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139 One, three nine.
This world is.
A wilderness.
Why we have nothing to sing or to just with nobody?
The way still Robin, we got you regret nor do.
The Lord is and the soul of God.
Before you just marked out the.
Regret.
Here's the sure.
Thing to be in order to.
There is a blood warming in the ways which was.
His soul and Wallace, you'll see where he's put on his ground.
World of bad world.
Father and God.
To the place where he is.
Strength shall be ours on the road.
And with them shall.
I bring it holding a Sprite crystal down.
In the joy of his love and love.
And to serve when we reaching.
All his own.
House Grant thence chapter 6. What verse should we start with?
OK.
First Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 15.
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid What Know ye not that he which is joined to in Harlots is one body, for two sethe shall be one flesh, but he that is joined unto the Lord is 1. Spirit police fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication sent against his own body. What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?
What you have of God and you're not your own or ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are Gods.
00:05:22
Have a relationship here that.
Is the.
Both as possible.
Relationship we can have with the Lord.
As members of his body.
And.
The Bride of Christ.
When did that take place?
At 20 cars.
Collective thoughts.
So the Lord is the Head. The Lord has various headships. He's the head of the new creation race. He's the head of all principalities and powers.
He's the head of creation, but he's also the head of the body.
That's a relationship.
Was not known in the Old Testament.
We're not known while the Lord was here on earth.
The church was not formal and most understand that the church was not formed and.
Till Pentecost.
And the Spirit of God came down, united all believers into one body, some an Organism that had never existed before.
And will not exist exist after the rapture.
When the Rapture takes place today, maybe.
The body of Christ.
The bride of Christ will be taken into the glory. Now we have the body of Christ on earth.
I think it's basically an earthly concept.
Were members of the body of Christ. This morning we had on this table one loaf. That loaf.
Of course, as 22 meanings to it one.
It is a picture of the body of Christ. Every believer in the world was represented there this morning in that loaf. They may not act as members of the body of Christ because they're going through denominations. In fact, we have no membership in an assembly. We have a membership in the body of Christ. No membership in an assembly or or a denomination. When the bread was broken, then the figure.
Change. Then it became a symbol of the body, the actual body of Christ that was given in death. So it has two significances there. And we, if we are intelligent, we break bread not only as forgiven sinners, that's true, but we break bread as members of the body of Christ.
And so the Lord is our head. In fact, the church is not said to be in Christ, because as members of the body of Christ.
We're not in the head. This hand of mine is not in the head. It's directed by the head.
And it's under the control of my head, but it's not in my head.
So the church is not looked upon us in Christ as members of the new creation race. We are in Christ because that is an individual thought. But in the in the body of Christ it's collective and we are members now on earth.
Of the body of Christ, body of Christ is not in heaven. And those who have passed through the article of death, my mother and perhaps our loved ones, they're no longer in the body of Christ.
Some people think they are.
Don't believe so. They are with the Lord, but no longer part of the body of Christ, because the body of Christ is an Organism that is on earth now.
Formed at Pentecost, completed at the return of the Lord and the Rapture.
And the character of our relationship in the coming day will be as the bride of Christ, wife and bride. But I don't believe it has the significance of the body because there's no suffering in heaven, but there's suffering in the body. Now members are suffering. Gifts are given in the body of Christ by an ascended Lord, but there's no gifts in heaven.
00:10:27
We won't need any gifts there, but we need gifts in the body of Christ now. So I just mentioned that someone can elaborate on it, but I believe that the body of Christ.
Is an earthly Organism.
Of which every believer is a member.
Same as we have members in our body which function and are directed by the head. If they're not directed by the head, we we have an awful condition in the bottom. But I believe that that is the.
It's in good to distinguish between the headships in the new creation race because we are now new creatures in Christ.
Individually, we are part of that new creation race that was formed after the death and resurrection of the Lord. That's not the body of Christ as an individual relationship that we have.
As in the family of God.
But the body of Christ is a headship of a different character.
It might be good to go back and read the verse and a half before this to get the connection. The middle of verse 13 it says Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord and the Lord for the body, And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise us by his own power. And then it speaks about the body. This same body that the Lord has given us is to be raised up.
And so it's for the Lord and the body, though it'll be changed, It's, it's, it belongs to the Lord, is to be used for the Lord. It's to be preserved holy cure. And it's not to be connected with uncleanness. And it's so important when we see that this same body that I live in right now is going to be raised up and presented to God in holiness and perfection.
