Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:14, Matthew 5:27-30
Key Verse: You shall not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14).
Meditation: A five-year-old boy was having fun driving nails into his parents’ furniture. They were not happy, and scolded him strongly. He tried to undo what had offended his parents so profoundly. He started pulling out the nails one by one only to find that each left behind at ugly hole in the beautiful wood. The sin of adultery is something like that, except it involves sensitive human relationships and ultimately destroys our relationship with God. Some one wisely observed, “Where the seventh commandment is broken all the other nine commandment are also torn down. No amount of remorse or even godly repentance can repair fully or perfectly the damage done nor remove the scars unfaithfulness*.
The word for marriage in Hebrew comes from the same root as the word consecration and sanctification. This high view of marriage calls for exclusive dedication to one spouse and the separation from all other competing loves. Paul’s teaching on marriage is based on God’s idea in Genesis 2:22-24. Marriage is God’s idea, and its purpose is to complete what is lacking both in man and in the Garden of Eden. The fall of man has dimmed God’s ideal, but the undergirding principles of biblical marriage have not changed.
Jesus reiterated these three principles in Matthew 19:1-9 that call for:
1. An exclusive commitment
2. Separation from parental domination
3. Physical and sexual cleaving with the potential of reproduction.
Thought for the Day: Christian marriage is lifelong, monogamous, and heterosexual commitment.
*The answer to adultery can be found at the foot of the cross and not in the divorce court. Only the blood of Jesus can restore the happiness found in confession.
Another part of this commandment includes pornography. My uncle did not mention it here but I will. Is it a topic for devotions I am not sure. I think it is as it is a time to get real with Almighty God. Here are some statistics:
"The statistics are truly staggering. According to compiled numbers from respected news and research organizations, every second $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography. Every second 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography. In that same second 372 internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines. Every 39 minutes a new pornographic video is being created in the U.S.
This information comes from www.toptenreviews.com
I am not sure how my uncle would have addressed this major distress in the modern church. I have heard of many Christian leaders submitting to the temptations of adultery as well. This is a major issue today especially as it is so easy to obtain. The ease of access makes it so easy to view and then do. There are now about 7 Billion cell phones in the world. Thus ease of access is that much bigger as well.
Is there an answer to this addiction that is rotting the world and the church? Yes. It is not a purpose of will or addiction counseling. We know that this will not keep us holy for too long. Then we feel the guilt. But guilt will not keep us from looking at these websites. It is not human effort that will keep us pure.
It is by entering the Sabbath rest of God. Jesus already tackled your addiction on the cross 2,000 years ago. It was there when he announced "It is finished".
I also had this addiction- free is easy. But since I have entered into this rest after accepting the fact that I do not have to anything for my salvation as He has already done it, I have not found the time to mess inside this area. I am too busy doing good things, there is no time to play in the devil's playground.
I have also started to have daily communion with grape juice and a piece of bread each morning as well. There is no need to wait for a priest to do it. We are indeed all priests (1 Peter 2:9). While I am drinking the purple juice I am focus on His suffering for my sin. While I eat the bread I am focusing on His sacrifice for my sin. For those few minutes I am remembering scripture of the Old and New Testaments pointing to the passover lamb.
I also anoint my husband with olive oil on a daily basis. Again, why wait? He is sore and needs the anointing. Jesus is our High Priest.(Hebrews 2: 17)
I have accepted the fact that I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(Galatians 2:20) Thus if Christ is able to watch his children suffering in these videos then ... but He has better things to do. I am so glad!
Another part of marriage between two people also reflects the marriage of God (Bridegroom) to the Church ( the Bride). The Bible has many passages talking about the adultery of the Israeli nation (Hosea especially).
There is one main passage that speak about the wonderful loving romance between the Bride and the Bridegroom- one example can be found in the book of Ruth. The marriage of Ruth (a widowed Moabitess) to the very kind, generous Boaz who is in fact her kinsmen redeemer.
Key Verse: You shall not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14).
