Purity for Life

The culture we live in can easily shape our attitudes and values. But if we are going to be true followers of Christ, all other allegiances must be renounced, and we must become assimilated into the Kingdom of God.

At PLM, we have the ideal setup for men who want to break free from sexual addiction. A beautiful 45-acre campus that is separated from sources of temptation. And, we go straight to God's Word to find real answers for life's deepest struggles. Plus, we have a team of men who have personally found victory over sexual sin and have been trained to help others walk that same path. But something still more is desperately needed. In today's episode, we'll look at the fourth reason why our Residential Program works: Because God is in this place.   Resources we mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program

Paul warned that many false teachers would gather followers by appealing to people's fleshly desires. As Steve Gallagher explains in this "Timeless Truths" segment, that warning is needed just as much in our day.

Ambitious athletes seek out a coach. Sick people find a doctor. New business owners get a mentor. Why?  Because they know they can't get where they need to be on their own. And if this is true in sports, medicine and business, how much more necessary is it for those who want freedom from something as powerful as pornography? In this episode, we'll look at reason #3 our Residential Program is so effective at helping men overcome sexual sin: Because we provide true discipleship.   Resources we mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program

There are many people who believe that because we are justified by faith, the way we live our lives—our thoughts, words and actions—has no bearing on whether or not we are saved. The New Testament actually teaches the exact opposite.

Why is our Residential Program so effective at helping men break free from sexual sin? Because we lead people to the TRUTH—the only thing that has the power to bring people into real freedom. In this episode, we'll talk about some of the most common lies our Residential Program students are battling with, and we'll walk through the very truths that dismantle these lies.   Resources we mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program 20 Truths that Helped Me in My Battle with Porn Addiction (Podcast Series) By Pure Life Ministries 10 Half-Truths that Keep Us Addicted to Porn (Podcast Series) By Pure Life Ministries

Compulsive porn users. Serial adulterers. Out-of-control spenders on sex. These are the kinds of men who enroll in our 9-month Residential Program, and for over 35 years we've been watching God radically transform these men. But why is our program so effective? In this short podcast series, we'll look at the top five reasons why so many men find a brand-new life at our Residential Program.   Resources we mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program  

Pride...it brought about the fall of Satan and put man at odds with God, resulting in the destruction of man. This is why the role of humility in a Christian's life can hardly be overestimated. Humility undoes the damage of the fall, and God becomes his protector and his friend.   Resources we mentioned: Exposing the Root of All Sin (Podcast Series) By Pure Life Ministries i: The Root of Sin Exposed (Book) By Steve Gallagher

Weston was only 4 years old when a friend introduced him to erotic images. Then, as a young teen, he discovered internet pornography. This set off a painful cycle of getting caught, making empty promises to change, and falling back to his sin. This all lead him to a place of utter hopelessness and even contemplating suicide. But when Weston came to Pure Life Ministries, he found true life through brokenness, godly sorrow and repentance.

When Chris looked at Marissa, he saw a woman who would help him control his lust. He saw someone who would help him achieve a prosperous life. When Marissa looked at Chris, she saw a man who would help her pursue the Lord, someone who would help her cultivate the kind of spiritual life she dreamed of having. One day, both of their dreams came crashing down. But this did not result in the destruction of their marriage. Instead, it brought about the creation of something unexpected. Something beautiful. Something brand new.

Sin always comes with painful consequences.  Emotional, physical, or relational pain. And for many people, these consequences often stir up difficult questions. "If God loves me, why would He allow such hard consequences? Does this mean that God has forsaken me? Is there any way to move forward after this?" In today's episode, we look to the Scripture to give biblical answers to some of these questions.

God genuinely loves us, but unless we are doing our utmost to repent of sin and worldliness, He is not going to be pleased with us. And while He does not expect us to achieve sinless perfection, He does expect us to obey His call to "Be holy as I am holy."

So, God calls you to preach to a tribe of cannibals. You move your family, learn their language—only to find they have no concern over sin, or judgment, or eternity. This was the dilemma Don Richardson found himself in as he sought to evangelize the primitive Sawi people. Thankfully, he pressed himself into entire dependence upon the Holy Spirit to show him how to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in this seemingly impossible context. And when God moved, He moved dramatically! In this episode, we'll talk about why you should read “Peace Child” by Don Richardson.   Resources we mentioned: Peace Child (Book) By Don Richardson "Why You Should Read" (Podcast Series) By Pure Life Ministries

If you search "how to overcome sexual sin," you'll get a lot of different opinions. Some are totally secular while others are taken from Scripture—like being accountable, developing an unselfish lifestyle, or starting a prayer life. In today's show, we'll explore another powerful spiritual tool—fasting. We'll dive into why it works, how to approach it with the right heart, and offer practical tips to make it part of your walk.   Resources we mentioned: The Crucified Lifestyle (Book) By Dustin Renz

Accountability is a big buzzword in addiction recovery circles, some even suggesting that it's the main thing people need to find freedom. But Christians must carefully examine these things in the light of Scripture. In today's episode, we'll give a biblical answer to the question: “What role does accountability play in overcoming sexual sin?"   Resources we mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program

Jesus clearly told us we can do nothing apart from Him. In spite of this, we often try to accomplish things in our own strength. So He lets us experience our weakness to help us truly depend on Him for all things. This is the final part of our short series, "Absolute Surrender."

