Pleasing God, Part 5

So good to have you with us today. You know, the Lord is so good to us. And so many times we take for granted all the many blessings that God has given. And yet, we need to praise Him for His Word because His Word gives us life. And we have the opportunity we have to study His Word every single day that we live. I think of those Old Testament saints, they had to wait for God to speak. They had to wait for him to show up and say something. They had to wait for the prophet to come to town for them to hear the voice of God.

But we hold in our hands the living and abiding word of God. That when we want to hear God speak, we open His Word, we read what He says, and He speaks to us through His Word. And we are, of all people, most richly blessed to live in this day and age, to be able to study God's Word at any time. Of the day because God wants to commune with us. So that's what we're going to do today. We've been talking about what it means to please God. Why do we do that? Because that should be your main ambition in life.

Paul said, I make it my ambition to please him. 2 Corinthians 5, verse number 9. His whole life was about pleasing God. That's the way our life should be. Why? Revelation 4:1 says, That we were created for His good pleasure. We were created for that purpose, that we might please Him. So, Paul would say in Ephesians chapter 5, we need to learn how to please God. That's what we're doing. We're learning how to please God by looking at The word pleasing. In fact, I've even put it on the screen for you today to make it easy for you.

All right, I've made it so hard for you the previous weeks. I'm going to make it easy for you today. We began by saying, if you're going to please God, it begins with proclaiming the message of the cross, 1 Corinthians 1, verses 18 to 23. Number two, by living a life of faith, Hebrews:.

By faith, without faith, it's impossible to please him. And then, number three, exalting Jesus Christ, the Son, lifting him up, magnifying his name, because if you honor the Son, J 5 says, You've honored the Father who sent the Son.

On Wednesday, we talked about asking God for wisdom. 1 Kings 3, verse number 10. Solomon. Was approached by the Lord God, and God said, Ask me whatever you want, Solomon, and I will give it to you. And he said, I am but a child, and I need to know how to discern between what is good and evil with this great people you've given me to oversee. So I've asked for a discerning heart. I've asked for wisdom. And the Bible says in 1 Kings 3:10 that God was so pleased that He gave not only Solomon wisdom, what he asked for.

He gave him riches and honor. Solomon didn't ask for that, but God gave it to him because he was so pleased. That Solomon would ask for that one thing that would allow him to be the kind of man he needs to be. And so we talked about Ephesians chapter 5, verse number 15. We can't walk foolishly, we must walk wisely. By redeeming the time. Psalm 90, verse number 12. Teach us the number of our days that we might apply our hearts unto wisdom. Paul In Colossians 1, verses 9 to 14, would pray that those in the church of Colossae would understand true spiritual wisdom and knowledge, that they might be pleasing.

To the Lord. Listen, when you ask the Lord for wisdom, it brings great pleasure to His name. This is what it means to please God. And so today we're going to move to point number five, and that is this: staying away from sexual sin. Staying away from sexual sin. Pleases God. Now, staying away from all sin pleases God, but the context of 1 Thessalonians 4 deals with sexual sin. So, if you have your Bible, turn there with me if you would, please. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Verses 1 down through verse number 8.

It reads as follows: Finally, then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us instruction.

As to how you ought to walk and please God, just as you actually do walk, that you may excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality. That each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. And that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man, but God who gives the Holy Spirit. To you. Paul says, I want you to know how to walk and please the Lord. He also says that that's what they were doing. But then he adds this to the exhortation: that you know the will of God, even in sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality. That's a big issue. It's a big issue not only today in this gener, but in every generation.

In fact, turn with me from your Bible to Ephesians chapter 5 for a moment. Ephesians chapter 5. For in Ephesians chapter 5, Paul speaks of this similarly when he says, In verse 1, therefore be imitators of God, his beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave him. For us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant ar. In other words, you got to walk in love. And then he talks about walking in lust because that's the opposite of love. He says, but do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you as is proper among the saints.

In other words, don't let anything immoral. Porne, any such as homosexuality, adultery, immorality, bestiality, pedophilia, any of those things even be named among you. And then he says, nor any imp, any uncleanness, nor any greed, which speaks of covetousness or lust, wanting that which you don't have and doing all you can to get it. It's all in the context of lustful passion. And then he says, and there must be no filthiness and silly talk. or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

In other words, listen. Not only are these things not to be named among you, not only should you not be doing these kind of things, but don't even say the kind of things that would lead to immorality. And lustful passions and greed, such as silly talk and coarse jesting, and using your words, using innuendos to lead people astray. That kind of stuff should not even be named among you as Christians, he says. Why? Because you're holy people. Rather, it should be the giving of thanks. The giving of thanks for all that God has done, for his wonderful love and provision for your life.