Meditation: A five-year-old boy was having fun driving nails into his parents’ furniture. They were not happy, and scolded him strongly. He tried to undo what had offended his parents so profoundly. He started pulling out the nails one by one only to find that each left behind at ugly hole in the beautiful wood. The sin of adultery is something like that, except it involves sensitive human relationships and ultimately destroys our relationship with God. Some one wisely observed, “Where the seventh commandment is broken all the other nine commandment are also torn down. No amount of remorse or even godly repentance can repair fully or perfectly the damage done nor remove the scars unfaithfulness*.
The word for marriage in Hebrew comes from the same root as the word consecration and sanctification. This high view of marriage calls for exclusive dedication to one spouse and the separation from all other competing loves. Paul’s teaching on marriage is based on God’s idea in Genesis 2:22-24. Marriage is God’s idea, and its purpose is to complete what is lacking both in man and in the Garden of Eden. The fall of man has dimmed God’s ideal, but the undergirding principles of biblical marriage have not changed.
Jesus reiterated these three principles in Matthew 19:1-9 that call for:
1. An exclusive commitment
2. Separation from parental domination
3. Physical and sexual cleaving with the potential of reproduction.
Thought for the Day: Christian marriage is lifelong, monogamous, and heterosexual commitment.
*The answer to adultery can be found at the foot of the cross and not in the divorce court. Only the blood of Jesus can restore the happiness found in confession.
Another part of this commandment includes pornography. My uncle did not mention it here but I will. Is it a topic for devotions I am not sure. I think it is as it is a time to get real with Almighty God. Here are some statistics:
"The statistics are truly staggering. According to compiled numbers from respected news and research organizations, every second $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography. Every second 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography. In that same second 372 internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines. Every 39 minutes a new pornographic video is being created in the U.S.
It’s big business. The pornography industry has
larger revenues than Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Apple and
Netflix combined. 2006 Worldwide Pornography Revenues ballooned to
$97.06 billion. 2006 & 2005 U.S. Pornography Industry Revenue
Statistics, 2006 Top Adult Search Requests, 2006 Search Engine Request
Trends are some of the other statistics revealed here.
The following top 10 list has been compiled using credible sources and appear here in no certain order."
I am not sure how my uncle would have addressed this major distress in the modern church. I have heard of many Christian leaders submitting to the temptations of adultery as well. This is a major issue today especially as it is so easy to obtain. The ease of access makes it so easy to view and then do. There are now about 7 Billion cell phones in the world. Thus ease of access is that much bigger as well.
Is there an answer to this addiction that is rotting the world and the church? Yes. It is not a purpose of will or addiction counseling. We know that this will not keep us holy for too long. Then we feel the guilt. But guilt will not keep us from looking at these websites. It is not human effort that will keep us pure.
It is by entering the Sabbath rest of God. Jesus already tackled your addiction on the cross 2,000 years ago. It was there when he announced "It is finished".
I also had this addiction- free is easy. But since I have entered into this rest after accepting the fact that I do not have to anything for my salvation as He has already done it, I have not found the time to mess inside this area. I am too busy doing good things, there is no time to play in the devil's playground.
I have also started to have daily communion with grape juice and a piece of bread each morning as well. There is no need to wait for a priest to do it. We are indeed all priests (1 Peter 2:9). While I am drinking the purple juice I am focus on His suffering for my sin. While I eat the bread I am focusing on His sacrifice for my sin. For those few minutes I am remembering scripture of the Old and New Testaments pointing to the passover lamb.
I also anoint my husband with olive oil on a daily basis. Again, why wait? He is sore and needs the anointing. Jesus is our High Priest.(Hebrews 2: 17)
I have accepted the fact that I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(Galatians 2:20) Thus if Christ is able to watch his children suffering in these videos then ... but He has better things to do. I am so glad!
Another part of marriage between two people also reflects the marriage of God (Bridegroom) to the Church ( the Bride). The Bible has many passages talking about the adultery of the Israeli nation (Hosea especially).
There is one main passage that speak about the wonderful loving romance between the Bride and the Bridegroom- one example can be found in the book of Ruth. The marriage of Ruth (a widowed Moabitess) to the very kind, generous Boaz who is in fact her kinsmen redeemer.
I will leave the 7th commandment now. If you have any questions please leave a comment!
No comments:
Post a Comment