The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 20 August 2025
Daily Fountain Devotional 20 August 2025 TOPIC: Lust of the Flesh Breeds Death
SCRIPTURE READING: 2 Samuel 13:11-20(NKJV)
13:11. Now when she had brought [them] to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
13:12. And she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
13:13. “And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”
13:14. However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
13:15. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her [was] greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
13:16. So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away [is] worse than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her.
13:17. Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this [woman] out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”
13:18. Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
13:19. Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that [was] on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.
13:20. And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He [is] your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 20 August 2025 – MESSAGE
The push towards evil was very strong for Amnon. He refused to listen to his sister’s pleas until he had committed the evil in his heart. As happens in every case with lust, he hated once he had had his way. That is the difference between love and lust. He may have thought himself a superman but didn’t know that an evil seed that would lead to his brutal death two years later had been sown.
As for Tamar, she tore her virginity cloth, put on ashes, went along crying and eventually remained desolate in the house of her brother, Absalom. Sin will always have terrible consequences, including death-spiritual first, and also physical in some cases. The bible records that “For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-comes not from the father but from the world” (1 John 2:16).
Any man caught up with lust makes himself an enemy of God, and every enemy of God is on his way to eternal death in hell. As we live, may we manifest God’s love and run away from lust and its dangers.
PRAYER: Lord, fill me with your love and deliver me from lust in Jesus name, Amen!
MEDITATION: God says “Though you have many plans, My purpose will be fulfilled. Proverbs 19:21”