In His Name Devotionals
LIVING PURE
In His Name Devotionals
LIVING PURE
“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 on such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
In our lives we are faced with many opportunities, many decisions, and many tests of our faith. Each day Christians have the ability to use their opportunities, decisions, and tests of their faith to glorify God. As we strive to do this there are those areas of our lives that are very black and white. While we know that encouraging and loving one another can glorify God, we also know that there are things like drunkenness and adultery that do not. The problem many Christians face is when they are put in situations that are not so “black and white.” What about the very popular sitcoms that give the message that casual sex outside of marriage is the normal way of life? Should we watch movies that glorify acts of violence? What about listening to a new love song where, even though the man and woman are married to other people, they should be together because they “love each other?”
In general, there is nothing wrong with watching television, watching a movie, or listening to music, but do we first stop to filter out the things that are not pure or holy? As Christians, should we make excuses in order to watch or listen to things that send less than pure messages or should we turn the channel or station when we notice these messages? I believe we must guard our hearts and minds against the evil of Satan, and strive to live pure and Christ-like lives. Paul makes this same challenge to the Christians at Philippi in the above verse from Philippians 4:8.
The decisions we face each day, even the ones that seem insignificant like deciding which television show to watch, affect our minds and our hearts. Christians must strive to live their lives, even in the “little things,” to give God the glory He deserves. Ephesians 5:15-16 reads, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.”
