Series: Cliff Hangers
Jesus teaching from the Sermon on the Mount:
These teachings were risky, some would even say very dangerous, they would be teachings that would be opposite of what the religious leaders of the day were teaching, and they would become points of dissension and points of exhilaration. Some people would rejoice and others sigh. Some would be happy and others angry. What Jesus was teaching them he put them all on the edge of their seats. His teachings made people nervous and yet it changed the way people of His day thought or perceived what the Kingdom of Heaven was. Jesus’ teaching along with their acceptance by the crowd would change the course of history between God and mankind. The people would be blown away by what Jesus taught and the religious leaders would pick up a spirit of offense against Jesus and seek His life for these teachings.
Summary of first four sermons from the series:
Sermon 1: Matthew 5:1-12 – “Who does God Bless?” According to Jesus it’s those who follow the 8 be-attitudes of verses 3-11. These are the types of people God blesses and these are the kind of people who are part of the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore will receive the accompanying promises.
Sermon 2: Matthew 5:13-16 – “Salt and Light” Jesus tells the crowd that people who are part of the Kingdom of Heaven will be a preserving force in this society and light in the midst of darkness. These light bearers will help lead people out of the darkness of sin into the light of God’s love.
Sermon 3: Dave’s message “Old vs. New”
Matthew 5:17-20 - Jesus makes it clear in this passage that His teaching – His new spiritual insights are given not to do away with the Law but to fulfill the Law and the teachings of the Prophets. He tells them that if they follow the beatitudes, the charge to be salt and light and abide by His spiritual truths then they will be called “Great” in the Kingdom of Heaven. But He makes it real clear that if their righteousness does not surpass that of the religious leaders then they will not be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Sermon 4: Really Bad Sin! (What does it look like?)
Scripture Text: Matthew 5:21-26: Be careful how you rate sin because Jesus has a different scale than you do. Make sure to follow His scale and not yours! Jesus places un-forgiveness and murder on the same sin level and lets us know it receives the same judgment as well.
Sermon 5: “Bulging Eyes”
Matthew 5:27-30: 27“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”
Introduction:
The bulging eye’s disease which Jesus is talking about here is directly related to what our minds and hearts dwell on. When Jesus readjusts the false scale for sin he makes it clear that lusting after another is already the first step of sin and the same judgment that comes from committing adultery is the same judgment for the one who lusts after another.
This whole act of looking, staring, dreaming and fantasizing is rooted in the sinful nature and is directly related to the porn industry of today.
Good Magazine shows a number of stats about the internet pornography industry in the U.S.:
• 89% of porn is created/made in the U.S. (Mostly in California)
• $2.84 billion in revenue was generated from U.S. porn sites in 2006
• $89 a second is spent on porn
• 72% of porn viewers are men, 28% are women
• 260 new porn sites go online every day with the design to hook young viewers
Many are recognizing the danger of bulging eyes to our families, marriages and even
our society. But many others are taking advantage of this sin to make themselves millions of
dollars without regard to its impact on American Society.
Highlight article from http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18560_162-585049.html:
“Porn in the U.S.A.” by Rebecca Leung:
Consumer demand is so strong that it has seduced some of America’s biggest brand names, and companies like General Motors, Marriott and Time Warner are now making millions selling erotica to America…"Corporations are in business to make money. This is an extremely large business and there’s a great opportunity for profits in it." In 2002, Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, pulled in $50 million from adult programming. All the nation’s top cable operators, from Time Warner to Cablevision, distribute sexually explicit material to their subscribers. But you won’t read about it in their annual reports. Same with satellite providers like EchoStar and DirecTV, which is owned by Hughes Technology, a subsidiary of General Motors…
Then there are the big hotel chains: Hilton, Marriot, Hyatt, Sheraton and Holiday Inn, which all offer adult films on in-room pay-per-view television systems. And they are purchased by a whopping 50 percent of their guests, accounting for nearly 70 percent of their in-room profits. One hotel owner said, "We have to have it. Our guests demand it."
