Power of Purity | Helping Men to Honor God with their Sexual Gift

God is pretty smart. In fact, God is a genius! Sex was his idea. He invented sex. God must be brilliant! He's the one who concieved of it, and created it, and made it as wonderful, and mysterious, and delicious as it is. Since God is the one who invented sex, God has an opinion about sex. He has a heart, mind, will, design, and plan for human sexuality. There are ways to experience sex that are consistant with God's plan for sex, and ways that are inconsistant with his plan. What many of us have done (including the host of this podcast) is that we've taken the gift God created for us and we've turned it into something God never intended for it to be. Some people abuse alcohol to the point where it becomes destructive. Some people abuse food to the point where it becomes destructive. Some people abuse gambling to the point where it becomes destructive. And in much the same way, some people abuse the gift of sex to the point where it becomes destructive. In this episode Tony talks about "lasciviousness", and what it means to "reel in" the unhealthy, dysfunctional, and harmful ways we've become accustomed to experiencing sex to a place that's healthier and more consistent with God's heart, mind, will, design, and plan for sex in our lives.

The bible says that God's people are "peculiar people". We are called to be very different from people who do now know, love, or serve God. Out of all the nations of the earth, God chose Israel to be his people. They were to be very different from the nations around them. God's people are to think different. God's people are to have different priorities. God's people think very differently about money, marraige, values, and virtually every area of life. And this "peculiar" difference should certainly have profound implications for the way God's people express and experience their sexual gift. People without God can have sex however they want to have sex, but God's people can't to that. People without God can commit fornication, or adultry, but God's poeple can't do that. People without God can participate in orgies or beastiality, but God's people can't do that. If you belong to call, you are his "treasured posession", he has "called you out", he has "set you apart", and you are part of his "peculiar people". In this series Tony explores the implications of being the "peculiar people" of God, and the implications of that reality upon our sexual gift. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and puriify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:14

The bible says that God's people are "peculiar people". We are called to be very different from people who do now know, love, or serve God. Out of all the nations of the earth, God chose Israel to be his people. They were to be very different from the nations around them. God's people are to think different. God's people are to have different priorities. God's people think very differently about money, marraige, values, and virtually every area of life. And this "peculiar" difference should certainly have profound implications for the way God's people express and experience their sexual gift. People without God can have sex however they want to have sex, but God's people can't to that. People without God can commit fornication, or adultry, but God's poeple can't do that. People without God can participate in orgies or beastiality, but God's people can't do that. If you belong to call, you are his "treasured posession", he has "called you out", he has "set you apart", and you are part of his "peculiar people". In this series Tony explores the implications of being the "peculiar people" of God, and the implications of that reality upon our sexual gift. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and puriify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:14

In this episode Tony shares several very impotant things: (1) He gives a shout out to his old friend, Larry, who just went to heaven. God bless Larry! God bless his life! Larry loved the Lord and served the Lord his whole life, and now Larry is in the presence to of the Lord! To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. II Corinthians 5:8 (2) He shares a beautiful worship song, I Love You Lord, sung by Jared Reynolds. (3) He shares very openly about a "fear" he has that he might not have the strength he needs to continue to honor God as a single man with the expression of his sexual gift. (4) He explores the profound teaching of the bible that explains how our love of God is what empowers our obedience to God. 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27 He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" 28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." Luke 10:25-28 If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. John 14:21 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching." John 14:23 (5) He shares an important exhortation for us, as the sons of God, to love God so we will be empowered to obey God! Be blessed as you listen to this episode, The Power of Loving God!

Have you ever felt like you were standing on the ledge of a building about 50 stories tall? Have you ever felt like you're about to fall off the ledge? Have you ever felt like you might jump? Sometimes life feels overwhelming. Sometimes we get flooded. Sometimes we're overwhelmed. Sometimes our emotions charge in to seize us and make us feel horrible feelings we don't want to feel. Sometimes we don't know what to do. What do we do when we don't know what to do? In this episode Tony shares a recent story from his life when he became lost to himself, and got so upset he was almost beside himself. How do we reel ourselves back in when we've become lost to ourself? How do we get our legs back under us when we feel like we've been chopped down? In this episode Tony talks about what it means to "talk yourself off the ledge" when life seems overwhelming and unmanageable. It's at these times that we can be in great danger of acting our in our sexual compulsion and sexual addiction. It's at these times we can be tempted to self-medicate, to anesthetize, and to escape by using our sexual gift in an unhealthy way. You no longer have to be the man you used to be, because you can learn to "talk yourself off the ledge". 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

