Scripture Union Daily Guide 6 July 2024 (Saturday) Devotional Message
TOPIC: Do Not Defile Yourself!
OPENING PRAYER: My dear heavenly Father, as I study your word, let it be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY: Leviticus 18:19-30
19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.
20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.
21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
* Q3: Is there any command for me to obey?
* Q5: Is there any warning for me to heed?
The word “defile” occurs about eight times in our passage. It means, “to make dirty/filthy or to pollute”. People defile themselves by making themselves dirty and unholy before God through sinful acts. What are some of the sexual relations that defile a person before God (vs.19-23)? Adultery/fornication, same sex relations and having sex with an animal are highly condemned by God and make a person unholy and unacceptable before Him. Notice how each is called.
- Adultery/fornication (v.20) – defilement\
- Same sex relation (v.22) – detestable
- Having sex with an animal (v.23) – perversion
Read vs.24-30 again. These detestable sins not only defile the individual involved, they also defile the land. They act and spread like cancer in the entire populace of the land. This calls for serious concern from all true believers. Sexual sins must not be condoned by any follower of Christ, even when and where it is legally allowed by law as we find in many nations of the world today.
Practice/Word Application
So what? Many nations have legalized same sex marriage. As a Christian, does that permit you to be part of it?
* Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Closing Prayer
Are you involved in act of sexual perversion? Ask God for forgiveness and cleansing and resolve, never to defile yourself again.
Prayer for the week
* Pray for brethren who are sick that God will heal them miraculously • Pray for brethren who are believing God for marriages and for the fruit of the womb, that God will remember them now • Pray that their faith and hope in God will not wane
Offer a prayer of faith in line with 1 Chronicles 16:10 ‐ 12
10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
One Year Bible Reading Plan
Daily Bible Reading Plan: Day 188 – Jonah