…It’s become popular, cool, even acceptable in the 18-to-25 age group. My age group, I’m 37, my age group and up. We think porn is something that’s shameful. But for kids half my age, they think it’s cool," says Ford, who guesses it’s an act of rebellion, embracing one of society’s last taboos.
The author of this article is very clear that major companies in the United States are greedy for the money they can make from this sin. Their desire is to make money and they don’t care who gets hurt as long as they get richer. These companies hide their profit margins and even justify why they are in this business of selling sin, even some of the liberal media is trying to seduce you the American public that this sinful act is good for you and your marriage. Listen carefully this is a lie right from the mouth of Satan himself.
Thesis: The problem that arises with bulging eyes that wander into sin is that the mind is not in the right place with God nor is it His view of morality and purity. Jesus also tells us that His rating scale for the sin of lust is the same for the sin of adultery! He then tells us to take dramatic steps to cut it out of our lives.
I. The root of the problem for bulging eyes is always related to the condition of the mind.
a. The Bible’s makes a strong case for the renewing of our minds:
i. Rom. 1:28: 28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
1. We are responsible to make sure after salvation that we renew our minds-our thinking with God’s view of life and sin.
ii. Rom. 8:5-8: 5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
1. Paul makes it clear that a mind which is controlled by the flesh will not bring life and peace but instead death and misery.
iii. Rom. 12:2: 2Do 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.
1. We are told that residents of the Kingdom of Heaven do not conform to the pattern of this world - ie – lusting after others. But we are to renew – refresh-reprogram our minds with God’s truth and values. When we do this we will discover God’s will for our lives!
iv. 2 Cor. 4:4: 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1. Remember the world – those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior are blind because the god they serve – Satan- has them blind to what is truth.
v. 2 Cor. 11:3: 3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
1. Paul tells the Corinth church that the enemy the Devil is very smart and he can and will try to lead you astray! This area is one of the major areas I believe the Devil uses to destroy your life.
vi. Phil. 3:17-20: 17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
20But our citizenship is in heaven.
1. Our mind as Christians is to focus on earthly things and our citizenship is in Heaven not here on this earth.
vii. Eph. 4:22-24: 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
1. We have all been taught – instructed to put off throw off the old way of thinking and acting and put on the new Heavenly mindset of Jesus!
b. The mindset of a renewed mind (Heavenly mindset) according to God’s Word is different and unlike the world’s mindset and remember God does examine what is in our minds – He can read minds:
i. Jeremiah 17:10: 10“I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”
ii. Jeremiah 20:12: 12 “O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.”
iii. 1 Cor. 2:16: 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
iv. Phil. 2:5: 5” Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”
v. Col. 3:1-2: 1 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
vi. Rev. 2:21-23: 21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
1. The Scripture tells us – yes even warns us that we will be judged by our mindsets and our deeds! So don’t be fooled by the deceptive words of the world!
T.S. – There is a battle raging in this world for your mind! Yes, for your thought process because the power of this world knows if it can get your mindset then you will sin repeatedly and even justify your sin. This is why the Bible instructs us to make sure that we renew our minds with the truth of God’s Word.
II. Jesus says, “Change your mind set on sin!” Lust and adultery rated the same!
a. Why does Jesus address the crowd and say you have to start thinking differently, your mindset is wrong and here is the truth about God and His view of sin. Because residents of Heaven cut sin out of their lives not play with it!
b. Fowler states, “The mind has been programmed with natural established attitudes. These are the beliefs, thoughts, ideas, opinions, convictions, prejudices that we have concerning ourselves, others, objects, activities, God, etc.”
i. How do these value systems and mindsets develop?
1. They are formed by our family culture.
2. They are developed in us by our educational system.
3. They are implanted into our minds by books, TV, media, and other input sources.
4. They are molded in us by our religious affiliations and memberships.
5. They are also developed by life experiences.
6. They are developed by the influence of others in our lives either negative or positive.
7. They are developed in us by fear factors and oppressive factors.
a. Such as: social injustices, social prejudice issues, drugs, alcohol, abuse and sexual abuse.
ii. These developed and learned mindsets will shape and mold the way we think, we live, we believe and even the way we act daily.
