Title: Control Yourself!/Topic: Sexual Sin

Today's Reading: 1 Chronicles 25; 1 Chronicles 26; 1 Chronicles 27; 1 Thessalonians 4

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Observation: This verse certainly needs to be taken to heart in our very lascivious society today. It is interesting to note, however, that this verse was apparently written specifically to men. The phrase “learn to control his own body” has a footnote with it that indicates this phrase meant to “learn to live with his own wife or learn to acquire a wife”. Interesting. And the following reference not wronging or taking advantage of a brother would then refer to not messing with another man's woman (I believe that means whether married or seriously involved with). Adultery is taken so lightly today, as is all sexual sin.

Application: We need to guard our hearts and thoughts in this sexually permissive society that bombards us with sexual images constantly. Though this was written to men, it applies to women too. As women, we need to not dress provocatively and to teach our daughters that their sexual appeal to men is NOT their source of value and personal worth. Wives need to realize that they have a responsibility to provide for their husbands' sexual needs as a help to protect them from the daily onslaught of temptation that they face. We need to raise our sons to control their thoughts and eyes and to respect women, treating them as whole persons and not just sexual objects. It's a difficult world to navigate these days but depending on the Lord and keeping close to him will enable us to be victorious!

Prayer: Father, help us to stay close to you and to honor you by how we treat each other, especially in the area of our sexuality. We cause each other so much damage when we view sex as just a physical act; it is so much more than that. May we honor you with our bodies, thoughts and actions. Help our men to be strong and our women and girls to be wise in how we relate to each other with regard to sex. Give wives compassion for their husbands and give husbands love and tendernes for their wives.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.