms, 0:19:32.927,0:19:35.138 and it was like a daughter to him. 0:19:35.139,0:19:37.690 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, 0:19:37.690,0:19:40.585 and he was unwilling to take [br]one of his own flock or herd 0:19:40.585,0:19:43.585 to prepare for the guest [br]who had come to him, 0:19:43.585,0:19:46.231 but he took the poor man's lamb 0:19:46.232,0:19:50.247 and prepared it for the [br]man who had come to him.' 0:19:50.248,0:19:53.148 Then David's anger was greatly [br]kindled against the man, 0:19:53.148,0:19:55.897 and he said to Nathan, [br]'As the LORD lives, 0:19:55.897,0:19:58.667 the man who has done this deserves to die, 0:19:58.667,0:20:01.470 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, 0:20:01.470,0:20:03.160 because he did this thing, 0:20:03.160,0:20:06.057 and because he had no pity.'" 0:20:06.058,0:20:10.039 Now watch this. 0:20:10.039,0:20:14.959 "Nathan said to David, 'You are the man!' 0:20:14.959,0:20:18.260 Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 0:20:18.260,0:20:20.480 'I anointed you king over Israel, 0:20:20.480,0:20:22.772 and I delivered you out [br]of the hand of Saul. 0:20:22.773,0:20:25.473 And I gave you your master's house 0:20:25.473,0:20:28.473 and your master's wives into your arms 0:20:28.473,0:20:32.236 and gave you the house [br]of Israel and of Judah. 0:20:32.237,0:20:38.349 And if this were too little, [br]I would add to you as much more. 0:20:38.350,0:20:42.933 Why - listen to this. [br]Here's what I want you to see - 0:20:42.934,0:20:48.398 Why have you despised [br]the word of the LORD, 0:20:48.398,0:20:52.238 to do what is evil in His sight? 0:20:52.238,0:20:56.234 Now therefore the sword shall [br]never depart from your house, 0:20:56.235,0:21:01.743 because you have despised Me 0:21:01.744,0:21:05.378 and have taken the wife of [br]Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'" 0:21:05.379,0:21:08.567 And then in verse 13, [br]"David said to Nathan, 0:21:08.567,0:21:10.827 'I have sinned against the LORD.' 0:21:10.827,0:21:12.561 And Nathan said to David, 0:21:12.561,0:21:16.011 'The LORD also has put away [br]your sin; you shall not die. 0:21:16.011,0:21:22.023 Nevertheless, - look at this - [br]because by this deed 0:21:22.023,0:21:25.653 you have utterly scorned the LORD, 0:21:25.653,0:21:28.335 the child who is [br]born to you shall die.'" 0:21:28.336,0:21:31.980 In verse 9, he says, "You [br]despised the word of the LORD." 0:21:31.981,0:21:36.184 In verse 10, he says, [br]"You've despised Me." 0:21:36.185,0:21:40.532 And in verse 14, he says, [br]"You have utterly scorned the LORD." 0:21:40.533,0:21:43.052 Let me tell you something. 0:21:43.052,0:21:46.052 You let this fill your mindset. 0:21:46.052,0:21:49.667 When you look at a [br]woman to lust after her; 0:21:49.667,0:21:54.537 ladies, you lust after a man; 0:21:54.537,0:21:57.470 you view pornography; 0:21:57.470,0:22:01.010 you give place to sexual immorality; 0:22:01.010,0:22:05.376 you notice, God doesn't [br]come right to David, and say, 0:22:05.377,0:22:07.736 "David, I can't believe it. You blew it. 0:22:07.737,0:22:11.814 You dishonored the marriage covenant, 0:22:11.814,0:22:16.564 and you had such little [br]honor for marriage." 0:22:16.564,0:22:19.785 Or, "You had such little [br]honor for human life. 0:22:19.786,0:22:23.736 I can't believe it, David, [br]how could you kill somebody?" 0:22:23.737,0:22:28.563 He said, "David, your sin is against Me." 0:22:28.564,0:22:32.343 Remember how David said it [br]when he confessed that sin? 0:22:32.344,0:22:34.036 What did he say? 0:22:34.036,0:22:39.956 "Against You, and You [br]only, have I sinned." 0:22:39.956,0:22:41.812 Let me tell you this. 0:22:41.813,0:22:43.783 Sometimes we can think, 0:22:43.783,0:22:46.363 "Well, God is not really [br]affected by this." 0:22:46.363,0:22:48.993 Oh, you don't believe that. 0:22:48.994,0:22:50.870 You view pornography on the Internet, 0:22:50.870,0:22:52.550 you know what He is saying to you 0:22:52.550,0:22:53.900 right through these words? 0:22:53.900,0:22:55.132 "You are scorning Me." 0:22:55.133,0:22:57.266 Remember what we read last week? 0:22:57.266,0:22:59.586 It comes right out of [br]1 Thessalonians 4:7-8, 0:22:59.586,0:23:03.005 "For God has not called us [br]for impurity, but in holiness." 0:23:03.006,0:23:05.532 This is where he's dealing [br]with sexual immorality. 0:23:05.533,0:23:08.324 "Therefore whoever disregards this, 0:23:08.324,0:23:11.324 disregards not man but God." 0:23:11.324,0:23:14.956 You scorn God. You disregard God. 0:23:14.956,0:23:19.296 You dishonor, you despise Him. 0:23:19.296,0:23:20.786 Don't ever forget that. 0:23:20.787,0:23:25.943 When you give place to sexual [br]immorality, you despise Him. 0:23:25.944,0:23:33.395 He takes it as a personal [br]affront against His Person. 0:23:33.396,0:23:35.594 You remember that. 0:23:35.594,0:23:39.154 Let that ring in your ears, [br]especially you young guys. 0:23:39.154,0:23:41.741 Let that ring in your ears. 0:23:41.742,0:23:46.875 You're walking before [br]the Lord, you scorn Him. 0:23:46.875,0:23:49.875 You disregard Him. You dishonor Him. 0:23:49.875,0:23:52.549 How was it that Joseph said, 0:23:52.549,0:23:55.549 remember when Potiphar's [br]wife wanted him? 0:23:55.549,0:24:00.250 He doesn't say, "How can I do [br]this and sin against Potiphar?" 0:24:00.251,0:24:04.325 He says, "How can I do this [br]and sin against the LORD?" 0:24:04.326,0:24:06.204 You see, that's the issue. 0:24:06.205,0:24:09.175 Here's two mindsets. 0:24:09.175,0:24:14.715 One mindset: God is small. [br]That'll lead you into it. 0:24:14.715,0:24:23.291 One mindset is, when offending [br]God no longer terrifies you. 0:24:23.292,0:24:31.797 Another mindset, think with me here: 0:24:31.797,0:24:38.467 When you think God is against you. 0:24:38.467,0:24:43.949 You say, "What do you mean?" 0:24:43.953,0:24:47.455 What I mean is this: 0:24:47.455,0:24:52.185 As a Christian, especially single, 0:24:52.185,0:24:56.147 you can come to points in your life 0:24:56.147,0:24:59.147 where you feel God has forgotten you. 0:24:59.147,0:25:01.842 You want to be married. 0:25:01.842,0:25:04.122 You don't like being single. 0:25:04.122,0:25:08.702 You've asked the Lord for a spouse. 0:25:08.703,0:25:13.655 And you feel like, you see other people [br]around you getting married, 0:25:13.656,0:25:15.820 "Lord, what's happened? 0:25:15.820,0:25:18.820 I want a spouse just as much as they do. 0:25:18.820,0:25:21.122 You didn't give me the gift of singleness 0:25:21.122,0:25:23.822 any more than You gave it to them." 0:25:23.822,0:25:29.456 And you can get to feeling sorry [br]for yourself, and self-pity. 0:25:29.457,0:25:33.682 And remember, the devil is a slanderer. 