on March 10, 2011
Psalm 119:9-16 – “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
Since God has a plan for all areas of our lives, and, since our sexuality has so much to do with who we are, it’s vital to ask how we can love and honor God in our sex lives. Teenagers are likely to laugh (inside, if not openly) when encouraged by parents, pastors and youth leaders to not be sexually active until married. Not that this isn’t healthy godly advice, but that this is the most hyperactive sexual time in a person’s life. Even when there is no outward expression of this sexual activity, it’s a time when feelings and desires are churning like a volcano. Girls and boys begin to look at each other in a whole new light, and in a culture that bombards us with sexual imagery and inuendo on every front, there is constant sexual activity going on inside those teenage minds. It becomes a time when a young man (or woman) must really govern his mind and develop inward discipline so that his outward behavior is in line with God’s design and plan. This is a critical time for learning to love God in our sexual lives. Sexual acitivity involves much more than the physical act. Our hearts and minds are significantly invested, and sexual behavior must include how we appreciate and assimilate our God-entrusted sexuality.
How DO we love God in our sexual lives? The Psalmist says, “By living according to His word.” We love God in our sex lives by making sure that we reflect the nature and qualities of the relationship shared by Father, Son and Holy Spirit, whose image and likeness we (including in our sex lives) were created to reflect. The Triune God has revealed to us His own nature of purity, intimacy, one-ness, commitment, holy love, communion, community, family and creativity in His Word. When we take delight in these things God has revealed to us in His Word, we are loving God in our sexual lives. To neglect God’s Word in these matters is to obviously exclude the love of God from this all important part of who we are. When we meditate on His precepts and hide His Word in our hearts we are loving God. When we live according to His commands and delight in His decrees on matters of relationships, we are loving God in our sexual lives. Think about it!
Our world is filled with corrupt and perverted ideas about sexual conduct and behavior. Much of it is launched from Hollywood, TV, Movies, and readily available pornographic materials and images. These are all adversarial to helping a young person keep his way pure. They conflict with God’s Word, and His plan for us to experience the same intimacy, oneness, purity, communion and holy love. Where do you get views and standards for sexual behavior? Beloved, do not neglect God’s Word – even when it comes to your sex life! Perhaps I should say, ESPECIALLY when it comes to your sex life!
Thursday:
- Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
- Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.
Friday:
- Ask God to increase your understanding and appreciation of His design for your sexuality.
- Pray for the Good News families of the week: Adam Doud, Joan Doud, John & Christine Fargo (Giovanni, Isabelle, ?)
- Praise God for the sacred and precious gift of your body. Consecrate it to His glory!
Sunday:
- Thank God for the sacred and precious gift of prayer. Get your body to the House of Prayer!
- Join in with our Sunday prayer services to pray for God’s presence and blessing.
Monday:
- Ask God to strengthen your refusal to be influenced by the world’s models of sexual expression.
- Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.
Tuesday:
- Pray for a revival that honors God’s wonderful design and plan for human sexuality.
Wednesday:
- Ask God to unite your heart, mind, body and will, more and more with His own nature!
Prayer Challenge: Recognize that our bodies are a sacred creation and that God made us male and female so that we might glorify Him through sexual intimacy and procreation with our spouse. Cherish the gift of sexuality, and do not let the influence of the world pervert or corrupt God’s plan and purpose.