1. This is why it is so important to make sure we are shaping our minds in accordance with God’s Word and God’s value system.
a. Example of the movie “Nell” from the Family Channel – It is the story about a woman raised in the mountains by her mother and it shows how she developed a mindset toward other people and even daylight. The learned fear factors in her life and why she acted and spoke the way she did.
c. It is important to understand that we cannot renew our own minds, change the way we think – act – or believe without the power of the Holy Spirit.
i. To have a renewed mind is to have the influence of the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the venues of God’s Word which come to us in the following ways:
1. The Bible
2. Preaching/teaching
3. Christian books
4. Christian education
5. Christian music
6. Christian media
7. Christian dialogue and our interaction with others
a. The Holy Spirit uses these mediums to teach us and train us in the right thinking of God.
ii. Our minds must first be renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit at our conversion. Then we need to be actively renewing our daily input of information and filtering it through the teaching of Jesus and God’s Word. This is what transforms our thinking and even our rational thinking process.
1. This process of the Holy Spirit helps us understand what is right and wrong – it develops our mindset on critical issues in life - like:
a. How we view God?
b. How we view the Bible?
c. How we view this world?
d. How we view social issues?
e. How we view political issues?
f. How we view ourselves?
g. How we view our daily lives?
h. How we view others?
i. How we view current situations in our life?
j. How we view our family?
k. How we view our church?
T.S. – The renewing of the mind is essential if we want to have the mind of Christ and not the mind of the sinful flesh. It takes work, it takes prayer and it takes a commitment on our part to change the way we think and the way we look at others. But we must commit to be lead and taught by the Holy Spirit.
III. Bulging eyes are sin and it needs to stop now not later! Cut it off!
a. The problem of bulging eyes according to God’s Word is it’s sin – plain and simple – it’s not acceptable Christian behavior and it needs to stop:
b. Jesus tells us in our text that lust is sin and it’s on the same level as if you had an affair with another person.
i. Once again Jesus goes to the heart of the problem – looking and lusting after another woman is sin.
1. The same judgment for the one who commits adultery awaits the one addicted to lusting after other woman.
2. The truth is Hell has reservations for the porn addict and the one who commits adultery – same landing zone –same judgment.
ii. Lusting after others is a desecration of the sacred act of sex created by God for mankind.
iii. Lusting after others is throwing holiness and the sacredness of sex away and making it into a sinful act.
1. It takes something beautiful and makes it ugly and demeaning.
iv. I heard a preacher tell me that lusting after others is far too common, and he stopped his preaching to ask the question:
1. How many married people here today have a person picked out that you want to marry if something happens to your spouse?
2. If you do – your lusting!
c. Les Parrot states in his book Crazy Good Sex: “No human longing is more powerful, more difficult to rein in, than sex. It has enough combustive force to incinerate wedding vows, family commitments, career goals, religious devotion, and anything else in its path” (page 17).
i. So let’s get back to our topic today – lusting after others – having a mind that is consumed with the wrong focus in life for others.
1. Men or women if you have an out of control mind in regards to sexual things then I suggest the first thing you do is eat Corn Flakes! Pause
a. Yes, I said Corn Flakes!
2. Les Parrot in his book shares the story of how Corn Flakes were originally developed from pages 25-28:
a. The flakes were developed by a physician in Battle Creek, Michigan, he believed that neither the plague, nor war, nor small pox, nor similar diseases, have produced results so disastrous to humans than an out of control human sex drive.
i. The name of this great food inventor was Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. Yes, he created a mix of oatmeal and corn meal which was baked and then crushed and he gave it as a prescription to his patients to diminish their sex drive. They were to eat it for breakfast and presto their sex drive would decrease and keep them from this unhealthy habit. He believed sexual activity was unhealthy for humans and even evil. On his honeymoon he started to write a 664 page book called “Plain facts for Old and Young.”
1. He and his wife had different bedrooms and he viewed sex as unhealthy – believing it caused cancer, epilepsy, diseases, and insanity.
