ESOCS Devotional 1 August
TEXT: Judges 16: 1-17
MEMORY VERSE: “And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” Judges 16:15 – 17
Many people have done foolish things in the name of love. We have heard of acid baths, suicide, and many untoward things, all unbelievably stupid. Love on its own is a good and beautiful thing. But how can such evil as enumerated come from that which is so lovely and so desirable. An examination of a few Bible characters will help us.
Samson was a man who had a weakness for women. He loved many women and slept around indiscriminately. In his lusts, he disobeyed the godly advice of his parents, fought many fights, he was deceived, hurt, and final ruined. But worst of all, he betrayed his sanctification to a woman and was ruined as a result. David by the his sin with Uriah’s wife also showed a weakness for women for which he committed adultery and murdered an innocent man
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
One thing common with these men is their lack of discipline in matters of the heart. They were unable to control their emotions and gave themselves to seek after the lust of their hearts. This is the undoing of many men and many children of God have ruined their sanctification as a result. Man is an emotional being; and love is highly emotional and desirable to the heart of man, deeply satisfying the flesh. It has the capacity of clouding a man’s heart and mind, leading him deep into error. Every child of God must be on guard. You must guide your heart with all diligence, you must protect your sanctification, and your first loyalty must be to God. If it is against the word of God, it must not be done. If it will make you betray your covenant with God, it should not be done. Your relationship with God must always be paramount.
CHALLENGES
- What should the men used as examples in this study have done to avoid the sin and problems that resulted from their actions?
- How can we apply it in today’s world?
PRAYER POINT:
- Ask God for the spirit of steadfastness and the grace to resist sin.
- Pray for all children of God who have fallen into sexual sins, that God will forgive and restore them.
FURTHER READING: Micah 2:1-13; 3:1-12; Mark 8:22-38; 9:1-13
Thank you for reading the ESOCS Devotional today. Please share and follow us on all our platforms to contribute to the spread of the Gospel.
ESOCS Devotional 1st August
