But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and “all who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”
2 Timothy 2:19
God says, that all who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil. I don’t know what your idea of turning away is but I am going to take a crack at it. I like to believe that it is more than just refusing to act on a specific sin. God wants more from us than just the will to make the right choices when it comes to physically carrying out a sinful act. God gave us boundaries to rebuke sin all together. He knows the power that satan can have over us and He doesn’t want us to even go near a sinful situation. For example, how many of us go to the the movies with a bunch of friends knowing very well that the movie would not be acceptable in God’s eyes. We have fun laughing at the crude jokes and lusting over the inappropriate sex scenes so on the way home we continue the joking and act like everything is ok. We aren’t physically acting out the movie but by watching it and joking about it we are accepting it. We are making a statement that says that the pornography and foul language associated with the movie is “ok”. Maybe you still believe that there is nothing wrong with a situation such as this but please hear me out to the end. God expects His children to completely stay away from sinful thoughts and desires. He expects us to keep our minds clear of sin and wants us to avoid all sinful behavior, or thoughts of it. I believe we can sin with our mind through our thoughts and desires without ever acting.
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Luke 6:45
In the Merriam-Websters dictionary under the phrase “Turn Away” several verbs are listed. AVERT which means to see coming and look away or avoid. REJECT to refuse to accept, consider or submit to. REPEL to fight against or resist, to drive away or discourage, to be incapable of adhering to or mixing with.
When God tells us to turn away He is telling us to avoid the sin before it ever becomes a thought or action. He is commanding us to stay away all together and don’t associate with it. If we compromise, allowing one bad thought, or accept one “little” sin to enter our mind we have given satan a way in. We are opening the door and saying “come on in satan, welcome to my life”.
When welcoming someone into your home do you ever say, “come on in but only stay right here by the door, you are not welcome to enter any other room in my house”? No we invite someone in knowing well that they might need to use the restroom or they might want to visit a while in the living room, he or she may even want a bite to eat from the kitchen. The same goes for satan, when we invite him in there is a good chance, no, a great chance, he is planning on staying a while. If satan finds a way in, you can count on him using every “trick” he has to try and take up residence. We may think he is only in one area of our life but if we aren't careful he will spread to every room of our heart and mind We know God and His commands.......maybe enough to fight satan off for a while, but if we aren’t walking with God daily there is a good chance that soon those things we once knew are lost to a new “adventure” in our life. So we take a new path down a road that feels good and we begin to believe the lies that satan has been telling us. Our ears become deaf to the Spirit's warnings. We are numb to the sin and no longer feel the pain it causes when we engage in it. Whether that pain is felt by us or those we love, the pain is dulled and our life continues to travel further away from God and His truth.
Dear God, as I begin this new year help me to lay out my life before you. Highlight Your boundaries for my life and show me the things I need to turn away from. Open my ears to the Spirits warnings and make me aware of my sinful behaviors. This world is an evil place, and temptations to sin are everywhere. But you promise to help me defeat those temptations. Show me the areas in my life that I have compromised......the things I don't even realize are wrong anymore. Give me a close friend who is honest and will lovingly help me adjust my behavior to line up with Your will for me.
In Jesus' Name Amen
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