2. His honeymoon must have been terrible!
ii. Well one of his patients by the name of Charles William Post quickly spotted the commercial possibilities of this breakfast cereal and made Post Toasties, and then Korn–Kinks. By the end of the 19th century there where forty two varieties in the market but Kellogg’s Corn Flakes became the king of them all.
1. The view of sex in the 19th Century was one of abstinence and looked at as evil – this concept was wrong and is wrong!
3. This whole story is crazy but true and many of us are thinking how insane or crazy their belief system was about sex back in the old days. But today we also hold many crazy thoughts about sex because in our world today sex is all about self-indulgence not self-control.
a. This also is a crazy distorted view of sex.
b. The truth is sex, or sexual thoughts are to be controlled according to Jesus and managed God’s way.
c. As men and women of the Kingdom of Heaven we must have a proper biblical view of sex.
i. There is good sex and bad sex!
ii. There is healthy sex and unhealthy sex!
iii. There is normal sex and not-normal sex!
iv. There is the right person to have sex with and the wrong person to have sex with!
v. There is no place in a healthy sexual relationship with your spouse for fantasizing about others!
vi. There is real sex and fantasy sex!
vii. The key is to have you heart and mind focused on God’s design for sex because it’s the best and the most fulfilling kind of sex you can have.
1. Experts tells us, “It’s worth noting that married women and men report being significantly more satisfied with their sex lives than either single or cohabiting people” (http://www.stayhitched.com/sex.htm).
d. This worldly – fleshly society has chosen to desecrate – to cast off the sacredness of sex – they have chosen to make it cheap – self-indulgent – self-fulfilling and sinful. They have intentionally chosen to take the Biblical view of sex and throw it out.
i. The media outlets of today have cast a distorted vision of sex, of love to our culture and society.
1. These outlets are:
a. Main stream TV and media networks.
b. Main stream movie companies.
c. Main stream writers and reporters.
d. And yes the porn industry of today which primarily is based out of California.
ii. Article from Covenant eyes: http://www.covenanteyes.com/2008/10/28/ex-porn-star-tells-the-truth-about-the-porn-industry
1. Today we need to understand that porn is not of God.
a. It’s Creator is Satan and it sets out to kill, steal and destroy people’s lives.
b. It was not created to birth new life like God’s mindset and design of sex and love. No the porn mindset is distorted, greedy and evil. It kills and destroys!
c. Let me say it clearly and loudly – Porn seeks to kill – steal and destroy people’s lives! And it wants your life!
2. Article: Ex-Porn Star Tells the Truth about the Porn Industry - The following is a guest post by Shelley Lubben. Shelley, a former porn actress, is the founder and president of The Pink Cross Foundation: …The California pornography industry is a destructive, drug infested, abusive and sexually diseased industry which causes severe negative secondary effects on female and male adult industry workers as well as the general public. I am confident of the above because not only was I a stripper, pornographic performer and escort in the California pornography industry from 1986 to 1994, but I have also counseled with or spoken to over 300 female and male workers in the pornography industry as well as those struggling with pornography addiction.
a. They have learned significant facts to prove that indeed the California pornography industry is causing severe secondary negative effects on adult industry workers as well as the general public, which is involuntarily exposed to pornography, especially children, whose average age of first Internet exposure to pornography is eleven years old.
3. The facts about porn: It is estimated that there are 4.2 million porn Web sites—12% of the total amount of sites—allowing access to 72 million worldwide visitors monthly. One-quarter of the total daily search engine requests, or 68 million, are for pornographic material, where 40 million Americans are regular visitors. According to comScore Media Metrix, 71.9 million people visited adult sites in August 2005, reaching 42.7 percent of the Internet audience. The United States adult film industry produces 4,000–11,000 films a year and earns an estimated $9–$13 billion in gross revenues annually. An estimated 200 production companies employ 1,200–1,500 performers. Performers typically earn $400–$1,000 per shoot and are not compensated based on distribution or sales. Lobbyist Bill Lyon told 60 Minutes that the porn industry employs 12,000 people in California and pays the state $36 million in taxes per year. When 60 Minutes first spoke to Lyon, he was running the free speech coalition, a trade organization that represents 900 companies in the porn business.
