Hymn of the Week -- Praise My Soul the King of Heaven

1. Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me His praise should sing?
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise the everlasting King.

2. Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same forever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Glorious in His faithfulness.

3. Frail as summer’s flower we flourish
Blows the wind and it is gone
But while mortals rise and perish
God endures unchanging on
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise the high eternal One

4. Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He Knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Widely as His mercy goes.

5. Angels help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Praise Him, praise Him,
praise Him, praise Him,
Praise with us the God of grace.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 8

Last time I mentioned that one of the tactics for guarding ourselves against sexual immorality is to control our bodies. Let’s expand on that a little bit.

One of the key battle grounds is our mind. We are told in Romans 12:2 that we are to transformed by the renewing of our minds. This can only happen by spending time in God’s Word reading, memorizing and meditating on the Scriptures. Proverbs 23:7 says that as a man thinks in his heart, so he is. That’s why it’s so important to manage what we think. I put together a list of key verses that should be helpful in the discipline of memorization and meditation on Scripture. You can find that list here.

Philippians 4:8 is another key verse. This verse tells us that we are to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. If you struggle in this area, it might be a worthwhile effort to take a serious and honest look at the things you think about and how that compares to the categories that are mentioned in this verse.

One other verse that I think is important to mention in this context is 2 Corinthians 10:5 where we are told to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Now there’s a challenge for you!

How serious are you about living the kind of life God wants you to live? The level of your seriousness will affect the amount of effort you put into steps such as these.

More next time.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 7

God gives us many weapons in our fight against sexual immorality. The battle needs to be waged on many different fronts all at the same time and that is what makes it difficult.

1. We must recognized and by faith accept the fact that by God’s grace, the devil and sin have been defeated.

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

2. We need to have our bodies in subjection. 1 Corinthians 9:27 tells us that Paul disciplines his body and brings it into subjection. That means he controlled his body and not the other way around. In Romans 6:12 Paul says that we should not allow sin to reign in our mortal body that we should obey its lusts. He then goes on to say that we should not present our members to sin to be used as weapons against us. And finally, God will not permit us to be tempted above what we are able. (1 Corinthians 10:6) That means that with God’s Spirit in us, we are able to have victory. Sin shall not have dominion over you. (Romans 6:14)

It amazes me that we as men want to be strong. We often brag about our strength and our ability to defeat others in an athletic event or in perhaps even a real war scenario. And yet, even with that macho attitude in those areas, we are wimps when it comes to allowing sin and the devil to push us over with barely an ounce of resistance on our part.

We’ll discuss a couple of other battle tactics next time.

The Connected Generation

As an educator for 41 years, I have been a careful observer of teen culture and how it has changed over the years. Much hasn’t changed – the desire to fit in, the tendency to engage in dangerous behavior, etc. But what has changed is the amount of time teens spend connected to each other and digital media through their cell phones, ipods, and computers. Obviously these devices didn’t exist for teens thirty years ago and so one could argue that my observation is a rather obvious one and not really worth much.

I’ve been involved in computing technology since it came into the school over thirty years ago and in fact I was the one who introduced computers to our high school. But what has taken me completely by surprise is the way teens of embraced the new technology in the last few years and have become connected to each other and the world 24/7.

The degree to which kids are connected presents a challenge to teachers and parents alike. But there is an important dimension to this that I think we as Christian men need to consider and that is the implications for us as Christians when we consider what is lost when more and more time is being devoted to online communication. I would encourage you to read Dr. Albert Mohler’s recent article and listen to his radio broadcast on this subject. He is responding to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation which found that the average teen spends over 7 hours per day connected in some way. Christians, and especially Christian fathers, need to pay close attention to these findings and determine how they are going to provide the strong leadership necessary to make sure their families use media wisely and take the necessary time to unplug and spend time talking, reading, praying and a whole host of other activities that are being lost because of the amount of time being devoted to online communication.

You can access Dr. Mohler’s article at http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/21/like-the-air-they-breathe-the-online-life-of-kids//

The radio broadcast can be found here: http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/21/“like-the-air-they-breathe”-—-the-online-life-of-kids/

The Kaiser Report can be found here: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/mh012010pkg.cfm

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 6

We are considering three ideas which will help us gain biblically-based thought patterns regarding sexual sin. Today we discuss the third point.

