Not long after looking into the movie, a dear friend of mine called me up in dispair. She has become so consumed with the "Twilight" series that it is affecting her marriage. The men in the show are so goodlooking and she says that the man treats the woman so well and it's such a romantic setting and story line. It has made her look at her spouse and start to despise him for the way he looks, acts, and what he does for a living to support her family. For the first time in her life she is struggling with the desire to cheat on her husband after she sees how glamorous the sexuality in this show is. She's drawn to that and has allowed all these evil thoughts of regret to enter her mind that she married too young and that her husband isn't the right person for her and she doesn't like to be told what to do and that she wants to be wooed like the women in the movie. She eats, sleeps and breathes "Twilight." She is not a Christian and I can only pray for her and encourage her.
Movies like this can be so tempting to watch. It could be any movie we're watching that Satan can use as a stronghold and as a temptation for evil desires. I have to be careful not to read romance books also or I can get caught up easily in the romanticism. It's easy to allow our hearts to become discontent with who God has created us to be and who God has brought into our life as a marriage partner.
God has lots to say in His Word about this topic:
"Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." - Proverbs 4:23-27
"You must not commit adultery. But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman (or man) with lust has already committed adultery with her (him) in his (her) heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." - Matt 5: 17-30
"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. " - 1 Cor 6:18-20
"All of you should honor marriage. You should keep the marriage bed pure. God will judge the person who commits adultery. He will judge everyone who commits sexual sins. - Hebrews 13:4
Acting on these desires is just as much committing adultery as thinking the thoughts (Mt 5:17). God has really laid on my heart this past week for us to guard our hearts from what is evil. Be careful of the shows we watch. Be careful of the books we read. Guard our hearts from evil and temptation. Be thankful for the man God has brought into your life and find ways to bless and encourage him today. Praise God for all the good things your marriage has to offer.
Would you invite Jesus to watch the movie with you? Would he be happy watching what you've invited him to see? Would you want to curl on the couch with Jesus and read a book together? What would he think of the book you'd be reading? Hollywood wants us to lust after the actors and actresses. Writers want you to get caught up in the romantic love stories. Adultery has become so glamorized that we've become desensitized to how evil it is. Satan can sneak into our lives in many different ways.
Guard your hearts (and marriages). That's my encouragement for you today.
i appreciate your words...thank you.
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