Sex, Sex, Sex
We live in a ridiculously sex charged culture. Years ago I took a survey in a mall, where I was asked about a commercial I was shown for a razor blade. The guy who used that brand of razor blade got the girl. Trust me, I have been shaving my beard too long to think that there is something sexy about my morning ritual of shaving my face. I told them that I thought that commercial was ridiculous.
But sex sells, right? Sex is everyway. It is all over the internet. But it isn’t good. In fact there is a lot of sick crap out there.
Obviously God created sex, and it is brilliant when we use it as God created it in marriage. And we as men try to find fulfillment in “cheap sex” from photos, videos, whatever, and it costs us. We sometimes don’t realize it.
1. It costs us in our closeness in our relationship to God. You know the guilt that you feel. And you also know when you feel that small amount of purity we possess slipping away.
2. Attention that we should be paying to our wives, we are paying to someone else. Again it could be anywhere. It could be something as simple as a swimsuit calendar up on the wall at our auto mechanics, but each time we go to the shop, we have to peek to see if it is still there, or if he has added another. We run a deficit with our wives. If you rob your wife, aren’t robbing yourself? Or maybe the penalty is double or more when we are robbing our spouse.
We claimed as married men that we are going to honor, cherish and love our wives. How are we doing at that? God is also going to call us to account for how we acted toward our wives.
Interestingly in Ephesians, we are supposed to love our wives like Jesus loved the church. Jesus sacrificed himself for us, who are part of the church.
Also in that same passage in Ephesians, it says that the man who loves his wife loves himself.
Years ago I read a cover of a book and it stuck with me. I even bought a copy, though I have never honestly gone all the way through it. It is called “Do yourself a favor, love your wife.” On the cover of the early edition there was a two lane road with three cars.
Two cars going one way, and other car was going the opposite.
The two cars going the same direction has two occupants in each car, and they were sitting on opposite sides of front seat.
But the other car, and maybe this dates the book, obviously had a bench seat, and the occupants in the car were sitting right next to each other.
Are we giving our wives the attention that they deserve or are we giving the attention somewhere else because it is easier?
Are we shorting ourselves in a number of ways? Are we sinning against God with unbridled lust?
Are we sinning against the woman of our lives? If we made the effort to love our wives as God intended, with cherishing and honor, do you think that would have a positive impact on our daily lives? We only have one life, so lets not screw it up.
One book/CD that I need to go through at least once a year is called, “Everyman’s Battle” by Stoeker and Arterburn. It is about reclaiming our lives from this crazy lust infected world that we live in. Here is the link http://www.fredstoeker.com/book/everymansbattle.shtml It will give you hope, no matter where you are, or what you might be involved in now or in your past.
I have it on Audio book and have been listening to it the last couple of days on my drives with work. I am refocusing on my efforts on my relationship with God and my wife. I figured that it would be a great encouragement for you as well. I like that the title is “everyman’s battle.” Not “some men’s battle”. Us guys are red blooded males, and our eyes, minds and hormones can get us into a lot of compromises that we shouldn’t. To be the men that we are called to be by God, that takes a bit of discipline, to keep our eyes from wandering. But it is worth it. Check it out. Hey, if you want me to loan you my copy, of Everyman’s Battle, let me know. Or you could pick it up at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or just about any Christian book store.
God bless you gentleman. Have a great weekend. See ya at Church.
