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I am always amazed at how dead on the Bible can be.  Israel and Judah are one country that struggled to fall into various area’s that would only hurt the country.  One of them was in sexual sin.  This is defined as any sexual activity that is not what God intended at the Creation of, and institution of marriage.  Israel like me have looked away from what God intended to others ideas of how to use our sexuality.  This section of Ezekiel concerns itself with God’s judgement on the women of the day who with all the great intentions of the world in creating a environment of liberty really brought many into serious bondage.

I must say honestly the passage reminded me a bit of the porn industry today and it’s debates on the goodness of it’s product for the world.

I do believe that those in the industry do not look at right or wrong from a Biblical perspective and I do not say that they must.  And for those governments that judge if it’s product is good by subjective reasoning, then I imagine they will continue to push there product to more and more people.

For us in the Church that do believe in a moral law giver we must understand that to view or not to view is on us.  We don’t need to have a TV, or Computer.  And if we decide to have these unnecessary items in our possession no-one is forcing us to buy porn or view it!  We have filter programs for both items mentioned.

My thought is that God will judge one day…This is a theme of the book of Revelation.  But until that day, do not be surprised when those who don’t hold to a Biblical worldview don’t agree with your view point.  But what must be stopped is our own pretense and hypocrisy as those that complain and debate, yet do not engage our own crew as to how we can move away from such stuff.

The rabbi Paul wrote, “God will judge those outside the Church.”

Ezekiel reminds me that those very successful women of today are accountable to there maker like everyone.  I hope we can show them a greater pleasure until that time.

17-19 “And the women prophets—son of man, take your stand against the women prophets who make up stuff out of their own minds. Oppose them. Say ‘Doom’ to the women who sew magic bracelets and head scarves to suit every taste, devices to trap souls. Say, ‘Will you kill the souls of my people, use living souls to make yourselves rich and popular? You have profaned me among my people just to get ahead yourselves, used me to make yourselves look good—killing souls who should never have died and coddling souls who shouldn’t live. You’ve lied to people who love listening to lies.’

20-21 “Therefore God says, ‘I am against all the devices and techniques you use to hunt down souls. I’ll rip them out of your hands. I’ll free the souls you’re trying to catch. I’ll rip your magic bracelets and scarves to shreds and deliver my people from your influence so they’ll no longer be victimized by you. That’s how you’ll come to realize that I am God.

22-23 “‘Because you’ve confounded and confused good people, unsuspecting and innocent people, with your lies, and because you’ve made it easy for others to persist in evil so that it wouldn’t even dawn on them to turn to me so I could save them, as of now you’re finished. No more delusion-mongering from you, no more sermonic lies. I’m going to rescue my people from your clutches. And you’ll realize that I am God.'”

Oh the enjoyment of the beloved!”Oh, how I long to gather you, Jesus said to the people of Jerusalem!”One thing in life that I am so grateful for is time alone with my wife!  I thank the Lord for this time we have together.  Today it was at a Southern California beach.  But throughout our marriage it has been simply just eating together or playing a sport together.  But the joy of seeing the beloved’s joy is the best!  Covenant love is something that I see having attraction in it.  I see this throughout the Jewish writtings!  Issac loved Rebekah (Gen 25:67), Jacob had such a great love for Rachel that working 7 years seemed like “only a few days” to him (Gen 29:20), and of course there is so many other places where a deep joy in the beloved is seen.I am blessed to go to travel and go to the beach with my wife today.  This is not something all people can do and I realize that more than ever.  No matter what economic status I have had, because Jesus has given me a love for my beloved, we have found times and places to make our own.  These places are holy, they are special between us alone. The most special place is the marital bed.  Hebrews 13:4, tells us how special this place of fellowship is!  “Keep it pure!”  This is the place where the joy of the beloved should shine.  This is the places where no-one else shares with you two.  It is a place where the two become one as Jesus is with His beloved!What kind of special places to you have with your spouse?  Do you even have one?Jesus goes and prepares a place for you and I, His beloved, His Church!  This will be a time of taking us out…a time of dinning out with our Savior!  When I am with my beloved here on earth, I think of Jesus taking us with him and see that this is just a preview of coming attractions.Jesus will passionately take His bride.  There will be nothing boring about it!  Nothing mundane!Does our Christian marriages experience this joy!  Only Jesus can give it!  Ask, Seek and Knock for it…Matthew 7:7My kids are great….but they are not Christ and the Church!  My wife and I are…cultivate it in Christ.  Your kids will be stoked you did!”Thank you Jesus for these times with my beloved.  19 years now you have given me this joy.  Forgive me of the times I have lusted after other people, and please continue to change this sick heart to your glory!  May today be a day rooted in your love and grace!”