4. This article covers the negative impact of bulging eyes on people’s lives:
a. STD”S number 1: The damage caused by porn to people’s lives - the spread of STD’s - In statements I have received (Shelley) from females and males working in the pornography industry and those who previously worked in the industry, at least 80% admit to catching an STD while working in the California pornography industry. …Belladonna, a well known pornographic performer states: “99% of the porn industry has Herpes.” One male pornographic performer, Rocco, 600 films and 3,000 women later says: “Every professional in the porn-world has herpes, male or female.” Tanya Burleson, formerly known as Jersey Jaxin, caught Chlamydia her first year working. She exclaimed, while speaking with me, “I don’t believe I worked with one person who didn’t at one time have an STD.” Dr. Sharon Mitchell confirms the STD prevalence in an interview with Court TV, in which she states: “66% of porn performers have Herpes, 12-28% have sexually transmitted diseases and 7% have HIV.”
b. This industry spreads STD’s to the public: The truth about porn is that pornographic performers and those working in the adult industry definitely spread sexually transmitted diseases to each other and to the general public.
c. This industry treats people as sex objects not as human beings with a spirit and a soul.
i. The Bible tells us that women are to be loved and protected, not harmed and degraded like the porn industry does.
d. Another truth about porn’s adult industry includes exposure to drugs and drug addiction.
i. Porn actress Erin Moore admits, “The drugs we binged on were Ecstasy, Cocaine, Marijuana, Xanax, Valium, Vicodin and alcohol.” Tanya Burleson, formerly known as Jersey Jaxin, says, “Guys are punching you in the face. You get ripped. Your insides can come out of you. It’s never ending. You’re viewed as an object—not as a human with a spirit. People do drugs because they can’t deal with the way they’re being treated.”
ii. One male porn star says on his blog on January 28, 2008: “Drugs are a major, major problem in my business. Anyone who says otherwise is lying to you. I can’t tell you the number of girls who have disappeared and dropped out of the business because of their drug problems…Why is drug use so prevalent in our business? Well, let’s figure that out. First of all, remember that the business is populated largely with girls aged 18-21. And the majority of those girls are uneducated (many haven’t graduated high school). Add to that the fact that many come into the business because they have no money and are working at menial jobs like fast food places. So you have young girls who are uneducated with very little money entering the business. “Once they are in the business, they are now making ten thousand dollars a month and working maybe 5 hours a day 10-15 days a month. There are predators out there that can smell these girls and prey on them like sharks. Young, uneducated girls with lots of money, lots of free time, and very little supervision. This is a really bad equation (unless you are a drug dealer of course).”
e. People especially the women suffer physical and verbal abuse:
i. In addition to prevalent drug use, degradation and abuse is rampant in the pornography industry. In one study 100% of the strippers reported some kind of physical or verbal abuse on their jobs. Verbal abuse by customers is extremely common with 91% reporting incidents. They were routinely called degrading names. Besides the verbal abuse, all endured some type of physical abuse on the job. Despite the fact that it is illegal to touch a stripper, strippers reported that customers grabbed them by the arm (88%), grabbed their breast (73%), or their buttock (91%). Customers at strip clubs often assault the women. Customers pulled their hair (27%), pinched them (58%), slapped them (24%), or bit them (36%). They are often attacked in the strip club in front of bodyguards and other audience members
f. The drugs and the sexual abuse is a gateway to a life of prostitution.
g. Porn creates a sense of loneliness and hopelessness.
i. This happens to one in the industry and the ones who view it!
h. Porn destroys marriages and families created by God
i. Just type in search “Porn destroyed my marriage and see how many articles and blogs come up!”
ii. It’s about 16,000,000 sites.
