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.
When it comes to cultural toxins, a little bit of poison can go a long way. As a result, it’s important that we strive to cleanse those toxins from our system before they do long-lasting damage to our lives.
Name a cultural toxin that started out in your life as something small, but grew into something larger. How has that growing toxin polluted you?
Is YESHUA saying that if we do not keep His commands, He will not love us. NO! And I cannot type that loud enough! NO.
But if we do not keep His commands, WE will love Him less! And nothing in this world could be more detrimental to our well-being than us loving JESUS less than we can. Nothing will more pollute our souls than loving JESUS less than we can.
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.
Choose by faith to not put your faith in the “what ifs”, but put your faith in God and God alone. This will help you break free from the bondage of toxic fears.
In what ways are you seeking God on a regular basis?
Our lives are full of cultural toxins, which are those things that are culturally acceptable, but hurt our souls. Cultural toxins can be found in the books we read, the magazines we read, the music we listen to, the television shows we watch, and in the movies we watch. When we allow cultural toxins into our lives, it pollutes us. This week you will learn what God’s Word says about the dangers of cultural toxins and the importance of focusing on things that draw us closer to God.
What are some of the cultural toxins you currently have in your life? How have you seen these toxins pollute your life?
Think back to half time – 2013 Super Bowl. Who even in the ‘Christian’ community speaks the name of Beyoncé with admiration? (To tell you the truth – I had to look up her name to write this post and those 3 seconds of the half time I watched I didn’t even know who she was by sight. Not bragging, just stating facts. :) )
Point is this. Christians, beware who you admire; beware who you imitate; beware who you dress like, talk like, live like.
Matthew 7:16 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Can people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
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?