I remember my first Pastor, Dave Guzik, telling us one day in a service to pray for an opportunity daily to share the Gospel.  The more you do, the more ready you are and willing to see the opportunities that God brings to us.  “Blessed are the feet of those who bring good news!”  And wow is the gospel good news….But only to those that are sick, perishing, in bondage and in need of forgiveness.  Only certain people realize there need for Christ.  And if you have been sharing for any period of time in your Christian walk you realize that some human beings feel quite good about their chances to get into heaven without the blood of Christ as their payment for sin.  This leads me to my current story.

In Denver, I went to the local sports bar to watch the LA Kings and NJ Devils in the Stanley Cup Playoff’s.  I could have watched it at my friend’s house by myself, but it’s hard to have an opportunity to share Christ with someone when you are the only one in a room!  haha

So off I was thinking there could be an opportunity here.  My waitress opened up within the first 15 minutes of the hockey game, letting me know she was recently married and asked me where I was visiting from and what I do for work.  I love it when someone ask me what my occupation is!  This is a huge time to share Christ for us that are financially compensated for the work of the ministry.

Sharing what I do at Calvary Christian is fairly simple, but when I share what Running Light Ministries is all about then you really know where people are at.  Think about it… what is R.L.M. all about?  It’s about Hebrews 12:1!  So that gives me a great place to quote the Word of God and begin to tell them about my own life of no longer running the race weighed down by daily patterns of lustful sin.

This young lady that was at the table was very interested and began to share herself of her own life.  Come to find out she was an ex stripper in the Denver area and had worked in the Adult Entertainment world do to the generous financial compensation received while ‘dancing.’

This confession lead me to ask her if she would be open to having me ask her some questions about her time in this occupation.  She, I think, was surprised yet happy to participate.

Now you have to realize that the whole point of opportunities is to share Christ.  If this is not the motivation and treasure of our hearts then there is no good thing that can come out of such a time.  I think of John 4.  Jesus goes out of His way to meet with a whore of sorts at the water well.  Why…do share living water!  And this I was eager to do.

My questions were the following;

Did you find what you did pleasurable?  Answer was NO.

Do you think any of the ladies that you met who also ‘danced’ thought it pleasurable?  Answer NO.

How did you all get through it?  Answer was Drugs

She then proceeded to share her how drugs were used to fade out the conscious towards what they were doing.  She also talked about women that where mom’s and needed the income and felt this was the sure way to make enough for her children.  But all of the ladies she knew did some sort of drug to get through the night.

It was also a great revelation to hear her talk about how it was not looked as pleasurable on the lady’s part.  It was work!  Ahhh….This is so important for me and others who have bought into an illusion that those in the Adult industry are all enjoying what they do and so they do it.  This is not the case.  Maybe some do, but many, many see it as a means to an end.  Pleasure is not the end, financial benefit is.

She cooperated in my probing questions and kept coming back to answer more during her breaks.  The game went on and then finished up and the waitress was told she could clock off and go as the place was emptying out a bit.  What happened next was absolutely awesome!

After peppering her with many questions that revolved around the false idea of pleasure in this world, she asked me how I became a Christian!  For those of us in Christ this is the greatest times of excitement for us.  This is where we boast in the Cross of Christ to save a sinner like me!

I happily shared Sylvia (my wife) and my testimony.  Remember she had clocked out and could have left at any time now.  But there was something she wanted to hear and I didn’t want to disappoint!  After sharing the holiness of God, the need for forgiveness, the grace and mercy of the Father through the work of the Son on the Cross, I asked her if this was a bit much and she (i could tell) was totally into it!

