SEXUALITY, IMMORALITY, AND PURITY

True Love Waits
“Questions People Ask”


It’s not common that you’ll find it. It’s not popular if you say it. The “in” crowd does not believe it. A preacher will be criticized if he reminds you of it. I don’t mind that at all, so here it is:

God’s plan for sex includes 1 man and 1 woman, within the marriage relationship.

$450 million will be spent this year on sex-ed, most of it centering on what has become known as “safe sex”. There is no sex safer than sex within God’s plan!

The world’s version of safe sex is not based in morality at all. Their theme is: “if you can’t be good, then be careful”.

God’s version of safe sex is abstinence until marriage, I Pet. 2:11

Biblical morality is scorned, ridiculed, laughed at, belittled, called archaic, and old-fashioned.

Entertainment: Rarely in daytime TV will you see lovers who are married to each other. (evening sit coms as well) If it’s not pre-marital sex it’s extra-marital sex…

…and I’m wondering, why depict it at all? How many remember when TV didn’t speak of such things, much less show them! (separate beds)

Advertising: Sex is the #1 seller of everything from beer to perfume to jeans, toothpaste, and breakfast cereal.
“appeal to mankind’s baser instincts”

In the ‘60’s, Hugh Hefner of Playboy said, “sex is a normal function of the body, it is a desire that man shares w/ the animals, just like sleeping or eating, therefore it is not wrong to satisfy these normal desires”.

Society has swallowed that philosophy, hook, line, and sinker. “Just throw off all your inhibitions, and if it feels good, do it.”

As kids we are taught evolution in the classroom…and now we acting like it. If you tell a teenager that they are an animal for long enough, he will eventually prove you right!

Josh McDowell is one of christianity’s foremost experts on teenagers. His research shows that in evangelical church circles:
65% of teens have had some kind of sexual experience before the age of 18. 43% say they have actually gone all the way.
He asked them where they learned their values in this area, and 73% said, “from the movies.”

The good news is that of the 35% who had no experience, the vast majority said the reason was because of a commitment they have made to God.

I’m thankful tonite for a handful of teens who say tonite, from this day forward, I will abstain until marriage…I will live by God’s plan.

A Senator in Washington once said, “today’s teens are just hormone hurricanes, and you can’t stop a hurricane.”

I’m thankful for a power greater than a hurricane, He’s the Creator of that hurricane, He’s the One that kept my wife and myself pure for each other, He’s our powerful God.

We’ve allowed Sex to become a dirty word. What should be a beautiful picture of love, marriage, and home, it’s now associated w/ words like perversion/aids/prostitution/lesbianism/homosexuality.

When Disney a couple of years ago decided to embrace same sex partners, we knew how bad it is becoming.

Ted Kennedy wants same sex marriage recognized/ Sen. Barney Frank/feminist movement/gay lobbyists..
…but God Almighty will never recognize it as anything other than an abomination!

Society is learning the hard way that there is a penalty for sexual immorality. But rather than coming back to God’s standards, and obeying God’s laws, society says, “let’s see what we can do to alter the consequences of our actions.”

Abortion: unwanted pregnancy? Just do away w/ the consequences!

Don’t let anyone get in the way of you having a good time!

3 Words:
SEXUALITY/IMMORALITY/PURITY

1. Sexuality

Sex is not a dirty word. Teenagers: your generation did not discover sex. God originated it for the benefit of all, within His guidelines.

Parents: Don’t make faces at me for using the word sex. Your kids are hearing lies about it every day and tonite they hear the truth.

Older folks: Don’t look so holy at me for talking about God’s gift of sex…you’re here because of it. (Only 1 virgin birth and you’re not it!)

Heb. 13:4 (on screen) “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled.”

Listen carefully: When a man and a woman enter into a marriage contract, the seal of that covenant is their union physically. To give away your virginity before marriage is far more serious than you ever thought possible…as you give away the seal to your marriage contract.

Someday you will fall in love for real with someone and marry them, and you will wish with all your heart to give them the most wonderful gift you ever could, your purity, but I remind you tonite you can only give that gift away one time!

Married couples: Just as the physical union w/in marriage seals the covenant of marriage, union outside of your marriage w/ anyone else is what breaks the covenant.

Sex is not a physical act alone. There is a spiritual and emotional dimension to sex. If you leave them out, then you lower it to the level of animals.

That’s what the pornography industry is doing. Making women into things, objects to be used. “Playboy Bunnies” “Penthouse Pets” Just animals. Nevermind that you have feelings and a soul and a heart.

