Faithful Focus

So... School's out for the summer! Ah, sleeping late, no homework, tests, reports or even school lunches for the next couple of months! You don't have to struggle trying to stay awake while your math teacher tries to convince you that logarithms are key to the survival of all mankind, or try to keep from getting caught laughing at your gym coach who sports the knee high socks with the athletic shorts and flip-up sunglasses! Yeah, I know, right.

Hey, since you don't have to do the "school stuff" you use to do for 8-9 hours a day, that means you've got a lot of time to just do "whatever"! But what kind of stuff is the "whatever" stuff? I know there's going to be a lot of tv time, Facebook, texting and internet time, as well, but what are you seeing while you're doing those things?

If I had to suggest one verse for a life verse over this summer, I would actually recommend you memorize and live out all of Psalm 101. But, one part of one verse in Psalm 101 particularly stands out; the first part of verse 3. It says, "I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar." (New Living Translation)

Now why would the psalmist see it as so important to "refuse" to look at things he shouldn't. Seriously now. He didn't say, "I will try my hardest not to look at such things", or " I won't look at those kinds of things when my parents are home because I may get caught and be in trouble". No, he said he REFUSES to view such things! Refusing to do something is an intensive and deliberate decision that results in not doing it, no matter what! Uh-uh! I ain't gonna, and nothing can make me!

You see, it's very important to understand what the psalmist of Psalm 101 understood way back then, because even though so much has changed, so much has stayed the same. He knew, like we do today, that if all we put into ourselves is junk and garbage, then eventually we will be filled with only junk and garbage. There are many ways that we allow things into our hearts and minds, but the way I want to address right now is our sight.

Our eyes record everything they see. Every image we set our eyes on leaves an impression on our brains. Under normal circumstances, (like not having severe head trauma or a lobotomy) these images are never erased. Sometimes, they can be recalled selectively, other times they just appear for no reason at all. You know what I'm talking about- those times where you're like, sitting in church, and the scene from that movie you shouldn't have seen, or web site you shouldn't have visited, or game you shouldn't have played, pops into your mind. Then you start looking around to see if anybody saw it, too! Or, you have a rush of guilt because you can't believe you were thinking about, or remembering that! Why are you?

The surest way to stay out of trouble isn't to cover your tracks, or destroy all the evidence so you won't get caught, but is instead to just simply not do what you're not supposed to do! So it stands to reason that the surest way to keep your mind free from garbage being remembered and played back is to never give it the junk to see in the first place! Right?

So how do you keep your mind "clean" with so much dirt out there, pretty much in your face? Do you remember the "Tables" lesson that Jenny did a few Wednesdays ago? Yeah, the one with the "good", "bad" and "so-so" stuff on the tables? Well, this lesson focused on Philippians 4:8, and says,"...Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

It's simple: Fill yourself with the good stuff! Consider your soul, your heart and your mind a high-performance engine, and you eyes the fuel inlet. If you want your "engine" to run at optimal performance, then you fill it with the proper octane (grade) of fuel. You wouldn't use the same fuel you put in your lawnmower! High octane fuel for high output performance, right? Just think about it. If you put "low grade" fuel in an engine that requires "high test", you're running the risk of potentially harming the "engine" and various other components.

What I'm getting at is the best way to keep your spiritual engine running at optimal performance, is to intentionally put in only the" high-test fuel and additives" that are "true and honorable and right... pure and lovely and admirable".

Psalm 101:3
"I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar." (New Living Translation)

Have a GREAT summer! Be a blessing to all! Love you guys.

Guy
Matthew 5:16