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"For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality" (I Thessalonians 4:3).
Sexual
immorality is increasingly acceptable and "a given" in the minds of
most in our generation. Numerous Hollywood-type tabloids
stare you in the face as you wait your turn in the retail check-out
lane at virtually any market. You're continually exposed to sordid
Hollywood immorality. Some were married only months earlier
but now are carrying a different partner's child. The sexual
escapades are unending and yet people are fascinated with what "star"
is presently living with another.
In the course of our ministry we, as do other Christian workers, get beyond the profiteering tabloid escapades to see the truly destructive effects of sin. We are regularly exposed to heartbreaking stories of rebellion against God and His long established standards. The consequence affects not just our generation but those before and after us.
For men particularly, sexual immorality usually begins with the visual stimulation, known as lust. Visual images leading to lust abound but really they've been around a long time. Three thousand years ago David observed a woman bathing from the roof of his palace, leading to lust and then to his eventual well-known moral fall. The result of his actions brought grave conseqences to his lover's family, his own children, and the kingdom of Israel. It wasn't just for a short season but affected future generations.
Chuck Swindoll shares a tip I have found very
helpful and effective in this regard. Essentially he advises when
confronted with a lustful thought or image to quote Scripture. He
states, "You cannot quote Scripture and lust simultaneously." I have
sure found that to be the truth! It's like trying to mix oil and
water – they do not have the same properties and thus are
incompatible.
Today's Scripture passage is a straightforward command. It's a good verse to quote when facing temptation in regard to sexual immorality. There may be some issues in life in which the will of God is a bit uncertain but today we read two that are very clear. I place it in the first person, "It is God's will that I should be sanctified and that I should abstain from sexual immorality."
This command is among the clearest of God's commands, found abundantly throughout all of Scripture. Yet the world's "system" screams at us to violate it. This "system" diligently seeks to obscure the consequences of disobedience. Biblical standards are mocked by many as being restrictive and outdated.
Probably
one of the most familiar phrases to our young people is "safe
sex". They may not have the slightest notion about balancing a
checkbook, but they know the various methods of contraception and how
to be immoral. The "system" is no less relentless in the attack
on adults and the scores of broken marriages, shipwrecked lives,
and abandoned children. Ruined ministries bear ample witness to
this.
But earnest followers of Jesus Christ desire to do the will of God. "It is God's will that you should be sanctified." Sanctify means to be "set apart, holy." A helpful definition I recall from my Bible College days is, "Sanctification is separation from that which is evil and dedication to God." The Westminster catechism defines sanctification as "the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness."
The Scripture text goes on to specify one area of how our sanctification is demonstrated: "That you should abstain from sexual immorality."
Today, I encourage all readers to heed the Scriptures in this regard particularly. The attacks will continue as the old adversary continues his quest to steal and kill and destroy.
Let us, armed with God's Spirit and His Word, "resist him, standing firm in the faith" (1 Peter 5:9).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Jesus,
we want Your counsel to be our guide as we face the enemy's assault on
our
personal holiness. As Hollywood and much of the world continues
to trivialize and ridicule Biblical Christianity the horrendous
consequences are evident as generations of people ignore Your
principles established from the beginning of time. We desire to live
holy lives which are a direct consequence of following Your statutes.
We
reject those personalities and influences that confuse our thinking
and gradually erode our commitment to purity of mind, body, and
spirit. We ask for discernment to recognize worldliness and
discipline to embrace that which leads to holiness. Amen.
Many years ago I discovered an article very helpful in my own life from a 1988 "Leadership" magazine article by Randy Alcorn. I have personalized it and added several additional points. I keep it before me as a solemn reminder of the consequences of moral failure.
We also suggest this online booklet for those who want to explore today's topic further. "Resisting The Lure: Recognizing The Dangers Of Sexual Temptation" (This article can either be viewed as a pdf or you can order the booklet.)
"Holiness Is What I Long For" Video Scott Underwood
"Take My Life And Let It Be" Video Christ For The Nations Worship
"Take Time To Be Holy" Video Collingsworth Family
"What A Friend We Have In Jesus" Video Haven Quartet
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
This purple malva is beautiful both in our flower gardens where Brooksyne intentionally plants them and where they grow "volunteer" across the country lane
from the clippings we discard!
