The devotional - 126 - Adultery

Thought for the Day – 126 – Adultery!

Proverbs 5:1-23 – Adultery is one of those words that in today’s world is not in the thoughts or in the vocabulary of people, young or old. This does not mean that as a people of today we no longer engage this SIN; almost all of our national illnesses are directly related to the indulgence of immoral behavior. In Proverbs 5:7-14 we clearly see that our national standard of purity is given to the foreigner. This SIN carries both physical and spiritual results; thus as a nation we are on the threshold of physical and spiritual ruin.

  

Comments and challenges

When someone is said to be preaching, or when someone says that they intent to preach; they are expressing the desire to reveal publically divine truth concerning the kingdom of God. A long time ago while in the U.S. Navy I went to a church in a local neighborhood who had advertised that the pastor would be preaching on giving thanks at the upcoming Sunday service. This was also when I was single and a female office worker invited me to go and hear this pastor speak. Also, I had been saved only a few months before so I was excited with most every moment of hearing about Jesus.

Literally this was the message I heard. “Praise God and Thank you Jesus!” sometimes with tears; sometimes with serious overtones and sometimes with pleasant ones too, but never more than the six words of Praise God and Thank you Jesus. Now some might say; “what’s wrong with that?” Well, nothing… I say too from time to time “Praise God and Thank you Jesus” and no doubt so do you. However I do believe that there is something very wrong with over the course of an hour or more that this is all that one says.

I need to ask; how much preparation time did it take for this individual to prepare for this preaching session? How much prayer was this person involved in or did his time in prayer exceed these six words?

Mark 1:35-39 – Now in the morning, (Jesus) having risen a long while before day light, He went out and departing to a solitary place; and there prayed. And Simon and those with him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, everyone is looking for You. But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth. And he was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

That day many years ago was a day that I will not forget because there was great applause when the person finally finished his “preaching” or “message”. Now we may think that the applause was because the message was finally over, but not so. People were rushing forward and giving thanks and praise to God for such a wonderful sermon. The woman I was with made the mistake of asking me what I thought and the preacher himself made an attempt to talk with me. I believe he noticed my displeasure; I believe too that I was the only one in the church building who was headed for the exit.

In the light of the Marks comments of people searching and seeking Jesus, the preaching of this one Sunday experience may seem logical to some and even fall within the context of searching for Jesus and Praising His Name. However in the gospel of Luke we see that Luke adds the context of the message which is not “Praise God and Thank you Jesus” it is… “Luke 4:43 – “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent”.

Also in Hebrews 10:7 the writer reveals that in the volume of the Living Word of God it is written that Jesus came to do the Father Will. Christ fulfills God’s will and in His willingness to sacrifice Himself, He brings the full message of the kingdom of God to mankind. This message is not the rote sacrifices the lips that priests and preachers make today that takes away sin and purifies the hearts of sinners. In fact; the writer of Hebrews states clearly that since Jesus completed this ONCE for ALL sacrifice there is no need of another rote offering.