Remove the bad; replace it with good

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “A fresh start in a new year”

Our Bible verse for today: “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any. Then it says, “I’ll go back to my house that I came from.” Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, the person’s last condition is worse than the first.” Matthew 12:43-45 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Remove the bad; replace it with good”

For many years, I have been working with men in jails, prisons, and rehab centers who have struggled with substance abuse and all the damage such a lifestyle results in. Typically, those men desperately want to break free from that world, settle down, and live a healthy, productive, and normal life.

The first step for them is always to come to faith in Christ. That’s the most important decision they can make and it’s the one that will make the most difference. Then they must resolve to follow Him in close discipleship. Once that process is in place, we then begin to address issues such as restoring broken relationships, developing good work habits, becoming financially responsible, and many other lifestyle issues that are part of a normal, healthy, productive life.

Getting the drugs and the dependency out of the man’s life is crucial. But that then must be quickly replaced by better habits. If the bad thing is removed but isn’t replaced with something good, there will be a vacuum, an empty space just waiting to be filled. And as they say, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” And so does Satan. Leave that space in your life empty for just a short time and nature or Satan or both will quickly move to fill it for you. That’s the lesson Jesus was teaching in Matthew 12:43-45.

When it comes to making New Years resolutions, we must be thinking about removing bad habits from our life and replacing them with good. If you are going to stop eating bad food you will need to replace it with good food. If you going to stop sleeping late every morning you will spend that time instead on something better, such as time in prayer and Bible study.

I’m sure you see the point. Improving your life is about removing the bad and then replacing it with something good. I encourage you to prayerfully consider what things, what habits or activities, should be removed from your life and what better things you will then replace that with. Just like Santa, make a list and then check it twice.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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