KEEP YOURSELF PURE- Open heavens devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Joel 1-3
ERODING YOUR VALUE?
MEMORIZE: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s ” (1 Cor. 6:20) READ: 1 Corinthians 6:13-20 Marrying an unbeliever is no option for anyone who has truly believed in Jesus Christ. Do not choose a baby Christian and if your partner is already making life unbearable during your courtship, go back and pray before it is too late. In addition, do not agree to choose somebody just because he says he has been born again for three or more years. Check out the fruit! Why? Many people give being born again different meanings. This is why I employ you to choose believers within the Body of Christ so that you can speak the same spiritual language. Today, there are some armed robbers who claim to be born again but still engage in their nefarious activities. There are fraudsters who make a lot of money through internet scams yet claim to be born again. It is possible that because of their financial backing, their pastors have refused to investigate their sources of income but rather placed them in positions of leadership. Beware! Some years ago, in one of the universities where I taught and fellowshipped, we declared a fast. During this spiritual exercise, one of the lecturers who claimed to be born again came out to testify. He said he used to smoke 17 sticks of cigarettes per day but now smokes only 15. Reduction in sinful indulgence is not the same as salvation. It is a complete overhaul and recreation of your spirit man. In Genesis 24:1-4, Abraham warned his servant not to choose a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites but from his people. Avoid the Canaanites even in your church! Another issue of note is that during the courtship, you must keep yourself holy. Never yield to any request for sex. After marriage, there will be plenty of time for this. A lady must not sell herself cheap. No man regards a lady who easily yields to his sexual advances. They may not tell you but to them, there is no difference between such a lady and women of easy virtues (prostitutes). Of course they may promise you marriage as basis for requesting for premarital sex, but the fact that you yielded could eventually become the reason for cancelling their marriage plan; they will say you are far too cheap! Even if they go ahead to marry you, you will never be treasured. You will be like another piece of furniture! Sister, uphold the value God has placed on you. Falling into fornication makes you to lose it. No man should touch or sleep with you until the right man says ‘I do’. You are expensive to God. Don’t become cheap to men! ACTION POINT: It is better men are afraid to approach you for marriage because you are highly priced than because you are cheap. Keep yourself pure!