I let her know that I need Christ.  I am a sinner, and she was too…Christ came for her, to save her and give her a forgiven, new life!  What a treasure Jesus is!

I don’t think she had ever heard the gospel as a gospel for people like her.  She knew she has stumbled mightily in sin.  She was trying to get out of the life.  Her new marriage was going to be a challenge so she asked me how my marriage had lasted 19 years.  Christ was my answer.  Being complete in Christ!  Coming at relationships with fullness, not emptiness.  She was the best listener as sinners who hear the voice of their Savior is sweet to the ear!

She received everything I shared gladly.  Now it’s the work of the Spirit to bring her to that treasure Christ is.  She is ready to receive!  My hope is that after we departed, she prayed and had that conversation with the Father.

I watched maybe half of the game in and out of these conversations.  But this was way better than any game.

Once again this meeting with an Ex Stripper solidified the idea that those that work in the Adult industry many times don’t see things as those that watch them.  It is not pleasurable to them in the sence of being aroused sensuality.  They see the paycheck, the mortgage or rent paid, the ability to feed family.  This is no doubt why this way of arousal will never satisfy the voyeur.  The well they drink from is not satisfied so they are not as well.

Another thought that continued to come up is that when they can get out they do.  Living this Adult life style can only last so long for many of these people.  There is something in them that speaks against what they are doing, and when they drink or drug untill they cannot cope without such anesthetic, they crash and burn…and later get out.

God is drawing her and many like her with gentle cords…with bands of love.  God is the great Savior of those that have turned to idols only to be found wanting.  May God continue to work in her heart to His Glory, that one day she would be used to minister to many through her testimony, as I am mine.

Look at things in the proper context!  This encounter certainly put things again in the right place for me.

Beau

I just finished having a booth at the O2 Epereience Colorado Springs and a couple of things stood out to me that I wanted to jot down.Once again I found many married laides that wanted to find help for the Christian husbands.  This is common for us to see when we are out at a event.  If only the men would come to the events and approach us with their wives!  Wow that would be a cool thing.  But we are blessed to point these women to “The United Front” course at www.settingcaptivesfree.com  Upon signing up for free, they will recieve a lady mentor to help them through the course.It certainly is another reminder to me of the damage that lust causes in a marriage.  These women have to suffer from many things in their marital relationship.  Some that we talked about last night was the lack of feeling special.  In a marriage vow we said, “I keep myself only for you!”  But for us that have been into lust, we have broke that promise.  And these ladies doubt that they are number one to their husbands.  The husbands have “forsaken the companion of their youth.” prov 2:17Also some of the women shared about their husbands not able to go to certain places, the beach, the lake etc… for the obvious reasons.  For all I know it could even be a Mall.  What a bummer for the wife who forever has no idea what will stumble her husband.  This is no way to continue.  Get help and start looking at life in through the context of Holy Scripture and we will learn how to fight desires that push to go astray.  Take the Way of Purity course at www.settingcaptivesfree.comI was very encouraged that all the ladies that spoke with me desire to stay with their husbands and continue to pray and encoruage them to seek Christ for freedom.One lady in particular has a un-believing husband, yet she desires to glorify God in her perseverance (1st Peter 3), knowing that in due time, she shall receive a reward.On another note, I’ve blogged before on the influence of Colorado in the distribution of porn through New Frontier Media out of Boulder Colorado, but what I saw upon my arrival at my friends house last night kind of blew me away…though I shouldn’t be surprised by anything now days.I got in late last night and as I tried to find ESPN on his Direct TV there was two different shopping network shows on two seperate netorks that were for adult toys.  I have Comcast where I live and have never seen that.   Both shopping shows were by different companies.  Now I caught one of the shows at a opportune time.  The ladies presenting were business like, articulate, smart, witty….why wouldn’t you want to be like them if you were a lady.  One of them stated a shocking statistic that I kept thinking about.  It was that 50% of adult women (not sure exactly what that means) use a adult toy!  I was kind of blown away by that statement.  I think she meant single women right?  I really don’t know, but wow, even if the statistic was for single women, it’s seems the point was made that many, many adult women use them.And it was crazy to see how these items would get sold out!  So someone is buying them.  Now China makes 27billion dollars from exporting these toys to the world, though China has a ban on pornography in there country.  Looks like we are buying there adult toys as well as everything else they produce.This brings me to another one of my themes….Not every Man’s Battle.The Church has to get this through there brains!!!  It’s not every man’s battle, it’s ever human beings battle!  Lust knows no gender!  Why do we think this way?  I wrote my book to help people see the fallacy in this thinking.  http://www.amazon.com/Porn-Pastor-Beau-James-Ouellette/dp/1615660151Women consumers of adult material is growing beyond what the Church can understand.  Unfortunately the Church is 20 years behind the times when it comes to understanding where the culture is at.  Thank God for young people that help us understand where trends are at in the culture or we would still be thinking women don’t go to college, military or vote!  We are sadly not understanding what is going on.I will continue to blog on these issues in the hopes that people understand that the more we conform to the worlds lust, we will forfeit (Agape) love and it’s enjoyment!  Whether you are a male or female, we both  are in danger of being duped to finding our own enjoyment at the expense of another instead of finding our pleasure in the enjoyment of another.There is so much to discuss, but it can be at a later time…Beau

