track. 1st Peter 1 teaches:
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
It's been said that the mind is the battleground - the enemy will attempt to enter our consciousness and to lead us astray through the power of suggestion, turning our attention from the truth to the deception of empty promises. The Bible teaches us to resist the devil and God gives us the tools by which we walk in victory. We have God's Word, which can train our minds and keep us focused on Christ. We have spiritual armor, through which we can stand strong against him. And, we can develop the determination to make sure that every stronghold the enemy would try to build in our minds is destroyed by the power of the Spirit, released as we appropriate God's truth.
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Romans 13 addresses the topic of staying sharp spiritually. We can read:
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Steve Harvey is a famous comedian.
He believes that he is gifted of God.
He also does not do drugs or get drunk because he believes God's gifts are diminished when people alter their state of mind, according to a piece on the Christian Post website.
The report points to a video on his YouTube channel, in which he says, "The reason I don't drink and indulge in dope is because my gift is tied squarely to my mental alertness and sharpness," adding, "I don't care who you are, really, none of our gifts are tied to changing and altering our mental state."
He says he desires to use his role as an entertainer responsibly and to mentor young men.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Steve Harvey is a famous comedian.
He believes that he is gifted of God.
He also does not do drugs or get drunk because he believes God's gifts are diminished when people alter their state of mind, according to a piece on the Christian Post website.
The report points to a video on his YouTube channel, in which he says, "The reason I don't drink and indulge in dope is because my gift is tied squarely to my mental alertness and sharpness," adding, "I don't care who you are, really, none of our gifts are tied to changing and altering our mental state."
He takes aim at those who say that smoking marijuana enhances creativity: "No, when you're smoking you told yourself you get more creative. You had that gift before you started smoking weed. He says, "You can convince yourself of anything. But name one gift that you have that is enhanced by altering your mental state." But Harvey insists that he is not condemning anyone.
Harvey says, "God gives you a gift. He don't need your help to enhance it...He needs your attention, your faith, your prayer to enhance your gift." He points out that there are many entertainers who have allowed drugs and alcohol to negatively impact their careers.
Now, I don't know very much about Steve Harvey. I do know that he hosts Family Feud and did an introduction to Jesus video a few years ago. And, there is online evidence that his comedy act may be cleaner than it once was. But, while not endorsing Harvey's profession, as in "job," I will endorse his profession regarding not diminishing your sharpness in the use of God's gift.
And, that can be a challenge for us. Please allow me to share some takeaways that were inspired by this Christian Post story:
Number one, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, so therefore substances that could produce a diminished level of effectiveness or mental or spiritual awareness are not good for us or for our spiritual walk. So, we have to watch what we put in to our bodies - if the effect is harmful, I believe the Bible tells us to refrain from consuming it.
Next, the Bible teaches us to be alert - spiritually speaking. Now, physical substances can harm that alertness, but there are other influences that can adversely affect our sensitivity and discernment, as well. What we place into our minds can be detrimental to our spiritual lives - we have to make sure that we are not allowing damaging or deceptive thought patterns to take root and get us off course in our walk. That is why meditation on God's Word is a key component for spiritual health, so that we might be sharp in the Lord.
Finally, we can make sure that we recognize God's giftedness for us - we are placed here for a purpose, to abide in Jesus daily and to be used of Him for His glory. As we realize that we have a gift, we take the necessary steps to allow the Holy Spirit to produce His work through us.
Finally, we can make sure that we recognize God's giftedness for us - we are placed here for a purpose, to abide in Jesus daily and to be used of Him for His glory. As we realize that we have a gift, we take the necessary steps to allow the Holy Spirit to produce His work through us.
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