Can We Talk?

My Friends…. This is not a devotional that's meant to inspire, to encourage, to impress, or to make you feel good.

Rather, the soul intent of this devotional is simply to wake you and me up… to save us from ruin… and to lead us into the abundant life that Jesus promised us in John 10:10 when He said,

"I came that [you] may have life and have it abundantly."

- John 10:10 (ESV)

In 1957, Bishop Fulton Sheen was a very popular radio evangelist who, one night, had a young man call in to the program who was preparing for ministry. He said, "Pastor Sheen, I do not have a problem with money or with lying or with stealing… but… I battle with lustful, impure thoughts every single day of my life. It's exhausting… and as a young man preparing for ministry, I'm just wondering… When will my battle with lust be over?" After a long pause, Bishop Sheen said, "Don't ask me… I'm too young." And he was 75 years old!

Without a doubt, over the course of my life, one of the biggest, most personal, and highest stakes battles of my life has been "The Lust of the Eye"!

I define "The Lust of the Eye" as fixing my singular focus on an object of desire that I believe will bring me instant personal pleasure… in the moment… with no regard to what I could lose in the pursuit. Lust is like the proverbial farm dog that chases every car it sees… until the day it catches one… and its life is over. Lust is Esau… who, in a moment of great driving thirst, trades his birthright – his future, his family – for a bowl of soup?! I don't know that there is anything that appears more harmless… that is indeed… more harmful to what matters most in your life and mine than, "The Lust of the Eye"!

In Matthew 5:27-29, Jesus says...

"You have heard it said, 'You must not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye – even your good eye – causes you to lust, 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.'"

- Matthew 5:27-29 (NLT)

Obviously, Jesus is using hyperbole here. He is not calling us to literally sever a limb… But… He is saying that we should be prepared to make exceptional sacrifices if we want to live the abundant life He promised us.

You see, God takes sin so seriously… simply because sin wrecks and ruins everything that matters most in our lives. Some time ago, I was having lunch with Pastor Jared and he asked me, "What would you say was the biggest accomplishment in your 40 years as a pastor?" I didn't have to think about it… I said, "My faithfulness to my wife, my children and my family!" I am grateful that we started a church and that God blessed the church and that many, many people came to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord…

But… What I am most grateful for is the strength Jesus gave me in all those many battles of temptation when the lust in my eye threatened to erode the love in my heart for Candace!  The best gift that Jesus has allowed me to give my children is the hard-fought reward of seeing what it looks like to love, honor, and cherish one's wife for a lifetime. And personally… I believe that as hard a battle as that has been for me… it does not compare to the intensity of the battle that young men and women face today to live sexually whole and healthy!

Even though sexual temptation has been around since David and Bathsheba, I do believe that never in the history of humankind have we been as bombarded by sexually explicit images to the degree we are today.

The battle to control our sexuality and to prevent "The Lust of the Eye" from ruining the love in our heart has never been greater.

So… How do we do it? Two things:

First:

I refuse to chase after sexual images/experiences that would erode my commitment to my spouse… that would weaken my resolve to be a godly man/woman… that would hurt my children. I need to remember that who I am in the dark – when no one is looking – Is the person I am in the light!

Second:

I start to pursue those images/experiences that will increase my commitment to my spouse… that will strengthen my resolve to be a godly man/woman… that will bless my children.

I'll end with this story. Years ago, there was a new family who came to church that I fell in love with. They invited Jesus into their lives and immediately got very involved in the church. They were a remarkable couple with four children all under the age of six. She worked from home and managed the kids. He started a brand new business that showed incredible success in a very short time. Without knowing… their hectic lives began to create distance in their marriage. As business picked up, he found himself working later… with his secretary. They developed a friendship… then something more. She invited him to spend the weekend with her. He agreed.

The night before he was to leave on his "out of town" business trip, his wife threw him a surprise 10th anniversary party. He completely forgot their anniversary. As he walked through the door of his home, a great shout went up as family and friends gathered around him… slapping him on the back… congratulating him… and then… after a great dinner and drinks… she led him over and sat him down on a chair facing a big screen – she sat next to him.

Surrounded by his children, his mom and dad and all his best friends… she hit the play button… and for the next 20 minutes he watched a video collage of the best moments he and his wife had shared in their 10 years together. Tears began to run down his face. People were touched and said, "Look how emotional he is…." They had no idea how ashamed he was. After the party… as soon as he could… he stepped out… called his secretary and canceled the rendezvous and told her she would have to find a new job. He walked into my office two days later and told me this story. Never in my life have I seen God orchestrate such an amazing rescue in such an amazing way.

The timing was… Divine.

What saved his marriage? He stopped pursuing images/experiences that would ruin his life and started fixing his attention on images/experiences that would save his life and marriage.

It worked for him…. It's worked for me…. It'll work for you!

AMEN

Pastor Harry