Garbage In, Garbage Out

By Les D. Crause

Psalm 119:9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

How easily sin seems to trip us up when we are trying so hard to serve the Lord faithfully and do what is right. It reminds me of how things always seemed to be with me when I was much younger. I did not need to try very hard to get into trouble. It always seemed to be looking for me. In fact, the more I tried to escape it, the more it seemed to increase its pace. Eventually I just gave up trying to run from it. Don't get me wrong. I was never one to look for trouble or act rebellious, or be aggressive. I hated strife like the plague. I wanted to glorify the Lord in my life and tell others about Him. But yet I always either did or said something that upset someone. I was always messing up even though I tried hard not to. And then if that was not enough, I found myself being tempted by the world and all the uncleanness that it had to offer. I could try to control my actions; but it was the thoughts that were always the problem. And so it is for most young men. The World System is set up to lead them astray. They are bombarded on all sides with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, as John mentions in his epistle. But then I found a way to overcome it all. I found a way to purge my mind from hanging on to the evil that was all around. All I needed to do was to fill my mind with things that were upbuilding and edifying. Why do you suppose those who do not know the Lord are always led into sin? It is because they pay attention to the things that are being fed into their minds. All we need to do as believers is feed our minds with the things that will lead us into doing right. For the Scripture says, "As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he." Why does a dog bark? Because he thinks like a dog! Why does the sinner sin? Because he thinks as a sinner? Why does the Christian have faith? Because he thinks as a believer. What are you spending time thinking about? It will soon show in your actions. Try taking heed to the Word and meditating on it. Pretty soon you'll be thinking like God. And who knows how that will affect your actions! You might start turning the world upside down like the Son of God did when He walked the earth.