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Randy Rowland is lead pastor of Sanctuary, an emerging church in Seattle, Washington. He is also president of Sound Images, Inc., a media and marketing consulting and production firm. He's taught at Seattle Pacific University's School of Business and Economics, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Pacific School of Religion. Randy has served as the public address announcer for the Seattle Seahawks. He calls himself a water dog.

I counseled Justin, a gifted young man fighting a losing battle with pornography and chronic masturbation.

"The next time you rent a porno movie," I advised, "pray, 'God, I know this isn't right, but I have terrible unmet needs for love and intimacy that I can't address any other way.'"

"You call yourself a pastor?" Justin exclaimed. "How could you tell me to keep on doing this!" He rose from his chair and headed for the door.

"God already knows the needs in your heart," I said. "He knows the content of every pornographic movie you've rented and witnessed your every act of self-gratification. Why not stop pretending and acknowledge the God who's already there when you struggle with this stuff?"

Justin left my office very upset with me. But several months later, he returned. "You were right," he admitted. "God is there with me. Recognizing that has spoiled lust for me and made me listen to the real yearnings for love in my heart."

Adapted from Sins We Love (Doubleday, 2000) by permission.

Copyright © 2008 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

I've tried, Lord, to shut out sinful compulsions, but what I really need is an intense hunger for You that will crowd all that out.

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