Welcome back to THE V.O.I.C.E. It’s been too long since we’ve continued our discussion on purity. The last two months have been extremely busy, but I plan on putting out a new V.O.I.C.E. issue every other week. I appreciate the good comments and questions I have been given recently. It lets me know someone is reading carefully and taking our material seriously. Starting next week, I will begin posting questions from you, THE GALLERY, and allowing others to see they are not “the only ones with that question.” Let’s get right onto our next topic: The Priority of Purity.

THE PRIORITY OF PURITY

A few years ago, a good friend and I attended an NBA basketball game in Dallas, TX. The Mavericks were playing some team I cannot remember. It was the first NBA game I had ever been to, though my friend had seen many games. There were a few things about the game that stand out in my mind. I remember the obnoxious loud Rock music blaring all throughout the game. I remember the food was quite expensive. I remember the bathrooms were as big as my church auditorium. (The lines were also quite big.) I also remember that the home team lost that game. One particular incident really stuck out to me that I have never forgotten. Let me explain.

As halftime approached, I began thinking of what often occurs during an NBA halftime. I knew some scantily dressed pagans would come onto the court and move their bodies in the most sensually enticing way possible. In preparation, I began thinking of what I would do. My friend was sitting to my left, the courtside was down and to the right, and a father with his two sons was in front and a little to the left of us. No doubt, this was a big father-son outing to an actual NBA game. The boys looked to be 9 and 12, and their dad appeared to be around 38.

Well, the halftime show started, and I looked straight up to the ceiling and admired the incredible engineering wonder of this huge dome. My friend did likewise. Just from the provocative music, you could tell exactly what was going on at center court. A group of painted Jezebels were doing their best to destroy the purity of onlooking males. Then something caught my curiousity: “What is the father of those two boys doing?”

I glanced down and to the left, still safe from view of the shameless half-naked dancers, and there he was, one boy on one side and one boy on the other. The father was staring intently and lustfully at the objects on center court. I watched as one of the boys looked up at his dad’s eyes, then down to the dancers, back to his dad’s eyes, and then finally back down to the dancers. My heart sank! I wanted to put the man in a full-nelson and scream in his ear, “You lousy stinkin’ pervert!!!” Needless to say, I didn’t give in to my natural reflex. Let me make a few observations about this occurance and we’ll talk:

• There’s only one thing that makes my friend and me different from this man: We did not look. The very minute we looked, we would be just like him heading for a life just like his.
• The reason we did not look was because our purity was important to us. It was a priority in our life.
• The reason the man looked was because his purity meant nothing to him.

Is Purity Important To You?

When something is said to be a priority, it is the first in importance. The word “priority” literally means “to come before, to precede in order.” Is your purity a priority to you? Does your purity come first in order of importance? Obviously, to this man it did not. No doubt, early in his teen years he decided that his purity would not be something of value to him. He then became careless with his purity, and eventually became so blinded that revealing his perversion to his own sons didn’t bother him. Just ponder for a moment the emotional damage he must have inflicted upon his sons. They now know that their dad doesn’t really love their mother. In years to come, they will realize what feelings he experienced sinfully against their mother that day. They will also devalue their own loyalty to their wives some day. They are already heading down the same path as their lame father.

His sons’ trust, his sons’ purity, his sons’ futures: Don’t you think these things should have been a priority to this man? Obviously, yes! Well, how about you? What would you have done if you had been there? Would you have defiantly refused to look, or would you have been just like this man and enjoyed the flesh show? Perhaps you are thinking, “But he is a married adult, and I’m just a teen!” I hope you will never forget this, your priority on purity will most likely be years from now what it is today or less. Do not think that you can look now, but later will have the integrity not to look. Let the seed of this thought sink into your heart and spring up as the fear of the Lord.

By the way, what would you have thought about me if I told you that I had watched the show as well? You would rightly call me a hypocrite and refuse to read my articles. But if you would have watched, isn’t that a double standard? Often, teens hold adults up to a higher standard than themselves. My young friend, God holds you just as accountable to keep a priority on purity as He does me and the perverted man.

A Man With A Priority On Purity: Joseph

Genesis 39 records the incredible story of a young man who had placed a great priority on purity. Read this chapter carefully and follow along as I make some observations. In Genesis 37, we are told about Joseph’s dream. (There’s nothing wrong with having a dream for your future.) Joseph had a dream, and he was not going to let anybody or anything rob him of what God had promised him. In verses 19-20, his brothers thought they could destroy his dream. At age 17, Joseph was sold into slavery by his own jealous brothers. However, they could steal his freedom, but not his dream.

Later in chapter 39 we find where Joseph ends up, a servant and Potiphar’s house. It is here that someone else attempts to destroy his dream. Potiphar’s wife attempts to get Joseph to sleep with her and thus destroy everything God had planned for his life. (Satan often tempts us to sin by first causing us to doubt God has a plan for our life.) However, Joseph did not fail because he had placed a great priority on purity. I want you to see three things that Joseph decided to be that you must decide to be if you are to keep a priority on purity.

BE DIFFERENT

If you are going to have a priority on purity, you are going to be different. When Joseph was tempted to commit this sexual sin, he refused and thus distinguished himself as different. Just one chapter before Joseph’s strong stand, we find Judah giving in to his fleshly desires. Under absolutely no pressure at all, Judah spots a roadside harlot and pays her to sleep with him, only to find out later it is his daughter-in-law. We find in Genesis 35:22 that Joseph’s oldest brother Reuben went in to his father’s wife, Bilhah, and slept with her. Even growing up with these horrible examples, Joseph determined to be different and make purity a priority.

