The people in your life can be one of the most important spiritual assets or be one of your worst curses. Those relationships that are a curse to you are toxic. This week you learn from God’s Word about the dangers of toxic relationships and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people.
“Bad company corrupts good character.” Describe a time when you experienced this warning in your life. What did you learn from your experience?
32 . . . If dead people are not raised, we might as well live by the saying, “Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 33 Don’t be fooled. “Bad company ruins good character.” 34 Come to your senses! Live righteously and stop sinning! There are some people who lack knowledge of God — I say this to your shame.
When it comes to cultural toxins, the bottom line is that we must flee from sin and the things that can cause us to sin. Instead, we must strive for a life of purity. Strive for the things that matter to God and not for the things that matter to others.
What things do you need to start focusing on that will help you draw closer to Christ?
It is not enough for us to flee the toxins that so easily beset us. We MUST pursue after we flee to be whole. It is the pursuit of righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness and gentleness in YESHUA that gives us health, and wholeness, and freedom in this corrupt culture.
20 Oh, Timothy! Keep safe what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from the ungodly babblings and the argumentative opposition of what is falsely called “knowledge.”
21 For many who promise this “knowledge” have missed the mark, as far as the faith is concerned. Grace be with you.
It’s very easy to get trapped by cultural toxins because it’s easy to rationalize them in our head. Most of us have probably had the following thought: what may be dangerous for you may not be dangerous for me. God’s Word says something different. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6 that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
What standards are you using to filter out cultural toxins in your life? How well do you think your standards match God’s?
We do not always meet it; but we should never be found not trying.
1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 King James Version (KJV)
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The toxic lie so many of us believe is because everyone else does it, it’s okay for us and won’t harm us. The truth is just because everyone else does it, doesn’t mean that it’s right for us spiritually.
How have you seen toxic influences in your life affect your relationship with God and others?
I hope you will read all the verses. At the link given above you will find both the Complete Jewish Bible (which I have come to treasure) and an older favorite of mine, the New American Standard Bible translation.
2 . . . Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed.
Keep lettingyourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds.
My Friends, the command is KEEP LETTING. The transformation we desire is GOD’s WORK. Our transformation comes by HIS POWER when we keep on keeping on one choice after another to THINK ABBA’s Way. It’s an uphill climb; an uphill climb that we CAN in YESHUA’s Name do.
We are glad you are here; stay a while, look around, and be encouraged. We estimate there to be over 3,000 posts here at The White Stone Blog. Please know my hope is ALWAYS to help and NEVER harm. I have voiced many opinions and thoughts here since 2007 and by now I MAY NOT EVEN AGREE with all of them and some of my grammar and punctuation likely needs editing. But this is changeless: JESUS is our ONLY Savior and Hope. Do you KNOW Him?
