by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
God Himself ordained family and marriages as the basic building block of human society. When the family unit crumbles, society will crumble as well. This family unit is most powerful and families need to WAKE UP to the realisation that the family institution is under attack! The war started in Genesis in Adam's family and today, the same destructive force is against families, marriages and children. But God is the Restorer and Master Builder of every broken relationship. If God is for us, who can be against us! Let us look to Him to re-build and strengthen and defend our families.
Reflection: Eph 5:22-33, 6:1-4. Seek God to deal with our hearts if there is anger, rejection, resentment, disappointment or failure to forgive our parents, spouses, brothers and sisters. Confess and reconcile with one another.
Prayer Points
■ Healing and reconciliation in all families. Mutual love and submission to be restored in all levels of relationship within families.
■ Rise up in faith and ask the Lord to free families from every assignment of the Enemy who has come to steal, kill and destroy family unit. Claim Joel 2:25 for families, 'I will give you back what you lost in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops!'
■ Pray for strong Christian homes. Parents to guide and impart godly values to their children for a future generation of responsible citizens who will love and serve God, family, society and nation regardless of race and religion.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Day 1 (Sunday 8 August) - Divine Order
by NECF Malaysia 40-Day Fast & Prayer
God is a God of order! In whatever position we may be in, the secret of real peace and joy lies in the maintenance of His divine order in our inner being. Whether in family or church, if we fail to uphold God's order and substitute that with any other for the sake of our convenience and expediency, disharmony and confusion will be the inevitable result. This is what we are facing today individually and nationally! Breakthrough will never come unless we align our lives according to His order and set the right priorities in our lives, with the Lordship of Christ at the helm and all others in submission to Christ as Lord.
Reflection: Isaiah 38:1-4. The Lord sent a prophet to Hezekiah and ordered him to put his house in order. While the context is about the necessary preparation in view of his impending death, we will do well to take heed. In the next 40 days, seek God to reorder your life, family, church and nation, putting our priorities and relationships right. Confess where you have failed and ask Him to correctly order the priorities in your life and ministry.
Prayer Points
* Church and Nation: Identification and repentance - of our disobedience, violation of His Commandments, substituting and abdicating His Lordship.
■ Idolatry - materialism, self, status, success
■ Independence - pride, strife, manipulation
■ Immorality - lust, adultery, fornication, pornography
■ Impurity - lying, backbiting, gossip, half truths, boasting, malice, slander, etc.
■ Injustice - indifference towards the lost, marginalised, poor, oppressed
* Implore the Lord to align the corporate body of Christ back to Him that there will be connection with Him in spirit and in truth. Healing and reconciliation in all broken relationships. Restoring order and unity in churches.
* God's righteousness and justice to prevail in all government and private sectors. Wisdom for PM, DPM and Cabinet to govern the nation in the fear of God. Continual peace, stability, harmony and prosperity.
God is a God of order! In whatever position we may be in, the secret of real peace and joy lies in the maintenance of His divine order in our inner being. Whether in family or church, if we fail to uphold God's order and substitute that with any other for the sake of our convenience and expediency, disharmony and confusion will be the inevitable result. This is what we are facing today individually and nationally! Breakthrough will never come unless we align our lives according to His order and set the right priorities in our lives, with the Lordship of Christ at the helm and all others in submission to Christ as Lord.
Reflection: Isaiah 38:1-4. The Lord sent a prophet to Hezekiah and ordered him to put his house in order. While the context is about the necessary preparation in view of his impending death, we will do well to take heed. In the next 40 days, seek God to reorder your life, family, church and nation, putting our priorities and relationships right. Confess where you have failed and ask Him to correctly order the priorities in your life and ministry.
Prayer Points
* Church and Nation: Identification and repentance - of our disobedience, violation of His Commandments, substituting and abdicating His Lordship.