Sexual sins are among the reasons why the wrath of God is coming upon mankind. (Ephesians 5:3-7; Colossians 3:5-7) Notice the references to these sins in these passages. Look at what Ephesians 5:5 says. “For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” And don’t miss the fact that sexual sins are not the only kind of sins mentioned here. This is a strong statement. Do you believe it?

What some people don’t realize is that these sins themselves are the wrath of God on display. With your Bible open to Romans 1:18 and following, answer the following questions:

Vs 18 Is the wrath of God present or future in this verse?

Vs 24 What did God do in his wrath? He gave them up to what?

Vs 26 God gave them up still further as part of His wrath. What did He give them up to in this verse?

Vs 28-32 Then look at the list as God gives them up still further.

What you’ll find in this short Bible study is that part of God’s judgment doesn’t involve sending down fire from heaven. It involves letting people go into their sin and have their own way. Much of that sin is sexual.

So you need to ask yourself, “Do I want to participate in activities that are part of the reason God’s judgment is going to come?” And, “Do I want to participate in activities that in themselves demonstrate that God’s judgment is already here?”

To me, these are very sobering questions for the Christian man to contemplate.

Memorization Monday - Promised Blessings - Rewards

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Hymn of the Week -- Jesus Shall Reign

Jesus Shall Reign by Isaac Watts

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Behold the islands with their kings,
And Europe her best tribute brings;
From north to south the princes meet,
To pay their homage at His feet.

There Persia, glorious to behold,
There India shines in eastern gold;
And barb’rous nations at His word
Submit, and bow, and own their Lord.

To Him shall endless prayer be made,
And praises throng to crown His head;
His Name like sweet perfume shall rise
With every morning sacrifice.

People and realms of every tongue
Dwell on His love with sweetest song;
And infant voices shall proclaim
Their early blessings on His Name.

Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.

Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

Great God, whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Now give the kingdom to Thy Son,
Extend His power, exalt His throne.

The scepter well becomes His hands;
All Heav’n submits to His commands;
His justice shall avenge the poor,
And pride and rage prevail no more.

With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past.

As rain on meadows newly mown,
So shall He send his influence down:
His grace on fainting souls distills,
Like heav’nly dew on thirsty hills.

The heathen lands, that lie beneath
The shades of overspreading death,
Revive at His first dawning light;
And deserts blossom at the sight.

The saints shall flourish in His days,
Dressed in the robes of joy and praise;
Peace, like a river, from His throne
Shall flow to nations yet unknown.

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 5

We are considering three ideas which will help us gain biblically-based thought patterns regarding sexual sin.

The second point to consider is that sexual sin is sin against both our body and soul. These sins are at war with us. Will we fight back or assume a complacent position? Even if we don’t fight backy, they will still war against us and ultimately destroy us

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – He who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body! Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

The seriousness of this is based on the fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Just think about that! If you are a Christian your body – your hands, head, arms, feet – your physical body is the temple of God!

Peter tells us to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against our soul. (1 Peter 2:11) These sins make war against the core of your being. Take a good look at Proverbs 6:25-27. Notice the damage that sexual immorality causes.

When we get involved with porn or have an immoral relationship with someone we are taking death into our souls. Our problem is that we either don’t really believe this or we don’t care. Either way we need to take a careful look at our salvation and examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 4

In the last article on sexuality, I gave you a list of sexual sins spoken of in the Bible along with the definitions. As we consider sexual sins, it seems to me that pornography is probably the most addicting and soul-damaging of sexual sins. The Greek word used for sexual immorality was pornea. Add the ending graphy to it which means image or writing and you have sexual immorality in images or in writing. As we study the Scriptural teaching on sexual sins and God’s way of victory, keep in mind that we are including pornography in this discussion.

I’d like to consider three ideas that will help us regain a biblical perspective on sexual sins. We’ll look at the first this time, and then the others in future articles.

1. According to Jesus, what is the source of sexual sins? In Mark 7:20 Jesus tells us that these sins come out of the heart of man. TV and Internet provide the temptation, but even before these were invented, temptation and sin were there in full force. We need to recognize and take responsibility for the fact that our hearts are sinful and deceitful. That’s why we need a savior.

James tells us that we shouldn’t think our temptations come from God. He tells us that we are tempted when we are drawn away of our own lusts and enticed. James 1:14-15 Stop blaming other situations and factors and take responsibility for your own sin.

