The following program
discusses sensitive issues.
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Parents are
cautioned that some material
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may be too candid
for younger children.
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Hello and thank
you for joining us
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on another
episode of Pure Choices.
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I'll be your host for today.
My name is Jacques LaGuerre.
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I am joined here
with my lovely panel,
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Brittany Morales,
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Xavier Morales,
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Timothy Lawson,
and Myesha Lawson.
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Our topic for
today will be hook-ups.
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Why buy the cow
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if you can get
the milk for free.
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Now before we get
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into the meat of our discussion,
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I want to ask
that you bow your heads
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with me as I pray.
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Dear Heavenly Father,
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as we speak about the
spiritual ramifications
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of hooking-up
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and we speak about
Your grace to save us
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from that sort of behavior,
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we ask that You send Your Spirit
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into this place to guide us
and to lead us into all truth.
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In Jesus' name, I pray.
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Amen. Amen.
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So hook-ups, we live
in a hook-up culture,
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you know, if you
feel like doing it, do it.
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And the question
I've for you guys today is
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if it's just two
consenting adults
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and they are
having fun, so to speak,
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what's really the big deal?
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Sometimes things
always start off well,
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but they don't
always end that way.
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Explain.
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And so they could be
two consenting adults
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but there's
consequences to their reactions.
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There are STDs out there.
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There are, you
know, pregnancies,
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and if you have a
kid with a person that,
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you know, maybe
God didn't ordain
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for to be your spouse,
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now you have to
co-pair with this person
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that might have
different belief systems.
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And so you're
two consenting adults
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but because you
might have a kid,
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you're choosing into signing
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what this kid
life might be like,
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it might not be like.
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And so there is
danger just up ahead.
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Everybody is having fun now
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but when the
responsibility comes,
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it could be harder on one parent
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or harder on both afterwards.
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I think the
reality is even though
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they're two consenting adults,
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when it comes to having
sex, someone always gets hurt.
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And even if it's not
those people right there
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in the moment, even if
it's not two weeks afterwards,
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it comes to the moment
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when you want
to be with someone.
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And the question comes up,
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"So how many people
have you been with?"
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And that moment, are you going
to be ashamed of that number
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or can you really proudly say,
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"Well, honey,
you're special to me
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but I've been with,
you know, 20 people,
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some I know..."
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It's going to create hurt either
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to the two
consenting adults, one of them
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'cause if they
keep on hooking up,
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you have that situation
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where someone is going
to end up catching feelings
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because they might feel like,
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"Okay, maybe
this can go further,"
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and the other one is like,
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"No, this is not
going any further."
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So that person is hurt.
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Or later down,
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when you have to go
through that explanation of,
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"Well, that was
then, this is now."
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Someone always gets
hurt. Someone always gets hurt.
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Xavier?
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I think to it's the fact that,
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you know, we're
created for commitment,
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we're not committed to hook-up
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even if we're two
consenting adults.
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And the issue
with that is again,
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what Timothy and Brittany say,
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you know, somebody is
going to catch feelings.
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And there are STDs,
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you know, they are
everywhere nowadays.
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And, you know, you're bound
to put yourself in a situation
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where the ramifications
will be so detrimental
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that there's no going back.
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That's true.
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And also, what you
do is you take something
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that God designed
to be sacred and holy
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and you put it on the
level of common things.
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And so inside the
context of mere to something
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that was
supposed to be spiritual,
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and a blessing, and
people who are opposed
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to have a spiritual
and mental connection,
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and then the physical,
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you take all the
rest of that away,
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you just make it
physical, you know.
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And even when you
just make it physical,
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there is still some
kind of mental connection
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and a spiritual breakage
that happens with both people.
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Yeah, you know, we can see
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that there's so
many different things.
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And even without
the risk of STDs,
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I've heard it's said
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that there will only be safe sex
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when they make a
condom for the heart.
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You know, because like you said,
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our emotions do get involved
and there is a risk of STDs
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and you're spiritually
kind of uniting yourself
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with this person.
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And so we've all agreed here
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that, you know, hooking up
is not God's intention for us.
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But now the next
question is so then,
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me as a young person, I say,
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"I'm going to refrain from
sex until my wedding night."
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Now the question
that many young people ask
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and I've heard tons of times is,
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"How far is too far?"
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I think if you have to question
if the action you're doing,
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if it's too far or not,
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that probably is
your first indicator.
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If you really
have something like,
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"Wait, is this too far?"
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I'd say to be on the safer side,
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just don't do it.
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Yeah, I think to...
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I mean, they come
up with crazy ideas
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on how to keep their
virginity while still,
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you know,
performing sex pretty much,
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you know, hooking up.
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And you still
don't understand the fact
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that, you know,
your body is a temple
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of the Holy Spirit.
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You know, your body is
supposed to be sanctified,
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and at the same time,
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you don't want
to go into marriage
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with a whole bunch
of baggage on your back.
