Cherita M. Lamb - Sexual Purity

As a child, I often heard my parents say, “When you become an adult you can do whatever you want.” How different my life would have been if I had been told instead: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19, NIV)

In my workshop, I want to address the issue of masturbation—is it right or wrong? Biblically it is addressed as sensual (sexual) indulgence and or sensuality. This is a practice many believers have and do practice, along with pornography, and I want to dispel some wrong thinking on the matter.

I did not honor God with my body before I was married, or during the early years of marriage. Being exposed to porn at a young age gave me a false sense of entitlement and intimacy. I allowed myself to be deceived into thinking I was pure, just because I was not having sex. This thinking followed me into marriage. In the first years of marriage, it was just sex without true intimacy. I even used it as weapon to punish my husband. I withheld sex, which brought more temptation into our marriage. Painfully, I learned that I could make the choice, but I could not choose the consequences. Without God, all evil things are possible. I’m so glad that Jesus not only became my Savior, but also the Master of my life. It was only then that I learned about the true intimacy God intended me to have with my husband.
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I pray that you will let me share with you what God has shown to me through these years, and how He healed me. The Lord wants to change and heal our thinking when it comes to Purity. With change and healing comes a wonderful changed life! Praise Be To Our God!