Day 331.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 ESV)
God loves you just as you are, with all of your sinful habits and all. But he loves you too much to leave you just as you are. He gives you his Holy Spirit to sanctify you and set you free from habits that take away from the fullness of life Jesus came to give. Sexual immorality is common now just as it was common in ancient times. Sex is good an excellent gift from God. But sexual immorality abuses the gift and thus robs it of its true splendor. Sin sacrifices the good gifts of God (not to mention dishonors God). Sexual immorality is the practice of those who do not know God. To disregard this teaching is not a disregard of man but God himself.
Lord, cause us to lean on your Holy Spirit and to flee from temptation. We are weak on our own and foolish to think that we are strong enough to walk as close to the line as we can without falling into sin. We flirt with temptation thinking that we can keep ourselves from falling but that is foolish! You tell us that if our eye causes us to sin to cut it out and throw it away. Would you help us to remove those things that cause us to sin. Thank you, Lord Jesus!
Amen!