Accountability...

As men, we carry our pride like a badge of honor. We use it for a shield against anything that might threaten our self-esteem. We hide behind it when other people attempt to offer suggestions which, if followed, would require us to change our courses in life. We know better than anyone else what is best for ourselves. After all, we managed to bring ourselves to the place in life where we are. And we will do a fine job of going on to the next step.

Therein lies one of the greatest problems that men who are addicted to pornography face. Because they believe that they know what is best for them, and because they do not want anyone violating their manhood by telling them what to do, they continue blindly down the same road of destruction that brought them to the place where they are. That place may be one where, because of his pornography addiction, his marriage has fallen apart, his financial situation has deteriorated, and worst of all, his spiritual relationship has all but disappeared. (read more...)

Not THAT River!...

If you were given instructions that were guaranteed to end the madness of the cyclic, uncontrollable behavior that characterizes your addiction, would you take advantage of them? Would you do what it takes to overcome your addiction, no matter the cost?

"Of course, I would!" most of you would say. But would you really do whatever it took, regardless of the embarrassment or humiliation that it might cause you to feel? I hope so, but if you are like I was for more than twenty years, you probably wouldn't. And then, you would wonder why the misery and anguish that characterizes your life never ends. (read more...)

I'm in the Navy now!

One of the most important occupations in any nation is that of a military person. In the U.S., that would include the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and each of the National Guard and Reserve branches of the military. Over the centuries, tens of thousands of men and women have lost their lives or have been crippled in the process of defending their nation and its freedom.

It is sad that as those men and women are fighting for freedom from oppression, communism, and terrorism, a greater enemy lies in wait, hunkered down for the first opportunity to attack them in ways that they never see coming and are seldom prepared to fight. I am reminded of the passage of scripture in Mark 8:36. "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" If a man fights a global battle and wins, yet loses his soul while doing so, what has been gained?

Most service towns in the U.S. and all service towns overseas have all the things to lure the men into town. It is common in most all locations overseas and some in the U.S. to have some form of prostitution available near the base. When a Navy ship pulls in for a stop in a liberty port, there are frequently girls called fleet followers and some other names. They go watch for the ships to come in so they can sell themselves to the service men. There are usually some forms of porn shops and most always some tattoo shops. The number of porn shops depends on the town or country. Some countries are very strict and some only pretend to be and allow it to go on anyway.

Our concern is for those people for whom moral temptation is too strong to battle alone. How many times has a young seaman or marine sailed into port for shore leave or liberty, only to be blind-sided by prostitution, pornography, drugs, and disease? How many times has a young man who just months before left the church he had attended for perhaps his entire life for a tour of military duty, but then discovers at the hand of the more seasoned personnel, the pleasures of sin for a season? Perhaps the more seasoned "buddies" just want to show him the ropes, just want to show him how to have a little fun for a couple of hours.

It is another case of extreme peer pressure that usually causes the young first timer to go along with the crowd. After a couple of times, the new guy becomes more willing to stray and gradually tries more that the devil has to offer. It's so convincing. "You are far from home and no one will ever know." Maybe the peers reach in their toolbox and pull out the big one - liquor. What better way to soften him up? The normally faithful young husband listens when his peers try to convince him to cheat on his wife. They tell him, "She will never know" and this, along with raging hormones and a bottle of tequila or some other liquor pushes the young man over the edge. Naturally, each time this happens it becomes easier for the young man to get involved in the immoral behavior.

It has been said that integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. When these guys are 10,000 miles from home and get out with a bunch of macho rowdy guys who have done it all and lived to tell about it, they actually convince themselves that what they do will never be known back home. It is usually too late when they are murdered by one of the locals over the price of a drink or a bump in a crowded room. Or when they find out long after the fact that the cute little senorita gave them something they can't get rid of. Then and only then do they realize that when you dance with the devil someone has to pay the fiddler.

To be sure, there are many upstanding Godly men and women serving their countries in military service. Those people of integrity and honor know and understand the consequences of stepping across the line of spiritual safety. They understand that sin is fun for a season, but just until reality sets in.

If you are in the military, or know someone who is, and you need help battling the lure of pornography, prostitution, or other forms of immoral behavior, we'd love to hear from you. We will do whatever we can to walk beside you, to provide you with materials that help you win the battle. Our prayer partners will gladly pray for you. You can contact us by clicking the Contact link near the top left of this article or by snail mail using the following address information.

Man On The Road
PO Box 211
Madison, TN 37116
USA

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