■ Idolatry - materialism, self, status, success
■ Independence - pride, strife, manipulation
■ Immorality - lust, adultery, fornication, pornography
■ Impurity - lying, backbiting, gossip, half truths, boasting, malice, slander, etc.
■ Injustice - indifference towards the lost, marginalised, poor, oppressed
* Implore the Lord to align the corporate body of Christ back to Him that there will be connection with Him in spirit and in truth. Healing and reconciliation in all broken relationships. Restoring order and unity in churches.
* God's righteousness and justice to prevail in all government and private sectors. Wisdom for PM, DPM and Cabinet to govern the nation in the fear of God. Continual peace, stability, harmony and prosperity.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Blow the Trumpet!
A Call for Repentance and Prayer - Joel 2
Global Day of Prayer, 23 May 2010
10 Days to go, 216 Countries
Dear Friends
With the start of the 10 Days of day and night prayer we trust that all will have a wonderfully blessed time during this time of extraordinary prayer. We pray that during this time many new relationships will be forged and our communities, cities and nations will be changed forever; new life will come from the new relationships; pastors will pray together; neighbors will meet each other; Churches will work together and Christians will find ways to serve their communities in Christ's love.
Then on the Global Day of Prayer, Sunday, 23 May 2010, “may we see the earth covered with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”.
DAY 1: THURSDAY 13 MAY 2010
REVIVE! …Our Father who is in heaven…
Father God, You are the creator and father of all nations.
You sustain us by the power of your word.
We acknowledge that You alone are worthy to receive all praise and honour and glory.
As Christians from around the world, we enter into your presence through the new and living way that Jesus Christ opened for us by his blood, to kneel at the throne of grace.
We pray that you will revive the Church again through your Holy Spirit.
Answer the prayer of Jesus that we, as Church, will unite and stand as one family before You.
We pray for those believers who have fallen away that You will draw them back to You and bring them to repentance.
You are faithful and true to your promises.
Please reveal to us your loving, compassionate and merciful father’s heart.
Help us to obey your commandments and to trust You completely for our salvation, our sanctification and our daily walk.
Touch the hearts of millions of believers around the world to persist in prayer until we see the fulfilment of all your promises.
Release fresh movements of prayer in every nation of the world so that this generation may accomplish the purposes You have for each one of us.
Here am I, Lord, send me.
Many blessings
The GDOP Team
Global Day of Prayer, 23 May 2010
10 Days to go, 216 Countries
Dear Friends
With the start of the 10 Days of day and night prayer we trust that all will have a wonderfully blessed time during this time of extraordinary prayer. We pray that during this time many new relationships will be forged and our communities, cities and nations will be changed forever; new life will come from the new relationships; pastors will pray together; neighbors will meet each other; Churches will work together and Christians will find ways to serve their communities in Christ's love.
Then on the Global Day of Prayer, Sunday, 23 May 2010, “may we see the earth covered with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea”.
DAY 1: THURSDAY 13 MAY 2010
REVIVE! …Our Father who is in heaven…
Father God, You are the creator and father of all nations.
You sustain us by the power of your word.
We acknowledge that You alone are worthy to receive all praise and honour and glory.
As Christians from around the world, we enter into your presence through the new and living way that Jesus Christ opened for us by his blood, to kneel at the throne of grace.
We pray that you will revive the Church again through your Holy Spirit.
Answer the prayer of Jesus that we, as Church, will unite and stand as one family before You.
We pray for those believers who have fallen away that You will draw them back to You and bring them to repentance.
You are faithful and true to your promises.
Please reveal to us your loving, compassionate and merciful father’s heart.
Help us to obey your commandments and to trust You completely for our salvation, our sanctification and our daily walk.
Touch the hearts of millions of believers around the world to persist in prayer until we see the fulfilment of all your promises.
Release fresh movements of prayer in every nation of the world so that this generation may accomplish the purposes You have for each one of us.
Here am I, Lord, send me.
