I am a Pastor.

Will anyone talk about the influence of Porn?

Today on the news we have the porn influence all over it. “The Bobbits meet again” and “Pageant Paid For Miss Calif. Implants.”

What I find so interesting about these two stories on The Early Show is that neither of them mentioned porn as being a influence into the decisions for which they have received the news converge.

“Miss California Pageant Co-Director Keith Lewis confirmed on The Early Show Friday. He also said reports that the Miss California pageant helped foot the bill for the operation were true.”

Maggie Rodriguez who interviewed Keith Lewis sounded appalled that getting breast implants would increase her changes of winning. It sounded a bit staged to me. I mean where does Maggie live? Pluto! Everyone today who has gone to a store has more then likely bought a doll that had a Miss America figure with… well, a we endowed set of breasts.

In the book, “The Porning of America” by Sarracino and Scott they show a picture of a Bratz doll to show how the porn model for women has become the norm. They call it, “Normalizing the Marginal.” And this is what has happened with women. Having a porn body has become the standard.

This Miss California girl has been raised around pictures, shows, mannequins (In stores), books, music video’s and the like that all normalize the porn look. Women over the past 40 years have been taught that there worth is that of a man’s. Just as a man works and improves to get better and better at his job so a women’s worth is now the same. One big problem… In emphasizing this equality or value to the society, her worth as a mother, nurturer and a child bearer has been diminished drastically. And this is what porn does. It shows women who pursue there worth in pleasure (like a man) and not in the ability to produce a child and raise it. This change of worth is so different then in any other time in History. Women have always been valued for there ability to have children. But not any more! This change has also lead to why in this country we have such a gender problem. Technology has made this possible. Porn has shown that women can pursue pleasure (perceived pleasure at that) and not have children.

Ok, enough of that…back to Miss California. Why get breast implants? Because we have normalized it! We like it. We all like our porn in some way or another. The influence of porn is staggering and it is not just a man problem. 1 out of 3 viewers on porn sites are… You guessed it? Women. Psalm 4:2 How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?

By Dave Adams
Staff Member

One of the basic foundations for freedom from sexual sin, or any life-dominating sins, is radical amputation. Get rid of the stuff that is causing you to sin; take away the avenues that make your sin easily accessible. Destroy the porn magazine and the “adult” movies. Get rid of the internet or get rid of the whole computer if need be. Drive a different way to work if your usual route takes you past the strip clubs or places where hookers hang out. In other words, do whatever it takes to win this battle. Make no mistake, there is a battle going on, and how successful you are at coming out on top depends a lot on how much you are willing to do to win.

Now there are those who argue “but its not the porn video that causes me to sin, it is my sinful nature. I see no reason to destroy it. I believe true freedom is when I can be around the source of temptation and not give in. It is not a true test of my freedom by taking the temptation out of the picture!” Whenever I hear this I am reminded of a few Bible verses:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12, 16:25 (Two verses for this one warning! I think it must be important!)

“…a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8 Now, admittedly there is more to this section of scripture and the context is different than the area of disobedience, but the correlation of a “double-minded man” to “unstable in all his ways” stands true. These people are double-minded, thinking they are obeying the Word, yet doing things their own way. One foot in the kingdom, one foot out. We are either in or out, but that being in the middle is dangerous and faulty.

It may be true that true evidence will be manifested when we can have the sources of tempation around and we are not given into them, but I have some thoughts here on that, too:
1 – Why give the wicked one any more ammo than he needs? Why put ourselves in the way of tempation? If we are really, truly serious about our purity and our right relationship with Our Lord and Creator, then we will be willing to do whatever it takes to get there and stay there.
2 – The stance “I must stand strong against the source of temptation”, is not Scriptural. Isn’t this another way of saying, “I can do this myself, in my own strength”? Which then says, “Thank you Jesus, what you did on the Cross was really nice and all, but I don’t need you to help with this.” Now, the arguer may say “Oh, but I am relying on Jesus for my strength! I can’t do this without Him!” But, if Jesus is the Word, and the Word is the Scriptures, and we are not obeying the Word, then we are relying on self.
3 – Yes, being able to not give into tempation when the source is right next to you may be a sign of true freedom. But when we are still in the early stages on our journey to freedom, I would argue that we are not yet free. We are escaping, some further from the enemy than others, and until we get rid of those stumbling blocks, there is still a chain attached to us. We need to sever that chain and
get to freedom, experience freedom, fall in love with our Freedom to the point that we want nothing else. At that point we may be able to be in the same room with our stumbling blocks and not yield.
4 – When I hear these arguments, it tells me the person is not ready to give up his sin. He still wants to know it is there when he needs it. It does not show the level of commitment that is needed to be victorious. It speaks of a hardened heart, and an unrepentant spirit.
5 – Either God is the God of your life, occupying first place, and you are willing to submit to His Lordship, or He is not.

