click on image for full viewPrayer Walk
Saturday, May 3, 2008 8-11 a.m.
As valley area residents, we live in the unofficial capital of pornography. Within 1 square mile, there are over 150 producers. We are known for this! Wouldn’t it be cool to let God change this? We won’t be protesting in any way, but coming to God in repentance.
We will be strategically walking and praying over several pornography producing companies and asking God to break the chains that bind those involved with and exposed to pornography. We will ask God to bring His light to shine brightly in these valleys! Come and let God use you to make a difference in the community.
We will be starting our prayer walk at the Chatsworth Train Depot,
10038 Old Depot Plaza Road • Chatsworth, CA 91311
We meet at the south end of the parking lot near Lassen St.
The following quotes are from actual discussions on the subject of pornography and represent how many view this topic. This is what the world says is O.K., just curiosity or sadly good for a young person.
“Honestly, it's almost a right of passage in American culture, to see that material, especially in middle school. Which would be around 12-13. Again I am not advocating it, however it has become such a concrete part of society, mainly for men, that I couldn't think of a world without it. And to say that it might harm someone is just ignorant. Considering that generations before mine have been subjected to this stuff at an early age and there has not been an increase in rapists or people with sexual problems. I think it's just all malarkey.”
“An increased availability of pornography has led to a more peaceful community, so let’s embrace it rather than censor it.”
“Why are certain politicians so up in arms over pornography? Is it simply the pressure from Christian lobby groups or do they truly believe access to pornography leads to exploitation of the soul? I, like many others, went through watching porn and produced no harm but simply provided an outlet for adolescent confusion and urges best kept to oneself until an adequate blood supply was diverted to the brain.”
Like all unholy distortions, the sinful heart takes something legitimate and twists it into evil and self-fulfilling actions. The above quotes demonstrate why trying to rationally discuss a subject like pornography can be in vain. When the heart wants to sin it will rationalize something any way to feed it's lustful appetite, like an addict doing whatever it takes to get the next fix!
These lies are what happens when the mind is darkened and without the light of Jesus Christ. Pornography is a direct violation of God’s holy law, and His holy law is good for us. Pornography defiles the body. It destroys marriages. It stains the mind. It leads to more destructive behaviors. It is a secret sin that lies behind the eyes.
Yet, this industry has negatively impacted the Church as well. Many claiming the name of Christ are addicted to pornography and have suffered the consequences in their lives. Like all sins of the flesh, it not only impacts the "self" but all those living closely by. This is NOT an isolated sin--it impacts the actions and thoughts of those who are caught in its addiction.
Below are facts on the porn industry, key scriptures about the subject, and God's view of marriage & sex.
The Porn Industry
- 89% of porn is created in the
- $2.84 billion in revenue was generated from
- $89/second is spent on porn
- 72% of porn viewers are men
- 260 new porn sites go online daily
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY?
Song of Solomon
Foxes sometime in search of food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
One of the most devastating problems that has ensnared many good people is the sin of pornography. Many of these same people will testify that they were ensnared with just a "peek." This one "little fox" led to their downfall. Many, out of curiosity, just went to a site to see what was there. This is one of the devil's tricks to get people ensnared. Satan, is the power behind this attraction to forbidden sexual images.
People that are trapped today can tell you there is an evil "drawing" that compels them to return again and again. Many are desiring to be free, but seem hopelessly gripped by this evil desire. We want to share the good news -- there is a way out through Jesus Christ.
In the
God has called the church to be the answer to the problems facing those addicted to pornography. God hates this sin, but He loves the sinner and wants to set them free. Many marriages are being destroyed by this evil, as after the addiction of pornography has set in, then the normal marital relationship with their spouses is no longer satisfying.
Many husbands then want their wives to partake in bizarre sexual behavior with them or use sexual toys as stimulants. Some couples even watch erotic videos together to arouse each other before they engage in sex. These abnormal approaches to what God intended to be a wonderful relationship, defiles them.
Instead of finding satisfaction... guilt, shame, and dissatisfaction set in. True love and intimate sharing is replaced with raw lust. What God meant to be the most beautiful experience between two people becomes a hellish depravity. God can, and will restore this relationship if they will call on Him. There is absolutely nothing that is outside of God's ability to forgive, deliver, heal and restore.
Key Scriptures on the Subject
As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
James 4:7-8
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Romans 6:12-18:
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Slaves to Righteousness
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
God's View of Marriage & Sex
Click on the above for a detailed message on this topic. Many are trying to fight a battle without knowing why God designed things a certain way. It is important to tell the "why not" but also to share the "why."
As Christians, we need to know the depth of why God's standards are what they are. We need to be convinced deep down that God's view of marriage and sex is best. This is a battle of addiction to self-pleasure that is so much a part of our culture that to discuss otherwise is seen as odd. That is how far the other way our culture has gone! Which is why discussing and living God's standards seems strange and open to ridicule. Without proper armor, who can win this battle?
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