We should keep it holy and pure now.
It's interesting that in this.
Discourse here of carnality.
That you have both the positive and the negative side.
It's.
He does the Lord or the apostle doesn't just tell us the wrongs of evil, but he associates the positive side of our bodies, the God's intended use of them as a positive thing. What a wonderful thing to think that our bodies are given to us for the honor of God. And there is a beautiful application for us in the even in the marriage relationship where the body.
Is used according to God institution of it. This is holy and good and it's so we only we don't look at it just as the negative side, but we see the positive side. It's kind of like a double attack against evil.
Seeing we're talking about the flesh in this subject we have before us, could this application also be a woman of the street? Or could it be in relationship? If one person has an affair with someone else, is there that possibility in this very jewel as a warning?
It's wide application.
It's interesting in verse 15, it really doesn't talk about the body of Christ or members of the body of Christ. It's members of Christ and it's a little bit different than members of the body of Christ. That's a wonderful reality like our brother John's been bringing out, and it's true, but here it's members of Christ because the focus is on the physical body that we all possess.
00:15:07
And sometimes it's presented as if we have been redeemed, spirit and soul, by the Lord. And sometimes people think the body is something that's still unclean. No, it too is something that the Lord has redeemed. And as such, as believers in the Lord Jesus, we are. Notice that it says in twice in verse 15.
Members of Christ.
There's a relationship with him.
That is to be cultivated, so he says. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot?
God forbid. And then he goes on to explain.
In verse.
16 what know ye not that he that is joined to an harlot. What you're referring to brother IS1 body. That's that's something that really kind of shakes me because he's quoting he says for two shall set he shall be one flesh and it's quoting from Genesis chapter 2, where God made Adam in help me for him.
And he says they shall no longer be.
Two but one flesh and so it's in that act, that sexual act that they there is a union that God recognizes me. It's very interesting that it says that in connection with being joined to in harlot. Can I take this body which is a member of Christ and join it to a harlot?
It's a total contradiction of what we are being taught in this chapter. It cannot be. And so he is raising it with him. This is very common in Corinth and I'm sure you all know that it's very common in today's world.
That they think that there is sexual freedom. This is my body. I'll do with it what I want to do with it.
Can I take this that is a member of Christ and use it in that way? Absolutely not. God forbid, he says. And so there is a union and it shows to me rather than in what God has ordained the sexual union between a man and wife in wedding in a wedded.
Relationship.
Is a beautiful thing that God has instituted. And when it's used in that context properly, it is the most beautiful thing. And it's the means by which we procreate. And so it's something that God has already. But sometimes I've used the illustration of a, a river. A river is a beautiful, useful thing to have.
But when it overflows its boundaries, it causes great destruction. And God has set the boundaries in which that can be used. And so when a man goes and takes a harlot, a woman that he is not united to by matrimony, then it's going to cause real destruction and havoc.
Don't do it. And so he gives the way that we are to be preserved.
Ourselves, since we are members of Christ.
Yesterday, I think, Mr. Tony, you mentioned about the Kingdom of God and you explained that to us a little bit, and it reminded me of the verses in Mark Chapter 9 that speak of.
Verse 43.
As if thy hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed, and having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Verse 45. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Verse 47. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. Is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into the Hellfire, and so on.
00:20:09
And I considered those verses because that was, I think Enos, you even mentioned this, but it was the removing of it was the getting rid of that defiling, that defiling part that would keep us separate and keep us out of the Kingdom of God and keep us out of that blessing. And so when we remove that portion of our natural body or that sinful thing so that we're able to come into his very presence, He takes that sin away. But to come into his presence, then why would we?
Then want to return to something like that and I believe it's being brought out in these verses because it tells us in chapter 12 of our of our first Corinthians about the body and Mr. Camp was explaining it in verse 12. It says for is the body is one and half many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body. So also is Christ. Verse 14 says for the body is not one member but many.
And so to go and return to such a defiling state.
We no longer have an effect on ourselves, but we affect the whole body of Christ.
All the members of the body are affected by that defiling of becoming one with that harlot through fornication.
That be correct.
Definitely, since we are members of one body, it does have an effect on others as well and so that is of concern.