According to Galatians 5:19 these sins are the works of the flesh. They come from our flesh, our own natural self. The world and Satan use this natural tendency to drawn them out and trap us.

Jeremiah 17:9 says that the heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?

In 1 Corinthians 10:12 Paul explains how the people in the Old Testament fell through disbelief and then warns us to be careful because when we think we stand, we may fall.

With a deceitful heart as the source of these sins, it is foolishness to think we can trust ourselves. People of high standing and seeming great intelligence are falling prey to sexual temptation and sin and ruining their reputations and careers along with it. What makes us think we can put ourselves in situations where the temptations are great and accountability is limited? We need to have the attitude expressed in Philippians 3:3 which is that we “have no confidence in the flesh.” It’s good to have a certain amount of distrust in our ability to deal with such a strong enemy.

What is God Like? -- Psalm 145

I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

And His greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall praise Your works to another,

And shall declare Your mighty acts.

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,

And on Your wondrous works.

Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,

And I will declare Your greatness.

They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,

And shall sing of Your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,

Slow to anger and great in mercy.

The Lord is good to all,

And His tender mercies are over all His works.

All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,

And Your saints shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,

And talk of Your power,

To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,

And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The Lord upholds all who fall,

And raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look expectantly to You,

And You give them their food in due season.

You open Your hand

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all His ways,

Gracious in all His works.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He also will hear their cry and save them.

The Lord preserves all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,

And all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever.

Some additional thoughts

In the light of a disaster like the Haitian earthquake, it is instructive to listen to what Jesus Christ said when He heard about eighteen people who were killed when a tower fell on them. In Luke 13:4 we read, “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

At least one well-known religious leader in commenting on the earthquake said that the Haitians had made a pact with the devil and by implication this explains why bad things have continued to happen to them. It seems to me that Jesus’ quote makes that comment of no consequence. Jesus’ statement is that the people who died in the Siloam collapse were not worse sinners than others. And I think He would say that the Haitians are not worse sinners than others. His warning is that all sinners will also perish.

God is serious about sin and his judgment produces consequences both in this life and the next. The curse is real. We will all die of something and it may be painful or gruesome or maybe not. But it will still happen. There is going to be suffering in this life. But what is worse is the suffering that will follow our death if we don’t have someone to take our place in that suffering. The good news from Jesus is that He bore our sins on the cross and suffered our eternal punishment there. What He asks from us is to trust Him in this. He promises that those who trust Him will be spared eternal judgment. Do you believe Him?

Some thoughts from the earthquake

The images from Haiti have been astounding, sobering and gruesome. Each day brings a new round of images showing more devastation and death. Why did this happen? Does it test your understanding of the sovereignty of a gracious God even a little? I need to confess that it produces a little struggle in my mind.

What has increased more than a struggle, however, is the sense of awe I have gained for the power of God working through His creation. An earthquake of this magnitude, producing such extensive destruction, was not felt in most places throughout the rest of the world.

In Haggai 2:6, 7 the Bible says, “For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of all Nations.”

The Desire of all Nations is a name for Jesus Christ. The shaking God will produce at the end of time will make the Haitian earthquake look like nothing in comparison as it involves not only the earth but the heavens as well.

What’s the message? The book of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:25ff

See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings - Reward

This week's verse begins a 3-part series on the promised blessings of rewards for the Christian. This week offers a new opportunity to memorize Scripture. Even if you haven't done it before, why not begin this week?

Therefore my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Hymn of the Week -- Immortal, Invisible

Immortal, invisible,
God only wise,
In light inaccessible
hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious,
the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious,
Thy great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting,
and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting,
Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains,
high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains
of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest,
to both great and small;
In all life Thou livest,
the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish
as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish--
but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory,
pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee,
all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render;
O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor
of light hideth Thee,

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 3

We are examining what the Bible has to say about sex and sexuality.

Consider this statement: Sexual activity outside of God’s prescribed plan for marriage is sin. Doesn’t that go against the trend we’re seeing all around us every day? Some non-Christians say that we believe this because we think sex is dirty or we’re repressed or have some other psychological problem. As I mentioned in a previous post, God is the inventor of sex and Christians ought to have the most realistic accepting view of sexuality that there is in the world. But God has placed boundaries on our sexual activity for our good and for His glory and we as Christians are called upon to accept those boundaries and enjoy sexuality within them.

