Cohabitation Debunked
Theme of the week: Realigning with God's Plan for Sex
Thursday, October 11, 2012
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Key Bible Verse: Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex. (Hebrews 13:4, The message) Dig Deeper: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
One of the most thoroughly studied topics regarding sex outside of marriage is the effect of cohabitation on relationship success. [When compared to married couples who didn't live together before marriage,] cohabitating couples who eventually married experienced higher levels of instability and disagreement, decreased interaction, lower marital satisfaction, less supportive behavior, less time spent together in shared activities, less positive problem solving, less effective communication, more marital problems, and an increased likelihood of divorce.
Ignoring the limits God has placed on the use of our sexuality comes at a high price. But you can choose to do things God's way. Save the gift of your sexuality for marriage. If you're in a relationship where you are sexually active and not married, ask God to help you reshape that relationship in the way that he desires. Wherever you may struggle with sexual sin, call out to God and ask him to help you move away from sin and toward healing and wholeness. If you are feeling the guilt, pain, and loss of a soul that has been shredded by sexual sin, call out to Jesus. He can reweave the torn emotional fabric. He will forgive and make you whole, someone new.
—Philip Carlson in Love Written in Stone
My Response: Am I rationalizing any sinful sexual behaviors?
Thought to Apply: Sex is from God. He gave it to us as a wedding gift.—Bill Shannon (pastor)
Adapted from Love Written in Stone (Bethany House, 2011) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.
Copyright © 2012 by Christianity Today/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
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Father, give me a healthy understanding of my sexuality and help me to submit my sexual desires to your holy and wise will.
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