Any blurring of the sexual distinction is wrong. Guys are carrying purses and girls are carrying footballs. Girls are wearing guys clothes and guys are decorating themselves up like women.

My wife and I drive around town and have to ask each other, is that a male or female? Is it a Mr., and Mrs., or a mistake? The girl walks like Tarzan, the guy is walking like Jane, and they both smell like Cheetah!

Like the preacher who stood before the couple at their wedding and couldn’t tell bride from groom, he said, “will whatever you are take whatever that is to become whatever you’re gonna be!”

God made us different for a reason, and any blurring of that difference is wrong.

2. Immorality

We looked earlier at Heb. 13:4…here’s the rest of the verse: “but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge!”

I Thess. 4:3 “for this is the will of God…that ye should abstain from fornication.” (pre-marital sex)

Let’s build together an ice cream sundae:

Bowl—intellectual union
Ice cream—emotional union (like turns to love)
Toppings—spiritual union (share goals and dreams)
Whipped Cream—physical union after marriage

Here’s the danger: if you enter into the physical relationship before marriage, the other 3 parts stop growing immediately!
All you have is the whipped cream…not in love…but in lust!

5 Dangers of pre-marital sex:

1. Counterfeit love
Relationships based on sex do not last!
Start w/ physical and then find out you don’t even like each
other. You never grew together intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually!
You stand there w/ nothing but a handful of whipped cream, and it gets old, and you throw it away too!

But…if you start the physical after marriage, the other 3 parts just keep on growing! Then you have more than a sexual partner, you have a best friend who really loves you.

Real love is patient, pure, and unselfish.

Girls, when that guy says, “I just can’t wait”, you’ll know he doesn’t love you. When he says, “If you really love me, you’ll prove it!”, you take it as an insult and slap him so hard his brains ring like church bells on a cold morning!

2. Emotional consequences

Young ladies:
Studies show a direct corrolation between pre-marital sex and personal emotion problems…
Fear/guilt/anxiety/loss of self-respect

Guilt is the most destructive emotion we can have.
It robs you of sleep, peace, joy, self-worth, and fellowship w/ God.
It leaves you shattered, uncertain, and unproductive.
And you lose that “glow” that always accompanies sexual purity.

Hear this ladies, and I’ll tell you how men think…
…there’s something mysterious about the unknown. There’s something very attractive about the unknown.

9 times out of ten, once you reveal yourself to him, once the mystery is gone, so is he…he’ll drop you like a hot rock! And that won’t feel like just another break-up, it will feel like a divorce.

3. Physical consequences

Wages of sin is still death!

Drunkard—in danger of scirosis of liver
Smoker—cancer in the lungs
Glutton—cardiovascular disease
Sexually impure—in danger of diseases w/ no cures. There are 7 diseases besides aids which have no cure, and all carry long-term consequences, and all are spread around thru a crowd of people willing to have sex outside of the protection of marriage!

You say, he’s only willing to be w/ me, she’s only willing to be with me. Not! If they’re willing to do it w/ you then they’ll do it w/ others and probably already have.

When you go to bed w/ someone, you go to bed with their entire sexual history, and w/ everyone who THOSE people had been with.

The wages of sin is still death.

4. Marital consequences

I’ve counseled w/ people who say, “it’s ok for she and I to do this, because we know we’re gonna get married.” No, it’s not ok. Why?
Because God said it’s not ok…who are you to rewrite the rules?
You may not marry them!
The average teen falls in love 10 times before they get married.
Even if you do marry them, you have reduced your chances for a happy marriage because you have chipped away at the foundation of trust. In the back of your mind you will always know that the person you married was capable of immorality. They were willing to sin w/ you before marriage and they’re capable of sinning against you now that you are married.

5. Spiritual consequences

But, Bro. Jerry, don’t you believe that God forgives? YES I DO!

But forgiveness and consequences are 2 different animals. (ill.—line)

We think that both exist on the same line, that the closer we get to forgiveness the further we move from consequences…not so!

David sinned w/ Bathsheba, then committed murder…and in 2 incredible passages of scripture we see an awesome forgiveness that David requested and received but let me ask you, were there consequences still?

Yes. God said, David, you will live in a valley of tears the rest of your life. The sword will not depart from your house.

He buried a baby that died. Then one of his sons raped his daughter. And God said it was direct results of his sin.

3. Purity

How can I stay pure?