But I think it is good to keep it in the context here. It's the members of Christ. And then he goes on to say in verse 17, he that is joined into the Lord is 1 Spirit.
One spirit with the Lord. What a wonderful thing to be able to walk in fellowship with our God.
You're through a world that's so contaminated now if I get involved with an illicit affair.
Is there going to be an enjoyment of that fellowship?
It cannot be. It cannot be.
Are we enjoying the fellowship of our God? Brethren, dear young people, cultivate fellowship. Brother spoke of Daniel and how he was in very difficult circumstances. Think of that as a young man of maybe 15 or 16 or 17 years old. Probably his parents have been killed when they took Jerusalem. We don't know anything about his parents.
Up there, but he had that purpose of heart to keep him and God honored him and even as an old man later on in the book is still persevering. What a useful instrument God had in that man. Do you want to be that way or do you want to go under the subtle temptations of this world and.
Be nullified as to your usefulness for God.
Lord help us.
I just mentioned that.
That often people speak of a new body, but that's not actually a correct statement.
It's not a new body that we will receive.
A glorification of the Lord's coming. It's the same body that goes down into death.
That will be raised in a glorified condition. 2nd Corinthians 5. So it's not a new body as some people think, but it's a body transforms into the likeness of Christ's body physically, without the scars and without the wounds. Praise His name.
A body physically like Christ and morally, morally, morally.
When we shall see him, we shall be like him. That's first, John three. That's we're going to be like Christ, physically and morally. Is that right, brother?
00:25:06
So the 1St 2 words of verse 18 are very pungent. Flee fornication.
Doesn't say stand there and resist it. Flee whenever there's the suggestion of such a situation.
Get out of there, young man, young woman, don't stay there. Get out. And we have a wonderful example with Joseph in the Old Testament, who was against his will, no will of his own, to be sold as a slave to Egypt.
And then being bought by Potiphar, captain of the guard of Pharaoh and.
Taken to his house and there was a temptation that was very real.
Pharaoh's wife tempted him constantly, day by day, says.
And he would, he would resist it. But one day she caught him by the clothes. What did he do? He didn't wrestle with her. He left the garment with her and he got out of there. That's fleeing. And there's a lot of temptation in this world that we are passing through.
The Lord Jesus taught his disciples to pray. Lead us not into temptation and when you know.
That there is an area of your city or your town or even in the in your home. If you're on the Internet, you know there's areas of the Internet that are not right. Flee fornication.
Fornication is any sexual sin outside of the marriage bond. Flee. Get out of there. Don't try to even think you're strong enough to resist it.
Hebrews 13.
Hebrews, chapter 13.
I would like to develop for a minute a couple of verses here.
Speak to the young people again. I hope this is OK.
God created intimacy.
In a beautiful way and we've talked a lot in the last couple meetings about.
The negative.
Consequences of engaging in what God created.
In its right place, which is a blessed thing. Getting it out of its right place, like you mentioned Bob, brings big problems.
So Hebrews 13 verse four, marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled God created.
Sex intimacy with your husband or wife and it is a beautiful thing that he gave.
To a married couple.
Turn back one page to Hebrews 12.
And there's mention of Esau made here.
And God calls him a profane person.
3 Hebrews 12/16, lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau.
And for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Well, Esau was the first born of Jacob.
Isaac and Rebecca, and as the first born, he had this right, if you will. This upcoming blessing called the birthright, and it would be given to him when his father died.
But he didn't value it. He wanted what he wanted right now. So he's out in the field hunting.
And he's hungry.
And so I think we can all identify with different aspects of our own lives where we want what we want right now. So he's hungry and he hears Jacob making this pot of Stew or whatever it was with the lentils. And Esau said, give me, give me what I want right now. If I don't get it, I'm going to die.
00:30:12
So Jacob says well.
OK, sell me your birthright, he goes.
I don't care about that. I want what I want right now. And he gave up what God's blessing was going to be. He just threw it aside basically. And God says.
Esau was a profane man because he didn't value what the blessing was and he gave it up so we could have what he wanted out of its proper time.
You know he wasn't going to die if he didn't get his bowl of soup.
But his attitude was I want what I want now and I just, I don't care.
About the birthright, it's valueless to me. Throw it overboard.
And I guess what I want to encourage you young people on is.
Outside of this relationship with your husband, your wife?
