Our Thoughts

Our Thoughts

I wanted to bring up something today that is really controversial in churches today.  I don’t know why it stuck out in my mind so much but I just want to encourage everyone to guard our thoughts or everything that we allow into our eyes, ears, and minds.  My desire is not to judge anyone who listens to different kinds of music or watches TV/movies and it’s not the point of this devotional so please don’t be offended by my innocent intentions to only encourage and share my heart.

I know personally that I have lied to myself before saying that I was mature or spiritual enough to handle so and so or to listen to certain kinds of music that I may have listened to in the past.  I have told myself that “it” wouldn’t bother me since I have the Holy Ghost now – as if I’m now immune or have some sort of force shield around me.

But sooner or later, what we allow ourselves to listen to or watch will affect us – our attitudes, it feeds our fleshly desires and creates more of a hunger to satisfy the appetite of our carnal minds.  There is just more and more immorality springing up around us and it’s coming out in the music and entertainment industry in general.

We have to make sure that our full armor of God is secure.  Be careful!  We need to ensure that our minds are stayed on the Lord, what is encouraging and positive or uplifting.  We soon will need our church families like never before as our nation’s morality spirals downward.

Lord bless you all,

Sister Kristin Howell   /  Apostolic Singles Network

Our Thoughts — Philippians 4:8-9

*Courtesy of In Touch Ministry*

The popular expression “You are what you eat” is an encouragement to give our physical bodies good food. The idea also applies to our mental wellbeing. The mind’s appetite is much like the stomach’s, which becomes accustomed to the diet we provide and craves more of the same. Dwelling on whatever is pure, lovely, and right develops a hunger to receive more of God’s goodness. But if we take in the garbage our culture calls excellent, we develop a taste for that instead.

The world presents some delicious-looking offerings–TV is one example. But mixed in with some fine educational programming is a lot of junk. Certain believers consider it okay to watch a show that violates scriptural values since it’s “only entertainment.” However, everything our mind ingests shapes our views and values. Allowing incorrect teaching and sinful ideas into our thinking can eat away at our understanding of right and wrong.

If an idea, action, or activity is not true or honorable–that is, if it violates Scripture in some way–then God is not in it. And if God is absent, then Satan is present. The Enemy’s mission is to draw our focus away from the Lord. Once Satan has someone’s attention, he’ll keep presenting more tasty-looking “junk food” to keep that individual occupied while leading him further into depravity.

Everything the mind can focus upon–including entertainment, teachings, and philosophies–is either Satan’s garbage or the Lord’s goodness. Saints are wise to notice the difference and feast only on the things of God.