Reopen Your Heart
Today's Scripture
"Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity." Ephesians 4:18-19 NLT
Thoughts for Today
When Christians begin to walk the path leading to sexual impurity, they must choose to ignore their conscience and harden their heart to continue activities they know are wrong. They resist the conviction God brings to their hearts. They justify their actions with many excuses or pretend what they are doing does not matter.
"No one will know—what can it hurt?" "I just want to know what these porno sites are like. I'll have a quick look and that will be it." "She is so beautiful—and anyhow, my wife just doesn't understand me."
The rationalizations and excuses are endless. When we choose to cross the line, we begin ignoring our conscience. And it gets easier each time.
Consider this …
Are you considering taking such a step? Denying what you know is right to enjoy temporary pleasure? If you cross that line, you will begin a downward spiral that can only lead you away from your walk with God and into a pattern of destructive behavior.
Maybe you are already on that downward spiral. You crossed the line some time ago, and you find that you can do it more easily each time.
God still loves you. He loves you unconditionally. He wants what is best for you. Jesus died for your sin—all your sin. Choose today to turn back to Him. And seek help—don't try to do this on your own. Talk to your pastor or another Christian counselor. Get into the Bible—study and memorize scriptures. Attend a good church where grace is preached and the Bible is taught faithfully. Find someone to help keep you accountable. And above all, reopen your honest communication with your heavenly Father. Open your mind and heart to Him.
Prayer
Father, please forgive me. I want to turn from these sinful things. I stopped listening to my conscience a long time ago, but I know You still love me. Help me find the help I need. Give me the strength to resist temptation and help me refocus on You. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Crossroads: Choosing the Road to Sexual Purity by David E. Longacre. Crossroads deals with choosing the road to sexual purity and is suggested for use in support groups and Christian counseling.
- Describes the sexual addiction process
- Shows how the sin of proximity often precedes sexual sins
- Shows the way out of sexual addiction
- Presents biblical insights to help a person break free and stay free
- Gives practical actions for renewing the mind
- Serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by providing a way to minister to people's felt needs and then pointing them to Christ
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