Sex: Design. Distortion. Redemption.عينة

Prayer: Thank God for this time you get to spend with Him and His word. Before starting today, pray that as you read God reveals to you areas of your life where you are losing battles. Pray that you get a deeper understanding of why we always seem to choose the thing that has negative side effects, especially in our sexuality. “False Promises” Two-year-olds have absolutely no sense of self-preservation. If they see a chair, they have to climb it. If they see a body of water, they have to get in it. If they sees a public handrail, they have to lick it. Whether the danger is heights, depths, or bacteria, two-year-olds completely ignore the inevitably negative consequences of their actions for the sake of fulfilling immediate desires. In many ways, even as we get older, we still struggle like two-year-olds. We fight and lose countless battles against our immediate desires despite the fact we know they will lead to future consequences. We choose to eat more of an unhealthy food, which leads to later guilt and dissatisfaction with personal health. We choose diversion over work, which leads to later frustration and failure. For temporary pleasure, we use our sexuality as a bargaining chip, a distraction, or even a weapon, which leads to later pain and shame. God designed sexuality to bring joy and satisfaction for husbands and wives, but deviating from that original design can bring incredible sorrow and loss. Questions to Ask Yourself: 1. Have you ever found yourself ignoring inherent danger & inevitable destruction for the sake of fulfilling an immediate desire? 2. Read Proverbs 7 and consider when your sexual desires led you into a trap. Are there past sexual decisions you would not make again? How could those “snares” have been avoided? What’s Next: 1. Confess to yourself and to God where you currently feel tempted to meet sexual desires in a way you know will lead to future harm. Who can you ask to walk alongside you in this struggle & pull you away from the “doorways” you’re likely to enter?