A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event. More than 70% of men from 18 to 34 visit a pornographic site in a typical month (comScore Media Metrix). 51% of pastors say cyber-porn is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle (Christianity Today, Leadership Survey, 12/2001). Over half of evangelical pastors admits viewing pornography last year.
57% of pastors say that addiction to pornography is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation (Christians and Sex Leadership Journal Survey, March 2005). The total porn industry revenue for 2006: $13.3 billion in the United States; $97 billion worldwide (Internet Filter Review. King David had his own pornography problem (2 Sam. 11).
David stayed at Jerusalem after sending out Joab, his servants and all Israel who destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. In the evening, David saw a beautiful woman bathing from his roof. After inquiring about Bathsheba, he had sex with her and she conceived (2 Sam. 11:1-5). Idleness and withdrawal from the spiritual battle sets you up toward yielding to sexual temptation.
David called for her husband, Uriah. Instead of having sex with his wife, he slept at the door of the king’s house with the lord’s servants because his fellow soldiers were fighting. Even though David got Uriah drunk, he still slept with the lord’s servants instead of going down to his house (2 Sam. 11:6-13). Men often hide sexual sin from others.
David wrote a letter to Joab to place Uriah at the front lines of battle and have his army withdraw so he would die. Joab instructed a messenger to report that Uriah was killed in the manner of Abimelech when a woman threw a upper millstone upon him when he was near a wall (2 Sam. 11:14-21). Sexual sin causes men to devise elaborate plots to cover it up.
A messenger reported to David that Uriah was killed in battle. David didn’t want Joab disturbed since he rationalized that Uriah’s death was random and encouraged him to make his battle stronger against the city to overthrow it (2 Sam. 11:22-25). Sexual sin causes great hurt to others when it’s rationalized away to sooth one’s conscience.
Bathsheba mourned over Uriah’s death, became David’s wife and bore a son. What David did was evil in the Lord’s sight (2 Sam. 11:26-27). Sexual sin is evil in the Lord’s sight.
Consider the following questions:1. Are you gazing too long at a woman’s body in person, through magazines or electronic media?2. Consider how this sin hurts your family and is evil in God’s sight.3. Instead of hiding or rationalizing your struggle with sexual lust, confess it to God and to others of the same gender (James 5:16).