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You know, sex is
supposed to be a beautiful thing
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not just something you
just do just to hook up.
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And also, you
know, sin is progressive.
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And so the devil
likes to lead you
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to deeper things, you know.
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He may wants you to have sex
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but he may start off
with something small at first.
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And so he'll
start off with anything
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he could start off with.
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And so the Bible says,
"Your body is not your own."
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So if your body is not
yours, that other person,
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their body is not
theirs, it belongs to the Lord.
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And so you don't have any claim
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to do a little bit,
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you know, as you
think it might be
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with that person.
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Myesha?
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Yeah, I have experienced that
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prior to losing my virginity
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at a young age, by the
way, it did start off little.
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It started off
with kissing, okay,
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and not necessarily on the lips
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but on the neck
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or it started off with touching.
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So it progressed over
time, and sooner or later,
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I ended up losing my virginity.
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So, you know, and back
of mind, I was getting told
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that it was wrong,
I shouldn't do this.
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But there's peer
pressure as well.
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So not only was my
friends who were doing it.
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So you have to think
about who you are hanging around
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and they'll
influence you around too,
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and if you're on
a different path,
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should you be around them.
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That's a good
question, you know, they say,
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you know, bad company,
you know, it'll spoil you,
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it'll spoil your good manners.
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And so you were
talking about things
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getting
progressively more sinful,
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you know, sin is
a downhill slope,
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and you try to hit
the brakes and you can't.
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And we also live
in a flirting culture,
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you know, where everyone
wants to use sexual innuendoes
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and to talk and use,
you know, sly remarks
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that have very
suggestive meanings.
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What role do you
think flirting plays
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in the hook-up culture?
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I think it's very...
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Since we're talking
about progressive slope,
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the physical action,
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you know, comes about not just
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'cause you're
physically attracted to someone,
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but maybe they are
mentally stimulating
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or maybe
whatever else in your mind
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that you find attractive
about it and you like.
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And what happens is
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you can steal
somebody's affections
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before you even
touch them, you know.
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And so you can flirt
or present yourself in a,
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you know, sexual manner
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that can make
this person desire you
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before you guys even
actually commit the act.
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And that is essentially
what everybody is trying to do.
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That's why all the clothing,
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the way you look
is everybody's trying
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to be desirable,
and feel important
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by making themselves
objects that people can say,
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"Wow, that person is
somebody I really would like to,
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you know, be around or be with."
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And I think too
flirting has kind of taken
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a different
confrontation nowadays too.
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You know, back in the day,
flirting was something a little
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or less more innocent
than it is now, you know.
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It's actually the
prevalent thing, the sexting,
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you know, that's a form
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of our young
people using flirting.
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Can you explain what sexting is?
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Sexting is basically sending,
you know, sexual verbiage,
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you know, sexual wording,
comments, talking about sex,
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pictures, numbers that
you see, you know, numbers,
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different things
on your cell phones,
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and other electronics
to send encrypted messages
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that the youth
understand one another
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and what that means.
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In sexting, you're
basically provoking
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and talking about
sex in encoded ways
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to the point where
now even law enforcement
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is stepping in to
some of the schools
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and putting a ban on
the use of your cells phones
00:10:04.00\00:10:07.00
and sexting and all that
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because it is
extremely prevalent
00:10:08.54\00:10:11.67
in our society today.
00:10:11.71\00:10:14.08
And with that, you
know, you're escalating it,
00:10:14.11\00:10:17.01
you're no longer,
you know, just saying,
00:10:17.05\00:10:18.38
"Hey, you're cute.
00:10:18.41\00:10:19.75
You're pretty."
00:10:19.78\00:10:21.12
Now you're saying, you know,"
00:10:21.15\00:10:22.48
I want to do this with
you, I want to do this to you.
00:10:22.52\00:10:23.85
Let's hook-up."
00:10:23.89\00:10:25.55
Wow. Wow. Wow.
00:10:25.59\00:10:26.99
And so we can see here that,
you know, all this flirting,
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and all this sexting,
00:10:29.86\00:10:31.19
and all this
talking provocatively,
00:10:31.23\00:10:32.79
and dressing provocatively,
and doing all these things,
00:10:32.83\00:10:36.30
they are just
fuelling the hook-up culture.
00:10:36.33\00:10:39.43
And I want to read
here a Bible verse found
00:10:39.47\00:10:41.24
in 1 Corinthians 6:16, "What?
00:10:41.27\00:10:45.74
Know ye not
that he who is joined
00:10:45.77\00:10:47.51
to the harlot is one body
00:10:47.54\00:10:49.34
for two saith he,
shall be one flesh."
00:10:49.38\00:10:53.28
And I found it very interesting
00:10:53.31\00:10:55.02
when I was doing
research on what Paul here
00:10:55.05\00:10:58.02
was talking about
00:10:58.05\00:10:59.39
when he wrote to
the church at Corinth.
