I listened to a lecture last night by Carl Trueman in which he mentioned the fact , when briefly referring to John Owen's book on Temptation, that a hotel owner - whose establishment organized conferences - could always tell when there was a Christian conference on because access to pornographic websites by those in the hotel rooms would reach its peak.

We are such vile sinners. Thank God for the righteousness of Christ. No hope without it.

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

Is **** Norm? Good article by Rev. George Scipione, WSC.

__________________
~Jay~
Husband of ENS, father of J II. | Indian Trail, NC
disabled - cancer
Communicant Member, Precentor | Presbyterian Reformed Church of Charlotte, NC | Presbyterian Reformed Church

zzzzzz ...

Thank you for pointing us to the series on John Owen by Dr. Trueman. I was wondering which specific lecture you are referring to in this post?

Grace,

Dwayne

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Dwayne S. Watts, Pastor
Riverside Advent Christian Church
Fort Worth, Texas

One way to avoid pornographic web sites?

Install filtering software, give your wife the administrative password and have her change it.

Make sure it requires a password to uninstall that only she knows as well!

A good geek can probably overcome the security, but at my age if I tried I would probably forget why I was doing it before I was done.

__________________
Pax,
Richard Elliott
Midlothian, Virginia
Deacon, Presbyterian Church in America
====================================
I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. , C. S. Lewis

Romans 7:15-20
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Romans 7:21-25
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

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N. Robert
RCA

"Once in a while you can get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right."

Upon reflection, that doesn't surprise me, for 2 reasons: First, that we are more attacked by the Adversary himself, since we are Christians; and second, that victory these days is often focused on the external change, instead of the internal conformity to that of Christ. It's like we try to put a cork into a volcano to stop the eruption, and think the volcano is now dormant. The pressure is building, and it will soon blow; and the example you gave shows that, when Christians get alone in hotel rooms. The volcano inside has to be dealt with. As Christ calmed the storm, so he can calm the storm of sin within us, when we see that as our need, instead of having the right kind of cork. A good test to evaluate the degree of sanctification we have in this area is: What would I do if no one would ever find out about it, even God himself?; or What would I do if there were no law of God written, telling me not to do it? That shows more the true bent of our hearts in the matter. And Christ alone can and will unbend our hearts towards him, taking our hearts of stone and making them hearts of flesh.

As you say, "Thank God for the righteousness of Christ. No hope without it."

Amen!

Blessings and peace!

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Charles Plauger
Member/Grace Reformed Church
Oakland, MD

Mat 5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.

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Psa 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
Psa 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
James Farley
Husband of Melissa and father of Ann.
Members of Redeemer Church ARP, Blacksburg Va.
http://www.redeemerblacksburg.org/

Dwayne

It is this lecture:

SermonAudio.com - Session 5 - Owen on the Spirit

How do I mortify the flesh?

(Thomas Watson, "The Christian Soldier" 1669)

The flesh is a bosom traitor; it is like the Trojan horse
within the walls, which does all the mischief. The flesh
is a sly enemy--it kills by embracing. The embraces of
the flesh are like the ivy embracing the oak; which sucks
out the strength of it for its own leaves and berries. So the
flesh by its soft embraces, sucks out of the heart all good.

The pampering of the flesh, is the quenching of God's Spirit.
The flesh chokes and stifles holy motions--the flesh sides with
Satan. There is a party within us, which will not pray, which will
not believe. The flesh inclines us more to believe a temptation
than a promise. The flesh is so near to us, its counsels are more
attractive. There is no chain of adamant which binds so tightly
--as the chain of lust.

In the best of saints, do what they can, sin will fasten its
roots in them, and spring out sometimes with inordinate
desires. There is always something which needs mortifying.
"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly
nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and
greed, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5.

How do I mortify the flesh?

1. Withdraw the fuel that may make lust burn. Avoid
all temptations. Take heed of that which nourishes sin.
Those who pray that they may not be led into temptation
--must not lead themselves into temptation.

2. Fight against fleshly lusts with spiritual weapons
--faith and prayer. The best way to combat with sin is--upon
our knees. Beg strength from Christ. Samson's strength lay in
his hair; our strength lies in our head--Christ. This is a mystery
to the major part of the world--who gratify the flesh rather
than mortify it.

If one goes with the accountability method, and has their internet activity tracked and suspicious sites sent to your accountability partner...

I would highly recommend NOT having your wife as your accountability partner. If you fall in sin it could hurt her very much...her self-esteem, her faith in the marriage, her own war with sin. I would recommend having a brother in Christ to be accountable to. Perhaps even an officer at church. Another man would most likely be able to counsel you from your level than a woman would be able to do...and your wife is too close to be a good counselor in such situations...Just like i think it would be a bad idea to have the wife conduct marital counseling if there is an issue, she's just too close to the issues.

__________________
Larry Bray
Elder - Reformed Presbyterian Church of Boothwyn, PCA
Boothwyn, PA - http://www.rpcb.org/
Free Online Reformed Seminary - http://www.tnars.net
-----------------------------------------------------
Christian ritual costs nothing and is worth nothing. True Christian religion costs all that we have and is worth everything.