1. Protect your mind

The eye-gate and the ear-gate are so important…the pathways to the mind.
II Pet. 2:14 (on screen) “eyes full of adultery”

Once upon a time a boy was born to Christian parents, he was active in church in the youth group. His name was Ted Bundy!

One day his g’pa introduced him to soft-core porn. After a few years it was no longer enough, so he moved on to hard-core porn. After a while, it was no longer stimulating, so he began to see prostitutes. Then he began raping prostitutes. Then he started killing them. He was caught and executed.

Men, protect your eyes. The Bible says, “I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.” Claim that verse.

Job said, “I have made a covenant w/ my eyes, why then should I THINK upon a maid?”

Get away from music whose theme is predominantly lust and sex. (difference between the sex spoken of in rock music and country music is one is easier to understand!)

2. Don’t accommodate sin

If you can’t walk into the video store and stay pure, then don’t walk in!
If you can’t flip around the channels w/out looking for something dirty to look at then cut it off!


If you can’t be alone together in that car then don’t be.

“Make no provision for the flesh.”

3. Decide in advance

Make a pre-determined decision to stay pure, and that you won’t date anyone who hasn’t made the same commitment.

Words of a fool: “He’ll change after we’re married.”

Ill—Africa, boys playing w/ shiny rocks, throwing them, pounding them together/man noticed and was intrigued/upon closer examination he realized they were diamonds/boys showed him where they found them and that day one of the largest diamond mines in africa was discovered.

“You have no idea how valuable your purity is…protect it w/ a vengeance.”
“It’s too late for me, preacher.” (already given it away)

Good news! One day a woman was brought to Jesus, taken in the very act of adultery. She expected to be condemned, but Jesus said, I don’t condemn you, go and sin no more!

Can’t change the past, but the future is unwritten!

By: Jerry Shirley

Have you achieved your New Year resolutions?

This might sound too early to ask but we are in the middle of the year and everything seems to be moving faster than we thought. We had plans in the beginning of the year to achieve certain goals and chase our dream. But giving a second thought have we achieved those listed plans?

You probably have some big goals to pursue, but certain setbacks might have drawn you back.

Surveys reveal that less than one percent of New Year's resolutions are achieved. It is merely a ritual people have followed for decades.

A boy told his father, "Dad, if three frogs were sitting on a limb that hung over a pool, and one frog decided to jump off into the pool, how many frogs would be left on the limb?"

The dad replied, "Two."

"No," the son replied. "There's three frogs and one decides to jump, how many are left?"

The dad said, "Oh, I get it, if one decides to jump, the others would too. So there are none left."

The boy said, "No dad, the answer is three. The frog only DECIDED to jump."

Does that sound like last year's resolution?

Great inspiration and great resolutions, but often times we only decide, and months later we are still on the same limb of do-nothing.

There is still six months more remaining; we should never give up on our dreams, goals and objectives no matter the challenges. I don’t know your plans for the year, it could be new job, lose weight, improving your relationship with God, building a house or buying a car what ever it is- The Sky should be your limit. Chase your Dreams.

Aspire!

By: Samuel Mantey

Email: sammyoo3@yahoo.com

Twitter: SamuelMantey

SERVE GOD WITH ‘ZERO EXPECTATION’

Sometimes Life can be stressful- full of hard questions like, financial constraints, sickness, stress, death and disappointment. This makes us to question the existence of God in our Life. But We (Christians) should serve God expecting nothing in return.

When we enter into a relationship with God with a “friends with benefits” mentality, we may find ourselves sorely disappointed when we don’t get all the benefits that we thought were promised to us.

God never promise us earthly uncertainties (Luxury) –Houses, Cars, better Jobs, money etc but that he is preparing a special place in Heaven for His Children.

Please get it straight: God can provide all those earthly riches in fact, He owns everything. But Jesus (the savior) never promised us those things. So anytime we are faced with problems we should never give up on God because He is seriously preparing a better place for his children.

When you expect something for your service then it is business only. It should not be business. It should be true love. In true love, there is no expectation of any result just like as you do for your children without expecting anything.

 Sometimes your children scold you, insult you but still you serve them and that is still higher level of service. Not only expecting any result but even if you get a negative result and you still serve, it is the best form of service. God tests- Sometimes, He gives negative result to your service.

We must worship God because He is the only true God NOT because of what we expect Him to do for us. Indeed, so many people have been disappointed because they expected their lives to change for the better with their thanksgiving to God. God gives earthly riches to those He want to give not because of our expectation.

God might not give us earthly riches but Ultimately He will give us eternal place where there are no earthquakes, wars, murder, fornication, adultery and disappointments.