Verse 5: For this you know with certainty that no immoral or impure person or covetous man. Who is an idolater, excuse me, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things, the wrath of God. Comes upon the sons of disobedience. He says, Look, these things are not to be named among you. You are not to engage in these things because if this is the practice of your life, you cannot. Be in the kingdom of God. Let no man deceive you, he says.

Don't let anybody come along and deceive you, thinking, you know, it's okay to engage in that behavior. You can still get to heaven. Don't be deceived with those kind of words. Why? Because, as a holy child of God, you are to live a holy life, not an unholy life. And if idolatry and immorality and covetousness is a part of your everyday life, it's characteristic of your behavior, you will not enter the kingdom of God. Let no man deceive you. Because people today try to deceive people. That's okay, you can do that kind of stuff.

It's the grace of God, the forgiveness of God, that will get you to heaven. Well, it is true that God will forgive you, but he only forgives the repentant, not the unrepentant. He forgives those who truly come to him and repent of their sin and turn from their sin to follow the Lord God. You see, abstaining from sexual sin is crucial. It's more crucial than you can ever imagine, especially in the church. Don't think for one moment it's not a problem in our church. It's a problem in every church. Don't think for one moment it's not a problem in your home.

It's a problem in every home. And the key comes to how is it I learned to stay away from those things. That's crucial. And so today, I want to take you through some scripture to help you learn how. To stay away from sexual sin, you can apply the principles to any sin. But the context of Ephesians 5 and 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 is all in the context. Of sexual sin because it is so rampant. It was rampant in the church of Thessalonica. In the church of Ephesus, like it is today in the 21st century Christianity.

And so we need to learn how to deal with it. We need to know how to handle the temptation when it comes our way. So, I'm going to help you understand that today by taking some time. This is something you can teach your children. Your children need to understand this, they need to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is something that's applicable to every one of us in the room today, and you can teach to someone else. Number one, if I'm going to stay away from sexual sin, I must submit to God's word fully.

I must submit to God's word fully. That's where it begins. Because, in essence, sin happens. When I am not willing to do what God says.

Remember, we told you on Wednesday night, Psalm 14:1 says, The fool has said in his heart, No God. He doesn't say there is no God. There is is in italics. It's not in the original language. The fool says, No God. I'm not going to do that. That's the fool. That's the unbeliever. The believer says, yes, God. The unbeliever says, no, God. And yet there are times where things come across our path and we have to make a decision. Yes, God, or no, God. It's the foolish one who says, No, God, I'm not going to obey you.

I'm going do this. It's the wise person who says, Yes, God, I will obey you. I will do this. Over in Psalm 119, this is what it said. Psalm 119, verse number 2, How blessed are those who observe his testimonies, who seek him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness. They walk in his ways. Thou hast ordained thy precepts that we should keep them diligently. Oh, that my ways may be established to keep thy statutes. Then I shall not be ashamed when I look upon all th comm. You see, we come to a place in our lives when temptation comes, and all of us experience temptation.

And whenever temptation comes, I have a choice. It's either obedience or disobedience. That's always a choice. I'm going to either do what God says or I'm not going to do what God says.

The path of obedience is always the path of pain. The path of disobedience is always the path of pleasure. But it's temporary pain versus temporary pleasure. Why? Because if I choose obedience and it causes me pain, there's always pleasure at the right hand of God. If I choose the path of pleasure, which is disobedience, it will always lead to excruciating pain. That's why Moses in Hebrews 11 chose to endure affliction with the people of God. He chose the path of pain, it was the path of obedience.

Because a lot of times we say yes to God and it costs us friendships, it costs us relationships, it costs us our inner pleasure. But in the long run, it always brings the eternal pleasure of God versus the pain of disobedience. We have to make the right choice. We have to submit to God's word fully, not partially. Get another example: David, King David. You know him well. You were with us in those 50 weeks in which we studied the man's life. But David chose not to fully. Obey God's word. He chose to only partially obey God's word when the book of Leviticus says that he is not to take for himself many wives as king.