Many blessings
The GDOP Team
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
“So, You Want to Be in the Band?”
by Don Potter
It has been my experience that there are usually a few people in a worship band who really shouldn’t be there. Yet I’ve also found out it’s hard to tell people “No” when they believe God is calling them to sing or play an instrument. They may not have any musical ability, but they love to worship God — isn’t that good enough?
Besides the Scripture that exhorts us to play skillfully before the Lord (see Psalm 33:3), there is another reason to set limits on who can participate on the worship band: Some people are actually endangering themselves by insisting they belong on stage. Of course, filling the band with greatly talented people who have no heart for God is probably even more dangerous. But that is not my focus here.
Called or Appointed?
Those who assume a position in the worship band without really being called by God could be setting themselves up for a fierce attack from the enemy. I have seen many such musicians fall under that attack, and at times even lose their families. Playing in the worship band is not just a fun thing to do on Sundays. It is a serious assault on the devil himself. Unless you are appointed by God for that position of battle, you may not have the grace to survive.
Seek God earnestly before accepting an invitation to be a part of the worship team! Even if it is a leader who asks you, don’t be impulsive — seek God first. You may even be called to be a singer or musician used for worship, yet be way ahead of God’s timing.
I was a professional musician for twenty-five years before I began to play in a worship band, and I was still about five years ahead of God. I unintentionally hurt a lot of people. Everyone thought it would be great to have a professional musician in the band, and I thought I was going to be a big help, too. Nevertheless, within three years the band had fallen apart and most of the musicians hated me. My talent was often confused with anointing and my character was not able to handle the position my talent put me in.
Eventually I learned that talent and gifting are very different. Talent is a natural ability to do something well if you work at it. Gifting is supernatural. It requires all your talent to be placed in God’s hands, for the benefit of His kingdom and not your own self-promotion.
In many churches playing in the worship band is the only job that seems to have no spiritual requirements tied to it.
Check Your Motives
Before you take the job of musician or singer in a worship band, you need to examine the motives of your heart. Here are some questions to ask yourself or others who are trying to get in the band:
* Do you think it would be fun to be on stage?
* Are you just trying to “help out” and meet a need?
* Are you trying to recapture your youth, when you used to sing or play an instrument?
* Are you just learning to play, and hoping to get some experience or free lessons?
* Do you feel you could worship God better from the stage than from the congregation?
* Are you unconsciously trying to gain a good reputation or impress people by playing in the band?
* Is your motivation to draw attention to yourself or to the Lord?
Although there are many more questions to ask yourself before entering the public worship arena, there really is only one that counts: Are you in the worship band or choir as an act of obedience to God? Everyone is called to praise God and sing to His Holy name, but not everyone is called to be in the worship band.
Everyone is called to intercede and to battle with the powers of darkness, but not everyone is called to take a Davidic position and war on his or her instrument.
Some motives sound spiritual, but are not. It may seem noble to focus on the congregation and what will make them happy, but if you do so you are worshipping them and not God. The call of a worship musician or singer is to minister to God, not the people. If the presence of God is our focus, He will come and bless the congregation a lot more than anything you can do!
This may sound harsh, but we are coming into a time when it will be extremely hazardous to play around with worship. A church would be better off with just one called and equipped musician, than a band full of people with good intentions but no calling.
In many churches playing in the worship band is the only job that seems to have no spiritual requirements tied to it. If the spiritual life of the pastor is in question, he’s a goner. If the elders are not in right standing with God, they will be removed. Yet, if a person owns a guitar, it’s no problem getting a job playing in the worship band.
Worship or Entertainment?
The most difficult thing to determine about one’s own heart is, Am I really concerned about reaching my Savior with this praise, or am I just trying to entertain these needy people? Once the idea of entertaining gets loose in the church, people can sometimes feel there is no anointing just because they are not pleased with the quality of the music. They’ve had a hard week at work and need a little relief from the pressures of life, so they look forward to the idea of sitting back and being entertained on Sunday.