00:10:59.42\00:11:01.42
And in that society,
00:11:01.46\00:11:02.82
a lot of the prostitutes
00:11:02.86\00:11:04.73
in a desire to not get pregnant,
00:11:04.76\00:11:07.00
they wouldn't engage in
full-on like vaginal sex.
00:11:07.03\00:11:11.83
They would do other
things with these men
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that were willing to pay.
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.30
They would either do
what we call making out,
00:11:15.34\00:11:17.27
they would do all
this rubbing, and touching,
00:11:17.31\00:11:19.21
and things of that
nature for a price.
00:11:19.24\00:11:22.14
And so when Paul says here
00:11:22.18\00:11:23.65
that he was joined to a
harlot is one flesh with here,
00:11:23.68\00:11:27.08
he is not
explicitly talking about sex.
00:11:27.12\00:11:29.58
He is talking
about all the things
00:11:29.62\00:11:30.95
that lead up to it, like all,
00:11:30.99\00:11:32.72
you know, we talk
about the first base,
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.46
second base, and
all these different ways
00:11:34.49\00:11:35.92
we have been describing it.
00:11:35.96\00:11:37.33
Paul here is saying
that even these acts
00:11:37.36\00:11:39.13
in and out of themselves
00:11:39.16\00:11:40.53
that you're beginning
to unite with that person.
00:11:40.56\00:11:45.53
And so let's say one
of our viewers has been
00:11:45.57\00:11:48.24
that hook-up girl,
has been that hook-up guy,
00:11:48.27\00:11:50.91
and they want to break
00:11:50.94\00:11:52.27
the cycle by the power of Jesus.
00:11:52.31\00:11:53.84
What are some practical tips
00:11:53.88\00:11:56.31
that you would give them
to break the cycle of being
00:11:56.34\00:11:59.01
that hook-up
girl or hook-up guy?
00:11:59.05\00:12:01.72
Well, for one,
you have to recognize,
00:12:01.75\00:12:07.42
you know, that you were
00:12:07.46\00:12:08.79
that hook-up girl
or that hook-up guy.
00:12:08.82\00:12:11.39
You have to realize
that you were promiscuous,
00:12:11.43\00:12:15.06
and you want to get to the
root why you were promiscuous,
00:12:15.10\00:12:18.77
what exactly
were you looking for.
00:12:18.80\00:12:21.44
Well, for me, I
was looking for love.
00:12:21.47\00:12:24.31
I didn't receive love
inside of my home from a father.
00:12:24.34\00:12:28.98
I didn't have my father
around for a period of time.
00:12:29.01\00:12:32.45
And so I went out
and seeking for love
00:12:32.48\00:12:37.52
from all these
guys that I thought
00:12:37.55\00:12:40.16
that can love me or told me
that they love me, you know.
00:12:40.19\00:12:44.56
So now that I'm a
new creature in Christ
00:12:44.59\00:12:49.23
and I found the
love of Jesus, I realized
00:12:49.26\00:12:52.67
that what I was doing to
myself was really hurting me.
00:12:52.70\00:12:58.17
And so I had to
experience the real love,
00:12:58.21\00:13:04.98
you know, that God
was my first husband
00:13:05.01\00:13:08.05
or He is my first husband.
00:13:08.08\00:13:10.35
And so when I came
00:13:10.39\00:13:12.05
to that point and
experienced His love,
00:13:12.09\00:13:16.42
I began to heal.
00:13:16.46\00:13:20.46
Well, I think two things.
00:13:20.50\00:13:22.20
First, especially for
guys is knowing your worth.
00:13:22.23\00:13:25.97
You know, a guy's worth,
00:13:26.00\00:13:28.14
in the world and
largely in American society,
00:13:28.17\00:13:31.94
your manliness is based
off of if you can hook-up
00:13:31.97\00:13:35.04
or how many
hook-ups you can get.
00:13:35.08\00:13:37.01
And you have to switch
00:13:37.05\00:13:38.38
your mind state
and your thinking
00:13:38.41\00:13:39.75
because everything
starts with the mind.
00:13:39.78\00:13:41.85
However you think is
how you're going to act.
00:13:41.88\00:13:44.82
And so you have to say that,
00:13:44.85\00:13:46.59
you know, "I am worth something.
00:13:46.62\00:13:47.96
I am worth more than this.
00:13:47.99\00:13:49.42
I am a special person not
00:13:49.46\00:13:50.86
because I can sleep
with a lot of people
00:13:50.89\00:13:52.66
but because I can
save myself for one person
00:13:52.69\00:13:55.93
or that special girl actually,
00:13:55.96\00:13:58.43
you know, because
how am I a special guy
00:13:58.47\00:14:01.10
if everybody can
have a piece of me."
00:14:01.14\00:14:03.41
And so you have to switch
00:14:03.44\00:14:04.77
your mind state in that respect.
