Tuesday February 26

Read: Matthew 5:27-28, Ephesians 5:1-5

 

Children love to push the boundaries and test their parents. I’m sure that every parent can think of times when their own children have done this and most people could even give an example from their own childhood. For example, imagine that you have told your child not to play on the road. Can you imagine the child going up to the road and flirting with the boundary? Maybe even putting a foot on the road, almost daring the parent to do something about it?

 

How much are we like this? God gives us a command in Scripture and we so

often will do everything but. We will seek to see how close we can come to the line of God’s word without crossing it and we will play there. God’s standard leaves no room for this kind of boundary pushing.

 

Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew. Whilst the Pharisees or scribes might draw the line at adultery and push the boundary as far as they can, Jesus’ is calling His people to a much greater standard. Rather than allowing the boundary to be pushed as far as adultery, Jesus reveals to us the full intent and implication of God’s command: that even looking on another person lustfully is breaking God’s law. Why? Because Jesus isn’t only interested in our external behaviour. Jesus is interested in our hearts.

 

Paul takes this heart standard even further in Ephesians 5. There must not even be a hint of sexual immorality amongst God’s people. If this is God’s standard there is no boundary pushing, there is no seeing how far we can go without breaking God’s command. We cannot allow even a hint of sexual immorality.

 

Think about this standard for a moment. Have you been pushing the boundaries? Are there areas in your life where there is even a hint of sexual immorality? Add them to your prayer this morning/evening and pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to you where you fall short of this standard and pray that God would be working in your heart this week to help you to overcome these sins.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of the whole congregation this week to stir up a desire for holiness in the area of sexual purity. Pray that God would give courageous honesty to all the members of the congregation as they discuss this issue this week.

¥ Pray for Shiloh Church Ministries and their work amongst orphans in India. Pray that God would continue to protect and to watch over the children and that the gospel would be preached through their work loud and clear to both adults and children. Pray that God would stir up a spirit of generosity amongst God’s people to support this work in India.

 

My Additional Prayer Points.

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2/.

 

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What does it look like for both men and women to have not even a hint of sexual purity amongst them? What things should and shouldn't be happening amongst God’s people.

2. What are some obstacles that may make it more difficult to strive for this standard? Write them down.