Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
What we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions. Paul tells us to program our minds with thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. What are you allowing in to your mind through your eyes and ears on a regular basis? Whatever it is, it is affecting you, whether it be positively or negatively. Examine what you are injesting through television, books, conversations, movies, and magazines. So many people are quick to defend what they watch on TV or which music they listen to. "Well, I just like the beat, but I don't pay attention to the lyrics." Yeah, right. My response: "If there is nothing wrong with it, why do you need to defend it?" Music especially, is universal. All peoples and all cultures celebrate music. Music affects the heart and affects the mood of a person. It calms them, excites them, moves them, whatever the case may be. By the same token, scary movies filled with blood and gore may be fun on a Friday date night, but we wouldn't dare sit a three-year old down in front of that mess (or would we)? And if not, what makes us so mature enough to watch dismemberment and decapitation, and moreover, why would we want to? For entertainment? Please. It really comes down to what you want to do with your life. Yes, it really is that basic. Is your sole purpose to simply be entertained? I know a few people personally who would say "Yes" to that. Their greatest "fear" is boredom and will do anything to swallow up their time to prevent from being bored, with the clear exception of doing something important and worthwhile for themselves or someone else. The question is: do you actually want to do something of substance in this life, something that makes a difference? If so, it is important to read God's Word and pray. That is our source; that is where we gain our direction. Ask God to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure. It takes practice, but it can be done. It's not enough to hear or read the word of God, or even to know it well. We must also put into practice. How easy it is to listen to a sermon forget what the preacher said. How easy it is to read the Bible and not think about how to live differently. How easy it is to debate what a passage means and not live out the meeting. Exposure to God's Word is not enough. It must lead to obedience. You must take action.
God Bless you,
J.H.
True, very true!
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