00:14:04.81\00:14:06.14
And two, you have
to starve those things
00:14:06.17\00:14:09.04
that's giving you a
mind state to tell you
00:14:09.08\00:14:11.55
that it's okay for that.
00:14:11.58\00:14:12.91
And so certain movies you watch,
00:14:12.95\00:14:14.98
certain music you listen
to, and like Myesha pointed out,
00:14:15.02\00:14:18.12
friends you hang out with.
00:14:18.15\00:14:19.55
There's some guys
00:14:19.59\00:14:20.92
that you just
shouldn't be around
00:14:20.96\00:14:22.29
'cause the only
thing on their mind
00:14:22.32\00:14:23.73
is hooking up, you know.
00:14:23.76\00:14:25.19
And there's some
numbers in your phone of girls
00:14:25.23\00:14:27.06
that you need to
delete, you need to erase,
00:14:27.10\00:14:29.46
don't try to play around saying,
00:14:29.50\00:14:30.83
"Well, we can
probably still be friends,"
00:14:30.87\00:14:32.33
'cause you know
what she is about
00:14:32.37\00:14:33.84
and you know
what that relationship
00:14:33.87\00:14:35.20
is going towards.
00:14:35.24\00:14:37.21
And I think too, you know,
kind of piggybacking on Myesha
00:14:37.24\00:14:40.78
and everybody else
that, you know, a lot of times
00:14:40.81\00:14:44.85
when we explain
these things too,
00:14:44.88\00:14:46.95
you know, we have
00:14:46.98\00:14:48.32
a predominant
society of fatherlessness.
00:14:48.35\00:14:50.82
You know, I was
blessed with both my parents.
00:14:50.85\00:14:53.72
They celebrate 39
years of marriage.
00:14:53.76\00:14:56.22
You know, I came
00:14:56.26\00:14:57.59
from a good
home, Christian home,
00:14:57.63\00:14:58.96
everything we know
was roses, so they say.
00:14:58.99\00:15:02.43
But society was telling me
that this is how you do it,
00:15:02.46\00:15:07.84
you know, this is
the way to do things.
00:15:07.87\00:15:11.67
Even though my
parents' example was,
00:15:11.71\00:15:13.94
you know, you
need to be married,
00:15:13.98\00:15:15.74
you need to be together,
00:15:15.78\00:15:17.18
you know, one spouse,
one wife, and all that.
00:15:17.21\00:15:21.32
And, you know, I think goes back
00:15:21.35\00:15:22.92
to what Tim says,
00:15:22.95\00:15:24.29
you know, you need
to know your self-worth.
00:15:24.32\00:15:26.05
My self-worth was
based on society standards.
00:15:26.09\00:15:29.89
You know, there's an importance
00:15:29.92\00:15:31.89
behind setting yourself
worth behind Jesus, yes.
00:15:31.93\00:15:34.70
Some people call Him
the fairy in the sky.
00:15:34.73\00:15:36.60
Yes, some people don't
believe what the Word says,
00:15:36.63\00:15:38.57
and that's fine.
00:15:38.60\00:15:40.60
But the thing is though
those words in the Bible
00:15:40.64\00:15:43.77
are not there just for
the sake of being there.
00:15:43.81\00:15:46.57
They are actually
there not to restrict you
00:15:46.61\00:15:48.41
but to free you
00:15:48.44\00:15:50.18
so you can have fun
without all the repercussions,
00:15:50.21\00:15:53.38
without having to
look over your shoulder.
00:15:53.42\00:15:54.88
You know, people
don't understand that,
00:15:54.92\00:15:56.52
you know, with all these,
00:15:56.55\00:15:57.89
what if I do this
and what if I did that.
00:15:57.92\00:16:00.56
And having that
self-worth in Jesus allowed me
00:16:00.59\00:16:05.33
to understand that,
00:16:05.36\00:16:06.70
"Yeah, you know what, I
can have fun with my friends.
00:16:06.73\00:16:08.96
I just don't have to have
00:16:09.00\00:16:10.33
this added extra things in there
00:16:10.37\00:16:12.60
that would actually
were more detrimental
00:16:12.63\00:16:14.74
than I thought were fun,"
00:16:14.77\00:16:16.10
'cause it seems like
fun, it feels like fun,
00:16:16.14\00:16:18.11
but in reality I was
damaging my body physically,
00:16:18.14\00:16:20.58
spiritually, and mentally.
00:16:20.61\00:16:23.21
Wow. Wow. Wow.
00:16:23.24\00:16:25.61
That's very interesting.
00:16:25.65\00:16:27.12
What I was also going to
add into what Myesha was saying
00:16:27.15\00:16:31.35
is you need to
also know the reason why
00:16:31.39\00:16:34.46
you want to stop
being the hook-up girl
00:16:34.49\00:16:36.29
or the hook-up boy.
00:16:36.32\00:16:37.99
It's like when
it comes to smoking,
00:16:38.03\00:16:39.89
a lot of people
quit a lot of times
00:16:39.93\00:16:43.00
but you only stop once.
