Deciding to Live a Lifestyle of Purity

[rizen1]

Deciding to Live a Lifestyle of Purity

by DANNAH GRESH



Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world . . . Titus 2:12

The day I met the man who would be my husband, he had just returned from Florida where he and the rest of the varsity tennis team had spent spring break, practicing endlessly. His white teeth contrasted sharply with the deep tan and his dark hair. His nose was peeling just a bit as he began to flirt with me. That profile of his cheery countenance is etched in my mind forever.

Wedding Day

On my wedding day and at my request, his tan was there to contrast with the clean white shirt and bow tie we had chosen for him to wear under his long, black tails. He was the man of my dreams, and this day was a fairy tale come true. And me? I wore a white hand-beaded dress with a nine-foot train and a sequined tiara veil. I marched across fresh rose petals as violinists, stretched along both sides of the sanctuary, played the wedding march. Together, we faced our guests so that they could see the joy on our faces as we exchanged vows. The kiss was sweet and simple ending with a knowing glance. There would be more time for tenderness that night.

At the reception, guests munched on hors d’oeuvres as an orchestra played in the background, pausing only for the announcement, “Ladies and Gentlemen, our bride and groom have arrived. I present for the first time in public Mr. and Mrs...” I was a Mrs! Applause filled the room as the strains from the orchestra ushered us to our head table. I waltzed beautifully with my father who returned a bow to my groom a few minutes into the waltz. We succeeded in royally ruining the graceful presence my father had established, but it didn’t matter. We were the prince and princess of the ball, and anything we did would charm the guests.

Wedding Night

Hours later, the princess found herself tightly locked in the bathroom of a honeymoon suite trying to decide how to make her grand entrance. (If I had it to do over again, I would claim the room for myself and lock him in the bathroom to decide when and how to enter!) Was it too soon for the lacy negligee? Were the full length satin pj’s too modest for tonight? Should I put my hair up? Will it seem too vain to freshen my make-up? We had not discussed lights...would they be on or off when I came out? In the end, I opted for the modesty and the vanity. (And hoped the lights would be low!)

Forever Blessed

But when my eyes met my husband’s deep blue ones...full of compassion and true love...the nervousness was replaced with a knowing. We had waited. We had made it through the maze of temptation and now a warm and comforting Presence was with us assuring us that this covenant into which we were about to enter would be blessed.

And the blessing was more than we had hoped for.

The Decision to Wait

How did we make it? God knows that I was not perfect. How did I wait for the wonderful gift of being one with a man I so tenderly loved? Well, it’s a wonderful, romantic story that includes moments of critical decisions…some I am proud of and some I wish I had made differently. I am going to share it all with you. It includes seven special secrets that gave me the strength to make it through a lot of temptation.

Saying no to worldly lusts

It all started with the truth of Titus 2:12-13. Those verses say that God’s grace does not automatically keep us from worldly passions. In all of your love for God, you could be blind-sided by worldly passions. When I realized how difficult the path of purity can be, I stood before God and I said, “OK, teach me to say no. I know these worldly passions exist, but I know the only way I will be able to say NO is if you teach me!” And from that moment on, God worked in me and gave me a resolve that I did not even know that I had within me and the path…and the waiting… was much easier. The difference was that now I had placed myself in God’s presence to be taught how to say no. God’s grace taught me to say no to worldly passions.

If you didn't go to class, your teacher could not fill you with all of the knowledge that he or she had to share. The God of the universe can't teach you either, unless you place yourself in His presence. I have been praying for you. I want so desperately for you to stand before God and to request for Him to teach you to say no to worldly passions so that you can live a self-controlled, godly, upright life.

You cannot attain purity all on your own.

I cannot unveil to you some formula of protection.

Your parents cannot share with you something that will keep you innocent.

Only God can do that!

Won’t you stop right now and ask Him to teach you as you read this book to say no to worldly passions?

Write a journal to God

Now, here is the most important part of this book. You need a journal or notebook to really make this book change your life. You see, it’s not what I write that is important and can protect your purity. It is what you write that will knock Satan between the eyes.

Get out your journal and write a letter to God. Explain to Him where you are in your struggle to stand pure before Him. It could be any area of your life—sexuality, substance abuse, language, anger—anything that is causing heartache in your life. Give each part of your history over to Him. Tell Him you are sorry if you have failed. Pray that He will keep you shielded from worldly passions. And specifically request Him to be your teacher while you are reading this book.

Go ahead. Write!

 

[Fragrant Grace]

Dear Rizen1

Thank you so much for posting this. What the author writes is so true.

In my experience it is so important to continually humble myself before the Lord and ask Him to keep me pure and to deliver me from temptation. That my heart will be His throne and not the worlds.

I think (again from personal experience), that Christians are most at risk when pride takes over, when they believe, self righteously that they will never fall into sexual sin or other tempation.

Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine:
Take my heart. It is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne

(from Havergal hymn Take my life)

Thank you again. the post really touched my heart.

God bless you

Julia

 

[rizen1]

I think (again from personal experience), that Christians are most at risk when pride takes over, when they believe, self righteously that they will never fall into sexual sin or other tempation.

Julia you are 100% correct our pride can set us up to fall.


Being honest to ourselves and God, also knowing our weaknesses is better than being prideful.
We are humans and temptation hits everyone.
Thanks for sharing sister.

