Wed.’s Devo - Walk in Holiness

Read: Ezra 8:21-9:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Psalm 31:1-8; Proverbs 21:1-2
Ezra had his faith tested and upheld God’s integrity. He knew that they would be traveling with great amounts of gold and silver through hostile and unsafe land. He had told the king that his God could protect them so he had to refuse the offer of the kings soldiers. Instead, they fasted and prayed that God would protect them. God honored their trust in Him and protected them the whole way. After resting three days, they began sacrificing in the temple. The leaders reported to Ezra that many of the leaders, priests, and people had married outside of the Jewish race and mingled the holy race with foreigners. This greatly upset Ezra who grieved and repented for the peoples sin.
In Corinthians, we see the same thing happening. Sin has entered the church through one man and Paul explained how a little sin spreads and affects all the people eventually. Paul told them not to associate with Christians who called themselves Christians yet continues in unrepented sin. He said that is wasn’t the Church’s job to judge those outside the church, but they were to judge those in the church. God is coming back for a holy bride, so it is our decision whether we are the bride. The bride will live a sacrificed life of holiness and self-control.
Lord, help us to judge ourselves first by the Word of God and repent of our own sins then by love help us to admonish our brothers and sisters to walk in holiness.