The next verse provides some insight into overcoming temptation:
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
God, in His matchless love and grace, has provided a way through which we can escape temptation. Jesus, in Matthew 4, when He was tempted, resisted by using God's Word to resist the lures of the enemy. Scripture plays a huge part in our victory; as we apply truth to the lies of the devil. Sometimes, like Joseph, you may have to flee the source of temptation - if there's a problem area, don't go there; depend on God to help you take the escape route. No matter what form that escape might take, we have to make sure to look for it when we identify that we are being tempted.
We have to release the power of God to enable us to overcome temptation, recognizing our
vulnerability, realizing the progression, and standing strong in the Spirit. James 1 says:
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
The mindset is destructive and patently unbiblical - yet, it permeates so many areas of American society. Hugh Hefner certainly did not invent the "objectification" of women, but, according to a recent article, he contributed to the mainstreaming of it. Harvey Weinstein, who is currently making headlines for his lecherous treatment of women in Hollywood, based on recent allegations, most certainly bought into it.
Penny Young Nance of Concerned Women for America, writing for FoxNews.com, said about
Hefner: "While many in the press are hailing Hugh Hefner as a pioneer in his day — championing abortion rights and breaking the shackles of an oppressive sexual culture — the man represented a lifestyle and business that was in no way, shape, or form helpful to women." She described the Playboy founder as "the force behind the mainstream objectification of women."
Nance continues:
Patrick Trueman of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, in a piece on the Washington Examiner website, writes that Hefner's "plan to mainstream pornography worked well. Too well, in fact. In the end, the advent of the Internet created a direct portal into the homes of America, something Hefner's competitors moved fast to exploit. The quick and easy access to copious amounts of pornographic material eventually made Playboy obsolete."
He continues by describing the littered landscape of pornography:
Craig Gross of XXXChurch, a ministry to those in the porn industry, writes on the Relevant website about someone devoted to bringing Christ's healing to the broken - by working "undercover," in a sense, in the Playboy Mansion. Gross related about an e-mail he received, which stated, in part:
The article also states:
And, for those who are trapped in addiction to pornography - there is help available! God has provided powerful resources that can help to appropriate overcoming power in order to establish a pure heart and a pure mind.
In our own way, as Christian men, we can also guard against the temptation to objectify the women in our lives - and, of course, that includes the husband-wife relationship. Our wives are gifts from God, and we are to honor for who they are, loving them with God's love, and working unselfishly to extol them and affirm them. I think of the Smallbone brothers from for KING & COUNTRY, who did the book, movie, and song, Priceless, emphasizing the need to treat women in a way that reinforces their worth.
Going back to a theme from yesterday, we need to learn and demonstrate respect for other human beings, affirming their value as those who have been created by God.
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We have to release the power of God to enable us to overcome temptation, recognizing our
vulnerability, realizing the progression, and standing strong in the Spirit. James 1 says:
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
The mindset is destructive and patently unbiblical - yet, it permeates so many areas of American society. Hugh Hefner certainly did not invent the "objectification" of women, but, according to a recent article, he contributed to the mainstreaming of it. Harvey Weinstein, who is currently making headlines for his lecherous treatment of women in Hollywood, based on recent allegations, most certainly bought into it.
Penny Young Nance of Concerned Women for America, writing for FoxNews.com, said about
Hefner: "While many in the press are hailing Hugh Hefner as a pioneer in his day — championing abortion rights and breaking the shackles of an oppressive sexual culture — the man represented a lifestyle and business that was in no way, shape, or form helpful to women." She described the Playboy founder as "the force behind the mainstream objectification of women."
Nance continues:
Porn is everywhere and easily accessible which is different from the days when boys hid coveted copies of Hefner’s magazine under their beds. An astounding 90 percent of boys and 60 percent of girls have been exposed in some way to pornography before they turn 18. Over half of men look at porn frequently and, sadly, 50 percent of religious men say they are addicted to pornography.She also cites research about the prevalence of pornography and its negative effects of marriages. The seed of the enemy planted into people's minds can grow and result in destruction.
