Leave Adultery Behind

Good morning, Happy Souls!

Bill Keller wrote a devotional today that I
recommend to you.  He has given me permission to
copy his e-mails, and I'm sure he would be happy if
you would share this with people you know as well.

Adultery is one of the great challenges that marriages
face today.  It can destroy your marriage, your family
... and leave you with nothing except shame.

It's time to repent and stop your adultery.

Please read on.

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL    SUNDAY MAY 7, 2006
( Exodus 20:14 )

Trading in your spouse for a newer model, a message for
those committing adultery.  I wish I could tell you the
number of emails I get daily from women whose husbands
have left them for another woman, as well as men whose
wives have left them for another man.  Today it is time
to speak to you openly, honestly, and hopefully bring some
of you back to REALITY before it is too late.

Here is the way the story goes.  "Bob" is 50 and after 26
years of marriage, 3 children, all of a sudden one of the
20-something-year-old women he works with is paying
attention to him.  "Bob" now feels like a 15-year-old
boy in love for the first time.  He starts working out for
the first time in 20 years, buys Grecian formula for that
graying hair, gets some new clothes, and his mind is
racing with endless fantasies.  This young woman likes
"Bob" because she just broke up with her immature
boyfriend and is lonely, is one of those women that likes
the game of taking men who are married, is looking for a
"dad" for her children, is looking at "Bob" for what she
can get out of him, or in some VERY rare cases, actually
does like him.  really does like you and cares about you are MINIMAL!>

They end up going out to lunch together, going away on
business functions, and go to incredible extremes to have
time together.  "Bob" eventually listens to enough of
satan's lies, gets deep enough into sin that soon he quits
even trying to hide his affair and pretty soon actually
moves out to be with the other woman full time.  Shortly
after that, the other woman ends up cheating on him and
soon gets tired of "Bob" and kicks him out.  It is usually
about this time "Bob" wakes up and realizes he has just
ruined his life, the life of his wife, and the lives of
his children.

Just to be fair, this EXACT story also happens almost
proportionately these days with women leaving their
husbands for another man.

Early in my marriage (app. 19 yrs ago), when I was not
walking with the Lord I was involved in several adulterous
affairs.  I thank God daily for His love and mercy, for
His forgiveness.  I thank God daily for my wife and her
commitment to our marriage and unconditional love that
allowed her to forgive me.  I confess this to you today so
those who read this will know that I understand this
subject from personal experience.

Adultery is simply an act of gross selfishness.  There is
NO excuse for it, no way to even try and justify it.  It
is an act of total rebellion towards God.  It is sin, and
trust me my friend, God cannot and will not bless sin.
When you commit this act, you are sinning against God,
your spouse, yourself, and you are contributing to the
sin of the other person.  There are NO winners in an
adulterous situation.  EVERYONE LOSES.  For whatever
moments of pleasure there are, you pay an incredibly high
price.  So why do so many people make this sinful choice?

The reasons for committing adultery are endless.  All of
them added up together still aren't justification for
this blatant act of disobedience to God.  Do you realize
the time and effort that it takes to be involved in an
adulterous relationship, if that same time and effort was
put towards your spouse it would do wonders for your
marriage?

If you took all of the time it takes planning to be
together with that other person, put forth the same energy
you do to please that other person, was as kind,
considerate, and affectionate as you are with that other
person....with your spouse....how much better your
marriage would be???   Do you realize that when you are
involved in an adulterous relationship how much
communication there is with the other person?  If you put
even half of that communication into your marriage it
would be dramatically better overnight!!!

Here is reality my friend.  There is no future with a
person you are involved in an adulterous relationship
with.  It will never work out long-term, if for no other
reason, God is never going to bless a union rooted in
such sin.   Whatever problems that exist in your marriage
that even cause you to consider committing adultery can
be fixed with the effort of both spouses and asking God
to help you.

For whatever reasons there may have been, you chose to
make a vow to God and your spouse for the rest of your
life and now you need to make it work.  For those who are
not yet married, maybe now you can see why it is SO
IMPORTANT to not rush into marriage.  Stay pure so you
aren't forced into marriage.  Be equally yoked so there
is spiritual harmony and communication in a marriage. 
Most problems stem from the marriage starting on a
non-spiritual foundation.  Marriage is SERIOUS and for
LIFE!

I love you and care about you so much.  I know many of you
are hurting today because your spouse has cheated on you. 
You are NOT responsible for his/her actions.  Your spouse
has the same free will that you have.  Your most effective
weapon is to pray for them, and commit them to God since
only He can change their heart.

My wife learned how to really trust God 100% during that
period in our life many years ago.  It is a time to make
your faith real.  The Lord will help you overcome the pain
and hurt, and actually be able to forgive your spouse and
move forward in your relationship.  God is a God of healing
and restoration if you are both committed to your marriage.

For those who are currently involved in an adulterous
relationship I have one thing to say to you,  STOP
TODAY!!!  I know that it will be difficult, but it is the
first step to getting your relationship with God back,
and your life back.  Anyone who is honest, knows that
life becomes almost not worth living under those
conditions.  God will always help you when you are trying
to follow His way.  Whatever problems that exist in your
marriage, adultery is not the answer.  Honest open
communication with your spouse, allowing God to be an
active part of your life, working at the commitment you
made to your husband/wife....this is what it is going to
take to make your marriage all that God wants it to be.

Because of the widespread nature of this issue, know that
I will be spending time in prayer for those of you who are
dealing with this in your life.  Both those who are
committing adultery, and those who have a spouse cheating
on them.  My prayer is that you will find that intimate,
personal relationship with the Lord that you need to
overcome the pain you are facing in your life.  No matter
how hopeless things may look, there is ALWAYS hope in
Christ.  Get right with God, then get right with your
spouse.  It is the only answer and God will help you when
you commit your life to Him and follow His Word.

You trade in your CAR for a newer model, not your spouse! 
Marriage is a lifetime commitment!

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

***If I can help you in any way you can contact me
through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

***ARE YOU 100% CERTAIN WHERE YOU WILL SPEND
ETERNITY?  The fact is you will die one day.  At
that moment, you will either spend eternity with
the Lord or be cast into everlasting darkness
forever separated from God your creator.  To know
for certain you will be forever with Jesus, go to:
http://www.liveprayer.com/bdy_salvatn.html

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(C) Copyright 2006, Bill Keller Ministries.
All rights reserved

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May God bless you as you learn from this message!

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2006 Donald W. Mitchell