This leads to watching worship instead of participating. I don’t think it is wrong to enjoy watching someone worship God. But if you as a singer or musician feel you have to live up to your own reputation as a great worshiper, you’ve just crossed a dangerous line—from worship to entertainment.
The body of Christ is in need of real Holy Spirit experiences, so we can tell the difference between anointing and entertainment. Those experiences will come more often when someone is called, gifted and anointed to be a leader or player in the worship band.
Chosen by God
Either you are chosen by God to have a position on the worship team or you are not. Even if you are chosen, you may have family obligations or other responsibilities that signal it is not yet God’s time for you to start.
If you have a heart for the musicians but don’t sense a call to be one, maybe your role should be intercession. Perhaps your interest is meant to stimulate prayer for them rather than a position on the stage for you.
If you feel you are supposed to be in the band but someone else has your place, go to God and ask Him to bring discernment and wisdom. It has been my experience that God will make a way for you to be there if it is truly His will. Be careful not to pray against that person, even if you believe they are being insensitive to what God is wanting to do. Be sure of this: The Lord wants the right people in the right places more than you do.
What if the Lord makes it clear that He has chosen someone else instead of you? The Bible is filled with examples of people with examples of people faced with this very situation: God chose Abel’s offering instead of Cain’s Isaac instead of Ishmael, Jacob instead of Esau, and Joseph instead of his brothers. Nothing is a greater test of our character. Either we will rise up in jealousy and jeopardize our own calling, or we will rejoice with our brother or sister over God’s choice and blessing.
Jonathan is a good example of someone who had the right response to God’s choice of someone else. Although it would have been easy to feel threatened by the prophecy that David would be the next king instead of him, Jonathan instead committed himself to doing everything he could to make David successful. He rejoiced in telling his friend David, “You will be king over Israel and I will be next to you.” (I Samuel 23:17). Those who humble themselves under God’s almighty hand will be exalted in due time (see I Peter 5:6). He has a wonderful role for you to fill in His body, a role fashioned especially for you. As you seek Him, He will show you what it is.
Don Potter has been a worship leader in many of the MorningStar conferences. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the popular jazz artist Chuck Mangione, and has been a producer for the Judds and Wynonna. Don is also an outstanding songwriter who has songs on several of the MorningStar albums.
It has been my experience that there are usually a few people in a worship band who really shouldn’t be there. Yet I’ve also found out it’s hard to tell people “No” when they believe God is calling them to sing or play an instrument. They may not have any musical ability, but they love to worship God — isn’t that good enough?
Besides the Scripture that exhorts us to play skillfully before the Lord (see Psalm 33:3), there is another reason to set limits on who can participate on the worship band: Some people are actually endangering themselves by insisting they belong on stage. Of course, filling the band with greatly talented people who have no heart for God is probably even more dangerous. But that is not my focus here.
Called or Appointed?
Those who assume a position in the worship band without really being called by God could be setting themselves up for a fierce attack from the enemy. I have seen many such musicians fall under that attack, and at times even lose their families. Playing in the worship band is not just a fun thing to do on Sundays. It is a serious assault on the devil himself. Unless you are appointed by God for that position of battle, you may not have the grace to survive.
Seek God earnestly before accepting an invitation to be a part of the worship team! Even if it is a leader who asks you, don’t be impulsive — seek God first. You may even be called to be a singer or musician used for worship, yet be way ahead of God’s timing.
I was a professional musician for twenty-five years before I began to play in a worship band, and I was still about five years ahead of God. I unintentionally hurt a lot of people. Everyone thought it would be great to have a professional musician in the band, and I thought I was going to be a big help, too. Nevertheless, within three years the band had fallen apart and most of the musicians hated me. My talent was often confused with anointing and my character was not able to handle the position my talent put me in.