0:25:33.683,0:25:38.294 And will he not come in right [br]there and say, "Look at you. 0:25:38.295,0:25:40.643 Look at these folks over here. 0:25:40.644,0:25:44.578 God's given them girlfriend, boyfriend. 0:25:44.579,0:25:48.518 They're courting. They're doing this. 0:25:48.519,0:25:50.379 God's got it out for you. 0:25:50.379,0:25:52.236 You're probably not even one of His. 0:25:52.236,0:25:54.834 He probably doesn't want [br]anything to look at you. 0:25:54.834,0:25:56.794 He just mocks you. 0:25:56.794,0:26:00.603 He's forgotten you. 0:26:00.603,0:26:03.603 What are you serving Him for? 0:26:03.603,0:26:07.354 Look at how much everybody else has. 0:26:07.354,0:26:10.354 And you don't have anything." 0:26:10.354,0:26:11.441 And you know what you can do 0:26:11.441,0:26:14.441 right at that point with that mindset? 0:26:14.441,0:26:17.738 Justify sin. 0:26:17.739,0:26:20.612 You can justify it. 0:26:20.613,0:26:25.985 Listen. Does God say He's against you? 0:26:25.985,0:26:27.665 Listen to what He says. 0:26:27.665,0:26:29.277 I'll just fly through these. 0:26:29.277,0:26:33.317 Romans 8:31, "What shall [br]we say to these things? 0:26:33.317,0:26:37.397 If God is for us, who can be against us?" 0:26:37.397,0:26:41.222 Look, just because God [br]hasn't given you a spouse yet, 0:26:41.222,0:26:43.682 does not mean that He's against you. 0:26:43.682,0:26:45.846 Look, all of us have trials to bear. 0:26:45.846,0:26:48.146 That may be yours today. 0:26:48.146,0:26:50.203 You can look over at the married guy 0:26:50.203,0:26:54.233 and you can think, "Look at him. [br]I don't have what he has." 0:26:54.233,0:26:58.641 No, but he doesn't also [br]have what you have. 0:26:58.642,0:27:02.212 Until you've walked in [br]somebody else's shoes, 0:27:02.212,0:27:05.212 don't always think that [br]God is showing favorites. 0:27:05.212,0:27:10.112 God does show favorites, [br]but to all of His children. 0:27:10.112,0:27:12.062 They're His favorites. 0:27:12.062,0:27:14.336 And He's guaranteed us all 0:27:14.336,0:27:17.596 that we have to go through [br]affliction to get to the end. 0:27:17.596,0:27:20.267 And just because your [br]affliction isn't like that guy, 0:27:20.268,0:27:22.478 as in one of the [br]afflictions you have to bear 0:27:22.478,0:27:24.456 happens to be in the [br]realm of singleness, 0:27:24.456,0:27:26.185 I guarantee he's bearing them, too. 0:27:26.185,0:27:29.031 So before you think that you're getting 0:27:29.031,0:27:32.031 the major raw end of the deal, [br]stand in his shoes first. 0:27:32.031,0:27:34.881 Because, I guarantee you, [br]there's a whole lot of people 0:27:34.881,0:27:41.181 that are married that wish they weren't. 0:27:41.181,0:27:45.990 Romans 8:32. Now think with me here. 0:27:45.991,0:27:49.479 "He who did not spare His own [br]Son but gave Him up for us all, 0:27:49.480,0:27:53.207 how will He not also with Him [br]graciously give us all things?" 0:27:53.208,0:27:56.917 Look, if He has given you His Son, 0:27:56.918,0:27:59.038 then He is going to give you everything 0:27:59.038,0:28:00.775 that's for your good, for your best. 0:28:00.775,0:28:03.190 And He knows what's for your best. 0:28:03.190,0:28:04.920 He really does. 0:28:04.920,0:28:06.330 How about this: Romans 8:35, 0:28:06.330,0:28:09.060 "Who shall separate us [br]from the love of Christ?" 0:28:09.060,0:28:14.119 Listen, singleness doesn't separate [br]you from the love of Christ. 0:28:14.120,0:28:15.865 Jesus was single. 0:28:15.865,0:28:18.435 God is just keeping you just [br]like Him for a season. 0:28:18.435,0:28:22.213 Paul was single. He is keeping [br]you like that for a season. 0:28:22.214,0:28:26.066 Come on, you're no more [br]cursed than they were. 0:28:26.067,0:28:32.409 Psalm 118:6, "The LORD is on [br]my side; I will not fear." 0:28:32.409,0:28:34.798 I'll tell you, when your mindset is: 0:28:34.798,0:28:39.088 "I know the Lord knows [br]all about my situation. 0:28:39.088,0:28:41.153 And I know He's on my side. 0:28:41.154,0:28:43.960 And I know He is for me, [br]He's not against me. 0:28:43.960,0:28:45.708 And I know He gave His Son for me. 0:28:45.709,0:28:48.533 And if He has, He's going [br]to graciously give me 0:28:48.533,0:28:51.533 everything that's good and [br]profitable for my life, 0:28:51.533,0:28:55.242 and it's all going to [br]work out for my good. 0:28:55.243,0:28:58.337 I love God. I know He hasn't forgotten me. 0:28:58.338,0:29:01.777 There is a promise there that He [br]will never leave me nor forsake me. 0:29:01.777,0:29:03.087 I know that." 0:29:03.087,0:29:08.034 Psalm 56:9, "This I know, [br]that God is for me." 0:29:08.035,0:29:11.497 When you have that mindset, brethren, 0:29:11.497,0:29:13.937 it goes a long ways to help deliver you. 0:29:13.937,0:29:16.720 Matthew 7:11, " If you [br]then, who are evil, 0:29:16.720,0:29:18.960 know how to give good [br]gifts to your children, 0:29:18.960,0:29:21.320 how much more will your [br]Father who is in Heaven 0:29:21.320,0:29:23.295 give good things to those who ask Him!" 0:29:23.295,0:29:26.560 And I'll guarantee you this, [br]He gives good things to His children. 0:29:26.560,0:29:28.350 And if He looks at you, and He says, 0:29:28.350,0:29:30.212 "I know, in My infinite wisdom, 0:29:30.212,0:29:34.054 that the best thing for that [br]person right now is singleness." 0:29:34.055,0:29:38.332 Listen, I never wanted to [br]get married in my life, 0:29:38.332,0:29:40.252 until God saved me. 0:29:40.252,0:29:43.127 And then I wanted to get married, [br]I wanted to have a family. 0:29:43.128,0:29:45.176 He left me single for three years. 0:29:45.177,0:29:49.162 That was not an enjoyable [br]three years for me. 0:29:49.162,0:29:51.472 That was tough. 0:29:51.472,0:29:54.680 But I know full well this: [br]During those three years, 0:29:54.680,0:29:59.134 He knew it was best for [br]me to be in that place. 0:29:59.135,0:30:00.548 And I was able to take that time, 0:30:00.548,0:30:03.208 and invest it in studying the Word of God 0:30:03.208,0:30:05.693 in a way that I would [br]have never been able to 0:30:05.693,0:30:07.563 had He given me a wife immediately. 0:30:07.563,0:30:09.708 I was able for the better [br]part of three years 0:30:09.709,0:30:13.640 to saturate myself with the [br]Word of God and with prayer. 0:30:13.641,0:30:16.826 Come home from work everyday [br]and just listen to sermons, 0:30:16.827,0:30:19.388 and get in the Word, and go out and pray. 0:30:19.389,0:30:21.213 Day after day after day. 0:30:21.214,0:30:25.227 And get involved in various ministries, [br]and just absorb my life in that, 0:30:25.228,0:30:27.807 which I would have never been able to do. 0:30:27.808,0:30:31.820 Craig and Rod, the two that I was [br]hanging with tightly at that time, 0:30:31.820,0:30:32.990 they were married. 0:30:32.990,0:30:35.753 They had kids. They couldn't [br]do the things that I did. 0:30:35.753,0:30:39.961 They couldn't study the [br]Scriptures like I could. 