JULY 9

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

PURGE OUT THE OLD LEAVEN

The old leaven is described in verse 8 as the ‘malice and wickedness’. We must get rid of the old leaven - the evil things. We must turn away from wickedness. Paul urged the Corinthians to turn away from evil and bad ways.

Imagine your dad was driving your family to Genting Highlands and came to an intersection or junction. One way was to the right, the other went straight. Which way should he take? He didn’t know. He looked at the signs at the junction. One sign read ‘Highlands – 2 km’ and it pointed straight. en he knew which way to go.

There are many “intersections” in your life and you need to decide which way to take. If you are invited for an outing but know your mother is very sick and needs your help at home, what do you do? Although mother may tell you to enjoy yourself outside, tell her that Jesus would want you to stay and take care of her. You won’t take the ‘I-Want Highway’ but turn onto the ‘Highway of Love’.

On another day, you may go to a store. You cannot buy any chocolates because you do not have any money. The store owner is at the back helping someone. You could have stolen some chocolates. You decide not to turn onto the ‘Stealing Street’ and steal some chocolates. Instead, you stay on the ‘Honesty Street’ and shortly, you leave the store.

In the Bible, God tells us to turn away from the highway of ‘malice and wickedness’ but to stay on the highway of __________ and __________ (verse 8). Those who trust in the Lord must do what is right.We must avoid evil. To live correctly, we must turn away from whatever is wrong.

Thought: What are the evil things you must avoid?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, sometimes I do wrong, please forgive me. Help me to avoid the evil and do what is right. It is not easy thing to do, keep me close to You and live correctly. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.