Losing Its Allure

Word of God Speak!

As I started writing this blog, God has been changing my heart and mind in big ways.  First, I have learned that spending time in God's word and in prayer each day is vital to my health-not just my spiritual health, but my physical, mental and emotional health as well. Next, going to church each Sunday and attending small group is so important because I need that connection, encouragement and teaching from fellow believers. Finally, I have been feeling a nudge from the Holy Spirit that I need to stop putting "trash" into my mind. God is calling out and commanding me to stop reading worldly books and magazines and watching popular television shows filled with immodesty, affairs, premarital sex, and other behavior that the world says is okay. 

However, it has taken me a LONG time to start listening. I did not want to give up my mystery books (full of foul language, sex and violence), my magazines and my t.v. shows and submit to His calling. But the more time I spent in prayer and God's word, the allure and temptation of these books, magazines and shows has decreased tremendously. I am no longer consumed with the next book in the series, the mid-season cliffhanger, the preview of a new show or the glossy magazine cover. I realized today that this sin in my life has lost its sparkly and shiny appeal. This is the power of God in me. I can not do it on my own, in my own strength. It is the power of God working in me and He can work in you too. 

I am far from perfect and I still have temptations I deal with daily, but each day I desire and crave God more. I want to know Him more intimately, spend more time in prayer, become a servant to others.God wants me to invest in others and to fill my mind with only those things that glorify Him. Philippians 4:8 has kept popping into my head over the last few months. Coincidence? I think not-it is the Holy Spirit.  

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."