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:
Everyone has a weakness, a modern-day kryptonite which saps your spiritual momentum like humidity on a hot summer day. As the apostle Paul writes members of the Church at Thessalonica, it appears that many of them had fallen back into their former way of life prior to entering a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Rather than produce spiritual fruit, the acts of the flesh suffocated the faith of these first century Christians. Subsequently, Paul writes this letter to urge Christians to start weeding out bad sinful habits.
Prayerful Action:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved, Ephesians 2:4-5.
Preparing Your Fields to Bear Spiritual Fruit:
As someone who lives at a property with about an acre, weeding is necessary 6-9 months out of the year. As the summer heat and tropical rains fall upon South Carolina, some weeds grow more than a foot each week. If this is what happens externally, imagine what happens inside of you when you allow your flesh to go untamed. This is why it’s essential to immediately start weeding out bad sinful habits. This isn’t easy, but you need to have the will to press on as the Spirit is willing, but our body is weak, Matthew 26:41.
Song of the Day:
The lyrics to the Casting Crown song Slow Fade reminds me of what happens when you neglect areas of your life. Rather than give up by sliding further and further away from God, start weeding out bad and sinful habits from your life today.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 