00:16:43.03\00:16:45.27
So you can say,
00:16:45.30\00:16:46.63
"Okay, I'm not
going to do this anymore."
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.00
And then something happens
00:16:48.04\00:16:49.37
and you're on that
path all over again.
00:16:49.40\00:16:51.64
Know your reason why
00:16:51.67\00:16:54.48
and let it be
something stronger than just,
00:16:54.51\00:16:58.08
"Okay, I'm just
not going to hook-up
00:16:58.11\00:16:59.61
because I want someone
00:16:59.65\00:17:01.92
who is going to love my smile,"
00:17:01.95\00:17:05.82
'cause some people
have like these frivolities
00:17:05.85\00:17:07.56
and then someone
comes around and says,
00:17:07.59\00:17:09.26
"You know, I love you."
00:17:09.29\00:17:10.79
"Wait, maybe he is the one.
00:17:10.83\00:17:12.29
Okay, maybe I'll..."
00:17:12.33\00:17:14.16
Have seriates and
let it be grounded
00:17:14.20\00:17:16.26
in Christ and say,
00:17:16.30\00:17:17.63
"I'm not going
to be this anymore
00:17:17.67\00:17:19.00
because there is
someone out there
00:17:19.03\00:17:21.07
who is being prepared for me,
00:17:21.10\00:17:23.71
and I have to make
sure I'm preparing myself
00:17:23.74\00:17:25.81
so that when we
combine together,
00:17:25.84\00:17:28.74
it is an experience
that glorifies God."
00:17:28.78\00:17:32.05
And I'll also say know
what your triggers are.
00:17:32.08\00:17:34.98
Sometimes we're
going through that cycle
00:17:35.02\00:17:36.48
because it might be because,
00:17:36.52\00:17:39.22
"My family member did something,
00:17:39.25\00:17:41.52
they said something.
00:17:41.56\00:17:42.89
I am so stressed out.
00:17:42.92\00:17:44.26
I'm just going to find someone
to hook-up with for tonight
00:17:44.29\00:17:47.06
or I'm just standing
00:17:47.10\00:17:48.76
and this girl
comes and she touches,
00:17:48.80\00:17:50.83
you know, a guy if he touches,"
00:17:50.87\00:17:52.20
you know, his
chest and it's like,
00:17:52.23\00:17:54.54
"Oh, she touched my chest.
00:17:54.57\00:17:56.24
She wants me. I might as
well. It's just one time."
00:17:56.27\00:17:59.31
Or even if it's a
girl, and the guy says,
00:17:59.34\00:18:00.81
"You know, you're very pretty,
00:18:00.84\00:18:02.24
and you look like
a really great woman,
00:18:02.28\00:18:03.78
the way how you were
just walking across there."
00:18:03.81\00:18:07.02
"Maybe he thinks about..."
00:18:07.05\00:18:08.38
Like know what
your triggers are,
00:18:08.42\00:18:10.49
and I think those
are like two key things.
00:18:10.52\00:18:14.32
I like all the
comments that, you guys, said
00:18:14.36\00:18:15.96
and one of the common threads
00:18:15.99\00:18:17.33
I found was keeping
Christ at the center.
00:18:17.36\00:18:20.43
You know,
knowing your self-worth,
00:18:20.46\00:18:22.66
knowing how you can find
your self-worth at the cross.
00:18:22.70\00:18:26.63
And for me, particularly,
00:18:26.67\00:18:28.87
I grew up in a good
sound Adventist home.
00:18:28.90\00:18:31.57
Two parents,
00:18:31.61\00:18:32.94
my father's a
pastor, my mother is a nurse,
00:18:32.97\00:18:35.34
just typical Adventist family.
00:18:35.38\00:18:37.68
My father has been in
ministry for over 35 years now.
00:18:37.71\00:18:40.95
And yet, I was taking
the cues from society,
00:18:40.98\00:18:44.22
I was looking to the movies,
I was looking to the music.
00:18:44.25\00:18:46.39
And I was saying,
00:18:46.42\00:18:47.76
"Well, if I'm not
picking up a lot of women,
00:18:47.79\00:18:51.46
then I'm not a guy."
00:18:51.49\00:18:53.29
I didn't learn that from home,
00:18:53.33\00:18:54.86
I didn't learn that
from family members,
00:18:54.90\00:18:56.87
I didn't learn
that from my church,
00:18:56.90\00:18:58.63
but I learned it
from the television.
00:18:58.67\00:19:00.94
And like you
were saying earlier,
00:19:00.97\00:19:02.77
removing all these
negative influences
00:19:02.80\00:19:04.74
that are giving you a
false reality in a way
00:19:04.77\00:19:09.11
saying that you
have to be this guy,
00:19:09.14\00:19:10.95
you have to be this girl,
or you have to dress this way,
00:19:10.98\00:19:13.52
or you have to talk this way.
