Phi. 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." July 25, 2007
As the saying goes, "the mind is a terrible thing to waste." Why then are there so many people who do just that with their minds? I'm not speaking of those who never educate themselves as much as they could (although that's a problem too), I'm talking about those who trash their minds with pornography, explicit violence, curse words and blasphemies. They give into the pressure of the flesh to gratify their fleshy desires. When this happens to a lost man it's sad, but expected. The real problem arises when the children of God, those who have trusted Jesus through faith and proclaimed that to the world, think on these fleshly things. The church has been compromised over time, giving into the world in the little things, a little at a time and the end result is a far cry from the truth.
I personally know "good, christian people" that allow their pre-teen children to watch movies laced with profanities, sexual references, and suggestive clothing. Then we wonder why they end up pregnant at sixteen, or when they learned how to cuss out their parents. The under lying problem is their thought patterns, from there it's only a mater of time until their actions follow. So what should we be giving them, (and ourselves) to think on?
Things that are true, the bible is 100% truth, but how many of us read it on a daily basis? Things that are honest, you'll be amazed how much you learn by reading history and real events. Things that are just, this implies teaching them that there is a difference between right and wrong, and that when a rule is broken, justice demands punishment. Things that are pure, purity simply means without any blemishes or defilement, this would cover a vast multitude of academic and entertainment sources, just so long as they're not tainted with sinful undertones. Things that are lovely, we live in an age that says "What's right for you is right for you, and what's right for me is right for me." People following that train of thought say "Who's to say blue jeans and a t-shirt is any less appropriate that a suit and tie, or blouse and dress." Everything from our clothes to art to music has been infiltrated by this teaching of "Beauty is relative." The bible teaches absolutes and that carries over into loveliness, different cultures have different definitions, but every culture has a fairly clear ideal as to what constitutes beauty. Things that are of a good report. The vast majority of the media focuses on all the bad, because bad news sells better than good news. Christians ought to strive to find information that is optimistic, now I realize that it's hard to to put the Virginia Tech shootings, or 9/11 in a good light, but we're not supposed to be dwelling on these. We are to be meditating on anything that is full of virtue and praise.
Don't feed your body good things and then fill your mind with trash, commit to use your mind and body and soul for the glory of God, by thinking on good things and letting good actions follow.
As the saying goes, "the mind is a terrible thing to waste." Why then are there so many people who do just that with their minds? I'm not speaking of those who never educate themselves as much as they could (although that's a problem too), I'm talking about those who trash their minds with pornography, explicit violence, curse words and blasphemies. They give into the pressure of the flesh to gratify their fleshy desires. When this happens to a lost man it's sad, but expected. The real problem arises when the children of God, those who have trusted Jesus through faith and proclaimed that to the world, think on these fleshly things. The church has been compromised over time, giving into the world in the little things, a little at a time and the end result is a far cry from the truth.
I personally know "good, christian people" that allow their pre-teen children to watch movies laced with profanities, sexual references, and suggestive clothing. Then we wonder why they end up pregnant at sixteen, or when they learned how to cuss out their parents. The under lying problem is their thought patterns, from there it's only a mater of time until their actions follow. So what should we be giving them, (and ourselves) to think on?
Things that are true, the bible is 100% truth, but how many of us read it on a daily basis? Things that are honest, you'll be amazed how much you learn by reading history and real events. Things that are just, this implies teaching them that there is a difference between right and wrong, and that when a rule is broken, justice demands punishment. Things that are pure, purity simply means without any blemishes or defilement, this would cover a vast multitude of academic and entertainment sources, just so long as they're not tainted with sinful undertones. Things that are lovely, we live in an age that says "What's right for you is right for you, and what's right for me is right for me." People following that train of thought say "Who's to say blue jeans and a t-shirt is any less appropriate that a suit and tie, or blouse and dress." Everything from our clothes to art to music has been infiltrated by this teaching of "Beauty is relative." The bible teaches absolutes and that carries over into loveliness, different cultures have different definitions, but every culture has a fairly clear ideal as to what constitutes beauty. Things that are of a good report. The vast majority of the media focuses on all the bad, because bad news sells better than good news. Christians ought to strive to find information that is optimistic, now I realize that it's hard to to put the Virginia Tech shootings, or 9/11 in a good light, but we're not supposed to be dwelling on these. We are to be meditating on anything that is full of virtue and praise.
Don't feed your body good things and then fill your mind with trash, commit to use your mind and body and soul for the glory of God, by thinking on good things and letting good actions follow.
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