Passage of the Day:
The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord. 6 “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord, Leviticus 18:1-6.
Reflection:
Leviticus 18 is one of the most sexually graphic chapters in the Bible. As God is preparing Moses, the spiritual leader of Israel, prior to entering the promised land of Canaan, a list is provided of all sexual acts to avoid. Like a concerned father trying to protect innocent children, God lays out forbidden sexual practices that were ongoing in certain cities and cultures. There was no internet, television clips or pornographic videos back in the days of Moses. However, Israeli adults likely encountered these acts the closer they got to Canaan. Prior to the creation of psychology, God knew that the images of forbidden sexual acts would be seared into human minds. This is why it’s important to keep your eyes free from the darkness of pornography.
Prayerful Action:
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” – Matthew 6:22-23
Setting Clear Boundaries to Live By:
A recent study revealed that over 200,000 Americans have confessed to being addicted to pornography. This number doesn’t reflect the thousands of individuals bombarded by pornographic images displayed at checkout counters, pop up ads on the internet and steamy shows on television using sexual content to get your attention. As pornographic content continues to push the envelope, the temptations are only going to get worse. During my final year of college, I opened up to a couple of friends about my own struggles which triggered a series of confessions about secret scars from each of our pasts. When it comes to overcoming pornography, you will likely need a minimum of two people to hold you accountable to setting clear boundaries to live by, so you’ll be able overcome a spirit of lust. While it might take time to find the right Christian who will understand your struggle, iron sharpens iron, Proverbs 27:17. This is the first step toward keeping your eyes free from the darkness of pornography.
Song of the Day:
Whenever a Christian is fighting a losing battle, the father of all lies, John 8:44, will put sinful thoughts into your mind. This is the context of Waiting on the Night Fall, hoping you fall back into the sinful practices of your past. May the words of today’s song inspire you to keep your eyes from the darkness of pornography.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 