Stumbling

If you are sincere about your walk in the light, without distractions like porn, you have to understand that the Devil will be sincere about causing you to stumble, i.e. to have further occurrences of sin in your life.

He will try to provoke your flesh against you. And sometimes, he will prevail over you.

Understand that your way toward perfect purity and holiness will (most likely) not be completed in this lifetime. But God will free you, if you are willing, from wilful disobedience and a constant walk in darkness. If you fall from grace, as they say, He will be strong to lift you up again.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
(1 John 2:1, NIV)

Ellen G. White, a Christian author of the 19th century, writes:

"You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. [ ] The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair. [ ] By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with the power that is above all principalities and powers."
(E.G. White, Steps to Christ, 47.1; 48.1)

The Porn Gospel

What is the gospel for users of porn? Simple. It's the same gospel as for any other offender:

The word "gospel" means "good news". And that good news is that God came to this earth to redeem you. He took your punishment upon himself so that you would be free. Salvation, or being made free from sin and its consequences, is a gift from God. You can't earn it - you don't have to earn it. All you need to do is accept God's offer.

This simple truth is summarized in these words of Jesus:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
(John 3:16, NASB)

Prayer is when you talk to God. So pray a simple prayer:

God, dear Father, I am sorry. I am sorry for lusting and looking at pornography. I am sorry and I ask You to forgive me. I believe that Your Son Jesus died to take on Himself the punishment that I deserve. Thank You for loving me and for giving Your all to reconcile me to Yourself, Father. I want to receive Your Son into my heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Do you feel the burden of guilt lifted off you? If so, you might just have begun your walk with God. If not, don't worry. You can get there.

In any case, check out one or two of these sites. They will help you study God's word, the Bible:

• AmazingFacts Bible Studies
• CT Bible Studies
• SCF Bible Studies
• Holypop Answers

If you want to put a special focus on your problem(s) with pornography or any other addiction, try the courses at Setting Captives Free

God bless you!

Online Ads

Sex is everywhere in advertisements and commercials. But being an online kinda guy, I experience this truth mostly on the internet.

1. Ads for Games: If you come across an ad banner for an online game, I've discovered that there's like a 2 in 3 chance that it's gonna feature a half-naked female (I deliberately do not say 'woman')

2. Dating Ads: All those secular dating ads out there range from mildly to highly sexually suggestive

I just wanted to note how the female body is being (ab)used to lure people in and make a quick buck.

Temptation

And what about the temptation?

Yes, sometimes the temptation is very strong. Just one look, just one video. Oh, there are days where I want nothing more than to return to porn. But you know what keeps me on the way? The knowledge that there is something better than momentary gratification.

My trust is in God, that He will not forsake me.

[G]od is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
(1 Co. 10:13b, NIV)

Keeping Porn Out

Porn is everywhere. In shops, in libraries, in the public. And of course on the internet.

The internet has become the most convenient way of porn delivery. It's a big temptation for anyone struggling. What to do?

My advice is you install a filter that will keep you off the X-rated sites. I recommend K9 Web Protection. It's the one I use, it's fully customizable and it's free.

One important thing: Keeping the password to your filter with yourself will not help you much. Have an accountability partner keep it!

"I will set no worthless thing before my eyes."
(Ps. 101:3a, NASB)

Trashing the Stash

Have you piled up a lot of porn over the years? I sure have.

Drawings, tapes, recordings, games, picture files, video files, internet bookmarks. A whole lot.

And when I realized that it was nothing but a snare for my life, I threw it away. In several stages. I always found something else that I had forgotten that was lying around somewhere.

At first I even kept some porn around willingly, threw away just the 'really depraved stuff'. If I can't make it without porn, at least I'll have something to fall back on. But that is the wrong approach.

Trash the Stash! Be done with it.

Hurt Intimacy

What does porn do? Well, for one, it's hurting and perverting real intimacy. Here's an example of one married woman:

"I am [ ] a sexual prisoner in my marriage. You see, I am married to a porn addict. Years of watching porn from an early age has caused my husband to have a very perverted and unhealthy view of sex. Porn flicks taught my husband everything he knows about sex. There’s no intimacy in those videos. Therefore, there’s no intimacy in my marriage. It’s always straight to the business at hand. After sex, I’m left feeling dishonored and empty. I often wonder if he realizes I’m there."

You can find the whole article here.

It Screws With Your Head

And... it... will... not... go away...

Act now! Don't give porn a chance.

Somebody's Daughter

Somebody's Daughter is a documentary, and a thought to consider:

Any actress we watch on screen - performing whatever acts she may - is somebody's daughter. Male actors too are somebody's sons. The director, the cameraman, the make-up assistant are somebody's children.

And if not of this world, than of above, because there is one that we all may call Father (Matt. 6:9), if we believe that He is true (John 1:12, Romans 8:14-15).

Finally Free

So what's helped me to be porn-free since August 3?

Well, in addition to all the resources I list here, the Way of Purity course at Setting Captives Free was really the boost of spiritual strength and support that I needed to break my habit.

At this opportunity, I wanna thank my SCF mentor Garry. Garry, if you're out there, you rule.

Youthful Sins

Before August 3 this year, I was hooked on pornography.

Ever since I hit puberty (currently age 21) I've been looking at porn. First softcore, then hardcore. First the tame stuff, then the violent kind. Porn was my sex ed.

It became an increasingly progressive habit, hard to conquer...

"Flee the evil desires of youth."
(2 Tim. 2:22a, NIV)

For Your Ears

Listen...

... and listen good.

A Long Way

I didn't just give up porn overnight. I wish I had, but that's not how the story goes.

Around May 2011 I started to realize that porn was becoming an ever greater problem.

What would it lead me to? Where would it end? Would it?

It has been an arduous way with many instances of stumbling.