The world tells us we need to be informed by watching or reading the news. Unfortunately, the news reports every murder, assault, and every negative and bad situation around the world, then they interview argumentative, biased, offended people which creates and feeds fear, hopelessness, and argumentative, biased, offended people. Satan must love the news because he wants people to be ineffective, fearful, bitter, scared, cowardly, hopeless, argumentative, biased, and offended.

We can stay informed, and we should be informed, but we do not have to saturate our minds with everything bad in the world. Paul reminds us to think on what is true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful and respected. Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. We don’t need to read the news to know the world is going up in flames, we need to read and bring the world to the Good News of the loving, purifying, holy flame of God.

If you want to be a better, more informed, smarter person, then fill your mind with the things that eternally grow your mind. Feed your mind with the good word and the Word will feed you with God’s best.

Dallas Willard reminds us, “We will fill our souls with the written Gospels. We will devote our attention to these teachings, in private study and inquiry as well as public instruction. And, negatively, we will refuse to devote our mental space and energy to the fruitless, even stupefying and degrading, stuff that constantly clamors for our attention. We will attend to it only enough to avoid it.”[i]

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”~ John 15:4 (NASB) Abiding in Jesus (spending our time with Jesus, dwelling with Jesus) is where we find peace, joy, fearlessness, hope, wisdom, and a fruitful life.

So, “let’s take a good look at the way we’re living and reorder our lives under God.” Remembering “bad company corrupts good morals.” Therefore, “have nothing to do with the things done in darkness, which are not worth anything. But show that they are wrong. It is shameful even to talk about what those people do in secret. … So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely.” Finally, “brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. … And the God who gives peace will be with you.”

Lamentations 3:40 (MSG), 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB), Ephesians 5:11-15 (NCV), Philippians 4:8-9 (NCV)

[i] Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy

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