Here's your daily devotional!

If you wish to receive these free devotionals every weekday by E-mail, click the button below. Note: you'll have to log in or create your membership account first. Membership in the League is free. Join now!

Sign up to receive the Daily Devotional

“"God's Holiness Requirement"”

Thoughts for Today:

In our passage today, Paul tells us we need to hold ourselves and our congregations to God's holiness standard. Why? Because Scripture is full of examples of how one person's sin can have a rather significant effect on everyone. For example, Joshua 7:11-12: "The Lord said to Joshua, 'Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction."'

Previously, the Lord had blessed Israel with great victory over Jericho. However, He had also given very specific instructions regarding what they should do with the spoils of victory. Unfortunately, one man disobeyed. Joshua 7:19-21: "Then Joshua said to Achan, 'Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.' Achan replied, 'It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.'"

Men died in battle because of Achan -- he alone sinned -- yet his sin fell upon the entire nation of Israel. The same thing can be true of our churches and congregations. We need to pay careful attention to the way we conduct ourselves, the way we treat each other, and how we profess Christ's love in our community. Why? Because we are God's Holy Temple. And when one member of the body of believers is linked in an inappropriate way with an unbeliever, organization, or lifestyle -- it taints the whole body of Christ. In fact, just one rotten person or relationship can have a serious and devastating effect upon the entire church.

Questions to Ponder:

Are you meeting God's holiness requirement? None of us can do it on our own. We need Jesus -- He is our hope of glory. However, we are commanded to live our lives as proof of the Living God. In what ways do you need to adjust your attitude, thoughts, relationships, or activities to conform to God's holiness requirement? Are you being willfully obedient or disobedient to His will?

Sign up to receive the Daily Devotional

There's nothing like God's Word to create purpose in your life that lasts the entire day and beyond. We encourage you to Read, Carry and Share the Word of God. Pocket Devotions are sent by E-mail every weekday (Monday to Friday). On weekends we encourage you to be creative and study on your own in any area of Scripture where God leads you.

You can start from Day 1 at any time. Messages are sent automatically. Subscribe now! You may unsubscribe at any time.

About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.