A heart that devises evil imaginations

1. I recently saw some figures on the human brain and the computer chips being made in 1999.

2. This was an illustration about computers and the human brain.

3. One might think that the human brain is slower than a computer.

4. Surely if the brain were stacked against 100 or 1,000 computers the brain would be much slower.

5. Back in 1999 a single human brain was equal to 24,000 of the fastest processor chips.

6. 9 years ago a single human brain had the processing power of 24,000 computers.

7. About 10 years ago computers were pretty fast, even compared to what we have today.

8. What we are carrying around in our heads is better than any computer on the planet.

9. As of today there is still no computer anywhere in the world that can match the human brain.

EACH LIVING AND REASONABLY HEALTHY PERSON HAS A SUPER COMPUTER THAT ALLOWS HIM TO PROCESS GREAT AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION AND ALLOWS HIM TO CALCULATE ALL KINDS OF THINGS AT AN AMAZING RATE.

a) This ability, of course, can be good for good or evil.

b) The author of Prov. 6 may not have known much about computers.

c) He did know that human beings have great mental capacity.

d) He knew that people can think up evil things.

2) It seems the word “evil” (“wicked) in Prov. 6:18 comes from a word meaning “pant.”

3) The idea behind the original term is “exertion.”

a) The writer does not envision someone who is evil from time to time.

b) He had in mind someone lives for wrong, he thinks about wrong, he spends energy thinking about evil.

c) A lot of things could be related to the point made by the Proverb writer.

4) I want to deal with one example today and maybe some more in the Sundays to come.

5) Maybe the greatest example of the author’s point for our day and time is pornography.

6) Pornography is based on two Greek words – a word meaning “prostitute” and a word meaning “writing.”

7) The full idea would be writing, pictures, or something else designed to create/arouse sexual desire.

8) Pornography is anything in any medium—words, pictures, videos, drawings, people, anything—that represents and illicit, or immoral expression and is intended to arouse in a person illicit or immoral sexual feelings or responses.

9) Pornography is an industry—a big industry that involves evil imaginations in the human heart.

10) There is a heart problem with those who produce this material.

11) There is a heart problem with those who distribute this material.

12) There is a heart problem with those who are photographed for this material.

13) And there is a heart problem for those who buy this material.

14) This past week I saw a statistic on this topic that astounded me.

15) Nearly 60% of all daily Internet traffic is related to pornography.

16) One author wrote a book with this title: Porn Nation: Conquering America's #1 Addiction

17) That sounds like an apt title for a book on this topic.

18) Pornography is a huge problem and it is intricately linked with the imagination.

19) In putting together material for this lesson I thought about a man from many years ago.

a) In his early adult years he spent some time in the military.

b) This man was not a Christian and he acted as many of the other service men acted.

c) Pornography was widely available and he viewed it—apparently he saw quite a bit of it.

d) Even though he later become a Christian, those images were still in his mind years later.

e) He wanted to rid his mind of what he had seen, but it was like those images had been burned into his brain.

f) He struggled to overcome what he had seen and may still be struggling today.

20) Pornography is not only heavily involved with imagination, it is like a terrible disease.

a) Many studies have shown how it “desensitizes” people.

b) Some who are have heard about the boiled frog.

c) A frog is put into a pot and the water is not all that hot; the frog feels pretty comfortable.

d) Little by little the temperature is turned up and the frog doesn’t mind because the increase is gradual.

e) We may do the same thing in a bath or shower.

f) Little by little we increase the temperature of the water and the increased heat does not bother us.

g) If we started out with the hottest temperature we would scream. A frog would also not be happy.

h) When things are done gradually, people may not see a problem or do not think they will get hooked.

21) The first time a person seems pornography they might be shocked.

22) Then they see it a second time and it is not as bad

23) Then there is time 3, 4, and finally it is not only common place, they feel like they must see it.

a) Pornography dulls the senses and it is often just as addictive as a any street drug.

b) When human beings like something, they often return for more.

c) If we find a place that has good food, we are inclined to go back.

d) When we find something that gives us peace and comfort, we want more of it.

24) Some have found pornography to be a titillating experience so they seek more and more.

25) Certainly in our country there is a steady stream of it.

26) Some of us can remember when pornography was not as public as it is now.

a) Some magazines used to be behind counters or somehow covered up.

b) I can remember standing at a convenience store counter paying for gas and some magazines had brown wrappers.

c) Those days are long gone and will probably never come back, at least not in the near future.

d) We can walk into almost any public bookstore and pornography is openly available.

e) It is all over the Internet, sent via cell phones, available on tv, in movies, and even on billboards.

f) When driving through a major city billboards advertise things like a “gentleman’s club.”

g) That type of sign leaves little to the imagination.

27) Whenever someone puts pornography is put into his mind, there will be a consequence.

28) When something like this goes into the mind, something is also going to come out.

29) Often what comes out is a desire to do what a person has seen.

30) The desires created by pornography have created a sleuth of problems for people.

31) Pornography has caused people to become unhappy with their mate.

