Fill Your Mind – The Presidential Prayer Team

It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person. – Matthew 15:11

The lists are extensive: “20 Foods That are Bad for Your Health, Foods to Avoid if you have Arthritis (or Gout, or High HDL, or Diverticulitis), Three Foods to Never Eat…“ and there are many more. Whatever your ailment, there is a list for you. The suggestions may actually be helpful, but, in the end, they are not what’s most important – that’s your spiritual health.

In God’s plan for the human being, the good foods you eat will be used for energy and other requisites of the body; the bad foods will be eliminated. But when it comes to what you feed your mind by what you read, or what you watch, or the games you play, as well as the people you allow to influence your life, eliminating what is harmful to you may be much more difficult. The bad things may be expelled, but they come out as insulting words or insinuations, harmful actions, jealousy, selfishness, quarrels, fighting, pride – all destructive in their own way. “What comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person” (Matthew 15:11).

So fill your mind with the things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable. “If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). Read and study Scripture. It will challenge you to think, as well as guide you to know a better way. It can be your constant reference changing your heart to be receptive to God’s good direction and enabling you to determine those people who will be influences for good – both in your sphere of daily life, as well as in halls of government.

Today’s Verse: Matthew 15:11

¹¹it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Isaiah 1:12-20

“When you come to appear before me,
    who has required of you
    this trampling of my courts?
¹³Bring no more vain offerings;
    incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts
    my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
    I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵When you spread out your hands,
    I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
    I will not listen;
    your hands are full of blood.
¹⁶Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
    remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
¹⁷    learn to do good;
seek justice,
    correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
    plead the widow’s cause.

¹⁸“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
    they shall become like wool.
¹⁹If you are willing and obedient,
    you shall eat the good of the land;
²⁰but if you refuse and rebel,
    you shall be eaten by the sword;
    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”