The war for your heart…

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Prov. 4:23)

Billions of dollars are spent each year on TV and internet advertising because it is scientifically proven that it changes the way we think and act. And there is more than one kind of advertising going on. The bombardment of ungodly world-view propaganda, under the guise of news, also powerfully impacts the way we think (There is presently an intense effort across all forms of media to attack God’s biblical plan for marriage).

In many ways, it appears that the world is doing a much better job of “discipling” the Church than the Church is. And as long as we slavishly give into our addiction for media and entertainment, we will continue to be changed into people who are more and more worldly — and may one day soon be found actually opposing the true Church and the true work of the Kingdom.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

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TV LOVE…

Here’s a short vid I made about true intimacy…

Dude, I always feel better when I eat right…

An old magician’s trick…

“…lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

There is an old magicians’ trick called misdirection.  With it, a magician distracts his audience and gets them to focus on something unimportant (perhaps with his left hand), while he is setting up the real trick with his right hand.  And then — du-du-duuuuhh!!! — the bunny appears, seemingly from nowhere. (OMG, DID YOU FREAKING SEE THAT??!!)  Wikipedia defines this as a form of deception.

Dude, in the same way, the “old magician” is still up to his old tricks.  And distraction is one of his fave things to do.  Sometimes I call it “the tyranny of the immediate.”  Let’s say that I have decided to spend more time with Jesus.  And then all hell seems to break loose and many things “just have to be dealt with.”  Or maybe I get pulled once again into the vortex of Facebook for an hour or more.  And before I know it, a week has gone by and I have spent little or no time with the Lover of my soul — the One who created me from nothing and redeemed me with His own blood.  And what is my excuse?  Uh…well…stuff happens.

“…the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Daniel 11:32)

What an amazing time to be alive!  What an incredible adventure is unfolding in our cities and across the planet!  Aslan is on the move!  As the Light and darkness intensify, and as we prepare for the Son of Man to return, God is desiring to pour out unparalleled anointing and blessings to those who are paying the price to really know Him.  What a tragic thing it would be to look back on this time and realize that, like Esau, we traded away our amazing inheritance for a bowlful of unsatisfying sludge and distraction.

What are you feeding?

Whatever you feed lives.  And whatever you refuse to feed dies.

I don’t know if you got the memo, but there is a war going on inside you between your spirit man and your flesh.  And as the old saying goes:  “An army marches on its stomach.”  In other words, with out sustenance, a soldier quickly loses his ability to effectively resist or defeat his enemy.

So…when you choose to regularly spend hours watching worldly entertainment on TV and online, etc., you are choosing to strengthen and inflame your flesh — by feeding it what it wants.  Maybe that is why your spiritual life has sucked so much lately.  Doh!

But if instead you have been choosing to deny your fleshly appetites and to feed your spirit man (by spending time with the Lover of your soul in worship, prayer, and in the Word, as well as being encouraged by some great teaching and fellowship), then that is probably why you have seen real peace and lasting joy and true spiritual vision increasing in your life.

The choice is up to you.  In the end, where you end up in eternity won’t be rocket science — it will be very simple and apparent to all — you either chose, as an act of love (and outrageously obvious wisdom), to feed your spirit man and, daily, to become more and more like Jesus — or you chose to cooperate with your adversary by feeding and encouraging that which despises your soul and wants to kill it.

“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)

“Put to death , therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:5-6)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)