God speaks about sexual sins in various ways in the Bible. Often when people read the Bible, they don’t know what those words mean and so don’t make the connection to activities described in other ways in modern English. So what I’d like to do is to define some of those words for you and give you the references for them.

Fornication: From the Greek word pornea – Sexual sin of a general kind not limited to a specific behavior, but outside of marriage between a man and woman. Mark 7:20ff; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5

Adultery: Having sex with someone other than your spouse. Mark 7:20; Galatians 5:19

Lasciviousness: Also translated wantonness, lewdness or sensuality. It means unrestrained behavior in moral behavior and attitudes. Mark 7:20; Romans 13:13; 2 Corinthians 12:21

Concupiscence: Also translated lust, it is a strong desire, longing or covetousness. Colossians 3:5; 1 Peter 4:3

Uncleanness: Also translated impurity. It is sexual impurity or uncleanness. (Everyone understands what we mean by “dirty” joke.) 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19

Revelings: Orgies, revelry, drinking parties, carousing. Romans 13:13; Galatians 5:19; 1 Peter 4:3

Coarse jesting: Crude joking. Crude and vulgar joking. Ephesians 5:3

Hopefully these definitions will help you put some of the Bible’s terminology in a perspective you can understand.

Our Lord Prays for His Own

Often times, modern Christian men don’t know about or don’t take the opportunity to read really old Christian literature. The book “Our Lord Prays for His Own” is a wonderful example of a little known book – especially to modern readers. I’m taking the liberty of giving you an excerpt here that hopefully will whet your appetite.

The book is a study of our Lord’s prayer in John 17. The context of this passage is where Jesus prayed that the Father would glorify the Son in verse 1. Jesus was about to be crucified and in so doing He would be fulfilling the agreement that He had made with the Father before the world began.

Read this section thoughtfully and prayerfully. If you haven’t read such old material before, you may get tangled up in the long sentences and some of the vocabulary. Also, there are phrases taken from Scripture that you may not be familiar with. Please feed your soul by taking the time to read and reread this passage, and then consider putting this book on your to-read list. It makes great devotional reading.

-----

Oh, if we could enter more fully into the thoughts of God as to the real nature, character, and consequences of sin; and His boundless love for sinners, manifested in the gift of His own Son—descended from heaven into our nature in order to effect our salvation, to vindicate the character of the broken law, and to declare the righteousness of God, that He might be just, and at the same time the justifier of him who believeth on Jesus, then should we understand what a glorious position Christ did really occupy, and what a marvelous grace Jehovah bestowed upon Him in appointing Him to be the manifestation and incarnation of His Everlasting Love, and “the daysman, to lay his hand upon both.”

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles…I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord; that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another” Isaiah 42:1, 6-8

This was the work Christ was about to accomplish; and to finish it was in His estimation to be glorified. Satan also, the enemy of God and man, was to be overthrown; the Goliath who had defied the armies of the living God was to be trampled under foot: and the Son of Man was to do it. Death, the wages of sin, was to be fully paid; and through death Christ was to “destroy him that had the power of death”; “to abolish death”; to extract its sting; “to swallow up death in victory”; and rise again, to die no more; but with authority to impart His own risen life to His people, so that henceforth they might live in Him, thus “delivering them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” This was the work He had in view, and the accomplishing of it was His glory.

Our Lord Prays for His Own by Marcus Rainsford; Moody Press, Chicago 1950

Biblical Manhood - Sexuality Part 2

We’re discussing sex and sexuality in light of Scripture. The last time we pointed out that sex was created by God for our good and His glory. In an effort to avoid sinful sexual behaviors, Christians have often avoided the topic entirely and sometimes look at the whole subject as dirty or vulgar. God does not look at it that way.

In Hebrews 13:4 we are told that it’s God’s plan that marriage and the marriage bed be honored and undefiled. God devotes a whole book of the Bible, Song of Solomon, to love and marriage. God is not embarrassed or shy about this topic.

God does not leave us helpless in the face of His commands concerning sexuality. He has given marriage as the relationship which is meant to provide for sexuality and to protect us from sexual temptation. Rather than looking at marriage as though it were a form of bondage, we should see it as a blessing from God meant to provide for us and to protect us.

In 1 Corinthians 7:1 we read, “It is not good for a man to touch a woman.” The word “touch” means “to hold on to.” It is not good to have the kind of physical contact with a woman that is reserved for a spouse.