‘The earlier the better’

Some of the bombs dropped on England by the Germans during World War II are still killing people. Sometimes they are discovered and blow up at construction sites, in fishing nets, or on beaches more than fifty years after the war. Undetected bombs become more dangerous with time because corrosion can expose the detonator.

As Christians we must learn Now that serving God is an obligation! He has promised us to provide us our daily bread and that should be enough to satisfy our transition on earth.

The best service we can do is, do it without expecting. No need to ask God for anything, He will automatically give. There is no need to have expectations. God gives everything.

By: Samuel Mantey

Email: sammyoo3@yahoo.com

Twitter: Samuel Mantey

AFRICA NEEDS INVESTMENT IN REAL ESTATE NOT AID

African economies easily rank among the most resilient in the world. In the middle of the 2009 global economic recession, Africa was the only region apart from Asia that grew positively, at about 2%. The continent’s growth has been on an upward trajectory ever since then- 4.5% in 2010 and 5.0% in 2011.

And it will get even better in 2012. Africa is favorably positioned to become the 2^nd fastest growing region in the world, and according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), economic growth across the 54 countries of the continent will hover around 6% in 2012.

Africa is becoming an increasingly attractive hub for foreign investors in light of various economic, political and social reforms that are sweeping through the continent, resulting in a much improved business environment conducive for foreign direct investment. Apart from that, there is widespread development of critical social and physical infrastructure, and there is an increasing pool of well-educated, English-speaking, enterprising workers in most countries across the continent.

There is also a significant boost in the spending power of Africans. According to the African Development Bank, Africa’s fast-emerging middle class is now comprised of over 300 million people, and analysts from the McKinsey Global Institute estimate that general consumer spending across the continent will hover past the $1 trillion mark next year.

If you’re a foreign investor who has yet to make a foray into Africa, now is the time to step in and capture a share of Africa’s $1 trillion opportunity in 2012.

As one of the world's fastest growing economic regions it desperately needs quality real estate.  And, by seeking to address Africa's challenges, investors and business men have to now channel their effort to one of the fastest growing area-Real Estate as a long term investment for development.

By 2040, Africa is projected to be home to one in five of the planet's young people and the world's largest working-age population, therefore government needs to stem into investing into the industry for future benefits.

Long-term investment – many people like the idea of an investment that can fund them in their retirement. Rental housing is one sector that rarely decreases in price, making it a good potential option for long-term investment.

Private real estate can provide significant and important benefits for a mixed-asset investment portfolio. Well-chosen portfolios have delivered attractive investment performance over long-term holding periods, providing high returns that have fallen between those of bonds and equities in the long term

The obvious benefit that comes from real estate investing comes from the money that can be made. Those who have managed to buy a home for a small amount, and sell it for a large amount see the largest profit. People will fix houses, and add to houses simply to get as much profit as possible out of the market. This benefit is generally unmatched by many other investments; you can make a lot of money by simply investing in a home. While it is hard work, it can reap large monetary benefits.

By: Samuel Mantey

Email: sammyoo3@yahoo.com

Twitter: SamuelMantey

Getting rich quick… Money, Power &Pleasure (Part 1)

Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have. - Hebrews 13:5

Some few months’ back I spoke to a young man who was awaiting his turn for an interview with a seasoned company.  I asked him ‘what would he prefer, money or peace of mind?’ He responded what good is peace of mind if you don’t have money. If you have money in this era you have everything, he emphasized.

This is one of the many deceptions that have diverted the attention of the youth from God to Money. Indeed, money itself is good because that is the means of exchange but the Bible warns us against the love of it.

Just recently a colleague told me he accompanied his friends to the conference center on a programme dubbed ‘how to get rich quick’. He said the speaker told them of many dubious means to get money so that they would be accepted in the society. Who told you getting rich will make you acceptable?

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

People have adopted schemes like High Risk Work, Bank Robbery, the internet way (sakawa), marry rich, ritual money etc just to be accepted in a deceptive environment. There is nothing like short way to success in Life. There is no elevator to success you have to take the steps.

Luke 3:14“Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

The youth are anger to get rich just for power and pleasure. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures thinking that we nee to fit into the society by these passions.
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. - James 4:3

The Bible says there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Galatians 5:19-21 says Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Unfortunately the world will tell you to get rich quick or die trying deceiving you that getting rich means been successful.  (Part 1)

By Samuel Mantey

Email: Sammyoo3@yahoo.com

Twitter: SamuelMantey