In this episode of the podcast Tony shares 4 words that he never thought he'd ever say in his entire life: I'm a divorced man. Tony and Sheri were married on September 17th, 1983, and they were divorced on July 20th, 2023. That means they were married for 39 years, 10 months, and 3 days, or said another way, they were married for just 59 days short of 40 years. On the day Tony recorded this episode of the podcast he had been a divorced man for 12 days. In this heartfelt episode Tony shares several important reflections from the very difficult journey through the most painful and traumatic days of his entire life. In addition he reflects upon the hope of the gospel, and the reality that in the economy of God's Kingdom, life comes out of death. What do we do when life beats us up? What do we do when profoundly diffiuclt things happen in our lives that we cannot change? "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." John 12:24 5 Those who cry as they plant their crops will sing with joy when they gather them in. 6 Those who go out weeping as they carry seeds to plant will come back singing with joy. They will bring the new crop back with them. Psalm 126:5-6 Song by Clint Black - When I Said I Do

Tony was recently invited to speak on Sunday morning at Trinity Community Church, and in this series he shares the message he presented on that day entitled, "Run to God". We live in a deeply broken world, and sometimes life has a way of beating us up. What do you do when you don't understand what's going on in your life? What do you do when you're overwhelmed with your situation? What do you do when you feel like the waters are up to your neck? What do you do when it seems like God isn't showing up to help you? In this message Tony shares a little bit of what his journey has looked like over the past two years, which has been the most difficult time of his entire life, and what it means to hold on to God, and to "Run to God", no matter what. 1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. 3 I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. 4 Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal. Psalm 69:1-4 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Tony was recently invited to speak on Sunday morning at Trinity Community Church, and in this series he shares the message he presented on that day entitled, "Run to God". We live in a deeply broken world, and sometimes life has a way of beating us up. What do you do when you don't understand what's going on in your life? What do you do when you're overwhelmed with your situation? What do you do when you feel like the waters are up to your neck? What do you do when it seems like God isn't showing up to help you? In this message Tony shares a little bit of what his journey has looked like over the past two years, which has been the most difficult time of his entire life, and what it means to hold on to God, and to "Run to God", no matter what. 1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. 3 I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. 4 Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal. Psalm 69:1-4 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

In this eipisde Tony shares 5 important purity obervations from 1 Peter 1:13-16. In this passage the Apostle Peter shares 5 strategies that bridge the gap from your mind on the inside to holiness in your life on the outside. (1) Prepare your mind for action. (2) Self-control. (3) Set your hope fully on the grace of Jesus Christ which will be revealed when he returns. (4) Be obedient children of God who no longer conform to the evil desires you obeyed when you lived in ignorance. (5) Be holy at your Father in heaven is holy. God would not tell you to do something that was impossible for you to do. If God tells you to be holy, it must be possible for you to be holy. Holiness is within your reach. You can make quality decisions. You can exercise your "no" muscle. You can be a man of purity! Listen to this episode and be encouraged by these 5 Strategies of Puritythe Apostle Peter has given us. 13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." I Peter 1:13-16

Have you ever been in the place where you know you should not sexully do the thing your're about to do, but for some reason you're simply powerless to resist against it, and you go ahead and do the thing even though you know you shouldn't to the thing? You go ahead and take the "risk" even though you know you should not be taking the "risk". What's going on with that? How and when did we learn to take such great risks with our sexual self? Where were the seeds of such risk taking planted in our hearts and lives? Imagine walking up to the very edge of the Grand Canyon, and literally standing on the very edge, and hanging your toes over! Dude, you're way too close to the edge! Are you crazy! Do you realize that you're flirting with great danger if you alllow yourself to go up to the very edge over and over again. You might get away with it one time. You might get awasty with it two times. You might get away with it seventeen times in a row, but if you keep going up to the very edge, you might just fall off! In this episode Tony helps us to understand how and why we learned to take such big "risks" in our sexual behavior, and what we can do to pull ourselves back from the edge. The power of taking risks can be broken in you life, through the power and the blood of Christ!