I think internet security filters are good. They make it more difficult to engage internet pornography. They are limited in that they do nothing to change the heart. I think that is what our Lord was getting at in Matthew 5:28.

__________________
Bill Brown
Elder
Reformed Baptist
Maryland

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?
Visit my BLOG Theology for the Rest of Us

For books on spiritual warfare, including the topic of this thread, i would highly recommend...

The Embattled Christian
Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices
Mortification of Sin

I agree with Bill. Cutting your hand off or gouging your eye out doesn't change the real problem. It only reveals it. But the act is a sign of true penance (An act of self-mortification or devotion performed voluntarily to show sorrow for a sin or other wrongdoing.) and not worth a hill of beans if the heart of sin is not dealt with.

I personally am surprized by the statement Carl Trueman made. Unless the crowd the hotel guy is hosting happens to be antinomian or a group that feels like as long as they confess their sins before they die they get to go to heaven.

__________________

Norseman Moderator

R. Martin Snyder
1689er
http://www.puritanboard.com/blogs/puritancovenanter/

"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

Click to get:Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

I wrote this a few days before the New Year:

Don’t Wait for the New Year

A new year is coming upon us, indeed. However, why do we wait until January 1st to start pursuing a goal of sorts? Well, there is a Christian duty (one of several) in which we should never be found dull, neglect, or waning. It is one in which we must be constant, consistent, and continuous if we profess to know the God of Scripture. This duty, this absolute necessity, this practice is called Mortifying Sin.

As I have alluded to elsewhere, John Owen once wrote, "Be killing sin or sin will be killing you." This is precisely why one cannot wait until January 1st. In fact, you cannot afford to defer another moment from this duty! You must resolve yourself this instant to dedicate your very essence of existence to this task. Why? Because the wages of sin are DEATH. Now surely I have some qualifications to make.

First, in order to engage in this distinctly Christian duty, you must be a Christian. If you're not a Christian, it is not only the height of arrogance to think for a moment that you can effectively engage in the duty of mortification, but it is also sheer futility and the compounding of your condemnation to do so. If this applies to you, I implore you to this. If you are a Christian, read on.

Secondly, not only must you be a Christian, but you must engage in this duty by the Spirit. If you attempt to mortify your sin apart from dependance upon the Holy Spirit, your efforts are just as vain as that of an unbeliever. Though you are now a Christian, you are still affected by that residue of indwelling sin, which is exactly why you must engage in this duty! So then, you must be a Christian to do this, and you must also do it by the Spirit.

You say, "That's great, Josh. Thanks for telling me what I need to do (and why), but then totally leave me hanging by not telling me how." Well, my friend, this is where the Big Guns come in. I can absolutely no better exhort you in this manner than has already been exhorted by some of the godliest men of the past. Therefore, I will give you a few brief pointers, and then suggest a book or two concerning the pointers.

What is Sin?
To kill sin, you must know sin intimately. Now, don't twist that. Don't misunderstand. I am not saying to engage more heavily in sinning so that you might know it better. That's utter foolishness. I am saying that you must know your enemy-- that is, Sin-- and know it intimately within the context of Scripture's light. In doing this, as a Christian, you will come to have a holy hatred for your sin. Book Suggestions:



The Sinfulness of Sin-by Ralph Venning (Banner of Truth)




The Evil of Evils-by Jeremiah Burroughs (Soli Deo Gloria-buy it used if you can)


How Does Sin Work?
You must also know sin personally. By that, I mean you must know how sin approaches you, specifically. How does Satan use your own sinful nature to tempt you and bring you to a halt. You must learn his strategies. Book Suggestion:




Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices-by Thomas Brooks (Banner of Truth)


How Do I Mortify Sin?
Now we come to the clencher. And I'm not gonna say a thing. I'm going to suggest three books. One of them is a compilation of three works by John Owen. The other two are more contemporary works on the subject of mortification. Obviously, I'm partial to Owen. However, he can be a stickler to read most of the time for many, and some of the time for some. Therefore, the latter of the three suggestions are recommended, and are theologically solid, sound, and from a Reformed understanding of Scripture and the Christian Faith.



Overcoming Sin and Temptation: Three Classic Works by John Owen-edited by Justin Taylor & Kelly Kapic (Crossway)




The Enemy Within-by Kris Lundgaard (P & R)





A Fight to the Death-by Wayne & Joshua Mack (P & R)


Don't wait for the New Year. Start killing sin now. Develop a more holy hatred of sin, YOUR SIN, each passing moment. We must truly seek to know the sinfulness of sin, and the wretched vile stinch it is in the nostrils of God. I'll leave you with some applicable quotes from the grand ole Puritan Divines:

__________________
Josh Hicks, Chloë's Dad
Christ Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCGA
Facebook - The Calvinist Vent
Board Rules - Signature Rules - Suggestion Box

It is God that multiplies our sorrows.... God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them, with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied. - Matthew Henry

Also, if you can bear with my southern twang, a few "ums" and an occasional stutter of nervousness, here's a Sunday School lesson I taught a few weeks ago. In it, I discussing Hating Sin, but also avoiding Paralysis (Law/Gospel). The primary reason I mention this is because it's filled with some great quotes by Puritans and Reformed Christians alike.

