Religion or Relationship? Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Religion or Relationship?------------------- Date: 6/29/2002 Keywords: "Lord” “refuge” “religion" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Psalm 34:22* The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. Questions 1. What is the promise to you in today’s passage?   2. What does pornography promise you? Does it live up to it’s promise?   Practical help Most people, most of the time, approach religion based on what they think it’s supposed to do for them. They look at religious choices the same way they try to determine what’s the best car to buy this year. If the pros outweigh the cons, maybe they will go along…at least for a test drive. People who think this way might look briefly at this study or Web site with the idea that it might benefit them in overcoming a pornography habit. If something catches their eye, they might pause a moment and “reflect” before moving on and considering other options in the vast arena of ideas. The problem with this approach is the same as having students decide a course’s curriculum (a very popular trend in education today it seems). The problem, of course, is that you can’t know what you don’t know. Students might design a fun, interesting (and possibly easy?) course, but it also may not prepare them for life and reality as it really is. If you don’t know whether God exists or not, then begin there. If He doesn’t exist, then the world is an accident, and life is absurd at it’s core. If God exists, then how can you know Him? You can try to use your wits and search for Him by trying on different religious options, or you can discover where He has revealed Himself in the past. May I suggest the book of John in the New Testament. Jesus says that if we have seen Him we have seen the Father. If you have never read this book for yourself, then I guarantee it will change your life. What does all of this have to do with today’s passage and the problem of pornography? If you don’t know who the Lord is, the promise is meaningless. If you know Him personally, then this verse contains the promise you need to run away from sexual sin and into the arms of a loving God who is here for you right now. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2002 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission." ---