This brings up the issue of defrauding. The Bible tells us that we should not defraud one another in the area of sexual attraction. “Defrauding” is the act of making the other person think or feel that further sexual intimacy is coming when there is no intention of going that far. (See also I Thessalonians 4:1-7) It is wrong to touch another person in a way that initiates sexual feelings when there is no intention of proceeding further. And there should be no intention of proceeding further if the person is not your spouse.

Young people don’t naturally know this and it is essential that this be part of the discussion we as Christian parents have with our children at appropriate times in their life.

Verse 2 of 1 Corinthians 7 teaches us that because of the reality of sexual immorality and sexual temptation, each person is to have his/her own spouse. Our husband or wife was given to us by God for protection.

Verses 3-6 teach us that even for a person who is married, Satan can tempt us because of our natural lack of self control and therefore a husband and wife should not deprive each other of physical intimacy except for short periods given over to prayer.

If you are not a Christian, this probably doesn’t make any sense, but for us whose goal it is to please God as best we can in all areas of life, this is important teaching. Husbands and wives often put each other in serious danger because they are not attentive to their spouse in this area. This is as much sinful behavior as any other disobedience of God’s will for our lives.

Our effort to be godly Christians encompasses every area of life. God doesn’t just throw out a lot of commands and then expect us to try to live up to it. He is lovingly interested in us and wants our best. He is the one who created us and so He knows best how to live life in a way that brings the most enjoyment and satisfaction. Don’t let the world influence you so much that you begin to buy into its philosophy. Take God’s Word seriously, meditate on it frequently and let it have its affect on your life.

Is Devotion part of your Home?

I was listening to a discussion program called the Whitehorse Inn the other day, and one of the panelists made an interesting comment toward the end of the program. He said essentially that the problem is not that they've taken prayer out of the schools, but that we've lost devotion from our homes. By devotion he meant the Christian practice of reading the Bible regularly as a family and praying together as a family.

Many families don't even eat together and so there is very little time when they are together let alone reading Scripture or praying together.

If you are the head of a household and you really desire to be a faithful man from God's point of view, don't let it be said of your home that devotion has been lost.

The Word Made Flesh from The Whitehorse Inn

Biblical manhood - Sexuality Part 1

No aspect of life is probably more difficult for Christian men than that of sexual purity. The temptation to go where we shouldn’t go, look at what we shouldn’t look at and listen to what we shouldn’t listen to in order to satisfy our interest and curiosity about sex is strong.

Non-Christians who read this article will find this statement ludicrous because most people don’t see any need to curb or inhibit any sexual expression of any kind.

God has many things to say about this topic in His Word. He has made us as sexual beings. Sex was His idea and when used within His plan and boundaries glorifies God and brings good to our lives. Within God’s plan, sex is not vulgar, dirty or sinful. God has prescribed marriage between a man and a woman as the proper relationship for sexual intimacy.

Within this series of lessons on Biblical Manhood we have been faced with the fact that we must study what God says in His Word and then face the decision as to whether we are going to believe Him or not. In the area of sexuality, the culture makes it very difficult because we are bombarded with sexual messages everywhere we turn. These messages do not support God’s point of view. Little by little we become more accustomed to the world’s way and God’s way seems more and more out of touch.

Therefore, I believe the best thing for us to do is to immerse ourselves in what the Bible teaches us about this subject. In the next several blog posts on Biblical Manhood, we will explore what God has to say about sex and sexuality.

To get us started then, let’s consider the fact that sexuality and marriage are of God for our good and His glory. The fact that sex is part of the display of God’s glory is hardly ever considered. God made man and woman for each other and pronounced the relationship good.
Genesis 1:27 – Male and female He created them.
Genesis 1:28 – He told them to be fruitful and multiply
Genesis 1:31 – God saw that everything He had made was very good
Genesis 2:18 – The thing that wasn’t good was for man to be alone. God was not content to see the man without a helper that was suitable and fitting for him. Therefore He created the woman and brought her to the man and then gave the command to be fruitful and multiply.

We’ll discuss further considerations of this topic in the next Biblical Manhood posting.

Memorization Monday -- Promised Blessings - Peace Philippians 4:6,7

Continuing from last Monday's theme of Promised Blessings, here is another verse on that same topic.

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.