| VANITY IS … OUT OF FASHION | |
| Fashion and vanity crave only one thing: BEAUTY. The problem is, worldly fashion overemphasizes physical beauty. And so , no matter how much you try to beautify your external appearance, you will always fall short. Because, fact is, TRUE BEAUTY begins inside. The affection of an elaborate hairdress, the wearing of golden jewelry, or the donning of rich robes is not for you. Your adornment is rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the unfading beauty of a clam and gentle disposition. (1 Peter 3:3-4) I have always said that inner beauty is more attractive than external beauty. Ask any man. Ask an husband. They have surely been totally won over by the gentleness and kindness of a woman. Much more than just her pretty face. I n fact, Proverbs 11:22 holds that “Like a golden ring in a swine’s snout is a beautiful woman with a rebellious disposition.” A fine external appearance matched with an ugly guy disposition is repulsive, to say the least. But “ A gracious woman- tender , polite, calm- “wins esteem” (Proverbs 11:16) Interestingly, that verse didn’t even bother to describe how the woman looks. All it says is that graciousness always turns out to be the big winner! Now that we’re all convinced that we must give more attention to building a good Christian character, are we still as interested in giving “ excessive attention to our appearance?” No way! Good. But lest we go the extreme and be neglectful, let me give you some good advice in so far as physical is concerned. . | |
| SEX | |
| Sex. It’s in the movies, commercial, and the music we listen to. It’s suggested by the way people dress. Sex is here to stay and it is a part of our life. | |
| Believe it or not, sex was designed by God. God not only created man and woman different physical for sex, but he also created them different from others forms of animals. Men and women have the ability to think rationally and to feel emotionally. Although sexual relationships result in children, God also intended for sex to be pleasure. Everything that God created has purpose. But everything that God created also had order. God’s design for sex, therefore, needs to be understood in the context of marriage, love and lifetime commitment. Otherwise, the relationship results in confusion, conflict and chaos. Sex that is practiced out of God’s plan often results in unwanted pregnancies, abortion, rape and other forms of sexual abuse, and various tragic diseases, including AIDS. Jesus honored the marriage commitment. His first public miracle was performed at a wedding. Shortly afterward, he met a woman at a well who had led a very promiscuous life. She had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband. Jesus told her that there is an inner thirst that can only be satisfied by the “living water” that comes from God. He explained that seeking to fulfill inner desires with outward pleasures will never truly satisfy. The good news is that Jesus does not condemn us for our past lifestyle not lived in keeping with God’s purpose. Those who choose to have sexual relations with their marriage partner for life will certainly receive lasting joy and pleasure. | |
| Prayer: Loving Father, I thank you for creating me with purpose and order. Today I choose to live my sexual life in accordance with your plans and will keep myself pure until marriage. Keep me from impure thoughts and temptations and help me to make right choices based on your word and to not be influenced by what I hear and see in the world around me. | |
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