So make things easier on yourself. Take out the trash.

I notice in the Word a phrase that is often used of God in His judgment of His people.  “Behold, against this family I am devising disaster, From which you cannot remove your necks;”  Micah 2:3
 
God is said to do, “whatever pleases Him” in the Psalms (115:1).
 
How does it please God to judge His people?
 
Duet 8:3 is a wonderful answer.  God purposes in His judgment to glorify Himself by showing he is more valuable then what seemed to be of value to us. 
Food became of more value to the people then God, so God judged them.  There judgment was one of hunger.  Now when your hungry you think of food, but there is a lesson here that God is showing his people.  The main lesson is that He (God) is more greater then food.  God is pleased with this because this shows His importance and value amongst all the Nations (Duet 4,6 & 8)
 
Jesus showed the value of God when he was tempted like Israel for 40 day’s by Satan.  Jesus was hungry, and Satan picked up on it.   Satan desires to diminish the value of God in the world as seen in the book of Job.  Is God really just?  Does God really love you?  Is God really worthy of your praise, adoration and attention?
Jesus passes the test, by affirming the passage from Duet 8:3 “Man does not live on bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the Father.”
Jesus in essence said that God is more valuable then anything, food, sex, games, clubs, friends, family…everything!  He is “more than” (Matthew 10:37) it all.
 
Judgment pleases God because it is used to glorify His goodness as being the one who can satisfy completely.  Food only satisfy’s for a time.  Sex too!  But the Lord calls us to “taste and see that He is good” (Psalm 34:8) and to “drink from the river of His Pleasures” (Psalm 36:8)
 
God is more pleasurable then it all!
 
So Lord we pray that your judgment fall on us, so to glorify your goodness as the one who can satisfy, for in your judgment we are stripped of all that seems of value, yet is really a temporal shot in the arm for our spiritual need.

Today there were two news reports that I was troubled about.   Here they are…

In Notes Left in Family’s Killings, Md. Man Details Debts, Depression

In one of six notes he left scattered about the rented house in Middletown, Christopher Wood, 34, described his financial hardships and his struggle with depression and anxiety — factors that investigators believe contributed to the killings.

Police investigating death of Freddie Mac official

By ALAN ZIBEL and MATTHEW BARAKAT – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief financial officer of money-losing mortgage giant Freddie Mac was found dead in his basement early Wednesday morning in what police said was an apparent suicide.

David Kellermann, 41, apparently hung himself, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation. He asked not to be identified because the investigation was ongoing.

HOW incredibly sad this is.  Due to money two men decide to take there lives with one taking the lives of his entire family.  How far will we go until we realize that there is no pleasure in the temporal items of this world.  There are such extreme times in a person’s life where the feeling’s of loss become so overwhelming that the only way out seems to be taking of life.  I do not underestimate such feelings and believe they are real as witnessed by those in the Bible.  Kind David cried out to God in anguish along with many others who were at the end of a desperate situation.  But, there was the but!  Let me explain.  King David though going through extreme circumstances on the outward, exercised faith in His speech by using a “but.”  

Just look at Psalm 13

 1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?
         How long will You hide Your face from me?
 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
         Having sorrow in my heart daily? 
         How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 
         
 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God;
         Enlighten my eyes, 
         Lest I sleep the sleep of death;
 4 Lest my enemy say,
         “I have prevailed against him”; 
         Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 

Doesn’t sound to good for David!!!  He is desperate and see’s no end…‘but’

5 But I have trusted in Your mercy;
         My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
 6 I will sing to the LORD,
         Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

David was in desperate situations like all of us are at one time in the world.  He was guilty of murder, adultery and loosing a Kingdom because of it!  Talk about a failure.  Yet he looked to to the Lord to be merciful.  He thought in terms of how God could get the glory from this, instead of, the empty cup that so many are drinking from.  God has a plan, and purpose!  The two men that did such horrible things needed to know about the “but” of the scriptures.  Though they were in financial crisis, but God is merciful and compassionate (Psalm 145).  

This awakens me to share the pleasure of God to others in this world, who are in desperate need.  Money just does not do it!  Read Ecclesiastes if you don’t believe me!

Isn’t it great when we are loved?! The feeling of security, happiness, peace, trust. How wonderful! We would always like to feel this way. But what about when something happens in our life that is completely contrary to this. A betrayal of some kind from someone that you never thought could do this to you?  Our feeling of security becomes insecurity, happiness becomes a profound sadness, peace turns into total chaos and trust is gone! We become hopeless! At least this is how we look at it from a worldly point of view. Instead of doing that, let’s point it to the Cross!