Listen
to this
message on
your
audio player.
This purple malva is beautiful both in our flower gardens where Brooksyne intentionally plants them and where they grow "volunteer" across the country lane
from the clippings we discard!
Listen
to this
message on
your
audio player."Sanctification"
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality" (I Thessalonians 4:3).
Sexual
immorality is increasingly acceptable and "a given" in the minds of
most in our generation. Numerous Hollywood-type tabloids
stare you in the face as you wait your turn in the retail check-out
lane at virtually any market. You're continually exposed to sordid
Hollywood immorality. Some were married only months earlier
but now are carrying a different partner's child. The sexual
escapades are unending and yet people are fascinated with what "star"
is presently living with another. In the course of our ministry we, as do other Christian workers, get beyond the profiteering tabloid escapades to see the truly destructive effects of sin. We are regularly exposed to heartbreaking stories of rebellion against God and His long established standards. The consequence affects not just our generation but those before and after us.
For men particularly, sexual immorality usually begins with the visual stimulation, known as lust. Visual images leading to lust abound but really they've been around a long time. Three thousand years ago David observed a woman bathing from the roof of his palace, leading to lust and then to his eventual well-known moral fall. The result of his actions brought grave conseqences to his lover's family, his own children, and the kingdom of Israel. It wasn't just for a short season but affected future generations.
Chuck Swindoll shares a tip I have found very
helpful and effective in this regard. Essentially he advises when
confronted with a lustful thought or image to quote Scripture. He
states, "You cannot quote Scripture and lust simultaneously." I have
sure found that to be the truth! It's like trying to mix oil and
water – they do not have the same properties and thus are
incompatible. Today's Scripture passage is a straightforward command. It's a good verse to quote when facing temptation in regard to sexual immorality. There may be some issues in life in which the will of God is a bit uncertain but today we read two that are very clear. I place it in the first person, "It is God's will that I should be sanctified and that I should abstain from sexual immorality."
This command is among the clearest of God's commands, found abundantly throughout all of Scripture. Yet the world's "system" screams at us to violate it. This "system" diligently seeks to obscure the consequences of disobedience. Biblical standards are mocked by many as being restrictive and outdated.
Probably
one of the most familiar phrases to our young people is "safe
sex". They may not have the slightest notion about balancing a
checkbook, but they know the various methods of contraception and how
to be immoral. The "system" is no less relentless in the attack
on adults and the scores of broken marriages, shipwrecked lives,
and abandoned children. Ruined ministries bear ample witness to
this. But earnest followers of Jesus Christ desire to do the will of God. "It is God's will that you should be sanctified." Sanctify means to be "set apart, holy." A helpful definition I recall from my Bible College days is, "Sanctification is separation from that which is evil and dedication to God." The Westminster catechism defines sanctification as "the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness."
The Scripture text goes on to specify one area of how our sanctification is demonstrated: "That you should abstain from sexual immorality."
Today, I encourage all readers to heed the Scriptures in this regard particularly. The attacks will continue as the old adversary continues his quest to steal and kill and destroy.
Let us, armed with God's Spirit and His Word, "resist him, standing firm in the faith" (1 Peter 5:9).
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Jesus,
we want Your counsel to be our guide as we face the enemy's assault on
our
personal holiness. As Hollywood and much of the world continues
to trivialize and ridicule Biblical Christianity the horrendous
consequences are evident as generations of people ignore Your
principles established from the beginning of time. We desire to live
holy lives which are a direct consequence of following Your statutes.
We
reject those personalities and influences that confuse our thinking
and gradually erode our commitment to purity of mind, body, and
spirit. We ask for discernment to recognize worldliness and
discipline to embrace that which leads to holiness. Amen.Many years ago I discovered an article very helpful in my own life from a 1988 "Leadership" magazine article by Randy Alcorn. I have personalized it and added several additional points. I keep it before me as a solemn reminder of the consequences of moral failure.
We also suggest this online booklet for those who want to explore today's topic further. "Resisting The Lure: Recognizing The Dangers Of Sexual Temptation" (This article can either be viewed as a pdf or you can order the booklet.)
