From March 07

A Beauty Veiled

I'm taking a very scary step. This is the outline of a message I will be sharing Sunday evening in our discipleship group.
Numbers 4

(4:4) "The duties of the Kohathites at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects.

When the Tabernacle was moved they were the ones who carried the most sacred objects.

(4:17) Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, (4:18) "Don't let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites! (4:19) This is what you must do so they will live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects. Aaron and his sons must always go in with them and assign a specific duty or load to each person.
(4:20) Otherwise they must not approach the sanctuary and look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die."

There were things there that couldn't be touched or even looked at by just anyone.

Even those assigned to moving them could not without the High Priest going in first.


Don't let the Kohanite clan die

What's that all about?

Saw a parallel between the sacred objects and the beauty of women.

Something I'd rather not talk about
Not that!
Like to talk about things that make me look good, like a spiritual giant
Duane said in his message that there are one or two guys here at the discipleship school who are facing things and this time it is crucial that they get it - I am one of the guys
No matter what the fall-out I need to be real

Major issue for me has been porn

Efforts to change behaviour have had limited sucess.

Two, or three things have been a major help:

1) Changing thinking
A while ago I was giving into temptation again
I did a search on a lady's name in the porn scene. It was that old familiar path of defeat again.
The filter on my computer was doing a real good job of blocking the sites though and I was starting to feel better.
But then I did get into one site and my spirits started to sink. You can see the internal battle going on. Part of me desperately wanted to see the nude photos and part of me desperately did not.
What I found on that page was a link a 11 page testimony. This lady has left the porn industry to follow Jesus!
(Go to http://www.myspace.com/yourfriendcrissy and look for the blog "My Testimony")
That has radically altered my thinking
What am I going to do with that? In many ways it was like a knife in my heart to read her story. How could I be indulging in that?
In being in the Bible more and in discipleship class my thinking is changing.
As I was reading in Numbers I saw it
The beauty of a woman is like the sacred and holy objects
it needs to be covered, it needs to be a beauty veiled
wonder why the enemy has so strongly used the porn industry
he wants to destroy something beautiful, sacred,and holy
beauty of woman reflects something of the beauty and holiness of God
Not to be looked at or touched by anyone except the one He chooses
The sacred objects were not bad or ugly. They reflected the holiness of God. Not to be touched or looked at by just anyone. The result was death.
In the same way when we look at a woman's beauty uncovered it works death in us.
Ever wonder why it is so addictive?
Ever wonder why men can remember the first image they saw?
Its designed that way, its supposed to be addictive and unforgettable - its supposed to be your wife!
Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

2)Quit hiding, hoping it will just go away and no one ever needs to know. After reading Christina's story I knew I needed to be real.
I need to be open and real whatever the cost.
I told my house church. I thought I was committing ministerial suicide.
"That does it. I will probably never preach again."
Really does a number on my pride.
Do you know, they loved me and continuing to pray for me?




3) Begin to fight the spiritual battle
The broken windows in my truck were like a honey bee sting wake up call
I can't hide from the battle.
We can fight by seriously taking this spiritual plague on in prayer.
We can start helping others who are caught.
Just telling others what God is doing brings hope to them.
Many are secretly wondering if there really is any way out.

I saw something else in Numbers
16:46-48 Aaron ran into the midst of the people with incense for atonement and stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed

Porn has moved from being a problem in our land to being a plague in our land. We need to stand between the living and the dead.

Ladies - keep your beauty veiled
Men - be addicted only to your own wife