Open Heaven Daily Devotional 18 July 2024, Thursday Reading Guide
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TOPIC: FLEE FORNICATION
MEMORISE
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18
READ: Ephesians 5:3-8
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17
The above passage says that God destroys fornicators; He destroys them Himself. If a believer does not want God to destroy him or her, he or she must avoid fornication by all means. When fornication comes knocking on the door of your heart, you must flee!
How do you flee fornication? First, stay away from anything that can lead to fornication. Don’t stay in secluded places alone with someone of the opposite sex. Don’t have immoral conversations with that fellow who claims to be your friend because evil communication corrupts good manners (1 Corinthians 15:33). If someone is making sexual advances at you, run! Don’t give room for the fellow to try and convince you at all. When Potiphar’s wife was trying to get Joseph to sleep with her, he ran for his dear life (Genesis 39:7-12).
Beloved, there is no point in Christians entering into romantic relationships if the mutual intention is not marriage – a relationship like that is a time bomb, waiting to blow up its participants. If you cannot tell your pastor that you want to go into a relationship with someone, then you must not go into that relationship. A child of God should not have casual romantic relationships, rather, he or she should have a fiancé or fiancée.
If you are mature enough to get married, and the desire to have sexual relations is getting so much that it is difficult to cope, then get married. God sanctions sexual relations only within the confines of marriage. To avoid the destruction that comes with fornication, it is better that you get married. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 7:9, “But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”
There is absolutely nothing worthwhile to gain or enjoy from fornicating; the result is always destruction. If you don’t believe me, ask Samson or Reuben. They will tell you that if they could reverse time, the only thing they would change about their lives is that they would avoid fornication.
KEY POINT
There is absolutely nothing worthwhile to gain or enjoy from fornicating; the result is always destruction.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Isaiah 15-19
HYMN 34
YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION
1. Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each victory will help you some other to
win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions
subdue;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
2. Shun evil companions, bad language
disdain;
God’s name hold in reverence, nor take it in
vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and
true;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
3. To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown,
Thro’ faith we will conquer, though often
cast down;
He who is our Saviour,
our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional 18 July 2024 guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.