For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. – Proverbs 23:7
- Psalm 101:3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
- Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:8 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.
The victorious Christian walk could be summarized by two ongoing purposes and actions: 1.) Putting on. 2). Putting off.
We must continually be exercising the desire to put on the mind of Christ, i.e., to think like Jesus Christ who perfectly thinks righteously about all things, and put off anything of this fallen world which hinders our change into Christ-likeness.
- Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
We must continually exercise our desire to put off any temptations to conform or be a part of the fallen devil-controlled worldview.
- 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
It is our firm belief that the entertainment and materialism which permeates through our electronically overwhelmed world, is our enemy seeking to destroy our “alone-time” with Jesus and the Bible. The electronic images which now fill homes, computers and phones are overwhelmingly in the main unrighteous and anti-God. These ungodly images and communication shape one’s worldview and strengthens unrighteousness as it rejects God and His command to be holy.
- 1 Peter 1:14-16 . . as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
Where can this holiness be cultivated most effectively? In our homes and through our choices concerning what we do with our time that is not committed to work.
- John 14:15-17 [Jesus said] “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper [the Spirit of Christ], that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
What does this promise from Jesus tell us?
Jesus died NOT ONLY to pay the death price required for our sins, but He died to also send His Spirit to indwell us and deliver us from the bondage of sin and the world while changing us into the very likeness of Christ.
Carefully, humbly think about this question: Honestly, can you imagine inviting Jesus Christ into your home to watch with you the ungodly filth that is delivered every hour night and day through electronic devices which people consume under the guise of “entertainment”. The culture has chosen to “feed upon” unholy God-rejecting images full of immorality, violence, greed and materialism.
Do you honestly think Jesus Christ, who died to destroy unholiness, sin and death, would be pleased to sit in our homes and take in hour by hour unholy, unrighteous, violent, materialistic, lust-filled images and the wasting of precious life on gaming addictions? Jesus came to free us from the lusts of our fallen flesh. He died to destroy sin and its power over us so we could NOW be free to seek first righteousness and godliness.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to think of Jesus calmly sitting in our homes watching unholy God- insulting movies, sports, sit-com shows, gaming, etc.. How could He watch what the majority of people on earth are watching as “entertainment” knowing the tragic spiritual cost to the viewers’ spiritual health and heart desires?
If you agree and likewise believe the Holy Son of God would NOT, for even a single moment, watch what the vast majority of people in the world are watching and playing via their electronic devices, the only question left is this one: Why are you enticed and inclined to watch such evil?
Our Personal Application: To be able to guard our hearts and minds, we made the decision NOT to allow television or movies into our home. We also severely restricted internet access. We chose to “put off” the world to a large degree by simply NOT allowing evil, ungodly images to have access to our minds and hearts.
Result: We gained many hours of blessed peace and quality time to obey Jesus’ command to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
- Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
- Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
- Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
Truth: What we exercise we strengthen, whether it be good or bad, profitable or unprofitable!
We would suggest you make an “all-in” commitment to acquire the “mind of Christ” beginning with jettisoning anything, like the electronic mind-numbing addiction, which has captured the bulk of this generation.
When we chose to cut off “the electronic world” we found its stranglehold on our emotions and worldview was also cut off. When one replaces that wasted time with pursuing after godly and righteous options to fill the mind, one removes the blockages that prevent one from becoming more Christlike.
If we are continually concerned about seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, our minds will be filled with the strength of a single purpose to glorify God in everything and in every place. In a clear, yet simple application, we will set the following banner before us every day and throughout the day: Our purpose is to make every activity a Righteous Activity and, thus, turn every place we walk into a Holy Place of worship separated unto and honoring God.
When a person “cuts off” the world to seek separation unto the Lord Jesus, the resulting void must be filled. We have a number of resources which would go a great distance in helping you fill the “electronic entertainment void”. Of certainty, the primary resource is God’s word, the Bible. It instructs, informs and conforms us to know Him and to become more Christlike.
Additionally, we have about 200 videos with Bible verses on our website as well as excellent Scripture teaching. WasItForMe.com Video Library – https://vimeo.com/user146864084
The following Bible promises and exhortations will help in our desire to break our minds free from the control of a fallen electronic entertainment world.
- John 6:38 [Jesus said] For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
- Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Galatians 5:16-26 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
We wrote an essay to address your very question our part which is required in the guarding our hearts, titled: It is Matter of What We Love! Guard your heart! https://wasitforme.com/wp- content/uploads/2022/02/19.-Was-It-For-Me_It-Is-Matter-Of-What-We-Love-Essay.pdf
We hope these thoughts prove valuable to you. If so, please write to us, so we might be encouraged about your progress in your God-honoring desire.
All our love to All, in Christ
Jon + Philis + Friends
@ WasItForMe.com
