3 Books that Drive to the Heart of Sexual Purity
John Owen once wrote: “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it whilst you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” Christian, it is vital that you pursue holiness daily. The Bible tells us, however, that without a changed heart, we won’t even have the desire to fight sin—our flesh hungers for it. We must be empowered and led by the Holy Spirit, who enters our hearts at the point of salvation and continually molds us more into the image of Christ. Our pastors have taught several sessions on sexual purity and holiness over the years, and we wanted to share some of our favorite resources with you.
As always, there is no substitute or strategy that can replace God’s Word in your life. First, and last, immerse yourself in the rich truths of the Bible and open your heart to its words of conviction, encouragement, and sanctification. Create a continual habit of depending on the Words of Scripture first, then dig into these great books to help in your daily fight for holiness.
Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace
By Heath Lambert
“You will not experience dramatic change in your struggle as long as you use accountability to describe your sins instead of declaring your need for help in the midst of temptation.” – Heath Lambert
“You need more than a change in your circumstances to win the battle, you need a change in your heart.” – Heath Lambert
“After you resolve to confess, know that it’s not your job to figure out all the possibilities, plan for every contingency, and worry about all the potential responses. Your job is simply to be faithful and do the next right thing. Confess with a willingness to accept consequences and work toward long-term restoration.” – Heath Lambert
How People Change
By Timothy S. Lane & Paul Tripp
“Scripture makes it clear that these responses are not forced upon us by the pressures of the situation. What I do comes from inside me. The things that happen to me will influence my responses but never determine them. Rather, these responses flow out of the thoughts and motives of my heart.” – Timothy S. Lane
“You and I will only be able to understand what is valuable when we examine things from the perspective of eternity.” – Timothy S. Lane
“The one thing worth celebrating for all eternity is your redemption.” –
Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Design Beneath Sexual Struggle
By Michael John Cusick
“Every man who knocks on the door of a brothel is knocking for God.” – G. K. Chesterton
“Addictions are strategies we use to keep the truth from ourselves by blinding us from seeing what’s true about us.” – Michael John Cusick
“The pursuit of purity is not about the suppression of lust, but about the reorientation of one’s life to a larger goal.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“If you want to identify what your core beliefs are, just look at your brokenness. What are your wounds and weaknesses?” – Michael John Cusick
If you’re interested in learning more about fighting sexual temptation and pursuing holiness, check out our audio and vision sessions in the Blog & Media area of the Snowbird site. We would also love to connect with you at one our Pure & Holy conferences, hosted each February.