It's wrong.
But inside this relationship with your husband or wife, it's not wrong. It's given by God and it's a marvelous blessing to husband and wife. But don't be like Esau, who had the lust that he had for that pot of soup and he was willing to throw overboard to get what he wanted. Now, I guess what I'm telling you is wait.
For God's tongue.
And it will bring tremendous blessing in your life. And I know that is really hard to do.
It's not that long ago that I was a teenager. I know what hormones feel like.
I see the same advertisements you see.
The radio or whatever that you hear, but.
Be like Daniel, purpose in your heart. So wait and don't throw aside what God has made for your good and blessing and get it out of its proper order and it really creates huge problems. So purpose in your heart to say, Lord, I will wait for your time.
And the Lord bless you if you do that.
As a profane person, wasn't he? Profanity is treating what is sacred as if it were common. And he, like you explained he took his birthright, which was what God gave him. He should have treated that sacredly. He said that's no more worth to me than a bowler suit. I'll give it to you. And so he relates it here. And I don't know that we know from the Old Testament that Esau was a fornicator.
But it's the same principle as profanity.
If you just use your body in a sexual way at your own will, that's profanity. That's treating what is supposed to be sacred as if it were common. Don't do it.
It it brings out the point of what comes from God. The birthright came from God. Sometimes we think our bodies are our own. We're, we're, we're, we're the owners of our own body. We forget that God gave us that body and we are responsible to our creator God. How we use that body and if God gives us a sound body that can marry and enjoy the relationship of marriage, a wonderful thing. Not everybody has that.
And so whatever God gives us, it's so important to take it as from God and honor him in not how we use it.
In connection with fleeing fornication, I'd like to go over to the 7th chapter, the very next chapter, in which Paul deals with a lot of things connected with the marriage relationship. Mr. Reed a few verses there, verse one. Now concerning the things where have you wrote unto me? It is good for a man not to touch a woman nevertheless to avoid fornication.
Let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife do benevolence, and likewise also the light wife. And to the husband. The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband, and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife.
00:35:26
Defraud ye not one another, except it be with consent for time, that you may be give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together again that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. So in this chapter it says, and I think this is one of the things we need to be aware of in our lives, is it says it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Don't think it means that we can't shake hands with a sister in the Lord.
But it's going beyond that and sometimes in our relationships.
Between young people, we go beyond that. Remember there if you're not married to a woman that is not your flesh and bone. So treat them with respect and notice the brother that read First Timothy chapter 5 this morning. Just let me read that to you because I think it is so significant there.
Paul is telling Timothy how to relate to different people in the family of God. He says rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father.
And the younger men as brethren.
The elder women as mothers and notice this part, the younger.
As sisters with all purity, so there needs to be the recognition of the fact that this body responds to touch. And so when it's a matter of a person of the opposite sex, I need to be careful in my relationship to not stir up the passions that are to be only used in the within the marriage bond.
So he was told to do that. In fact, it's interesting to me. We have one of the other pastoral epistles is Titus.
And there in Titus, Titus is not instructed to teach the younger women.
Used to tell the older men how to act, and the older women and the younger men.
But it is interesting there he is to tell the older women to instruct the younger women. I think that's interesting to think about. And so there is need of care when it is those who are younger. And so in First Corinthians 7 in connection with fornication says not to touch a woman. Like I say, I don't think it means.
Never not touch and not shaking hands and things like that, but be careful how far you go.
I was a young man too, like you say, Bernie, I it was a few more years back than that and I remember the struggles I went through because I didn't get married till I was 30 years old.
But I was traveling with Eric Smith.
That began and I went to Bolivia 1968 together and it was interesting. But one of the pieces of advice that Eric Smith gave to me, I've never forgotten, says be careful of those of the opposite sex because you can have a good testimony for 10 years, for 20 years, for 30 years. You can. You can lose it all.
In just a few moments.
Of unguarded.
Actions. So be careful. I thought that was really helpful to me and I think they were more careful. I don't know. I think it is more so in Latin America.
But brother Eric Smith and brother Ramon Alarcon, both, they were very careful. They went into a home that the brother of the home was there as well as the sister. I know it's not the same here in North America.
00:40:09
But let's be careful. You know what people think if they know that a woman is there by herself in a place.
