Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

 Every morning, I turn on my computer, check the news, social media, bank account, and dive into my bible study. This morning, I reflected over the news and social media post I viewed and thought…what a waste of time. Over an hour was spent feeling the emotional highs and lows of the news…with a bit of anger mixed in, leaving me drained emotionally and spiritually for my time with God. Useless information that will only be forgotten within an hour and no way to get that time back. Can you relate?

 As God’s children, we are to separate ourselves from the world, which means we should be cautious as to what we allow into our minds. Social media can be good, but it also provides opportunities to spread hate, anger, and views that counter God’s standards for living the Christian life. The news media is more concerned with how to spark your interest than actually sharing the news of the day. Many news media have moved towards a talk show forum, which battles against their opponent, mostly political in nature. All of these things together can influence your decisions and feelings. Quite frankly, they are no good and serve no purpose in growing spiritually.

 I know, I know….a long post about what we should not watch. Just want to make the point that we need to always be on guard to what we fill our minds with on a daily basis….this goes for me too! You can start with God’s word and good books on growing your faith by such authors as Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. David Jeremiah, and others. When you fill your mind with spiritual things, you’ll be more inclined to live out the truth of God’s word in your daily life for others to see…and this world could use more of Jesus!