Spiritual Intimacy (Re-Post)

Another word from the Purity Platoon. We have been learning about many of the wrong ways to be men in our families — especially some of the ways that we use pornography, masturbation, and other sexual sins to avoid or replace intimacy. Now it is time to start building healthy intimacy with our wives, including [...]

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Purity Platoon – Week 7 (Re-Post)

KEY OBJECTIVE FOR WEEK #7: To cleanse my house of everything unclean. MEMORY VERSE: We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. + 2 Corinthians 10:5b ASSIGNMENT FOR WEEK #7: Do a thorough housecleaning — remove all impure materials and burn or smash them. We are to search our house for any [...]

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A Word on Temptation

The fourth chapter of Luke’s gospel relates Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. The narrative concludes with these words (Luke 4:13): Καὶ συντελέσας πάντα πειρασμὸν ὁ διάβολος ἀπέστη ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι καιροῦ. And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. The Devil exposed Jesus to an array of [...]

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Purity Platoon: The Four Step Fire Drill

One of the tools we have been given in our Purity Platoon is the Four-Step Fire Drill — steps to take when we are confronted with sexual temptation: STEP 1: SPEAK ALOUD Speak aloud these words. “I will not sacrifice my purity no matter what! I will not sacrifice my purity for [name the temptation].” [...]

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Reflecting Turtle: So Where Am I Now?

One year ago today I posted (see below) with the question, “Have I bottomed out?”  At that time I had become distraught enough over my addiction and sexual sin to want to make a change.  But it was not as if I had done nothing prior to that — I had taken part in group [...]

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Reflecting Turtle: Surrender

Today I have a mix of feelings as I sit in my office reflecting on the past week.  I feel hope, gratitude, affirmed, and happy; but also I feel confused, uncertain, and anxious. As I look back at the past week, I really wonder about where I am going in this Battle.  After years of [...]

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Turtle Pulse-Check: Learning to Listen

Now is the time that really matters.  The honeymoon of the Battle is over, the Purity Platoon has been replaced with a Maturity Platoon, and the flesh is being tested. Last week I acted out.  Suddenly I had a chance to see if I’ve really changed since starting the Battle.  I had a chance to [...]

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Turtle Pulse-Check – Getting Up Again

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water! Blessings, blessings, blessings!  That’s what every step of the Battle for Purity has been for me.  But yesterday I had a misstep:  yesterday I viewed internet pornography for the first time in over four months.  Ouch! What happened? I began to feel [...]

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The Call to Holiness

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. + 2 Corinthians 7:1 Today was Week 1 for our Maturity Platoon. This is the fourth and final stage of the process which started at the Battle for Purity back [...]

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Turtle Pulse-Check (9/10)

Today this turtle feels somewhat adrift.  It has been over two weeks since I last met with the Purity Platoon and I am feeling a little disconnected from the Battle.  I feel a little lonely and a little isolated.  I had forgotten how important the element of fellowship is to maintaining a healthy struggle for [...]

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