on March 30, 2011
1 Corinthians 6:15-20 – Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
In these recent prayer guides we have been appreciating the mystical union shared by husband and wife, Christ and the Church, and also by believers with the Triune God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have been welcomed into the fellowship of the Trinity for holy intimacy and oneness that will last for eternity! Think about it! The only reason we are welcomed into this holy union is because of Christ. No sin or wickedness may ever enter God’s presence! Christ’s sacrifice and shed blood have become the means of our cleansing and purification giving us access into this union. It’s inconceivable to think that the Holy God of the universe would embrace sin or unite intimately with the devil for any reason. Yet, the Bible says that’s what happens when God’s people unite in sexual relations outside of a godly marriage. Sin and immorality contaminate the holy union that Christ has sanctified. Our gift of sexuality is to be appreciated on a higher plane than the world practices. Why? Because God is holy! He’s not casual about His relationship and union with us. And, in the same way that sexual relations outside of marriage endanger a marriage and the physical health of a spouse through diseases and issues of trust and fidelity, so may our sacred union with Christ be damaged through unholy sexual relationships.
The Apostle Paul teaches us that our bodies are God’s temple and that sexual immorality is sin against the temple where God dwells. Righteousness and wickedness don’t go together! Light and darkness have no union! Our Lord does not try to harmonize with the devil, and, if we belong to Christ, then so do our bodies! We ought not give ourselves in marital or sexual union with unbelievers! It’s like trying to drag someone into our holy union with God who has not been cleansed by the blood of Christ. That person does not belong there and will not be permitted there. It can only cause separation of our spirit with Christ’s Spirit! However, if we “come out from among them,” and sanctify our sexuality for God’s glory, we are promised the richness of oneness and family intimacy with Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Thursday:
- Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
- Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.
Friday:
- Ask God to increase your understanding of what it means to be united with Him through Christ.
- Pray for the Good News families of the week: Ryan Hackett, Matt & Becky Hakes (Stevie, ?), Bill & Linda Logan (Andrew, Mark, Meg).
Saturday:
- If you are married, pray that you will grow a sacred and holy union with your spouse.
Sunday:
- Thank God for the gift of intimacy. Pray for growth in faithfulness, trustworthiness and holiness.
- Join in with our Sunday prayer services to pray for God’s presence and blessing.
Monday:
- Ask God to strengthen your refusal to be influenced by the world’s models of sexual relations.
- Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.
Tuesday:
- Pray for a revival that honors God’s wonderful design and plan for marriage and sex.
Wednesday:
- Ask God to help you guard and preserve this sacred gift for His glory and the joy of marriage!
Prayer Challenge: Recognize that God made us male and female so that we might glorify Him through sexual intimacy, mutual joy and procreation with our spouse. Establish God’s Word as your standard for sexual relations, and do not let the influence of the world pervert or corrupt God’s plan and purpose.