And you go in there too. You know what people think, the people of this world, that's the way they think. Let's be careful to not leave bad testimony. And so we need to be careful as to this, the testimony we have. And then it says in verse two of Chapter 7 to avoid fornication. How are we to avoid it? Let every man have his own wife.
And let every woman have her own husband.
Your young brother in the Lord.
Wait till the Lord gives you the right mate, and sometimes it seems like waiting a long time. I must say I thank God that I waited for the one the Lord had for me, now I see.
Many years after that, this was the one that was the suited helpmate for me.
And it's worth waiting for the intimacy that is enjoyed in the marriage relationship. It's worth waiting for people who treat their bodies as if they were a profane thing. Even when they may get married later on, it's not the same if they've used their bodies with other men or other women, it's not the same. There's always in their mate.
The worry that maybe something.
Is not totally right.
So treat your body as sacred. It's the member of Christ. How important it is to remember, dear young people, that we are. We are members of Christ. So this is the way to avoid fornication.
Have your own wife. Let every woman have her own husband.
And then it says, let the husband render the due benevolence, or to the wife the due benevolence. There's to be that respect.
What our brother brought before us in the last meeting as to love. It's interesting to me, brethren, that.
In Scripture, the wife is never told to love her husband.
Except in Titus chapter 2.
If the older women were to teach the younger women how to love their husband, but it's not the agape love, it's the file lab and that is important. It is on the part of men.
To obey the command of God and to love their wives no matter what.
That's the command of God. It doesn't a matter of feelings. I see so many people like he said in his meeting that come to the point they said I don't love you anymore.
They don't understand what love is, that's why they talk that way.
Love is something that is eternal and it doesn't. It doesn't fail when there's not the feelings. Whether I feel it or not, I have an obligation to love my wife. It's a command of God, and I think it really helps to understand that.
So we're to render the due benevolence one to the other and the wife the husband has not power over his own wife, our own body and the wife has not power over her own body. That said first and then it says in verse 5, defraud G not one another. I think that means to deny.
Except it be with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. It's to me it's interesting.
Do we fast? Here it is fasting. What is fasting? It is.
Denying yourself and that's to be the character of our lives, brethren, The Lord Jesus said if any man come after me.
Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. And so there might be a time that we dedicate ourselves to prayer and we desist from the intimate relationships. But then it says, but then come together again, that Satan will not tempt you for your incontinence here. Lack of self-control. So the Lord help us. I think these are important points to consider in the marriage relationship.
00:45:23
Well, I've used an interesting word word think.
At our mental outlook, the way we look at life, what we think in our minds and our overall perspective is absolutely crucial.
Verse 18 says flee fornication. The idea there is keep on running away from sexual impurity.
You run today. If it shows up at your door again tomorrow, and it will, you run again if it shows up the next day. You run again and you keep on running. It's not enough just to do it today, you're going to have to do it again tomorrow. You only run away from things that scare you. You only run away from things you don't want. If you want something, you're going to go towards it.
I'll I'll be brutally honest, I have struggled with *********** myself.
And today, if I see an image that even is even remotely pornographic, it is an indication to my own heart of where I am in my relationship with the Lord, what my gut reaction to that picture is. If my gut reaction is revulsion, I'm glad if there's even a small part of me that.
Maybe doesn't even want it, but condones it or doesn't think badly of it if there's not a part of me that doesn't want to turn around and run.
Even if it's running in a mental way.
Then I get scared. Then I start praying like Madden. It scares me.
Daniel, it says. He purposed in his heart. He made a decision in his mind.
And it wasn't enough just to make it that very first day. The first day they rolled out the steak, the wine and the delicacies. That wasn't enough. He had to make it the next day. And the third day he had to go and eat vegetables while everybody else ate prime rib.
If we don't have the right perspective, we aren't going to turn around and run. And just to tie in with everything else that said, I'm not talking about a God-given relationship between a husband and wife. I'm not talking about sex itself. I'm talking about sin, about what you know deep down inside.
The Lord Jesus Christ died to pay for.
Very good, James. We're bombarded on every side, all knelt the society in which we Live Today.
That they say.
Upon all living is.
Statistics say it's close to 50%, but this, this is an evil in God's sight, and it's rather and as our brother James is very well.
Explained We need to be very careful and.
Leave to the Lord with the purpose of heart.
In the FSL of James, chapter one, verse 12 to 15.