Eventually I learned that talent and gifting are very different. Talent is a natural ability to do something well if you work at it. Gifting is supernatural. It requires all your talent to be placed in God’s hands, for the benefit of His kingdom and not your own self-promotion.
In many churches playing in the worship band is the only job that seems to have no spiritual requirements tied to it.
Check Your Motives
Before you take the job of musician or singer in a worship band, you need to examine the motives of your heart. Here are some questions to ask yourself or others who are trying to get in the band:
* Do you think it would be fun to be on stage?
* Are you just trying to “help out” and meet a need?
* Are you trying to recapture your youth, when you used to sing or play an instrument?
* Are you just learning to play, and hoping to get some experience or free lessons?
* Do you feel you could worship God better from the stage than from the congregation?
* Are you unconsciously trying to gain a good reputation or impress people by playing in the band?
* Is your motivation to draw attention to yourself or to the Lord?
Although there are many more questions to ask yourself before entering the public worship arena, there really is only one that counts: Are you in the worship band or choir as an act of obedience to God? Everyone is called to praise God and sing to His Holy name, but not everyone is called to be in the worship band.
Everyone is called to intercede and to battle with the powers of darkness, but not everyone is called to take a Davidic position and war on his or her instrument.
Some motives sound spiritual, but are not. It may seem noble to focus on the congregation and what will make them happy, but if you do so you are worshipping them and not God. The call of a worship musician or singer is to minister to God, not the people. If the presence of God is our focus, He will come and bless the congregation a lot more than anything you can do!
This may sound harsh, but we are coming into a time when it will be extremely hazardous to play around with worship. A church would be better off with just one called and equipped musician, than a band full of people with good intentions but no calling.
In many churches playing in the worship band is the only job that seems to have no spiritual requirements tied to it. If the spiritual life of the pastor is in question, he’s a goner. If the elders are not in right standing with God, they will be removed. Yet, if a person owns a guitar, it’s no problem getting a job playing in the worship band.
Worship or Entertainment?
The most difficult thing to determine about one’s own heart is, Am I really concerned about reaching my Savior with this praise, or am I just trying to entertain these needy people? Once the idea of entertaining gets loose in the church, people can sometimes feel there is no anointing just because they are not pleased with the quality of the music. They’ve had a hard week at work and need a little relief from the pressures of life, so they look forward to the idea of sitting back and being entertained on Sunday.
This leads to watching worship instead of participating. I don’t think it is wrong to enjoy watching someone worship God. But if you as a singer or musician feel you have to live up to your own reputation as a great worshiper, you’ve just crossed a dangerous line—from worship to entertainment.
The body of Christ is in need of real Holy Spirit experiences, so we can tell the difference between anointing and entertainment. Those experiences will come more often when someone is called, gifted and anointed to be a leader or player in the worship band.
Chosen by God
Either you are chosen by God to have a position on the worship team or you are not. Even if you are chosen, you may have family obligations or other responsibilities that signal it is not yet God’s time for you to start.
If you have a heart for the musicians but don’t sense a call to be one, maybe your role should be intercession. Perhaps your interest is meant to stimulate prayer for them rather than a position on the stage for you.
If you feel you are supposed to be in the band but someone else has your place, go to God and ask Him to bring discernment and wisdom. It has been my experience that God will make a way for you to be there if it is truly His will. Be careful not to pray against that person, even if you believe they are being insensitive to what God is wanting to do. Be sure of this: The Lord wants the right people in the right places more than you do.
What if the Lord makes it clear that He has chosen someone else instead of you? The Bible is filled with examples of people with examples of people faced with this very situation: God chose Abel’s offering instead of Cain’s Isaac instead of Ishmael, Jacob instead of Esau, and Joseph instead of his brothers. Nothing is a greater test of our character. Either we will rise up in jealousy and jeopardize our own calling, or we will rejoice with our brother or sister over God’s choice and blessing.
