Are you losing hope that you can live a life of purity in today's culture of immorality? Don't give up. Today, on Turning Point, Dr. David Jeremiah offers tools from God's Word to help you prevent immorality from taking root in your life. From the series, Powerful Principles from Proverbs.
Here's David with the conclusion of his timely message. Power up purity. Proverbs about purity.
Well, you will never find a book that has more pointed principles about living a pure life than the book of Proverbs. Throughout the whole book are illustrations, mini stories, things that you should take to heart when you read this book. In fact, one of the ways to study the book of Proverbs is get a notebook and put the topic at the top of the page. And every time you find a proverb on that subject, just write it in underneath the topic. And little by little, you'll convey to yourself the power of this book as all of the principles about individual subjects come together.
That's kind of what I did when I prepared these messages and came up with these subjects. And I tell you, friends, there's so much in the book of Proverbs about living a pure life and the dangers and what happens when you don't. Tremendous reading for our culture today. Don't forget, during this month, we have a wonderful resource. It is a book about Israel.
And even today, as I awokah, saw some crazy stuff being said about Israel from people here in America who've lost their minds about this nation and have become as anti-Semitic as some of the things surrounding the Holocaust. We need to be on our toes as believers and not be afraid to share what God has said about the nation of Israel. We've put it in a book, a hundred plus pages, a beautiful gift book, and it's called God's Heart for Israel and Why It Should Have a Place in Your Heart Too. And it's our resource for the month of August. When you send a gift of any size to Turning Point this month, we'll send this book to you if you ask for it, and it will be yours to read.
And you'll be happy to have it because it will help you answer the questions that are being asked all over the country today.
Now, here's part two. Of Power Up Purity, Proverbs About Purity. Walter Trobisch was writing on sexual purity and God's forgiveness, and he made a statement in one of his articles that just jumped off the page to me. The statement was that God's wonderful forgiveness is so wonderful that God can make done things undone. And I looked at that and I thought That's not true.
That's not true. I never wrote a letter to anybody who wrote an article in a magazine before in my life, but I wrote him a letter. I said, I read your article, and it is wonderful except for one statement: God cannot make done things undone. How many of you know that? I was at that time counseling with a young lady who was in trouble because of immorality.
She was carrying a child. That she should not have been carrying. She had no husband. She had been immoral. And she was brokenhearted, and she asked God to forgive her, and God did forgive her, no question about it, but the baby was born.
You can't make done things undone.
So there is a price. spiritually. But I don't want to talk about the spiritual price. I want to get down to the practical issues that affect this in our churches and in our homes. Because Solomon looks at us as almost as if he's taking an x-ray picture of this particular time in history.
And he tells us what happens when we do not follow God's clear direction about moral purity. First of all, we suffer personally. Proverbs 5:9 says, Lest you give your honor to others. and your years to the cruel one. One commentator I read said the word cruel one means blackmailer.
Lest you give your honor to others and allow yourself to be blackmailed. You pay a price emotionally. Proverbs 5:11 to 14 says that this kind of activity fills your life with remorse and regret. And you mourn at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, and you say, How I have hated instruction. And my heart despised correction.
I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me. I was on the verge of total ruin in the midst of the assembly of the congregation. Notice, Hated instruction, despised correction, obeyed not the voice of his teachers, inclined not his ear to those who instructed him. Here's a person who looks back on his life and realized that he had been forewarned and he had ignored the warning and had walked headlong into the whole situation in spite of that. I cannot tell you how many times.
People have come to talk to me over the years of my ministry about relationships. that they knew were wrong. That they knew were in violation of the Word of God. And as we have talked, I have explained to them what God's word said. And they have said, We're going to do this anyway.
and ask God to forgive us. That's tempting God with presumptuous sin. That's saying, I can do whatever I want. And then I can just pray a prayer and God will make it all better. My friend, that is so presumptuous, and it helps you to understand how little you know both about the grace of God and the judgment of God.
And then here's one that everyone who's been through a situation in life can certainly. Talk about, and that is how this deals with you financially. Proverbs 5:10. And notice what it says, lest aliens be filled with your wealth. and your labors go to the house of a foreigner.
Isn't that something? You watch people go through a divorce and see how they have to settle their business. Or here's another Proverb 6:26: For by means of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread. I know guys who work every day. And about 80% of their work.
goes toward alimony. and settlement accounts and attorneys' fees. Because They couldn't stay at home. and do what God tells them to do.
