It's A Piece Of A Piece Of A Piece Of A Cracker And A Squirt Of Juice So Why Are You Crying??

Sexual Immorality?  What does that even mean?  Who are the ones who declare something immoral?  Aren't morals just our opinions on what's right and wrong and good and bad?  Yep,  you're right and know me well.  I looked it up of course with my friend, Mr. Webster...

1.  of or relating to principles of right and wrong behavior
2.  expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior
3.  conforming to a standard of right behavior

You get the point.  It's nothing set in stone.  It's what we as a society say is right.  Or wrong. Or acceptable.  Or tolerable.  Or quite frankly what we'll turn a blind eye to at this point in existence.  

I attend The Church at Brook Hills and I knew what David Platt was going to be preaching about yesterday and again next Sunday - The Cross and Christian Sexuality.  I knew it would be a great sermon as I tend to always believe David will deliver, as I feel he is so anointed to do, but quite honestly figured I wouldn't be surprised by much that he had to say.  I was right and had heard and knew most of what he had to say but you know how sometimes words or situations just hit you differently and the light bulb comes on?  

Idolatry of Tolerance.  When those words came out of his mouth I was so taken back.  How could we idolize an emotion or attitude?  Statues, money, sports, people, addictions; all that seems likely but not an attitude.  As I was thinking that through, I realized more and more how right he was.  If an idol is a representation of something we worship or put such great emphasis and importance on that it overrides God, then don't our attitudes fall into that category?  After all, it is our thoughts and emotions that fuel our actions and aren't our morals based off of our feelings and what we THINK is right?  I know...confusing.  Mmmmm, actually no.  Our morals should be based off of what God SAYS.  Our society, and unfortunately a lot of the church included, has become so complacent with making everyone happy, being fair to everyone, and signing the entitlement acceptance letter.  God never said we would be happy, treated fairly, or were entitled to anything.  Oh wait, my bad.  He did say we were entitled to death and deserved to live an eternity apart from Him yet I don't see anyone signing that entitlement acceptance letter.  It is so much easier to turn a blind eye and be crowned Mr. or Mrs. Congeniality by telling others that what they do is ok, well.... as long as what they are doing doesn't bother that Mr. or Mrs. Congeniality.  I'll try to stay on subject with saying that we have made sexual immorality a tolerable issue.  No?  Oh you don't believe in extramarital affairs, pre-marital sex, pornography, prostitution, etc???  Then why do you tolerate lust, masturbation, looking at half naked men or women when they walk by or on the computer or tv, your 13 year old son or daughter to date, "innocent flirting" with someone other than your spouse?  Why do you read trashy books that have you fantasizing about someone other than your spouse?  Because it's a book and it doesn't mean anything?  It's a movie and it isn't real?  You're right.  Those aren't real but the emotions and thoughts that you have when you see those things or read those things are real.  Thoughts lead to desires and desires lead to actions.  I know by this point you are thinking, "Ok, Miss Judgmental.  Get off your high horse."  I say these things because I am no different than you and I have lived through and experienced some of those things.  All of that continued in my life because most of those around me tolerated it and even encouraged it.  I tolerated it.  I accepted it.  Do we seriously want our children to experience those things?  I made a comment on Facebook about how I have been seeing these letters that are going around that seem to be moms writing to the person interested in her son or daughter.  I thought those were some pretty demanding expectations to put on someone else if you don't even put them on your child.  I don't want to call anyone out specifically but my point is that by the looks of it, there isn't much expectation put on anyone, much less Godly expectations.  We tolerate mediocracy.  We tolerate what we think doesn't directly affect or bother us.  We tolerate what we want and not what God wants. We put our wants and desires before God and justify it by saying that since we aren't out murdering people or aborting babies that we are "good people".  I'm sorry to burst your bubble but there is no good person.

Sexual immorality is defined by God, not us, and He makes it pretty clear:

Ephesians 5:5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Romans 1:25-28

²⁵ because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,who is blessed forever! Amen.

²⁶ For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; ²⁷ and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

Those that know me know I have a past full of sexual immorality.  I hated every bit of it but I participated in it anyway.  I was divorced with a child by the age of 20 and honestly felt that no one decent would want someone in that predicament.  That mindset mixed with my immaturity, "sewing my oats" attitude, and lack of any knowing of God other than He created the world basically only fueled bad decisions after bad decisions.  I know my writings probably come across as being brash and harsh just reading them but I tend to be very passionate when I write.  I only wish you could hear my voice when I speak about these things because I truly try not to come from a judgmental place.  I so desire to know God's Word and just wish for it to be relayed to everyone.  I've said it before and I will continue to say it but I am not perfect.  I'm not even decent.  I fail miserably each day in all areas - parenting, discipling, communicating, homemaking, praying, spending time with God, and so on.  But if I believe in this book called the Bible then I have to believe all of it.  Not some of it.  Therefore, I have to believe in God's grace and that is continual.  Just because I am saved doesn't mean that one moment that stood still in time in the moment of conversion makes everything easy and without falter.  I can still fall on my face in pride having messed up royally yet still go to Him in confession and repentance.  That's where the title of this post comes in to play.