 

[DougBlacklock]

Thank You

Thank you for sharing this. I have struggled with purity beforw God for years. I just prayed that simple prayer asking God to help me say no to my old nature and also to worldly lusts. I know there will be temptationsa but Im thankful for His promise of grace to endure.

God Bless you.

 

[rizen1]

Heavenly Father I ask that your word come alive in my brother's life.
He is a new man in you, the old has pass, no longer will he be a slave to sin.

Guide him in all decisions, help him to know that its not by his might but by your power that he has the vistory.

I praise you for his life, let the joy of salvation be the reminder he needs.

I love you Lord...Amen.

 

[mourning dove]

I especially liked...

the part about journaling. The account shared reminds me a little about how I felt on my wedding night..over 40 years ago. Thanks for posting it.

mourning dove

 

[Aida Agraan]

Really? How hard can it be to have sex? It's a completely natural thing

 

[DiscipleDave]

Dear Rizen1
I think (again from personal experience), that Christians are most at risk when pride takes over, when they believe, self righteously that they will never fall into sexual sin or other tempation.
Julia

i do not understand, how is it you say that Christians if they believe they will never fall into sexual sin or other temptations is a self righteous act? When the Word of God itself teaches that Christians indeed can be such:

• Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

So the Word of God teaches if i put the armour of God on, that i will be able to stand against the temptations of the devil

• James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

seems to me, that the Word of God says it is possible, if then i believe what the Word of God says, am i also self righteous because i believe what it teaches, i believe that it is possible that i will not fall into sexual sin ever again. i have been celebate for over 5 years now, i have not sexual sin, nor do i foresee any sexual sin in my future. i abhor sexual sinfulness.

• I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Scriptures teaches me, that EVERY single temptation that comes my way, that Jesus Christ does not allow it to be so strong that i can't overcome it, and He will also, with EVERY single temptation give me a path out of it, all a person has to do is look for it and they will find it. Now if i believe what it says, is that then my pride and self righteousness speaking? Because i believe the Truth is that self righteous.

i believe 100% that i will never fall into sexual sin, because i KNOW Jesus will not make it so strong i can't overcome it, and that He will allow a path out of it, and that if (IF) i have the full armor of God on, HE will protect me from sexual sin, and lead me not into temptation (as i pray the Lord's Prayer around 9 times a day), because i believe Jesus will do this, am i prideful and self righteous?

i don't understand your statement above, please explain it to me, if i believe the Scriptures how is that prideful and self righteous?

^i^








dfs

 

[MyEternalJesus]

I thought that little story was beautiful... I only wish I were as pure as her...

My pastors didn't like me very much, in fact they told me to stop asking for prayer. So I took up a course in meditation and the teacher encouraged me to behave like a womanizer....

I made a lot of enemies doing it and nearly got beat up a few times..

I guess when we are young and stupid, we don't know the consequences of listening to extra-biblical advice....

I think though, that Jesus understands. His mercy endures forever. He knows that when Christians have relations outside of marriage what they are really doing is searching for intimacy, which they haven't found yet with Jesus...

God can fill you with his love, and take away that need. It makes it better when you know God won't judge you..

"Everything is permissable, but not everything is profitable" - 1 Corinthians 10:23 (not a direct quote), something like all things are lawful, but not all things are expedient.

We as Christians shoudl not judge, just help people when these things happen to our brothers in Christ.

regards
Jimmy Scarff
Jesus Love

 

[B-A-C]

Good points all.

I think sometimes we forget the consequences of sin.

2 Sam 12:13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.
2 Sam 12:14 "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."

It says in verse 13 above that God already took away his sin, but because of his sin, there was a consequence.
Its interesting, the sin wasn't that he committed adultery and murder, the big sin in verse 14 was that he gave "the enemies of God occasion to blaspheme".
Wow, I know I've done this myself.

When I was younger my mother told me,
Personality is how you act in front of other people.
Character is how you act when no one else is looking.
The funny thing is, they always tend to rub off a little on each other.

Rev 3:15 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

I often see my friends on facebook, Many are young Christians who haven't grown in the faith yet. They don't realize other people are watching them.
So they post of picture of Jesus that says "Click Like if you love Jesus". Then the very next picture is usually something that has to do with sex or drugs
that is often cute or funny. I have to admit, I even laugh at these sometimes. But we need to remember, the world is watching us..

Matt 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mark 9:42 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.
Luke 17:2 "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

That verse is repeated in 3 of the Gospels. I have to look back and ask myself, have I ever caused someone else to stumble?

Eph 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Worse yet, have I let my un-Christian friends persuade me to do things that would damage my testimony to them?

1 Cor 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

Matt 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
Mark 9:50 "Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
Luke 14:34 "Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?

Again we see another verse repeated in all 3 Gospels, ...

Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
Matt 5:15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Matt 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.


Are we truly living as salt and light?
Or is our light hidden under a bush and we are just living like everyone else we know? Yes God will forgive us, that isn't the question here.
Will we be held accountable for causing others to stumble?

It'll be OK if I watch an R rated movie with my friends, and listen to music about sex and drugs. It'll give me a chance to "relate" with them.
Maybe it'll even give me an opportunity to witness to them.

Whether you realize it or not, you have already given them a testimony of your faith.