And there you shall remember your ways and all your doings with which you were defiled; and you shall loathe yourself…

Wow.  God tells the people of Israel through the mouth of Ezekiel that there will be a day that they will remember the vanity of there idolatry and the result will be a loathing of themselves!

Have you ever been in this situation where you realized your depravity and thought, “I’m a mess, how could I!”

Well you are in good company.

I continually think that the ability to ‘remember’ our ways and what we have done against God is a good thing.  So many do not even care if they are in idolatry.  Our culture certainly does not call it idolatry, but freedom.  Some just dismiss God entirely saying the is no existence of such a deity.

Regardless, the Bible does teach that this loathing is a good thing.  It’s realizing that I am accountable for my actions.  That what I do does affect others, even if they do not know what I am doing behind locked doors.  Society is changed in good ways or bad by how I live life.    To think otherwise is to live in a black hole.

Me loathing myself because of disobedience give me a chance to change.  “I’m getting sick in tired of being sick in tired!” said the Chilli Peppers.  And yes, this is good.  Oh, that I would loathe myself because of how I have behaved and look to a Savior to help me out of this pit!

“Come to me all who are heavy burdened….I will give you rest!”  Jesus promised this.  I must be poor in Sprint, loathing my behavior to receive such a gift of lightness.

“Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain.”  Psalm 73:13

The Psalm of Asaph really struck a chord with me this morning as I sip some anti-oxidants, otherwise known as coffee, on this beautiful clear and hot day in the desert.

I have talked with many who get to this point in their bondage with sexual sin.  “Surely Beau, I should just give in…what’s the point, I’m doomed, there’s no hope.”

I find myself on those occasions asking them qustions like this:

Why then was their hope for guys like we read in the Bible?  Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomonn, Gideon, etc…  Can you say, PETER!!! (talk about a spiritual faceplant!)

For those in the new covenant who sin, there is this ever attack from the enemy that Asaph get’s here in Psalm 73.  I can see Asaph today saying, “this culture is seemingly going about it’s sexual immorality with no real consequences.”  It’s normal for them and I don’t see them suffering, maybe God is at the bar so to speak, taking a nap (vs. 20).

Have you ever thought that way?  I certainly have.  LIES!  That’s what they are.

For anyone who has lived in the way of the world you know that these thoughts in the mind are not true.  They are there to move us towards more destruction and away from safety.  Would we think of doing this in other situations?  Probably not.  But with sexual immorality, we tend to not see the end result in those that we watch (porn) lives.  We just see what is on a screen.  So we like Aspah think, “the ungodly are always at ease and seem happy!”

Until we get our minds in the Word of God, we will continually be bombarded with this foolish and ignorant mind. (vs. 21-22)

There is always hope for those that are in the fight!  I share that often to men that are in despair.  Continue to get in the ring when the bell sounds, continue to get back up when you stumble and fall.  For those that are of the covenant, we fight!  We fight with getting back into the Word, seeking God, learning to enjoy Him more than sexual immorality and it’s passing pleasures.