“But everyone’s doing it!” Ever heard that before? Unfortunately, it’s partially true. Most everyone is careless with their purity. You may even have close family members who have not set the right example for you as did Joseph’s. So, what are you going to do? Are you going to fold and become just like them, or are you going to be like Joseph and be different?

The truth is, anyone could have done what Judah and Reuben did, but it takes a Joseph to say, “No.” Anyone could have had Potiphar’s wife, but it takes a Joseph to refuse! Anyone can look at internet pornography, but it takes a Joseph to decline! Anyone can lose their purity, but it takes a Joseph to marry with your virginity! Look, if you want to be immoral; it will be the easy route. You will simply be following the crowd who couldn't care less about their purity. Oh, but if you are going to have a priority on your purity, get ready to be like Joseph and be different.

Determine that you are going to be different from this world of perversion. Be unique! Be a man or lady of character, integrity, and boldness. Be one of the few in our day and age who marries with your purity. Stand up and be counted as one of God’s peculiar people who refuses to give into this world’s garbage.

BE DETERMINED

In Genesis 39:8-10 we find out that Potiphar’s wife didn’t know the meaning of the word “no.” She was relentless in her persuit of Joseph’s purity. Let me remind you that there are individuals who will be just as persistant with you about your purity. You, like Joseph, must be determined. Verse 10 tells us that she badgered him every day. She just wouldn’t give up. Every day it was a new technique, a new outfit, a new approach, a new way of playing with words. Joseph, however, was far more determined than she was because he had a dream that he would not let go of.

Oh teens, don’t let go of the dreams God has given you of a happy fulfilling marriage! Don’t forget you have your purity! Don’t forget you have a dream of your future pure marriage. Don’t let anyone ruin it! Don’t give in under the pressure of some “smooth jerk” who is driven by hormones and wants to use your body to satisfy his devilish pleasure. They don’t care about purity. It’s not even a second thought on their mind as they think of wooing you into some indecent situation. Just say, “No,” and you’ll find out how unimportant you are and how important your body is. Send them packing! Put them in a full-nelson and scream in their ear, “You lousy stinkin’ pervert!” And if they have a problem with that, just tell them I told you to do it!

There’s only one way you are going to keep this priority of purity: you’ve got to be determined! Everything in this world is against your purity: your school, music, Hollywood, Mtv, porn, the Internet, friends, television, movies, and many other things. But listen, you can be a godly pure Christian, if you make purity a priority!

BE DEFENDED

Last of all, Joseph was defended. In other words, he had a defense prepared to keep him from losing his purity. This fellow Joseph was one smart guy. When Potiphar’s wife finally snuck up behind him and grabbed his coat in verse 12, he had a plan. He simply left his coat in her hands and did a little Houdini disappearing act. He said, “I’m not sticking around.” He had a defense.

If you are going to keep purity a priority as a young man or young lady, you must be defended. You can’t let your guard down and let the world take advantage of you. So many good Christian young people that I know had every intention of staying pure, but ended up losing because they were not defended. Perhaps you are one who has found yourself alone with a guy, and things began to progressively get worse. Maybe you are a fella who has carelessly provided access to the Internet in your room. You are playing with fire. Don’t take this thing of purity lightly! Make it a priority. Make it first in an order of importance over friendships, pleasures, convenience, movies, music, popularity, and pressure.

I’d like to leave you with a story that came to me from the mouth of a pastor’s wife concerning her daughter. I believe she perfectly demonstrates the principles mentioned above. This young girl attended a public school and was one of a few Christians in the school. Her parents were godly folks who did not allow their daughter to date around, attend dances, or go out to the parties. Because that was true, she was often mocked and criticized for her stand. (Doing what’s right is never the easy thing to do.) By her senior year in high school there was not one girl left in her class who had not lost their purity and virginity. . . that is, except for her. You see, she was the only girl in the school who put a priority on her purity. Because that was true, she had to be different.

I assure you that there is not one bit of this story that has been exaggerated or enhanced for effect. The group of perverted seniors made it their goal that not one girl would walk across the stage and receive a diploma with their purity. So they went to work, and their task seemed like an easy one. . . until they came to this godly girl. They began pressuring her to get into compromising situations where someone could take her virginity, but she would not. They openly ridiculed her to the point where even one of her teachers publicly belittled her virginity in the middle of a class period in a class room full of students. The heat was rising, however, she had a dream and she had decided to be determined. She had placed a priority on her purity and she wasn’t giving in for anything.

Their time was running out and they began to work frantically to pull off their diabolical plan. They sent the “cool” good looking guys of the school after her, but she wouldn’t give them the time of day. Their last ditch effort was to send a “nice, moral decent” young man after her who was also a virgin. They thought she might let her guard down for him. Oh, but I’m so glad to report to you that she already decided to be defended, and she did not fall for their evil plan.

That same godly Christian girl walked across the platform and grabbed her diploma with all the purity God had given her. She was different than any other senior that graduated that day for one reason: she had made purity a priority in her life. By the way, guess who all those guys wanted to marry when it was all said and done? You guessed it! They wanted to marry the only one with her purity. But of course, God had better plans for someone who had let God have His way. She is now very happily married to another Christian young man and they have a child. She is living out the dream that God gave her.

Hey, you can have the same testimony in your life. Get determined and put up a defense, and you will be different, but you will also realize your dreams.