1. Chapter 6
Purity in an
Impure World
Clay Crosse Award Winner
CCM Recording Artist, Dove
Co-Founder, Holy Homes
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2. I. Overview
• How can we live a pure life in an impure
world?
• How can we manage our “external
triggers”
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3. II. External Triggers - Definition
• Definition – something that turns you on
that is external – outside yourself
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4. II. External Triggers - Characteristics
• Environmental
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5. II. External Triggers - Characteristics
• Environmental
• Unavoidable
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6. II. External Triggers - Characteristics
• Environmental
• Unavoidable
• Billboards, watching sports,
commercials, etc.
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7. II. External Triggers – Why?
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8. II. External Triggers – Why?
• We live in a fallen world
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9. II. External Triggers – Why?
• We live in a fallen world
• The goals of the world are not aligned
with God’s goals
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10. II. External Triggers – Why?
• We live in a fallen world
• The goals of the world are not aligned
with God’s goals
• I John 2:16 “For the world offers only the
lust for physical pleasure….”
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11. II. External Triggers – Why?
• We live in a fallen world
• The goals of the world are not aligned
with God’s goals
• I John 2:16 “For the world offers only the
lust for physical pleasure….”
• It stinks being the alcoholic living in a
liquor store
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12. III. What can we do?
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13. III. What can we do?
1. Control your area of authority:
• Change the part of the world you can control—
your space
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14. III. What can we do?
1. Control your area of authority:
• Change the part of the world you can control—
your space
• Your TV, movies, Internet actions, etc.
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15. III. What can we do?
1. Control your area of authority:
• Change the part of the world you can control—
your space
• Your TV, movies, Internet actions, etc.
• There are things that draw you in—get rid of
those
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16. III. What can we do?
1. Control your area of authority:
• Change the part of the world you can control—
your space
• Your TV, movies, Internet actions, etc.
• There are things that draw you in—get rid of
those
2. Proverbs 22:3
• “The prudent man first sees evil….”
• The foolish enters without seeing the traps
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17. III. What can we do?
3. Don’t stress-out about what you can’t
change
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18. III. What can we do?
3. Don’t stress-out about what you can’t
change
4. Not about legalism – about being
successful in recovery
5. Do your entertainment choices match
what you believe?
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19. IV. What can’t you do?
• You can’t get rid of all the triggers
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20. IV. What can’t you do?
• You can’t get rid of all the triggers
So…
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21. IV. What can’t you do?
• You can’t get rid of all the triggers
So…
• Don’t go to extremes:
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22. IV. What can’t you do?
• You can’t get rid of all the triggers
So…
• Don’t go to extremes:
– Don’t get give up or get frustrated
– Don’t go too far and become legalistic.
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23. V. My Story
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24. V. My Story
• 1998 – Got honest with my wife
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25. V. My Story
• 1998 – Got honest with my wife
• Did the temptation go away? NO.
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26. V. My Story
• 1998 – Got honest with my wife
• Did the temptation go away? NO.
• James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endures
temptation….”
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27. V. My Story
• 1998 – Got honest with my wife
• Did the temptation go away? NO.
• James 1:12 “Blessed is the man that endures
temptation….”
NOTE: For the temptations (external triggers)
you can’t remove, your goal is to RESPOND
the right way to them.
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28. VI. Presence vs. Power of Sin
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29. VI. Presence vs. Power of Sin
• Sin is there
– I John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we
are fooling ourselves….”
– But…it doesn’t have to control us
(Romans 6:14)
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30. VI. Presence vs. Power of Sin
• Sin is there
– I John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we
are fooling ourselves….”
– But…it doesn’t have to control us
(Romans 6:14)
• Yes, external triggers will be there. No,
you don’t have to indulge them.
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31. VII. Our Goals:
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32. VII. Our Goals:
1. Remove as many external triggers as
possible.
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33. VII. Our Goals:
1. Remove as many external triggers as
possible.
2. Respond appropriately to the triggers you
can’t remove.
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34. Closing Questions:
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35. Closing Questions:
• Do my entertainment choices match
what I believe?
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36. Closing Questions:
• Do my entertainment choices match
what I believe?
• What steps do I need to take to align
them with what I believe?
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