(Hebrews 13:4; Matthew 5:28; Ephesians 5:22, 25)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Father, please help me to be more like Jesus each day. Help me to be kind to others, to care about others, to share the hope of the Gospel with others. I love Jesus and my greatest desire is to be more like my Savior each day. In the name of Jesus I pray…AMEN!!!

*******THIS IS A DEVOTIONAL I WROTE IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 2009. IN LIGHT OF PRO GOLFER TIGER WOODS BEING ARRESTED THIS PAST WEEKEND FOR DUI, I NOT SHARING THIS WITH YOU TO IN ANY WAY HURT TIGER MORE THAN HE HAS HURT HIMSLEF. HOWEVER, IT IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A LIFE THAT THE WORLD SEES AS SOMETHING TO COVET, WHEN IN REALITY, WITHOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, NO MATTER HOW MUCH FAME OR MONEY A PERSON CAN GENERATE, LIFE IS ABSOLUTELY MEANINGLESS!

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TODAY AND PRAY FOR TIGER WOODS, HIS CHILDRESN, OF COURSE THEIR SALVATION, AND THAT DURING THESE DIFFICULT DAY HE WILL SURRENDER HIS LIFE TO CHRIST!!! WHAT A POWERFUL TESTIMONY IT WOULD BE TO THE WORLD, AND AN AMBASSADORE FOR THE LORD ABLE TO LEAD MANY MILLIONS TO FAITH IN JESUS!!!

NEVER FORGET, WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR LAST BREATH GOD WILL NOT BE IMPRESSED BY YOUR FAME, YOUR FORTUNE, OR THE GIFTS HE BESTOWED UPON YOU. THE ONLY THING GOD WILL BE LOOKING FOR AND IMPRESSED BY IS YOUR FAITH IN JESUS…SINCE ONLY JESUS DIED FOR YOU SO YOUR SINS COULD BE FORGIVEN, AND ONLY FAITH IN JESUS WILL GET YOU INTO HEAVEN FOR ALL ETERNITY!!

(from the Liveprayer Daily Devotional archives 12/08/09)

Tiger Woods and the high cost of adultery. It has come to light in recent weeks that one of the most recognizable people on the planet, golf phenom Tiger Woods, has had numerous extra-marital affairs. Woods, since he came onto the golf scene in his teens has always maintained a squeaky clean image of wholesomeness. He has surrounded himself with the best handlers who always positioned Woods as the epitome of excellence on and off the golf course. Five years ago he married a former Swedish model, Elin Nordegren and the couple have a daughter and son together. They have always been promoted as the ideal family.

Sadly, things are not always the way public relations firms present them. It has come to light that Woods, a hero to millions, has another side to his light the cameras never saw, being involved with at least a half dozen women during his marriage. The sad reality is that he will buy the silence of the other women, keep his marriage in tact with a new pre-nup worth several hundred millions along with what the fallen basketball star Kobe Bryant described as a “house on a finger,” the exorbitant diamond he gave his wife after his infidelity. Tiger will go back to winning golf tournaments and most people won’t even care. However, all his money, all of his victories, all of the lawyers, will never change the fact that Woods committed adultery and will pay a huge price in many other ways.

This story is a great reminder to men and women who are cheating on their spouses, SIN HAS A PRICE. Sometimes you will pay the ultimate price for your sin. While you think you are getting away with your sin, never forget God is watching. In the end, is it worth the cost? Satan is so crafty as he entices men and women to sin. It looks so attractive. It looks so perfect. He knows your weaknesses. He will give you all the justification you need. Once you give in, all of a sudden the bill for your sin starts to come in. It is like getting a $5,000 water bill, or a $12,000 electric bill. Satan is only going to laugh at you when you complain about the price!

Would you be concerned if your husband or wife read your Emails or Instant Messages? What about listened to your phone calls? What about if they knew every place you go each day? How about the places you go when you are out of town? Would you worry if your husband or wife heard a tape of all the conversations you had each day with people of the opposite sex? For those who are still reading, you either have no problem being this open with your spouse or you are now under great conviction and God is speaking to you today.

For those who have no problem being this open with your spouse, praise God! A marriage centered in Christ should include this type of openness and transparency. With Christ at the head of your life and loving and honoring your spouse as the Word calls for, there is no reason you should be afraid to allow your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, listen to your phone calls, know exactly where you are at, or hear any of your conversations with people of the opposite sex. I pray that you will continue to love and honor your spouse so that you can always be this open and transparent.