Thing is, not only men are addicted to ****, there are also women addicted as well and *some* of them turned to it trying to feed their husbands lusts, and the idea that they can get 'ideas' from this garbage if they are at least open to looking into it..(and no this is not an issue in my marriage, but I do have my own experiences with it from the past that I will refrain from sharing at this time).


Like any sin, it's like an urchin clinging itself to the flesh trying to suck the life out of the person and their marriage..and praise be to God, Christ's blood is the cure to wash it away.

Even then it can still be a struggle with the pictures being etched in the mind..

But something for you to consider if you do struggle with this issue or know someone who does...imagine opening one of those websites or magazines and finding your wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt or grandmother on it's pages...or if your in the habit of downloading pictures from others..imagine having one of their pictures sent to you...and the kick in the gut you would feel if you did..

__________________
Bobbi Clark
Covenant Member
Pinewood Pres. (PCA) Middleburg

When I kept Silent, My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

Josh, first time I've heard your voice. You sound like any of a dozen NASCAR drivers!

Love ya bro!

I never could get into NASCAR (Thanks be to God!).

No offence brothers, but I do not think humour is appropriate on this thread.

None taken. I was just responding to my friend, Bill, and I'm certain he's not downplaying the gravity of the subject matter of the OP.

Thanks Joshua, I just thought I should raise the point. Every blessing.

I disagree to some extent - I find the less I am exposed to sinful options the less interested I am in them. They take up less of my thoughts which helps change the heart. I view them and other such tools as a means of "plucking ones offending eye out" by removing the offense from the field of vision.

They are definitely no substitute for prayer, study and fellowship with brothers who hold us to account.

its sad, but almost all men growing up in American culture or western culture for that matter dabbled in pornography as facetious teenagers. The dark side of this is that whilst many were able to shake off this idle sinful pastime many became addicted. And even though many have come to faith in Christ, pornography seems to be the last stronghold for many Christians. Its sad reality that we have to bare with, that some sins are harder to shake than others.

Some christians are still battling drug addiction and drunkeness, but they are battling nonetheless, but pornography seems to be the most impious of sins.

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~Keon Garraway~ Brooklyn, NY Member of Franklin Square OPC

Love for God demonstrated by the love for our children in giving them a God centered education is the only hope for our country. by David Morrow
Pslam 71:20 [Thou], which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Well worth listening to, and spot on considering the subject at hand in this thread.

__________________
James Helbert, Wytheville, VA
Providence Reformed Presbyterian Church, RPCUS
TheBibleAlone.com / The Edinburgh Inn
"Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” - Zechariah 3:2

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions?

Nature abhors a vacuum and so does sanctification imho. Take away the temptation and a roaring fire may turn to embers. But it doesn't take much to set it aflame once again. All that's required is motive and opportunity. Internet filters help in the opportunity area. The word of God and obedience helps with motives.

Quite right, but I do appreciate the mild correction back to the OP.

Ditto to Bill. I think that filters, accountability, etc. are all forms of "mak[ing] no provision for the flesh."

Jesus didn't say, "Watch and pray so that ye may not fall into temptation." Rather, He said, "Watch and pray that ye may not enter into it." Granted, we cannot always avoid temptation, but we should pray toward that end.

Some things I've found helpful...

After check in, tell the front desk to cancel the Pay Per View ordering. If they won't / can't do it, call your wife or someone keeping you accountable....while you are on the phone with them, turn the TV on and walk through the steps to lock out the Pay Per View. Most hotels have it to where once it's locked, you can't turn it back on for your entire stay.

Then turn on ESPN classic and watch an old Lakers - Celtics game.

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Joel Batts
Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Memphis, TN

I believe that many would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand. - CS Lewis

I think Carl Trueman was using this as an example how Christians are tempted by Satan to indulge in sin. I can understand how a conference would be a time of increased Satanic attack on believers who probably have slipped into a spiritual comfort zone due to the teaching and time spent with other Christians.

I work in a den of iniguity. My station is in Sodom and my territory is Gomorrah. I am a fire fighter. These are some of the vilest people on earth. I was just thinking on this the past two days, the jokes they tell, the things they say and (supposedly) do. They must go into great detail of what they would like to do to every woman that appears on T.V., they even make constant jokes about sex with each other.

My last day at work an especially depraved individual was working at my station and looking up **** on the internet, I did not have to see it but the blow by blow of what was happening was enough, that combined with the soundtrack that was playing at level 11 has been haunting me. Plus, the constant barrage of "Hey check out this new ****site..." the names of which echo in my head for days, unable to forget and tempting me to seek them out. I feel like my brain needs a good scrub down and disinfected when leaving. I think my IQ drops about 10 points every day I go to work. All this coupled with the fact that I don't have a church home is taking its toll on me.

Anyone who has a non-secular job is truly blessed.

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Erick Bohndorf, Redeemer Presbyterian PCA
http://qayaqtraveler.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pr...90&ref=profile
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Ecclesiastes