But David, because he was king and to show his conquering power, would take for himself more wives. Now, it was legal for David to do that because it was a legal Aspect of the land. It just wasn't morally right for David to do that because it went against the law of God. David did it. He did not fully obey the word of God. That would lead him to take many wives. That would lead him for his sexual passions to run rampant that when he saw Bathsheba, it was okay to take her too. And he became numb to the effects of God's law in his life.

He took Bathsheba into his home. He committed adultery. He committed murder in the sword, never left his house for the rest of his kingship, simply because he chose not to fully obey God's word. See, the ramifications of this are great. So we have to choose every day. You make a choice when you go to work, you make a choice when you go home. You've got to make the right choice to submit to God's word fully, totally. That whatever God's word says, I'm going to do that. This is where it begins. If you decide, no, I'm going to obey in every area, but this one, it's going to hurt you in the long run.

So you need to be careful. Number two, take whatever measures are necessary. Take what measures Are necess. So if I'm going to submit to God's Word fully, that means I will take whatever measures are necessary to make sure that I submit to God's Word fully. Psalm 119, 3 says this Psalm 119:3 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity and revive me in thy Ways. Turn my eyes from looking at vanity. Verse thirty-eight, Establish thy word to thy servant as that which produces reverence for thee. In the book of Matthew, fifth chapter, the Bible says in verse 27, You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.

But I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her. Has committed adul with her already in his heart. Here 's the verse, verse 29. And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you. For it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off. And throw it from you, for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish than for your whole body to go into hell.

In other words, the Lord says: take whatever measures are necessary. In your life. It doesn't mean that you literally pluck out your eye or cut off your arm or cut off your leg. It's designed for You have got to take whatever measures are necessary to make sure that you don't Put yourself in a situation to sin. You got to take those measures. Now, folks, we can talk about this. But very few people will actually do this. You need to take the measures. And they are drastic measures. Something similar is said over in Matthew chapter 18.

In Matthew chapter 18, verses 7 to 9, something similar is said about cutting off your right arm or plucking out your right eye. The right arm and the right eye are used because they are the most important faculties, as the Jews will tell you, that you have. So take whatever measures are necessary. Most of us are not willing to do that. And so I want to remind you that when you submit to God's word fully, That's evidenced by taking drastic measures that are necessary for you to accomplish God's will in your life.

You want what God wants more than you want what you want. Will you, will you, will you do what it takes to stay away from sexual sin? Let's say you're in a relationship with an unbeliever. Why are you there? Why would you even be in a dating relationship with an unbeliever who doesn't know the Lord? Why would you do that? Why would you even go down that path? Because you know the Bible says you can't be unequally yoked together, so therefore, if it leads to marriage, you're going to have a problem.

So, don't even take whatever measures are necessary. Don't do that. Let's say the person's a Christian. Let's say you're involved in a relationship with someone who is a believer. And yet, they want to engage you in sexual sin. Would you cut your relationship off with that person to preserve your purity? What would you do? Or, for fear that you might not ever get married, stay in the relationship hoping that that person will change. What measures will you take to protect your life from sexual sin?

You know, we're in the modern age today that That with all the cell phones and computers and all that we have at our disposal, you're one click away. From looking at pornography on your phone, on your internet, at home, on your iPad, whatever it is you. You're just one touch away. What will you do to take whatever measures are necessary? Would you give up your smartphone for a dumb phone? No. Would you? Probably not. Okay? Would you give up your smartphone for a dumb phone to be smart? Ah, now I got you right.

See, what would you do? What would you do to make sure As Job did, I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully upon a woman, Job 31:1. What would you do? And I can give you illustration after illustration after illustration. I told you about individuals who have had cable TV and they've had the wrong kind of channels, and because the woman doesn't. Wants to watch for certain channels on HBO. She doesn't want to get rid of cable TV, even though her husband's watching pornography in the middle of the night.

Why not? Because you want to watch certain shows on HBO? I mean, come on. What measures will you take to preserve the purity of your marriage? What measures will you take to preserve the purity of your heart? Take whatever measures are necessary. See, it's where the rubber meets the road. It's how serious are you about your own personal purity? Your own holiness, that you'll do whatever you need to do to stay away from sexual sin. Submit to God's word fully. Take Whatever measures necessary. Number three, accept God's discipline willingly.

