I met a man, a good man, a godly man, a man who truly loves the Lord who told me of his struggle with homosexual temptation. He is far advanced in years. He told me that when he was in his fifties, he thought here would come a time when he was no longer tempted. But, he said, it is not so. By God's grace, he has not given in for almost sixty years. Yet he fights the battle daily. I said he is a good man and I mean that. Fighting sin -- and sometimes falling (and we all fall and fail in many ways) -- is not a mark of unbelief. Fighting hard and ending up bruised and bloody is a sign that you have been in the arena for the Lord. Those who give in and then make excuses are in much worse condition.

I will not quote from the end of the sermon because I do not want to spoil it for you except to say he actually tells young people what to say on the morning after sexual failure. Here is preaching that mixes strong theology with gritty realism about the temptations and failures we all experience. John Piper points the way out of despair to lasting hope in Christ. This is great preaching, and I am happy to commend it to you.

Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of  Keep Believing Ministries and author of And When You Pray. He has ministered extensively overseas and is a frequent conference speaker and guest on Christian radio and television talk shows. He has authored over 27 books, including Credo, The Healing Power of Forgiveness, An Anchor for the Soul, and Why Did This Happen to Me? You can contact him via ray@keepbelieving.com.