00:19:13.55\00:19:15.22
Removing these
influences from my life
00:19:15.25\00:19:17.62
and replacing them
00:19:17.65\00:19:18.99
'cause you have to
replace them with something,
00:19:19.02\00:19:20.39
you can't sit around
all day doing nothing,
00:19:20.42\00:19:21.89
dwindling your thumbs.
00:19:21.92\00:19:23.46
And so removing
these things from my life
00:19:23.49\00:19:25.56
and replacing them with,
00:19:25.59\00:19:26.93
you know, sound music,
you know, reading my Bible,
00:19:26.96\00:19:30.87
reading the Spirit of prophesy.
00:19:30.90\00:19:32.67
You know, I found
counsel in Steps to Christ,
00:19:32.70\00:19:35.94
and Patriarchs and Prophets,
and Prophets and Kings.
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.94
And all these books,
00:19:38.97\00:19:40.81
they were able to help
me in my path to purity.
00:19:40.84\00:19:43.55
Did any of these
books also influence
00:19:43.58\00:19:45.41
any of your changes
whether it's from the Bible,
00:19:45.45\00:19:47.52
the Spirit of prophesy?
00:19:47.55\00:19:50.05
Yes.
00:19:50.09\00:19:51.42
In my formal life, when I used
to be a dancer in Las Vegas,
00:19:51.45\00:19:56.93
I decided that I
wanted to change my life,
00:19:56.96\00:19:58.96
I wanted to give it to Christ.
00:19:58.99\00:20:01.30
And so, at that
point of time in my life,
00:20:01.33\00:20:06.17
I caught a case.
00:20:06.20\00:20:08.20
And I was going to court for it.
00:20:08.24\00:20:11.54
I didn't know
what I was up against.
00:20:11.57\00:20:14.08
And at the time, my husband,
00:20:14.11\00:20:16.48
he sent a packet in the mail.
00:20:16.51\00:20:20.32
And it had Amazing
Facts Bible Studies in it,
00:20:20.35\00:20:23.72
it had Steps to Christ.
00:20:23.75\00:20:25.85
And so that
morning before court,
00:20:25.89\00:20:28.76
I opened Steps to Christ.
00:20:28.79\00:20:31.19
And I began to read it.
00:20:31.23\00:20:33.93
It was amazing
'cause I have never
00:20:33.96\00:20:37.13
read something like that before.
00:20:37.17\00:20:40.37
I mean, it spoke to me.
00:20:40.40\00:20:43.44
And I mean, I got teary-eyed,
00:20:43.47\00:20:45.67
it was the first experience
I've ever had with Jesus.
00:20:45.71\00:20:50.25
And I grew up in church
00:20:50.28\00:20:53.25
but I never had that experience.
00:20:53.28\00:20:56.25
So I didn't know
00:20:56.28\00:20:58.72
what I was up
against going to court.
00:20:58.75\00:21:01.22
So as I go to court,
and I'm just praying,
00:21:01.26\00:21:04.19
constantly just praying like,
00:21:04.23\00:21:05.83
"Lord, I really
want to change my life.
00:21:05.86\00:21:08.63
Please just help me."
00:21:08.66\00:21:10.80
And I carried that
Steps to Christ in my purse.
00:21:10.83\00:21:13.50
So when I'm outside,
00:21:13.54\00:21:16.37
and I'm talking to
the public defender,
00:21:16.40\00:21:18.47
and he is coming back and
forth telling me about my case,
00:21:18.51\00:21:21.61
I keep opening
the Steps to Christ,
00:21:21.64\00:21:23.95
just keep
reading, and keep reading,
00:21:23.98\00:21:25.65
and I'm just praying like,
"Lord, please just please."
00:21:25.68\00:21:30.02
So as I go to
court, everything was fine.
00:21:30.05\00:21:34.32
I didn't have to
do any jail-time.
00:21:34.36\00:21:36.16
The Lord was just good.
00:21:36.19\00:21:38.23
Well, once again, I
opened up my Steps to Christ,
00:21:38.26\00:21:43.43
and the next thing you
know, I found a church,
00:21:43.47\00:21:45.90
and I started Bible
studies with Amazing Facts.
00:21:45.93\00:21:48.84
Wow. Wow. Wow.
00:21:48.87\00:21:50.21
That's amazing how, you
know, just such a simple book,
00:21:50.24\00:21:52.77
just a small book
00:21:52.81\00:21:54.31
can really lead
someone to Christ
00:21:54.34\00:21:56.51
and show them His perfect love
00:21:56.54\00:21:57.95
and show them His perfect grace.
00:21:57.98\00:22:00.55
And many of us here,
we've made a lot of mistakes.
00:22:00.58\00:22:03.28
You know, we've sinned sexually.
00:22:03.32\00:22:05.89
We've sinned
against our own bodies.