0:30:39.962,0:30:43.985 So the thing is: Remember, when [br]you're in a place of singleness, 0:30:43.986,0:30:46.642 God is actually giving you [br]opportunity to do things 0:30:46.642,0:30:49.642 that that married guy over there can't do. 0:30:49.642,0:30:53.678 He's giving you opportunity, [br]very possibly, to be more fruitful 0:30:53.679,0:30:56.774 than that other person may be able to be. 0:30:56.775,0:31:03.697 Don't despise that. [br]Don't let self-pity ruin it. 0:31:03.698,0:31:08.463 Give yourself to striving [br]to excel at that point. 0:31:08.464,0:31:09.994 How about this, Psalm 84:11, 0:31:09.994,0:31:12.163 "For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; 0:31:12.163,0:31:14.135 the LORD bestows favor and honor. 0:31:14.136,0:31:17.838 No good thing does He withhold [br]from those who walk uprightly." 0:31:17.839,0:31:18.906 No good thing. 0:31:18.907,0:31:21.202 You walk uprightly, [br]He doesn't withhold it. 0:31:21.202,0:31:23.082 And if He looks at you and He says, 0:31:23.082,0:31:25.269 "A good thing is a wife," [br]you're getting it. 0:31:25.269,0:31:28.340 If He says, "A good thing is [br]singleness," you're getting it. 0:31:28.341,0:31:30.307 And He is wise. 0:31:30.308,0:31:33.667 Or this, Psalm 37:4, [br]"Delight yourself in the LORD, 0:31:33.668,0:31:36.934 and He will give you [br]the desires of your heart." 0:31:36.935,0:31:39.149 Listen, there's a place to take that, 0:31:39.150,0:31:41.494 if you know, "I do delight in the Lord. 0:31:41.494,0:31:44.494 I love the Lord. I'm striving [br]to serve the Lord," 0:31:44.494,0:31:47.714 go to Him and ask Him. 0:31:47.714,0:31:50.274 "Lord, would you give me [br]the desire of my heart? 0:31:50.274,0:31:53.904 I really would like to be married." 0:31:53.905,0:31:57.187 How about Matthew 6:17-18? [br]It talks there about fasting: 0:31:57.187,0:31:59.790 "When you fast, anoint your [br]head and wash your face, 0:31:59.791,0:32:03.536 that your fasting may [br]not be seen by others 0:32:03.537,0:32:05.977 but by your Father who is in secret. 0:32:05.978,0:32:08.939 And your Father who sees in [br]secret will reward you." 0:32:08.940,0:32:11.977 Fast. Seek the Lord diligently. 0:32:11.977,0:32:13.727 Don't just ask Him flippantly. 0:32:13.727,0:32:16.884 You want something from Him, [br]show Him you mean it. Fast for it. 0:32:16.885,0:32:20.971 He says that He gives openly those things 0:32:20.971,0:32:23.461 that you seek Him for in secret. 0:32:23.461,0:32:26.611 Or remember this, [br]Genesis 2:18, "The LORD God said, 0:32:26.611,0:32:28.831 'It is not good that [br]the man should be alone. 0:32:28.831,0:32:30.764 I will make him a helper fit for him.'" 0:32:30.764,0:32:32.254 Listen, take that text to Him. 0:32:32.254,0:32:37.007 "Lord, you say it's not good for a [br]man to be alone, and I'm alone." 0:32:37.008,0:32:40.196 I mean, plead with Him. Pray to Him. 0:32:40.197,0:32:43.098 Proverbs 19:14 says, [br]"A prudent wife is from the LORD." 0:32:43.099,0:32:45.345 I'll guarantee you this, you get a wife, 0:32:45.345,0:32:47.815 you get a husband, it's from God. 0:32:47.815,0:32:50.989 Like He's got everything to do with it. 0:32:50.990,0:32:55.307 Look, is that important? [br]That's hugely important. 0:32:55.308,0:32:58.368 If you're just basically a [br]lost person out in the world, 0:32:58.368,0:33:01.697 and you go, and all you do is [br]camp in front of the TV all the time, 0:33:01.697,0:33:04.487 you see these movie stars [br]and all these beautiful people, 0:33:04.487,0:33:06.217 and you go and look in the mirror, 0:33:06.217,0:33:08.788 and you're like, "I'm not as [br]handsome. I'm not as beautiful. 0:33:08.788,0:33:10.708 I'm not as this; I'm not as that.[br] 0:33:10.708,0:33:13.646 I'm not as suave and [br]debonair as these guys. 0:33:13.646,0:33:15.496 I don't have any chance to get this." 0:33:15.497,0:33:22.195 Listen, what are you saying? [br]God is sovereign. 0:33:22.196,0:33:25.418 I mean, is it like any Christian [br]is in some kind of position 0:33:25.419,0:33:29.415 where God isn't quite able [br]to give that person a mate? 0:33:29.416,0:33:33.330 I mean, you're basically [br]coming to a conclusion, 0:33:33.330,0:33:36.330 "Well, I don't have what [br]other people have." 0:33:36.330,0:33:42.618 Listen, my Bible says a prudent [br]wife is from the LORD. 0:33:42.619,0:33:47.296 By the way, a prudent husband [br]would be from the same place. 0:33:47.297,0:33:52.227 If your desire is to have this, [br]you're delighting in the Lord - 0:33:52.228,0:33:54.737 it's not good for a man to be alone, 0:33:54.738,0:33:56.741 which must mean that it must not be 0:33:56.741,0:33:59.361 very good for women to be alone either. 0:33:59.361,0:34:05.787 Ask. Expect. 0:34:05.787,0:34:14.127 If you believe God is [br]against you, it can give place. 0:34:14.128,0:34:18.878 And I've heard this before. [br]I've heard Christians reason, 0:34:18.879,0:34:23.563 "Well, I'm not married. [br]And I have these desires. 0:34:23.563,0:34:27.762 And I need to knock the edge off. 0:34:27.763,0:34:31.428 I need to do this. God understands." 0:34:31.429,0:34:37.165 No. Listen, you fall into sexual sin, 0:34:37.165,0:34:38.925 and you reasoning in it 0:34:38.925,0:34:41.156 because well, you want to be married, 0:34:41.156,0:34:43.616 but God just hasn't brought you a wife. 0:34:43.616,0:34:45.389 You see what that's doing? 0:34:45.389,0:34:47.639 You're basically blaming God for your sin. 0:34:47.639,0:34:49.978 "Well, He's not for me. 0:34:49.978,0:34:52.388 He's not there like with other people." 0:34:52.388,0:34:55.427 You don't want to get into that mindset. 0:34:55.428,0:35:02.044 I'll tell you, another mindset [br]that lead Christians into sin 0:35:02.045,0:35:08.006 is the mindset that basically makes 0:35:08.006,0:35:13.576 God's threatenings and [br]warnings of no effect. 0:35:13.576,0:35:15.837 You know what I mean by that? 0:35:15.838,0:35:20.116 Where you just [br]basically say as a Christian, 0:35:20.116,0:35:23.116 "Well, I'm a Christian. 0:35:23.116,0:35:26.214 I can't lose my salvation. 0:35:26.215,0:35:33.445 So warnings about hell [br]to sexually immoral, 0:35:33.445,0:35:35.395 there's no condemnation to me. 0:35:35.395,0:35:37.507 I'm in Christ." 0:35:37.508,0:35:43.328 You see what I'm saying? [br]That mindset is deadly. 0:35:43.329,0:35:45.501 That mindset will land people 0:35:45.501,0:35:49.301 right in the lap of sexual immorality. 0:35:49.301,0:35:56.150 Because what you basically do [br]is you come to this conclusion: 0:35:56.150,0:35:58.700 "I'm saved, 0:35:58.700,0:36:03.615 and the Bible teaches that saved [br]people can't lose their salvation. 0:36:03.616,0:36:06.686 Therefore no amount of sexual immorality 0:36:06.686,0:36:08.496 can make me lose my salvation. 