“SINGLENESS”
The blessing’s of being single!

Some of you would agree with me, that it’s hard for anyone today (of age) to stay single for a long period of time.  For many of us, there seems to be this constant nagging for us to be in a relationship or to get married.  Perhaps, it’s peer pressure coming from those closest to us (friends, parents, relatives)?  In other situations, the pressure comes from the music we listen to (ex. love songs) and the media that we watch or see (ex. MTV).  We only have to turn on our TV’s to see that it is flooded with “Dating” & “Reality” Shows, showing people getting hooked up.  Even just waiting at the grocery check out line, we’re able to see the tabloids & magazines of who just broke up or who the newest couples are in Hollywood.  It almost seems at times like the whole world is telling us it’s wrong for us to be alone; that there has to be something completely wrong with us if we are.  Thank goodness that today we will learn that is far from the Truth.  In our study today, we will look at the “BENEFITS” or “BLESSINGS” in being single: 

I.  You can improve on yourself while being single: 

 “By the measure you measure, it will be measured to you.”
~ Quote from Jesus ~

          Being single, doesn’t mean we sit around and do nothing while waiting on God to send us the “One.”  If we’re looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right (Your Prince or Princess); just remember that they’re looking for that same person too!  That means:  if we want the “best” mate (Godly, smart, rich, athletic, and beautiful) then we’re going to have to be the “best” mate too (Godly, smart, rich, athletic, and beautiful)!  So in this season of singleness that we’re in; let's not waste it by just waiting around…instead, let's use it to improve ourselves.  In the end, trust me, it’ll pay off!

“If you want the best, be the best!”

II.  Use this time to accomplish more in your life:

          We only need to look at Jesus (the author & perfector of our faith), to know that one is able to accomplish more by being single in life.  Looking briefly at history, we see that some of our great achievers we’re people who never got married (The Apostle Paul, Mother Theresa, The Pope).  Why do you think that is?  Well, just imagine if you didn’t have to split up your time & priority with another person; guess how much time you would have then?  That’s right, a lot of time to get stuff done.  With that in mind, let’s look at this time of singleness, as an opportunity for us to impact others (through our time, talents, tithes, God-given ministries, etc). 

III.  You can use this time to grow more intimate with God:

“Draw near to me, and I’ll draw near to you.”
        ~ Quote from Jesus ~

          I can still remember back in my life when I was closest with God…it was while I was still single.  I remember it was a time in my life where I daily prayed & read my Bible, listened to sermons on the radio & internet, had time to write in my journal about what God was doing, and I was the most active at Church.  It was in that “desert experience” or time of waiting (ex. Moses, Elijah, Paul, John the Baptist, and Jesus had em’ too), that I grew the closest to God. 

Ever wonder why it seems like God is distant from us?  Maybe it’s because we’ve become distant from Him and have pushed other things like relationships, hobbies, toys, etc before Him.  So instead of wasting our singleness on things that are unimportant in our lives (yet)…why don't we give our time & talents & tithes all for the Glory of God!  Amen.

IS “THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION” A LIE?

Charles Darwin, the author of “The Evolution Theory,” grew up in the Church, but later became an Agnostic.  After the death of his 9 year old daughter and through his travel to poor Third-world countries, he made up his mind that there could not be a God.  As a result of his resentment towards God and his studies during  wildlife voyages, he wrote his now infamous book, “The Origin of Species,” featuring the “Theory of Evolution” and “Natural Selection” to disprove the existence of God.

          All of us, who has ever taken a science class, must have learned about “The Theory of Evolution” and “Natural Selection.” But just because we’ve learned it in school, does that make it true?  Or have we’ve been told a lie?  If we look up the word, “Evolution,” it is simply defined as:  “CHANGE.”  An example of this sort of change would be:  The development of an infant to an adult or a change within a kind such as a dog or cat (this does include a change in species).  If this was simply the case, then of course ever Christian should believe in “Evolution.”  However, “The Theory of Evolution” takes on an entire different meaning of its own.  It claims every species has evolved from a predecessor.  Let’s take it to the test, to prove its credibility.

I.  “THE FOSSIL RECORD:”

          According to “The Evolution Theory,” every living species has sprung from another predecessor.  This would mean that 3 million species were created in 60 million years; that’s 524,288 species created in the last 3 million years.  What we find, is that in the past 140 years of archeological searching, there has never been one “transitional species” found!  In examining fossil records, we find over and over again “non-gradual evolution” (or a sudden explosion of different groups of species with no “transitional species”).  Thus leaving unexplained gaps in the fossil records.