00:22:05.92\00:22:08.52
And so the next
question I have is
00:22:08.56\00:22:12.99
if someone has made a
lot of sexual mistakes,
00:22:13.03\00:22:15.13
they haven't
kept themselves pure,
00:22:15.16\00:22:16.83
and they have sinned
00:22:16.87\00:22:18.20
against their own
body as Paul says,
00:22:18.23\00:22:20.97
is there hope and can
God change that person?
00:22:21.00\00:22:25.61
You better believe it.
00:22:25.64\00:22:27.64
You know, God's
all about change.
00:22:27.68\00:22:29.04
That's why I love the
way that Bible starts off,
00:22:29.08\00:22:31.51
it starts off with God creating.
00:22:31.55\00:22:33.92
You know, He is
creating the new earth,
00:22:33.95\00:22:36.32
He is creating the new man,
00:22:36.35\00:22:37.95
and then at the
end of the Bible,
00:22:37.99\00:22:39.59
you know, in the
book of Revelations,
00:22:39.62\00:22:40.96
He's going to recreate.
00:22:40.99\00:22:43.73
And so, you know, I can remember
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.49
when I was changing my
favorite Bible characters,
00:22:46.53\00:22:50.00
I used to be
like Peter and John,
00:22:50.03\00:22:52.03
praise the Lord, you
know, Moses is really tight too.
00:22:52.07\00:22:54.44
But in a way, I was
always reading Peter
00:22:54.47\00:22:56.74
because Peter
had a lot of problems
00:22:56.77\00:22:59.04
and, you know, he was messed up.
00:22:59.07\00:23:00.98
And then you go
through the New Testament,
00:23:01.01\00:23:03.61
you see how God changed him.
00:23:03.65\00:23:05.71
And so, you know, when
you are on your knees praying,
00:23:05.75\00:23:08.28
you're like, "Lord, you know,
can you change me like that?
00:23:08.32\00:23:11.85
You know, can you take
me from being this person
00:23:11.89\00:23:15.22
who can even be in Your presence
00:23:15.26\00:23:16.69
and can't even see their ownself
00:23:16.73\00:23:18.19
to just being full
of Your Holy Spirit
00:23:18.23\00:23:22.16
and showing Your
love to other people?"
00:23:22.20\00:23:24.60
And the whole purpose
is God wants to change you.
00:23:24.63\00:23:27.64
That's one of the
reasons He died on the cross
00:23:27.67\00:23:30.04
because He wants
to give you the power
00:23:30.07\00:23:31.84
to live just like His Son.
00:23:31.87\00:23:34.74
Well, to be honest, me,
00:23:34.78\00:23:39.98
I am a living testimony, okay?
00:23:40.02\00:23:42.28
I mean, can God
change you? Yes, look at me.
00:23:42.32\00:23:46.12
If you have seen
me then to now, yes,
00:23:46.15\00:23:49.32
the Lord can do
some amazing changes.
00:23:49.36\00:23:50.96
And I mean I'm still
growing in grace of course.
00:23:50.99\00:23:53.26
But the Lord is good anyhow.
00:23:53.29\00:23:56.16
Like I said, I have done a lot.
00:23:56.20\00:23:59.47
I struggled also
with emotional problems,
00:23:59.50\00:24:04.44
you know, and dispositions.
00:24:04.47\00:24:06.57
And I just held on
to Christ in changing me
00:24:06.61\00:24:09.64
and that exactly what
He did because I asked.
00:24:09.68\00:24:13.45
And I put forth,
and I read His Word,
00:24:13.48\00:24:15.58
and I want to live by His Word.
00:24:15.62\00:24:18.12
So yes, it's
possible. He can change you.
00:24:18.15\00:24:21.46
And I think too, for me,
00:24:21.49\00:24:22.82
like I gravitated
to David in the Bible
00:24:22.86\00:24:25.29
'cause as messed up as
he was, God kept saying...
00:24:25.33\00:24:27.26
But this man was
after his own heart.
00:24:27.30\00:24:29.83
And I noticed that it wasn't
'cause he was just messed up,
00:24:29.86\00:24:32.40
it was because he
knew he's messed up
00:24:32.43\00:24:34.50
and he was just
striving to get closer,
00:24:34.54\00:24:37.64
you know, by any means necessary
00:24:37.67\00:24:39.04
to get closer to God.
00:24:39.07\00:24:40.41
So, you know, for
me that was my case.
00:24:40.44\00:24:42.04
I just...
00:24:42.08\00:24:43.41
I knew I was messed up,
00:24:43.45\00:24:44.78
"But, God, what can I
do to get closer to you?"
00:24:44.81\00:24:47.02
And He took me
as I was and slowly
00:24:47.05\00:24:50.25
but surely change me
to the man I'm today.
00:24:50.29\00:24:52.85
Amen. Amen.
00:24:52.89\00:24:55.82
When you asked if
God can change me,
00:24:55.86\00:24:57.46
He can just transform
you from the top of your head
00:24:57.49\00:25:01.96
to like the sole of your feet.
