Do's and Don'ts of Diets

1 Thessalonians 5-Part 7
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.
 1 Thess. 5:21-22 (KJV)

But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.
(NAS)

But test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. (NLT)


LET IT GLOW

Do not eat this. Do not eat that. Don't drink this. Don't drink that. Aren't there more don'ts than do's on  diets? I have found this to be true in my case. Since I have been on this special diet in order to take care of my body and not live the restroom , I have learned how difficut it is to eat those things good for me and abstain from those things which are bad for me. I imagine any diet is like that, though. Then I think of Christianity-the 10 commands, Jesus' teachings, our rules, laws, traditions. So much to follow. However, the key theme for life, which I have found in God's Word,  is love-love God, love brethren, love the lost, love your self. Aren't they all meant to help us, direct us on the right path of life, to make our life better and easier?
Yes, my diet has been a good thing for me. It frees me from the bondage of this body. It has taught me self control, following limitations. Don't we all need that? Paul gave us some more advice to follow.

You know that I had to look up some words in the Thayer's Lexicon:
Prove means to test, examine, scrutinize, (to see whether a thing be genuine or not).
Abstain means to hold ones self off from anything.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary says:

Paul calls for careful examination and discernment in response to the command of verse 20, "Despise not prophesyings.". One is never to downgrade the proclamation of God's Word, but to examine the preached word carefully (Acts 17:10-11). What is found to be "good" is to be wholeheartedly embraced. What is "evil" or unbiblical is to be shunned.

I think these three principles can be applied to other situations, not just prophesyings.
The Blackabys show us this is so in their devotional book, Experiencing God Day-By-Day. Here's what they said:
"Hold fast to what is good, or the world will take it away. Satan is the relentless enemy of good. People will challenge the good you are practicing. they may criticize you for your moral stand, your child rearing, your use of money, or your involvment in church. Time pressures will attack the good in your life. Your time to pray, study Scripture, be with your family, and serve in your church will all be pressured by the many other time demands you face. Scripture reveals the solution for holding on to what is good-abstain from every form of evil. Evil robs you of what God intends for you and the good things God has given. God's commandments do not restrict you: they free you to experience God's best. Diligently abstain from every form of evil, and you will be free to enjoy every good thing God has given you."

LET IT GROW


The fourth kind of gift Swindoll taught in Contagious Christianity, is occassional uncertainty.

He said, "The whole issue of not despising prophetic utterances raises an important question: How can we be certain when it is really the Lord who is speaking to us through extrabiblical sources? We can't. Therefore, with things that are uncertain, we need to "examine everthing carefully" (verse 21a). We must be discerning. Just because someone comes to us claiming to have a word from the Lord does not mean we must believe him. God wants us to be spiritually discerning, not gullible. What criteria should we use in our judgments? Paul specifies two things: 'hold fast to that which is good' (Verse 21b), and 'abstain from every form of evil' (verse 22). Anyone who tries to draw us away from the good and lead us toward that which is evil is not acting on the Lord's behalf. Whatever is genuinely from God will be (1) consistent with His written Word, (2) in line with the lordship of Christ, and (3) in agreement with our spirits. Whatever fails to pass these tests is not from God."

Falwell said for us to "apply Christian principles to all situations, to continue holding fast to that which is good, and to abstain from every possible kind of evil. Paul is caling for balance; Christians should neither be overcritical nor gullible."

What things are good to hold onto? Reading God's Word, praying, fellowshiping with believers, living by faith and not by sight, giving, trusting God, serving others, these are all good.


LET IT GO

Have discernment-examine things, whether it is good or bad for me, for my reputation and witness.

Listen to God's directions and apply them.

Keep holding on to good.