157: Think about these things | Philippians 4:8

Our culture is obsessed with the negative and controversial. Just watch the news. But God says to think about what is lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy.

My dad loved the news. It was really all he watched on T.V. Sure, he would watch the occasional family movie with us or the A-team from time to time. But his favorite was, hands down, the news. Morning, noon, evening, and night. He couldn’t get enough. I remember when we first got cable. It was like Christmas day for my dad, who could now watch the news 24 hours a day! What does this has to do with today’s One Verse? Well, Philippians 4:8 tells us to think about things are are right and true and just. Think about things that are lovely and admirable and praiseworthy. Would you use any of those words to describe last night’s news coverage? I sure wouldn’t! Now, I’m not on a rampage against local and national news. It’s good to be informed and know what is going on in our cities and around our country and the world. But it does bring up an interesting point: What are we allowing into our lives? It’s not just the news. Our culture is fascinated by the controversial and the negative. It’s the touchy subject that gets the most shares or comments on Facebook. It’s the controversy that gets retweeted. My takeaway is this. Be careful what you allow to influence your life and by how much. Better yet, connect with beauty in your world. Find those things that are lovely and praiseworthy. Be careful to let only the negative and controversial stories to affect you. Think about things that are pure, lovely, just, and admirable. Find the beauty in our world.

One Verse is a short, free podcast devotional designed to help you grow closer to God through less than 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

Consistency trumps intensity. When it comes to working out, eating healthy, or managing our finances, consistency always trumps intensity. We reach our major life goals through small, purposeful steps taken daily. The same is true in our spiritual lives. I truly believe you will grow closer to God by spending just 5 minutes a day with Him versus cramming in an hour once a month. The One Verse Devotional is here to help take away the barriers of spending time with God. Now, during your workout, drive to work, or even shopping for groceries, you can invest in your spiritual life.

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