I liked these bits found in today’s study: “So how doe we excel in love? By being more interested in others than we are in ourselves. Self-interest must be replaced by interest in others. It is self-interest that snarls up our relationships. …
Make it your ambition to do something every day that reflects the love of Christ in you.”
There’s nothing to add to these statements – they stand, by themselves.
Likewise, I thought these verses, taken from today’s set text, are worth thinking about[1 Thessalonians 4:3-10, NLT]: “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.”
Sexual sin is presented to us in the ‘western’ media, especially TV, as the normal and desirable way to live. There is a popular TV show in USA (and elsewhere), ‘Two And A Half Men’, which makes humour out of sexual relationships; and has as its focus – the lead character’s lack of commitment to any sort of relationship. On the one hand, the shows humor depends on the satirical condemnation of his shallow attitudes; and on the other hand, the situational comedy is mainly based on sex, outside of marriage. The shows popularity highlights our culture’s self-absorbing interest in anything sexual.
This self-interest in all things sexual, takes our attention away from God’s call on us – to be holy!
Do you agree?
The highest ambition
I liked these bits found in today’s study: “So how doe we excel in love? By being more interested in others than we are in ourselves. Self-interest must be replaced by interest in others. It is self-interest that snarls up our relationships. …
Make it your ambition to do something every day that reflects the love of Christ in you.”
There’s nothing to add to these statements – they stand, by themselves.
Likewise, I thought these verses, taken from today’s set text, are worth thinking about[1 Thessalonians 4:3-10, NLT]: “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.”
Sexual sin is presented to us in the ‘western’ media, especially TV, as the normal and desirable way to live. There is a popular TV show in USA (and elsewhere), ‘Two And A Half Men’, which makes humour out of sexual relationships; and has as its focus – the lead character’s lack of commitment to any sort of relationship. On the one hand, the shows humor depends on the satirical condemnation of his shallow attitudes; and on the other hand, the situational comedy is mainly based on sex, outside of marriage. The shows popularity highlights our culture’s self-absorbing interest in anything sexual.
This self-interest in all things sexual, takes our attention away from God’s call on us – to be holy!
Do you agree?