32) It has left spouses feeling like they are inadequate.

33) Divorce has resulted from pornography as has various types of abuse.

34) In some cases people are exposed to violence and they decide to give that a try.

35) Many instances of this have occurred and more than a few people have ended up in prison.

36) Pornography has helped put people behind bars.

37) Pornography is a real problem in our world (and the church) and it is growing.

38) There are more hard core porn outlets in the U.S. than McDonald’s restaurants.

39) It is said that our nation is the leading producer of porn.

40) We are a leading manufacturer in the world, but what we are producing is not wholesome.

41) If the figures are right, our nation produces 150 new and hard core porn movies every week.

42) Broken down, that is about 21 new movies coming from the US every single day.

a) For this to be accomplished there must be “hearts that devises evil imaginations.”

b) This is a perfect example of Prov. 6 and God says He “hates” this type of thing.

c) Prov. 6 tells us that God hates pornography.

d) He knows what it is and He has said this is something His people need to avoid.

43) Our leaders continue to talk about “getting things back on track.”

44) Might we suggest that they are not going to fare well if our society keeps doing what God hates?

45) Abortion creates a river of innocent blood and the pornography industry spews out their product.

46) Many Americans are accepting of both practices.

47) God cannot and will not bless a nation that behaves in this manner.

48) For America, it looks we are headed towards the cliff and people can’t get to the edge fast enough.

a) Annual sales of adult videos and DVDs now top 4 billion dollars a year.

b) Some complain about the high cost of food and gas, but they are still buying porn.

49) Imagine the amount of money taken in by all the following groups in a single year:

50) Rock and roll, country music, all the broadway productions, theater, ballet, jazz and classical music.

51) Would you believe that pornography takes in more money each year than all these industries combined?

52) It’s true. The annual revenue from pornography also exceeds the revenue from any professional sport.

53) It is said that every night between 9pm-1 am a quarter of a million Americans call for commercial phone sex.

54) Our nation is addicted to pornography and people can’t get their fill of it.

55) One well known porn magazine is said to let site visitors view some free pictures of its models.

56) This part of their web site receives 5 million hits a day.

a) Imagine 35 million hits on a single web site in a single week.

b) This industry is such a part of American culture it is even said to have ties to G+M

c) D irec tv is said to be a subsidiary of G+M.

d) People buy an average of 200 million dollars a year in pay per view sex movies.

e) Some of G+M’s profit is provided by the sex trade industry.

f) Large hotel chains make millions of dollars every year by in-room pornography movies.

g) Sex sells and people are buying it left and right.

57) When we look at this subject, we find that no one is immune.

58) It has affected the healthy as well as the disabled.

59) It has gotten a hold on young people as well as those who are in their final years.

60) It affects the married and the single.

61) Men and women are often attracted to different types of pornography, but both are susceptible.

62) God gives us some serious warnings about this sin and the heart.

a) Prov. 4:23 says “guard the heart.”

b) The preacher I told you about surely guarded many things in his military service.

c) He did not realize how important it was to guard the heart.

d) When he did realize this was important, he was a little late – it was a whole lot harder.

e) Our heart is one of the most important things we have.

f) What we choose to put into our minds will form our character.

63) It will also be a major factor in where we spend eternity.

64) Some seem to think that sexual activity starts in the bedroom or the back seat of a car.

65) The reality of the matter is that it begins in the mind.

66) Listen to what Solomon said in Prov. 6:25 – READ

a) Solomon saw a problem with “lust” (he said things begin “in the heart”).

b) He pictures a man who has a burning and intimate desire for a woman.

c) This is the very thing pornography uses to attract people.

d) This product calls, it beckons, it pleads for people to take a look and see what is available.

e) As we noted, one look usually does not satisfy people. People usually want more.

67) Prov. 5:15-20 is another important section of scripture as we think about this topic.

68) Solomon may not have had pornography in mind, but he shared some important information.

69) He spoke of finding a partner and finding fulfillment with that partner.

70) This is an important element in remaining pure and staying on the right path.

71) Let’s get the full expression of his point – Prov. 5:18-20 – READ

72) If passages such as this were followed, pornography would vanish.

73) Marriages and homes would be stronger. People would be happier and be satisfied.

74) If pornography satisfied, people would not need to keep going back to it.

75) Pornography is like a poison. When people expose themselves to this, they often start a process.

76) Often someone is tempted to see what it is like. Then there is an encounter with it (an experience).

77) An encounter can lead to action, that may escalate, desensitization sets in and then comes acting out.

78) In Jn. 8:34 Jesus spoke of being a “bondservant to sin.”

79) Sin can, sin will, and sin does control people. Not every person is controlled by the same sins.

80) Pornography is the type of sin that grips people like an octopus.

81) It has ruined families, marriages, careers, and reputations.

82) One incentive for people to leave it alone is that God hates this type of activity.

83) If we have never seen pornography, keep the eyes pure.

84) If we have, it is time to put it away because God is not pleased by it.

85) We want to live a life that pleases God.

86) Today, as we have come here for worship, is this how we are living?