Put Good In, Get Good Out
Do y'all have those random things that just stick with you? I remember those old Minute Maid juice commercials that used to say, "Put good in, get good out." That phrase has stuck with me for years. It just never left. I think the Minute Maid commercials say it in reference to physical health and the things we put into our bodies....but there is so much more to this.
During our devotion this morning at the Hope Center for Women, we talked quite a bit about what we expose ourselves too. Even the "wolf in sheep's clothing" types of things that do not seem bad on the surface but end up leading to negative mindsets and thoughts, at minimum. What types of things are we allowing into our being and how are they affecting us? What are we allowing into our being that leaves an open door for the enemy?
In this media driven society, a lot of our negative influences come at us through the media. The things we watch on movies/TV/YouTube, the music we listen to, the books/blogs/magazines we read....are they pointing to Jesus, or do they pointing away from Him?
So as I'm sure the other girls in the house did, I began to examine myself and pray that God show me the things that I am exposing myself to that leave an open door for the enemy. I felt like the things He showed me were basically a matter of details and semantics. On the surface, most aren't anything terrible, but they're things that leave an open door....which will eventually lead to a slow fade of bigger issues if I'm not careful.
My mind went to the subject of purity....and how purity is what I desire for my life.
Purity is defined as: free from adulteration or contamination, freedom from immorality
When we hear the word purity, most of us automatically think of sexual purity - which is so good and important for believers and humanity in general. But purity for a person who is following hard after Jesus is a much grander thing.
Philippians 4:8 says: "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
Colossians 3:5 says: "So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world."
Romans 13:14 says: "Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your fleshly desires."
The Bible paints a much grander portrait of purity than just sexual purity. It involved staying free of immorality of any type, keeping our motive in check, steering clear of jealousy, being grateful instead of complaining, being careful of what we allow our eyes to see, our ears to hear, paying close attention to the words we speak out of our lips, and so much more.
Put good in, get good out.
Whatever we put in comes out of us in some form or fashion. If we are putting junk in or evil in or worldly things in, all of that will come right back out of us. But if we stay focus on submerging ourselves in the things of God, good will come out of us.
Philippians 2:14-15 says: "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky."
Johnathan Stidham says "Light in me be." That's what I want. That's what I'm chasing after. I want to be light to a world who desperately needs Jesus because I desperately need Jesus. Because of Jesus, God sees me as pure in every way. White as snow. He does not see my past or the things I mess up on a daily basis. Really, nothing of me....thankfully. He just sees His Son's blood covering me.
An interesting fact about the color white. White is a combination of every color in the spectrum. It contains all the colors of the rainbow. When God sees us, He sees us white as snow.....the very righteousness of Himself. Just as the color white contains every color in the rainbow, those of us who are filled with the Spirit of God are filled with a seed of every character of Him.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)
I want to see God....so it is purity that I will seek as I seek His face.
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