So they work every day and they're reduced to a crust of bread. It touches you professionally. It says here, verses 18 and 19, for her house. leads down to death. And her paths to the dead.
Now, watch this: none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life. A very interesting concept. Yes, God can forgive it, and yes, He will, and I want to make sure before we're finished, anyone caught up in the trap like we're talking about knows that God will forgive you and He'll wash it clean, He'll give you a clean heart. But there is a price to pay, there are consequences, there's scar tissue that develops over the issues that happen. And it's usually true that when someone falls, this is especially true when it's someone in spiritual leadership.
They may be forgiven and they may be restored, but they're never restored to the same level of influence that they had before it all happened. They can't recover the lost momentum in their life and regain the paths that once they walked. Then it touches you socially. Notice Verses 29 through 35 of the sixth chapter say, So is he who goes to his neighbor's wife, whoever touches her shall not be innocent. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's starving, yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold.
He may have to give up all the substance of his house. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding. That means he's ignorant. He who does so destroys his own soul, wounds and dishonor he will get, and his reproach will not be wiped away, for jealousy is a husband's fury. Therefore, he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
He will accept no recompense, nor will he be appeased, though you give him many gifts. Every time I turn around, somebody's saying, well, if it's just me. And it's just her. And it's all right with me, and it's all right with her. How does that affect anybody else?
How many of you know that for every me and every her, there's four or five other people involved at each end? There is no such thing as just me and her. We all as men ought to pray. Almighty God. Preserve me from ever having to go in and sit down with my children and explain to them why.
Their mother. And I Are you not going to be together anymore, or why I have violated the covenant of marriage? There's always people hurt. It hurts you professionally, it hurts you socially, and there's a terrible, terrible penalty to be paid. You say, Pastor Jeremiah, this is not a happy message.
I know. But it is a message that comes out of the Word of God. You know, there are all these passages in the book of Proverbs strung together about wisdom. And if one person hears this warning and walks away from an affair that's about to happen or gets out of an involvement that they've started to get into because they realize that God has sent them this love letter to warn them against the penalty, it will be worth all of the tension I feel in this room right now.
Well, that's the problem. Let's talk about how we keep this from happening, all right? I want to get away from the problem. Let's go to the solution. Once again, the book of Proverbs gives us some encouragement.
How do I keep this kind of thing from happening in my life? And I speak as a person who is taking this counsel along with you because I'm no better than anyone else. I stand on this platform so you can see me, but not because I'm above you. I'm just one of you. I'm a fellow struggler, a fellow human being with all of the same potential to do something terrible.
If I don't walk with God. But listen to the Proverbs. First of all, respond to the counsel of God's Word. Here in this passage that we have read, and in all these passages, there is this plea on the part of the Father to the Son. Notice chapter 5, verses 1 and 2: My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
Lend your ear to my understanding, that you may preserve discretion and your lips may keep knowledge. Notice In this chapter, it talks about paying attention to what you hear.
Some of you who are younger say, oh, they don't know what it's like to live in this culture. This is all puritanical, this is all fantasy on their part that people live pure lives. It is not so. There are people who live according to the Word of God and find the joy of a pure and moral lifestyle. Proverbs 7.
The beginning says this, My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you. Keep my commands and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart, say to wisdom, you're my sister, and call understanding your nearest kin. That they may keep you from the immoral woman and from the seductress who flatters with her words. What does that say?
That the word of God is the preventative, the word of God will help you. You need to have the Word of God flowing through your life, memorizing Scripture, hearing God's Word, reading books, reading the Word of God over and over again. Let the Word of God renew your mind and fill your heart with God's truth. Psalm 119, verse 11 says, Your word have I hidden in my heart. Why?
That I might not sin against you. And Psalm 119, verse 9 says, How can a young man cleanse his way? Listen, by taking heed according to your word. That's it. Let the Word of God be your constant companion.
Can't get enough of the Word of God on Sunday for this to happen, I promise you. Can't get it by listening to Turning Point Radio or watching Turning Point Television. You got to get in the book yourself. Let the word of God come through your spirit. Secondly, Reject an arrogant attitude.
Notice verse 26 of chapter 7. Says For she has cast down many wounded.
