Passage of the Day:
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8.
Reflection:
The choices that you make every day reflect your priorities in life. As a high school Bible teacher, I shared what I called the Seatbelt Story to illustrate this point. After taking a friend home from a function one night in college, this young woman pretended that her seatbelt was stuck so I could make a move on her. At this moment, I was so fixated on God that I was oblivious to her sinful intentions. This is what I mean by adopting a spiritual mindset.
Prayerful Action:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded, James 4:7-8.
Renewing Your Mind:
One year later in college when this girl and I were reunited by chance like a scene from a movie, I was caught off guard. When advances were made the second time, I indulged my sinful nature. When you’re unable to stop yourself from sinning, sometimes you need to bring in an accountability partner to drag you out of a bad situation. Change isn’t easy, especially when it results in anguish and pain. However, this is one of the necessary sacrifices needed to adopt a spiritual mindset.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
After breaking an ankle playing sand volleyball, I spent my last summer as a college student lying in bed, contemplating the rest of my life. I had become lukewarm spiritually, going back and forth between the Holy Spirit and sinful nature. This is when I finally decided to follow Jesus with my whole heart by finally adopting a spiritual mindset, Colossians 3:1-4.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 