The Daily Word: Saturday, July 13th, 2019
1 Chronicles 15:1-16:36
Romans 1:18-32
Psalm 10:1-15
Proverbs 19:6-7
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves… – Rom 1:24
Paul shared a unique discovery with the church at Rome. If our disobedience becomes too extreme, it is within God’s right to “give us up” to our uncleanness and the lust of our hearts! If our hearts burn and our bodies lust for something or someone other than God – if we choose to be “unclean” even though we know of the righteousness of God – God will not interfere with our choice. He will “give us up.” He will hold true to His promise that we are free to make our own decisions.
Here is what is absolutely key to understand: God does not want to give you up! However, He loves you so much that He gave you free will to make your own choices. After all, if we didn’t have free will, and God forced us to love Him, that would not be love; it would be abuse! You have a choice! Are you choosing God?
God will not stop you from doing the “wrong thing,” because that would not be freedom. That does not, however, make the wrong things right. Thank God His Holy Spirit dwells within us, and all around us, as a Witness. Thank God His Holy Spirit will caution us, warn us, and prime us, long before our hearts become so hard that God “gives us up” to uncleanness. When we ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit, our hearts become hard; but if we remain open to His leading, our hearts will stay open and fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
Father, save me from uncleanness all around me on every side. Rescue me from the lusts of my heart. Spare me from the temptation to dishonor my body with impure substances and unholy desires. I want to live for You, in Jesus’ name!
Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.
© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.