Now, watch this, and all who were slain by her were strong men. How many of you know that there's no such person who is totally impervious to this kind of an attack or this kind of an involvement? The first thing we need to do, men, is exercise this knowledge, and women too, that any one of us, no matter what our background, no matter what our circumstance, is capable of doing something to hurt God. And hurt the ones that love us, hurt our testimony, and hurt our families. We're capable of it.
The Bible says. that we're not ever to allow pride to get into our lives because pride goes before destruction. and a haughty spirit before a fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. A man Had a date.
And he took his date For a picnic. And they stopped. This is a true story. They stopped at Kentucky Fried Chicken. and bought two boxes of chicken to go on their little picnic.
And when they got to the park, He opened up his box of chicken. And instead of chicken, in the box was apparently that day's receipts over $800. His date said, What are you going to do with this? He said, Well, take it back. Absolutely.
So he went back to Kentucky Fright and he took the box and he gave it to the proprietor. And the proprietor was overwhelmed, as you can well imagine. In our culture today, that kind of thing doesn't happen very often. And he said, You know, this is an incredible story. This is a wonderful story.
I'm going to call the newspapers when we get them out here, and we're going to put this in the paper and let everybody know that honesty is still around. He says, Oh, don't do that. The woman I'm with is not my wife.
Now, that illustrates the subtle way that we think, isn't that right? You can be honest about $800 and absolutely dishonest about a more important relationship than you'll ever know. That's how easy Satan fools us into thinking we're incapable of making such mistakes. Listen to me, don't be arrogant. Don't think it can't happen to you.
I don't care how pristine you may be in your thought process. Remember, let him that thinketh he stand, take heed, lest he fall. reject an arrogant spirit. And then thirdly. recognize the danger of conversation.
This is happening more and more. Every time we talk to somebody, well, we could just talk. Usually, it's not even a sexual thing that begins. It's just, well, she listened to me. She cared about what was going on.
I could talk. A reminder to all married couples: we need to talk more. What's going on right now is we got chat rooms. On the internet. We got all kinds of infidelity going on because people are talking to one another.
on the internet.
Now I'm not saying that every internet relationship is bad, but it's bad if you already have a relationship.
Somebody said, well, I'm not sure I'm married to the right woman. My friend, if you're married, you're married to the right woman. Yeah. Amen. Chat rooms, just the very thought of it.
People getting together. In the quietness of their study or at work or wherever. Developing relationships through conversation. Did you notice when we were going through these passages how much was said about words? In case you didn't, let me just run them by you real quickly.
Proverbs 2:16, deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with their words. 5.3. For the lips of an immoral woman, drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. Proverbs 6, 24, to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of a seductress. Proverbs 7:21, with her enticing speech, she caused him to yield.
With her flattering lips, she seduced him. Hmm. Just be careful. about conversations. There is a line in a conversation between a man and a woman.
Who are not married to each other and are married to somebody else? There's a line in conversation over which you should not cross. When you start discussing personal, intimate things with people who are not your own spouse. You have entered into the danger zone, and it's just a matter of time before all of the things that we've talked about already become personally known to you. Watch out for your conversations.
I never saw that before, but it's so true. Then run away from temptation. I've said this so often in various sermons that come close to this subject that I'm almost embarrassed to say it again. But notice what it says in Proverbs 5.8. Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house.
Get out of there, man. Get out of there. I often said the best equipment for Maintaining moral purity is the best pair of Adidas you can buy. Thank you. Joseph ran away.
Remember that? Joseph was caught, he ran away. And it says in the Word of God that we're to flee this. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not even stray into her paths.
1 Corinthians 6:18 says, Flee sexual immorality. 2 Timothy 2:22 says, Flee youthful lusts. Run from it. I don't have to interpret that. If you're in a situation at work where this kind of thing is happening and you're getting kind of drawn into a relationship, ask for a transfer.
If you have the power, ask for their transfer. But don't allow yourself to stay in an environment. Where you are constantly exposed to the same temptation which you are currently not doing well with. Realize the fulfillment of your marriage relationship. It's not only what you do out there, it's what you do at home as well.
Now Turn with me. You're not going to believe this is in the Bible, but it is. Let me read, beginning in the fifth chapter, beginning at the fifteenth verse. Are you ready? Drink water from your own cistern.
Running water from your own well. Should your fountains be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets, let them be only your own and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth as a loving deer and a graceful doe. Let her breast satisfy you at all times. and always be enraptured with her love.