0:36:08.496,0:36:11.970 Therefore the warnings about [br]sexually immoral people 0:36:11.970,0:36:13.690 suffering under the wrath of God, 0:36:13.690,0:36:15.711 and not inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven, 0:36:15.711,0:36:18.711 can't apply to me." 0:36:18.711,0:36:24.589 But what presupposition in [br]all that was dead faulty? 0:36:24.590,0:36:29.430 That first assumption that "I'm saved, 0:36:29.431,0:36:32.805 and that I can go and jump [br]into all this sexual immorality, 0:36:32.805,0:36:34.175 and it'll be okay." 0:36:34.175,0:36:38.196 Listen, this is why Paul is saying, [br]he's like shaking people, 0:36:38.197,0:36:41.213 "No! No! No! No! Don't think that way. 0:36:41.214,0:36:44.565 Because if you get involved [br]in sexual immorality, 0:36:44.565,0:36:46.745 let me tell you, do not be deceived. 0:36:46.745,0:36:50.146 The sexually immoral do not [br]inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." 0:36:50.146,0:36:52.741 In other words, it doesn't [br]matter what you think. 0:36:52.741,0:36:55.422 It doesn't matter what you [br]say about your Christianity. 0:36:55.422,0:36:57.481 It doesn't matter what [br]assurance you have. 0:36:57.481,0:36:59.625 It doesn't matter what [br]experience you have. 0:36:59.625,0:37:02.200 It doesn't matter how long [br]you think you were saved. 0:37:02.200,0:37:04.360 If you can all of a sudden [br]depart from that, 0:37:04.360,0:37:06.150 and go into that sexual immorality, 0:37:06.150,0:37:08.792 and you can just blow [br]off the warnings of Scripture; 0:37:08.792,0:37:11.032 people like that, Paul [br]comes along and says, 0:37:11.032,0:37:12.763 "Their condemnation is just." 0:37:12.763,0:37:17.287 People who give place to [br]licentiousness and sin, 0:37:17.288,0:37:22.031 because they basically presume upon God. 0:37:22.032,0:37:24.453 Brethren, dangerous, dangerous, dangerous. 0:37:24.454,0:37:29.950 Jesus says if you're not [br]amputating these things, 0:37:29.951,0:37:33.793 you have an eye that looks at a woman, 0:37:33.794,0:37:39.168 He says, "You better pluck that [br]thing out or you're going to hell." 0:37:39.169,0:37:43.829 You say, "He says that?" [br]You better believe He says that. 0:37:43.830,0:37:49.967 If you have such a theology that you're [br]able to toy with sexual immorality, 0:37:49.968,0:37:52.479 and convince yourself [br]that no matter how much 0:37:52.479,0:37:54.449 you do that it's going to be okay, 0:37:54.449,0:37:57.323 because there's no condemnation, [br]after all you're saved; 0:37:57.324,0:38:01.952 you're walking on very [br]scary ground. Very scary. 0:38:01.953,0:38:03.601 Be very careful. 0:38:03.601,0:38:10.211 That kind of mindset will [br]land people in trouble. 0:38:10.211,0:38:16.889 And then, I can tell you this, 0:38:16.889,0:38:26.649 especially guys, girls [br]too but especially guys: 0:38:26.649,0:38:35.325 A mindset that what I [br]look at doesn't matter. 0:38:35.326,0:38:45.863 Listen, the apostle Paul gave [br]a stern warning to the Romans. 0:38:45.864,0:38:49.647 He said, "Make no [br]provision for the flesh." 0:38:49.648,0:38:57.364 The flesh is that unredeemed part of us. 0:38:57.365,0:39:02.290 We're to crucify it. We're [br]to take the life out of it. 0:39:02.291,0:39:08.238 We're to buffet it and [br]beat it. We're to starve it. 0:39:08.239,0:39:14.638 The flesh is like a living animal. 0:39:14.639,0:39:20.250 It's like an animal that has the ability, 0:39:20.250,0:39:23.250 if it's fed, to regain strength. 0:39:23.250,0:39:29.548 It's almost like a creature that [br]you can crucify life out of it, 0:39:29.549,0:39:32.651 so that it becomes weaker and weaker. 0:39:32.659,0:39:35.431 But then, you can also feed it 0:39:35.432,0:39:38.198 so that, like an animal, it suddenly 0:39:38.198,0:39:42.788 becomes incredibly strong and vicious. 0:39:42.788,0:39:52.674 Job said, Job 31:1, he made a [br]covenant with his eyes not to look 0:39:52.675,0:39:56.829 (or "Why then shall I look"). 0:39:56.830,0:40:00.658 He would not look. He made [br]a covenant with his eyes. 0:40:00.659,0:40:03.856 Guys, you drive around this city, 0:40:03.856,0:40:06.856 you know where the billboards are. 0:40:06.856,0:40:09.642 Don't look at them. 0:40:09.643,0:40:14.886 You know if you walk into a mall, 0:40:14.886,0:40:17.886 and you walk by Victoria's Secret; 0:40:17.886,0:40:19.875 for one, don't go there; 0:40:19.875,0:40:22.505 two, don't even go to the malls. 0:40:22.505,0:40:25.632 What do you need there? 0:40:25.632,0:40:30.212 Guys what do you need at a mall? 0:40:30.212,0:40:35.238 Buy it online. I'm serious. 0:40:35.239,0:40:38.564 There is practically no reason 0:40:38.564,0:40:41.564 that any guy needs to go into a mall. 0:40:41.564,0:40:43.290 [Audience] Walmart. 0:40:43.291,0:40:45.043 [Tim] Right. Walmart. 0:40:45.043,0:40:48.043 And even there, watch [br]yourself at the racks. 0:40:48.043,0:40:51.472 H-E-B, watch yourself at the racks. 0:40:51.473,0:40:54.118 You know it, don't look. 0:40:54.118,0:40:57.718 Keep your eyes to the ground. 0:40:57.718,0:41:02.786 I mean, I go to the gym. To the Y.[br] 0:41:02.786,0:41:04.296 Ruby and I go there. 0:41:04.296,0:41:09.392 I mean, there are women working out. 0:41:09.393,0:41:13.737 There's obvious places not to look. 0:41:13.738,0:41:16.207 Watch your eyes. 0:41:16.208,0:41:23.113 Believe me, your eyes are a [br]channel to feed the flesh. 0:41:23.114,0:41:28.886 And if you feed that animal, [br]you're going to go down. 0:41:28.887,0:41:32.718 You feed it enough, and it's going [br]to take you by the throat, 0:41:32.719,0:41:35.472 and you're going to go down. 0:41:35.473,0:41:38.297 And I'll tell you, you tempt God, 0:41:38.297,0:41:40.207 and He's going to draw His hand back. 0:41:40.207,0:41:45.225 And you may fall farther than you [br]ever thought you were going to fall. 0:41:45.226,0:41:47.572 And if He takes His hand back; 0:41:47.573,0:41:55.035 when a Christian presumes [br]upon God, be very careful. 0:41:55.036,0:42:03.612 Listen, movies, TV, computer, [br]you need to stay away from places. 0:42:03.613,0:42:06.169 There are places you [br]know you should not go. 0:42:06.170,0:42:09.332 Don't go there. Don't feed it. 0:42:09.333,0:42:14.304 Guys, there is no reason and [br]no legitimate excuse 0:42:14.305,0:42:17.060 for you to be in circumstances 0:42:17.060,0:42:20.200 that are putting things before [br]your eyes that are inappropriate. 0:42:20.200,0:42:23.022 Don't tell me, "Well, I have to. 0:42:23.023,0:42:27.030 Well, I need to do this thing over here, 0:42:27.030,0:42:29.250 and this just happens." 0:42:29.250,0:42:31.887 Or, "This is part and parcel of that." 0:42:31.888,0:42:34.114 That's not true. 0:42:34.114,0:42:38.844 The Scripture says, "Flee [br]fornication. Run from it." 0:42:38.844,0:42:44.207 You need to get away[br]from it. Don't entice it. 0:42:44.208,0:42:47.035 What we look at matters. 