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Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

A few weeks ago I spoke at a women’s conference where there were girls and women of all ages. There were ladies attending from different churches, as well as from shelters, rehab facilities, and homes for battered and abused women.

If any of you have sat through one of New Desire’s Women’s Conferences, you know that I always give a small memento containing a scripture verse to everyone in attendance. At the end of the speech, the attendees open up their gift and read the word and the verse that relates to the topic of the speech.

As everyone was opening their gift, a young lady spoke out and said, “Dr. Robinson, my scripture was about abstaining. I guess God is telling me to abstain from my boyfriend because he is really toxic for my life.” She proceeded to tell of how he pressured her into making wrong and sinful decisions.

I looked at the young lady and encouraged her to flee from him. I explained to her that the word toxic was certainly the correct word for their relationship. She truly wanted a change in her life. She had found a relationship with Christ in this conference and she had been shown through the scripture on her gift that God loves her and His love is unconditional and without boundaries.

God’s love is not toxic. Rather, it is cleansing and refreshing. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 tells us to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” The word “toxic” carries a negative and poisonous connotation to it. Regardless of how it is used, it carries a defeated and deathly persuasion. It always implies sickness. There are many illnesses that we deal with that go way beyond a physical sickness.

We all battle the toxicities of satan, self, and the world. We allow peer pressure, the lust of our flesh, and our pride to poison our hearts and lives. However, just as this young lady confessed her poison, God is our antidote. God is our toxicologist that not only defines our poison but removes it.

From my heart to yours, I plead with you to apply 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 to your own life. Prove the things in your life that seem to have a strong persuasion on your behavior and decisions. The word “prove” means to test or examine. It is time that we discern the bad and cling to the good. It is also time to abstain (refrain) from all evil and its appearance. Through Christ we have the power to overcome all toxins. Identify and label the toxic things in and around you and flee to God your antidote.

I Just Love Jesus,

Dr. Brenda J. Robinson

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• Tags: examine, sin

• Posted by: Dr. Brenda Robinson