There's nothing wrong with feeling fear when real danger is present. But for some people (especially those who have been hurt) fear becomes a constant factor in their lives. Kathy Gallagher has a passion to help Christian women overcome fear by cultivating a heart of faith. In this episode, we'll share with you the message she gave to the women at our 2016 Annual Conference called “Faith Over Fear.”    **Get all the details about our Annual Conference at conference.purelifeministries.org**

Life can be really hard and at times it feels like we're not going to make it. But if we are crying out to God in faith, we must believe that He hears us and will keep us safe in the midst of our troubles.

As we gear up for our 25th Annual Conference, we wanted to give you a taste of the kind of preaching you'll enjoy if you join us on April 25th and 26th. In this message from the 2016 Conference, Steve Gallagher describes three primary qualities that every true citizen of God's kingdom possesses, and urges us to make sure that we can say we have these qualities.    **Get all the details about our Annual Conference at conference.purelifeministries.org**

If genuine Christianity begins by completely relying upon God to save us, then we should never lose that sense of helplessness. That's one of the secrets to a vibrant walk with God: a lifelong, continual reliance upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

Repentance is so vital to the Christian life, that there will be catastrophic consequences if we neglect it. Without repentance, there's no forgiveness, no cleansing, no salvation, and no sanctification. That's why—for those who need it—repentance must not be put off even one more day. Don't miss the final episode in our series, “Rediscovering the Gift of Repentance.”   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher    

God truly wants to deliver us from sin, but He will often patiently use our struggles and weakness to bring us to the end of ourselves, where we finally say from the heart, “Lord, I can't do this! Please save me!”

Many people assume that when we preach the gospel, the first thing we should tell people is that God loves them. But New Testament preachers like Jesus and His apostles actually did something very different: They first told people about their need for repentance.   Resources we mentioned: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study)

Jesus said that things that are impossible with men are possible with God. If we fully believe this truth, we will cry out to Him with great faith to do impossible things in our own lives.

Repentance is an ancient concept—one could say it is as old as sin itself. From the very beginning, whenever God's people have been separated from Him by sin, repentance has been the key to restoring their relationship with Him. In today's show, we'll explore repentance throughout the long history of God's dealings with Israel.   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

When Peter denied his Lord 3 times, the Lord looked at him. And that look from Jesus broke the heart of Peter. Through the devastation Peter went through and the godly sorrow he experienced as a result, he was prepared to be emptied of himself and to be used for the Lord's purposes.

Many Christians don't realize that God never intended for repentance to be a one-time event, because sin isn't overcome all at once! It's overcome little by little, and every time we truly repent, we're given new power to overcome sin, and new power for holy living.   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

Peter was very strong in his own thinking when he declared to Jesus that He would not be put to death and then rise again. For this Jesus rebuked him sharply. We should take this as a warning for ourselves, whenever we are beaming with self-confidence and are strong in ourselves, instead of depending on the Lord and His wisdom, it will always lead us away from the Lord and His ways.

Repentance and brokenness might seem negative...until you experience the spiritual benefits that flow from them. For example: a true fear of God that destroys the love of sin. A deep resolve to pursue restoration in our relationships. A zeal to be right with God, no matter the cost. In this show, we'll look at some of the beautiful fruits that come from repentance.   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

The theme of this year's Annual Conference is "Watch and Pray." Steve and Kathy Gallagher join Nate Danser to talk about why this theme is of urgent importance for Christians.  **Get all the details about our Annual Conference at conference.purelifeministries.org**

Our prideful self-sufficiency chafes against any sense of weakness or helplessness. We strive and strain to accomplish things on our own. But if we will learn to pray and wait on the Lord for His direction, the Spirit will give us His power.

According to Jesus, the pathway into the Kingdom of God is marked out by two inseparable things—genuine repentance from our sins and a real choice to put our faith and trust in Him. But, in our church culture, many seem to think that repentance is unnecessary as long as you "believe." In this episode, Steve Gallagher will address this fatal error by showing that there is no such thing as saving faith apart from repentance.   Resources we mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

With so many conferences to choose from, what makes the Pure Life Ministries Annual Conference worth attending? What is the spiritual value for our guests? Steve and Kathy Gallagher join Nate Danser to answer those questions.  **Get all the details about our Annual Conference at conference.purelifeministries.org**

God is love, which essentially means that He is completely selfless. He takes nothing for Himself and gives everything away. So, if we are truly filled with His own Spirit, we will display this selflessness as well.

