SEX AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

Sexual Immorality Hinders Our Relationship with God.
God does not sit in heaven making up rules and waiting to punish you for breaking them. Instead, He purposefully created you in His image (Genesis 1:26) with the intention that you would not only love and worship Him (Matthew 4:10), but also be His child (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1) and His friend (James 2:23). The Lord is a personal God and is truly interested in a close and meaningful relationship with you. Consider this: What if you had an adult child that you loved deeply? He was working on an important project and might be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. But he never visited, called or wrote to you. 

Instead, you only learned of his great accomplishments by reading the newspaper. While I am sure you would be proud of his good works, would you not rather have a hug, or to talk to him and to hear him say “I love you?” Well, that is how we treat Jesus each day we just try to lead a good life but do not talk to or say “I love you.” God wants far more from you than to just see that you are doing good deeds. He wants to be involved in your daily life and to have an intimate relationship with you.
The commandments God gives are not designed to be a burden, but to foster your relationship with Him so you may prosper. For instance, Jesus tells you not to commit adultery in your heart (Matthew 5:27-28) or engage in other forms of sexual immorality, such as lust, pornography or masturbation, so you would not damage your relationship with Him (or with your wife and others). He knows that in the end, these things produce shame, guilt, bitterness, hurtful feelings, emptiness and/or loneliness. God wants you to avoid this pain. He calls you to be pure and holy because He is these things (1 Peter 1:16). Best friends share things in common, and Jesus wants you to be like Him.

When your thinking or actions become self-centered you move further away from your loving God. Sexual sins magnify this effect. For instance, our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside those who trust in Jesus. Therefore, sexual sins are sins against God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). Listen carefully to what God is telling you: “In view of God’s mercy you are to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). When you selfishly give yourself over to sexual desires, then sex becomes your master – the focal point of your life. But Jesus wants to be the center of your life, thinking, and actions. He also wants to meet your needs. Each time you lust, masturbate or look at pornography, you place God on a shelf and forget about the One who loves you and gave Himself for you. You turn away from Jesus and disregard the good things He alone can give.

Make a Commitment Now.
God is calling you right now to put aside selfishness and pride and to follow Jesus Christ! If you have been sexually impure, go to Jesus right now. No matter what your sexual sin, He is faithful and willing to forgive and purify you (1 John 1:9). God wants to forgive you, but you must ask to be forgiven and you must trust completely in Jesus Christ for healing. This happens when you (1) acknowledge and confess that your selfishness and pride are sins against God, and (2) when you turn total control of all areas of your life to Jesus. True repentance must occur before you can be changed by God. Right now, close your eyes and admit that you made the satisfaction of your desires the focus of your life and acknowledge how your pride has blinded you to God’s truth. Confess your sins. Spend time asking Jesus to take total, permanent control of all areas of your life. May God's abiding presence continue to assist us in daily endeavours.