Jonathan is a good example of someone who had the right response to God’s choice of someone else. Although it would have been easy to feel threatened by the prophecy that David would be the next king instead of him, Jonathan instead committed himself to doing everything he could to make David successful. He rejoiced in telling his friend David, “You will be king over Israel and I will be next to you.” (I Samuel 23:17). Those who humble themselves under God’s almighty hand will be exalted in due time (see I Peter 5:6). He has a wonderful role for you to fill in His body, a role fashioned especially for you. As you seek Him, He will show you what it is.
Don Potter has been a worship leader in many of the MorningStar conferences. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the popular jazz artist Chuck Mangione, and has been a producer for the Judds and Wynonna. Don is also an outstanding songwriter who has songs on several of the MorningStar albums.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Only the prayers of the people in Malaysia can deliver their land
May the Lord bless you all for your faithful service
I am writing to request that during the koiros time, prayers for our nation or national issues be prayed with fervency.
I have included an excellent prophetic revelation which I feel is the actual state of condition of our nation and our churches....
The Intercessors at the 24/7 Prayer House in Kenya have been fasting and praying for Malaysia since the 5 January 2010 for 40 days. There was a very, very strong burden for Malaysia and during their intercession there was much weeping and crying out for this nation.
The following is the message they received from the Lord for Malaysia:
Malaysia is at a very important crossroads. The Lord says that He has been so faithful to the nation of Malaysia. He has protected Malaysia in 3 areas:
God's faithfulness and favor towards Malaysia is not because the church has been praying. In fact, The church in Malaysia has entered into a comfort zone. The church is so contented and so comfortable and in slumber. There is prayerlessness in the church and she is not carrying the burden that God has for the "cousins" in the land. Most of the prayers that take place in the churches are personal prayers but not a burden for the nation and the lost.
Warning from the Lord
Abraham prayed for Sodom & Gomorrah but his prayers could not deliver the cities. His prayer alone could not prevent the judgment of God upon the cities. Abraham was not living in Sodom & Gomorrah. The people of the land themselves need to arise to intercede for their own land. Unfortunately, there was no one in the land who took up the burden to pray for their cities and the cities were destroyed.
Application to Malaysia:
Thanks and God bless.
Paster Lawrence.
I am writing to request that during the koiros time, prayers for our nation or national issues be prayed with fervency.
I have included an excellent prophetic revelation which I feel is the actual state of condition of our nation and our churches....
The Intercessors at the 24/7 Prayer House in Kenya have been fasting and praying for Malaysia since the 5 January 2010 for 40 days. There was a very, very strong burden for Malaysia and during their intercession there was much weeping and crying out for this nation.
The following is the message they received from the Lord for Malaysia:
Malaysia is at a very important crossroads. The Lord says that He has been so faithful to the nation of Malaysia. He has protected Malaysia in 3 areas:
- The principalities over Malaysia have tried to cause racial dissension. Feelings were stirred in the hearts of the people to rise up for destruction but because of God's grace. He has prevented this destruction from happening.
- God has protected Malaysia from natural calamities when the surrounding regions have been hit by such disasters.
- God has protected the church. Seeing that you are in a Muslim land, the church has a high measure of freedom thus far. Many times the enemy has tried to come up close in on the church but God has not permitted it.
God's faithfulness and favor towards Malaysia is not because the church has been praying. In fact, The church in Malaysia has entered into a comfort zone. The church is so contented and so comfortable and in slumber. There is prayerlessness in the church and she is not carrying the burden that God has for the "cousins" in the land. Most of the prayers that take place in the churches are personal prayers but not a burden for the nation and the lost.
Warning from the Lord
- The veil of protection over Malaysia is slowly giving way over this land.
- The heavens over Malaysia have already begun to close.
- The burning of the churches is but a top of the ice-berg of what the enemy is wanting to do over this nation.
- There is a looming judgment waiting to take place over this land if intercessors do not arise.