We are on this earth for one purpose and one purpose only and that is to glorify and serve Jesus Christ in any way He sees fit. Insecurity, sadness, chaos, hopelessness and betrayal are inconsistant when Jesus is our Lord and Savior! During times of terrible despair,  we must focus our eyes on Jesus.  He has a purpose for our lives.  Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many bretheren. 

 We are to concentrate on Him when any pain enters our lives.  God promises that any evil that has been done against us will be worked for our good.  In the midst of our suffering God is conforming us. He is changing us. He is changing our character to be more like Him. Praise God for that!  That is the ultimate goal to achieve in our christian life.

God loves us and He will never let us down. Put your trust in Him and grow!

By : Beau James

Micah 2:1 “Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds!  At the morning they practice it.”

I have lived this before with porn.  Everyone who has been in bondage to pornography or sexual immorality of any kind has gone through this dark night of the soul.  So many thoughts at night while trying to sleep.  Sometimes even begging for sleep, knowing that the pull of lust is far greater then one realized.  Over time we give up the fight and just buy into it.  Living with it becomes easier then battling it.   This is a no fun place to be.  Oh, the inward moaning that rips us apart.  C.S. Lewis once said that a man with a obsession has very little sales resistance.  On our bed’s this is true.  Obsession wins the battle in our minds, every time.

Jesus breaks this bondage.  John 8:36 “If the Son set’s you free you are free indeed!”

When Jesus became more than (Matthew 10:37) porn, our pleasure is now found in Him.  What battle used to rage in the mind and hearts of us on those dark nights in bed cease, for what was once a obsession, is no longer so good looking, we have something far more pleasurable and eternal!

2nd Corinthians 4:17 “For our light affliction, whih is but for moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.”

For us to abstain from porn is a great gain a eternal weight of Glory.

Of curse this only will make sense if you believe in the eternal.

ANDERSON COOPER: It’s hard to talk when you’re tea-bagging.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

“It’s hard to talk when you’re tea-bagging.”

So true.

Now, if you’re too old, or too high, to get it, here’s the joke: The lefty media are goofing on the tea parties by calling it tea-bagging, a phrase used to describe an act of oral sex performed by a man either on another man, woman or — in Alec Baldwin’s case — a cheeseburger.

The above was taken from a article on FOxNews.com

The influence of Porn is just amazingly huge in this country.  With the current tea party’s happening all over the country certain news networks have chosen to make fun of the events by referring to the tea party’s by using porn tactics!  Using porn lingo like “tea bag” for the current protest shows that the porn influence is the norm for this world, even for our news.  Now “Teabag” is a way of describing a sexual act, and is no way to be used to describe the bank bailout protest’s that are going on.  But this is my generation that is now news anchors and the swayers of public opinion.  We are a porn generation.

But the Word tells us.. “Woe to those who devise iniquity.”

By: Beau James

This title is takin from Isaiah 47:10

It also talks about those enemy’s of Israel that were so confident in the sin.  “Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely, who say in your heart, I am, and there is no one else besides me.”

This is a passage that has convicted me in dealing with bondage to porn.

People who are in bondage to porn have done it secretly (most people).  It usally at night, late at night when the family has gone to bed.  You might have been the guy or girl who has stayed awake for the purpose of finding privacy to drink from the well of Porn only to find regret the next day at work as you are totlally exhausted from staying up way to late.  Sin is never satisfied, nor are the eyes.

Proverbs 27:20
Hell and Destruction are never full; So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

Porn effects all those around us in our lives, yet we live in the illusionment that “No one sees me.”  While we drink from the mud of Porn early in the morning, we no longer are able to see things properly in the day.  We have slowly become of no use.  That reminds me of the movie ‘Toy Story’ where the toys where so afraid to be shelved and no longer of any use.  Most of those married can testify that our spouses new something was going on, they could just sence it.  Familes fall apart, our work becuase a burden, and money is spent on what does not satisfy. (Isaiah 55)

Are you a person that has seen this “No one sees me” happen in your own life?  Have you bought into that illusion that your bondage to sexual sin is just your little secret and your hurting no-one?

