Elephant Room: Pornography

Last night you could have heard a pin drop in the room at Alive. Why? Because we wrestled with a topic that 80% of guys struggle with and 30% of girls struggle with. A topic where addictions begin at the ripe age of 9 years old. That's a lot of struggle going on and not a lot of speaking about it and
So, last night it was spoken about.

THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE BODY OF CHRIST IS PORNOGRAPHY.

• Playboy's website averages about 5,000,000 hits per day.
• There are more porn outlets in our world than there are McDonald's restaurants. 
• The effect of pornography is just as addictive as cocaine or heroine. 
• $97,000,000,000.00 is made off of the porn industry. That is more money than ALL the combined revenues of professional sports! 
• Every minute, 2,000,000 people view pornography.
• 58% of all divorces involve an addiction to porn. Not alcohol, not drugs...pornography
• 747,000 sex offenders are in the U.S. 87% looked at porn.
• 40% of people lose their jobs because of an issue with pornography.
• Pornography increases marital infidelity by 30%!

I'll say it again. The greatest threat to the body of Christ is pornography. It destroys your mind, your jobs, your families, and the money spent in this industry supports sex trafficking, exploits someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's mother. They are not their for our enjoyment.

So, the church has to speak up. 

The enemy wants us to start viewing women and men as objects and toys. Not as sons and daughters of the King.

Porn may be one click away but HOPE is one prayer away!

Unfortunately, facts do not change people. Only Jesus can change people! 

"It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

The more we fall in love with JESUS...the less likely we are to love our sin. 

What you feed GROWS. What you starve DIES. 

God cares about your ETERNITY & your PURITY

When God asks you to do something, like forego sin, He will give you the strength to do it.

"But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Matthew 5:28-29

If your phone being in your room at night causes you to stumble, leave it in the living room. If you have a laptop in your room, get it out. If you have magazines or books that cause your mind to go places that they shouldn't go, get rid of them. 

Ladies, dress to be looked at but not lusted after. Dress so that guys are eager to know you and not your body.

"How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word." Psalm 119:9

Confess, Repent, and Eliminate Access. We can have victory over sin by surrendering to Jesus! 

helpful resources:

*XXXChurch.com

*My Purity Coach APP

Watch the service here