0:42:47.036,0:43:00.139 Another mindset, it's [br]when we forget, (this is huge,) 0:43:00.140,0:43:09.381 when we forget that a vacuum never works. 0:43:09.382,0:43:19.628 In other words, if I'm struggling [br]with sexual thoughts, illicit ones, 0:43:19.629,0:43:23.559 or I had dreams that weren't right, 0:43:23.560,0:43:25.682 or something just got stuck in my face. 0:43:25.683,0:43:27.853 Brother Andy says over there in China, 0:43:27.853,0:43:29.637 you know, he's on his computer, 0:43:29.637,0:43:32.479 and all of a sudden, it just appears, 0:43:32.479,0:43:34.869 full pornography right in his face. 0:43:34.869,0:43:37.117 He didn't look for it, [br]he didn't ask for it, 0:43:37.117,0:43:40.117 he didn't entice it, [br]just bang! It's right there. 0:43:40.117,0:43:45.046 I mean, once in a while something [br]happens where you have images, 0:43:45.047,0:43:49.949 you have images in your mind [br]from when you were lost. 0:43:49.950,0:43:56.121 But listen, one of the [br]things that often happens is - 0:43:56.122,0:44:01.202 I can remember one time when [br]I was working as an engineer, 0:44:01.202,0:44:03.402 my boss was in there, 0:44:03.402,0:44:07.857 and there was this guy that worked [br]over in the other cubicle across from me. 0:44:07.858,0:44:10.762 And this guy would come late. 0:44:10.763,0:44:15.710 He wasn't a really good worker, [br]and he would miss a lot of work 0:44:15.710,0:44:18.684 because he was having these [br]cluster headaches and everything. 0:44:18.685,0:44:25.031 And the guy drank all sorts [br]of coffee and smoked like crazy. 0:44:25.032,0:44:27.514 Every break he was going out to smoke. 0:44:27.515,0:44:29.418 And I came in one day, and I said, 0:44:29.418,0:44:32.808 "Scott, I saw, down in the lunchroom, 0:44:32.808,0:44:37.524 they had a medical fact sheet [br]on cluster headaches." 0:44:37.525,0:44:43.279 And I said, "They're caused by [br]excessive caffeine and nicotine." 0:44:43.280,0:44:46.445 This guy would have to [br]get this machine on him 0:44:46.445,0:44:48.615 that would shock him, [br]while he was at work. 0:44:48.615,0:44:51.028 And Scott would be over [br]there looking at my boss, 0:44:51.029,0:44:52.029 and all of a sudden he'll just jump, 0:44:52.029,0:44:54.037 because he'd get this great big shock. 0:44:54.037,0:44:56.591 And I could tell it really made Scott mad. 0:44:56.592,0:45:00.174 So I came back from the lunchroom [br]that day, and Scott is in his office. 0:45:00.174,0:45:03.739 I said, "Hey Scott, I saw this thing [br]about cluster headaches down there." 0:45:03.739,0:45:05.883 And he's just going, "La la la la la la." 0:45:05.883,0:45:08.384 Like he didn't want to hear. 0:45:08.385,0:45:10.653 Can I tell you something? 0:45:10.653,0:45:14.363 That does not work with sexual sin. 0:45:14.363,0:45:17.312 You just put your hands over your ears, 0:45:17.312,0:45:19.767 that kind of thing where, 0:45:19.767,0:45:22.767 "No! I don't want to think about it." 0:45:22.767,0:45:34.185 Listen, in 2 Timothy 2:22, [br]"Flee youthful passions." 0:45:34.186,0:45:35.961 But that's not all. 0:45:35.962,0:45:39.047 You see, that's the negative. 0:45:39.048,0:45:42.263 That's what you want to clear out; 0:45:42.263,0:45:44.493 you want to get away from. 0:45:44.493,0:45:48.093 But if that's all it was, [br]it wouldn't be Christianity. 0:45:48.094,0:45:50.428 It would just be some kind of morality. 0:45:50.429,0:45:53.852 It would be some kind [br]of stop doing the bad. 0:45:53.853,0:45:56.831 But with Christianity, it's always what? 0:45:56.832,0:45:59.738 There's always an opposite side to it. 0:45:59.739,0:46:01.719 It's always "Christ came, 0:46:01.719,0:46:04.719 not only to deliver His [br]people from the evil, 0:46:04.719,0:46:06.947 He came to make them [br]zealous of good works. 0:46:06.948,0:46:08.960 We replace one thing with another. 0:46:08.961,0:46:11.247 We have to replace the bad with the good. 0:46:11.248,0:46:14.303 And what does it say [br]there? 2 Timothy 2:22, 0:46:14.304,0:46:17.229 "Flee youthful passions, and pursue" - 0:46:17.230,0:46:20.803 you run from one thing, [br]and you chase after another. 0:46:20.803,0:46:22.941 What is it? What do we pursue? 0:46:22.943,0:46:26.540 "Faith, love, peace, along with those 0:46:26.540,0:46:28.950 who call on the Lord from a pure heart." 0:46:28.950,0:46:32.009 You know what? Start loving people. 0:46:32.010,0:46:35.869 Start doing things that are [br]going to increase your faith. 0:46:35.869,0:46:38.479 Start thinking about [br]ways you can give more 0:46:38.479,0:46:39.986 and see how faithful God is. 0:46:39.986,0:46:41.960 Start thinking about missionaries 0:46:41.960,0:46:44.800 you can put together care [br]package for, and show love. 0:46:44.800,0:46:47.132 Start thinking about people [br]that you can serve. 0:46:47.133,0:46:48.579 Get involved in things. 0:46:48.580,0:46:51.701 I'll tell you, when [br]you're not sitting alone 0:46:51.701,0:46:53.701 in front of your computer, 0:46:53.701,0:46:58.392 but you're rather out helping [br]somebody, serving somebody, 0:46:58.393,0:47:00.826 it's a whole lot different. 0:47:00.827,0:47:04.948 You're not likely going [br]to look at pornography 0:47:04.949,0:47:13.893 when you're out mowing the [br]widow's lawn in your church. 0:47:13.894,0:47:18.240 It's just the reality. 0:47:18.240,0:47:28.778 Brethren, another mindset is when [br]we forget the power of prayer. 0:47:28.779,0:47:32.099 And what I mean by that is, [br]look, when you start your day 0:47:32.099,0:47:34.677 and you really believe that [br]there is power in prayer, 0:47:34.677,0:47:37.542 and that God can deliver [br]from temptation, you pray it. 0:47:37.543,0:47:39.632 Just like Jesus taught us - 0:47:39.632,0:47:44.702 "Keep us from temptation. [br]Deliver us from evil." 0:47:44.702,0:47:46.869 You'll pray that way because you believe, 0:47:46.869,0:47:49.869 "I really believe God can [br]keep me from this. 0:47:49.869,0:47:52.499 Lord, keep me from it. 0:47:52.500,0:47:56.267 I'm going to school, [br]Lord help me, help me. 0:47:56.268,0:47:58.926 Give me the ability to [br]keep my eyes focused." 0:47:58.927,0:48:03.099 I mean, you're surrounded [br]by 50% of these maidens 0:48:03.099,0:48:05.159 that Job wouldn't look at. 0:48:05.159,0:48:07.732 And there you are, out in the campus; 0:48:07.733,0:48:10.313 and they're walking around, [br]and summer is coming on, 0:48:10.313,0:48:13.046 and they're wearing things [br]they should not be wearing. 0:48:13.046,0:48:14.949 And sometimes you're in class, 0:48:14.949,0:48:17.949 and it's just right there in your face. 0:48:17.949,0:48:21.920 "God help us," you can pray [br]brethren. You can pray. 0:48:21.921,0:48:25.635 If we're to be salt and light [br]in the midst of this world, 0:48:25.636,0:48:29.536 just the reality is we're going to [br]be around things that are improper. 