James, chapter one, verse 12 to 15.
Listed is the man doesn't endurethe temptation, but when he is crying he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love him. Let no man say when you stand till and temple of God, but God cannot be tempted with evil either.
But every man stand good when he is drawn away of his own dust and his entire. Then when lust have conceived the training 4th sin, and sin when it is finished, bring it forth there. Do not air, my beloved brother.
I'd like to share something for those in this room or that are listening to this recording about that are maybe in a courtship or getting or engaged because you're kind of in transition towards being married from being a state of not married and yet clean fornication still applies until you are married. And I would encourage that if you if you're on a date with your.
00:50:03
The wife or husband that you begin your date with. Prayer that the Lord will preserve you, that you would not do anything that would compromise.
Impurity, but also at the same time, don't put yourself in a situation where the Word of God would not be honored. The Spirit of God will not protect you somewhere where the Word of God.
I'm probably not saying this right, but the Spirit of God will not give you victory over something if you're choosing to willfully go down a path that is wrong.
So for that, if that means being behind closed doors, just you and your your, your significant other, then don't do it. If it means being in a parking lot together, then don't do it. If it means the one place of doing activities that were acting physically together that would lead you down a road, that is wrong and don't do it. It's important to have these conversations with your future spouse. Speak to the men, especially to take the leadership and set physical boundaries.
Before you go on the date before you are together, before you are in that place of compromise because when you're in that moment, you're not going to feel like necessary stopping. So it's important that as men that we take that leadership to make sure that we're not causing our sister in Christ future wife that the sin as well. But that will be glorifying to the Lord. And yes, there is forgiveness. If a couple has gone too far, there is forgiveness. There is restoration, but there are scars.
And it's also not a bad idea to maybe get Christian counsel from a godly couple about these questions about physical, how to act physically. It's before marriage. It's not a bad idea to talk to those that have gone before that can give us godly advice. I know my wife and I would help us to talk to certain couples. And I really encourage you because you're at a place where you're told to flee fornication, but yet you're getting close to being married to person and then suddenly it's OK and.
It's though it's very important that until you are married, even if you're engaged or to be married next week.
Still before God are not married until that very day.
I have two questions. The first one relates a little bit to what John just shared and what ET just shared.
My first question is, if we're to flee, that means we're running away from something and we're choosing where we're going when it's chasing us. So where do we flee to? John mentioned fleeing to the Lord and ET mentioned being in prayer as an act of way of fleeing.
And there's a verse in Second Timothy 222 Says flee youthful lusts and then it says but follow. So we're fleeing to follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. And then another verse that comes to mind is Proverbs 1810.
The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
The righteous runneth into it and is safe.
So I realized I gave a bit of an answer already to my question or to flee to the Lord, but I'd appreciate a little bit more elaboration on that. And then my second question is, we are told in Colossians that were complete in him, we're complete in the Lord and the Lord is our All in all. And Bernie mentioned our feelings and our hormones. And my second question is, can we find complete satisfaction in our relationship with the Lord?
In connection even with those physical feelings.
Sense of flame brother, I think he just mentioned some things that I think are good as far as fleeing is concerned, some practical things that can be done.
That would fall in the category of fleeing. I know that you're you are talking about who he flew Fleet to, but I think you've answered that question. But there's a method in that fleeing that.
I believe is the same principle as what another brother brought up earlier about.
How the Lord would have us to cut off those members that offend.
I I, I believe that we all know that the Lord.
Wouldn't have us cutting off our body parts. What he means there I think is very similar to what this fleeing is, and that is to remove ourselves as much as possible from the temptation. I think that Bob made a good comment there that it's not good enough.
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To merely resist the temptation.
We really need as much as possible to remove ourselves from the temptation. Give an example that's outside of the subject we're talking about now. For instance, if if a person was an alcoholic and has been fighting drink, you know, and they have to walk to work every day and the most direct route takes them past the bar that he used to frequent so much. And he hears the sounds and smells the smells and.
And it becomes a terrible temptation for him. Well, in a sense, the cutting off of the foot or whatever would be to, to change the route that he's taken so it doesn't take him by that temptation. And I think that with what we're talking about here, the fornication, it's a similar thing. There are situations, I think it's already been said that we can put ourselves into that really are dangerous.
That where the temptation will occur and we think maybe we're strong enough that we can resist it and that's not so I one of the things that I that came to my mind for young people that.