Accept God's discipline willingly. You see, once you engage in some kind of sexual sin, There is discipline that will come. You must accept it willingly. But also know this: remember, Hebrews 12 says. You have not forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you, my son. Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor Faint when you are reproved by Him. For those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with sons.

For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Now, listen, we know that God's discipline comes for one of three reasons. One is to punish us because we've sinned, not for rejection purposes, but for correction purposes. We understand that. We also know that discipline comes for the purpose of prevention, not just punishment, but for prevention. God disciplines us to prevent us from engaging in s. And discipline also comes for per. That is, God disciplines us that we might see Him clearly.

Job. Job was the most righteous man, the most blameless man on the face of the earth, but he faced the discipline of the Lord, right? And he did because he had to get a greater glimpse of God. God wanted him to see him more. than what he saw him. He wanted to see him in all of his beauty. That's why at the end of Job Job says, I have heard of you with the hearing of the ear, but now I see you. See, the problem with us in the church is that we don't see God clearly enough. So, what does God do? God allows trials and discipline and hardship because you don't see God as you need to see Him.

Like he did for Job. And so we must accept God's discipline willing. It might come because we are being punished because of our sin, therefore, it comes for corrective purposes. We might be engaged in something, and God wants to prevent us from sin, so He takes something from us. He takes a person from us. He takes a loved one from us. He takes a friend from us. He takes something that we have from us to prevent us from engaging in sin. And sometimes he allows hardships to come to get us a better glimpse of who he is so that we might rejoice all the more in his glory.

But we need to learn to accept God's discipline will. Number four. Number four, need to yield to the Spirit completely. Yield to the Spirit completely. Galatians 5, verse number 16 says that if you walk in the spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. In Galatians chapter 3, Paul said to the Galatians, O you foolish Galatians, having begun in the Spirit, are you now trying to be perfect? A in the flesh. Are you trying to be sanctified on your own? You can't be. It's only done through the Spirit of God.

Over in 2 Timothy 1, verse number 7, it was Paul who told Timothy, it's by my spirit. It's by the Spirit of God that's been given to you: a spirit of love and of power and of self-control. We need to yield to the Spirit completely. We need to take walk in the Spirit. And you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Every moment of every day, we're dependent upon God's Spirit to give us wisdom, to give us the root of a seed. That we might not enter into temptation, that we might trust Him for all things.

We are yielding completely to the Spirit of God to lead us, to direct us, to guide us in the way that we should go. Without yielding to him. And listen, if you're unwilling to submit to God's Word fully, you cannot yield to the Spirit completely. Because part of submitting to God's Word, being saturated with the Word of God, is to know what the Spirit of God wants you to do, that you might lean upon Him and depend upon Him for all things. So you. Yield to the Spirit completely. Number five, inv yourself in accountability.

Inv yourself in accountability. Proverbs 27: says, As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Over in Proverbs chapter 18. Proverbs chapter 18, verse number 2. These words are recorded. I'm alright, verse 1. I'm sorry. He who separates himself. Seeks his own desire. He quarrels against all sound wisdom. Inv yourself in acc. Now listen, acc is not about somebody who is superior or in authority over you who holds you accountable. That should happen. But that's not what we talk about when we say involve yourself in accountability.

Involving yourself in accountability says, I want you. To hold me accountable for my purity, I am willing to do that. I want you to do that. Because you see, if you go to someone and you say, Okay, I'm going to hold you accountable, they can lie to you. They don't have to tell you the truth, and you might not even know if they're lying to you. But when you involve yourself in accountability, you are going to someone. And saying, I need you to hold me accountable each and every day for what I look at, what I watch on television, what I peruse on the inter.

What I read in magazines, who I look at, who I talk to, what kind of conversations I have, and what kind of text I have sent to those ladies or men at my work.

Would you hold me accountable to that, please? That's involving yourself in accountability. I want that. I want that. Now, I have that from my wife. I want my wife to hold me accountable. And if you're married, it should be your husband or your wife. They know you better than anybody else does. Okay, it's hard to fool them. So you hold yourself accountable to your wife. You go to her and say, Hold me accountable, dear, for the things I look at.