0:48:29.537,0:48:32.437 And we need God's help [br]and grace and mercy 0:48:32.437,0:48:34.297 to be able to cope with these things. 0:48:34.297,0:48:36.081 Remember, there is power in prayer. 0:48:36.082,0:48:39.434 He would not have taught us, Luke 22:40, 0:48:39.434,0:48:42.271 Jesus says, "When He came [br]to the place, He said to them, 0:48:42.272,0:48:45.661 "Pray that you may not [br]enter into temptation." 0:48:45.662,0:48:52.533 That's because we can pray and [br]God will keep us from temptation. 0:48:52.534,0:49:02.176 How about this: When you [br]believe you are justified 0:49:02.176,0:49:07.656 in relieving your affliction through sin. 0:49:07.656,0:49:09.937 Now what do I mean by that one? 0:49:09.938,0:49:20.808 I mean, your sexual [br]appetite is just screaming. 0:49:20.809,0:49:24.543 That's affliction. [br]Let's call it what it is. 0:49:24.544,0:49:27.965 When a man or a woman has sexual desires 0:49:27.965,0:49:30.275 that are incredibly strong, 0:49:30.275,0:49:38.885 and there is no immediate, [br]viable, righteous outlet 0:49:38.885,0:49:43.785 for that desire, that's tough. 0:49:43.785,0:49:52.563 That's hard. That's a trial. [br]That's affliction. 0:49:52.564,0:49:56.876 But brethren, when you have a mindset 0:49:56.877,0:50:05.083 that you're justified in avoiding [br]affliction by way of sin, 0:50:05.084,0:50:08.360 when you have that mindset, 0:50:08.360,0:50:12.460 you've got the groundwork for a fall. 0:50:12.460,0:50:16.940 You see, God says, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 0:50:16.940,0:50:18.760 "No temptation has overtaken you 0:50:18.760,0:50:21.974 that is not common [br]to man. God is faithful." 0:50:21.975,0:50:24.909 Listen right there, God is faithful. 0:50:24.910,0:50:29.033 When you feel like you're at that [br]point where you're ready to break, 0:50:29.034,0:50:31.094 the best thing to do is clear out, 0:50:31.094,0:50:32.966 hit the closet, and go to your knees: 0:50:32.966,0:50:35.924 "Lord, I need help. 0:50:35.925,0:50:42.212 Lord, I don't know if I can [br]keep going. I need help." 0:50:42.213,0:50:45.662 "He will not let you be [br]tempted beyond your ability." 0:50:45.663,0:50:49.151 He promises there will [br]be sufficient grace 0:50:49.151,0:50:51.211 for you to get through this thing 0:50:51.211,0:50:56.758 without taking the outlet of sin. 0:50:56.759,0:51:00.723 "But with the temptation He will [br]also provide the way of escape, 0:51:00.723,0:51:02.573 that you may be able to endure it." 0:51:02.574,0:51:07.126 Or 2 Peter 2:9, "The Lord knows [br]how to rescue the godly from trials." 0:51:07.127,0:51:09.664 He knows. He knows how to rescue you. 0:51:09.665,0:51:11.127 You need to believe that. 0:51:11.127,0:51:13.870 You see, a lot of times when [br]you're in the midst of it, 0:51:13.870,0:51:16.290 you think you've got to deal with it. 0:51:16.290,0:51:19.010 You think you've got to [br]give yourself a way out. 0:51:19.011,0:51:22.734 It says, "God knows how to [br]give you a way out." 0:51:22.735,0:51:25.087 Run to Him. Believe that. 0:51:25.088,0:51:30.556 When it's fierce, the battle [br]is hot, believe it. 0:51:30.557,0:51:32.440 Believe it, brethren, believe it. 0:51:32.441,0:51:36.088 He is able to rescue [br]the godly from trials. 0:51:36.089,0:51:39.079 He knows how to rescue you. He knows. 0:51:39.080,0:51:43.217 Brethren, so often with the Lord, 0:51:43.217,0:51:50.547 "You don't have because what? [br]You haven't asked." 0:51:50.547,0:51:52.809 Listen, if you've got that mindset, 0:51:52.810,0:51:57.114 "The Lord knows how to deliver [br]me from this," you run to Him, 0:51:57.115,0:52:02.196 "Lord, deliver me. Show me a way out." 0:52:02.197,0:52:08.767 Or how about this: [br]You do fall into sexual sin. 0:52:08.768,0:52:13.785 Can I tell you what? Listen, you [br]not only have these passions, 0:52:13.785,0:52:14.985 you have the devil. 0:52:14.985,0:52:19.017 He comes along, and he's [br]whispering to you, 0:52:19.017,0:52:21.807 "Certainly God is going to understand. 0:52:21.807,0:52:24.551 Certainly he doesn't expect [br]you to endure this. 0:52:24.551,0:52:26.631 Look at the affliction you're in. 0:52:26.631,0:52:30.500 He's forgotten you. [br]He doesn't care about you." 0:52:30.501,0:52:35.054 He's going to come along [br]and slander God to you. 0:52:35.055,0:52:39.410 And then, you fall into the sin. 0:52:39.411,0:52:45.555 And then, he suddenly changes his tone. 0:52:45.556,0:52:49.400 Now he slanders you to you. 0:52:49.401,0:52:51.963 Before he slandered God to you. 0:52:51.964,0:52:57.129 Now you fall, "Look at you. [br]Look at how pathetic you are. 0:52:57.130,0:53:00.277 Are you going to think, even think, 0:53:00.277,0:53:04.247 Christ wants anything to do with [br]you after what you just did? 0:53:04.247,0:53:05.647 You might as well just go do it again. 0:53:05.647,0:53:08.647 You're so defiled. You're so wretched. 0:53:08.647,0:53:10.655 Just go do it again. 0:53:10.656,0:53:13.527 I mean, why even fight anymore? 0:53:13.528,0:53:17.027 You've already fallen, [br]look how pathetic you are. 0:53:17.028,0:53:21.863 You might as well just [br]blow it even worse." 0:53:21.864,0:53:27.263 You get that mindset, just the [br]devil trying to convince you, 0:53:27.263,0:53:31.165 "It's no use now, you [br]might as well just indulge." 0:53:31.166,0:53:35.412 Brethren, this is where Scripture comes [br]along and it says things like this, 0:53:35.413,0:53:38.561 think there with Romans 8: 0:53:38.561,0:53:42.111 "Who shall bring any [br]charge against God's elect?" 0:53:42.111,0:53:44.014 You remember who you are. 0:53:44.015,0:53:50.803 Listen, even on your worst day, [br]there is no condemnation. 0:53:50.804,0:53:54.228 Even on your worst day, [br]who shall bring any charge? 0:53:54.229,0:53:58.146 That doesn't mean that [br]nobody brings charges. 0:53:58.146,0:54:01.227 When it says, "Who shall bring [br]a charge against God's elect?" 0:54:01.228,0:54:04.473 it doesn't mean that there [br]aren't those who do bring charges. 0:54:04.474,0:54:08.924 It means there's nobody that [br]can bring one that sticks. 0:54:08.925,0:54:17.921 I'll tell you this, as a young Christian [br] 0:54:17.921,0:54:20.921 I would fall into all sorts of sins. 0:54:20.921,0:54:23.103 The battle was on. 0:54:23.104,0:54:26.133 I mean, for the first time in [br]my life, I wanted righteousness. 0:54:26.134,0:54:32.350 I hungered for it. I mean, [br]it was all out battle. 0:54:32.351,0:54:34.636 There was no perfect day. 0:54:34.637,0:54:39.090 But I can tell you, even on my worst day, 0:54:39.090,0:54:42.090 I was so overwhelmed by the fact that 0:54:42.090,0:54:44.900 Jesus Christ came and rescued me 0:54:44.900,0:54:47.900 when I was totally dead in my trespasses. 