Philippians 4:8 ESV
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

We have to keep filtering everything that influences us through these eight characteristics: If we filter every area of our lives through these words, the shows and movies we watch, the music we listen to, the social media sites we follow, then we will be able to know what is of God and what is not.

We live in a world that is constantly bombarding us with messages, images that are not conducive to God’s ways. We have the ability to choose what we think about. We can reject the messages and images of the world that are not productive and meaningful to us.

Thinking about whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise applies to every area of our life. Everything we consume mentally and spiritually should draw our hearts closer to God and increase our desire to obey Him. It seems likely that, if Christians took this verse seriously, our media consumption habits would have to change.

Prayer:
Search my heart Father, help me to weed through the garbage of this world and find those things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable. If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, teach me to think about these things.