For those who are under conviction by these words today, this could be the very tap on the shoulder from God that will keep your marriage from ending in divorce. Satan is very subtle in how he destroys marriages. No marriage ends in divorce overnight, but over time. One of the chief ways people open the door for satan to come in and destroy their marriage is in their relationships with people of the opposite sex. If your heart began racing as you read those questions, if you know deep down you would never want your spouse to read your emails or Instant Messages, hear your phone calls, know exactly where you are at all times, or hear a tape of the conversations you have with people of the opposite sex, please hear what God is saying to you today. It may very well save your marriage!

Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become an alcoholic. They have a few drinks, it becomes part of their life, and over time they get into bondage to alcohol. Nobody wakes up one morning and decides to become a drug addict. They experiment with drugs occasionally, begin to use them more frequently, and over time they get into bondage to drugs. It is the same thing with someone who is in bondage to food, shopping, gambling, making money, sex, or any other type of bondage you can name. A person doesn’t get into bondage to anything overnight, but over time.

This is also how relationships outside of your marriage develop, over time. You get friendly with someone of the opposite sex at work, you see them every day, you make sure you spend some time with them every day, talk to them every day, you start to develop that elementary school crush and fantasize about them, pretty soon you create opportunities to have lunch with them or see them after work, and during this process the conversation turns from work to your personal lives and often to sex. One thing leads to another and one day you and your co-worker are in bed together.

Even if this relationship never culminates in having sex together, never forget that Jesus said if you lust in your heart you have committed adultery. You are giving someone else the emotions, feelings, and attention that should ONLY be given to your spouse. When you got married, that is the person God gave you for the rest of your life to pour all of your emotions, feelings, love and attention into. NOBODY ELSE! That is the person who God gave you to enjoy sex with. NOBODY ELSE!

Satan’s new lie to people that there is really nothing wrong with carrying on a relationship with someone “online.” The reality is, you begin to pour your heart, emotions, and feelings into this person you are having the online relationship with just like if you were with them in real time. Ultimately, in most cases it actually does evolve into meeting in real time and ends up being no different than any other extra-marital affair. It all started so harmlessly. A few innocent emails and Instant Messages that became more frequent, more personal, more sexual in nature. The next thing you know you are actually sitting side by side with this person.

Again, even if this relationship never culminates in having sex together, never forget that Jesus said if you lust in your heart you have committed adultery. You are giving someone else the emotions, feelings, and attention that should ONLY be given to your spouse. When you got married, that is the person God gave you for the rest of your life to pour all of your emotions, feelings, love and attention into. NOBODY ELSE! That is the person who God gave you to enjoy sex with. NOBODY ELSE!

I love you and care about you so much. Pray for Tiger Woods and his wife. They are going through the horrors of his transgressions. They need the Lord’s strength during this difficult time. Pray that during this time, the Lord will place someone in their lives to lead them to faith in Jesus Christ! Also, pray for these women involved with Tiger. They too need to find the hope of Christ, not the hope of their sin creating a big payday. When Tiger, his wife, these women he will pay off die and stand before God, their money won’t matter, only if they know Jesus.

I will also be praying today for those of you who are dealing with a spouse who has become involved with someone else. Never forget, you are not responsible for the actions of your spouse. God gave us each free will and only He can change your spouse’s heart. Now is the time to make your faith real and learn to trust God during this difficult time. Find your peace and strength in Him each day and know that He is still in the restoration business! I will be praying for you and for your spouse to turn their heart and life back to the Lord and bring healing to your marriage.

Because of the widespread nature of this issue, know that I will be spending time in prayer for those of you who are dealing with this in your life. Both those who are committing adultery, and those who have a spouse cheating on them. My prayer is that you will find that intimate personal relationship with the Lord that you need to overcome the circumstances you are facing in your life. No matter how hopeless things may look, there is ALWAYS hope in Christ. Get right with God, then get right with your spouse. It is the only answer, and God will help you when you commit your life to Him and follow His Word.

Epilogue: Sadly, Tiger and his wife did divorce a few years after this event. It seems they have an amicable relationship in order to raise their two children the best they can in such a situation. Tiger did have a brief flash of his brilliance in the 2013 season, but even in that season there were NO majors won, and with the numerous surgeries on his back and other physical issues, sadly one of the most dominate players in the history of golf will never again be the great champion he once was!!! Again, pray for Tiger since when he takes his last breath, like all of us, God will only be interested in once issue. That issue is did you accept His Son Jesus by faith!!

Plan of Salvation: http://www.liveprayer.com/plan.cfm

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

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