0:54:47.900,0:54:52.377 Now that I'm justified, [br]and I happen to have one fall; 0:54:52.378,0:54:55.511 I mean, when he came and rescued [br]me when I was like that, 0:54:55.512,0:54:58.195 is He going to now abandon [br]me when I'm like this? 0:54:58.195,0:55:00.425 I mean, how much more now that I'm His, 0:55:00.425,0:55:01.848 and now that I'm justified, 0:55:01.848,0:55:05.273 how much more is He going [br]to come and be a help to me? 0:55:05.274,0:55:10.064 When the devil would come [br]in at those times and says, 0:55:10.064,0:55:12.284 "He doesn't want anything to do with you." 0:55:12.284,0:55:14.314 I would say, "Well, that's interesting. 0:55:14.315,0:55:17.889 When I was like ten thousand times [br]worse before I was regenerated, 0:55:17.890,0:55:20.952 He wanted everything to do with me." 0:55:20.953,0:55:23.192 I mean, the basic logic of it was foolish. 0:55:23.193,0:55:29.221 I'd say, "Devil, your logic is [br]not working with me." 0:55:29.222,0:55:33.607 Who can lay anything to the [br]charge against God's elect? 0:55:33.608,0:55:36.665 It's God Who justifies! (Amen). 0:55:36.665,0:55:41.570 I mean, look, "Oh, is that right, devil? 0:55:41.570,0:55:45.050 I'm pretty bad? Yeah. That's right. 0:55:45.050,0:55:48.384 You're right, I did sin, and I am bad. 0:55:48.385,0:55:51.164 But I read somewhere in my Bible 0:55:51.164,0:56:02.754 that I have an Advocate with the [br]Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. 0:56:02.754,0:56:08.077 I don't think I'm going to [br]buy into that thinking." 0:56:08.078,0:56:12.927 Or how about this? 0:56:12.927,0:56:21.952 Brethren, you've got the reality of the [br]fear of the Lord, like we talked about. 0:56:21.953,0:56:25.028 When offending God no longer terrifies us. 0:56:25.029,0:56:26.869 But how about just this: 0:56:26.869,0:56:28.857 How about just from love end? 0:56:28.857,0:56:31.453 from the closeness end? 0:56:31.453,0:56:34.453 from the intimacy end? 0:56:34.453,0:56:38.607 When we forget just how much 0:56:38.607,0:56:44.237 this kind of thing damages [br]communion with the Lord. 0:56:44.237,0:56:58.496 Listen, can I tell you this, [br]David sinned with Bathsheba. 0:56:58.496,0:57:03.921 Nine months later, the child was born. 0:57:03.922,0:57:07.266 And that child died. 0:57:07.267,0:57:12.921 So most people estimate that David 0:57:12.921,0:57:17.411 was unrepentant of the sexual immorality 0:57:17.411,0:57:19.263 for somewhere in the neighborhood 0:57:19.263,0:57:21.883 of nine months approximately. 0:57:21.883,0:57:24.616 It's a good guess. 0:57:24.617,0:57:28.865 We know it was within the time [br]frame of this child being born. 0:57:28.866,0:57:32.114 And so this judgment is [br]basically handed down 0:57:32.114,0:57:34.324 that the child is going to die. 0:57:34.324,0:57:36.460 She gave birth. 0:57:36.461,0:57:40.605 It seems in the flow of 2 Samuel 0:57:40.605,0:57:43.605 that it happened fairly immediately. 0:57:43.605,0:57:46.032 There's not record of other [br]things happening there. 0:57:46.033,0:57:53.067 So it may very well be right that [br]about nine months went by. 0:57:53.068,0:57:59.306 Listen, to those of you that [br]have found Christ precious, 0:57:59.306,0:58:03.966 and you love intimacy with Him, 0:58:03.966,0:58:07.975 David lost those nine months. 0:58:07.976,0:58:10.908 What do I mean by that? 0:58:10.909,0:58:13.437 I mean nine months that he did not grow 0:58:13.437,0:58:15.377 in communion with the Lord. 0:58:15.377,0:58:17.137 Nine months where he did not grow 0:58:17.137,0:58:18.504 in intimacy with [the Lord]. 0:58:18.504,0:58:20.144 They were wasted. 0:58:20.145,0:58:21.793 You say, "How do you know?" 0:58:21.794,0:58:26.832 Because he tells us. Listen to this. 0:58:26.833,0:58:34.825 In Psalm 51, where he's responding [br]after the sin with Bathsheba, 0:58:34.826,0:58:37.127 "Let me hear joy and gladness; 0:58:37.127,0:58:41.107 let the bones that you [br]have broken rejoice." 0:58:41.107,0:58:44.194 He describes that [br]period of unrepentance 0:58:44.194,0:58:47.194 as having broken bones. 0:58:47.194,0:58:58.962 In Psalm 32:3, "When I kept silent - [br]in other words, sinned, 0:58:58.963,0:59:04.035 haven't confessed it, [br]haven't come to the Lord - 0:59:04.036,0:59:08.100 when I kept silent, my bones wasted away 0:59:08.100,0:59:14.840 through my groaning all day long." 0:59:14.840,0:59:20.103 Mark 4:19, "The desires of other [br]things enter in and choke the word, 0:59:20.104,0:59:22.246 and it proves unfruitful." 0:59:22.247,0:59:25.756 You know what happens when you [br]have desires for other things, 0:59:25.757,0:59:28.001 like for a woman, or for a man, 0:59:28.002,0:59:31.281 and you become consumed with [br]those in an illegitimate way? 0:59:31.282,0:59:35.127 They choke. They choke the Word. 0:59:35.128,0:59:37.557 They choke communion with God. 0:59:37.557,0:59:39.787 They cause the bones to break. 0:59:39.787,0:59:45.474 They cause this kind of [br]bones wasting away, groaning. 0:59:45.474,0:59:49.154 Look, if you don't value [br]intimacy with Christ, 0:59:49.155,0:59:51.365 just run out into a bunch of sexual sin; 0:59:51.365,0:59:53.015 just view pornography. 0:59:53.015,0:59:56.164 If you think you're going to have [br]some of the sweetest times 0:59:56.165,1:00:00.649 that you've ever experienced [br]in prayer after you do that, 1:00:00.650,1:00:05.462 you're crazy. It's not going to happen. 1:00:05.463,1:00:14.650 Can I tell you who takes flight [br]up to the mountain of God? 1:00:14.651,1:00:16.537 Anybody know your Bibles? 1:00:16.538,1:00:23.274 Anybody know Psalm 15 [br]or Psalm 24? Who is it? 1:00:23.275,1:00:25.282 He that has clean hands and a pure heart. 1:00:25.283,1:00:27.549 You spend your time defiling yourself, 1:00:27.550,1:00:32.118 you will not walk in those [br]high places with the Lord. 1:00:32.119,1:00:36.922 You will not be given access. 1:00:36.923,1:00:43.254 I'm talking experientially. 1:00:43.255,1:00:48.357 I'm talking manifestly experiencing 1:00:48.357,1:00:52.057 the reality of God's presence; 1:00:52.057,1:00:54.419 knowing what it is to walk with Him 1:00:54.419,1:00:57.419 and talk with Him and delight in Him. 1:00:57.419,1:01:02.045 You will groan, and your bones will break, 1:01:02.046,1:01:06.635 before He'll let you [br]mount that holy mountain. 1:01:06.636,1:01:11.475 You won't go there. You won't walk there. 1:01:11.476,1:01:15.365 And one last one: [br]When you forget, brethren, 1:01:15.366,1:01:23.593 when you forget the agonies [br]of Christ for sexual sin. 1:01:23.593,1:01:28.508 Listen guys, you ever [br]tempted by the computer? 1:01:28.509,1:01:35.433 As you're thinking about it, [br]begin to picture in your mind. 1:01:35.434,1:01:39.751 I read somewhere in my [br]Bible something like this: 1:01:39.751,1:01:42.993 Titus 2:13, "Our great God [br]and Savior Jesus Christ, 1:01:42.994,1:01:47.872 who gave Himself for us to [br]redeem us from all lawlessness 1:01:47.873,1:01:54.834 and to purify for Himself a [br]people for His own possession." 