  

I sat through yesterday's sermon, like I said having an idea of what David would say, but became overwhelmed during the time of communion.  Normally my boyfriend and I ride to church together and sit together.  For the first time, we rode separately.  He ended up being late and couldn't find me so we didn't sit together.  During communion, he always goes up front and gets my juice and crackers for me.  That's his way of serving me.  Since we didn't sit together yesterday as soon as David mentioned it was time for communion I looked at the table in front of me (I was in the 3rd row) and began getting emotional.  It dawned on me that I was going to do this myself.  It had nothing to do with walking up in front of the church.  My puny self was going to the table where there laid the crackers and juice, a symbolic picture of Jesus sitting and eating with His Disciples for the last time.  I always think of the cross as being a place to take my shame and sin, dropping it there.  Yesterday morning was different. I, alone, was walking to that table with my present junk all while RECEIVING those symbolic items for communion.  I say present junk because I still sin.  In reference to the sermon, I watch, read about, and think about those things that are not holy.  My thoughts are just as guilty as my actions.  Jeffrey wasn't there yesterday to serve me.  God was.  I couldn't hand off my junk to Jeffrey to take up there and him bring me back God's grace.  I had to release it and receive it.  I began crying as I was reminded that I can, through repentance, so easily just walk up to God, leave my stuff at that table, receive what He has just sitting there for me to take, remember why, and eat with Him!  Talk about grace!

Luke 22: 14-18 says:

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
¹⁷ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸ For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

Do you notice that the disciples didn't have to ask for one thing?  They didn't have to ask, fight over, or be left out.  Jesus GAVE it to them.  There was enough for each of them.  Jesus even said for them to take it and divide it among themselves.  They shared it.  They drank from the same cup.  It all came from one cup; Christ.  The grace of God is sufficient and abundant for all.  His grace sits waiting to be given to anyone who wants to receive it.  

1 Timothy 2:3-4 says This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  I know this sounds so cliche and biblically textbooked but friend, no matter what your past is, it isn't too much for God's grace.  I still find myself struggling sometimes with God's grace and I am saved.  I was humbled yesterday morning and brought to tears.  And to think, I was actually a little disappointed in thinking Jeffrey never showed up for church.  Eight months going to church together and never went separately or sat apart until yesterday.  Nice job, God.  Nice.

Beach Bikini vs Snow Bunny

Sad to know that in writing this post I will receive some eye rolls and who cares and what's even sadder is that I expect it....and....it will mostly be from women.

As I was looking on Facebook and the internet earlier today, I kept coming across pictures and articles of women being and acting anything but modest.  Not that this is any new issue but it just got to me for some reason today.  Maybe because my youngest son's birthday is today and he is only 7 years old.  Or maybe because I was also in the car with my 11 year old son today for about an hour and the talks we have can be quite special when it's just the two of us.  Or maybe it's because I spoke to my daughter earlier as she was having lunch with her boyfriend.  Maybe it's because of all of those reasons and I constantly saw my childrens' faces when reading or seeing these articles and pictures.  

I hurt for them.  I hurt for not being a modest and godly enough mother for my daughter when she was younger and not setting that example for her.  I hurt for my boys who will constantly be tempted and slapped in the face by women throwing themselves at them, walking around half naked, and plastering themselves provocatively on every billboard and internet post possible.  I hurt that we live in a society where we accept and dare I say welcome this type of attitude and behavior out of women.  No wonder it's now a minority status these days to actually stay married death til you part.  Am I saying sex and lust ruin marriages? Yes.  Am I saying that is the root of the problem?  No.  Our values and principles to have and raise children who love the Lord and respect others is vanishing.  And these are adults that are posting these pictures and acting this way!  How are we supposed to raise children with self worth and ethics when we as adults don't have them???  I'll tell you one reason...because we have concocted the notion that women should be proud of their bodies therefore showing it for all the world to see is acceptable.  Women are absolutely correct in embracing our sexuality but not at the expense of being degrading and luring to other men and to be honest children. To be quite frank, I would be appalled knowing that some 13 year old boy was looking at my half naked picture having thoughts that he shouldn't be having!  If we women want to pretend that isn't happening then we are in complete denial.  Literally makes me sick to my stomach. Then to back it up with some comment once we've been confronted about it to only point the finger at that child or his parents for not knowing his every move every second of the day to justify "presenting yourself" is just shameful.  I don't allow my boys to have a phone or a computer.  I don't allow my boys to text girls or call girls.  In fact, I don't encourage my boys to have girlfriends.  My boys are not allowed to use phrases like "she's hot".  I am not claiming to be the perfect mother or even a mother who has it all together.  I fail miserably every day and make mistakes infinitely it seems but I do have enough common sense to know what modesty looks like and how I want my sons to one day be attracted to women with that same principle.

Quite honestly when women post pictures of themselves online, I don't think it is because they are embracing their womanhood.  I believe it's a shout for attention.  Any woman who is truly at peace with who she is doesn't need likes on Facebook to confirm it.  Are our insecurities so deep that we need to show off our fake tans and breast enhancements to get a couple of "likes" on Facebook knowing that our children and our children's friends are our "friends" too?  Are we so insecure that we have to send married men private messages with inappropriate words or pictures?  Regardless of whether any pictures or words are in that message, the key word there is private.  If it can't be sent over the airwaves of Facebook for all to see, why send it? Are we so insecure that we need attention from social media or blogs or the internet or texts?   My boyfriend and I often talk about this and throughout our conversation it always comes back to one thing.  In the end, women want to blame men for degrading them when in reality we are doing it for them.  Many many years ago I had the attitude spurned from bitterness and low self worth "I'm going to treat men how they treat women.  I'll use them."  All the while, I was the one being used.  It was never a one way street.

Women are beautiful creations by God.  I am embracing that with one of my favorite pictures taken a couple of months ago of myself with three beautiful women.  You won't find much skin in this picture and I'm declaring we are just as beautiful like this over any photo of a group of half dressed women!