“The Elephant Man” Joseph Merrick (1862-1890)

II.  “MUTATIONS” (Morphing & Changing): 

          “The Theory of Evolution/ Natural Selection” says that changes or mutations are beneficial and the Cause of Evolution.  Nature, however, shows that almost all variations are harmful and that mutations are extremely rare events (since genes have built in functions to stabilize & resist change).  For example, tall people tend to have back & feet problems; while little people (dwarfs) have problems with there joints and organs. 

III.  “THE 1^ST & 2^ND LAW OF THERMODYNAMICS:”

          The Theory of Evolution breaks both these two laws of Thermodynamics.  The 1^st Law of Thermodynamics says that:  “Matter/Energy cannot just come from nothing for the total quantity of mass/energy is always the same.” Therefore, the universe itself could not form naturally on its own (ex. “The Big Bang Theory” which is associated with Theory of Evolution).  If fact, the Universe as we know it…is dying!

There is no known violation of the 2^nd Law of Thermodynamics.
 

          Secondly, the Evolution Theory breaks the 2^nd Law of Thermodynamics, which says:  “That left to itself everything tends to become less ordered, not more ordered or ‘complex.” What this Law is saying, is that “things grow older (becoming more run down), and eventually dies or decays (losing its structure).” This Law contradicts “The Theory of Evolution,” which says that things develop their complexity and structure…that everything in nature is getting better!  Not only that, the Bible contradicts it by saying that everything was created “good” (perfect in the state it was made) in the very Beginning; that was until “Sin” (death & decay) entered the world through Adam & Eve.

IV.  “AMINO ACIDS:” Molecules, that are the building blocks of proteins.

          In 1953, “The Miller’s Experiment,” Stanley Miller and Harold Urey were unsuccessful in reproducing “right-handed amino acids” (which are necessary to produce life) in the primordial condition the Earth was at its beginning.  

V.  “PROTEINS:” Are formed only by the perfect combination of 100’s of amino acids.

          The “Sydney Fox’s Experiment” proved that life could not have occurred in the water as The Theory of Evolution said it did.  The truth is that for 2 amino acids to bond (which is needed to create proteins, which produces life) they have to release a water molecule.  Well, it is impossible for a reaction that releases water to take place in a hydrate environment (like the Earth was in its primordial condition).   

          In spite of its unproven track record, “The Theory of Evolution” is still being taught to us today as a fact.  The truth is that it cannot be proven scientifically, that is, it cannot be repeated in a laboratory (cause it is too slow to observe).  Therefore, it cannot be taught as a fact only as an idea.  With that in mind, is there an alternative teaching to the origin of life?  There is!  It’s called:  “Creationism” or “Special Creation,” which is the belief that the origin and diversity of life resulted from acts of God whereby each species was created separately or independently.  The problem we have is that in 1987, the left (Democrats) on the US Supreme Court ruled that public schools could not teach creationism in its science classes.  That’s ironic, cause before the 19^th century, “Creationism” was taught in all the schools in the US, from the position that the literal interpretation of the Bible was inerrant or flawless.  Times have changed, and we now live in a secularized nation.  It was Sir Julian Huxley, the English biologist & author, who pen these words, “Darwin’s real achievement was to remove the whole idea of God as creator from the sphere of rational discussion.”  My only hope, my brothers & sisters, is that we have not forgotten our Creator but that we will continue to believe in the truth of “Creationism,” that God created the universe in 6 days and said that “it was good” the way He made it.  Amen.   

HOW TO STAY “SEXUALLY PURE!”

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?  …Do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her?  For He says, ‘The two shall become one flesh.’ Flee Immorality.” (1 Corinthians 6:15-17)

So here it is…the QUESTION that everyone wants to know:  “How Far Is Too Far?”  Is first base okay?  But what is first base?  How about “French Kissing or Light Kissing, Hugging, Holding Hands, Foreplay, Touching (heavy petting), writing love letters, oral sex, etc?  When do we know to draw the line?  Is the line drawn at: “No hands underneath clothing” or “No undoing clothing”…“No touching below the waist”…Guys “no touching a girl’s chests”…or perhaps “No kissing beneath the collarbone?”  Does the Bible have anything to say about where the line is drawn at?  Yes, in fact it does!  Here is how we should treat our boyfriend/ girlfriend according to the Bible:

I.   TREAT EM’ LIKE YOUR BROTHER/SISTER:  “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.” (1 Timothy 5:1,2)

          From this verse, Timothy teaches us that we are to treat our girlfriend like our sister, and our boyfriends like our brother.  Consider this:  “Would you ever touch your sister inappropriately?”  No right?  Then don’t touch our girlfriend that way either.  Plus, would you kiss your brother on the lips?  Well, then don’t kiss your boyfriend on the lips either.  It’s only when we wed, that our partners and us become one;  which makes it then appropriate to touch each other in a sexual & pleasurable manner (1 Corinthians 7:1-4).