For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman. and be embraced in the arms of a seductress. You say that's almost erotic language to be reading in church. It's in the Bible. And what it says is: there isn't anything wrong with sexuality.
There's not anything wrong with it, God created it. It's to be enjoyed within the boundary of marriage between one man and one woman who covenanted themselves together for life. And the Bible says in the book of Hebrews, That God honors this. That marriage is an honorable thing among all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. God teaches us that the best defense is a good offense, right?
And when you allow God to work in your own marriage relationship so that it's strong, it makes it even more difficult. For the tempter to come and lure you away and do something that will destroy your life. Finally, Resolve to guard your heart. Proverbs 6.25 says, Do not lust after her beauty in your heart. nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
Proverbs 4, 23 says, Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Job said in Job 31, 1, I have made a covenant with my eyes. Why then should I look upon a young woman? A young man who was unaccustomed to the night life of the city. was in Paris.
in the company of an older man. It was night as they stood outside one of the dens of iniquity. and the atmosphere was heavy with perfume. The sound of music and dancing broke in upon the ear. The lights over the entrance seemed alive with brilliance.
Turning to the old man, the younger man asked, And what is this? With no smile whatever, the reply came, This son. is the gate of hell. And above the entrance was a sign. Nothing to pay.
Nothing to pay to get in. But everything to pay. wants you there. The Word of God. is such a loving letter.
It may sound as if it's harsh when we speak of it in terms like this, but God loves us so much, He wants the best for us. And the best for us does not lie in illicit relationships and in moral conduct. My friend, the best is in a relationship. According to God's word. I have a friend by the name of Richard Furman, who is a doctor in Boone, North Carolina.
He is a thoracic surgeon and a wonderful Christian. And we were talking about losing our parents. He told me about his dad who died when he was 73. And he said, David, one thing I will never forget. Is that after my dad died, we as children gathered around and were talking to my mom about my dad and their relationship and their marriage?
And we got to talking about their wedding. And mom said, That when they got married, they didn't have any money for a honeymoon.
So they spent their honeymoon in her parents' home. up in the second story of their home. And one of the kids said, Mom, How long did the honeymoon last? She said it ended yesterday. Hmm.
That's what I want. Isn't that what you want? Isn't that where the joy of life is? Isn't that where godliness is reflected in homes? It ended yesterday.
May it be so for us. And let me say this to you. Wherever you are in this process, maybe you have blown it. Maybe there's some scars on your heart. I want to tell you that God will forgive you.
And he wants you now to take what's left of your life and make the best of it for his honor and glory.
Okay. You can't go back and undo what's done, but you can go forward. You can go forward with the principles of God's Word and live your life. according to his principles. of purity.
May God grant that you will do it. And in the process, may you find a way to cultivate a higher love. A love for the Lord Jesus that will be so great that you would never want to do anything to hurt Him. Because he's done so much for you. Amen.
Amen. Well, tomorrow we're going to talk about Power up your marriage proverbs for partners.
So, kind of make that transition into the marriage discussion tomorrow from the book of Proverbs. I hope you'll join us then. I've been telling you about this book, God's Heart for Israel. It's our resource for the month of August. You'll want to have this book because It brings together the passages from the Bible that talk about the importance of Israel and God's plan.
And it's important that we as believers don't lose sight of what the Bible tells us. The Bible is very clear that God blesses those who bless Israel. and that he curses those who curse Israel. I didn't say that. The Bible says that.
And it's in this book along with a lot of other principles. We want you to have the book. When you send your gift to Turning Point in the month of August, we'll send it to you when you ask for it, and it'll be our way of saying thank you for your involvement. See you next time. Today's message originated from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr.
David Jeremiah. Drop us a note to let us know how God is using this ministry in your life. Right to Turning Point, PO Box 3838, San Diego, California, 92163. Visiting our website at davidjeremiah.org/slash radio. That's davidjeremiah.org slash radio or by calling 800-947-1993.
Ask for your copy of David's new book, God's Heart for Israel. It's yours for a gift of any amount. You can also download the free Turning Point mobile app for your smartphone or tablet. or search in your app store for Turning Point Ministries to access our content. Visit davidjeremiah.org slash radio for details.
This is David Michael Jeremiah. Join us tomorrow as we continue powerful principles from Proverbs on Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah.