1:01:54.834,1:01:56.693 To purify. 1:01:56.693,1:02:02.986 To take that smut, and [br]that dirt, out of your life. 1:02:02.986,1:02:07.077 Scripture says, "He gave Himself." 1:02:07.077,1:02:14.074 Listen, can you see Christ hanging there? 1:02:14.074,1:02:19.436 Darkness is upon the land. 1:02:19.436,1:02:25.837 Everyone has forsaken Him. 1:02:25.837,1:02:27.715 God has forsaken Him. 1:02:27.715,1:02:31.015 The sun has forsaken Him. 1:02:31.015,1:02:33.595 It's dark. 1:02:33.595,1:02:39.332 Can you imagine the groans [br]and the sighs of the Man of sorrows 1:02:39.332,1:02:49.970 as He hangs upon that cross, [br]specifically to purify you? 1:02:49.970,1:02:51.500 What are you gonna do? 1:02:51.500,1:02:53.122 You're gonna tread on that blood? 1:02:53.122,1:02:54.916 You're gonna tread on that pain? 1:02:54.916,1:02:57.449 You're gonna tread on that affliction? 1:02:57.450,1:03:02.020 You're gonna say, "Well, it doesn't [br]really matter. It's a small thing. 1:03:02.020,1:03:05.322 It's a light thing I'm about to do. 1:03:05.322,1:03:14.294 I'm gonna just cheaply sin, [br]because Christ has paid for it?" 1:03:14.294,1:03:18.063 You're just gonna trample that blood? 1:03:18.063,1:03:21.521 You can imagine in your [br]mind Christ hanging there 1:03:21.521,1:03:30.781 between Heaven and Earth, groaning? 1:03:30.781,1:03:40.296 You see, when the Christian [br]ventures into the realm of sexual sin, 1:03:40.296,1:03:48.877 his or her thinking has totally [br]gone wrong. Totally gone wrong. 1:03:48.877,1:03:56.880 This is where our minds need to be. 1:03:56.880,1:04:01.398 You know, it's hard when you [br]think, you're walking along, 1:04:01.398,1:04:05.396 It's a disregard. It's a despising. 1:04:05.396,1:04:08.359 Just remember this: "You despised Me." 1:04:08.360,1:04:18.125 Remember God saying that through [br]Nathan to David? "You despised Me. 1:04:18.125,1:04:22.745 You disregarded Me," [br]so says 1 Thessalonians 4. 1:04:22.745,1:04:26.535 "You disregarded Me. You despised Me. 1:04:26.535,1:04:28.995 You despised My Word. 1:04:28.995,1:04:35.564 You have utterly scorned the LORD." 1:04:35.564,1:04:39.319 Is that what you want to do, Christian? 1:04:39.319,1:04:41.309 You that love the Lord, 1:04:41.309,1:04:43.259 do you want to scorn the Lord? 1:04:43.259,1:04:46.057 Do you want to trample [br]the blood of Christ? 1:04:46.057,1:04:49.198 He who hung on the [br]cross to make you pure, 1:04:49.198,1:04:51.028 do you want to do that? 1:04:51.028,1:04:58.334 Do you want to just wreck your [br]communion with the Lord? 1:04:58.334,1:05:04.534 Brethren, these are things [br]we need to think about. 1:05:04.534,1:05:07.447 It's a mind battle. 1:05:07.447,1:05:12.447 It's bringing your thoughts [br]in subjection to the Word. 1:05:12.447,1:05:20.316 Arm yourself. Think on these things. 1:05:20.316,1:05:24.810 Well, there you have it for tonight. 1:05:24.812,1:05:31.156 [Audience] You just made [br]a reference to 1 Peter, 1:05:31.156,1:05:35.232 where you said, "Those of you [br]who count Him as precious." 1:05:35.232,1:05:42.856 Is it possible to be saved and [br]not count Him as precious? 1:05:42.856,1:05:52.194 [Tim] No. Now, obviously, [br]our affection for Him 1:05:52.194,1:05:55.194 can increase and diminish. 1:05:55.194,1:06:00.125 But I would just say this: 1:06:00.125,1:06:10.295 The given New Covenant promise, just huge, 1:06:10.295,1:06:13.726 is that He is going to put [br]His Spirit within us. 1:06:13.726,1:06:21.715 The Spirit comes and works the [br]fruit of the Spirit in His people. 1:06:21.715,1:06:28.414 The first description [br]of that fruit is love. 1:06:28.414,1:06:32.446 The highest love is for God. For Christ. 1:06:32.446,1:06:36.238 The Spirit of God works [br]that in His people. 1:06:36.238,1:06:39.796 I mean, you get the [br]reality of the parable 1:06:39.796,1:06:41.356 that I brought up last week 1:06:41.356,1:06:43.376 of the treasure hidden in the field. 1:06:43.376,1:06:46.450 I mean, basically, the [br]reality of Christianity 1:06:46.450,1:06:49.450 is discovering a treasure [br]that is so precious to us, 1:06:49.450,1:06:51.754 we're willing to go [br]sell everything to have it. 1:06:51.754,1:06:59.400 Now, that doesn't mean that as [br]we progress through our Christian life, 1:06:59.401,1:07:04.842 that from time to time, idols [br]don't encroach and challenge that. 1:07:04.842,1:07:09.812 But Jesus says that He disciplines, 1:07:09.812,1:07:12.812 He chastens those whom He loves. 1:07:12.812,1:07:15.839 The promise in the New Covenant is this: 1:07:15.839,1:07:18.420 That He is going to [br]cleanse us from our idols. 1:07:18.420,1:07:26.043 In other words, He is jealous [br]for our love, for our affection. 1:07:26.043,1:07:29.479 And when anything enters [br]in that challenges it, 1:07:29.479,1:07:32.479 He's knocking it out of there. 1:07:32.479,1:07:36.281 I mean, He is jealous for our love, 1:07:36.281,1:07:39.281 and He's determined to have it. 1:07:39.281,1:07:44.477 And His Spirit is working that within us. 1:07:44.477,1:07:50.559 So, I would say it can [br]ebb and it can flow. 1:07:50.560,1:07:57.512 The very characteristic of a [br]Christian given in Romans 8:28, 1:07:57.512,1:08:01.012 is not only those that are called, [br]but those that love God. 1:08:01.012,1:08:04.713 I mean, that is a [br]description of the Christian. 1:08:04.713,1:08:07.463 So no, that's impossible. 1:08:07.463,1:08:10.618 You come across somebody that [br]doesn't find Christ precious, 1:08:10.618,1:08:13.324 you've just come across an unbeliever. 1:08:13.324,1:08:15.749 Now they may believe a [br]lot of things about Christ, 1:08:15.749,1:08:18.002 but they're not a true believer. 1:08:18.002,1:08:19.590 I mean, that's just the reality. 1:08:19.590,1:08:23.267 That's one thing that, to the [br]saved person, Christ is precious. 1:08:23.267,1:08:26.495 I mean, if anything is [br]true about the Christian, 1:08:26.495,1:08:29.495 Christ is altogether everything; 1:08:29.495,1:08:37.566 altogether lovely, altogether [br]worthy of being followed, 1:08:37.566,1:08:39.956 of our total commitment. 1:08:39.956,1:08:46.608 One of the triggers that really [br]spirals the Christian downward 1:08:46.609,1:08:50.523 is when their prayer life takes a hit. 1:08:50.524,1:08:58.035 And, I've heard other men [br]say this, and I feel it myself, 1:08:58.035,1:09:09.041 that even more so than maybe [br]not reading as much of the Word. 1:09:09.042,1:09:14.740 But when the prayer life slackens, [br]even more so than Bible reading, 1:09:14.740,1:09:17.871 your spiritual life takes a major hit. 1:09:17.872,1:09:19.924 And I have found that to be true.