I return often to the teaching of what you fill your mind with will determine what sort of person you will become.
Therefore, I do not fill my mind on sensationalism in news or news with an agenda. Those are only designed to get your emotions worked up so that you’ll stay on channel and watch the ads. (I’m in the media, I know how it works.)
But I do fill my mind with good teaching. One of my favorites is John Ortberg. He is teaching on the Sermon on the Mount. A few months ago I spent some time in those early chapters of Matthew recently. Powerful teaching.
Ortberg asked where you get your news. It was a trick question. For Jesus told the people that he brought the Good News. And what was the Good News (gospel)?
The Kingdom of God was here.
We could, if we so chose, to live in the Kingdom of God. Right now. Right here.
Check out the Lord’s Prayer–“thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.”
This was not the kingdom of “things you gotta do to get to heaven.” It is the kingdom of how to live. Starting now. Even starting before you understand who Jesus is.
The Gospels teach us over and over how to live that life in the kingdom of God.
Yet, we over the centuries have perverted and turned upside down Jesus’ simple teaching.
Say, “I’d like to live in the Kingdom of God and be a follower of Jesus.” Read the Sermon on the Mount. Try to live that kind of life that Jesus describes.
You’ve switched citizenship from the world to God. And that’s a good thing. Even the Good News.
Faith Venture 
September 21, 2017 at 8:42 am |
I like Ortberg too! In addition to the resources you mentioned I would add your posts to the list they are helpful and challenging. Thanks for doing this it is a meaningful part of my daily routine. Grace and Peace.