A Tale of two church signs
Yesterday
we had an errand and drove through Rohrerstown, PA. I appreciate
the witness on many church signs in our area but found this one a
telling sign of the times. (Name of church purposefully cropped out!)
Is this a text message or a twitter message for driversby?
"Cool" Perhaps this means the church has air conditioning! But it could also be conveying that it's a "cool" church, not one of those "stuffy" kinds. After all, who wants to go to a church that's not "cool" these days? See my humor blog entry on this topic titled "Worship Pastor fired for not being “cool” enough" (Note: This post is satire!)
"Casual" In most places, what church isn't casual, "come as you are" these days? We share a perspective on "casual" in this daily encouragement message titled "The Tyranny Of The New" from several years ago. Interestingly, some of the false religions that make great demands and insist on daily sacrifices from their people are growing steadily.
"Worship" Two adjectives followed by a noun. I ask "Worship what?"
"Cool" Perhaps this means the church has air conditioning! But it could also be conveying that it's a "cool" church, not one of those "stuffy" kinds. After all, who wants to go to a church that's not "cool" these days? See my humor blog entry on this topic titled "Worship Pastor fired for not being “cool” enough" (Note: This post is satire!)
"Casual" In most places, what church isn't casual, "come as you are" these days? We share a perspective on "casual" in this daily encouragement message titled "The Tyranny Of The New" from several years ago. Interestingly, some of the false religions that make great demands and insist on daily sacrifices from their people are growing steadily.
"Worship" Two adjectives followed by a noun. I ask "Worship what?"
Around the corner I was edified by the title of an old hymn on another church sign.
(I snapped the photo along the road and thus it's partially obscured but most will recognize the hymn.)
We received a beautiful rain early this morning as we prepared this
message, a real blessing this first full day of summer! Brooksyne
took this photo during
the rain as she sat on a bench underneath the eave of our barn. It was
a beautiful summer shower that brought over 1/2 an inch of rain.
An hour later the sun came out and all the plant life looks healthfully green, as seen in this photo! Mollie is carrying the rope she likes to retrieve. No one is taking responsibility so "someone" didn't fasten the gate securely last night and Mollie made a furious exit into a nearby cornfield. She went deep into the field and we watched intently to see if we could spot her by the bending of the corn rows but saw no sign of her. Finally she stuck her head out the side of the cornfield. Stephen had brought the rope with him and yelled, "Mollie, fetch!" after he threw the rope. She couldn't resist, after all this was a game to her! She immediately ran to Stephen and we "fetched" her back to her proper living quarters! She sure keeps us on top of it with her eager desire to make sport of "breaking out" of her loving home!
(I snapped the photo along the road and thus it's partially obscured but most will recognize the hymn.)
An hour later the sun came out and all the plant life looks healthfully green, as seen in this photo! Mollie is carrying the rope she likes to retrieve. No one is taking responsibility so "someone" didn't fasten the gate securely last night and Mollie made a furious exit into a nearby cornfield. She went deep into the field and we watched intently to see if we could spot her by the bending of the corn rows but saw no sign of her. Finally she stuck her head out the side of the cornfield. Stephen had brought the rope with him and yelled, "Mollie, fetch!" after he threw the rope. She couldn't resist, after all this was a game to her! She immediately ran to Stephen and we "fetched" her back to her proper living quarters! She sure keeps us on top of it with her eager desire to make sport of "breaking out" of her loving home!
Today's
Suggested Music
and Supplemental
Resources
"Holiness Is What I Long For" Video Scott Underwood
"Take My Life And Let It Be" Video Christ For The Nations Worship
"Take Time To Be Holy" Video Collingsworth Family
"What A Friend We Have In Jesus" Video Haven Quartet
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Text only version for printing: To make a text only version for printing (without photos or any of the supplemental materials)
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2) Select and copy the text from the portion of the message you want to print.
3) Paste into the text pad. (The photos won't show up but you will have a brief text description of the photo which you can delete or just ignore.)
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Scripture
references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version.
© 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD
BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation,
New King James
Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the
King
James Version.
Personal
Mission Statement:
"I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ
I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord.
My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and
to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
Daily
Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com
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Copyright 2011
Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved
Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA
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