THE WAY OUT

Good manners can open doors that all the education in the world cannot open. There is something so marvelous and attractive when one puts on their best behavior with the flare of good manners. We are taught, in most societies, to always say, “thank you”, “please”, and “may I.” Most of God’s people have embraced this method of communication and cherish it. However, it has been known that a great multitude of God’s people have misbehaved. Could it be you? Could it be me? Could it be someone else that we know? Our heavenly Father has the solution for all of us: separate yourselves from evil communications.

Departing from company that has traveled or journeyed with you can be very difficult. There are so many of you that our heavenly Father is leading you to a path of new horizons and discoveries of the unknown. The just shall live by faith. This can be quite unsettling to many of us because of the familiarity which is always comforting and somehow we feel safe. One of the most difficult challenges of leaving or vacating an area, whether it is a home or relationship, is the attachment and the emotional memories we have made concerning these matters. There are times we can have emotional bondage to a situation as our homes or the neighborhoods that we reside in. You can have ill-mannered relations with your neighbors simply by being in an unhealthy relationship that you are not accustomed to. We all want to socialize with our neighbors, but if your neighbors haven’t increased in morals and ethics concerning racism, poverties, social economics, crime, and health prevention, then it would be time to relocate to a community that upholds these standards.

Beloved, communities can have a great impact on our manners. Negative comments can obstruct your daily living and habits. If there are immoral behaviors in your communities, this can and will tattoo a very large imprint on your thinking simply because it is in the norm in your community and it is accepted. There also can be immoral laws that are legal but you know as a Christian these laws are permissible but morally wrong. The law of the land abides but if you feel strongly about anything in your community that tarnishes the beliefs of your lifestyle, as in your faith, then you must relocate or it will corrupt your good judgment. You say, how can something that is unethical change my thinking or belief. It can, beloved, and it will.

Peradventure, little Johnny has been reared to always do good as a Christian and not evil by his Christian parents. Ill-mannered and badly behaved children move into the community and befriended little Johnny. They tell little Johnny that he will not be cool or accepted with them if he did not comply or conform to their ill-mannered behaviors. Little Johnny panics because he doesn’t want to be friendless and he gives in. Everything that little Johnny’s parents have taught him no longer coaches him in his Christian young life simply because keeping company with evil communications. If you have good manners, it is impossible to have bad behavior. To apply oneself to indulge in any evil or social menacing would cause a root of one’s bad behavior, which always comes from bad or ill manners. You simply cannot be on your worst behavior and have good manners, or be disrupted or ruthless tyrant, and have good manners. It is impossible to have good manners and be corrupt at the same time. Therefore, we all must ponder about our living situations and our environments in our communities.

Does your community offer you everything that it initially offered you? Does your community receive growth for all ethnicities and races with respect to their customs and beliefs? Does your community respect your privacy? Does your community believe in social justice or injustice? Are your neighbors quiet and sensible after appropriate evening hours? Do your neighbors include you in neighborhood gatherings or are you excluded? If you are uncomfortable with anything above this can corrupt your good manners. It can cause you to be bitter and resilient toward your other neighbors. You will become harsh and indifferent toward your neighbors because of their ill manners toward you. Their bad communication has corrupted your good manners.

Beloved, it is the same also in your daily relationships. If there are people in your life as little Johnny had don’t be deceived, they will corrupt you. It doesn’t matter how much and how long you’ve been a Christian! It doesn’t matter how much you pray! It doesn’t matter how much you fast! It doesn’t matter how many chapters you read in your Bible! It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a Steward or on the Trustee Board! It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been preaching! Beloved, it doesn’t matter how anointed you are! If you are keeping company with evil people they will corrupt you! Do you understand what the Spirit of the Lord is telling you? Evil communication will corrupt good manners. You must believe it.

Many of God’s people are in bad living situations. You are not happy and you are miserable and you feel depleted. You want out because there are some things in your communities that are evil and you know it. There are also many of you who are in bad relationships. They are very unhealthy and toxic and you want out. Beloved, God in heaven has made a way out for you. There is no temptation that is common unto man that God has not made a way out for you to escape. You say, “I don’t see the way out”, “I can’t afford it”, or “I don’t know where I would go.” Do not fret, beloved. God in his time will show you the way out with provisions. God will never tell you to leave without giving you everything you need to live a good, wholesome, Christian life. God will also remove you from these dangerous and toxic, unclean relationships that are detrimental to your health and spirit and hold you back from your victory. You have been praying and God has heard your cry. Help is on the way.

Hold on to God’s unchanging hand. God has not changed! God has not changed his mind toward you. You are the apple of God’s eye. He loves you with an everlasting love. Hold on, beloved, help is on the way. The help is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the way out. Call on his name in the middle of the day! Call on his name in the middle of the night. Call on Jesus in the early mornings! No man can come through the Father without going through Jesus Christ. Call on that name, Jesus! Jesus will do it! God has made a way for you. The way is Jesus Christ. Jesus has paid the price for you on Calvary.

Oh, beloved, we are all to be on our best behavior and to have good manners so we will not be accused. We all have had temptations and been tested on our faith and beliefs. We all have had evil relationships that we must depart from. We all have lived in communities that haven’t grown with current times. The Lord Jesus has delivered us every time and he will do it again if you will only trust him. God will deliver you very shortly. Yes, beloved, he has heard your cry and he is on his way. Keep calling on the name of Jesus for he is the way out. Amen.

To God be the Glory,

Reverend Helen Trower

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I CORINTHIANS 15:33).

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I CORINTHIANS 10:13).

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (JOHN 14:6)