II.  TREAT EM’ LIKE SOMEONE ELSE’S WIFE/HUSBAND: 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit Adultery (Exodus 20:14)’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”(Matthew 5:27, 28)  In these verses, Jesus teaches us that we are not to engage in sexual thoughts when it comes to girls and guys, cause that person is someone else’s future spouse.  Look at it this way….“would you touch inappropriately or say intimate words to your friend’s wife or husband?”  Of course not, right?  Well then…don’t touch or be intimate with your boyfriend or girlfriend, cause they could well be someone else’s future husband or wife. 

III.   “FAITHFULNESS:” Remember you are someone’s future Husband/Wife

“It is good for a man not to touch a woman.  But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.  The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband doe; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” (1 Corinthians 7:1-4)

“Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:33 (So, are we loving our future wife by the way we are now treating our girlfriends?  And are we respecting our future husbands in the relationships we have with our boyfriends today?

       We often forget at times, that we are someone else’s future husband or wife.  Are we being faithful to our future spouse when we are “intimate” (emotionally/physically) with other “people” (Current or Ex-boyfriends & Girlfriends)?

Stop the “Test-Driving!”

IV.  CONCLUSION:

          So where is the line drawn at in our dating lives?  As we’ve just learned, we are to treat our boyfriend/girlfriend as our brother/sister as well as someone else’s wife/husband.  Not only that we are to stay “sexually pure” (faithful), since we are someone else’s future wife/husband.  Here’s one last thought for us: “Is our future marriage more important than our current sexual urges?  Sexual purity is not simply our plan, it’s  God’s Plan for us.  That makes it the best plan for us!  Let us remember that always.  Amen.

“Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” 
Galatians 5:16.

“MASTURBATION”
Is It A Sin?

“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, within you, which you have from God?  You are not your own; you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body”
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

            Within most churches today, the subject of masturbation is often a shush-shush subject to talk about.  For many men, this word, “masturbation;” is the hardest word (out of the 988, 968 words in the English language) to say.  Why? Because 95 % of all men have masturbate; and the other 5 % are lying about not doing it.  One could say then that masturbation is “Every Man’s Battle.”

"Spanking the monkey"

            What is “masturbation?” Masturbation is the experience of sexual orgasm produced byself-stimulation.  Masturbation has also been refer to as: “onanism,”  “ejaculation,” “discharging,” “fishing,” “fondling,” “self-indulging,” “self-stimulation,” “relieving oneself, “jerking off," "whacking off," and “spanking the monkey.”

 
"Anti-masturbation Device"

“When any man has a discharge from his body, his discharge is unclean.”
Leviticus 15:2

            Now that we know what Masturbation is, are there any direct references to it in the Bible?  Actually there are two references to it in the Old Testament.  First, it’s mentioned in the Old Testament “Mosaic Law” (Leviticus 15:1-18; 31-33). Secondly, we have in Genesis 38:8-10 a story on masturbation: “Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.’ Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.  But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.” Some Bible scholars say that the sin Onan committed was disobedience against God; but then again every sin is a disobedience to God. What we need to know is…"What was the actual “act of sin” that Onan committed?  The answer given to us:  masturbation. We actually get the word “Onanism” which means, “When a male deliberately interrupts intercourse to avoid insemination,” from the root word..."Onan."

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." 
Hebrews 13:4 

            Other then those 2 Bible references do we have any other scripture that tell us masturbation is wrong?  We do, and it’s found in Matthew 5:27-29 (Jesus Sermon on the Mount).  Here in these verses, Jesus speaks on the topic of lust,“You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Contrary to what our present American culture encourages (that we should admire beautiful people), Jesus viewed lusting as a serious sin which could keep us from eternal life (Matthew 5:29-30).  How can “lusting after the flesh” be that bad?  Well, every time an individual masturbates, they have to fantasy (or lust) about another person; and Jesus calls that is adultery.  How is that adultery?  Well, masturbates requires you to have sexual fantasy with another person who is not your wife or husband but someone elses.

“Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids.”
Proverbs 6:25 

            What does Jesus advise we do about our lust?  Cast it away!  In Matthew 5:29-30, Jesus says, “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” The principle behind this is that temptation begins in our mind.  What we must do when that temptation comes, is immediately reject it before it causes us to sin.  The well-known evangelist Billy Graham teaches that one should never take a second glance if they notice an attractive person.  Instead, they should bounce their eyes elsewhere (“Eye-bouncing”).

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

            Why has God given us these sexual urges?  So that when we’re married, we can make babies (Genesis1:27, 28) and satisfy our spouse (Song of Solomon).  Paul adds that because of our temptation to sexual sins (“fornication,” “unchastity,” “immorality”); each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband (1 Corinthians 7:2).  He goes on to say in verses 8 and 9, “To the unmarried (men and women) and to the widows I say it is well for them to remain single as I do.  But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry.  For it is better to marry than to be a flame with passion.”  Paul point in these verses is that we need to have “self-control” in this arena of our sexuality or we need to get married to satisfy it.  An according to those scriptures, all sexual intercourse before marriage is immoral, including masturbation.

“GLORIFY GOD WITH YOUR BODY:”
 “Do not yield yourselves to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield yourselves to God as people who have been brought from death to life, and your bodily parts to God as instruments of righteousness.  For sin will have no dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Romans 6:12-14

            Finally, can we say that masturbation is a sin since almost every man masturbates?  Yes, because there is one man who’s never masturbated and his name is . . . Jesus; and He given us the command to not lust after another person’s spouse (Matt. 5:29-30) . . . for that’s exactly what we do when we masturbate. Instead, we are to view everybody from God’s eternal perspective:  “That the person we’re trying to disrobe in our mind is our eternal sister or brother in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:16).” We need to ask ourselves, “Would we want to have sex with our brother or sister?  I didn't think so.  Amen.   

      “SPEAKING IN TONGUES:”

Is It Counterfeit or Real? 

“In the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others,

 rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

1 Corinthians 14:19

            “The gift of tongues,” is often a controversial topic within the Church.  Many question, “Is it still possible for people today to speak in tongues?  If so, where is it on the totem pole of spiritual gifts?” In this study today of “speaking in tongues,” we will discover those answers and more.

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?  …unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken?  For you will be speaking into the air.”

1 Corinthians 14:6, 9

            So what is the exact nature of the “speaking in tongues?” They were foreign languages that the speakers were miraculously enabled to speak without having previously learned them (Acts 2:1-13).  Among that, they were intelligent utterances; considering the fact that they could be interpreted and were the vehicle of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 14:14-17).  The gift of tongues can also be used for personal edification (1 Corinthians 14:2, 4); as well as to edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:5).  Tongues were also given for a sign, especially to Israel.  Ironically, the Apostle Paul places “the gift of tongues and their interpretation” at the very bottom of the scale of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).  For all passages referring to the “gift of tongues;” look at:  Mark 16:17; Acts 2:1-13, 10:44-46, 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12, 14.

“The Gift of Tongues”: Is the ability to speak a foreign language without ever having learned it.

The 2 Myths about “Speaking in Tongues:” 

 “All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts.”

1 Corinthians 12:31

            (Myth #1)  Contrary to what our brothers & sisters in the Charismatic movement (ex. Pentecostals) believe; the gift of tongues are not a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).  If that was true, then we have a lot of Christians who are not baptized according to this belief (including myself).  The truth is, not everyone will receive the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10, 11).  In fact it is the Holy Spirit who chooses the gift for you, and not yourself (1 Corinthians 12:11).

“If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.”

1 Corinthians 13:27, 28

            (Myth #2)  We find today that many charismatics are lot like the believers in the Church of Corinth; who believed that the more a person has of the Holy Spirit, the more they will be carried off by a power beyond themselves.  They confused power with spirituality.  Reading from 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 it is clear that speaking in tongues was not uncontrollable but should be done in an orderly fashion.  Thus refuting any notion of “religious frenzy” (an experience in which the worshiper loses control of both reason and their power of will).  Therefore, any manifestation of tongues that is not under the speaker’s control is thereby a suspect of counterfeit. 

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

1 Corinthians 13:1

In conclusion, “Do the ‘gift of tongues’ still exist today?” Perhaps, but they will one day cease (1 Corinthians 13:8) … but “love” on the other hand will not (1 Corinthians 13:8).  As Paul has proclaim it so well in 1 Corinthians 13, let’s turn our attention to expressing “love,” rather than any spiritual gift, knowledge, possession, faith, or hope that we might have.  Amen.