According to Jesus, everything that comes with eternal life—power over sin, a renewed heart, a changed life—comes through repentance. So what is going on with professing Christians who do not seem to have that kind of spiritual life? Is it possible that they have nothing more than a superficial repentance that leaves them unchanged and still dead in their sins?   Resources we mentioned: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

No one will repent without being broken by the Holy Spirit's conviction over their sin. This requires courage, sincerity and a desperation to know the truth—even when the truth exposes the worst things about us. But, this is the only way to life. Every other path leads to death. In today's show: The Valley of Decision.   Resources We Mentioned: Pure Life Ministries Residential Program   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

In Part 2 of our short series "Absolute Surrender:" God will never accept a half-hearted surrender, but if we come to Him with a genuine desire to give Him everything, He will accept it and will accomplish it in us.

"You're a good person." This is one of Satan's deadliest lies, because if we believe that we're good, we will never see our need for repentance. In the 2nd episode of our series, "Rediscovering the Gift of Repentance," we'll talk about why there is no such thing as a good person, and why everyone needs to repent.   Related Resources: The Walk of Repentance (Bible Study) By Steve Gallagher

True Christianity could be summed up in one phrase: Absolute surrender to the will of God for our lives. In Part 1 of our short series based on Andrew Murray's book "Absolute Surrender," we'll talk about what it looks like to fully yield our wills to God.

In light of God's unlimited power and glorious redemption, why are our churches filled with men trapped in pornography? Why are marriages breaking apart at record rates? It's because something crucial has been lost—something so vital that, without it, the power of God is rendered useless in our lives. In our latest series, "Rediscovering the Gift of Repentance," we'll focus on the invaluable gift of repentance, the only vehicle we've been given to be saved from the power of sin and come back into God's life-giving, life-changing presence.

Darlene Deibler went to Indonesia to preach the gospel to cannibalistic tribes. But when war broke out, she found herself plunged into the horrors of a WWII prisoner-of-war camp. And yet, Darlene would spend the rest of her life telling about a God whose comfort outshined her sufferings, whose presence was more precious than her losses, and whose loving provision was as faithful as the morning sun.

In this Timeless Truths segment: As members of the church, we are called to be holy and set apart for God's purposes. This will require a vigilance on our part, because the spirit of this world is always seeking to defile us and lead us away from the Lord.

Many people struggle to believe they can be free from sexual sin because even if they manage to avoid pornography, they're still constantly being bombarded with sexual thoughts. In this episode, we'll discuss why we should never use temptation as an excuse to stay in defeat, why the battle against lust is actually a positive thing, and the key to growing strong enough to stand firm when temptation arises.

At the cross, Jesus Christ demonstrated a profound love for us that calls for a response. In this episode of From the Chapel, Pastor Ed Buch exhorts us to lay our sins at the foot of His cross and to emulate His life by selflessly giving ourselves for others.

What struggling men and women truly need is an intimate love relationship with God, because a deep, personal experience of God's love will break the hold of sin. Unfortunately, many people caught in sexual sin are uncertain whether God loves them. In this show, we'll discuss what might block someone from experiencing a sense of God's love and, more importantly, what can be done about it.   Resources We Mentioned: Victory (Podcast Series) By Pure Life Ministries

Many cynically believe that God created the universe, but now remains distant, aloof and uninvolved. But the truth is that God holds intimate knowledge of every person and is always working behind the scenes to draw them to Jesus. And when He wins a person's heart, He faithfully works to conform them into the image of His Son.

When Jesus Christ came to earth, He brought deliverance for His people, though not immediately—it required waiting. This same spirit of waiting is required for those who are longing for freedom from sexual sin. In this non-traditional Christmas episode, we explore why waiting on God is essential for victory, common misconceptions about waiting, and why we can confidently trust that God will come and deliver if we truly wait on Him.

According to modern church culture, to be saved means that you believe some doctrines and go to church. But according to Scripture, to be saved means that your life has been revolutionized from the inside out so that you love and obey God from the heart.

Most of the men who come to us for help have already taken a lot of steps to break free from sexual sin, but nothing has changed. This clearly shows it's not enough to take steps to find freedom. You've got to take the right steps. In this "Ask the Counselor" episode, we'll provide a biblical response to the question, "What's the first step to breaking free from sexual sin?"   Resources We Mentioned: At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry (Book) By Steve Gallagher Pure Life Ministries Residential Program

Evan projected a godly image to those around him, but protected his secret of pornography and self-gratification.  After repeated cycles of confession and returning to sin, Evan finally decided he needed help and came to Pure Life Ministries. Listen to Evan testify of how the Lord lovingly called him out of darkness and into the light.

Should Christians watch movies or TV shows that contain inappropriate innuendos or sex scenes? In this episode, we'll give you a straightforward response to that question, but we'll also take a deeper look at what the Bible teaches about a more foundational issue: our interactions with the world.   Resources we mentioned: At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry (Book) By Steve Gallagher   Scriptures we mentioned: Proverbs: 4:23 Romans 13:14 Matthew 4:4 1 Corinthians 15:33 2 Timothy 2:19-22 Colossians 3:16 John 17:17 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Psalm 115 2 Corinthians 3:15-18 1 John 2:15-17 Psalm 1