Abraham prayed for Sodom & Gomorrah but his prayers could not deliver the cities. His prayer alone could not prevent the judgment of God upon the cities. Abraham was not living in Sodom & Gomorrah. The people of the land themselves need to arise to intercede for their own land. Unfortunately, there was no one in the land who took up the burden to pray for their cities and the cities were destroyed.
Application to Malaysia:
- Only the prayers of the people in Malaysia can deliver their land. This burden has to be taken up by the Malaysian themselves.
- They have to arise to pray for their land, cry out to God, influence the people and to tell them that the nation is at the important crossroads. Tell the people that the next 5 years is so very important.
- They either arise to a very, very powerful revival or slide in the other way. God's will is for Malaysia to rise up to her destiny (being a "Rainbow Nation") and for a great revival to sweep through this land.
- Our brothers from other nations are just here to help us "PUSH". They are like "midwives" to help the Malaysian Church push until they see the baby born (the destiny of Malaysia).
- The Malaysian Church has to pray and intercede to open the heavens. The enemy will try to hinder our prayers but we must persevere and pray until we see the revival.
Thanks and God bless.
Paster Lawrence.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Sex Makes You Stupid
by Mark Gungor on December 2nd, 2009
It never ceases to amaze me how many times I get asked by people (usually, but not always, women) what they should do when the person they are dating is treating them poorly. And by poorly I do not mean that he was 10 minutes late coming to pick the girl up or he forgot what her favorite flower was. By poorly I mean guys who call these women names and talk to them in degrading ways, guys who look at porn, stay out all night with other women doing exactly what you think they’re doing, and on and on. Unbelievably, this is while they are dating! You know, the time when the dude is actually trying to win the woman; when he is supposed to be putting his best foot forward!
Honestly, I just don’t understand it. For the life of me I can’t imagine why a person would continue to date someone who treats them like dirt and with little to no respect. Is this really how they want to spend the rest of their lives? The fantasy world these women live in tells them that “he’ll change,” but the reality is, it only goes downhill from here! Generally, when I’m presented with this kind of scenario, I immediately ask one question: Are you having sex with him? And the answer is almost always: yes.
I finally came to this simple conclusion: sex makes you stupid. It really does. Having sex outside of marriage clouds your vision. People can’t see clearly and aren’t able to make a wise decision to save their souls. The potent spell of sex causes women (and some men) to tolerate and allow the most outrageous behaviors, continue the relationship into marriage, and then come to me a year, two or three into the deal and want me to unscramble the eggs. When I ask the obvious question, “Didn’t you see this before you got married?” they almost without fail say, “Yeah, but I thought it would be different when we got married.” It will be different, alright… it will be worse!
Becoming sexually involved with someone outside of marriage is a bad idea for many reasons. First and foremost a reason that not too many people, even Christians, actually consider is: because God said so! And when God says so, you think that would be good enough since the Almighty Maker of the Universe pretty much knows what he’s doing. If He says, “No,” it’s for good reason. God created sex and He also knows the power of it, and He knows that it will make you stupid! Stupid outside of marriage, but within the marriage covenant is another story.
This same phenomenon that makes men and women dumber than bricks when it comes to making the right decisions in premarital or extra-marital relationships, has extreme power when the sex is according to God’s plan. The very same idea that “sex clouds your vision” is wonderful and necessary in marriage. God has created sex to have this kind of effect so we can forget and overlook the faults and missteps, the offenses and transgression and forgive our spouse. It’s like a drug you can get a hit of that gives you selective amnesia. It’s also another reason why married people need to be having regular sex… so they can get a little clouded vision to overlook the everyday annoyances like toilet seats and toothpaste caps and sometimes the way bigger things that need to be forgiven. We should be “dumb” to those kinds of things.
