Friday, April 28th
Devotional written by Pastor Curtis Johnson, Pastor of Adult Ministries
LEFT UNCHECKED, WRONG DESIRES RESULT IN WRONG ACTIONS
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5
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My Study Bible says that some think that if lustful thoughts are sin, why shouldn’t a person go ahead and do the lustful actions too? Acting out sinful desire is harmful in several ways: 1) It causes people to excuse sin rather than stop sinning. 2) It destroys marriages. 3) It is a deliberate rebellion against God’s Word. 4) It always hurts someone else in addition to the sinner.
Sinful action is more dangerous than sinful desire, and why desires should not be acted on. Nevertheless, sinful desire is just as damaging to righteousness. Left unchecked, wrong desires will result in wrong actions and turn people away from God. That is why Paul says we need to “put to death” evil desires, greed, and all that belong to our earthly nature.
Reflection: Let’s make a conscious, daily decision to remove anything that supports or feeds unhealthy desires and rely on the Holy Spirit’s power.
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