WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Romans 1:18-27
Romans 1:26

"For this cause God gave
them up unto vile affections…"

A SANCTIFIED HEART (4)

Human desires and lusts are from man’s whole being, even his soul, mind and heart. The Scripture tells us about "the desire of thy soul" (1 Sam 23:20), "the desire of his mind" (Deut 18:6), and "heart’s desire" (Ps 10:3; 21:2; Rom 10:1). It also tells us about "the lusts of their own hearts" (Rom 1:24), "the lusts of our flesh" (Eph 2:3; cf. 2 Pet 2:18), "the deceitful lusts" (Eph 4:22), "many foolish and hurtful lusts" (1 Tim 6:9), "youthful lusts" (2 Tim 2:22), "divers lusts" (2 Tim 3:6; Titus 3:3), "worldly lusts" (Titus 2:12), "fleshly lusts" (1 Pet 2:11), and "ungodly lusts" (Jude 1:18). God’s command is: "Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s" (Deut 5:21). What about your desires?

Due to the deceitful and sinful human heart, human desires and lusts are sinful, selfish and worldly. Many cannot control their worldly desires and sinful lusts and have fallen to temptations and sins like telling lies, addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography, as well as theft, robbery, fornication, adultery, murder, etc. It is a severe judgment for those who do not fear God, thank God, glorify God and worship God when God gives them up to their reprobate mind, sinful desires and fleshly lusts, namely homosexuality. "Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:… For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet" (Rom 1:24, 26-27). How vital it is for human desires to be separated from sins, sinful flesh and worldliness, and instead be dedicated to the Lord, and controlled by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word! What about yours?

THOUGHT: My desires need to be sanctified!
PRAYER: Lord, sanctify my heart and fill me with Thy holy desires.