The Bible tells us that love covers a multitude of sins. God has given us the gift of sex, one of the very things that will aid and enable us to walk out this kind of love. But it only works to our benefit if the sex is in the context of marriage. Kind of like the analogy of fire only being a good thing when it’s contained in a fireplace. God made sex to be the single most powerful force to bring a husband and wife together and to keep them together. But it has to be in marriage or it is the equivalent of taking the fire and putting it on the living room floor. No more warmth and benefit, just a disastrous inferno.
So it is with this wonderful, God-created phenomenon of sex. While husbands and wives benefit greatly from the “cloudy vision” of sex in marriage, we should not be allowing this “sex-brain” to impact us outside of marriage — where people are definitely making decisions under the influence of stupid.
It never ceases to amaze me how many times I get asked by people (usually, but not always, women) what they should do when the person they are dating is treating them poorly. And by poorly I do not mean that he was 10 minutes late coming to pick the girl up or he forgot what her favorite flower was. By poorly I mean guys who call these women names and talk to them in degrading ways, guys who look at porn, stay out all night with other women doing exactly what you think they’re doing, and on and on. Unbelievably, this is while they are dating! You know, the time when the dude is actually trying to win the woman; when he is supposed to be putting his best foot forward!
Honestly, I just don’t understand it. For the life of me I can’t imagine why a person would continue to date someone who treats them like dirt and with little to no respect. Is this really how they want to spend the rest of their lives? The fantasy world these women live in tells them that “he’ll change,” but the reality is, it only goes downhill from here! Generally, when I’m presented with this kind of scenario, I immediately ask one question: Are you having sex with him? And the answer is almost always: yes.
I finally came to this simple conclusion: sex makes you stupid. It really does. Having sex outside of marriage clouds your vision. People can’t see clearly and aren’t able to make a wise decision to save their souls. The potent spell of sex causes women (and some men) to tolerate and allow the most outrageous behaviors, continue the relationship into marriage, and then come to me a year, two or three into the deal and want me to unscramble the eggs. When I ask the obvious question, “Didn’t you see this before you got married?” they almost without fail say, “Yeah, but I thought it would be different when we got married.” It will be different, alright… it will be worse!
Becoming sexually involved with someone outside of marriage is a bad idea for many reasons. First and foremost a reason that not too many people, even Christians, actually consider is: because God said so! And when God says so, you think that would be good enough since the Almighty Maker of the Universe pretty much knows what he’s doing. If He says, “No,” it’s for good reason. God created sex and He also knows the power of it, and He knows that it will make you stupid! Stupid outside of marriage, but within the marriage covenant is another story.
This same phenomenon that makes men and women dumber than bricks when it comes to making the right decisions in premarital or extra-marital relationships, has extreme power when the sex is according to God’s plan. The very same idea that “sex clouds your vision” is wonderful and necessary in marriage. God has created sex to have this kind of effect so we can forget and overlook the faults and missteps, the offenses and transgression and forgive our spouse. It’s like a drug you can get a hit of that gives you selective amnesia. It’s also another reason why married people need to be having regular sex… so they can get a little clouded vision to overlook the everyday annoyances like toilet seats and toothpaste caps and sometimes the way bigger things that need to be forgiven. We should be “dumb” to those kinds of things.
The Bible tells us that love covers a multitude of sins. God has given us the gift of sex, one of the very things that will aid and enable us to walk out this kind of love. But it only works to our benefit if the sex is in the context of marriage. Kind of like the analogy of fire only being a good thing when it’s contained in a fireplace. God made sex to be the single most powerful force to bring a husband and wife together and to keep them together. But it has to be in marriage or it is the equivalent of taking the fire and putting it on the living room floor. No more warmth and benefit, just a disastrous inferno.
So it is with this wonderful, God-created phenomenon of sex. While husbands and wives benefit greatly from the “cloudy vision” of sex in marriage, we should not be allowing this “sex-brain” to impact us outside of marriage — where people are definitely making decisions under the influence of stupid.
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