If I were to ask you what a follower of Jesus should look like, you’d probably say something along the lines of: “Someone who acts like Jesus.”
And so would I. A follower of Jesus should be someone who thinks, acts, and reacts like Jesus would if he were living your life.
But that’s tough when you consider all of the forces that are shaping our minds and actions.
So, let’s stop and take a look at how we are really influencing our minds every day…
- We see 5,000 ads a day
- We on on social media 2.5 hours a day
- We hear 30,000 words a day
- We watch 4 hours of TV a day.
Now let’s think about this per month…
- 150,000 ads.
- 75 hours of social media
- 900,000 words
- 120 hours of TV
Now, how much time does a person spend letting their minds be formed by God?
Average amount of time a person spends in church?
90 minutes a month.
… That’s it.
And on average the normal “Christian” goes to church 1.8 times a month. They pray even less than that, and they read the Bible even less than they pray.
So, let me ask you this: how can we expect to think, act, and react like Jesus, when Jesus is the last thing on our minds?
The Apostle Paul says this: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2)
So, here’s a couple of things that can help:
10 Ways to Renew Your Mind Today
- Download the YouVersion app and sign up for a reading plan for once a day.
- Put your phone under your bed, and when you wake up and get on your knees to get your phone… Pray instead.
- Google “Top Bible Verses to Memorize” and do one a week.
- Have a Christian book in the car and in the bathroom. Here’s a blog with a few suggestions.
- Watch a Youtube video of a worship song each night before bed. Here’s a favorite of mine.
- Go to church every weekend and take notes. If you can’t go in person, watch online.
- Join a small group to discuss your notes.
- Use the Prayminder app to set up prayer reminders for your prayer requests.
- Text with a friend each day and ask: “What did God show you today?”
- Keep a gratitude journal, and use it to thank God for at least one thing every single day.
Think there’s any correlation between the rise in social media time and our rise in anxiety and depression? Absolutely.
I wonder what would happen to each and every one of us if we took a bit of our time each day and truly thought about God.
I bet we’d like the result.
Your Pastor,
Rusty George