Millions and millions have (including me) have gone that way, only to find that the secrecy of porn’s payoff was not freedom, but total bondage.

www.runninglight.com

By Beau James
OK, with that title I need to do some defending.  Please hear me out.
I begin my defense by stating a Christian doctrine so true and foundational yet not without its proponents, “God is Sovereign.”
This is a direct quote from the scriptures themselves (Gen 15:2)

Genesis 15:2
But Abram said, “O Sovereign LORD”
Now the awkwardness with the Sovereignty of God is abroad in the Christian culture.  “How can God be in control of all?”  “How can a Holy God allow such evil and wrong doing in the world?”
On our subject we could say, “How can God allow such behavior that by nature does not work?”
But in my own heart there became a wonderfully gentle peace that has come over me when I grabbed a hold of the truth that God does all things for His Glory. (Psalm 115:1 “Not to us but to your name be the Glory”)
All things, even evil things are allowed and purposed to His utter Glory (Job, Acts 2:23)
Now where I use to get muddled with this is when I would look at a statement like the above and then look to my own end as a argument against such a statement.
My own end, is what I think, is the right thing.  This ‘right thing’ is usually what makes me “Happy.”  There was a time when our own happiness was not such dominant thought in the world, but more issues of survival and virtue.  This ‘right thing’ that we all think God should be about the business of doing is birthed from our own sinful state of thinking we are the center of the universe, or ours.  “How could God allow that, look at the bloodshed and the atrocity, the injustice?”  “How does God get the Glory for that?”  Notice that these common thoughts come from the perspective not of faith in what the scriptures teach, which is again, “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His Purpose (His Glory.)  These well known arguments against the purpose of God come from our reasoning that God is not doing things as I think are right.
Now my argument is that God is purposing all things for His Glory.  Whether the Pharaoh of Egypt or the Homosexual agenda in America.
I now would like to share why I believe this generation in America is allowing such behavior.  One world…Guilt.
What pain is to the body, guilt is to the soul.  And this generation of leaders is guilty.  I remember sitting with some family members in my living room watching a sporting event when they asked where my son was.  They knew he was in his room playing his “evil” video games, wasting his 14 year old life away, yet they asked and then went on to say how bad it is to be into video games like that.  I quickly thought about what I was doing at 14 as the son of a 50/60’s generation that smoked dope all day while taking off their clothes listening to the most stoned out music in the rain!  I was not any different.  So I asked my family members, “Now what is it that your generation added to our society, Porn & Pot!?”
My parent’s generation was a mess and has a bolder amount of guilt like yeast has gone through the batch of dough.  This generation I believe is extremely guilty.   Abortions are 46,000,000 since Roe v.s. Wade, We have a massive drug problem in the country, America generates more porn than any other country (90% of the porn sites are U.S. created), music has become less innovative than ever, and now Gay marriage.
To my generation this is normal behavior that’s why I think the younger generation say’s, “what’s the big deal, let them get married, so what.”  It’s not because of guilt for the younger generation, it’s plain, allowed normal behavior.
I believe the response to guilt in the leaders of this generation is either a extreme brokenness before God, and the breaking of his commandments or a further allowance of behavior that makes for a atonement for their own sins.  If they were to say that Gay marriage is wrong then consequently they would have to look at their own lives of having massive sex, smoking extreme quantities of the ganja, and simply not parenting their children because they where to into their BMW’s and boats.   The change of this world is a temporary change for self exaltation, while the humility and brokenness that is found in Jesus is for His exaltation.   This current generation is for self exaltation.
God will purpose in the hardness of heart of this generation in such a way as to make the riches of His grace known.  Simply put, “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more” (Rom 5:20).
God is moving all things to a place where this grace in Jesus abounds all the more.   Today I know look at such trends in American culture though the lens of God’s perspective and no longer what I think is right.  “How can God allow this in America?”  My answer is, “Why not?”  What makes you think God revolves around what you think and not His purpose, exalting his Glory through the grace in Jesus to a lost world?
 22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory…Romans 9:22
This will make uncomfortable who think of justice from their own prejudices of right and wrong.  But as one famous Christian Pastor put it in his 1st Chapter, first sentence, “It’s not about you.”
God is concerned about his Glory and the current push to have same sex marriages in America will be used by God to further the maximum Glory to His Name.
What could the results of such a law be in America?  For sure a certain further distancing between Christina ethics and the worlds for sure.  What if Pastor’s will have to perform same sex marriages?  Some will no doubt go to jail.  From the perspective of some this is bad, because who would want to go to jail?  But for the one who knows the ultimate purpose of God is for His Glory jail is a opportunity to be used by the Masters Hand to minister to others and suffer, if it be the Lord’s will, to His Glory.  How sufferings show the Glory of God?  Because when we suffer for Christ name we show to a dying world the infinite worth of following Christ!  This glorifies God.  We are satisfied in Him and Him alone.  “There is nothing I desire on the earth besides you” Psalm 73:25.
If we see the allowance of more and more then it is sure to exalt the holiness of others more and more!
With this is mind, let us believers in Christ fight for what we believe in through a peaceful, law abiding way.   If the Homosexual agenda in America get’s its way, I believe there victory will result in an outpouring of opportunity for the grace in Christ to be sent for those desperately trying to atone for their sins through false pleasure and allowance.  No matter…God wins.