Why would a fifty-nine-year-old pastor’s wife write about pornography? Well, it certainly isn’t a desirable topic, and certainly not one which I would choose to write about. But for the past two days, I’ve been dealing with messages sent to my blog which were links to porn sites. Did I look at them? Sadly, I was deceived by the first one, so yes, for one horrible moment I was there.
I remember a pastor preaching about temptation and saying that the first temptation is not sin. It becomes sin when you return to the temptation the second time. When the second message came from another source, it looked very much like the first one. I debated whether I should look at it, and here’s the really frightening thing: For one split second, I was curious. Me! How much temptation it must be for a young man! I was horrified that I was even tempted.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8
This is not child’s play, my friend!
- We need to be sober, or serious about this. The accessibility of porn is frightening!
- We need to be vigilant—ever watching and on guard. Be sure there are safeguards on your electronic devices AND on those of your children! An innocent mind could be destroyed by one accidental click!
- We have a dangerous, conniving, powerful, never-stopping adversary. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown’s commentary tells us that the word ‘adversary’ literally means “opponent in a court of justice.” Satan is constantly accusing us and building a case against us. He’s a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). This tempter counteracts and counterattacks the Gospel and everyone who proclaims it. If you are a born-again believer, you have a target on your back and so do your children!
- He is a roaring lion. He is violent and has an insatiable thirst for the blood of his prey.
- He walks about, roaming the earth with his minions.
- He does not just want to chew on us, he wants to devour us! How? By entangling us in the many worldly cares and snares that we face every day!
Praise God for the next verse in 1 Peter 5: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world (9).
There will always be an image in my mind of a photo that a boy thrust in my face as a junior high student on the bus on my way to school. I was horrified that day as well. I never knew such things existed. Beware! The eye-gate is the place where Satan does most of his dirty work. Guard it carefully and protect your children and teens as well! I can’t imagine what it would be like to be enslaved to that sort of thing. Truly there is only one way of escape! Jesus Christ our dear Savior! Only through Him and His amazing grace and the power of His Holy Spirit can we steadfastly resist!
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. I Peter 5:10
Beyond Common Sense 