Scripture Union Daily Guide 5 July 2024 (Friday) Devotional Message
TOPIC: Do Not Follow Their Practices!
OPENING PRAYER: Dear Lord, I pray that you sanctify my spirit, soul and body as I read your word in Jesus name.
SCRIPTURE: LEVITICUS 18:1-18
Question(s) for Reflection
* Q3: Is there any command for me to obey?
Scripture Union Daily Guide 5 July 2024 Outline:
Consider carefully why and how God wanted the Israelites to keep themselves pure and be set apart for Him (vs.1-5). God did not want His people to become absorbed into the surrounding culture and environment as they moved from one idol-infested country to another. Similarly, God wants Christians to keep themselves from the contaminations of world around them (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Notice the advantage of living by God’s precepts (v.5).
Canaan’s society and religions appealed to worldly desires, especially sexual immorality, and drunkenness. How can we also avoid practising the ungodly desires of our ailing society? (See Romans 12:1-2). When we compromise on godly living, it eliminates or reduces our effectiveness in serving God.
Look again at the list of people with whom we are forbidden to have sexual relations (vs.6-18). Why this specific instruction and prohibition? The world takes sexual relationships for granted and do not consider God’s warning against their misuse. They take them as a normal lifestyle. However, God hates to see sexual immorality among His children. These led to the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Science has established that children born to near relatives may experience serious health problems. Let us remember that improper sexual relations destroy family life.
Practice/Word Application
Action: What worldly habits or lifestyle are you still holding on to and are affecting your spiritual growth?
* Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Closing Prayer
Take time to pray to God about it and ask Him to help you overcome them.
Offer a prayer of faith in line with Genesis 13:15
“For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.”
One-Year Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading Plan: Day 187- 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25