| “Abstain from every form (or appearance, KJV) of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22 |
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| The apostle Paul PUSHES us to make serious decisions about participating in sin and doing any type of evil. As believers, we are not to participate in any form of evil! The call is to ABSTAIN. Abstain means total REJECTION. It means to completely WITHDRAW from it. Abstain means to absolutely STAY AWAY from the practice of any evil. In the strongest sense, it means DON’T DO IT!! ABSTAIN!! DON’T DO EVIL!!! Don’t even give the APPEARANCE of doing evil! Determining what to avoid means we must get into our Bibles to learn what is good and what is evil. A major reason for learning what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil is there are those who will call good evil and evil good. (Isaiah 5:20) We must learn the difference and then abstain not just from the action but even the appearance of doing anything sinful or evil. In growing to be stronger and more victorious over temptations we must remember that victory over temptation many times comes down to the decision of STAYING AWAY from the people and places that provide temptations. DON’T place yourself in places where you are prone to FALL! DON’T place yourself with people who are prone to pressure you to FALL! It may be today you need to step up some decision-making! Decide to decide that you are not going to give opportunities to temptation. Decide that you will abstain from evil!! Decide that you will not even give to anyone the appearance of evil. Verse to DATE the Word on May 22 (5/22) is 1 Thessalonians 5:22. It says, “Abstain from every form (or appearance, KJV) of evil.” Continue Strong with strong convictions of doing right and AVOIDING wrong, And remember to DATE the Word |