Ask me. I want to know that when I go to bed at night, you're going to come to me and say, honey, what did you do today? How many men will do that? How many wives will do that? You know, that's just such a freeing thing. It's so freeing. You know, my wife and I, we went away for a couple of days this past week just to escape. For what we call romantic interludes. We're going to talk about this at a couple's retreat in February because it's so exciting. You need to escape. For romantic interludes.

You need to. It's imperative. Why? Because it helped build the husband-wife, the man-woman relationship. Amidst all the things that you are doing, and on the retreat, we're going to explain to you how it is you do that, when do you do it, that kind of place. You know, my wife and I have a place we go to every year, sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes four times a year. We go to the same place, do the same thing, because we love being there so much. And during those times we are together, we experience some of the greatest alone times.

You see, I love being my, she's my best friend. See? They say you should always marry your best friend. Well, when Warren I got married, she wasn my best friend, and I wasn her best friend. But she is my best friend now.

And hopefully, as you grow together, you want to be with your spouse more than you want to be with anybody else. I hope that's the case. You want to be with her or be with him and to be able to go to bed at night with a clear conscience. Knowing that you and your wife are completely honest with one another, above board about everything. My wife is my romantic novel. She is. I don't have to read a romantic novel. She is my romantic novel. Okay? I had a guy come to me one time years ago. Can you say, My wife's always reading romantic novels.

What do I do? I said, That's because you're not romantic enough, my man. He said, What? I said, Yeah. Why else would she read romantic novels? She's living in a fantasy land. She lives in a fantasy. That's why she reads romantic novels. Because the reality is no good. So make the reality great. If you make the reality great, she lives in reality, not fantasy. We're going to live in a reality. So, you know what he did? He went and purposed in his heart that he would be the best man possible. And she began to be so taken by him over time that she got rid of all of her romantic novels, got rid of all the things she was reading, because he became the romantic person in her life.

He was it. She had missed it. He had missed it. That's important. All I have to say is that when we involve ourselves in accountability, we are saying, what do I need to do? To be there for my wife, or for my husband? What do I need to do to make sure my eyes are pure and holy and look into things that are right and true? That's what we need to do. So you involve yourself in accountability. Next, never underest the tactics of your adversary. Never underest the tactics of your adversary. That's why, over in Ephesians chapter 6, verse number 11, you need to be wary of the schemes.

Of the devil. 2 Corinthians 11 talks about do not be ignorant. Or, I sorry, 2 Corinthians 2. 11, not to be ignorant of Satan's devices. You see, he blinds the sinner and he beguiles the saints. You need to understand how Satan works. In Genesis 3, he came to Eve. Has God really said that? That's how Satan works in us. Do you really think that if you don't do this, you'll have pleasure? No, he gets us to doubt the word of God. Okay? He does it through his deception. He's a master deceiver. John 8:4, he's the father of lies.

And so he comes and deceives us, and he causes us to doubt the truthfulness of God's word. And he does that simply because, according to the Bible in Isaiah. Chapter 14: He is the great divider of man. Satan is not a unifier of man, he is a divider of man. And don't think for one moment that he's trying to get you and your wife together. He's trying to get you apart. And so, through deceptive purposes, getting you to doubt God's word, he divides you so that he could destroy you. Romans, I mean, Revelation chapter 9, he's called Apollyon, the great destroyer.

So we can't. We can't fall asleep on how it is Satan wants to destroy us. We sim need to never underestimate the tactics of the adversary. We need to know that he is out to divide, he is out to deceive, he is out to destroy. You need to understand that Satan has an all-out assault on your h. He is out to destroy everything you build. He is out to destroy every conversation you have. He is out to destroy every relationship you have. You cannot afford to be ignorant of Satan's devices. Folks, you're in a warfare.

You're in a battle. 1 Peter 2:11, talk about. The fleshly lust that war against our soul. You're in a battle, it's a war every day. And if you don't put on the armor of God, if you're not fit to go to battle, you're going to be defeated. So you need not be alarmed. You need to be alarmed. Ready to deal with Satan's devices. So never underest the tactics. Of your adversary. And next, grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord enthusiastically. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord enthusiastically.

Listen, grace is that which speaks of character. Knowledge is that which speaks of courage. Grace is about the fruit of the Spirit that speaks of the grace of God who's full of God who's full of grace and truth. But grace speaks of one's character. Knowledge speaks of the courage to accomplish that character. You need to grow in the grace and knowledge of God enthusiastically. Grace speaks of sensitivity. Knowledge speaks of strength. And so, therefore, the more we know, that's why the Bible says in Acts 20, verse number 32, that I commend you to God and the word of his grace, which is able to build you up.

