Guest Post by Author C.A. Simonson
“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. Their minds and consciences have been corrupted.” Titus 1:15
As I rearranged the canned food in my cupboard, I thanked the Lord for the beautiful golden peaches, ruby red tomatoes, and colorful relish. It had been a lot of work during the summer, but what a blessing it would be when the snow fell. All waited on the back shelf, ready to nourish and fill.
One of the jar lids popped as I retrieved it from the back. A sour odor escaped with the foaming bubbles. Air had somehow gotten into the jar and broken the seal. Botulism had ruined its contents. It was contaminated. The spoilage within had crept throughout the entire jar. Its entire contents had now become a poison that could kill.
Titus tells us, “those who are corrupted (contaminated) and do not believe, nothing is pure.” Why? Because their intellect has been poisoned and tainted. When we allow corrupt thoughts to invade our mind, it defiles the soul and conscience. When we believe and chase after the wrong things, the contamination spreads into everything we do, say, or think. Soon, our personal world becomes polluted. Our perception of things, even though we claim to know God, can be controlled by the toxin we’ve allowed to overtake our minds. One can become so corrupt they are “unfit to do any good,” says Titus. Spiritual botulism is deadly, too.
When you give your life to Jesus, God “seals” you and gives you His Holy Spirit as a pledge (II Corinthians 1:21-22). So, keep the seal tight. Do not allow any outside influences to defile the treasure God has placed inside you. Stay pure in heart by doing good. Keep your mind clean and undefiled by believing the Bible and standing on its promises.
Change your thoughts, and it changes your life.
PRAYER: Lord, increase my faith and help me to grow stronger in You. Deliver me from the evil around me, and keep me pure and clean. AMEN.
C.A. (Candy) Simonson is a freelance writer and novelist. She began writing nonfiction articles in the 1980s with almost 800 articles published in multiple national or online magazines. Her award-winning stories are in seven anthologies, including Chicken Soup for the Soul. Her debut young adult novel, Love’s Journey Home, published in 2013 was followed by seven Christian YA novels and five nonfiction books. As a former IT computer trainer/teacher, she enjoys assisting other authors with book formatting, self-publishing, cover design, and sharing her technical and writing knowledge with writers’ groups. She serves the Springfield Writers’ Guild Board as the 2024 President and SWG webmaster.
See more at CASIMONSON.COM