iii. This week I read through some of the heart wrenching stories
5. Porn and state laws;
a. In California, every employer is required to ensure that employees have a safe working environment. In 1973, the California Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted to assure safe and healthful working conditions for all California working men and women by authorizing the enforcement of effective standards, assisting and encouraging employers to maintain safe and healthful working conditions, and by providing research, information, education, training, and enforcement in the field of occupational safety and health. Employers in the California pornography industry are required to provide a safe and healthful workplace for employees, even pay the costs of a health and safety program, and yet this is not the standard in the adult industry. The accurate standard at present in the California pornography industry is that employers are completely ignoring the laws of the State of California to protect adult industry workers and are causing severe secondary negative effects on workers by subjecting them to physical and emotional abuse, major degradation and violence, illegal drugs, sexually transmitted diseases and entrapment into prostitution. This is the standard of the California pornography industry; any adult industry employer or worker who tells you differently is blatantly lying and does not value human life, but is rather destroying human life for the gluttonous love of money.
6. Article: The Only Way Out – Former Porn Star Has a Message for Her Fans. Erica was a big name in the porn industry. She was the Playboy Special Editions Model of the Year in 2005, and the Penthouse Pet of the Month for April 2007. Erica represented the sex industry’s picture of “success.” To many she was known as the “sweetheart” of soft-core porn.
a. There is ONE common thread to so many of us online here . . . the need to be loved, accepted, cared for, the need to have SOMEONE understand you and connect with you. At the end of so many of these emails was that loneliness. SO many men have asked me what they were doing wrong, how to find a special girl like me for THEM. How to fill that “void” in their hearts . . . in their souls. For a long time I thought I was helping to fill that void in the lives of so many, and in a way I was. But it was all a lie. I could never fill that void for anyone . . . only be a sinful band aid for it. Only cause the loneliness to deepen . . . only cause my own soul to ache more. I have been looking so long and so hard for someone to love me: love ME for ME. Fill that hole in my soul. Complete me. All this time the only thing standing in my way was me. I have been blind and wrong. On so many levels for so long. I have decided to leave the world of adult and porn behind me . . . and follow the Lord. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and am devoting my life to HIS WILL. I have found the one thing that can, will and DOES fill that void . . . and that is GOD. I have been trapped in sin and destruction for so long. Disappointment after disappointment . . . painful venture after painful venture. I have been my own worst enemy. Holding the key all along.
i. http://www.howtostopmasturbating.com/masturbation-and-pornography-addiction-for-women/
1. Around the globe, it is estimated that 20 percent of women struggle with porn addiction. One in every three visitors to online porn sites is female. More than 10 million women access adult web sites at least once a month. So, let’s be real. Porn addiction and masturbation addiction are not male exclusive. In fact, these addictions can be signals for other, underlying emotions. Isn’t it time to take action.
7. Jesus said lusting after another is sin and deserves the same judgment as adultery does.
a. After learning the truth about the porn industry, about what happens to people with bulging eyes you can see why Jesus said what He said!
Conclusion:
Application: Here are some practical keys to putting the eyes back where they belong.
• You need to establish and develop Christ like mindsets.
o We must constantly being renewing our mind with the right kinds of inputs.
o Garbage in then? Then garbage comes out.
o So put good things in and good things will come out!
• Go get “Covenant Eyes” which is a monitoring software program for your computer it can also work for your I-pad or even Smart phone.
• Read the book “Every Mans Battle” - They also have a great devotional book for Every Mans Battle with Scriptures to battle lust and impure thoughts.
• Read the book “Crazy Good Sex” by Dr. Les Parrot who also has a website designed to help men defeat the distorted mindsets on sex and lust. His site is crazygoodsex.jlog.com.
• Find an accountability partner.
• Start a men’s small group so you can support one another in this battle.
• Pray and ask God to help you be delivered.
• Change your lifestyle!
Avoid the areas of temptation.
Stop looking at others with the wrong mindset.
• Turn your head away and rebuke those thoughts in the name of Jesus.
• Discipline is a key – self-monitoring can be done – you can stop what you are doing with God’s help and accountability.
1 Timothy 4:7-10: 7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance
10(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.
Undisciplined minds and thinking retain natural attitudes. A mind set focused on God’s character and way drives out fleshly thinking.
• Phil. 4:8: 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
• Col. 3:1-3: 1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Altar Call: Have pray team members come forward to pray for those who need prayer.
