REVIEW: Sex is everywhereSexual messages are confusingSex was God’s ideaGod has a plan for your sexualityHow far is too far? SEX MYTHS THAT NEED TO BE EXPOSED Myth #1: It’s OK to have sex if you’re in ________________. 1 Corinthians 13:4  Myth #2: The rewards are ________________ the risks. Myth #3: Sex will ________________ us closer. Don’t confuse Intensity with Intimacy Myth #4: I need to “test drive” before I ________________. SEX TRUTHS THAT NEED TO BE SHARED Truth #1: Waiting is the most powerful way to say  “ ________________ ” to your spouse. Matthew 19:4-6 Truth #2: Waiting is the most powerful way to ________________ God with your life. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20Some of you are great at honoring God at ________________, but at ________________ you’re not getting it done. Truth #3: God will bring peace and more satisfaction than you could ever ________________ of. Ephesians 3:20 Truth #4: A life that’s committed to God’s way will never lack ________________. John 10:10  One Last Thought: You are ________________.

Ezra 8:21-23 Fasting and Prayer for Protection 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty. Acts 4:23-31 The Believers Pray for Boldness 23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,[a] said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’[b]— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Philippians 4:4-9 Believers are strengthened by Jesus‘ __________________. v4-5 1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always. Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.  If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. Believers are strengthened by Jesus’ __________________. v6-7 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Psalm 29:11 The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. Believers are strengthened by Jesus’ __________________. v8-13 Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. The byproduct here is the contentment found in… Philippians 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Review last week…  Sex is everywhere:Result is high knowledge and low wisdom Sexual messages are confusing:Result is loneliness, confusion, scared Males & Females react to sex different:Result is broken relationships Sex is progressive:Result is distorted, glamorized, and normal My choices about sex are going to be based on…  ______________________ -______________________-______________________ THE BIBLE’S TAKE ON SEX 1. Sex is God’s _____________ – He _____________ it Genesis 1:27-28Genesis 1:31 2. God has a _____________ for your sexuality Genesis 2:21-25Matthew 19:4-6School Math:_____________                                 God’s Math: _____________                                1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 Sex is an act so powerful to bring life to another human being. God wants that to be in the context of the most loving relationship you can have. 3. Sex is far more than physical _____________ ______________________– be fruitful & multiply, make babies______________________– it’s fun______________________– glorify God when it’s in the proper context ACTION STEPS TO TAKE ______________________ whose word you’re going to follow. Society – Self – Scripture______________________ about your future. A Godly marriage starts when you’re in M.S. & H.S.______________________ to trust God to help you win the battle.

Ephesians 4:7-16 To be equipped you must ___________________________.  v7-11 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.” 9 (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,  Romans 12:6-8 “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. To be equipped you must ___________________________.  v12 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” To be equipped you must ___________________________.  v13-16 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Hebrews 5:12-13 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.

SEX: There is no greater subject you hear about-in the media-that affects your daily existence 4 Truths About Sex 1. Sex is EVERYWHERE Result: High knowledge-low WISDOM 2. Sexual messages are CONFUSING School: “this is how to do it”Friends: “no big deal…everyone’s doing it”Church: “don’t do it until you’re married”Parents: varies; “don’t”, “be safe”, “try it out” Result: Alone, Confused, FRIGHTENED 3. Males and Females REACT to sex in different ways Guys : Most guys think about it all the time, are very visual, and their sex drive is always on. Girls: Love is their dominant emotion, their sex drive is like a crockpot instead of a microwave. Result: Broken RELATIONSHIPS 4. Sex is PROGRESSIVE 1940’s-1950’s majority view: Traditional Marriage1960’s: Sexual revolution began 1970’s: Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion1990’s: STDs began to really grow with 20 million cases2000’s: 200 million cases of STDs Result: Sex is distorted, glamorized, and NORMAL ACTIONS TO CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF SEX 1. Understand that the sexual decisions you make today WILL have LIFE-LONG effects Biggest lie many believe: Sex is purely physical 2. Evaluate what you accept as NORMAL Murder vs. Sex (Satan loves this) 3. Commit to God’s PLAN for your sex life

Ephesians 5:25-27 Commitment to church is necessary because we need the ________________ of the church to counteract the voice of the world. Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Commitment to church is necessary because we need weekly ________________ with other believers to build us spiritually. Hebrews 3:13 “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 10:24-25  “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” Commitment to church is necessary because the local church helps us build spiritual ________________. Ephesians 4:14 “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ…” Commitment to church is necessary because the local church is an important part of God’s ________________ for your spiritual growth. Matthew 16:16-18 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Acts 2:14-47 UNIBOND = ONE TOGETHER As a body of believers we are to be unified by one _______________. v29-42 John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” As a body of believers we are to be unified as one _______________. v42-46 Philippians 2:1-8 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. As a body of believers we are to be unified under one _______________. v47 Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.

Acts 2:37-47 Our church is attractive when _____________ growth is evident. v37-42 Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity… Luke 17:5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.” Our church is attractive when _____________ growth is constant. v41 Acts 5:14 And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number… Acts 6:1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number… Our church is attractive when _____________ growth is the goal. v46-47 Acts 6:7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. 4 things that make my church attractive…  My authentic, Christ-changed life.My personal, visible, spiritual growth.My spiritual passion for God.The way I love people.

Mark 12:28-34 We will be known as a loving family when we love _________________. John 13:35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. 1 John 3:23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. We will be known as a loving family when we love _________________. Leviticus 19:17-18 You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. We will be known as a loving family when we love _________________. 1 Samuel 15:22 Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” 1 John 4:19 “We love, because He first loved us.”