Patrick Trueman of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, in a piece on the Washington Examiner website, writes that Hefner's "plan to mainstream pornography worked well. Too well, in fact. In the end, the advent of the Internet created a direct portal into the homes of America, something Hefner's competitors moved fast to exploit. The quick and easy access to copious amounts of pornographic material eventually made Playboy obsolete."
He continues by describing the littered landscape of pornography:
With an unlimited supply of pornography on the Internet, a myriad of harms have taken the country by storm: sexual addictions and disorders, damaged and broken relationships, sexting, child-on-child sexual abuse, revenge porn, increased rape on college campuses and the military, rampant sexual objectification of women in popular culture, psychological effects such as anxiety and depression, and the list goes on.Our culture is broken; Hefner has contributed, so have entertainment moguls who flash images before the eyes of an unsuspecting public. In a piece on the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Jim Denison writes at the Denison Forum website:
I don’t expect ever to meet Harvey Weinstein or the actresses he reportedly abused. But in a nation where one in five women has been raped and one in three has been a victim of physical violence, in a society where child abuse is reported every ten seconds, I won’t have to go far to find someone who needs my help. Nor will you.
Martin Luther King Jr: “The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'”
When you meet someone in need today, which question will you ask?Dr. Denison describes the brokenness in our culture, but he also highlights the opportunity - a powerful reminder that Christ has come to heal the broken.
Craig Gross of XXXChurch, a ministry to those in the porn industry, writes on the Relevant website about someone devoted to bringing Christ's healing to the broken - by working "undercover," in a sense, in the Playboy Mansion. Gross related about an e-mail he received, which stated, in part:
What is really cool, is that for the past few months God has really impressed on my heart that I would be meeting up with many who also are called to be a ‘Lights in Darkness.’ I use this phrase because these were the words He spoke to me as He opened the door for me to step into my gutter.
So if you will look at my personal email address it will explain who I am and where I work. Yes, I work at the Playboy Mansion. Talk about living in a gutter that has opened my heart to His heart for all that walk in and out of this place.Gross said that his friend had seen the book, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren on Hefner's bookshelf. Craig stated:
In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick asks the most basic question everyone faces in life, “Why am I here? What is my purpose?”
Rick Warren says the starting place must be with God and his eternal purposes for each life. Real meaning and significance come from understanding and fulfilling God’s purposes for putting us on earth.
I wasn’t shocked that Hugh Hefner was reading that book.
Porn leaves you on empty. Everyone who watches it can agree.
So, why wouldn’t the guy creating it feel the same exact way?ChristianHeadlines.com reports that noted Christian author and apologist Lee Strobel actually visited with Hugh Hefner at the Playboy Mansion, thanks to a connection that he had. Strobel spoke with The Billy Hallowell Podcast. He said that Hefner seemed "genuinely curious" about what he had to say. Strobel said, "He was quite engaging in terms of the conversation. We talked about what he believed and he had a very minimalistic, deistic view of God," adding, "He said he has a minimal belief in God."
The article also states:
Strobel said Hefner especially “perked up” when it came to discussing evidence for the Resurrection.
"He saw the relevance of the resurrection, he saw the significance of it," said Strobel, adding that he was able to share the evidence for the Resurrection with Hefner, and also to present the Gospel to him.Who knows, other than the Lord, what effect that conversation had on this notorious man? But, we have to recognize that no one is beyond change. The man who did "undercover ministry" at the Playboy Mansion believed it, and was attempting to share the gospel under adverse conditions. Jim Denison also challenged readers to look for opportunities to share the love of Christ with the broken - no one is too far away from the grace of God.
And, for those who are trapped in addiction to pornography - there is help available! God has provided powerful resources that can help to appropriate overcoming power in order to establish a pure heart and a pure mind.
In our own way, as Christian men, we can also guard against the temptation to objectify the women in our lives - and, of course, that includes the husband-wife relationship. Our wives are gifts from God, and we are to honor for who they are, loving them with God's love, and working unselfishly to extol them and affirm them. I think of the Smallbone brothers from for KING & COUNTRY, who did the book, movie, and song, Priceless, emphasizing the need to treat women in a way that reinforces their worth.
Going back to a theme from yesterday, we need to learn and demonstrate respect for other human beings, affirming their value as those who have been created by God.
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