Living Free - June 9, 2015
Today's Scripture
"Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery." - (Hebrews 13:4 NLT)
Thoughts for Today
Monogamy is God's design for marriage. It's been that way from the beginning—he gave Adam one wife. The Scriptures teach that any sexual activity outside marriage is a sin and will be judged.
God designed marriage to be a beautiful part of our lives. He knows that straying into sexual activity outside that relationship will bring hurt and problems for us and for those close to us. It opens us to the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases. It creates emotional trauma—loss of trust, crushing hurt for the one betrayed, and maybe even the end of the marriage. And it destroys the holy bonding God intended for marriage.
Unfaithfulness can take many forms. The first thought, of course, is an extramarital affair. But pornography is an act of unfaithfulness as well—and extremely destructive.
Consider this …
We are hearing disheartening statistics about unfaithfulness among Christian men and women. Many have extramarital affairs. And pornography has become a snare for both men and women. The Internet has made it all too accessible. Read this disturbing report:
Christian men are having an alarmingly difficult time abstaining from the sexual sins of viewing pornography and committing adultery on their spouses, according to a new national survey. Tragically, married Christian men are failing miserably when it comes to these sins, as 55 percent look at pornography at least once a month and 35 percent cheated on their spouses in an extramarital affair.
If your marriage has been touched by unfaithfulness, seriously consider Christian counseling. Don't give up hope. If you are the offender, seek God's forgiveness—and his help in turning from the sin. Seek your spouse's forgiveness but understand you will have to earn his or her trust back. If your spouse is the offender, you may have to show some tough love. Seek help from a Christian counselor—for both of you if possible but for you alone if your spouse won't go.
Father, help both my spouse and me to remain faithful to each other. If one of us ever strays, help us find our way back. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from …
Committed Couples: God's Plan for Marriage & the Family by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee. Whether in a private or group setting, couples will be encouraged spiritually and romantically as they research biblical principles that affirm their vows. This book can help every married couple grow spiritually and emotionally in their relationship. It is also a great help for engaged-to-be-married couples.
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