There is a better world….There must be.

Ok, so now I delve into politics!  Probably not the best choice, but do have a few thoughts on Santoruim’s comments I read in Today’s paper saying pornography has been shown to “produce brain changes in children and adults, cause the destruction of marriages, and contribute to prostitution and violence against women.”First, let me be very clear.  I am against the porn industry.  I believe it is a mis-use of what God intended for our sexuality.  I have focused most of my attention on what I believe our sexuality is for in other writtings.  Porn pleasure cannot fullfill us and I see John 4 as my proff text off this.  The porn industry is established and thrives on the worlds God given desires for sexuality, yet gone astray.  Yet this is not the only industry that thrives on this.  And this is why I write this blog.When Santorum desires to ban the porn industry, my first thought is great!  But then on second thought I have some hesitation.  Why?  What else should he bann?  How about un-needed war?  How about companies that are “un-ethical” (whatever that means in a world that believes in non-absolutes).  Not only does lust desires lead us astray, but certainly greed desires do as well.  How about banning people from continued saving of their money instead of giving it too the poor!  Jesus met a man like this…a rich young ruler you might remember.  He seemed to offer him a alternative to his comfort from His bank account.  But Jesus did not share with him a law that was needed to force him to lay aside his stash.  Why?  Maybe God is not glorified when we do things because we have too, but because we see Him a betterment to what the world offers us!  So you want to ban porn?  OK, but what happens when you have a person in the government that does not share our views on the Bible and desires to ban that too!  It’s been done in history before hasn’t it?  When groups that support a Christian’s ban on porn get together to form an association with others who do not completely share the same views on all thing then who is to say that one day one section of the group won’t turn on the Christian sect of it and want to ban Biblical things.  I mean the Bible is filled with sexual immorality.  Daughters having sex with their father, brother and sister, daughter in-law and Father…on and on.  I would not be for a group banning the Bible from society because of such sexual topics included in Holy Scripture.  And what kind of ban off porn are we talking about?  Hard-Core, Soft  Core (there goes TV), cartoons that are revealing a little too much?  How far should the ban go?I believe that there is a better way.  Can we not regulate this industry instead of banning?  Is banning things really the right way to go.  Is that what will covert people?  Does the conformity to law save souls?  In 1933 Hitler was to create a movement of purity in the community through a ban on adult entertainment.  Though  used for his political doiing my point is that just baning pornography will do nothing for persons eternity.So I believe that regulation is nessesary in a world political system.  Let’s move pornography away from those under age.  I think what the cable company has done is great.  You have locks that you can put on your Tv’s so that porn cannot be accessed unless you have the code.  Even the names of the shows are able to be blocked, stations too!  This is the right idea to me.  I think it would be great if there is a similar system that can be done on the internet.  I believe that there is one currently available though many don’t take it!  It’s called a internet filter program (i.e. Safe Eyes).  I like it that I have the freedom to regulate what my kids watch and don’t watch.  This is my choice and I like it that way.  If you don’t want something, don’t buy it or get a filter and put it on your computers at the house.  Manage it!  Check your monitoring reports from the program and see what your kids are on, then block area’s you do not want them to go to.  This does take an investment in your kids lives.  You don’t want the government to care for them for you through banning things do you (i.e. Brave New World- 1984)?  I don’t.  How about we become responsible to teach our children that the world we live in has all kinds of pitfalls, greed is just as great as lust.  (Jesus seemed to really find a problem with prideful people over the adulterer and thief).How about we say something like this.  I believe in the freedoms we have in this country, freedoms to pursue the things of God and not the things of God.  I believe it is important that we regulate corporations and Business to have them marketed  in their appropriate context or environment.  This, “appropriate,” is also debatable too.  But it is my belief that this is a good fight to wage in the political cage.  It creates a place for us to make decisions and choices based on our beliefs instead of having a government tell me what I can or cannot do in my home.  I do not believe that banning is the answer or a good road to go down.These are my thoughts for now on this topic.  I’m sure they will change as I wrestle though these issues in my heart and brain and continue to search the Word for instruction and insight.  May we not win a battle and loose a war.