Young adults that maybe are getting to that point where they're looking for a a mate.
That one of the things that might be helpful is to when they do.
Quote UN quote date that they do it in a in the company of others.
As much as possible, that removes a lot of the opportunity for things that might otherwise go wrong. But I believe that ET mentioned some very nice practical things when it comes to fleeing.
Remove ourselves from that temptation.
Where did Jacob get to know Rachel?
It was in the home of her father, Laban.
Before everybody, I mean, there was nothing secretive about it. I think those are things. And where did Moses get to know his wife? It was in that same context.
You want to get to know a girl? Go and see how she treats her parents. Does she treat her parents with respect? She doesn't treat her parents with respect. How do you think she's going to treat you? So those are things that are in Scripture and I think are something to be considered.
An exchange is the second question. Can you read a verse in the book of Proverb chapter 23?
Proverbs 23.
As verse 31.
Look up.
Come to one when it is red, when a pivot is color in the cup, and when I move it itself to right at the last it bite it like a serpent and string it like an Adler. Nine eyes shall be all strange woman, A dark heart shall utter perverse. I just want to stop there for a minute.
The use of wine, alcohol would provoke passions.
People come to our house. It's been a while and.
I tried to encourage them to stay away from alcohol.
Because this will stimulate the fashion.
But now connections. Second question, what will help me?
Not to be led by nature, by passion.
We have an Ephesians chapter 5.
Don't be drawn with wine wherein there is success or it leads to dissolution, but being filled with the Spirit.
You know, it's just something that it takes.
Takes a long time to get this concept to learn, but it needs to be filled with the spirit.
Is to be a few 5 to the Lord Jesus.
I know a brother recently told me that he.
Was charging with actions.
Just need to be before the Lord. I need to go take a walk and.
Break of the Lord, You too need a picture.
Sing sing song. Listen to ministry.
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To have my minor coupon with the things of the war.
So we are to.
Not to be drunk with wine.
But to be filled with this.
May the Lord help us, young and old, to save a lot of habits.
Think much about the Lord Jesus to find.
The occasionally the tools that will help us to be occupied with them and this will preserve us.
1St and that is filled with wine. You know it don't you? By the way they talk and by the way they walk.
A person that is filled with the Spirit. You know I do.
The same way by the way they talk, by the way they walk. But I would say this too rather Jason, that.
Companionship with other young men that you can enjoy is very helpful. I I must say in my youth I had some really good friends and and that companionship was a big help to me in the right direction. One of them was your father, Bernie and.
Yeah, well, it was a big help to me. This brother sitting right here is another brother that was a big help to me. So.
It does help to have companionship because we're not alone in this world.
That everyone struggles with the same way and one way or another. But I must say I I'm exercised by that exhortation you mentioned, Brother Francoise, be filled with a spirit. That's an exhortation.
It depends on you and me. Are you filled with the spirit, Brother Francois?
I see.
Your exercise to do that, aren't you? But I don't think any of us are the judge of that.
But with that is what we are told to do be filled with the Spirit?
Lord help us.
Can a person be fulfilled as a single person? Is that your question? Kind of?
I hope this is not out of its proper context. Turn to Isaiah 56.
Yeah, Isaiah 56 begin with verse 3.
Neither let the son of the stranger that have joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people. Neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am at the right tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and that shews the things that please me.
And take hold of my covenant.
Even unto them will I give in my house and in my walls a place and a name better than of sons and daughters, and I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Well, I I would suggest young people, if you find yourself single.
And you wish you weren't single.
Take it to the Lord.
But realize that here the Lord says, don't say I'm no good, I'm of no value, I'm a dry tree. You're not. The Lord can use you and bless you in that.
That station of life that you're in and you may be called to a life of being single.
Does that mean you're of no value? Certainly not. You're a tremendous value and they'll hear the Lord says I'll give you a place within my walls and a name. It's better than sons and daughters. So I I take from that Jason, the answer is yes, you absolutely can be a complete, fulfilled happy.
Lover of God.
The Lord Jesus was all 33 years.
You know, the apostle Paul mentioned there too and.
The 9th chapter.
He was a man that he committed himself to the work of the Lord.
He he had passions like any other man, but.
He didn't.
