January 30th
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. 13With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:9-16 NIV
Gaining freedom from bondage to sin can be a challenge. It requires that we work in partnership with the Holy Spirit in overcoming the various aspects of the bondage. The best way I know of to get in tune with the Holy Spirit is to have a daily quiet time with the Lord, including Bible study, prayer, praise and worship.
The Bible has everything we need to know about God, living for God and overcoming sin. It gives us many examples of how to follow God and how to avoid the many possible pitfalls in life.
King David had a firm grip on God’s word and its importance to a pure walk with God. Specifically, David said that purity will stem from:
- Living according to God’s word and delighting in it
- Seeking God with all our heart
- Hiding God’s word in our heart (learn it, study it, memorize it)
- Praising God and speaking his word
- Rejoicing in obedience to God’s commands
- Meditating on God’s word and considering His ways
If we’re not meeting with God to do the above things, its hard to see how our hopes of living in purity would be realized. Without the daily input of God’s word in our life, we will gradually be overrun by the world’s desires and the corruption of the lusts within our heart.
For the first 30 years of my life, I never got on a regular schedule of having a quiet time with God. Since being porn-free, I have made a habit of having a daily quiet time. It has truly helped release God’s power in my life.
If you’re not having quiet times with God currently, I encourage you to do so. For suggestions on what to do in a quiet time, visit our Quiet Times page.
Questions for further thought:
When we’re building friendships, spending time together is crucial for the long-term success of the relationship. How does this principle work in our relationship with God?
What relationship has God used for the pattern for his relationship with us? (hint: Romans 8:15-16)
What actions will you take to ensure you stay on a regular schedule for your quiet times?
Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins, so that I have peace with you and can fellowship with you. Lord, I long to walk with you each day, just as Adam must have done in Eden before the fall. Please forgive me for not spending more time with you. I commit to making it top priority to meet with you each day during the _____(pick a time). Please help me to discipline myself to do this. Thank you, Father! I look forward to meeting with you! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”