00:25:02.00\00:25:04.03
And He does it in
such a way where...
00:25:04.07\00:25:05.93
God knows each one
of us individually.
00:25:05.97\00:25:08.04
He knows what our
hearts are, what our pains are,
00:25:08.07\00:25:10.97
what our struggles are,
00:25:11.01\00:25:12.37
and He tailors to
each one of us, and says,
00:25:12.41\00:25:14.54
"Okay, you need
help in this area,
00:25:14.58\00:25:17.08
and this is how
I'm going to do it.'
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.45
It's like He has His
own little action plan,
00:25:18.48\00:25:20.62
counseling plan, whatever it is.
00:25:20.65\00:25:22.55
And He goes about it.
00:25:22.58\00:25:23.92
And He does it so miraculously
when He does it in your life.
00:25:23.95\00:25:28.86
And that's what
I love about God,
00:25:28.89\00:25:30.96
how He really truly
takes that time, and says,
00:25:30.99\00:25:33.76
"Okay, yes, you are in a mess
00:25:33.80\00:25:35.73
but I'm not going
to leave you there.
00:25:35.76\00:25:37.10
I'm not just going to say,
'You're dirty, you're filthy,
00:25:37.13\00:25:39.03
I want nothing to do with you.'
00:25:39.07\00:25:40.57
I'm going to
actually take you in My arms
00:25:40.60\00:25:43.71
and help you
through this process."
00:25:43.74\00:25:47.64
And I've seen the power of
God in my own life as well.
00:25:47.68\00:25:52.58
Me and myself, I was that guy,
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.85
I was that hook-up guy
after being a pastor's child,
00:25:55.88\00:25:59.09
knowing the truth,
00:25:59.12\00:26:00.76
being exposed to
powerful Adventist messages
00:26:00.79\00:26:03.49
in my whole entire life.
00:26:03.53\00:26:05.23
I left the church. I
decided to join the military.
00:26:05.26\00:26:08.80
And while I was in
the military, I just...
00:26:08.83\00:26:12.23
I was into all sorts of stuff.
00:26:12.27\00:26:15.07
I was frequent in strip
clubs, I was hooking up,
00:26:15.10\00:26:19.07
I even slid into
soliciting prostitutes.
00:26:19.11\00:26:22.21
But the whole
time, God was there.
00:26:22.24\00:26:25.15
And from going from a place like
00:26:25.18\00:26:27.18
that to being able
to share with others,
00:26:27.22\00:26:30.39
the gospel,
only the power of God
00:26:30.42\00:26:33.29
can accomplish that.
00:26:33.32\00:26:34.66
Yes. Amen.
00:26:34.69\00:26:36.02
It's amazing to see His love,
it's amazing to see His grace,
00:26:36.06\00:26:40.23
it's amazing to see His patience
00:26:40.26\00:26:41.80
and how He will work with us.
00:26:41.83\00:26:45.03
Like the story
of the prodigal son,
00:26:45.07\00:26:47.84
God the Father, He is
waiting for all His children.
00:26:47.87\00:26:51.17
He wants them to come home.
00:26:51.21\00:26:53.48
And He wants to put
on you His royal robes.
00:26:53.51\00:26:56.75
Do any of you guys have
00:26:56.78\00:26:58.15
just one final
experience for us today
00:26:58.18\00:27:01.32
that you have one experience
00:27:01.35\00:27:03.45
where you felt God's
love in such remarkable way
00:27:03.49\00:27:05.99
before we close?
00:27:06.02\00:27:08.52
Yeah, I felt in jail.
00:27:08.56\00:27:11.69
I heard His
voice, and I just said,
00:27:11.73\00:27:14.16
"Here I am, Lord.
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.53
I am listening."
00:27:15.56\00:27:17.13
Amen. Myesha?
00:27:17.17\00:27:18.50
Yes, I experienced a loss, okay?
00:27:18.53\00:27:21.37
I lost a child.
00:27:21.40\00:27:24.24
And I felt like I
had no one, nobody,
00:27:24.27\00:27:26.91
and I felt the
Lord was there for me.
00:27:26.94\00:27:30.45
He actually saved my
life in that point of time.
00:27:30.48\00:27:34.88
And that's what
Christ came to do.
00:27:34.92\00:27:36.65
He came to save
us from ourselves,
00:27:36.69\00:27:39.29
our weak un-Christ-like-selves.
00:27:39.32\00:27:41.22
And I thank Him for that.
00:27:41.26\00:27:43.79
Well, that's all the
time we have for today.
00:27:43.83\00:27:46.13
Thank you for joining us
00:27:46.16\00:27:47.50
on another
episode of Pure Choices.
00:27:47.53\00:27:49.86
May God be with you,
may His peace guide you.
00:27:49.90\00:27:53.03
And remember to
always make pure choices.
00:27:53.07\00:27:56.24