He forsook those things so that he could give his life wholeheartedly the work of the Lord. But nevertheless he realized that there was temptations there. But what did he say? He said in verse 27, But they keep under my body and bring it into subjection. Was that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway, that is.
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Something to remember. Isn't that when we're?
Servants of the Lord.
On this step, like that in our bodies, we could be looked at as a castaway.
You know, other people look at, they read us, don't they? We're an epistle known and rid of all men. So they see what we do, they watch us. And the Apostle Paul knew this very well. And so he, he was very guarded, but he had to be. I think it was reading a story on Billy Graham when he, when he was younger, I don't know, but when he was older, but when he was younger, he went around.
Preaching the gospel, the large crowds everywhere.
And oftentimes you'd have to stay in a hotel overnight.
And having the reputation that Billy Graham had was women there that would try to attract, try to attract them. So he had a he had guards that that would guard them against that kind of thing. You, they would protect them. He'd go right to his room. He would stay there. He wouldn't intermingle with anyone. Well, I mean that that isn't a very nice way to have to live your life. Is that you, you would like to be sociable. And but he realized that.
He could be very easily tripped up.
So he guarded himself against that, and we see that the Apostle Paul did the same here. It's self, it's self judgment, isn't it?
Here in our chapter before we get to the end of our time on a touch verse 19.
And it has to do with what we've been talking about by being filled with the Spirit. It says, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God, and you're not your own or you're bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.
Which are which is God? And so to realize individually everyone, their body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If you go back to the chapter 3, it says that we are collectively the temple of the Holy Spirit. So God dwells by his Spirit in US collectively. But here it is individually my body as an individual.
The Holy Spirit of God dwells there. That's an incredible thing to stop and try to comprehend. And why is He there? He is there to guide us into all truth. He is there to bring to remembrance the things that the Lord has said to us. And so let the Spirit of God have his way in your life. Let Him show you the way to go. It's beautiful to notice in the book of the Acts how often it uses that.
Expression that they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Stephen is a beautiful example, full of wisdom and of the Holy Spirit, full of power. And what was he at the end of his testimony? He was looking up into heaven and occupied with the Lord Jesus, and that's where they stoned him to death. What a brilliant testimony. Didn't last very long.
But what a tremendous testimony and the Lord help us, dear young people, to keep our bodies that have been bought with such a tremendous price. How are you going to go take those bodies and use them for your own purposes? It cannot be if you really understand it, right?
I think prior to closing it would be good. We can go back to verse 11 for a minute.
There might be young people here today who said, but I got caught up in that.
Know what what I'm hearing? It's all doom and gloom and approach. Here's my brother and I'm down for the rest of my life.
Verse 11 And such were some of you, but ye are what you are sanctified, and you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God. You go to Joel chapter 2.
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So if there's someone in that condition right now, Joel chapter 2.
Verse 12 Therefore also now saith the Lord.
Journey to me with all your heart, but fasting and weeping those mornings, and read your hearts and not your garments, and turn us to Lord where God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and our country Him of the people.
Verse 25 and I will restore to you the years of the motion cohesion that came to worm in the Caterpillar.
That's 26 and you shall eat them plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, and have dealt wondrously with you. My people shall never be ashamed.
Turn also to 2nd Corinthians.
2nd Corinthians, chapter 2.
We have that promise that we will be forgiven. We have that promise that we don't have to live in shame, that we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ it is able to restore.
What about her brother? What is their responsibility?
Verse 7.
So controversy off rather to forgive him and to comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with much sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you, that you would confirm your love for him. Verse 11. Let Satan should get an advantage over us. We are not ignorant of his devices.
I'm not to say that people go on and sin, but if someone has fallen into one of these traps via *********** via fornication, and they have repented and turned back to the Lord, there is forgiveness, there is restoration. And it is our job as fellow Christians to show, to confirm our love, that that person doesn't have to live in shame for the rest of their lives. He can look back in Scripture and we can see Brahav who is in the family of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We can let's buy after we can see David and he fell and through through his life. Bathsheba there was Solomon's there can be blessing if you have fallen. There can and there is blessing if we turn back to the Lord. 256T plus four to three plus TV to be myself and still believe 256.
Is the savior.
I saw your dog in my squinty to the end of my style and still believing you'll be home by every sinning promised Lord for everything.
And we sounded where we would like it, and we sounded like we should be great.
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Shall be.
Our own.