By Ada
Brownell
David, the
same young fellow who killed the giant while Israel’s army stood by in fear,
discovered Satan can trip up the best of us if we don’t look out. David wrote
this after repentance for committing adultery:
“Your word I
have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You” (Psalm
119:10-11). God’s Word. A great download for our brains.
In
contrast to educational textbooks, one interesting fact about the Bible is the
message is never outdated.
We are able to put some beautiful
things in our minds: scripture, good music, good information, a willingness to
learn, a willingness to work, a determination to love, a determination to help,
a determination to make heaven our home.
Although God’s covenant is etched
into our hearts when we accept Jesus as Savior, we need to study good things
that “Ca-ching!” profitable character. We’re told in the book of Timothy to
study to show ourselves approved unto God, so we will rightly interpret the
Word of Truth.
If we use our excellent knowledge
of good things, our character and integrity grow. Our will becomes stronger.
It’s like seeing a growing baby every day. He looks the same size if we see him
often, but if we wait six months or a year, we see a big difference! And you
and others will see a change in you when you put positive things you learn into
action.
When we make good decisions, we
become more mature, more trustworthy, more dependable, and our potential for
doing great things increases.
Yet, we need to guard our minds
because ungodly things we assimilate (even alcohol or an illegal drug) can do
things we can’t fathom.
Could be like what happened to
Joney, my sister Clara’s Chihuahua, a little darling dog who did tricks for
Clara’s husband, Blackie. They would put glassless eyeglasses on the dog, and
he’d sit up, take his front paws, and act as if he were reading a newspaper.
He’d play dead when Blackie pointed his finger and yelled, “Bang!”
Jonesy did all kinds of tricks and
received his hamburgers “made to order,” and a human cookie for dessert.
But one day he coughed, sneezed,
and gagged all through the night. He wouldn’t eat, and he continued coughing,
sneezing, and gagging for several days.
My sis thought Jones was dying, and
she couldn’t bear putting him to sleep. Her son was fighting a war, and he was
attached to the dog, too.
“We can’t let Jonesy die!” she
said.
After about a week of the dog not
eating, Jonesy gagged and Clara noticed something in the back of his throat. A
long blade of grass hung down his throat and up through his nose. She pulled it
out. Jonesy immediately got a drink of , ate, and lived for several years after
that.
Sometimes a tiny amount of filth or
ungodliness can give us great grief.
Students forced to read ungodly
material can pray for God’s protection against their minds, but can ask for a
substitute. Teachers usually provide something else, especially if the student comes
with a respectful attitude and grades show he’s not trying to get out of
something.
I asked for a substitute when
Playboy owner Hugh Hefner’s biography was required in a college class. I didn’t
want that garbage in my mind for recall.
We need to guard our mental wealth.
We’ll reap benefits all our lives.
©copyright
Ada Brownell 2013
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