S*x: Stop that nonsense
5And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: s*xual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy.
Sometimes you do something wrong. The next morning you feel so guilty; then it’s pushed under the blanket, hopefully forgotten forever. But then you read a verse like this and become uncomfortable, uneasy, somewhat irritated. This verse scrapes off a scab or two that never really heal.
Paul is being very direct here. He grabs hold of you and says: Stop your nonsense. You are really messing up!
Every evening you are confronted by pornography on television. Any moment of the day you can type “s*x” on Google and look at millions of pornographic photos. Even your friends forward stupid e-mails or WhatsApps on your cellphone. What do you do with this?
Maybe it’s time to take a stand. Maybe this is destroying you from the inside. Maybe not, but watch out, soon this terrible monster will catch hold of you, because you see, all that stuff takes possession of you, and those pictures keep on playing in your head.
Eventually you start acting like that, you become someone else and, like Paul says, it all culminates in something disgusting. You might even have visited those places where the women dance around with no clothes on. Maybe when no one is looking, you peek at a screen. Today God says to you through his Word: Friend, you’re playing with fire! Stop it immediately!
Maybe pornography is not your thing. There are so many other things that we do that Jesus doesn’t like; things that take over our whole being. The net effect is that it leaves no space for Jesus in your life. Is it money or is it fame? Is it acceptance?
God is a jealous God and will not tolerate it. God does not like competition. He doesn’t want to fight for a place in your life. This is another side of God: 6It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger.
No, I don’t want to make you be afraid of God, I don’t want to put you on the spot, but this verse is in the Bible and it’s no use ignoring it. We must realise that what we do, have consequences!
Go to God, even if it’s not easy. Confess that thing that crops up again and again when we reflect on our actions which we know God doesn’t like.
Do you know that this thing trips you up? Do you recognize that this thing keeps you from fully experiencing God’s joy in your life?
Come on! Kneel before God and let these things flow from your innermost being. God is faithful and just and will forgive you!
Scripture
Reflection
Do you realise what impact pornography has?
Do you have to shift a few things around?
How are you going to do it?
Prayer
Father, You are being very direct with each of us today. Please help us to admit that there are things in our lives that You do not like. Please help us to be obedient and to get rid of all of it. We do not want to disappoint You anymore. Amen.
