"…for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 8:11)

Unless you have been living under a rock, you undoubtedly have heard of 50 Shades of Grey. The erotica trilogy, written by a woman for women, has sold more than 10 million copies and is still going strong. The story revolves around a sadomasochistic relationship between Anastasia, a naive college student, and a libidinous young billionaire named Christian. He is the dominant, she the submissive in an enticing narrative about mind control and kinky sex.

The overnight success of 50 Shades of Grey and the current media frenzy surrounding the film Magic Mike — the story of a young male stripper striving for stardom — are part of a growing cultural shift that encourages women to gratify their sexual desires and feed their lust. They also are the latest evidence of the devil’s schemes to destroy the family unit and tear down the covenant of marriage. Far from harmless entertainment, they are like arsenic in the water, bringing decay and death to couples.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10

Women, like men, have a natural sex drive — God created us that way. But, that does not mean we are meant to fulfill our every sexual whim. Thousands of men suffer from an addiction to pornography. Their lust for hyper-sexualized images of women increases exponentially every time they see a pornographic photo or film. Using pornography for personal pleasure becomes an insatiable craving. A man no longer looks to his wife’s inner and outer beauty for fulfillment, but instead replaces her in his mind’s eye with nameless strangers who make no emotional demands and perform solely for his pleasure.

Traditionally, women have frowned upon their husbands and boyfriends looking at pornography. They have felt demeaned and abandoned, never able to measure up to the fantasy created by the porn industry. But now, women are being lured into sexual fantasies of their own, and encouraged to act on every impulse. If women fall prey to porn — whether under the guise of “erotica” or a ribald “chick flick” — they can no longer demand that their husbands eschew adult entertainment. The last bastion of defense will crumble.

Lust for one’s spouse can add spice to a loving marriage relationship, but if directed elsewhere, it can be cruelly divisive. As soon as a man’s attention is diverted from building an intimate relationship with his wife, it becomes much easier — too easy — to look at other women in the real world, as well. An office flirtation becomes a full-blown affair. A night out with the boys becomes a trip to the strip club or a one-night-stand with the woman at the bar. Entice a woman with the promise of sexual gratification, no strings attached, and the outcomes are the same.

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:43-45

Satan has been working methodically over the past several decades to “emancipate” women from marriage and destroy the family unit that is at the foundation of our society. From the Women’s Lib movement of the ’70s to shows like One Day at a Time in the ’80s to Sex and the City in the ’90s and today’s TV trash, like Desperate Housewives and Jersey Shore, women young and old have been indoctrinated with the message that they don’t need a man. Premarital and extramarital sex are glamorized. Women are encouraged to pursue their every fleshly whim, to have children out of wedlock, and to divorce their husbands, Kim Kardashian style, if they just aren’t feelin’ the love.

God understands that we have sexual desires, which is why he created marriage in the first place. God wants us to enjoy sex to the full, so long as it is within the context of marriage.

…each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband…. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:2, 5

Do not be deceived. Remember that “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” but Christ came to give us life to the full.

God created marriage for a reason. Research shows that children raised by a father and mother in a two-parent household are more emotionally stable and more successful than those raised by a single parent. From the very beginning of time in Genesis 2, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him…That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

Ephesians 5:22-33 gives specific instruction for how husbands and wives are to love each other, saying that every man “must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Entertaining lustful fantasies about other people, whether in books, movies, or real life, is not a demonstration of love and respect.

Experiencing the fullness of life in Christ requires us to keep our eyes on Him, and turn away from temptation. If something or someone that is not your spouse thrills you sexually, you are embarking on a slippery slope when you take a single step in that direction. Focus on the person you pledged to love for every day of your life. Invest time and energy in your marriage. And if you are not married, trust that God has a great plan for your life and will deliver your perfect partner when the time is right.

When I was a kid, there were only three television networks: CBS, ABC, and NBC. (Four, if you count PBS.) Fox did not yet exist. Cable did not yet exist. You watched what was on the three channels, or you read a book, listened to records, or took a walk. TV entertainment was a scarce commodity.

For this reason, my dad and I never watched TV on Sunday morning. Saturday morning was all about cartoons. Sunday morning was reserved for Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, and other televangelists. Sunday morning TV was religious, and religion was for kooks.

I spent the first part of my adult life with this preconception about Bible teachers and preachers on TV. It didn’t help that the transgressions of Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart received unbridled media attention in the 1980s. Televangelists were all a bunch of charlatans and hypocrites. That’s what my dad believed, and that was what the news media reported. So, that’s what I believed, too.

And then I got saved.

After I became a Christian, my preconceptions were still there. I was wary of watching a preacher on TV, but I was also curious. Some were overly saccharine. Some were painfully dull. Some were unsettlingly focused on fire and brimstone. And some…some were very good.

A couple of the television Bible teachers really resonated with me. I liked their style of communication. I appreciated their depth of analysis and their insights concerning the original language and historical context of various Bible passages. I valued the real world application of their teaching, and I found that the more I listened — the more I studied and learned — the more interested I became in other teachers. A message that previously may have seemed too radical or extreme made sense after I understood the fundamentals.

Imagine sitting in a lecture on calculus when you are 8 years old and just getting a handle on fractions. The instructor is blabbing on about limits, derivatives and integrals, scribbling formulas on the whiteboard — and it’s all gibberish to you. It simply makes no sense. You may feel bored, annoyed, or even a little stupid. You have no context, no foundation for the teaching, and so you have no interest. It is not until you have learned fractions, geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and other mathematical fundamentals that you can understand and appreciate the application of calculus.

I watch several television Bible teachers frequently now, and their instruction is invaluable to my personal development and my Christian walk. Are there charlatans and hypocrites out there? Sure. There are also some pretty crappy math teachers. You can find people who lack character in virtually any profession. You will also find some very talented, committed people of integrity who are walking in their natural gifts.

If you are new to the Bible or not even a Christian, I recommend you check out Joyce Meyer. She’s a real straight shooter who speaks in a voice reminiscent of Marge Simpson’s sisters. You can watch episodes of her show, Enjoying Everyday Life, for free on her website. Give her a try for a week. If you are bold, give Creflo Dollar or Jack Hayford a shot. They rock. On the web, check out the blog by my friend Rebecca Carrell at Love.Serve.Shine.

Are they all a bunch of kooks? I encourage you to set aside any preconceptions and simply listen. Then make up your mind. You might be surprised at what resonates.