It's the word of God's grace that builds us up. And so we need to grow in the grace and knowledge of God enthusiastically. We should desire to be in God's word. As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. We should be longing for the truth. Amen. It's the way we should be. If we're going to stay away from sin, that's where it begins. Next, you need to apply God's Word daily. You need to apply God's word d. Listen to what it says over in 1 John 3, verse number 22.

1 John 3, 22 says this: Whatever we ask, we receive from him because we keep. His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. We know that we have whatever we ask of him because we keep What he says. We keep his commandments. Thus we do that which is pleasing in his sight. In other words, the great reward of obedience is answered prayer. And so, therefore, we are to apply God's word to our life every single day. Wherewithal shall a young man keep his way pure by taking heed to the word of God.

Thy word I have treasured in my heart. That I might not sin against thee. We talked about this on Wednesday night about wisdom, because wisdom is the application of God's word to your life, right? So, when you apply God's word to your life, you walk in wisdom. You don't walk foolishly, you walk wisely. So, you take God's word, you apply it to your life. Listen to what it says over in Proverbs chapter 4. Proverbs chapter 4. These words are recorded. I'm sorry, Proverbs chapter 8. My bad. Verse 32.

Now, therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are they who keep my ways. Heed instruction, be wise, do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorpost. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death. You see, it's all about listening to what God's word says, then doing what God's word says. And so I need to apply God's Word to my life daily as I do.

Guess what? I walk in truth. As I walk in truth, I'm yielding to the Spirit of God. As I'm yielding to the Spirit of God, I am accountable to all that God says.

I submit fully to what God says. And I stay away from sexual sin. Next, I need to walk in humility. Walk in humility. 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse number 12 says, To him who thinks he stands, take heed lest He falls. So, if you're here today and saying, This message doesn't apply to me, I'm too old. No, you're not. You're not walking in humility. To him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he falls. That's why, over in the book of Galatians, Galatians, the 6th chapter, these words are recorded.

Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, for not in regard to another. For each one shall bear his own lo. In other words, if you think you stand, you think you're impenetrable, if you think Satan can't touch you in this area, if you think that you're beyond temptation, this doesn't apply to you, take heed lest you.

Fall into temptation. So, therefore, you need to walk in humility, realizing, except for the grace of God, there go I. So you humbly beseech your God. And then access the throne of grace vigilantly and thankfully. Access the throne of grace vigilantly and thankfully, with great vigilance. We access God's throne. Remember, Christ told the disciples: watch and pray, be vigilant and pray. In Colossians 4, verse number 2, the Apostle Paul says, Devote yourself to prayer. And watchfulness. The two go hand in hand.

Hebrews 4:16 says that we are to approach God's throne of grace. That we might receive grace in our time of need, that He will help us. So, how do we do that? We do it with thankfulness. Colossians 4:2, you do it out of a spirit of thankfulness. And you do it with vigilance. Always alert, always looking, always watching, but always watching while you're bending on your knees. And then lastly, yearn for his return cont. 1 John 3. Says, he who has this hope in him purifies himself even as he him is pure.

Yearn for the Lord's return continually. Well, you'll be saved from everything in this earth. Your body will be glorified completely. Folks, this is crucial. You need to help your children with this. Help your sons and daughters with this. Hold them accountable to this. As husbands, the greatest, listen, as a father, the greatest thing you give to your children is a pure life. The greatest gift you give to your wife is a pure life. It was Robert Murray McShane who said, My people's greatest need.

Is my personal holiness. That's what he said. Your wife's greatest need is you, as a husband, your personal holiness. Same for your children. What's their greatest need? A new car? An education? No. Your person holiness, a pure life. That will explain to them the essence of the character of God who is holy, holy, holy. May God give us the grace to accomplish His will. That we might be pleasing to him. Let me pray with you.

Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for the things that you have taught us and the way that you work in us. And our prayer, Lord, is that every single person today would app your word to their lives. That they might stay away from all sin, not just sexual sin, but all sin. But we do know that there is one sin that affects everything like no other sin, and that is sexual sin. So we pray for our purity as a church, our purity for husbands and for sons and for daughters and for wives, that every one of us would live a holy life for the glory.

Of your great kingdom. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.