Purity

Relationships part 5
Bring enough roses for every girl to have 2.

As class begins, pass out 1 rose to every girl, tell them it isn't theirs to keep but they have have it for a while, touch it, smell it, really take in its beauty.

As a class have someone read Proverbs 31:10-31

I realize none of you are wives, or going to be wives in the foreseeable immediate future, but never the less this is a great scripture to look at what a Christian woman looks like. Lets break into pairs (I did 4 groups of 2-3) and take a close look, each group write down all of the Characteristics that you find in your verses. 10-16; 17-23; 24-31 etc how ever you need to break them up.

Alright now everyone have 1 person from your group come write what you found on the board in order of the verses. Each group read what you found.

That is a pretty impressive list if I do say so myself. I'm not really sure if this is an actual woman that is being referred to, or the idea of a Christian woman. Nevertheless all of this could not be done in a 24 hour time period, but there are certainly traits in here that we can take to heart today.

Take a minute and see what describes you up there.

If we are so wrapped up in God then we will have everything we need- and if God sees it fit then He will send the right guy your way. That does not mean go chase after a boy- that means keep your focus on God and he will be drawn to you. God must be your First priority and everything else will fall into place.

Lets flip over to 2 Corinthians 5.10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

As Christians we are required to live a life of faithful obedience- that includes our dress, our thoughts, and our actions.

Collect the roses from the girls (many of mine even decided to pull the petals off in "he loves me he loves me not" and one decided if she couldn't keep the rose she would just keep the petals, let them do whatever they want to the roses but they cant keep them yet. Put the collected roses back with the original batch and let them sit there in view for the rest of class.

You can only have so many firsts. Who remembers what you did on the 3rd week of summer? How about the first day? And school- what was your last test like? How about your first test in a class? You remember the firsts- and you can only have a first kiss, the first time he holds your hand so many times. You can't get those back.

I want you all to envision a field. Now it is covered in snow. A few inches weighing down on the branches. The sunlight glistening off the top of the snow in this beautiful white field. Now imagine a set of footprints right through your field. The first set is pretty neat and still leaves a beautiful scene- now imagine 15 more. What does snow look like once it starts getting messed with?

This snow- it represents us. Once you do something, you can't undo it. You can't unsee something or take back something you've done. The footprints are already through your field. And yes- more snow can fall but as we read in Corinthians 5 we will be held accountable for both the good and the bad we've done. Yes, we will be forgiven for it, but it is still there as are its scars.

I don't know about you, but when I stand before God, I want my field to be as pure as I can keep it. Every thought, every action- its a footprint. On that same note- you want to stay pure for your husband- think about all of the baggage you will be taking into a relationship, just because you thought he was "the one God had planned for me". It is easy to get caught up in lust and not love, but if God is at the center of your relationship and you see Him working in and through you both then you are on the right track!

God intended this male/female relationship to be with our spouses, our husbands. That includes sharing memories and information, and even experiences. Now if you have already done so much before you get to your husband, yea its going to be special because its just the two of you, but imagine if you didn't have anything to compare that too- no baggage that you have coming into that relationship. Don't waste your time or the heartache if he is not the one God has planned for you. If he isn't an option for marriage then let him go. You can still be friends. Make God your priority and your relationship with Him.

Walk around the room with the roses again and let all of the girls pick a rose. Then ask them why they picked that rose. Did anyone get one that had been picked apart? Now if that rose is your life, which one has more beauty? Hold up one of the used roses- is this still a rose? Are roses still beautiful (yes)? Is it any less of a rose (no)? But which one did you choose? The pretty new one. That is what God wants too. Not the left overs.

Keep yourselves pure, your thoughts, your actions, your bodies. Stay as pure as you possibly can. Opening doors you aren't ready to walk through yet is a dangerous move, stay pure and keep your focus on God- He has a plan- trust Him!